And the winners should have been ...

Today just for the fun of it, I decided to participate in our Halloween costume contest at work. The funny thing about it was, my co-worker also dressed up as well and neither one of us knew about the other in that I was going to be a nurse and he a surgeon!

Since we looked as if we had planned it (even though we really didn't) we decided to enter the contest as a team. Unfortunately, we were somewhat snubbed, but we definately shared a big laugh over it! Oh well, there's always next year ~ LOL!

I'm Dreaming of a White Samhain?

Hmmm, guess our Mother Earth had other plans for Samhain this year, eh? Walked out this morning and ...

What??? The weather report predicts 2-4 inches of snow, but it is coming down pretty hard and fast here in Reading, PA.

But seriously, we are "supposed" to have nicer weather on  Monday for Samhain/Halloween ~ thank the Goddess! I don't know about you, but it is waaay too soon for this kind of weather for my liking. In fact, I can't actually remember ever having snow THIS early in the season.

Looks like it's going to be a great day to stay inside and clean!!!

Wishing everyone a purrfect Samhain . . .

from our family to yours - blessed be to all!!!

Samhain: A Time For Honoring

The sabbat of Samhain is not only the third and final Harvest of the year, it is also a time for honoring our deceased loved ones. All those whom are family, friends and pets whose memory will forever live on through us and our eternal love for them.

This is my favorite sabbat and, for me, it certainly holds the most meaning. As I grow older, I understand the true significance of this very special time of the year and how much it truly means to me. Like the God, our loved ones have crossed over into their next life to be born again. Some Wiccans believe this place to be The Summerlands and others, such as myself, simply have faith that we enter the next phase in our eternal cycle of life.

Each and every year, I save a special place aside of my altar for all of my many pictures set in lovely frames, decorated and draped with autumn attire. Sometimes I even like to wear a particular piece of clothing or jewelry during ritual which holds a special meaning to me (usually something personal which had been given to me by my grandmother, aunt, etc).  


This year I will most likely celebrate Samhain solitary style, but that is just fine with me. Even though I still enjoy gathering with my fellow Wiccans and friends for sabbats and esbats sometimes, there are times when I find it is nice to have a little solitude.

A little "Holiday Spirit"

Yesterday, I did some early Yule shopping with my sister Robin. There is a really cool store in the mall located near where we work called, "Holiday Spirit." They sell the usual stuff ~ wreaths, lights, artificial trees, candles, oranaments, etc. They also have a section for pets where you can buy them stockings and such...

They even have a hugh array of cute and funny wooden hanging signs like this one ...

and this one ...

Kinda just sez it all, doesn't it? LOL!

Old Witch Verse

“Pray to the Moon when She is round,

 Luck with you shall then abound;

 What you seek for shall be found,

 In sea or sky or solid ground”

(Image credit) 

2012 Sabbats & Esbats

Sabbats

Imbolg - Thursday, February 2nd

Ostara/Spring Equinox - Tuesday, March 20th

Beltane - Tuesday, May 1st

Litha/Midsummer/Summer Solstice - Wednesday, June 20th

Lughnasadh - Wednesday, August 1st

Mabon/Autumn Equinox - Saturday, September 22nd

Samhain - Wednesday, October 31st

Yule/Winter Solstice - Friday, December 21st

Esbats/Full Moons

Monday, January 9th

Tuesday, February 7th

Thursday, March 8th

Friday, April 6th

Sunday, May 6th

Monday, June 4th

Tuesday, July 3rd

Thursday, August 2nd

Friday, August 31st (Blue Moon)

Sunday, September 30th

Monday, October 29th

Wednesday, November 28th

Friday, December 28th

(Image credits: top pic was taken this year while in Ontario, Canada and bottom was a pic from Yule Sabbat 2002)

Fun Friday: Loreena McKennitt ~ "Samhain Night"

Loreena McKennitt's "Samhain Night"

http://youtu.be/tj1tZwGqjU8

When the moon on a cloud cast night
Hung above the tree tops' height
You sang me of some distant past
That made my heart beat strong and fast
Now I know I'm home at last

You offered me an eagle's wing
That to the sun I might soar and sing
And if I heard the owl's cry
Into the forest I would fly
And in its darkness find you by.

And so our love's not a simple thing
Nor our truths unwavering
Like the moon's pull on the tide
Our fingers touch our hearts collide
I'll be a moonsbreath by your side

Blog Give-Away Update!

Guess what everyone? I have decided that I would like to add two more "bonus" gifts (in addition to my three prizes) to my Blog Give-Away!

These gifts will be two sets of homemade hanging Yule/Winter Solstice Wreaths ~ one medium and one mini wreath each ...

