Business Networking for Beltane

This Beltane has been so much about finding out who you are as a person and then having the confidence to share that part of yourself with the world. 

So what about those of us who have small businesses? Now is the perfect time to put yourself out there!

All of the spells, rituals, incense, etc that we have talked about in these past Beltane posts can also be put towards your business. Beltane's extroverted energy can help overcome the obstacles inherent in job networking. A little Beltane-energized magick can help you cut through the sea of people to the ones who share goals and projects that are compatible to your own. Some of this comes from blending attraction magick with prosperity magick: think catnip and high john as a replacement for more erotic draws like musk and jasmine. In turn, you can use all that Beltane fertility energy to bring the right customers to your business while weeding out the customers who game the system and drain resources. This can also be geared toward employees if you are at a time and place where you need to do some hiring. 

First off, Make a plan! Know what you want for your business. If you have big dreams, then make it a point to try and figure out what exactly you can do to get you on the path to where you want to be. 

Make sure you know your product inside and out. You are gonna get questions, and you want to make sure you have the knowledge to back it up instead of sitting there twiddling your fingers "Uummmm...." Confidence is key! If you come up to me trying to sell me something and you 1. Don't have knowledge of your product, and 2. Don't believe in your product, I WILL go somewhere else. And so will other people. I don't care if you are my best friend, or even family. But, that's just me.

So...now that you have a knowledge and love for your product what is your next step? NETWORKING! 

What does this mean exactly? It's basically you getting together with other people, and supporting each other's businesses. 

When I was living back in Southern California and I had my boutique I had started a networking group on facebook. I started adding people who I knew either had a small business, were craft and fair vendors, even photographers. It started off with all of us just talking back and forth. Inviting each other to craft fairs, farmer's markets, etc. But it eventually got to a point where I was doing monthly events at my home where each month a select few different vendors were showcased and able to set up a table. Like a mini "fair". There was never the same vendor showcased 2 months in a row. This was great because it not only gave those people an opportunity to talk about their product like they would at any other "networking" meeting, but they were able to sell what they had there as well. I ended up getting to know so many people and becoming friends. What did that mean for our businesses though? Well, if I knew of an event coming up, or vice versa, we would let eachother know and sign up together. Business in general is so much easier when you have a support system! By the time I moved out of state, and turned over the group to a close friend we had hundreds of members! So it was like our little "networking" community.

This is what you want! Strive for this. Try and find something in your area that gears towards networking, or even just the same ideas etc that you might have. And if you can't find anything, start it up yourself! "If you build it, they will come!" Pretty much applies here.

Anna and I are in this process as we speak. We have been trying to reach out to those in our area who are of like minds to help strengthen our community. Eventually one day we want to have our own shop and fill it with items that we either make ourselves, or that we sell on consignment from local artists in the area. Big dreams! It WILL happen eventually. Baby steps. 

Going back to networking...

If you want to attract the right people to your business maybe try this simple spell for Professional Success:

What you will need:

A photo of yourself, or business

1 Green or Red 7 day candle

A coin

Attraction incense (check previous post for our recipe)

Prosperity incense

Frankincense and Citrus Bliss (Contains wild orange, lemon, grapefruit, mandarin, bergamot, tangerine, clementine, and vanilla oil) Essential Oils

Ingredients for Prosperity Incense:

Frankincense, Bergamot, Cloves, and Red Clover Blossoms

*Before doing this spell, be sure of the things you are asking for. Once this is in motion, it is nearly impossible to stop.

Cast your circle before you begin. (You can refer to our other post How to Cast a Circle)

If you feel the need to call upon any deities, gods, goddesses, guardians etc, now would be the time.

First, you are going to want to dress your candle. I find that a skewer or metal stick is effective in making holes in your candle all the way to the bottom. Next, fill your candle up with the essential oils. Make sure that the oils cover the top of your candle.

Next, add your incense to the top of your candle. Just enough that it covers the oil. (I mixed the 2 together in a small bowl beforehand) Your candle is now ready.

Put your picture in front of your candle and place your coin on top. (I keep a separate coin for when I need it in my magickal workings)

As you light your candle I want you to close your eyes and envision what you see for yourself and your business. Picture your business in your mind, down to every last detail. Do you have a storefront, or is it an online business? What does it look like? Picture yourself interacting with your customers. See yourself selling your items, giving knowledge. Envision the exchange of money. Keep all of these positive thoughts going as you begin to chant:

Prosperity, Prosperity

Bring all good things in life to me.

Attraction help my business grow

In love and light, now make it so!

Some of you may say this just 3 times. I tend to repeat my spells until I feel that the magickal energy has released itself. Luckily for me it hasn't gotten into the double digits. 

