Webs of Woven Words, Threads, Stitches and Enchantments

Friday, January 5, 2024

La Befana’s Night





Tonight, Epiphany Eve, is the night when La Befana 
visits. So put up your stocking and maybe she will leave a treat… if you’ve been good!

I’ve read a couple of versions of Befana’s story. One is that she was cleaning her home when the three wise men traveled by and told her about the birth of Jesus. They invited her to come along with them, but she declined because she had so much to do. They went on their way and she continued her cleaning. However, the more she thought of it, the more she thought she should go. Befana packed gifts for the baby Jesus and went to catch up with the wise men, but she couldn’t find them. She gave her gifts instead to all good little children, leaving coal for the bad ones. It is said she is still looking for the baby.

This Christmas witch, little old lady, holds a special place in my heart. A very long time ago I read that before Santa Claus, it was an old woman who delivered goodies on the Winter Solstice. I like that so I am sure to light a candle and leave a glass of wine for her on January 5th. Sometimes a goddess or spirit speaks to us and we’re not sure why. That seems to be the case for me. 

Do you honor Befana? Leave a little wine as an offering tonight. Maybe she will leave some sort of treasure for you.

Befana comes at night 
In tattered shoes
Dressed in Roman style
On her sage broomstick
Long live the little granny.
Long live the Befana!

The Befana comes at night
In worn-out shoes.
For the small, little children 
she leaves a lot of little chocolates,
For the bad little children, 
she leaves ashes and coal.
Long live the Befana!

Blessings dark and deeps!







Monday, January 1, 2024

New Year Blessings

I am but a thread witch
Casting magick with a stitch. 
Every embroidered piece a spell
With my magick laid well.
May my needle stay shiny
Truly a witch’s wand of light
And my stitches cast their magick
Every thread a charm bright.

C E A Kaufman 1/1/2024
 

Here’s to a year of lots of stitching, 
good health, happiness, peace, and magick!
And it is so!
🧵🧙🏻‍♀️🪡

Thursday, December 21, 2023

Winter Solstice Blessings

 


A Merry Solstice and many blessings to all!

Winter Mother, 

help us grow as you need us to.

Winter Mother, 

Show us the way through the dark,

show us what we are here to do.

We are growing, 

We are changing, 

on this darkest night,

We are growing, 

We are changing, 

in our darkest place.


Blessings dark and deep!

Wednesday, December 20, 2023

Mother Night

 


December 20, Mother Night, Yule Eve

The Winter Solstice, 2023 is December 21, at 10:27 PM. On the night before Yule (approximately) a Germanic/Scandinavian Midwinter festival known as The Mother Night (or Modresnach) was observed. It was believed that dreams on this night foretold events in the upcoming year. Many of its traditions live on modern Christmas celebrations. The decorated evergreen tree was a symbol of the Tree of Life, or World Tree. The star atop the tree represented the pole star of the Star Goddess. The dinners and gifts were in honor of the food and prosperity given by the Mother Goddesses to their human children. The elves connected with our current Santa Claus are remnants of the supernatural Nature folk of the Old Religion. The reindeer are symbols of old shamanic abilities used by the people. The mistletoe is said to have first been picked and used to collect kisses by the Goddess Frigg, before it became a weapon to kill her son.

So that is the Germanic/Scandinavian mythology. I have no note as to the source of the above, other than I found it a while ago on line. 

For myself, I like to include and honor all the mother goddesses, my own mother, friends and family mothers, grandmothers. I light candles, quite a lot of them, make hot cocoa, eat cookies as well as offering them, and reminisce. I say prayers to the Mother goddesses and honor women and how our bodies are made to give birth. I also honor the maternal in us all, whether or not we have children. So many of us who chose not to be mothers have come through our lives as very strong nurtures. That was our calling and an important one it is. So after honoring all the mothers, goddesses and humans, I honor myself as well.

May the Mother Goddesses bless you all and encompass you and yours with love and blessings!

Blessings dark and deep!

