​Some nights the moon just doesn’t show her shiny face for my rituals, tonight was completely overcast.  Overcast doesn’t matter to high levels of gamma provided during this time, and having a little indoor ritual is nice too!  Vaporizer with vanilla, table candle and moon water to set the mood. 
Doing many little things in anticipation of Imbolc, this tired witch is keeping it short tonight.
Refocus, realign and renew those shields, that intent, that prosperity bowl, that love of self.  Time to rest, tend and maintain for the new 14 days.  

As I poke around facebook one of the biggest things I keep seeing are people asking for help getting things out of their house, or having to smudge constantly, something bad in my kids room, people sending bad curses or energy their way, etc. 

One of the first things I learned as a child was how to shield.  One of the first spells I was taught to write was for protection over my entire room.  The entire wiccan circle thing; a religious representation of shielding a personal workspace; never heard of that till I was well over 25 and my first thought was – WHY?  If you are in your house, that is “obviously” already shielded, what are you building the second shield against?  Perception is a funny thing.

If you move or directly engage with energy and especially other people (like I’m doing right now with you the reader) you need to have your shield game on and up and running as if it was just as important as cleaning out the fridge.

I do my home and property shielding about once a month with my new moon ritual.  It’s my sit and reflect over the last 28 days, and get ready for the next 28 days moment.  Boost the shields, maybe redo the prosperity bowl, and some self love in the dark of the moon when the gamma is lowest.

This year, 2024, I decided to write up house shields 101 and create a ritual with a visual representation of the shield work.  I wrote this ritual for you all.  Mine is personal and intricate with my ancestors and the elements so wouldn’t be appropriate and actually the reason I haven’t done one of these before.   

I work heavily with the elements and see them as a representation of the 4th dimensional beings (spirits).  Shield work is an excellent way to build bonds and friendships with these types of spirits, as it includes all of them. It is really sort of a low grade spell with general intent and easy for smaller elements to handle on the day to day.  I consider this high magic as you are requesting assistance from outside yourself.  In this case ancestors and elements. 

I performed this ritual on Jan 11th after 7am, the first “day” of the new moon for the year.  You can do this ritual whenever you feel you need it, want it, or are “feeling” your energy and in the mood to ask spirit for help.

I have a large glass bowl that will be my vessel.  This bowl fits neatly under my working alter.  I suggest you find a bowl or container that is open topped or see through so you can boost your shields and see your components as a reminder.  I suggest a re-read and a shield boost at least once a month.  You don’t have to do the entire ritual again, just get out the container and read the spell again.

My components –
5 pieces of origami paper (6” square paper)
Pen for inking runes and shield on paper and bay leaf – mine is glass and I use different colored inks, but you can just pick a favorite writing tool
Water for dipping ink pen – Collected on full moon, Dec 2018 Ursids meteor shower winter solstice. 
Rosemary - Protection
Red Peppers – collected for Yule each year – protection and Winter Solstice power (black pepper works just as well just without the ancestorial connection of my ingredients)
Water from my properties – if you don’t have open water, get some out of the faucet.
Rose (my mother’s Rose bush, pick something with ancestor attachment meaning for you)
Black Tourmaline - protection
Bay leaf – ancestorial power tree. 
Red candle (if you don’t already have one representing your elements or on your alter) – Representing fire. 
​
I started by writing the spell (provided below).
I chose four runes to make my shield representation from. 
Othila – Earth – Homeland and family
Algiz – Air – Protection
Thurisaz – Fire – Strength
Hagalaz – Ice – Weapons of War
I combined these together to create my shield.  See image below.
 
I dipped my ink pen and drew a rune from each element onto a piece of paper, the fifth piece being an image of the combined runes to make the shield.
 
I then took each paper and folded it into a crow’s head except the last full shield paper, which I folded into a crown.  The representation at the end will be of four crow heads surrounding a crown.   You don’t have to fold the paper, or you can fold it into something more meaningful for you.  I just thought a murder of crows would be a great representation for protection, home and ancestorial family.
 
I meditated and connected to my power and the universe in alignment with my beliefs, you do you here.
 
I then started to read the spell slowly, adding first the shield, then my crows, slowly adding the materials to the bowl.  I read the spell four times, once for each element.  I dripped red wax over the entire bowl.
 
I meditated for an additional 30 minutes as my alter candles burned out.
 
