by Della Ratcliffe | Sep 21, 2022 | Rituals and Ceremonies, Wheel of the Year
Blessed be at this time of Equinox, when Mama Earth is balanced for night and day, dark and light. Whatever you celebrate at this time of year, the astronomical birth of Autumn or the astronomical birth of Spring, take some time to reflect on your own rebirth and...
by Della Ratcliffe | Sep 14, 2019 | Wheel of the Year
I have started to gather and dry some ingredients for my planned Fall Equinox loose incense blend, for using in my celebrations and rituals throughout Autumn. I’m using ethically foraged ingredients and, so far have, oak leaves and moss, pine needles, wild hops,...
by Della Ratcliffe | Dec 31, 2018 | Wheel of the Year
Wassailing the Apple Trees, by Pauline Baynes Wassailing Traditions My first awareness of wassailing — from the old Anglo-Saxon phrase Wæs þu hæl meaning “Drink and be healthy” — was as an alternative name for door-to-door carolling at Christmas. In exchange for a...
by Della Ratcliffe | Aug 24, 2018 | Spirituality
Some of the earliest gods and goddesses from ancient cultures are associated with heavenly bodies — the Sun, the Moon and the stars— and with the Earth itself, each attributed with a specific energy (feminine or masculine) and with specific functions, not unlike...
by Della Ratcliffe | Nov 30, 2017 | Rituals and Ceremonies, Witchy Ways
I treasure the time I spend at my personal altar. It anchors my day, bringing a moment of stillness, timelessness, magic, clarity. There, I disengage from the sounds and distraction of the busy world outside and step into my own sacred space. I breathe differently...