Celebrate the Light!

I look out from my window this morning and I see blue sky, slowly being overtaken by a rolling patch of grey clouds.

It's the morning of the longest night, the night of the Winter Solstice.

I'm excited because I know this night starts the celebrations. All over the world people will celebrate the return of the Sun, our ability to survive dark times and bask once again in the Light. This seems especially important this year, in light of all the things that are happening in the United States and on our planet.

I am especially grateful my article, "Drumming Up The Sun," was published by Llewellyn Books in the 2017 Magical Almanac. The ritual of the Denver Pagan community heading up to Red Rocks Amphitheater in the dark early hours on Winter Solstice morning, has long held a special place in my heart. Red Rocks has long been a place of joy and celebration for me, since the first time I attended a concert there in the 1980's. I feel blessed to have my thoughts and feelings about this wonderful place printed and published.

I am also grateful to write for one of Denver's and the country's top metaphysical stores, Herbs and Arts. My piece for their website titled, "Winter Light," tries to lend a bit of magick and reflection to this time of year, especially for those who practice and believe in the Old Ways, while living in these modern times.

We all seem to hearken back to "olden times," during the Holidays,  in our memories or imaginations. It seems we need to believe in simpler times or imagine peaceful, serene, compassionate settings to help us cope with the stress of our lives.

Perhaps above all else, that is the reason why we so fervently celebrate the return the Light. It matters. It is important. May the Light continue to shine in all our lives.

Blessed Be.

Urban Magick

Yesterday I wandered. I walked through my neighborhood, gazing, lingering and enjoying the beautiful yards and gardens of North Denver.

It had been a while since I'd taken a neighborhood walk. So much has changed in Denver, since we moved into our neighborhood twenty years ago. Denver has become popular for so many reasons; craft beer, marijuana, the weather and real estate opportunities. We've stepped away from our cow-town persona and legacy.

It felt good to walk the neighborhood.  It was nice to see that although development and gentrification are changing a lot of what I love about my home town, inside the neighborhood, many things such as old brick houses and gardens still exist.

As one who deeply appreciates the magick of Nature, it was good to wander down sidewalks, gaze at sunlit trees and take in the essence of a Fall day.

As the old adage says, " Not all who wander are lost."

May your wanderings bring you magickal blessings.

Spells and Magick

Lookie, lookie! My Llewellyn Contributing Author copies have arrived!

This year I am published in the Magical Almanac for the third consecutive year and the Spell-A-Day Almanac for the first time. Blessed Be!

I am grateful to be a member of the Llewellyn family. I find it extremely hopeful and encouraging there are so many who still look to Nature and the Old Ways, for their spiritual nourishment and direction, especially in these trying times.

In the 2017 Magical Almanac, you will find my article “Drumming Up the Sun.” It’s about the Pagan community of Denver, Colorado and our ritual of drumming up the Sun at Red Rocks, for the Winter Solstice. Red Rocks Park has long held a special place in my heart. I am thrilled to have written an article about it.

In the 2017 Spell-A-Day Almanac, you'll find twenty-five spells written by yours truly. I loved writing the spells, I felt like I was writing my own spell book. Some of my favorites are the ones I wrote about the National Parks, Lady Bugs and Samhain.

May my articles along with the other articles and spells, written by some of the most fabulous and magickal people, help to uplift, guide and conjure up goodness on your path.

Sunday Morning Muse

What is it about Sun Day morning that awakens my muse? Is it the stillness, the quiet, the day of rest, which we've grown up with as a tradition?

Even though the world is now clearly a twenty-four non-stop place, arising early to enjoy the quiet of morning can do wonders for your mind, body and spirit. I've been staying up late, lately, so today I am thankful to have gone to bed early enough to rise early on a Sunday morning.

As a creative person, my muse slips away so easily. She can be with me seemingly forever and just like that, she disappears into the shadows, waiting for me to tease her and acknowledge her back out again.

Today the bird feeder I placed in my yard several weeks ago, found it's first bird. I'm taking it as a sign the Magick is back.

May you find signs to guide you today as well. And may your Sun Days be blessed.

Renn Faire Magick

The Colorado Renn Faire opened June 15, 2013 and I went this past weekend.  How I love the Renn Faire!  I've been attending since 1992 and every time I go it just gets better and better.

The first time I set foot on the Renn Faire grounds, in the summer of 1992, I knew I had a found a magickal place.  The Faire was filled with people who thought like me and loved the Rennaissance period of history.