I find that sometimes the most simple spells are most effective as long as you have the intent behind it.

I recently did a quick healing spell with one of the spell candles Anna and I dressed for Healing and not 5 minutes after I lit it, it cracked the glass! I thought to myself..."My magick is so strong that I'm breaking shit!" LOL. 

The point here is to remember that the magick comes from inside of you. You are what makes it work. Everything else, just increases it. 

Close the Circle when you are done and remember to thank any and all whom you have invited to help you.
Remember to light your candle every day. You don't have to go through the whole process of casting a circle, calling upon deities, or repeating the spell, but if you feel like it, I'm sure it wouldn't hurt.

Soon you will be enjoying the bountiful blessings that this wonderful spell will be bringing to you.

(On a side note: Anna and I are in the process of making a batch of spell candles that you will be able to purchase. You will be able to choose from Attraction, Prosperity, Healing, or Divination. I'm sure there will be more options later on, but this will be our basis.)

Remember when I was talking to you guys about nurturing your friendships and how your relationships are like a garden? The same goes for your professional life. Plant the seeds, give it nutrients, water, sun...the things it needs to grow and you will see it flourish as well.

And above all...Don't be a dick!
This will make networking extremely difficult for you. That, and your garden can't grow if the soil is sour. So...

Let your light shine so brightly upon others that they too want to be a beacon unto the world!
~Luminessa 

Beltane and Self Confidence

5 days till Beltane!!! 

And maybe you aren't feeling as bright and shiny as you wish you did. It's almost 'fertility day' and self doubt and Does-My-Ass-Look-Fat-In-These-Jeans?? sneaks in. 

See... not cute.

Lets work on our Personal Mystique and give ourselves a confidence boost!! And use this renewal energy to see the Goddesses and Gods inside of us. Beltane is a great time to make ourselves more appealing, not just to everyone around us but to ourselves! The person whose love matters most is you! And boosting self confidence is in the formula to self love!

Any attraction spells you use to bring things to you can also bring self confidence to you! 

Not just stuff or other people! 

Of course our attraction incense can be used but if you don't want anything that intensive there are plenty of other magickal tips to make you feel as beautiful as you really are! 

Crystals

Aquamarine

Citrine

Rose Quartz

Wear these or carry in your pocket. These stones are fabulous for attracting clarity, positive attitude and peace. 

Herbs

I have read that catnip is very effective in helping you exude a more affable form of attractiveness. Guess it works on people as well as cats. So wear that mint or sachet it!

Here is a list of herbs for love

http://www.everythingunderthemoon.net/plants-herbs-roots-for-love.htm

Also a daily personal mantra works. Some people stick post its on their bathroom mirror with lovely affirmations like

"My focus is on being the best me"

"I am worthy of love and respect"

"I am a beautiful soul and I shine my light for all to see"

I personally go for something a little more aggressive. 

The most important thing is, like in any magick, KNOW you are beautiful! KNOW it in your bones, KNOW it in your soul. This world we stumble through is nearly designed to plant our hearts with self doubt so we gotta be stronger then that, and know our worth and know that we are made of the Goddeess, God, Universe, everything!! 

Bringing on the confidence can change a day, a week, an entire lifetime! 

Then even in the same day we can go from Ughhh to ok, not so bad. 

trying to take weird selfies at work is a total confidence booster lol

So keep it positive, keep it real. And Love the fuck out of yourself!!!

❤️❤️❤️

AnnaStacia

Beltane and Nurturing your Friendships

If you have been following our Beltane series, you will notice that it has mostly all been about Self Discovery and learning to love the person that you are! I think that this is a process for all people, whether they want to admit it or not. But you don't have to be on this journey alone. Yes, you are on a path to "Self" discovery, but the best part about that is finally sharing yourself, your feelings, your dreams, hopes, ambitions, and everything that makes you that wonderful person that you are with other people. The people that you hold most dear to your heart. Your Friends!

Now that you have a love for yourself, lets talk about the love you have for others. Love, even platonic love, needs feeding.
Anna already touched base on holding on to toxic relationships for far too long, and the effect that it can have. So weeding out those friendships really is the best thing you can do. And hopefully what you are left with is the beginnings of a beautiful garden.

I see my relationships as a sort of garden that I keep nestled away in my heart. If you don't feed and nurture the things in your garden they will begin to whither and eventually die. You need to be sure to take account of who in your life is worth having. Don't take them for granted. Life is too short, and time goes by too quickly. You will just end up wishing that you watered that seed or brought it out into the sunlight. Let your friends know how much they truly mean to you. 