Tuesday, December 19, 2023

Settling Into Winter


 We will be celebrating the Winter Solstice in a few days, also known as Midwinter. For me, it always feels as if this is just the beginning of winter. Yes, the solstice is the longest night and the days begins to  increase in length, but long nights are still with us and Mama Earth is still holding all in rest.

Many people I speak to wish the days were longer, and seasonal depression is a real issue for many. I use to suffer from it myself. Now however, I relish this time of year, I settle into this time, especially once the holidays are over. Winter comes to me as a time of rest, restoration, and renewal.

I read the term “wintering” a few days ago and thought, ah yes, that is the perfect term for me when I think of how to describe what I feel. I have begun my wintering! 

This is my hibernation time. A time of allowing seeds of thoughts, feelings, healing to come into being. Those seeds incubate and deepen so they can be developed or discarded. My personal spiritual practices deepen and I allow myself to journey and meditate, and connect with the goddesses and spirits as much as I need to. 

Creative work, journaling, cogitating, and oracle work, these are what I do more freely and with greater appreciation for the processes. I just let myself restore and renew. By doing this, settling into and appreciating my wintering, I find great peace. Perhaps part of it is aging and understanding. I don’t know. I also realize this isn’t so for everyone, but for me I have found it to be so healing. 

I wish you a wintering of healing and peace.

Blessings dark and deep!


Friday, December 1, 2023

Welcome December


We’ll here we are in December already. November was a busy time for me and yes, December will be too, but… I’m settling in cozily and slowing myself, my mind. There is much to do, it will slowly, gently, easily get done.

I am writing our Winter Solstice ritual, falling back into a gentle spiritual practice without rules, no agenda. I’m just letting it happen as it will. Guidance is available on so many levels, the right way for me is just falling into place. For me, this is how it feels best.

So… I light a candle, say a prayer, let the magick flow. 

Blessings dark and deep.

 

Wednesday, November 1, 2023

Pomona

Pomona

 I am the ancient apple queen,
As once I was so am I now.
Forever more a hope unseen,
Betwixt the blossom and the bough.
- William Morrison -

November 1st is the Pomonia, the ancient Roman celebration of Pomona. She is the goddess, spirit, or nymph of fruit trees, orchards, most especially the sacred apple. Pomona is also known to be a goddess of love spells and other enchantments. She is transformation, making things sweeter, and death. Her main tool is the pruning knife. Apples are sacred to Her and are useful for magick, especially love magick. 

I always honor Pomona on November 1st. I generally make a lusciously moist and spiced apple cake, a recipe I found as a young bride in the early 1980s, making it ever since. A piece of this, some apple slices spiced and drizzled with honey, an apple decorated with cloves, and some shelled almonds and walnuts are left under my hedges as an offering to Her. A libation of apple cider is poured onto the ground for Her. I light a lovely Crystal Journey Apple Pie candle and ask Her blessings for sweetness in my life. Then we dig in to a nice piece of apple cake and sip some cider to the soft glow and lovely scent of the candle.

Blessings dark and deep!

Tuesday, October 31, 2023

Hallows Everyday 31



Hallows Blessings!

May the Great Mother
And all the Goddesses
Bless you and yours.
May your Ancestors 
Watch over and guide you.
May your life be filled with
Magick, enchantment, and love.

Monday, October 30, 2023

Hallows Everyday 30


Prayer to Hekate for the Dead

Hail Hekate, Mighty Eternal Queen,
Divine Mediator,
She who walks between the worlds,  
Torch-bearer who shines Her light
Upon our path.
Hear me now,
Mistress of Death,
Welcome this departed soul.
I call upon You,
Great Light,
Embrace this soul as they pass through
The gates of death.
Guide my beloved safely
To the other side, 
Offer them comfort,
As they cross the threshold
From this life to the next.
Be with us now in our time of grief.
May we know the peace of eternity.
Let the light of their memory burn bright,
Give us the faith to know that all
That dies shall be reborn.

Credit: Keepingherkeys.com