Black Moon Dark Moon August 21, 2017 Spells & Rituals Solar Eclipse

 by Holly Zurich

On August 21, 2017, there will be a Black Moon Dark Moon, which will coincide with a total solar eclipse, also known as The Great American Eclipse, because of the viewing area.

There are several definitions of a Black Moon – the second Dark Moon in a calendar month (like a Blue Moon is the second Full Moon in a calendar month), the 3rd New Moon or Dark Moon in a season of 4 Dark Moons, as each season normally has only 3 Full Moons and 3 Dark Moons. Black Moons also happen, albeit very infrequently, when the month of February has neither a Full Moon or Dark Moon and so both January and March will have two of each.

For this powerful and potent Black Moon Dark Moon on August 21st, I have chosen a spell to remove negative energy from your life. Negative energy is like all vibration – it causes an effect even though you can’t see it. This ritual can help clear the path for you to manifest more positive emotions and thus attract more good vibrations.

It uses Sage to remove negative energy and Basil for courage. Your touch stone, which you will use during the spell and as a reminder afterwards, is Hematite for dispelling negativity. You will also learn a simple affirmation to increase your focus.

My eBook Dark Moon Spells and Rituals has 15 unique spells suitable for Dark Moon magick and you may choose to perform a different ceremony on this Black Moon Dark Moon.

Blessed be!

© 2017, Holly Zurich. All rights reserved.

The Moon Phases and What They Mean

 JOSH , MAY 24, 2017

The moon is beautiful, at whichever phase. You know why? Because every phase of the moon is actually the Mother Goddess in a certain stage of her life, teaching you lessons you can apply in your life.

Which is why each phase of the moon brings with it an energy which you can use in your spells and rituals.

Let this Moon Phase Guide help you and guide you on what spells to cast and rituals to perform according to the current phase of the moon.

New Moon

The New Moon means the Mother Goddess is in her infant stage, which is why it marks the time for new beginnings, fresh starts, growth, optimism, starting over, hope and faith.

Do your magick in the first two or three days the new crescent is visible. This is a good time for magick concerning stuff like a new diet, a new lifestyle, shifting to a new course of study, starting at a new job, starting over in a new place, or the start of a new relationship.

Waxing Moon

The Waxing Moon means the Mother Goddess is in her maiden stage, making it the perfect time for building credit, accomplishments, creativity, strength, growth and learning, and positive transformation.

As the Moon gets brighter, the energies of growth get stronger. The maiden is full of energy and is anxious to dance around the world!

The day or two just before the calendar day of the Full Moon are the best times for doing magick for bringing something to you like a new look, a new job, a new relationship, a new accomplishment, a new talent or skill, or advanced knowledge.

Full Moon

The Full Moon is the time of abundance, harvest, manifesting desires, sexuality, achievement, and protection. The Goddess is in her Mother stage and she is at her peak, and the moon’s energy is also at its peak.

This is the best time for consecrating tools, charging jewelry, and wishes like winning a court case, winning a contest, landing a job, getting married, good health, financial prosperity, and healing. It is also the time for spells about spirituality, psychic development, dreams and divination.

Waning Moon

The Waning Moon means the Mother Goddess is in her Crone stage, making it the perfect time for letting go, clearing away, cleansing, releasing, shedding old patterns, and undoing bindings. This is a time of personal reflection.

The days just before the Dark of the Moon are best for doing magick for removal of anything that you don’t want from your life like bad habits, stress, negative energies, unsatisfying relationships, unfulfilling jobs, an unhealthy diet, or an anxious and negative mind.

The moon’s energy is getting weaker, as is the strength of the Goddess. But what comes with it is great wisdom. And you can learn from her and gain wisdom at this time.

Dark Moon

The Dark Moon is the time when the moon appears completely covered in darkness. This is the time of rest, relaxation, peace, deep wisdom, powerful banishing, divination.

This is a time to banish negative energies from our lives that we are serious about getting rid of. Any kind of magick you do at this time, you should know, will be VERY strong. Use it for banishing serious things like illnesses of the body and mind.

