Cleansing Crystals

Salt Water -
Most crystals enjoy being immersed in the ocean for an hour or two (place small ones in a mesh bag to avoid loss), after which they can be rinsed in pure water and allowed to dry naturally in pure water to energize.

*If ocean water is not available, a handful of sea salt in purified water works just as well.

Flowing water -

Holding the crystals under a waterfall, in a stream or beneath the kitchen faucet will rapidly cleanse the energies. Allow to dry naturally in the sun.

*soft or friable stones should not be immersed in water and care must be taken not to scratch polished crystals.

*as you cleanse your crystals, hold the intention in your mind that any negative energies will be transmuted into positive ones and that the crystal will be re-energized.

* natural forces, such as the moon, sun, water, or plants are effective purifiers of negative or stale energies.

Salt -

Delicate or friable stones that would be harmed by water can be placed directly into salt or rock salt crystals and left there for a few hours to cleanse themselves.

Sacred Spaces

Creating the sacred space for which one meditates or works can be anywhere as long as it is a place you make your own. It is a cleared of feelings of negativity and gives you a sense of being that allows you to connect with yourself and the gods and goddesses. It should be your place to be alone.

When you find your scared space you will feel as sense of calm being, a place where trouble can not enter. This is crucial, it can not be sacred if ill feelings are felt. This space can be found in the woods, by the ocean, or mountains or even in your own yard. I would suggest keeping it somewhere you can get to and private. It is here that you can do such things as writing in your Book of Shadows. It is not a place for altars. That is something else entirely. If you feel the need you may bring candles and such to cast a circle of protection around yourself or to cleanse the space. This is up to you, say a prayer whatever you are comfortable with and feels right to you but make your way of handling it your own.
If you like look up some prayers and such see what they entail as examples. However, I highly recommend that you make your own. Using someone's just gives your space their touch. Think of it this way would you like someone to go through your personal belonging and arrange them their way? No, then why would you do so here. Using someone else's words can be allowed in some cases, but the more personal something is to you the more personal the words and actions should be that of your own.
Some of the other points of importance is yourself. You should not go after a work out or filthy. This brings a sense of negativity. May sure you feel clean, if it means a shower or a special outfit that relaxes you and makes you feel positive. You will bring that energy with you to your space. Bring incense if you need to help. the area you chose should have the ambiance you need, but you can add to it if you like.
You need to have this balance between body, mind and spirit especially when working on something as sacred as your Book of Shadows. You need clarity and a spiritual sense when doing this. As you write you will apply that energy into your work, thus making your book that much more powerful in the future when using it and that is why it works. All your energies, no matter when you apply them should always be well meaning and positive. The main rule of Wicca, after all it 'an it harm none, do as thou wilt.'

Magickal Oak Gall Ink

This recipe creates a black ink that grows darker as it ages. Oak Gall it was used in midievil times and is still easily legible hundreds of years later. What better to use in your Book of Shadows for a family to use for generations to come.

To make Gall Ink:
*a handful of oak falls. (These are found on the stems of almost every oak tree. They look like brown wooden marbles and are created by the larvae of a wasp. Only take galls with tiny holes in them. This means the larvae have left the gall.)
*half a pint of water
*Some very rusty nails (or iron ore)

1. Grate the oak falls as finely as possible - a nutmeg grater will do.
2. Put the galls, water, & iron in an old pan and boil gently for 15 to 30 minutes.
3. If you can heat the ink outside, do, because it does not smell at all pleasant while boiling.
4. Cool, strain through a coffee filter paper & store in a dark jar. You may find mold grows on top of the ink. Simply strain again & rebottle. This ink lasts indefinately & continues to darken in the bottles.

My Apologies

Merry meet everyone! I'm sorry this is taking a little longer than I'd like it to write up these posts. I'm starting college this week and it's been a little hectic. I also started back with my physical therapy too and I'm trying to get electricians for wiring in an old house so my fiance whom has MS can survive the summer. I do have plenty more to add. Just bare with me add me as a follower, if you have gmail go into your reader section on top and you can follow the blog as a subscription. I'm not exactly sure about other e-mail forms though. If you have any questions you can always email me at DayLilithRayne@gmail.com. There is so much to cover and years to put into this it's hard to fine exactly what should be in next and how I want to address it properly and clearly. I have set up plenty of websites for you to connect to and at the very bottom is the moon phase and horoscopes. There is also a zodiac, just so so are aware I checked with mine and it was off on my Chinese Zodiac. One must remember like us their years are not actually January to December. They fall about the middle of February to the Middle of the following February. So if you are born in January or the beginning of February roughly before the 12th, do not use the year of your birth but the year before. That is your true Chinese Zodiac, I apologize for that, I was a bit disappointed when I saw that. I hope you can you do enjoy the site and will learn something along the way. Thank you for your patience and Blessed Be.

