Heddy M. Johannesen's Blog, page 15

Positive Change

Merry meet all,

In a short matter of time, my life has changed for the better for once. I can’t believe the change. I am soon starting classes at The Temple of Witchcraft Level One. An editor is interested in publishing my novel if I make revisions, which I soon shall do. I am going to be working with Women’s’ Employment Outreach for better actual employment for the next few months.

I am happy about this change. It was hard earned, believe me. All of this has been so craved and wanted like you can’t believe it. I look forward to a busy fall season.

I have already bought and read the Temple of witchcraft book, bought a blank journal for the year, got the cd companion, and created a folder on my laptop desktop for the course. I think its an opportunity a lot of people would kill to have. I plan to printout a fresh copy of my novel and take the red pen to it all over again. I do want to achieve success which unfortunately is not done without some elbow grease.

Black skull stickers now decorate my two books about Hekate. I like to spell the name Hekate with a K. It seems more authentic that way. Stickers are fun and a great way to express ourselves, like art. I need more  stickers with a Halloween theme. If you do buy some Halloween things at a crafts store, for example, make sure they are useful and not junk. Its a better way to spend your money.

October is next month. How the time has flown! Mabon is the next turn in the Wheel of the Year. The leaves are already turning. A slight chill is in the air. I love Mabon, it’s just as magical as Samhain.

Blessings, Lady Spiderwitch )O(

 

 

Protecting your home from spooky intruders

Merry meet all,

I am sure you all, my dear readers, know how to protect your home from mortal invaders. Today I want to talk about ghosts- uninvited spooky intruders. It is just as important.

I am sure most of you know how to shield your home from ghosts. I thought I did too. Until the night I saw a shadow person. I posted pentagrams, I’ve lived here for six years and have filled my place with my energy. Sometimes all they need is a crack.The night I saw the shadow person in my home scared me. But I haven’t seen one since.

Here is a ritual you can do to keep out pesky unwanted spirits:

Gather a candle, a lemon, salt, matches or lighter, a shallow dish, and your intention for this ritual. You can either purchase a lemon-scented candle or add a few drops of lemon juice to a tealight candle. The lemon drives the spirits away. Light the candle once it is dressed. Fill the shallow dish with spring water or tap water, though spring water is preferable. Go through the house with the lemon candle first and bless each room. Next, do the same with the bowl of water. Sprinkle salt into the bowl and go through the whole home, room by room, and chant a blessing.

If you fill your home with love and good energy, and keep up your protective magickal shields, then you should be fine. Consider steeping sage tea in a teapot. Pour the sage tea around the perimeter of your entire property. Try to do this in the morning to avoid nosy neighbors. That sets a shield up to keep out negative energy.

I have good news:

I’ve been accepted into the Temple of Witchcraft Witchcraft 1: Inner Temple of Witchcraft Year one course. I am pretty excited because this is so rad and now I will be forced to be busy. Yay!!

Blessings, Lady Spiderwitch )O(

Energy

Merry meet all,

Last night, I did a tarot reading for someone. She used to live in my old hometown Pleasant Bay, the setting for the horror novel. I was very happy to do a reading for her. The cards were very accurate too. I also liked the positive energy from her and from the reading. It differed very much from the reading I did for a man prior to this one. That was a bad experience. I can’t reveal here what the reading was about here but I got him to sit outside on the picnic bench in the misty rain. He made me uneasy.

My whole point here is that as an empath, I detect certain energies from people. We all have our energies. We all give off different energies when we are at home, at work and at school or on a bus. A bus is a great place to sense energies and vibrations from people. I sometimes hop off a bus to escape the overwhelming energies from everyone. I sense it all the time. Over time, I have met and overcome challenges associated with sensing energies from people.

I used to fume on the bus and be sooo angry. I would storm home, slam open the door and snarl at my pets. One day,  I realized what I was doing. I realized I didn’t have to own the energy once I got off the bus. Now I stroll home, feeling more in control than ever before, and calmly unlock the door to greet my pets awaiting the return of their faithful servant. It is better than how I was doing before.

Once a reading is over, I often sage the house. I clean beforehand but the act of smudging removes any potential harmful energies after the querent has left. With the person I read for who originated from my hometown, I didn’t need to smudge as she was so awesome. But the man I read for that was so unhappy with his life. Oh there was a huge difference between the two.