This time, we accept that we do not know all the answers and that everything that we need to learn will be revealed to us in time– and from that, we should feel peace

http://wiccadaily.com/the-moon-phases-and-what-they-mean/

Ashley Mortimer talks to The Independent about the reactions he has received to telling people he is a witch

• OLIVIA BLAIR
• @livblair
• Tuesday 18 April 2017 09:53 BST

Of all the things to reveal to your church-going family members, announcing you are a witch might be one of the most difficult. 

Ashley Mortimer, 48, is a witch from the contemporary Pagan path Wicca. Wiccans trace the movement back to the British man Gerald Gardner in the 1950s. Wiccans practise witchcraft and honour the Divine.

Mortimer’s parents belong to the Church of England so he anticipated the reveal of his spirituality might not go down so well.

“I knew it wouldn't be popular (teenagers have a feel for such things with parents I think,” he told The Independent. “And  I can remember being told: ‘We don't want pagan rites in THIS house!’”

Mortimer says his family were eventually pleased he had “found a spiritual path and celebrate that we share the notions of faith and morality, albeit in rather different ways” and realised they were serious.

“I think my mother gained some perspective when my sister declared herself an atheist! She told me ‘At least you have a faith, even if it's a bit misguided!’ .She is very pragmatic about faith, she sees it very much as manifesting in one's daily life and this notion of it as personal, individual and very much a daily matter is the same style of religiosity with which I approach mine - so we have commonality in approach at least.”

Mortimer says his friends have mainly been curious about his beliefs as it is a bit mysterious, he has not regularly experienced prejudice from other people but regularly had to stand up for fellow Wiccans.

“I had an employer who was a churchgoer who I suspected began to treat me differently and worse after discovering my interest in Paganism but I had no real proof and I left shortly thereafter,” he says.

Misconceptions about witchcraft have, of course, a delicate and traumatic history. The witch trials and executions across Europe in the 16th and 17th centuries are estimated to have accounted for around 60,000 deaths. 

“If these misconceptions hadn't caused so much suffering in past centuries or so much suspicion in more recent times then most of them would be simply laughable,” Mortimer says. 

Mark Black, 36, the president of the UK Pagan Council, says misconceptions most commonly come in the form of the “do you worship the devil rubbish” along with “have you got a broom?” and “do you go to a forest and dance round naked” question, to which he says “quite frankly, England is too cold”.

“You get the usual misconceptions but over the last ten years or so, because paganism has been a lot more widely publicised by the media in the right way, those type of questions are a lot more infrequent than frequent,” he says.

Mortimer agrees saying society’s renewed openness to a range of “religious and spiritual freedoms” as well increased tolerance to the rights of an individual has “helped to establish Witchcraft and other pagan religions as part of our cultural landscape”.

So how do modern day UK witches live their lives? Both men say pretty normally, just like the average person, they hold down jobs and socialise, for example. The only difference is their practise of witchcraft and magic. 

Some witches live in covens while others live alone. Many lean towards herbalism, taro, charms, spells and crystals a lot of the time for spiritual growth for the self and help other people.  All the different practises are apparently just different methods of weaving energy.

Most wishes tend to specialise in one area Mr Black says and his expertise were initially rooted in warrior witchcraft: “Initially, I thought I needed to be masculine”, he says but as he developed he turned his focus toward potions and realigning energy. 

Mortimer says if magic equates to the ability to cause changes in consciousness in conformity with will “then yes, we do cast spells”. 

However, Mr Black is reluctant to tell me about the spells he has cast and the examples of his magic for fear of “cheapening” the witchcraft practise.

“People ask me all the time about if you do something in the craft and it happens, ‘Is that magic or is it happening?’ to which my reply is ‘Does it matter?’” he says. “If someone comes to me with a fear of flying and then has the best flight experience, does it matter if it’s psychosomatic or if it’s what I believe, energy coming into play? The end result is that the person got over that. I don’t care where it came from




http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/witchcraft-wiccan-paganism-church-of-england-spells-potions-a7682951.html