The Book of Crystal Spells

I just finished reading a wonderful little book on crystal magick. The Book of Crystal Spells by Ember Grant is a wonderful read. Ember explores the world of crystals in a new and fascinating light. Through out the book you are given spells to try or adapt to fit your own magick. With the inclusion of chant's and rhymes to aid you in your practice.

The Book of Crystal Spells covers all your crystal bases. Ember takes you through clearing, cleansing, charging and dedicating your pieces. With full definitions of each and several ways to achieve the outcome when applicable.

Ember also includes chapters on jewelry, home and garden, elixirs, sand and glass, every day rocks, meditation, numerology, special point. There is even a chapter to get you started on crystal grids. This book is packed full of ideas for every situation and need. With a foundation for you to be able to create your own spells as well.

A wonderful little surprise is that in the appendix Ember has included a section on crystal structure. So not only is there extensive work given on the metaphysical property and uses of crystals. There is information on there science as well, in the form of there structure. A fun little addition that I only saw one other place in this type of book.

The Book of Crystal Spells is a tome that everyone who is interested in crystal magick should acquire. Ember as a wonderful way to present the material. With a fun and adventurous way to look at crystal, mineral and everyday stones. I hope you to will find this book a necessity for your library as well.

Crystals

For many years now I have been collecting crystals and stones. When I first started collecting I was directed by a friend to, Love is in the Earth: A Kaleidoscope of Crystals - The Reference Book Describing the Metaphysical Properties of the Mineral Kingdom by Melody. Over the years I have collected all of her books on crystals. They are wonderful and you learn a lot of the metaphysical properties of the stones and crystals. But I never acquired a magic book on crystals. Well that is until now.

I just finished reading Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Crystal, Gems and Metal Magic, By Scott Cunningham. This book is very reminiscent to his herbal encyclopedia. There are four part's to this book. First Cunningham starts with the different lore and relationships with the element's, colors, ancients and magic itself. The second part is the crystal encyclopedia itself, followed by the metal encyclopedia. The fourth section has all the appendixes that Cunningham is famous for.

Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Crystal, Gems and Metal Magic is a word of knowledge in the crystal, gem and metal world. As only he can tell it he guides you into the lore and ancient uses for well over a hundred pieces. Each crystal, gem or metal has the folk name, energy, plant/'s, element/'s, deity, associated stones, powers, magical / ritual lore and finally magical uses.

If you have any interest in using the crystal, gem and metal world in your magick. Then this book is a good reference piece for you to have. Scott was a wonderful writer and this book is no different. I hope that you would indulge your self in a very informative book on the this. Enjoy!!!

Hedge Rider

A few week ago with some friends, we happened to be discussing what our next topic would be. We decided on Hedge Witchery. Now there was some confusion as to what that is. Perhaps that is the wrong term. I think it would be more correct to say we all didn't have the whole story or picture. You see Hedge witchery is a very green approach to your magic. It is working directly with nature to bring about change. It is a very simple life style that in the old day would have been a life of the wise woman or sage man. That in it's self is not the whole story.

For you see Hedge Witchery is also a form of Shamanism of the Germanic pagans. Eric de Vries wrote a wonderful book on the subject called Hedge Rider. In this book you will learn everything you need to know about hedge riding. The concept is very straight forward. All the in between place like dawn and dusk, doorways, window and the like. Well there is yet another, there was a time when the village or town was bordered by hedges. This was to keep the wild out and the civilization in. this hedge is the in between place that you can gain access to other worlds. Hedge Riding or riding the hedge.

Hedge Rider will give you all the information for you to understand this accent path. From Defining Witchcraft to contemplating the Wyrd Sisters. An even a discussion on your Fetch. With everything in between to fully understand the ways of a Germanic Shaman.

So if you are a person that is interested in Hedge Witchery. Then I strongly suggest that you not only study the folk magick. But you should pick up a copy of Hedge Rider to learn the shaman side of this path. Then you will have the complete picture of what it all means.