I will repeat this shielding every new moon, or when I feel the need.  

** note - these images were done and staged for you. These are not images of my finished protection bowl, only the parts in the bowl. The crow is not part of my shield, just an example for the photo. I highly suggest you NOT share your shield bowl as it's a personal item.
​

The last couple of weeks have been rough.  If it can go wrong, it has; money to timing to small irritations, one thing after another.  What’s all this about?  Super Moon!! 

As is my norm, and with the beating of the last couple weeks on my psyche, add to that a hurricane and the energy we are working with is HIGH and POWERFUL.  The flushing out of the old and the realigning. 

My last couple bits of witchcraft have been built around shielding and reusing energy to create a positive effect.  Last night was the perfect time to boost all my shields, house and property to totems and containment jars. 

Hurricane/full moon water was moved off to its jar and labeled for future use.  Some was used to clean and refresh my white boards where I organize and do the “life” stuff, including my mood boards for my future.

No matter how you organize, arrange, or manage your mundane, remember to always include in a section for your mood board for your future.    What’s the vibe you want in 10 years?  Or what’s the vibe you want in two weeks?  Either way; this is the moment to get it out there into the universe.  Write a story of the world you want or draw a picture, find a photo on the web and cut and paste or maybe find an object to represent that world…  however, you have to represent it to your universe, we need to get on it and start making sure your universe knows the path you would like it to create.
​
This full moon, no photos of the fire, to contained and by the time I was done it was out. 

Most people redo their money bowl on the first, or full or new moon, some sort of schedule.  I redo mine about every 1 to 3 months or when the mood strikes me.  Thanks to the money sucking financial hell of perception shift from retrograde this August; I mentally took a good beating this last couple of days. 

My response, renewal of faith in myself, my ancestors, my magic, my life. 

The old rice and herbs go to the worms; the bay leaves, money, business spell pac, rose, and coins get set aside.  New rice in the bottom, star anis, cinnamon and this go around elderberry.  Prosperity isn’t just money, it’s health and relationships as well.  Elderberry is high in C and represents health in this use. 

Back into the bowl are my four bay leaves, each marked with it’s own ruin for prosperity, coins from my journeys, spell pack from my 6 months business success ritual, rolled bill and a rose representing my mother.
​
May your retro be over soon and just remember, sit tight, don't make any discissions and next week will be better.

For the full 101 on how to make a Prosperity or money bowl just for you, scroll down or check in Ritual section under  - Prosperity spell – with steps to creation

I created this totem at New moon.  As you know this is my reset and relax day where I catch up on what was, and hope for what will be in the next 28 days.  After I lite my general candles, used my shackers to recharge and re-evoke my home shields, I decided a little totem work would be nice.  I use this totem as a ground when I’m starting to feel anxiety.  It’s earth and water based, a fossilized Ammonoidea 150 million years old.    It’s basically a filter system to absorb anything negative and create positive energy from it.  I think it will work perfectly for most people for their work place or their household. 

The trick with this was to not attract bad energy to you, but to only grab what’s already there floating around.  Like the energy from the annoying guy from sales that is lingering in your office after he leaves or the snotty stale energy from your mother-in-law during Sunday dinner. 
​
The totem can be anything you wish.  I used a key chain made from a fossilized Ammonoidea.  It fits in my hand and I can attach it to my key ring when I want it close.  You can basically use anything, the cup that holds your pens, the staple remover (no one ever takes a staple remover), any small object will do.  Don’t use something you drink out of or carry around all the time.  This thing is a filter for negative energy, you don’t want your coffee going through it. 

I did my new moon ritual and then holding the totem in my hand, intent firmly in mind I recited the spell 4 times.  Once for each element, as is my habit.   I leave my totem in a selenite bowl, you could just as easily put a piece of selenite in the totem if it’s a cup to hold pens or a decorative bowl. 


This which does create this day a totem to uplift her stay
Negativity floats through the air loose and flowing and causing despair
This witch does create this totem today to hold any bad vibes floating her way
In like a vacuum nasty vibes do float to power a shield of happiness evoked
Joy and peace surrounds this place now that that vibes have been encased.
Purity and hope the witch does evoke, powered this day with negativity in her way
This totem she holds in her hand does all of this work and obeys her command
Happy vibes are all that come out of this witches totem

After reading so many people feeling "trapped" in their bad situations, and reaching out for witchcraft for help, I decided to write up my standard response.  Like all things, first you must correct the misconceptions in your own mind, then train yourself better.

