Chrysanthemums are harbingers of autumn and their gorgeous blooms last throughout the fall season. They are perennial plants that can be planted in the garden and will continue to grow and bloom from year to year. Their multi petaled flowers suggest solar energy and can be found in every color but blue. The ancient Chinese ..read more

Angels, saints, ancestors and other spirit allies have been important in folk magick since before recorded history. It’s popular in neopaganism to only consider working magick with deities from various pantheons. However, in many folk magick traditions working with saints, angels and ancestors is common. In Italian folk magick, in fact, statues of saints might be found on a home altar along with representations of the ancient Roman gods. Sometimes saints have been syncretized to other deities as in how they came to represent the orishas that came to the Americas from Africa. The trend these d ..read more

Talavera Sun kissing the Moon I just uploaded a video on the YouTube channel about the new moon on Monday, April 8th. The Magickal Cottage on YouTube Considering that there will be 3 astronomical things occurring at once: the new moon in Aries, a solar eclipse as well as Mercury retrograde, it all sounds like a recipe for some crazy energy! So far this retrograde period has presented some problems for my family and I and it’s just getting started. So what else is new? But it seems like listening to your intuition and being extra cautious can pay off right now. So what are the implications of ..read more

So there’s no excuse for not having posted in forever, unless you count me being so active in other magickal ways. Our coven has grown as a result of my starting a MeetUp group. And our new members are just lovely people! If you live in the Los Angeles area and want to join with other like minded people, check out our FaceBook group, The San Fernando Valley Green Witches Circle: https://www.facebook.com/groups/684282108630071/?ref=share_group_link. With persistence, social media can help you find your people. Just exercise care and meet people in safe and public places, especially if it’s yo ..read more

Coming out on the other side of the pandemic it seems like people in general have come to appreciate being able to gather with family and friends in the physical world. Zoom served its purpose for our coven ritual gatherings, but there is nothing that replaces joining hands and exchanging hugs. The other evening eight of us gathered in the physical for the first time in a long time to hold ritual. We all appreciated the amazing energy that made for a truly magickal evening. Now, I’m a reiki master and have been a reiki practitioner for about 15 years. I know energy can be sent over time and d ..read more

The February full moon is often called the Snow Moon. That name probably doesn’t need explaining, but it does seem to be the month when the most snow falls. This is a good time for ritual to clean out the old unneeded “stuff” we are holding on to both on the mundane and spiritual plane. And it’s also a time to take cover (as in under fluffy blankets) and go inward. Plan out your goals for the coming cycle and gather some sunbeams in your dreams for the energy you will need during the warmer weather. Whether you are circling alone or with friends, do take some time to charge some moon water, o ..read more

Want to add a bit of sweetness to your spring? I like to celebrate the season of Ostara all through the springtime! After all, most of the Easter symbols are very pagan in origin. Bunnies, eggs, chicks and lambs all represent the new growth that is abundant at this time. So, to add some cheer to the season, I made a batch of these yummy sugar cookies. They are vegan, and if you wish to make them gluten free you can substitute the one to one gluten free baking mix for the flour. Here’s what you need: 2 sticks (1cup) of non dairy butter such as Earth Balance, softened 1 cup of white sugar 4 Tb ..read more

This Imbolc I have been practicing my skills at creating the Brighid’s cross. These little symbols can be made from various materials and in various sizes. Tradition holds that creating a cross at Imbolc and setting it outside on Imbolc Eve to be blessed by the goddess Brighid as she passes by, will bring protection to the home, especially against fires. I live in a fire prone area, so creating one of these little protective guys is probably a very good idea! I have posted a YouTube video with a tutorial on creating a Brighid’s cross and how to add one to a magickal protective wreath. You can ..read more

Here’s the “dirt on dirt!” Ozark Pagan Mamma Dirt or stones from special places are often utilized as an ingredient in folk magic. To me, one of the most important of these is the dirt from the ground surrounding one’s own home. It can be carried along on a trip to ensure a safe return, and to keep one “grounded” in tense or unsure situations away from home. However, graveyard dirt is probably the most famous of dirts used for magic, and is used to summon the spirit from a particular grave for help in the work at hand. If using graveyard dirt, be sure you know the character of the spiri ..read more

Lately I have been focusing on making video posts about magickal herbs and how to use them on The Magickal Cottage YouTube channel. It’s been great to get out to the magickal herb farm and visit the plants and talk about them in person! The first of these videos is on The Magickal Properties of Rosemary: https://youtu.be/BGBZLta2IkI The second video is on The Magickal Properties of Calendula: https://youtu.be/pTBNo-nrE5U I hope you enjoy these videos, and please feel free to suggest other witchy apothecary herbs for me to vlog about. I grow a LOT of plants! Green Witch Blessings, Sarina ..read more