Ye Olde Witches Brew Magazine
Embracing the Vintage Witch

August 6, 2009.

It was a windy desert evening. I was determined to do my full-moon ritual on this night, no matter how late I had to stay up to complete it. I had baked banana bread and almond sugar cookies the night before with my four-year old daughter. I was so excited, as this would be my very first ritual in which I had cast a circle and carefully selected items that corresponded to my needs and offerings.

Past Esbats had not allowed me the opportunity to follow through with ritual plans; I was too tired, someone would be arguing and I wasn't feeling well, kids were crying or screaming at each other. On some full-moon evenings I would try and "squeeze in time" to light a candle and relax, but I never had an all-out ritual with Circle Casting, offerings to the Goddess and actual spell work.

However, on this night, I managed to clean my house three days prior to my ritual, and felt so relaxed. I prepared so diligently for this special night.

I had finally put my daughter to bed around 11:00. It was indeed a long day, and at one point I thought I wouldn't fulfill my desire of completing my ritual. I had sat on the couch channel surfing and as I looked out the window in the den, the Goddess was calling to me as I saw the beautiful yellow-orange glow about her that night. I got up from the couch and gathered all the items needed to cast my circle and spell work. I had a specific need on that night, and it was important that I did this "just right" and didn't mess anything up. I re-read an article on circle casting and placed incense, two tealight candles, salt water for blessing, and my sage stick upon my tray. I chose a few tarot cards to place upon the tray as well that corresponded with my needs at that time. I double checked to make sure I had everything to represent the four elements and my tea light representing spirit. I felt a new energy overcome me as I walked out the patio door and slid the door shut behind me.

Although it was windy out I was determined to do my ritual under the light of the beautiful glowing moon that was above me. I brought out aluminum foil to use as a buffer so the wind would not blow out the flames. I sat cross-legged on my backyard patio near the planter box and laid out all my supplies, which I had to occasionally put back on the tray as each gust of wind would blow them in every direction.

I then went to light the first tealight and begin my ritual. The foil that I had wrapped above it had blown with the next gust of wind and my candle went out. I was beginning to feel a wee bit flustered, but still determined to do this. I held onto the matches and tried, yet again, to light the tea light. Needless to say, I did manage to get it lit, however another gust of wind came along and all my tarot cards and my incense stick went all over the place with one card landing in the planter box dirt.

Now I was really getting annoyed. Not the greatest energy to have prior to casting a circle on a full moon night. I took a deep breath and regrouped, thinking to myself that I have always allowed the obstacles in the past to win, but I am not going to let them win this time.

Just as that thought entered my mind, the sprinklers went on in the planter box and the fury of the wind had blown massive drops of water all over me and my cards and tray filled with all my magical items.

I laughed. I looked at the Moon Goddess and laughed again. "Okay, I get it...this should be done indoors." Apparently I learned that things don't always go as planned , which is not only a life lesson but a ritual lesson as well.

So I scooped up my incense, candles and tarot cards, one of which was starting to curl up from the water blessing it had received compliments of Mother Nature, and I went indoors.

Just as I was getting my altar set up in the middle of the den, the dog barks, he wants out. So I let him out. Then John comes down stairs, as he normally does, however. Once again I could feel the annoyance of my "plans not coming into fruition", but I didn't give up. He went back to bed, I let the dog in and FINALLY began my ritual.

I had put on my play list of spiritual music to sort of get my mind in the right frame and my energy going. I cast my circle very, very carefully calling all quarters and blessing them then as the play list was going I realized it was the wrong play list and what started out as meditative/spiritual music turned into Within Temptations "Mother Earth" which was too loud and not what I wanted at all. I had already cast my circle, so I did not want to break it or go through the trouble of cutting a door in it, as I wasn't quite sure how to close the door between my sacred space and non-sacred space. So I tried to drown out the music and concentrate on the spell work at hand. Eventually the song had ended, and I was back on track with the "right" music.

I was very meticulous in the beginning, but over the course of my spell work felt a relaxing calm come over me. Even thinking about it now brings a pleasant chill down my arm. All that anxiety and pre-circle casting emotional drama and energy had magically disappeared and was replaced by a sense of calm and protection inside me. I was no longer thinking about "what to do next" it just more or less came naturally to me.

I closed my circle after I gave thanks and after all was said and done I felt like a new person. I don't know how to explain it, but it was as if all the fears I had previously had and all the obstacles that had come my way in the past regarding ritual work was finally behind me and I had graduated to being an "experienced beginner". Sounds like an oxymoron of sorts, but I suppose in this instance...is appropriate.

I am just glad to have made it through my first Esbat ritual and look forward to many more to come.

Hopefully next time, the wind will be more accommodating

*****************************

By Dragonfly

Greetings Fellow Readers! My name is Dragonfly and I am a mother to seven wonderful children. I am a hoosier native but have lived in the hot, dry desert valley of Las Vegas for the past 8 Years. My children are 16, 13, 9,7, twins 4, all boys andmy little princess is 3. I enjoy writing poetry and short stories, gardening, baking and fumbling around with different sorts of dinner recipes to make life a little more interesting at the dinnertable.

I am an Eclectic Pagan. I teach my children and myself to abide by the Wiccan Rede. I always tell my children "Harm nobody with your words or your actions." My children love Mother Earth and all her living things that reside on the planet. They love to play with the bugs and enjoy seeing butterflies, birds and different parts of nature that the Goddess has blessed us with in all her glory. I hope you will enjoy reading the articles that I share with you. I have so many wonderful ideas, and would appreciate any suggestions you may have for further articles. I may be reached at

dragonflyhummingbird@gmail.com

More Featured Articles