New Years Resolutions

Solutions for your New Years Resolutions

by The Organic Brew

As the New Year approaches we tend to use this time to reflect. We look both forward and back. This is a time of release and renewal. A time to look back on both the positive and negative and decide on what changes we feel we need to make.

Thoughts on what we would like to accomplish, change, and better in our lives this coming year are at the forefront of our thoughts.

 While most of us have many of the same issues we would like to tackle like loosing weight and quitting smoking, others are making emotional changes like opening themselves up for new relationships or mending old ones.

Each one of us has our own individual resolutions and reasons for them.

As the New Year starts off we are all gung-ho on making changes, we tackle our new resolutions with dedication and enthusiasm. Unfortunately this attitude does not last long. Do you want to know why?

Because making changes is hard! Really hard! It is so easy to fall back into the behaviors of the past. Our interest and self confidence wanes, insecurities begin to find their way in and then that dreaded little voice starts up.

You know the one I am referring to. That annoying voice that tells you that you really do not need to make this change at all.  Everything wasn’t so bad was it?

Self doubt takes over and then our resolutions are a goner.

Finite, done.

So what to do?

One, you need to set a course for these new life changes. Everyday changes both big and small need to be made.

Stop going to the corner store where you used to buy your cigarettes, go to the one down the street or across town for what you need.

Stop buying things in the market that are working against the changes you are trying to make, and if you are lucky enough to have someone in your house that is willing to help you, send them to the Market with the list. Temptation removed.

The Organic Brew is excited to offer a new line of products that are going to help you keep your new years resolutions and keep them! As the age of Aquarius reigns let us all make the changes we desire in our spiritual and physical lives.

“Resolution Solutions” is a line of Organic Alchemy Perfume Oil Blends geared towards helping you be successful in your new year’s resolutions. Each blend is created with essential oils, resin oils, carrier oils, stones, crystals and other amulets and magickal talismans creating a powerful magickal blend that will instill you with the confidence and inner strength you need to stay true to your New Years Resolutions.

These products will aid you on your path to a better and healthier, more confident you.

The following are the different Resolutions Oil Blends to choose from:

If you are attempting to tackle a resolution that you do not see a blend for, do not hesitate to contact me and I would be happy to create a custom blend just for you.

Resolutions Wight Loss Organic Alchemy Blend

This Organic Alchemy Blend is to be massaged around the stomach in a clock wise direction to stimulate digestion and digestion congestion.

                

Resolutions Exercise Organic Alchemy Blend

This blend is geared towards stimulating the body to encourage energy for exercise. Massage this blend onto arms, legs, torso, neck, pulse points and chakra centers.

Resolutions Prosperous New Beginnings Organic Alchemy Blend

This blend is geared towards aiding you in removing the self imposing blocks you may be harboring towards wealth as well as encouraging you to release old patterns of behavior that are holding you back from prosperity and success.

Wear daily to attract prosperous blessings and to aid with releasing negative energy from your life path. This blend can be added a warm bath or add a few drops to an oil burner.

Resolutions Stress Organic Alchemy Blend

This blend is geared towards aiding you with releasing that which binds you. The stress may be mental, physical, or environmental in origin.

Wear this blend daily as well as adding to a warm bath, or add a few drops to an oil burner. 

Resolutions Depression Organic Alchemy Blend

Depression can come in many forms and can debilitate the person suffering with it. This blend contains essential oils known for their sedative and anti-depressant strengths. I have also added essential oils that are known to boost confidence and self esteem.

Wear daily as a personal fragrance by anointing pulse points and chakra centers. Add to a warm bath or add a few drops to an oil burner.

Resolutions Spirituality Organic Alchemy Blend

Spirituality is a blend geared towards aiding you in achieving enlightenment. Wear this blend during any type of spiritual practice like meditation, rituals, and praying. Anoint your pulse points, chakra centers, the palms of each hand, and the soles of each foot at the start of your spiritual practice.

Resolutions New Relationships Organic Alchemy Blend

Opening your heart to new levels of love and compassion is the job of this blend. Wear this blend daily as a personal fragrance.

I wish for you all a wonderful new year and a time of enlightenment and inner strength as the age of Aquarius reigns!

Bright Blessings,

Kat

TheOrganicBrew.com

DIY Marshmallow Wreath

Marshmallow Wreath

Supplies:

1 foam wreath

4 bags of large marshmallows

1 bag of small marshmallows

Ribbon

1 box of 250 toothpicks

Also:

Paint, glitter, Epsom salt

This is a super easy kid friendly craft. Take your foam wreath (I do not recommend cutting the wreath in ½ to make it into two. The finished wreath does have some weight to it and you do not want it to fall apart when you go to hang it.)

To start, insert your toothpicks ½ way into the wreath and then add a marshmallow. Try not to allow the toothpick to come out of the top of the marshmallow. It will give it a more polished look in the end if you don’t.

That is it, fill the whole wreath adding one marshmallow at a time. You can add the smaller ones in to fill the gaps or make a design like little stars with the smaller marshmallows.

To give our wreath a little extra, I took one of the packages of marshmallows outside, laid them out on a piece of cardboard and spray painted them silver. I then added the silver ones here and there throughout the design.

When we were finished with the wreath we took some regular craft glue, added some to the tip of a clean paintbrush and added glue to the tops of some of the marshmallows. After added the glue we sprinkled Epsom salt onto the wet glue.

It gave the wreath some extra Christmas bling.

While I painted on the glue, my Witchlet went behind me sprinkling on the Epsom salt.

It was a two Witch job..:)

The total cost of this wreath was about $13.00. I had the Epsom salt at home so I did not add that into the cost.