We all have to be responsible for what energy we send out but also know we don’t own the energy from others. It is up to us sensitives what we do with it.

Tomorrow night a lunar eclipse is occurring, the moon’s waxing and it grows closer to October. I recently watched the two horror movies, The Babadook and The Boy. I liked The Boy much better. I couldn’t finish watching The Babadook as I have pets. Sorry nope. No way. The Boy was much more enjoyable. I also am in love with The Magicians, a spin off of the Harry Potter movies. But I don’t own a TV so I guess I have to get the dvd sets to watch the next season.

Today is Black Cat Appreciation Day. Hug that black cat that just innocently crossed your path!!! Make the kitty purr.

Blessed Be, Lady Spiderwitch )O(

Coffins, cookies and kettles- oh my!

Merry meet all,

I love my new gothy plant marker. Its made of Polymer clay. It’s a headstone shaped grey clay plant marker. On the front of the clay headstone is a skull adorned with snakes on either side. Yes October is 3 months away. I am still excited about summer- well, I have a garden but c;mon, who can resist that? Not me. The stores fill with early Halloween treasures. I know I know…. I’ll race you! We will shop there for trinkets till we’re broke!

Tomorrow I am getting my dill and lettuce seedlings in the garden! I have to keep the clay headstone plant marker indoors. It wouldn’t hold up to the weather. Sigh.. I can hear the wind blowing in the trees outside my window. I love that sound. I managed to get two jet black hollyhocks to germinate! I don’t think I will get flowers this year but maybe next summer.

I got creative with baking recently. If you keep a sharp eye as you prowl the aisles at your local and friendly Halloween thrift store, you might find some cool Halloween cookie cutters. I mean look for the really cool ones. I have cauldron, bat, pumpkin, ghost, moon, witch, cat, haunted house, and even coffin cookie cutters. I got very inspired and baked chocolate coffin shaped cookies. Here is an awesome recipe for sugar cookies:http://www.thehungryhousewife.com/2009/10/sugar-cookie-and-icing-tips.html 

Trust me, that recipe is the shit. I can finally make sugar cookies the way I have always wanted to. Here are a few more tips for those daring to try. Sprinkle flour prior to cutting your cookies on your dough, rolling pin and a plain kitchen knife. I like to tip the knife in flour then lift the cookie from the cutting surface to the cookie sheet. That makes it easy to help the cookies keep their shape. I found black frosting gel and red gel. I wrote RIP (rest in peace) and used the red gel for blood. Here is a photo of how it looked for your own inspiration at the end of this blog post. Very cool? I sure hope you think so. It was a lot of work to do but it shows you can be very creative. I also own a cool pentacle cookie press. I titled the recipe Last Bites. I submitted the recipe for publication to a gothic cookbook market. Cross your spooky paws it gets published. 

I hope to enroll or apply for my first year at the Temple of Witchcraft in Salem. I live in Canada so I would have to study online but so what? I don’t mind and can’t wait to get to say I am studying at Hogwarts haha. Just don’t ask me to drive a cart through brick. Not happening. I would take the train though and gorge on Hogwarts candy. Ha ha

I bought a cute cool cast iron kettle. I love it. I recently dedicated and blessed it with the 4 Elements of earth, air, fire and water. I couldn’t resist. I had to have it. My kitchen is complete now. I plan to brew many a potion in it. 

My poem about Hekate is to be published in an anthology!! The book is titled The Dark Ones: Tales and Poems of the Shadow Gods published by Bibliotheca Alexandrina. I can’t wait to read it. I do gravitate to the darker side of things. 

Blessings, Lady Spiderwitch )O(

 

Spiders and black hollyhocks

Merry meet all,

I managed to get a jet black hollyhock seed to germinate. I planted the seed in a peat pot. So far out of several seeds, only one has germinated. However, when the plant blossoms, I can save the seeds from that plant. Black hollyhocks are as witchy as mandrake and mugwort. Gothy too. If you start seeds in peat pots, you have more control over the germination rate. And black flowers just proves how much I love the darkness. 

An insect sits on the outside window, twitching its antennae. I wonder why insects stay for so long in one spot on a window. Every August with swiss watch precision, spiders take over the garden. Spiders are amazing architects. I have to take a broom to my garden to get to my plants. Sometimes a spider builds a web outside my window to catch moths. I see the spider catch moths and it’s never a pretty sight. I love spiders because they are one of my totem animals or- insects. They have always protected me. 