We live in a day and age where technology has taken the place of face-to-face friendships. This is great if you have friends that live out of city, state, or even country; but I think it takes away from the emotional connection that we get from actually being around people. You can't always gauge how a person is feeling via text or email. Many conversations of mine have been misconstrued due to the simple fact that the other person took what I said in a different way than it was meant. You simply can't get the feeling and emotion across when you are behind a screen. And although I want to sit here and preach saying "if you want the relationship to flourish, make the time to get together!", that isn't exactly plausible. 

Life happens. People are more busy than ever now-a-days, which makes it hard to stay in contact. I personally feel as though I don't talk to half of my friends nearly as much as I should. I'm also the type of friend that can go for months without talking, then just pick right back up where we left off. I'm not a needy friend in the slightest. I always try to make sure I listen to what the other person needs, and help them in any way that I can. Sometimes the best thing you can offer is a ear to listen, a shoulder to cry on, and if need be, someone to take shots with. (Even if it's over the phone.)

There are those of us who are very introspective and tend to keep to ourselves. I think of the Hermit when I think of these friends. They are ridiculously knowledgeable in everything and anything, but lack real solid relationships because they tend to not want to get too close to people. This could be because they don't want to put themselves out there and get rejected, because they lack "people skills", or simply because they think nature will just run its course. This is where they need a swift kick in the butt. You yourself have the power within you to make things happen. This goes for friendship too. If you want a friendship, then go out there and make it happen. Start small, make phone calls and see how they have been if it is an old friend. Go out for coffee. Do something small to show that you care. Even a quick text to say, "Hey, you were on my mind" works wonders.

If you are trying to make new friends, just go up and introduce yourself. Or, if you are like most people and are on Facebook; comment on something to strike up a conversation. You will be surprised at how much you might have in common with other people. I just recently made a friend on Facebook who had commented on one of our posts. We totally hit it off, and now I love seeing everything she posts all the time! Unfortunately she lives in Ohio, so there is a very small chance that we would ever really meet face to face, but its a start.

You have to plant the seeds in order for them to grow! Nothing will happen otherwise.

And then sometimes in life you have those certain people that you meet who, right away, you know are going to make a huge impact on you one way or another. Moving out here to the Carson Valley I had this happen with Anna. From the moment I met her, I knew without a doubt that we would be great friends. And once I decide something, it's gonna happen; So poor Anna didn't stand a chance. LOL.  Like any new relationship it started off slow, talking about our likes and dislikes. And if you are lucky like we were, you have that epiphany moment where you go "What!? You too? I thought I was the only one." And that is where your friendship turns into a lifelong relationship.

So, I try to make sure that I water the garden, I give it the nutrients it needs, let the sun shine brightly on it, so that it can grow and blossom, and then others can see the beauty of it. Let your friendships grow as you grow. Share everything about yourself, and if they are your true friend they will love you regardless of your small imperfections. Love is about seeing all the beauty in the imperfections. Looking at what others disregard, or don't like and deciding "Hey, that's the best part about you!"

So plant your seeds, let your garden grow! Tell the people that you love why you love them! Lift each other up! And weed out the negative. (This is the toughest part) But once you do, your life will be so much happier.

What's funny is I just asked Anna if she would help me out with my actual garden in my "backyard". Working together to make things grow; literally, and metaphorically. Yay!

May your light shine so brightly upon others that they too want to be a beacon unto the world!

Love and Light to you all! )O(

~Luminessa

Beltane and the Veil

When me and Nessa were brainstorming our Beltane blog series I kept coming back to the question, what is Beltane energy? What is it that we are working off of here? And even though we kept saying, it's fertility, it's renewal, it's rebirth, it just wasn't registering with my thought process. Because yeah we did spring, we've been working with this energy for a month now, what makes Beltane, May 1st, special? (I'm a little slow apparently lol so bare with me) Then I remembered we are on the opposite spectrum of Samhain and THEN it finally clicked!

I always knew that the seasons Down Under were opposite us but that was just a thing I knew, info to help my cyclic mind work. But this year is different for me. My son recently moved to New Zealand, and I hear about all of the seasons in complete opposition to ours. He is just now entering Autumn and next week is his Samhain.

So now, finally, why is May 1st special?

I believe that in the same way the veil is thin during Samhain, for Death energy to peak it's head in to mingle with the living, it's the same for Beltane energy. Only opposite. Do we celebrate fertility, and rebirth, and renewal so vehemently on this day because the veil between the unborn, or unfertilized would be more accurate, and the living are at it's thinnest? 

In my path we believe in reincarnation, and in every one of our lifetimes we choose who to be before we are ever even conceived. We know what struggles and triumphs we need to learn. We attune to a certain lifespan to further our own souls journey. Perhaps, during Beltane, these souls that are preparing to live again are what we can sense. They are not babies, they are still the energies we feel at Samhain, full of experiences and love and lose and sorrow and happiness and they are ready to do it again. They are ready to return to life and LIVE! So this miraculous energy of hope, and new, and taking the deep breath of pure Spring IS Beltane Energy. And the veil, thin and shimmering, is showing us unadulterated life force. The Earth is exploding with it, so are it's surrounding energies in every dimension.

