A Spell for Peaceful Sleep

Tools:
  10 Cardamom pods
  1 tsp. salt
  15 cloves
  2 tsp peppermint
  2 tsp rosemary
  dried peel of 1 lemon or Orange
  1 White Candle
  1 Pink Candle
  1 small cloth bag, or a 6 inch square piece of cloth
  ribbon or cord

These sleep bags are hung by your bed to encourage a restful sleep and sweet dreams.

Light a white and pink candle, place them on your alter, crush the cloves, cardamom and salt to a fine powder in your mortar and pestle. Blend with the herbs and put in bags. If you are using the cloth to make a bag, place all the ingredients in the middle and secure the cloth with the ribbon.

As you are making the bags concentrate on peaceful memories and beautiful thoughts, things that make you happy and content. When you hang the bags by your bed say out loud:
Sleep be with me
Peaceful sleep
Restful sleep
Let my mind be eased
Let my body be calmed
Wings of darkness
Let the sight of night and dream
be clear, be quiet
Let my troubles drift away
and let me dream
so long as it harm none, So mote it be

Charge of the God

from Terri Paajanen

Listen to the words of the Great Father, who was of old called Osiris, Adonis, Zeus, Thor, Pan, Cernunnos, Herne, Lugh and by many other names.

“My law is harmony with all things. Mine is the secret that opens the gates of life and mine is the dish of salt of the Earth that is the body of Cernunnos, that is the eternal circle of rebirth. I give the knowledge of life everlasting and beyond death I give the promise of regeneration and renewal. I am the sacrifice, the father of all things, and my protection blankets the Earth.”

Hear the words of the dancing God, the music of whose laughter stirs the winds, whose voice calls the seasons:

“I who am the Lord of the Hunt and the Power of the Light, sun among the clouds and the secret of the flame, I call upon your bodies to arise and come unto me. For I am the flesh of the Earth and all its beings. Through me all things must die and with me are reborn. Let my worship be in the body that sings, for behold all acts of willing sacrifice are my rituals. Let there be desire and fear, anger and weakness, joy and peace, awe and longing within you. For these too are part of the mysteries found within yourself, within me. All beginnings have endings and all endings have beginnings.”

Beltane Marigold Custard

2 cups milk
1 cup unsprayed marigold petals
1/4 tsp. salt
3 Tbsp. sugar
1 to 2 inch piece vanilla bean
3 egg yolks, slightly beaten
1/8 tsp. allspice
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. rose water
whipped cream

Using a clean mortar and pestle reserved for cooking purposes, pound marigold petals. Or, crush with a spoon. Mix the salt, sugar and spices together. Scald milk with the marigolds and the vanilla bean. Remove the vanilla bean and add the slightly beaten yolks and dry ingredients. Cook on low heat. When the mixture coats a spoon, add rose water and cool.

Top with whipped cream, garnish with fresh marigold petals.

CRESCENT CAKES

1 cup finely ground almonds
1 1/4 cups flour
1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar
2 drops almond extract
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 egg yolk

Combine almonds, flour, sugar and extract until thoroughly mixed. With the hands, work in butter and egg yolk until well-blended. Chill dough. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Pinch off pieces of dough about the size of walnuts and shape into crescents. Place on greased sheets and bake for about 20 min. Serve during the Simple Feast, especially at Esbats.

Bloodstone

The name can be a little misleading when it comes to bloodstone. It’s actually deep green, with spots or flecks of red.

Bloodstone is a form of jasper.

In rituals, bloodstone is used for strength, courage, ambition and any other area that is associated with the element of fire.

Ancient folklore claims that bloodstone would help heal wounds, and it was carried by soldiers for that purpose.

A Christian myth says that the blood of Christ fell onto the green stones under the cross, and created the red specks.