Spiders are probably one of the worlds’ best predators. Where would be we without them? They control the insect population. People fear spiders for good reason but should view spiders as beneficial predators. I’ve always had a soft spot for the darker side of nature and the paranormal.

If a spider wanders into your home, I hope the Fates stomp on  you if you kill it ( not too harshly). Be grateful for your new wise quiet and patient predator companion. They get the other bugs. 

October is 4 months away! Are you counting the days till Samhain yet? (I’m more excited currently about my garden). When August arrives, I get excited about Samhain. 

The moon is in its waxing phase. Now is the time to concentrate on attracting a new goal or manifesting that new job or car. The Full Moon is catching up. 

I have just finished reading an excellent book about Hekate. I am in the midst of finishing reading the second one. There’s a third book about Hekate at the bookstore. I am trying to get to know her better. She is a powerful Goddess and she doesn’t take no for an answer. She makes no apology and will cause changes to happen in your home once you welcome her in. She amazes me. 

Yesterday I carried my Hecate statue out to my garden to bless my pumpkin seedling. I hope the blessing encourages the pumpkin vine to grow. It doesn’t seem to be doing much right now. 

If you can’t wait for Samhain, then Opperman’s Poe ish poetry can scratch your itch for Halloween poetry. I couldn’t put the book down. The book is titled The Crimson Tome and is well worth the read. I love his style of poetry. He is clear and easy to read but the gothy poems will sweep you away to a gothy manor on weather beaten moors. So grab that book and either download it on your Kindle or read the print version. 

Blessings, Lady Spiderwitch )O(

Dark faery Garden Tips

Merry meet all,

Its hard to believe October is 4 months away. Before you whip out the black and orange altar cloths and dream of carving pumpkins, remember that summer is fun too.  I like to think spirits and ghosts are only around during October, seeing as the veil at that time is so thin.

Litha is a magical time, as magical as October. The fairies are about now and if you are as lucky as me, the fairies and nature spirits are helping me to grow my garden. They may be working hard protecting your garden! Here is how to tell:

You see flashes of light and tell yourself it’s just the sunlight. You see your plants or garden being more beautiful than the other gardens nearby. Animals and insects flit, play and feel very comfortable in your garden, more than other gardens. Animals and insects would trust faeries! You notice small gifts in your garden or even mushrooms! Gifts include thimbles, flowers growing in spots you didn’t plant them in. This is a big one: Something invisible take your hand-that’s a faery! Birds come closer to you. Dragonflies, butterflies and various birds are drawn to your garden- keep those feeders full! Try to concentrate (though not too hard) on the auspicious signs- certain spots of energy in your garden are either positive or negative or something else. You sense a cry for a healing and leave a crystal there in the garden where you sense its needed. This  is the work of fairies. 

Help them and the faeries will help you! Don’t use harsh pesticides. Grow strong healthy plants and you won’t need pesticides. The beneficial insects perish first from those chemicals. Pest insects develop resistances to the chemicals. Too many pests and no garden. Compost some of your food. Let the leaves lie on your garden all winter, providing insulation for your plants. Mow the grass regularly or consider growing a lawn of woodruff, violets or clover-attracts bees. Think of bees as hardworking faeries! Keep the bird feeder clean. Buy heirloom seeds rather than hybrid seeds. 

For the fans of dark fairies, try to attract them too! Grow black or purple flowers. Grow mandrake, moonwort, rue, sage, mugwort, and wormwood. I love it that the moon shines over my apartment not just the sun! I literally step out on the lawn/ driveway and worship the full moon when it’s full right outside my door. 

Ask your chosen deity/ God or Goddess to assist you in growing your garden. You might be amazed at how they will help you in your garden!

With all of this in mind, your dark faery garden will be beautiful!

Blessings, Lady Spiderwitch )O(

Herb Gardening

Merry meet all,

Recently I bought a white skull candle, skeleton keys, a new smudge stick, black candles, and a book all about the magnificent Goddess Hekate. I can’t wait to read the book. I have so many to read but it is on my list. I did just finish reading the book The Witches’ Ointment by Hastis. I couldn’t put the book down. I do recommend the book if you have ever wanted to know the story behind witches ointments in history. 