This is why we celebrate creativity and love and faeries and being alive at Beltane. It's permeating from the very air we breathe! 

 I know that in-tuned Witches can feel the shadows slipping and the veil thinning at Beltane as well as Samhain. But for me it's a different energy but the same... 

"Same Same, but different!" - James Franco The Interview

Can you feel a shift in the veil at this time of year? Do you believe this crazy theory that maybe it's the departed souls that are preparing to come back and pick a new vessel? 

I can't help but think this makes the most sense of anything I've ever heard about Beltane energies. I would love to know what you believe is the source of Beltane energy.

Peace

AnnaStacia

Beltane; A time to focus on YOU

This one is for those of us who hold onto failing relationships far too long. When the death rattle has been warning us for some time to just let it go, but we don't. We drag these unhealthy relationships with us to work, on vacation, to bed at night. Now I'm talking romantic or friendship relations. Sometimes a poisonous friendship can damage us worse then a romantic one.

Right now, with Beltane approaching is an excellent time to reevaluate our self worth and close up those wounds we just let bleed out like the freaking stigmata of friendships. 

An old toxic friend once told me that when you say 'Yes' to something you are ultimately saying 'No' to something else. Now this sounded like some self-help horse shit at the time, until I started saying 'No' to our friendship. Then I realized I was saying 'Yes' to being healthy and happy. 

So I had to ask myself, who am I saying 'Yes' to? Them? And ignoring my own needs and wants? Once you decide a relationship has reached its peak and it's all down hill from here it's a hard task to essentially break it of from that person. Some people are complete adults about it and have a serious talk about being happy and separate. Not me, usually I send off with a 'It's been real!' then I bone out like a Senior on graduation day and never look back. After some serious soul searching of course ;)

So here is an exercise  to help you bring in all of your pieces of you and decide if a relationship is really ready to rumble. 

Usually when we get to this point of extraction we are questioning ourselves, our motives, and where our true energies lie. This is very much a meditation exercise so please get comfortable into your most effective meditation position. 

I want you to take complete stock of your person, your toes, your hands, your heart, your brain. So that you can visualize your entire body and your body's energy. Now I want you to think about all the pieces of you that you give to people, you give your compassion, your love, your anxiety, and chances are you leave that energy with that person in that location.

So I want you to visualize your energy with a color, watch the color trails as they pour out of you into the world and attach to the people know, to the places you've been. I want you to watch it flow back into you. Bring it all back to you. Sometimes we feel stretched thin and when people in our lives are perpetuating this they could be grabbing our energy and running with it, so I want you to take it back. Take back your power, ground out what you don't need, send it back into the earth and empower yourself! 

Now that you are the true owner of your wants and needs, what do you want? Do you want this relationship to continue? Do you want to try again? Or do you like being you again?

This totally works for so many things in life. Whenever your energy is stretched thin and you feel like you're bumping listlessly, bring You back to you. Sometimes we give too much and we forget to love ourselves and respect ourselves. Know your self worth and know you deserve to be loved and cherished. Don't settle in romantic relationships or friendships. If you have to work so hard at it that you loose yourself, maybe it's not worth it.

Or maybe you realize... it really is.

Peace

AnnaStacia  

Beltane Ritual for the Soloist...Continued Quest of Self Discovery

This particular ritual was written by Diana Rajchel and is from Llewellyn's 2016 Sabbats Almanac.

I thought it a good fit to coincide with the "Self Love" post as it continues on the self discovery journey.

This ritual invokes Beltane passion, but not of the sexual variety. This gives you a chance to let the sun-represented by the fire-burn away your negative thoughts, and the circumstantial energies that also hold you back from enjoying life. Once you have burned away the stagnant energies, you rebuild on what you removed with the positive energy raised. The purpose of this is to kindle your passion for life itself. The intent is to rewire your attitude so that you take not a loving, indulgent attitude toward yourself, but a loving, passionate, energetic attitude toward yourself.

While this ritual calls for a small fire, and for you to dance around the fire, it may not be possible. Charcoal incense in a heatproof container can substitute for a fire-just be sure to use it in a well-ventilated area! If you suffer severe asthma and allergies, you can instead microwave vodka, whiskey, or rubbing alcohol in a coffee mug for 30 seconds and float herbs on top of the liquid. If unable to walk around your ritual area because of space or physical limitation, you can instead circle your arms above the fire (or symbolic version) in the prescribed direction.