You are the most trusted person you know.  You will believe what you tell yourself above everyone else. 

If you are sitting in a place of pain and hurt caused by a partner/family member etc, and not moving or not looking for a way out of the situation, you have been telling yourself for a long time something very negative.  Maybe that the situation is all your fault, maybe if you were better or nicer or different you wouldn’t be here.  Maybe you feel you have “no choice” or to try to escape the situation is useless. 
 Whatever the reason you are not moving to improve, you are saying these things to yourself.  We often do this because other people, our parents, our younger lives were spent being told some variation of this.  The other person has probably projected onto you, by either telling you repeatedly or over a long period of time that you are the blame or escape is impossible.
However, you got here – Here you are.  You’re in pain.  Step one, treat yourself like you would treat your child, because that’s exactly what you are doing, talking to the inner child that is you.  Close your eyes and give that kid a hug and have a chat.
“Hey kid, it’s ok to make mistakes, doesn’t matter the reason, you made one and now it’s time to decide what to do about it. Do I continue living in the hell I made for myself, or do I pick myself up and fix it, so my future self doesn't have to live in the hell made from my bad decisions?"
We all make mistakes, if you aren't making mistakes, you aren't trying hard enough. The trick isn't to get mired down in it. Mistakes were made yesterday, what are you going to do about it today? What are you going to do to fix it as best you can and then go live your best life?
Once a week write out what you want your life to look like in 5 years. Not what you THINK it's going to be like based on what it’s like right now, but what you WANT it to be. Burn it after or destroy it in a way you know no one else will ever see it.  You must know in your heart when you are writing that the words and dream is for you only.  Do it weekly, or more if you want, it'll change and it'll eventually incentives you to do something real about the situation.
Do it until you feel you have movement. Most humans take 14 - 35 days to create a new fold in their brains. This is basically what you are doing, teaching your subconscious that the situation you are in isn't permanent and can be changed. You are the most trustworthy voice in your own head. Whatever that voice has been saying to you is what is probably negative and probably making you feel hopeless. You are changing what that voice is saying to you.   The more you put the "better life", nicer life, in your mind as something you can have, the more you will strive for it naturally and in your own way. Make the changes you need to make to get to the good place.  Do the hard things, believe that it’s not hopeless, it’s NEVER hopeless.  It’s NEVER 100% one person’s fault.
Lastly, recognize that your god's or universe hasn't let you die yet, but you have been ignoring it for a while to get to this point. Sometimes the universe has to kick us in the head, really make us miserable, before we get to our line in the sand where we say NO more.  I will not live like this no matter what I must do.  Eventually "I can't because *excuse here*" doesn’t exist anymore.

​You are no where NEAR the end of your rope, you are no where near giving up; or you wouldn't be here reading this.   No fancy rhyming spells to say, no candles to light.  I'm long past having bad relationships so won't be doing this myself.  But training your brain, that's something that's a lifetime process and we all do.  Seeing your future self and working towards it, works for ALL aspects of life.  It focus's our intent, gives us a lantern to shine our path

​I was a long-time corporate sort of person, and a witch from birth one; of the biggest problems I've always had is balancing my logistical, mathematical, accounting side with my creative, pay attention to the universe because it's going to lead you someplace great, and try to relax side.  If life is always about learning this is one of the main things that I am still working on.
 
I often use whiteboards to work out my thought processes. At the present moment I only have two, one is for small drawings of how I want my life to look.  Everything from next week to 10 years from now. The other board is my, get it done, make the lists, make sure you're not missing anything, remember when you paid that bill and put it in the books, etc board.  
 
White boards are a great asset to witches. We spend a lot of time trying to stay in the present to allow our focus and our will to flow naturally.  White boards are temporary, just like the moment we are living in.  Whether you're a verbal person or a list person or a calendar person, a white board lets you do your own thing. Every two to three weeks for the “work” board, I take a photo of my whiteboard and email it to myself for my records.
 
I light my desktop candle if it wasn't already going from this morning's coffee routine.
 