My garden is beautiful and getting full. Yesterday I planted my new morning glory seeds, moonflower and nasturtium seeds. Most of the perennials are growing now.  I planted oregano, sage, thyme, chamomile and basil. I do plan to use a little bit of the herbs for magic or mundane purposes. My lavender and sage didn’t survive the winter. So I have to buy another lavender. I guess I should overwinter the lavender indoors. The parsley survived the winter indoors. Parsley is a masculine plant, ruled by the Air Element, and its ruling planet is Mercury. Parsley is associated with purification and protection and in some cases with death and evil. The herbs are planted where they will receive full sun. 

Herbs are an important part of magic. They can be prepared so many ways and for so many different intentions. Herbs have been used in magic for millenia. I hope you all find a way to use herbs in magic, whether that be in tinctures or other potions. Now is the time to start your own herb seedlings, whatever type of herb you choose to grow. 

If you do buy herb seedlings, go with your instincts when selecting them. I had a hard time deciding between two kinds of thyme. I stood there for a few minutes debating which one to adopt. In the end, I decided on silver thyme. Pick healthy herbs and have your spot in the garden all ready for them once you get your herbs home. Remember to water and fertilize the herbs and remove any stones before planting. We underestimate a plant’s root system because often we never see the roots. It is OK to spread the plant roots just prior to planting. You can add crystals to the hole where you are planting the herb/s for a burst of good energy. Bless the plant after planting it. To learn how to work more magickally with your plant, read Plant Spirit Familiar by Christopher Penczak. Lastly, do appreciate the beauty of the herbs. If you let them flower, it will attract bees. Don’t use any pesticides! That kills off the beneficial insects. Pests develop a resistance to the chemicals. Like it or not, insects will make your garden their home, their playground! So accept it and learn to work with energies, faeries, insects, what have you because they will soon trust you and depend on you. 

You provide a shelter, a habitat when you start a garden. A doe and a raccoon have visited my yard. Countless insects have made their home in my garden. I let them be. They – most of them, except for slugs, help my plants grow. Pesticides would destroy all that. If you see eggs on a plant, rinse them off with soapy dish soap and water. Try using copper wire or egg shells to deter pests or grow nasturtiums. Try natural strategies for controlling pests. The best defence really is healthy plants. Healthy plants resist disease and pests. Take good care of your herb garden. 

With all this work, you should have a happy thriving garden (or ecosystem). Whether you prefer a traditional herb garden or a Goth garden, they all require care. Try the above methods listed and you should have success. Good luck gardening!

Blessings, Lady Spiderwitch )O(

 

 

 

Witchy news

Merry meet all,

Great news!

I won a novel from the publishing company Dark Regions Press last fall. It was a long wait to receive the book but I don’t have to wait much longer. The novel is The Night Show by the esteemed late author Richard Laymon. I can’t wait to have it!! I shall keep my eyes peeled on my snail mail/ owl mail box. 

My poem about ‘Hecate’ will be published in the upcoming anthology ‘The Dark Ones: Tales and Poems of the Shadow Gods’ published by Bibliotheca Alexandrina. My other poem, a children’s poem,  A Saw Bug’s Toil, will be published in the children’s’ poetry anthology Whispers of Mermaids and Wonderful Things by Nimbus Publishing. OK Nimbus Publishing is the top premier publishing company in Atlantic Canada! This is a real awesome forward movement for my writing career. So this is good news. 

My gothy Halloween tree aptly named Skellington now doesn’t glow. I am not happy about that. The minute it was spring, the tree lights stopped glowing. I am bummed out. I will buy new lights in October. 

I just finished reading two fascinating books about the -what else?, the paranormal! The first one that I just devoured like chocolate cake- well, they both tasted good, was Summoning Spirits by Konstantinos and the second book was Bloody Mary’s Guide to Hauntings, Horrors and Dancing with the Dead. Her book focuses on the ghosts and spirits of New Orleans. I couldn’t put the book down. I also loved the other book. I plan to try the meditations and exercises in Konstantinos’ book. Oh yeah for sure. I love anything to do with the paranormal. Which brings me to my next topic. 