Garden Charm

While I was reading my new crafty witchy books. Especially on prayer beads I had thought of creating one for gardeners. My thought was to create a set of beads that you can hang off your belt loop. To have with you as you garden and take care of your plant. The point of having them is to bring your energy more in tune with the plant's energies. So this would help with those that have black thumbs, for you to easier communicate and also see nature spirits with a bit of ease.

So what I did was do a little research on some stones or crystals that help with plant's. Moss Agate is one of the top leading stone to aid in the garden and with plants. Some other stones that work with plants based on there astrological correspondence are Amber, Amethyst, Obsidian, Aventurine, Pyrite, Citrine, Jade, Lapis lazuli, Moonstone, Turquoise and finally Clear Quartz.

All of the above crystals have energies relating to certain plants. So I decided to incorporate all of them in the charm. That way you have the largest connection with the variety of energies. The charm it's self needs to be blessed, consecrated and programmed. But when it all said and done I believe it will be a worth wild tool in your nature magick tool box.

Pagan Prayer Beads

It is very interest when you find the history of these beads to predate Christianity. But then in reality all things do. But in the modern day when one thinks of prayer beads you may think of Buddhist or Hindu Prayer Beads. Or perhaps more of the christian version the rosary. All of these beads consist of a preset number of beads. All in one color or sets of colors (rosaries). Pagan Prayer Beads with take you through the history and give you examples of what a pagan prayer bead can consist of.

Pagan Prayer Beads takes you through the designing, creating and finishing of your beads. There are discussions of the correct materials to use. All the different potential beads that you can create. Plus how to finish them to be wearable beads or to have them as a continues round of beads.

After all the technical information of creating your beads. There are chapters that they give you patterns to get you started on creating your own. Later in the chapters there are rituals, meditations and prayer given to get you started on using your beads. They even give a suggested ritual on concentrating of your beads.

Pagan Prayer Beads is a book for anyone who loves working with there hands. An wish to take there faith to a new level. With all the possibilities and uses for prayer beads you can have one around your neck as jewelry, one around your wrist, one in your purse or pocket. All for different reasons and purposes. So if you lit to work with beads I suggest you get you self a copy. It will give you much to ponder and create even if you don't work with beads this book will get you started.

Element's Prayer Beads

I was being creative again in the prayer bead area. Actually I wanted to create myself a set of beads linked to the elements. I did all five elements and my original thought was to make it just big enough to were as a bracelet. Well after I sting all the beads on it was a little bit bigger than I had originally planned. No worries though It can be used one of two ways. Either as a bracelet, you just need to wrap it three time around you wrist. Or you can use it as a necklace if you prefer.

I of course used beads, but mainly as the separators. The main “beads” are actually bells, lava beads, shells, seeds, and metal butterfly's. Each section is made up of the main “bead”and the spacer. The spacer I choice to use the color of that element. Yellow for air, red for fire, blue for water, a green for earth and purple for spirit. The only other thing I did was I started and ended the strand with wooden beads. Plus I added a white bead to be more like the moon which separates each section of bead.

I think it came out very well and despite it's length. I'm quite fine with wrapping it around my wrist. I also like the different elements that I used to symbolize each one. So let me know what you think and if you decide to make your own send me a pic.

Thirteen Moons Prayer beads

I created a second pair of prayer beads. This set is a gift and is the thirteen moons. For this set you need to pick out thirteen beads of four different styles for each faze of the moon. So you need one type for full, one for waning, one for new and finally one for waxing. Here there are spacers beads as well in the beginning, in between each bead and at the end.

Here you start at one end since I used a bar and ring closer. I started at the ring end, with this set you sting starting with the full moon and end with the waxing moon. You of course need thirteen sets of the beads. Just as with all the prayer beads in this book (Crafting a Magical Life) you can were it. So you can keep it with you at all times. Plus the added advantage with wearing your prayer beads is not only multipurpose. But for the general public, they wouldn't know that they were prayer beads. So if you are shy about your faith or in a place that may not be cool with it. You have apiece of your faith with you with no one the wiser.

If you decide to make your own set of beads. Let me know and send me a picture if you can I would love to see them.