Once my corporate brain has been assured that my paper trail is secure, I let the witch do her thing. For this I use moon water. I dampen a cloth and slowly wipe away the last 14 to 28 days of strain, stress, mundane things that are now in the past and don't need to be thought of right now. Knowing that the information is stored and available when I need to make those records or be that adult but for right now, I'm cleansing my board and erasing the past so that only the future is involved.  Being in the moment and setting my intents for prosperity and low stress growth.
 
I slowly repeat -
 
I wipe away last month's strain and prepare my mind for future gains.
With this water charged by the moon I refresh my life and welcome my boon.
Clean and bright we start fresh today, doing the plans and start making the way.
 

As a recap of previous post, moon phases can be celebrated within a 3 day split around the actual event.  For me, full moon marks the halfway point to new moon, which is my time to reflect, tweak the path I’m on, and just over all take stock in the intents I set out last new moon. 
Full moon for me is like the sling shot around the sun using the gravitation pull, it’s the big BOOST of power in the middle of the cycle to helps me re-focus and remember the intents from 14 days ago.
I also use this power boost to strengthen all my shields around my property, possessions, and life in general. 
Personally, I find this 28 day natural cycle the easiest to work in.  The image below is from a previous full moon and this is the first time I have posted my full moon ritual and I’m doing it prior to this months full.
I re-write my spells by hand each ceremony/ritual with a glass pen and liquid ink; but I use the same rituals and spells over and over.  Repetition is the key to anything you want to do well.  I tweek the spells, sometimes changing parts to match special events, but the groove in my brain the power flows down use the same basic words, thoughts and intents, over and over. 
​ 
Full Moon Ritual
The cosmos does rain down its power this night,
      bent to the will of our moon in flight.
The solar light blocked by the Earth in this hour.
      this witch does bathe in the cosmic power.
Wave after wave of invisible light, does charge her will this
wonderous night.
She lifts her hands to the sky and proclaims her intent to live
a life not in vain. 
Sowing the seeds, remembering the plan,
Balancing the fire when health demands
The wheel of the year forever turns,
but this witch rejoices while the fires burn.
Bring power and joy in the dark moonlight and lift this witch
up in her own delight.
Protection for her world from both nature and man this,
this witch’s power does demand.
Playing this night with fiery delight,
she focuses now on her life.
Make her home stand proud and tough this year
and shelter her and all she holds dear.
May my ancestor shield me from earthly harm
and hold my heart when I am worn
Let my will be heard in this moonlight
and my energy radiate into the night.
 

Moon phases can actually be used/celebrated in a 3-day spread one and a half days before the event and one and a half days after. The small variations in the planetary placements in a 3-day period won't affect the outcome at all. Most witches seem to enjoy being on the exact night or the exact time during their ceremony. Half the time, the exact moment of alignment in your specific part of the world is during the day.  For me, I generally do things in the early evening or even during the day.  I am very comfortable with not needing visual representation of my work so I do my thing when I feel good when I'm awake, after my second cup of coffee or around tea time, before I'm drained from the day. This new moon I got lucky, on my place on the planet it occurred at 11:53 in the morning. Almost like the universe was setting me up for the perfect meditation ceremony.

For me new moons are a time to stop, reflect and make a new 28-day plan. Last moon phase for me was pretty brutal; New businesses and health issues really came together in the crap storm of misery.  This new moon I am refocused. Instead of making goals and striving for them as I have done my entire life I'm going to stop with the goals and start with the processes. If daily life is a routine that gives us joy I need to find out exactly what routine works for me that will give me the most daily Joy. So for the next 28 days I am working on processes and lifestyle and leaving goals on the bottom of the list.  When the goal comes and goes, I should be left with a feeling of "what now" because the processes will be in place for daily routine.  Life should form around the joy of every day.  At least that's the new goal (HA! Joke people).  

On to the magic! I use the same meditation for new moon every month. Witchcraft is a matter of practice and the reason we practice with the same spell especially if the spell is effective or the same meditation is to build a Groove in our minds. A little fold in our brain that the power and the chemistry and the energy runs down. The deeper that Groove the better the energy flow to that purpose; so if we repeat the same spell every single month our brain automatically goes to the groove flows the energy down it and voila your magic gets stronger. This new moon, I made a cup of tea and I rewrote the spell with my new ink pen and then I wrote another piece of paper with my next 28-day statement of my intent for routine building.. I burned the spell in my fireplace when I was done with the plan.