For this ritual, in addition to the fire/method of producing incense, you will need the following:

Libations: white wine, red wine, and olive oil; if you cannot use alcohol, red and white grape juice also works.

Banishing Herbs: rosemary, Solomon's seal, lilac flowers, angelica, peppermint, and onion skin.

Invoking Herbs: St. John's wort, hibiscus, rose petals (any color), lemon peel, a dried avocado pit, almonds, and oak bark.

Before the ritual, kindle your fire or start your incense.

Circle Casting

The Beltane fires flicker bright

as I feel the warmth of spring sunlight.

God and Goddess joined again;

Seen in lovers, seen in friends.

Kindle in me hope afresh

to buoy my strained heart afresh.

So mote it be!

Quarter Calls

East:

Gentle powers of air in gentle grace

Bless this ritual in time and space.

South:

Gentle powers of fire, born in the sun's furnace

Transform me beyond my surface

West:

Gentle powers of water, raise high the tide

Take me to mingle far and wide

North:

Gentle powers of the land

Help me cultivate what I must understand!

Invocation

Hail Athena! Hail Artemis! Hail Vesta!

Virgin Goddesses,

open my mind, show me your paths,

lead me to contentment.

Pursuing passions of the mind,

tending well my lands, my hope,

cultivating neighbors and compatriots-

let me be well as you are well

complete as you are complete. 

So mote it be!

Pour out a libation for each Goddess: Olive oil for Athena, white wine for Artemis, and red wine for Vesta.

Hold your hands above the fire and say:

The fire, the furnace, the sun, the seed,

let me give you dried things for your feed-

and as they burn, I am freed.

Throw rosemary into the blaze and say:

With rosemary, I am freed from bitter memories that hold me back.

Walk counterclockwise around the fire, and then pick up the next herb: Solomon's Seal.

Throw the root into the fire, and say:

With Solomon's seal I banish lingering energies that work against my highest good.

Do another counterclockwise circumambulation, toss in the lilac flowers, and say:

With lilac, I banish the wounds I might dig up from my own memory.

On the next time around, throw in the angelica root and say:

Angelica calls to my ancestors and to the divine teachers that protect me-let me get out of my own way, and keep harm from crossing my path!

At the next round, throw in peppermint, saying:

Mint protects, cleanses, and elevates. My wounds are clean and sterilized, and as it burns, I become pure!

On the last counterclockwise round, throw in the onion skin and say:

My old self has peeled away like this onion skin. I find the fresh soul, clean, strong, protected, purified. So mote it be!

Come to stand facing west and spread out your arms and legs so that your posture imitates Da Vinci's "Virtual Man." Visualize the old energy as a gray fog that the fire consumes, making invisible. Starting at your feet, send in specific aches, pains, and hidden emotions that you stored in your muscles and bones. Move up to your legs, your hips, your belly, your chest, your neck, and your head. Once you reach the crown of your head, start the process again at your head, and go back to your feet. Pay attention to your body's response to sending that energy into the fire. You may feel lighter, more relaxed, and even relieved. Hold this visual as long as you can.

Pause for a few moments and breathe, appreciating the sense of relief. Since magic and nature both abhor a vacuum, you must now complete the process of intentional replacement.

This time, throw some St. John's Wort into the flames and walk clockwise around the fire and say:

St. John's Wort kindles the light within; I see bright blessings everywhere I go.

On the next round, throw in hibiscus and say:

Hibiscus connects me to my passions within: reveal, oh divinatory herb, my hidden talents.

On the next ambulation, throw in rose petals and say:

I am allowed to love myself, as I am, unconditionally. I offer this love in turn to the earth and sky, to the goddesses present, and to the ancestors that have loved me through each step of life.

On the next round, throw in lemon peel and say:

Lemon, by the grace of the Mother Goddess, kindle in me passions to create. By your power let me create peace, let me create art, let me create good in the world.

Next, throw a dried avocado pit into the fire and say:

Lust stirs in more than the body-it stirs in the spirit. Invoke in me a lust for knowledge, a passionate curiosity, a desire for mastery paired with purified humility.

On the next time round, throw a handful of almonds on the fire and say:

Almonds, make me whole in myself-anima and animus together, fused with the creative passion that comes from divine inner union.

On the next round, throw white sage into the fire and say:

Sage, bring me together in wisdom. Help the herbal energies now burning within me acclimate gently to my body, mind, and spirit. Let me open my soul to new opportunities, new ways of thinking and let me relish the joy of the Beltane season. So mote it be!

After this, sit and gaze into the fire. After a few breaths to acclimate to stillness and say:

Hail Athena, I begin with this meditation on you!