Blessed Be!

The Wiccan Life 100th Follower & Blog-O-Versary Give-Away!

Wow, I can't believe it has been a year since I started this blog! When I began writing, "The Wiccan Life," I originally wanted to create a blog for both novices and experienced Wiccans/Witches alike. I've been told before by a few people that there are not very many Wiccan blogs out there in Blogland for Solitary Wiccans. I tend to agree! Now, here we are a year later and I have somehow managed to reach 100 wonderful followers like you!

I would like to show my appreication for your kindness in giving my blog a second look so I am having a "100th Follower & Blog-o-versary Give-Away" here at The Wiccan Life. I will be giving away three free prizes to those who are interested in participating.

First prize is a fantastic book called, "The Wicca Handbook" by Eileen Holland (an Eclectic Solitary Wiccan Priestess) and six colored mini-candles to go along with it.

Second prize is a set of homemade hanging Yule Wreaths ...

and the third prize will be a decorative silver and black Pentacle Candle ...

All you have to do to participate is leave a comment on this post letting me know that you would like to be included in the drawing. The drawing will be on Saturday, November 5th (the Saturday after Samhain).

Again, "Thank You" all for being a part of my blog and my life ~

Blessed Be to all and Good Luck!!

A Short Book Review & A New Blog

For those of you who, like myself, enjoy both cats and astrology, this cute little book is a lot of fun! I actually picked it up a few monhs back, but had not gotten a chance to read it until as of late. It is called none other than, "Cat Astrology: The Complete Guide to Feline Horoscopes" and it is written by Michael  Zullo. I had a blast reading all about my own cats zodiac signs and their attributes. It makes a great coffee table book and that is exactly where I have it sitting.

Also, for those of you who have not yet heard, I have recently started another blog called, "Witch Cats Blog" and I am co-writing it along with a long time friend of mine and fellow cat fanatic, Page. It is meant to be a heart-felt dedication to cats everywhere and their loving, caring families. I have added the link here for anyone who may wish to check it out!

Oh, yes and one more thing! I am planning a 100th Blog Follower & Blog-aversary Give-Away here at The Wiccan Life. For all my fellow blog followers who think they might be interested, please stay tuned for more details in my next post!


Brightest Blessings to everyone!

Shocktoberfest 2011

Last night, my hubby, two very dear friends, and I finally went to experience Shocktoberfest 2011. As ususal, it was awesome and we had a great time! First, we went on the "Biohazard Hayride" which is really cool because they take you through a horror-filled trail in the woods with three creepy stops in different buildings in the middle of nowhere. They use computer run mechanics along with live people jumping out of the bushes to scare the living daylights out of you! One guy with a chainsaw even jumped into our wagon with us ~ choosing the victims he was going to go after. At one point, I felt someone playing with my hair and touching my back. I immediately assumed it was my hubby as he is notorius for doing things like that to me just to make me scream. So I tapped him on his arm and said, "Knock it off, will ya!" To which he just laughed and replied, "That wasn't me!" (and it wasn't) HA! I love it!

Of course there are also actors in costume walking around throughout the park ...

In between rides, we grabbed a bite to beat then continued to go through their new feature, "The Unknown."

Dustin, his mom Etta and Brett

"The Unknown" was much like a huge house with dark-filled halls, ghouls grabbing your legs in the dark as you try to find your way from one room to the next, (and believe me, there were A LOT of dark rooms which in itself always scares the crap out of me as it is), and things popping out at you left and right.  The Unknown indeed!

Dustin posing with a Swamp Thing-like monster

A few years back before this venue was used for Shocktoberfest, our group, Old Path Enlightener's Network held our Beltane Festival here. During our ritual ceremony, the High Priestess (along with a few other attendees) claimed that they felt something or someone touching them. Something had actually pinched the HPS's butt while she was conducting the ceremony! These next two pics were taken close to where we performed our Beltane ritual that year. Strange orbs perhaps???



I  also love the fact that this Scream Park is so close to home for us. Every year we have such a blast!

Happy Haunting! LOL!

Fun Friday

Since I've always been a huge "Rocky Horror Picture Show" fan, I thought I would share with you a couple of my favorite songs from the movie ~ "There's a Light (Over at the Frankenstein Place)" and "Time Warp."

When I was 14 years old and a twirler in Junior High School, our Band Instructor (who was only in her early twenties herself) promised to take our whole twirling squad to see "Rocky Horror" in the threatre if we all had our parents sign a permission slip. My mom, being the cool mom that she is, gave me one. But alas, we never did get to see this movie because apparently there were not enough "cool mom's."  LOL!