Like other Faire goers, the first few times I attended the Faire, I did not wear period clothing.  That just seemed a little too much for me.  Plus its silly right to dress and pretend your're wench, a fairy, a knight of the court, a lady in waiting, or a mysterious, magickal person, a Witch, walking through the realm, right?  WRONG!

As the fates would have it, one year I took my son to the Renn Faire when he was just a little boy.  We noticed ta "costumes for rent" tent, right outside the Faire gates.  We took the plunge, rented costumes and the magickal doors of the Faire opened to us.  We didn't know at the time, we'd picked a prince's costume for my son.  Everywhere we went through the Faire, people bowed to him, and he went before the court and bowed before the king.  Oh what a great day that was and I've been going in "costume" ever since.  I put "costume" in quotes, because now I have real Renni clothes, that I just love wearing to the Faire and any other place that is appropriate.  To me, they are my real clothes.  When I get dressed up in my Renni clothes and saunter through the Faire, I feel at home:

You meet the nicest people at the Faire.  After years of attending, I've now got friends who come to work the Faire for the 8 weeks the Faire is running.  I'm secretly jealous of their ability to do this!  I've always fantasized about having my own little Gypsy cart and traveling the country, going from Faire to Faire.  Well, it still could happen!
This year I took a friend to the Faire who had never been before.  She was a "Renn Faire Virgin".  I supplied her with clothes, stressing to her how much more fun she would have, if she dressed up.  Thankfully she is good sport as well as being an author, and she loved it!  We had such a good time.
And to put an end to our magickal day at the Faire, as we were leaving, a woman came up to me and asked, "Are you Witches?"  Of course I turned to her and said, "Yes, I am! "

Blessed Be.

Wonderful, Magickal, London, England

I've returned from my trip to London, England. 

Short and sweet, I loved it!  London met and exceeded my expectations.  We did so much and saw so many things that's it hard to blog about it.  I'm still overwhelmed by my experience.  One of my favorite things was my reading of "Oliver Twist" by Charles Dickens, while we were in London.  Oh my heart.  I cried, I became angry and then I cried some more.  One of the highlights of our trip, was finding "The Grapes Pub" where Dickens danced on tables as a boy and is now owned by Sir Ian McKellan, "Gandalf" of The Lord of Rings Trilogy!

Notice the photos of Charles Dickens on the wall to the left, and the statue of "Gandalf" behind me!

Another great moment was visiting three of the top Occult Bookstores in London.  We visited "Treadwells", "Watkins" and "The Atlantis Bookstore". I returned with truly a prized possession from Treadwells, which is Doreen Valiente's "Where Witch Craft Lives".  This is a unique publication.  Only a limited amount of copies were published, and now one of them belongs to me!

I'm still processing and integrating all I saw and experienced.  I am excited to see where and how the Goddess leads me after my visit to London.  It truly was a magickal experience and I'm very grateful I was able to share with my husband, and that we both had an experience that was beyond words. 

Bright Blessings to All,

Priestess Najah

Merry Ole England!

Hip, hip hooray!  In a few days I will cross the big pond to London, England!  I am so excited that at times I can hardly believe it's going to happen.  Traveling to England has been a dream of mine for many years.

I believe I became infatuated with all things England, when I saw Mary Poppins sail down through the sky, in Mary Poppins.  I was just a little girl in 1964, when Mary Poppins' magic came into my life and I was never the same afterwards.

"Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" became one of my favorite words.  And the ability to jump into chalk sidewalk pictures opened a portal in my mind.  And lets not forget magical Trafalgar Square where the old woman sat feeding the pigeons.

As fate or Spirit or Magick or The Goddess, would have it, our hotel is located close to Trafalgar Square.  We'll be able to walk to it!  And let us not forget all the Magick I have studied.  You know I'll be on a Magickal trek through London.  We'll be visiting bookstores, taking haunted walks, as well visiting museums and eating lots of fish and chips.  And of course hanging out in Pubs, where I will take my journal and write.

To our even greater pleasure we're due for rain.  Foggy London days! 

I can hardly wait.  I know the Goddess, my past lives, Magick, the Occult and so much more await me in London.  It is the trip of a lifetime.

Cherrio!

Priestess Najah

A Magickal Land Called Beltania

We arrived at Beltania, which was located in Florence, CO on Thursday, May 10, 2012.  It was a beautiful sunny day.  We were greeted at the gate by joyful staff and graciously directed to our campsite.  As it was getting late in the afternoon, we needed to set up camp and I needed to get into sacred space, as I was delivering the Charge of The Goddess for the evening opening Ritual.