As you envision Athena, pay attention to her specific qualities. Note that she is a balance of martial arts and education. Athena has qualities of war in her, yes, but she also pursued necessary domestic skills: she could weave, she could write, and she embodied the perfect balance between domestic and martial discipline. She concerned herself with the big issues of the world, what we would now call matters of the state.

Pause, and listen for what Athena might say to you.

Pour out a libation to her as thanks.

Next, envision Artemis. As the virgin goddess of the moon, she also appreciated solitary pursuits such as hunting-but she did not always choose isolation. she had her friends, male and female, some of whom hunted alongside her. She also served friends, protecting women all the way up to childbirth and looking after her animal companions as well.

Pause, and listen for what Artemis might say to you.

Pour out a libation to her as thanks.

Next, envision Vesta. This may be more difficult as she had very few tales spoken of her. She embodied the pleasures of the home life, and helped those who honored her maintain happy, prosperous homes. Think of how your home might feel with her in it.

Pause, and listen for what Vesta might say to you.

Pour out a libation to her as thanks.

Ritual Closing

Farewell to Athena, to Artemis, to Vesta

Virgin queens, show me the way

to the richness of life, independent and free.

Blessed Be!

(Pour an additional libation to each Goddess.)

Quarter Releases

North:

Gentle powers of the north and earth,

I give you sweet release! Blessed Be!

West:

Gentle powers of the west and water,

I give you sweet release! Blessed Be!

South:

Gentle powers of the south and fire,

I give you sweet release! Blessed Be!

East:

Gentle powers of the east and air,

I give you sweet release! Blessed Be!

Circle Closing

(Walking Counterclockwise)

The fire on the ground may fade,

yet more powerful are the longer days.

My heart fed by heat and sun-

Bring on the summer, bring on the curiosities,

bring on the fun!

Remember to just let loose and enjoy yourself! Also, if there is any part of this ritual that doesn't quite fit for you, then feel free to change it. That's always the best part. You get to follow  your own path and do what works best for you!

And don't be a dick!

Love and light to you. )O(

~Luminessa

Beltane Self Love and a Quest to Self Discovery

With Beltane fast approaching there is a huge amount of fertility magick in the air. Romance and sexual energy are all around us. We are at the middle point of Spring and Summer. The opposite of Samhain on the Wheel of the Year, which means that the veil is thinner. This also means that whatever workings you decide to do will be that much more potent!

But lets get down to the nitty gritty! The stuff "society" deems inappropriate and unacceptable to to talk about...sex.

Beltane is all about that sexual energy. It's a point where we give thanks for the animals getting busy and bringing new life into the world. Thanks to the bees for pollinating the flowers, and for mother nature taking in the seeds of the earth to grow in her womb and are now blossoming.

The cycle of life has begun again and now is the time to let your hair down and let loose.

For many of us, we have a partner that we can get frisky with, take advantage of in the most sensual ways, and just enjoy each other's sexuality. But what happens if you are alone on this wonderful Sabbat? Whether on your own accord, or because your loved ones are away. Does this mean that you don't get to experience all of the sexual energy that Beltane has to offer? HELL NO! This just means that it's time for some "self love" and self discovery!

Years ago I started on a journey of self discovery. Not only was this great for me, but it also helped strengthen every relationship I have been in ever since. Sexual or otherwise. 

I started by asking myself basic fundamental questions. Who am I? What kind of person, friend, wife do I want to be? What do I want out of life? What are some things that I can do that will bring me joy and fulfillment? 

Before I had any answers to any of these questions, I first had to know myself as a person. I wanted to look at myself in the mirror and be able to see exactly what my husband saw when he looks at me. Because he knows me better than anyone else in the world. And he fell in love with me. So, why is it I didn't see what he saw? 

Most people don't.

Most people are so overly critical of themselves that they fail to see how truly amazing they are!

I didn't want to be that person anymore. I wanted to look at myself and love everything I saw. Love everything about me. What makes me, me. To find the beauty in all the so called "imperfections". I'm still in this process, as I believe everyone is; but this is the story of how I came to know myself on a different level...sexually.

To know precisely what makes a person tick, what they like or don't like, and the things that set me over the edge or drive them crazy is a process that everyone goes through in a relationship. But what we don't ever stop and think about is the relationship we have with ourselves. We ask ourselves these things of our partners, but when was the last time you asked them about yourselves?  For the majority of us the answer is never. Hopefully this Beltane you will start the process to change that!

These are just a couple things that I started doing on my journey of "Self Love".

First off...What make you feel sexy? If you're not "feeling it", then it's pretty much pointless and you will never be able to get to the next step. 