To this day, I still have not gotten to see it in a theatre with a fun crowd, but I still watch it on television every chance I get! 

"There's a Light (Over at the Frankenstein Place)"

http://youtu.be/vK2u4y7J58I

"Time Warp" (actual Full length video from movie)

http://youtu.be/V0SqS2QJdj8

A Versatile Blogger Award

I would like to convey a humble, "Thank you" to Leanne at one of my absolute favorite blogs, "Cottage Tails" for nominating me a "Versatile Blogger Award."

Now, it is my turn to pass this award onto 15 more blogs which I feel are deserving and share 7 things about myself on this post.

Seven things about me ...
1. I am married with no children ~ only my fur babies whom I adore
2. I enjoy spending time with my friends and family
3. I dislike intolerance and feel very strongly about the Wiccan Rede, "... and it harm none, do what you will."
4. I enjoy crocheting and latch hook
5. I love teaching Wicca and Witchcraft
6. I love decorating ... anything!
7. I love to sing and write poetry

15 Bloggers I have chosen to pass award onto ... (I must admit that I currently only know of 10 ~ as I do not seem to actually have very much "me" time these days ...  :D
1.    Wiccan Writes
2.    That Witch Is True
3.    ArtSings1946
4.    Hecate's Corner
5.    Ponderosa Pagan
6.    One Wiccan's Thoughts on It All
7.    Wiccan Moon Magick
8.    My Musings
9.    Becoming Six (formally, "The Buddhist Mama")
10.  The Buddhist Life


Brightest Blessings to everyone!!!

Murder Mystery Dinner

Has anyone ever been involved in a Murder Mystery Dinner before? They are really cool! My mother-in-law wants to get all of us tickets this year for a Halloween Murder Mystery Dinner at a place called "Overlook Mansion Bed & Breakfast: Mystery at the Mansion." A few years ago, she bought a group of us tickets for my hubby's 35th birthday at this same venue.
 
Since you usually have to have a fairly large group (about 6-8 people or so) in order to play out the mystery part of the evening, our group consisted of my husband, myself, my in-laws, my (then sister-in-law) Robin and my brother-in-law, and a couple of our friends. We were sent our profiles in the mail for all of the characters and asked to pick one ~ not telling the others about our own "personal" profile and no one knew before-hand who the murder or murders were. Of course, to get into the spirit of things, we all dressed our parts! I chose the part of the deceased millionaire, Arthur Clifford's, Private Nurse Freda Moore. The owner of the Overlook Mansion played the Detective and his wife was Arthur's Maid. Robin, by the way, played the Maid's Assistant, Miss Foster and my hubby was designated to be Arthur's son.

Brett & I clowning around

The evening started out with all of us gathering at "Arthur's Mansion" after his death to meet with the Detective who would walk us all through the events leading up to the murder. Halfway through the story, we all attended a special dinner in the Mansion Dining Room, complete with birthday cake, while continuing to act out our roles. After dinner, we followed the Detective through the house while he showed us his evidence.

Posing in a pic afterwards with the owner's of the Mansion

In the end, we found out that Arthur's Nurse (me) had conspired with his best friend (which was funny because this character was played by my husband's actual best friend and the Best Man at our wedding) to kill Arthur. Turned out that his Nurse injected him with a non-traceable poison at the behest of his best friend, who was also her lover, so that they could split his inheritance after trying to pin the murder on his son (my hubby). The Detective then proceeded to handcuff us both afterwards. LOL!

"The Gang"

It was so much fun and the owners of the Bed & Breakfast were really great! I would definately recommend trying this sort of thing if you ever get the chance!

Portable Altar

I just love portable altars! They come in very handy for so many things. For example, just last night I used mine when a friend of mine asked me to cleanse and bless her home (as she was having a bit of "spiritual" activity in her children's bedrooms).

I also love the fact that they do not need to be fancy at all. In fact, mine is very simple ~ I use a small utility bag with a strap which is large enough to carry only the items I need. In it, I have four tiny, colored holders for tea lights I use for the corners, a small cauldron to burn sage or other incense, a white candle, a small bowl to hold water, a vile of salt, incense cones and/or a sage stick, my athame, lighter and snuffer.

I must admit, a majority of the time I seem to use mine for house blessings and such, but they are also great when you have to travel!

