The Real Witches’ Garden: Spells, Herbs, Plants and Magical Spaces Outdoors. Kate West

Чтение книги онлайн.

СКАЧАТЬ Start at the east and say, either quietly or in your head:

       ‘I call upon the element of Air. Mighty winds and gentle breezes be present here, each in its turn and in its season. Watch over this space, those that live, work and play in it, and all that takes place in it. May the Air of thought and inspiration be ever strong here. Blessed Be.’

       Move to the south and say:

       ‘I call upon the element of Fire. May the Sun which warms and lights all life be present here, in due course and due season. Watch over this space; those that live, work and play in it, and all that takes place in it. May the Fire of passion and enthusiasm be ever strong here. Blessed Be.’

       Move to the west and say:

       ‘I call upon the element of Water. Great storms and gentle rains be present here, each in its turn and in its season. Watch over this space; those that live, work and play in it, and all that takes place in it. May the Water of joy and emotion be ever strong here. Blessed Be.’

       Move to the north and say:

       ‘I call upon the element of Earth. Strong rocks and life-giving soil, be present here, in the land and in ourselves. Watch over this space; those that live, work and play in it, and all that takes place in it. May the Earth of our bodies be ever strong here. Blessed Be.’

       Remain at the north point, visualize the Goddess and the God, and say:

       ‘I call upon the Mother Goddess, giver of life, death and rebirth. I call upon God the Hunter and Hunted, spirit of the Land. Be with this place, with all that grows here and with all who pass through it. Guide us, guard us and protect us in this and all we do. This place is Sacred to you and a marker of love to you. Blessed Be.’

       Now take the glass of wine (or fruit juice), hold it up to the Goddess and the God and say:

       ‘This wine is my offering to the Goddess and the God. As it pours onto the earth may their love flow also into the land.’

       Walk around your circle and sprinkle a little wine as you go. Try to ensure that you scatter it evenly and that you have a little left at the end. When you have completed the Circle hold the glass up once more and say:

       ‘As the Goddess and God sustain the land, may they likewise sustain those who work with it. Blessed Be.’

      Take a small drink yourself. If you are performing this with others then you should refill the glass after going around the Circle and then pass the glass around everyone present so that they may have a sip after the ‘Blessed Be’.

      Next, take a few moments to meditate and reflect on your Sacred Space and on the things you will be doing in it. Lastly, return to each of the quarters and thank the elements, but do not dismiss them, and finally thank the Goddess and the God.

      Your Sacred Space is now ready for any future use. As with indoor Rituals you will still need to invoke and banish the elements, and to invite and thank the Goddess and the God, each time you use it. But their residual energies will always be present, and should enhance not only the feeling of the working space but also the health of the plants which are growing there.

      CONTINUING CARE OF YOUR SACRED SPACE

      It goes without saying that you cannot expect a garden, or portion thereof, to remain static. Nature is boundless, resourceful and energetic, and plants will continue to grow, whether you’ve planned it that way or not! It is therefore a good idea to set aside a little time to tend your Sacred Space on a regular basis. Many Witches I know like to do this just before the Full Moon and the Sabbats. Not only is this just before they intend to use it and hence leaves it in the best possible condition for their Rituals, but they are also, for the practising Witch, easy times to remember.

      I find that one of the most difficult aspects in tending the outdoor Sacred Space lies not so much in finding the time to plant and grow, but in finding the strength of mind to uproot and cut back. It can easily seem somehow ungrateful to take away the excess growth! However, you do have to be fairly firm, as a garden allowed to run riot will quickly turn into a wild place where some species, like mint, can take over to the detriment of slower-growing, less prolific species. Many plants have special requirements and there is certainly no room in a book like this to list them all, but as a general rule of thumb, Spring and Autumn are the best seasons for major pruning and trimming. Many gardeners recommend doing your major trimming in the Spring, as this gives the plant the benefit of improving weather to re-establish itself. However, it is worth mentioning that a good prune in the Autumn after the plant has flowered and seeded, can give it a good chance to show its best in Summer and to rest over the Winter, as well as the ability to produce a healthy new generation of seedlings for the following year. Privet is a good example of this as a Spring prune often results in no flowers, whereas an Autumn one allows the plant to flower. Furthermore, Autumn pruning is less likely to disturb nesting birds.

      Whenever you tend your Sacred Space, follow the same approach as you did above for dedicating it. Indeed, any part of working on your garden or home will benefit from the same approach, as dedicating your work to the Goddess and the God has the effect of making the task easier to complete and more effective.

      USING YOUR OUTDOOR SACRED SPACE

      The drawbacks of an outdoor working space are easy to understand. Unless you are very fortunate in your climate, the weather is likely to play a major part in determining whether it is reasonable to work outside. This is not only because it is hard to maintain focus in the pouring rain or strong wind, but also because you will be that much more conspicuous to any observers if you spend time outside in inclement conditions. The advantages, though, are well worth the effort of developing and maintaining one. Having your own outdoor space means that when you feel the need to be closer to nature you do not have to seek out a working area on public land, with all its attendant complications, such as dog walkers, stray policemen, etc. Nor do you have to carry any tools or equipment for miles. Your space is there for you, whenever you need it, and conveniently close to hand.

      As has been mentioned elsewhere in this book, Witches tend to work their magic at the Full Moons and celebrate the festivals or Sabbats. Some will also work at other lunar phases, especially the New Moon. An outdoor Sacred Space is particularly good for celebrating the Sabbats, as these are closely linked to the passage of the seasons. It is always going to be far easier to feel in tune with the seasons when you can see, hear, feel, smell and even taste them all around you. At Imbolg, for example, you are not just thinking of the buds on the trees, you can see them. For this reason a good many Witches who use an outdoor space will celebrate the major Sabbats at the times of the seasonal markers, rather than on the calendar dates they have subsequently been given. So Imbolg would be held when the first buds or lambs are seen, Beltane when the hawthorn (or may) blossoms, Lughnasadh when the first of the harvest СКАЧАТЬ