The ritual was beautiful.  I delivered the Charge, while another beautiful male soul invoked The God.  We all stood on a hillside, in the evening light, in Circle, and stepped between two bale fires.  The Circle was cast, the Fires lit and The Goddess and God invoked for the entire festival.  What a glorious time was had by all!
We had workshops, drum circles, concerts, Highland Games, and the largest Maypole raising to date.  You can view a video of the Maypole raising here:
http://www.craftandconjure.com/beltania

We made so many new friends and had a great time reconnecting with others.  The Pagan community of Colorado is rich, vibrant and full of life.  We are deeply established and ingrained in the Colorado soil.   It refreshes my soul, heart and mind to gather with my community in Nature, to worship, dance, play and have fun!  We welcome all paths and faiths and this year there were many newcomers much to our delight.  We never proselytize nor seek to convert.  However when you find your way to us, we are here, we are here!

So now the Wheel has officially turned and we shall enjoy the beautiful Spring, as it makes it way to Summer.  Blessed Be!

As always, Bright Blessings to You!

Raven Magick

David Carson - Medicine Cards

Blessed Raven, sacred Raven.  Dark bird of mystery and magick, how thee stirs my soul!  The ravens have had babies! 

Spirit has blessed me to witness the cycle of life for a Raven family.  For about a month I've been quietly keeping my eye on the nest of two magnificent ravens.  I've been watching them fly, gather twigs, build and guard their nest.  Although a raven looks like a crow, they are two different types of birds, although related.  One can always distinguish ravens from crows by their call.  While crows "caw", ravens "aouck".  And ravens are much larger than crows.  Once you see one in flight or up close, you are sure to remember the difference between the two.

Why am I so excited about ravens?  This is the first time I've ever seen them build a nest and actually have babies! .  The last raven nest I saw was high a top a movie theatre.  I could see the nest, the parents, but definitely couldn't see or hear the babies.  The nest was way too high and far away.  However just yesterday, in the nest I've been watching I was able to see the entire family!  I can see Mom,  Dad and the babies.  I'm very careful not to stare too long or get too close.  Being close to a raven nest can be very intimidating.  They are very powerful, large, black birds.  Today, I actually saw the parents feeding the babies.

My magickal mind is spinning with meanings, correllations, hidden secret messages, as the Raven is the bringer of magick and the guardian of ceremonial magick and rites (thank you David Carson - Medicine Cards).  Stories of the Raven and the Full Moon are plentiful.  The Moon is Full in the sign of Scorpio this weekend, as well as it being a Super Moon.  Perhaps Raven will visit me in my dreams tonight.  We'll just have to wait and see.

As always, Bright Blessings to You and Happy Full Moon!

Magick Takes Time

I've been waiting for the Crescent Moon to appear in the sky.  I'm always keenly aware of the dark of the Moon, noticing and tracking on an intuitive level when the Moon is no longer visible.  As always, my first glimpse of the Crescent Moon was awe-inspiring.  When I see the waxing Crescent Moon, I'm childlike, gasping as if someone just gave me a great surprise.  I know the Moon waxes and wanes every month, but each month, when She appears new in the night sky, it's a surprise, a gift I never tire of opening.

Also, when the Moon is new and the Crescent is seen, it's also a cue to me that I can start working magick again. Through my studies and training, I do not begin new works when the Moon is dark.  Notice I said " I don't begin" new works.  There have many times where I may continuing a work while the Moon was waning, but I definitely don't start new works, until I see the Crescent Moon in the sky.

One of the most important elements of spellwork is having patience.  One needs to have the skill and ability to wait and use timing to ensure a successful outcome to a spell or work.  I get so many calls from people who want something immediately or the situation for which they need help is upcoming in a few days.  I find most people don't understand magick takes time.  As much as we would all love to be "Bewitched" and twinkle our noses and have instant results, a magickal worker must prep, plan, prepare and then work.

This cycle I waited to read my cards for the New Moon to Full Moon.  I pulled them early this morning as the night was fading and dawn was arriving.  I was still in a deep dream state, so I'm still integrating the message.  I also dressed and fixed and lit a candle on one of the several altars I tend.  It makes me happy to see the candles lit.  Its a good feeling.

As the Moon continues to Wax, I wish you all good works.  This is a time to be used for increasing and calling things to you which you need.

As always I wish you bright blessings!