Book of Shadows - Basic Needs

A complete book of Shadows is something that should do the the following:

* Act as an effective resource & reference tool for any magickal theories, correspondences, and methods that you use regularly.
* Include ideas that you want to mull over and tinker with.
* Inspire you to walk the Path of Beauty with strength, love, courage, peace, & truthfulness.
* Include step-by-step instructions for all preferred techniques, even when you master these, you'll probably want to share the information with novices later.
* Include progressive methodology that meets the needs of changing times.
* Motivate personal growth (i.e. include some really challenging things that will take time to master.
* Create a portrait of modern magick as it applies directly to your life and vision.

There are some simple steps you can take to ensure that the outcome is as positive and fulfilling as possible.

1. Tackle only one portion of information at a time. Read it over, meditate on it.
2. Don't rush step one. Too much, too quickly overloads and you have a lifetime,
3, Personalize, practice & be patient. Personalization keeps everything meaningful & vibrant. Practiceleads to magickal adeptness & patience makes the entire learning process a little easier to bear.
4. You must create the perfect attitude, ambiance (candles, incense, & music), & timing. You must have sacred space. Sacred space vibrates at a higher level & will help saturate your Book of Shadows with positive energy.

Common Terms and Vocabulary

"Do what thou wilt" - "follow your true will"

Balefire - a fire laid and lit for magickal or religious purposes, usually ourdoors. Balefires are tradition adjuncts to Wiccan ritual on Yule, Beltane, and Midsummer.

B.C.E.- Before Common Era; non religious equivalent of B.C.
C.E. - Common Era; nonreligious equivalent of A.D.

Handfasting - within Wicca, a ritual joining of two human beings in a bond of love and before the Goddess & God.

Night Hags - another name for owls.

Strix - Roman word meaning witch.

Abracadabra - ancient magickal word for "hurt me not"

Blood of the Moon - menstrual cycle

Blessed Be - Amen

Deosil - clockwise motion

Widdershins - counterclockwise motion

The Guide Lines.....

There are guide lines in Wicca I'd like to start off with. 1.) first and formost you must know yourself. Take some time think what you're about and not who your with. 2.) know your religion. Take the time and research what you're doing. Not just the Religion, but the laws too. There are books that will teach you. Know your rights. We are real and growing. 3.) Learn, learn, learn! Knowledge is one of the biggests of life in general. Wicca encourages you learn, wisdom is the key to everything. 4.) Next you need to apply that knowledge with wisdom. If not, you could harm someone and karma is a bitch. 5.) You need to achive balance in yourself and life. This is important it will offset everything. 6.) keep your thoughts and the words you speak in order. If the Goddess and God can mistake them, someone else can too. Be clear in with them. 7.)Life has too many strifes it will give you, celebrate it. Being alive is a gift in and of itself. 8.) Attune yourself with the cycles of our Earth Mother. Feel her energies within and allow them to bring you peace. 9.) Your mind is not all that needs to be refreshed learn to breathe correctly as well as to eat healthy. What our bodies take in affect us as well. 10.) Likewise, we must exercise all this is respect for your body. Without our health, we can not expect our magick to work properly either. 11.) Meditate. This does not mean sit and just follow the yoga of life. Meditation is clearing your mind, bringing you back to a state of relaxation and focus. If this means writing in a journal, painting, or something of that nature. Use it, not everyone finds the typical meditation relaxing or feesible to their lives. 12.) Magick must have meaning or it won't work. You must fully understand what you are doing and everything you are using. Knowledge here again. 13.) You know what you are looking for when you find Wicca, so follow your own spirit. Be your own guide. Progress with Wicca is yours alone and only yours, so pace it to what you envision. 14.) Your attitude means everything, admit to your mistakes and reward yourself when you get things right. This helps you progress in yourself and Wicca. 15.) And always honour the Goddess and God. They are always with you.