I personally like to do my makeup. Not my typical foundation and mascara, then I'm out the door; no, I mean full blown makeup to where I not only look like a seductress, but people will be calling me for porn. The same goes for my hair. If you are wearing something frumpy, then you are gonna feel frumpy. Get into your closet and pick out an outfit that makes you feel sexy. That little black dress, heels you never wear out, the push up bra that makes it look like your boobs are gonna suffocate you. Whatever you choose, is what is right for you and for the moment. I don't do this for anyone else but myself because it makes me feel good about me.

Next, I like to maybe light some candles, incense, or maybe spray some perfume that I find pleasing and that adds to how I am feeling. You want to make your space as comfortable as possible, and as inviting as possible as well. As you go through this, all of your senses will be heightened, so be sure not to do anything that would make you uncomfortable in any way. This is about you, and what makes you feel good.

I also like to put on some music. Something sensual that I can move my body to. No, it doesn't have to be Marvin Gaye. It could simply be instrumental music. Whatever you like that will bring out your personality of yourself sexually is what is best.

Next, if you have a mirror, now is the perfect time to look at yourself. Watch yourself move. Notice the areas on your body that you tend to keep your hands touching more. These generally tend to be your trigger spots. I tend to keep my hands more towards my neck, collar bone, and breasts. Some people its their stomachs, butt or thighs, while others is just all over! Don't be afraid to explore your body. See what does and doesn't feel good to you.

*Keep in mind this exercise can be done with or without your clothing on, depending on how comfortable you are.

Also, I am writing this from my perspective, but I do hope that the men out there try this as well.

The reason I say to do this in front of the mirror is so that you can look at yourself and realize that You Are Beautiful! That You Are Sexy! It is all about how you perceive yourself, and this is the starting point of learning to love who YOU are!

Once you've slowly begun discovering your sweet spots, keep them in the back of your mind, always. When you discover the ways and things that bring you pleasure you will be more likely and willing to love yourself. 

Continue on this beautiful journey of discovering your body. How you react to touches in certain places. Whether or not you enjoy things soft and sensual, or if you like it a little rougher and more aggressive. Sometimes it just depends on your mood for the day. ;-)

And just a quick side note, while doing this exercise if you are comfortable enough with your self discovery and can get yourself to that Big "O", you will be releasing a crap ton of energy. Just make sure that you are hydrated! I tend to keep a bit of chocolate nearby too!

So...whether you are diddling the DJ, taming the snake, or have B.O.B. (battery operated boyfriend) over for the afternoon, you are on your way to self discovery! Now go out there and try new things! Do what feels good! Set your mind to it, and let your energy out into the universe. You will be surprised at what it will bring back to you. 

I know that there is so much more to expand on this, and that will come with time on your part. (I myself am trying to keep it PG-13 for this post. lol) Go out there and get to know yourself on a personal level!

And remember, Don't be a dick!

*This applies towards yourself as well.

Love and Light to you all.  )O(

~Luminessa

Full Moon Attraction Incense

Make sure you have ample room to make a mess!

A few weeks ago Nessa and I got together and made a few incense blends, my favorite is Attraction!! Since full moon is tomorrow it's a great time to bring any desires to you. In my experience this particular blend is very effective.

We didn't dress a candle with this blend but you totes can. 

There is no decided amount for any ingredient, I go off of a how-much-do-you-feel-it-needs approach.  If you are tuned into what you are making it will be the perfect amount every time. And your blends will always vary as to where you were in your life whilst making it. I've made this particular one 3 times and some times it's sweeter, sometimes it's earthier. 

Herbs

Cinnamon Sticks

Start with a deep fiery spice

Patchouli

A Scorpio plant, the full moon will be in Scorpio tomorrow 

It is also a great herb for attracting energy to your physical body

Oak Moss

Ruling planet is Jupiter to give our requirements as much expensive energy as possible

And it smells divine!!

Ginseng Leaf

Used to attract energies to your person, especially if used for sexual potency or money draw

If you are using this incense to be more attractive as a person Ginseng is perfect for that

Clove

Fire & Jupiter again, this is also good for money draw an aphrodisiac and for its strength

Skull Cap

This is our insurance policy herb, it makes sure that when we get what we are asking for that it stays true! And will not betray us

Vanilla Bean

Enhances phyiscal energy and makes our wishes sweet

Resins

Benzoin

To help us focus on exactly what we want and make sure we use good business when asking for it

Myrrh

To amplify!! And remind us how beautiful and spiritual we already are

As Nessa & I mixed ingredients we would add them to the charcoal so we could smell how they were all working together.

We mixed this all together with our hands. (OK Nessa's hands)

We then mixed it all with an equal part of aspen chips. You can find aspen or pine or cedar chips at any pet store. The aspens chips soak in all the energies of the herbs as well as the smell. We used Honey as a binding. 

We put it all in a large Ziploc bag and worked it around to mix it even more. 