Charmed, I'm Sure! The Ethics of Love Spells

Once in a while, someone will come up to me and ask, "Can you do love spells?" and "Is that how you ended up with your husband? Did you perform one on him?" The answer to these and many other questions regarding any type of spell, can be found in the Wiccan Rede which states,"...these eight words the rede fulfill and it harm none do what ye will." It is the last part of The Wiccan Rede and a very important one at that! Yes, even love spells have ethics. Magick is the art of changing consciousness and physcial reality in accordance with will while using the laws of nature (i.e. the elements and the Goddess & God). The idea is to enhance your life without interfering with or harming someone else's. Nor should you cast spells for someone else without their consent or knowledge. In doing so, you are interfering with that persons' free will and right to choose. This includes, of course, love spells!


That being said, love spells, as well as any other spell, should be thought through very carefully. Casting a spell to gain the affections of a specific person can easily back fire on the caster! For example, suppose the intended man or woman turns out to be someone totally wrong for you? He or she may turn out to be married, abusive or just plain incompatible! There are better ways to use love spells to your advantage. Instead of asking for a specific person, ask the Goddess & God to send you the man or woman that is right for you - without any preconceived notions or ideas of what that person may look like. Another really great (and fun!) way to use a love spell is "love enhancement." After all, if your sweetheart is already in love with you, why not heat things up a bit? I find them to be very exciting and they really do work wonderfully!

"This Kiss" a special video from "Practical Magic"

http://youtu.be/fG-KQLsvIPk

Divining the Future Pt. 2: Speaking of Ouija Boards ...

As I have said to you in the previous post, ouija boards are definately not a game ~ no matter what Parker Brothers tries to sell you! Seriously though, I can not stress that enough! That being said; however, I very seldom, if ever, use the ouija board for any reason. One of the few times I have ever turned to it, was due to a very bizarre circumstance. The following is in fact a true story and, for me, a deeply personal one.

In my post, "Spiritually Lifting Experience," I mentioned my ex-fiance, Mike, to whom I was engaged to for 5 years. Long story short, we broke up under pretty nasty circumstances. As fate would have it, about 7 years later I had a "nagging" feeling out of nowhere that I needed to make my peace with this ~ with him. And so I had arranged for he & I to meet up again through a mutual friend and we "talked it out and made things right" so to speak.

Mike & I  ~ my 22nd birthday (1986)

On Easter Sunday of that same year, he was taking flying lessons from a guy we both went to school with who just happened to own his own business as a Flight Instructor. They were in a private little plane which, due to mechanical problems, crashed in a field near Virginville, PA (not too far from Reading). Both he and the instructor died on impact of internal injuries.

A few weeks later after the funeral, Mike appeared to me in a dream. In my dream, he was walking around in a strange house (one I've never seen before~perhaps it was the house in which he last lived?). The house was filled with a bunch of people which included myself. However, I was the only one who could actually see him ~ no one else could. I remember him being very confused and distraught. He could not understand why I was the only one who was able to see him. In the dream, he kept saying to me, "Help me! Help me!"

This dream continued to haunt me for quite a few days and I could not for the life of me figure out what it really meant? Was I, myself, so distraught that I was beginning to have nightmares about him? Then it came to me, it is not unusual for someone who has died rather traumatically and/or suddenly to not actually know that they have died. I spoke to the only other Wiccan, and friend, that I knew at the time ~ Willow. Although I hesitated, I asked her if she would help me consult the ouija board to find out how I could help him.

We set up the board and took the necessary precautions to protect ourselves from any "uninvited" guests. We cast a magickal circle and called the corners, using blessed and consecrated water and sealed the circle with salt. As we began, I asked the board questions to which only Mike and I knew the answers to. Then, only after I was satisfied that it was indeed him, I asked him what he wanted from me, what could I do? Again, as in my dream, the board spelled out the words, "Help me!" Willow turned to me and said, "You need to tell him to cross over. He's lost!" I knew she was right ~ and I did just that. Before he left, I assured him that I would see him again someday and that I loved him. He then replied that he loved me and then said "goodbye" to me. It felt as if I had lost him all over again, but I knew it needed to be done! Both Willow and I broke down into tears afterwards. Needless to say, it was all a bit overwhelming ~ even for her eventhough she never had the chance to meet him at all. Her fiance then, now husband, had walked through the door just as we were wrapping up, saw us on the floor crying and said, "My God, what happened here?"

I knew in my heart that I was meant to meet up with Mike again for some reason or another ~  just didn't understand "why" at the time. It became apparent to me later on that the Goddess and God wanted us to make our peace before he died. I am so very grateful now that I had that chance. Since he was born on October 30, every year on Samhain I make sure to honor his memory. This, by the way, was the very last time that I actually used the ouija board for any reason.

   Last pic: Mike & I ~ 1997

IN LOVING MEMORY OF MICHAEL S. SCARPIGNATO ~ WE MISS YOU & MAY YOU ALWAYS FIND PEACE!