Did anyone see the The Witch movie? I hated it and don’t wish to see it again. I am not at all about to sign my name in the Devil’s book. Nope. We witches don’t do that stuff. That is what they believe. But that doesn’t make it true. 

However, I just want to say that that movie hit home on a few levels. If you read my earliest posts, I know what it is like to grow up with depending on a wood stove for survival. I know about gathering wood, seasoning it, and drying it. I know how to use a woodstove. I know what it is like to be isolated in the woods at nature’s mercy. 

I also know a lot about witchcraft. Only someone who has been through what I have been through can possibly understand what it is like to survive in the woods. I have been forced to be dependent on having enough wood, enough heat, and to grow food to eat. IfI had to live in the woods on my own, I could do it. Most people are clueless. I have seen wildlife and watched a family butcher a chicken. I have seen my brother gut a big fish. I have gone fishing, horseback riding, and survived being stranded in Pleasant Bay because the roads were too icy to drive on. Don’t even get me started on the cabin fever. 

That is why the movie affected me strongly. I have been there. I know what it is like to be there. There was no diabolical goat to tempt me into signing my name into the black book. No, but we had herds of moose that trotted onto our front decks! 

I don’t like the movie but I thought it would be cool to share what I said above. That isn’t what witchcraft as we know it is about. 

Hopefully someday Hollywood will get it right

Spooky blessings, Lady Spiderwitch 

Hecate

Merry meet all,

Today is a special day.  I own a Hecate statue! I just brought her home today. Prior to this, I prepared my life and home for her arrival. I cleaned an altar spot, meditated and prayed, and learned about her. This was important. 

She now resides on her permanent altar spot. I prepared the altar with an owl statue, a skull figurine, incense, some amethyst stones, the clay snake figurine I made, and a pretty purple altar cloth. I set my ghosts and spirits tarot deck there too. 

At the witch shop earlier, as I held the statue, I felt chills. The chills ran up my arms. I felt the power when I held the statue. I carefully balanced my backpack- sorry, Hecate, all the way home. My cat/ familiar Penny tried to rub her scent in on the statue. 

I live in cat and crow-and spirit central. I have been visited by spirits and maybe have a few resident spirits here. If you don’t believe me, then explain please how a heavy small cast-iron cauldron falls from a fridge on its ownsome, how a shadow person walked thru cupboard doors and don’t even get my started on the spirits and energies outside.

I don’t fear the chthonic underworld. Nay not me. But if you recall my posts and my passions in life, it should be no surprise.

I don’t fear skulls. I embrace the darker side of witchcraft. I hope she feels at home here. I can hear a crow now and a few dogs have come to me today or been seen. I live not far from a cemetery. A tree in my garden gives off a certain albeit harmless energy. There’s a certain strong energy at Samhain on the nature trail.

She should adjust to her new home nicely.

I asked the witch dolls, my pets, and the resident spirits in here to welcome Hecate into her new home. I hope all goes well. I plan to soon leave her offerings and to continue to meditate and pray. 

Blessings, Lady Spiderwitch )O(

The Power of Self-expression

Merry meet all,

Recently I sewed myself a short black cape. I found some awesome black material. The cape is lined with a hood. My Mother helped sew it, which I am grateful for, because she is the ultimate sewing expert. The cape is beautiful. I wear a lot of dresses with flowing sleeves or something witchy. I wanted a cape, in black of course, to wear for that reason. All I need now is warmer weather.

I wear my black wool cloak out a lot. I can wear anything with my black cloak. I always wear my black witchy skirts, black leggings and black cardigans. I love wearing black. I like wearing blue and purple or green too. But I mostly wear black. I like to express my individual style. I have noticed that most people don’t care that I’m wearing a cloak. They leave me alone for that reason, which is the way I like it most of the time.

I must look weird to other people. Someone called me the grim reaper for wearing a black cloak. I still wear my cloak, which was a gift from another witch. The cloak is beautiful. I think cloaks keep you warmer than the more common black puffy coats I detest. I would donate mine if it wasn’t such an awesome coat for rainy days. I put it in storage because I feel like I’m expressing my true self when I am wearing it. Also, spirits are drawn to those who express themselves in such a way.

Here’s a photo of my new beautiful short cape:

Feel free to express your true self! Be yourself. Be true to your sense of style. Only you can be you. You have this one lifetime to be the person you can be.

Blessings, Lady Spiderwitch