Lastly take a chunk and set it on the charcoal to smell your creation!

Here is the finished product. 

Now close your eyes and think of what is it you want to attract into your life!!

When you ask the universe for your desires be pure of heart and remember, don't be a dick :)


Happy Full Moon

)O(

AnnaStacia

Managing Stress and Anxiety

 

So, these past few months have been really trying on my part. Not just physically, but mentally as well. I realized that no matter what I do physically to try and get my health under control; spell candles, doctor visits, herbal remedies, etc, if I am not in the right frame of mind, then it will all be for naught. I have to believe that the regimen I am on is going to work. I have to put my intent into my magickal workings, and actually mean it. Not just hollow words. I guess that's why it took me so long to actually do any healing magick on myself in the first place. I wasn't in the right frame of mind. I hadn't come to grips with the fact that I am no longer the same person I was 6 months ago, 3 months ago, or even yesterday. I am everchanging. So is my body. It just took my mind a bit longer to catch up with the rest of me. But I'm glad it finally did. 

That being said, I have been doing a small meditation every day (almost). To try and relieve my stress and anxiety. If any of you are like me, then you have a mind that doesn't like to slow down. If one thing happens, my mind is already trying to decipher all of the possible outcomes that could happen next. It's exhausting. So...I meditate. At night I do guided meditations to help me sleep. (I will try to post about that another time.) But, in the mornings to help me get through the day I do a simple meditation, just focusing on my breath and nothing else. 

Making sure that I am in a comfortable position, (usually criss cross applesauce)

I say this mantra several times before I begin. (as many as I feel I need for the day to let go of all my stresses)

Calm my heart

Calm my mind

to a place where negative energy dies.

Let all anxieties melt away

So that I might be whole again.

With each deep breath my nerves subside

In the universe I must abide.

All stresses gone, I'm worry free

This is my will, so mote it be!

From there I just close my eyes and take deep breaths, focusing on the air filling my lungs with positive energy and then releasing my breath slowly while picturing all of life's worries being blown away with them. 

Everyone has stress and anxiety nowadays. But not everyone has a way to deal with it. If meditating doesn't work for you, try other things. Sometimes when it's really bad for me I will write down all of the things that are bothering me. (This may take awhile.) Then, I either fold it up, or crumble it, depending on my mood, light it on fire (usually done outside) and watch the stress fly away with the smoke.

If you are REALLY feeling stressed out, just try everything all together! LOL. Do whatever works for you and for the situation that you are in. Not all stress and anxiety is the same. Sometimes you just need some fresh air, a good book, and a large cup o' joe. These are just some examples to hopefully help you get out of the funk you may be experiencing. Once again, these work for me, but may not work for you. Do what feels right to you. Your intuition will never steer you wrong.

And remember, "Don't be a dick".

Love and light to you all. )O(

~Luminessa

Gratitude

Today I am completely grateful! 

Do you ever have days like that, where you wake up and some of your insecurities are still sleeping and you aren't overwhelmed by anything yet and the day and week and life are still full of possibilities?

That's me today. 

I am so glad that you are following us here, each blog we write is like a seed that we nurtured over hours and days and sometimes weeks lol and when you read it and get something out of it everything was worth it. 

Be ever so grateful today, for the air in your lungs, for the tears in your eyes, for the sun on your beautiful face.

Be Alive Today!! Be Present!!

Because you never know where your path is leading you.

AnnaStacia

A Spell to Increase Finances

Everyone goes through tough times at one point or another in life. 

Should we ask the universe for a crap ton of money? NO. But, we do get what we put out. If we were to put our energy out into the world in hopes that we are able to pay our bills, I think that is perfectly logical. Should we expect it drop out of the sky and get something for nothing? No! But, if we put the intent towards what we are working for, we should be able to have it come to fruition. 

ie; get more for the work you put out.

To increase your cash flow and have enough for extra bills;

Light 3 candles-1 yellow, 1 green, and 1 blue.

Place 7 pennies around them in a circle.

Focus on the candle flames for a moment with your intent, then chant:

Increase my money-let it come.

By moonlight night and daily sun.

Bring just enough that I may pay

The bills I owe from day to day.

Let the candles burn completely down, then put the pennies in your purse or pocket. As long as you don't spend them, your bills will never present a problem.

I usually don't include my kids when I do spells of this sort, but they were so eager to help that I could't say no. Plus, they look so adorable when we do magick together!

I know that we live in a day and age where we are all counting our pennies and trying to manage our money properly. It can be difficult. Just know that you are not alone. Everyone goes through tough times, and everyone needs to ask for a little help every now and then. It's not shameful, nor is it something to put yourself down about. Remember to always do the best that you can, and everything will always work out.

Love and Light to you!
~Luminessa