Samhain Comments & Graphics

In Celebration


Samhain Comments & Graphics

~Magickal Graphics~

It is here! can you smell it in the air? do you hear it in the wind? see it in vastness of the land? October 2010 has arrived. Its time to get your Witchy on! Merry Blessings!!!!!

Every year at this time brings me great pleasure; the joy takes over my body, my mind and my emotions run wild like a child full of excitement and exuberance. Magic is all around us and for thousands of years it has been believed that during “this time” of what now is known as October in the Gregorian yearly cycle, the line which separates worlds is so thin we can see right thru it, work with it, learn from it. …But what exactly does this mean? what are we learning? what are we seeing? what is really going on?
Usually when these kinds of questions arise I rather search for the answers by going within. Listening to the inner voice is something many of us should practice more often, specially when we search for answers regarding life, God-dess and creation. So what does my inner voice tell me about this time of magic?

It whispers to me words of the season and the coming and going of the elements that help make up the grand design; and the changing of the Earth speaks to me words of courage and of nurturing and transformation. Growth and exploring ones potential is what the ebb and flow of the Seasonal Wheel brings forth. It is a reminder to look in the mirror and know who we are and what we are. Where we come from. What we are made of.
This time of year exclusively allows us to see beyond the curtains of the three-dimensional world and for many of us it is a time of heavy magic and expansion of mind and psychic insight. It is a time of collaboration between worlds, the inwards and outwards.
So ask yourself what does this time mean to you? what do you feel within when you focus on the beauty of your surroundings, on the language of Mother Earth Nature, whether is is cold or hot, stormy or calm, green or red or blue. And act on that inner guidance, follow your instincts; it doesnt have to necessarily be a magical ritual of any kind, it can just be something as simple and pleasant as taking yourself out on a picnic or to the movies or for a walk in a natural place to really appreciate the seasonal change. Connecting with the natural essence of who we are is the route we want to follow and a way to attain this is by letting go of what we think we know and just Be.

I wish this wave of change and transformation brings you closer to the desires of the Heart, and may you feel inspired to explore your potential. In the Greatest Degree of Love. Happy Wishes & Merry Times!! Sat Nam

Violet Syrup

by Susun Weed of Wise Woman

Yield 3 cups/750ml

Preparation time: Hours and hours of picking await you, and all in pursuit of some purple-colored sugar water. Or is there more to it than that? Perhapse aunt Violet will open a gateway to ecstacy for you.

1/2 pound/225g fresh violets
2 cups/500ml water
2 cups/500ml honey

Enlist all the help you can to pick violet blossoms. Boil water; pour over blossoms; cover. Let steep overnight in nonmetallic container. Strain out flowers. Reserve purple liquid. Combine violet infusion and honey. Simmer gently, stirring, for ten or fifteen minutes, until it seems like syrup. Fill clean jars. Cool. Keep well chilled to preserve.

Balsamic Pine Vinegar

by Susan Weed of Wise Woman

Pine needle vinegar is an exquisite treat that is easy to make. I call it homemade “balsamic” vinegar.
Fill a jar with pine needles. (I prefer white pine, and pinyon pine is even better, but the needles of any pine are fine.)
Cover needles completely with apple cider vinegar, filling the jar to the top and capping with a plastic lid or a piece of plastic wrap held in place with a rubber band. This vinegar, like most that I make, is ready to use in six weeks.

Pine vinegar is rich in flavonoids, vitamins, and minerals. It helps keep the immune system strong, and strengthens the lungs as well. I love it on salads.