DIY Christmas Wreath

Christmas Ornament Wreath

Supplies:

1 wire hanger

Glue

Your choice of decorations

Ribbon

Floral wire

I chose to use silver and blue for the color scheme of my wreath. Before undoing your wire hanger mold it into the shape of a circle. Also, take the time to glue the tops onto your Christmas balls before putting them on the wreath. They will pop off after you are finished and it is near impossible to put them back on.

Undo the wire hanger top and slide the decorations on pushing them towards the opposite end. You can maneuver them around while you are doing this to hide the wire underneath. Make sure to leave yourself a few inches at each end to re-wrap the wire together again. Once you have done that take the top wire closure and wrap it into a circle for hanging. At this time you can now make sure there are no gaps in your design. If there are take some floral wire, wrap it around the top of some of your left over ornaments. Now wrap the floral wire around the wire hanger filling in any gaps.

Add your bow and you are done!

                            

The total cost of this wreath depends on how much you spend on ornaments. I purchased mine at wal-mart. I bought:

1 package of turquoise balls:$4.98

1 package of silver balls $8.98

1 package of decorative ornaments:$4.98

1 package of small ornaments $3.50

Ribbon$2.47

Total cost: 24.91

I do have extra ornaments left, now enough for a whole wreath but enough for another craft I have in mind.

The Danger of Products on the Market Today!

Is Your Home Making You Sick?

I have been telling, more like begging, my family, friends, and clients to pay attention to the products they are using everyday. These items that you come into contact with on an everyday basis are so unhealthy, most being on a cancer causing level. It is not worth it to continue to use them and it is so easy to replace them with organic and natural products. If anyone would like to contact me for ideas on how to replace the use of certain products with organic products please do not hesitate to contact me, and also, share this with your friends and family so they also can make the changes needed to keep their homes free of these harmful products.

Below you will find brief summaries on each harmful product, if you use any of these products do your own research and see for yourself how harmful these products truly are.

Kat

TheOrganicBrew.com

The color dyes that make soap more fun to use and frosting more fun to eat have been linked to increased hyperactivity in children. "What you put on your skin can go straight through to the bloodstream," says Loidolt, the consumer health advocate. She recommends avoiding perfume and chemical-packed lotions. Yellow #5 isn't something we should eat -- or bathe in

Baby bottles (and other refillable hard plastic bottles and plastic flatware) are commonly made from polycarbonate plastics, the most common type on the market. Unfortunately, when washed and heated, these plastics give off bisphenol-a, or BPA. BPA is a hormone disruptor that mimics estrogen and has been tied to developmental and neurological problems for unborn children. 
The slinky little dryer sheets that keep clothes fresh are chock full of chemicals, including ethanol and chloroform. The ingredient benzyl acetate has been linked to pancreatic cancer and benzyl alcohol is known to cause upper respiratory irritation. When it reacts with ozone, the ingredient limonene can form formaldehyde, a known carcinogen, or cancer-causing agent. 
Candles that contained more than two dozen volatile organic compounds, which the EPA says can cause nose and throat irritation, headaches, shortness of breath, nausea, and dizziness. Some of the 100 chemicals tests are classified as toxic under federal laws and can be affecting you even without your knowledge. The doctor recommends making your home fragrant with mint leaves or cinnamon sticks.
In addition to containing known harmful ingredients like ammonia, lye, phosphate, and chlorine, the majority of home cleaning products (just about everything under your kitchen sink) contain a vast array of chemicals, including toxic ethylene-based glycol ethers and non-toxic terpenes that become dangerous when they interact with ozone in the air. You need good ventilation when using them.
An estimated 60,000 new homes--more than half of them in Florida--contain contaminated Chinese drywall that may be giving off dangerous levels of sulfur and other chemicals. The bad drywall is also extremely corrosive to copper, so wires on appliances like refrigerators and air conditioners may be affected. 
Nonstick and stain-resistant coatings, used on everything from your favorite omelette pan to your suede sofa, include perfluorinated acids (PFAs). Though their toxicity in human is still unclear, in animals, PFAs cause birth defects, thyroid hormone abnormalities, and liver damage.
Figuring out whether plastic containers are safe can be confusing: polyethylene is safe, polycarbonate isn't; polypropylene is safe, bisphenol-a isn't. After repeated reheating, polycarbonate, a chemical seen in several plastic storage products, can leak BPA, the dangerous hormone disruptor found in some baby bottles.
A single fragrance typically contains several hundred chemicals. Fragrances and other beauty and personal care products often contain the man-made chemicals called phthalates, or plasticizers, molecules absorbed through the skin that have caused birth defects in male genitalia in animals and may cause lowered sperm count in boys and premature breast development in girls. 
Superglue and other super-strength adhesives induce sensitization. Exposure can start with allergies and lead to asthma. Other hobby materials can be dangerous, too; people who deal with leaded toys, the chemicals involved in stained glass making and amateur metal refining should be careful.
Between the adhesives, stain protectors, flame retardants, and the "new carpet smell," carpeting combines a lot of potentially unhealthy elements. Put together, these chemicals have caused respiratory and nervous system damage, as well as allergies, headaches, and nausea. Let the carpet air out for a few days in a well-ventilated area.
Foam containers are made of polystyrene, whose chemical ingredients can seep into food and your morning cup of coffee. Styrene has been blamed for skin, eye, and respiratory irritation, depression, fatigue, decreased kidney function, and central nervous system damage. 
Particle board, fiberboard, plywood, paneling, and some insulation, can emit formaldehyde, which the EPA calls a probable human carcinogen. Some of these materials contain urea-formaldehyde in the glue, which the EPA says is the highest indoor producer of formaldehyde, the chemical that can result in asthma attacks and other upper respiratory irritation, and burning of the eyes, nose, and throat. 
Household bleach contains a concentrated form of chlorine. When people use chlorine bleach and an acid-based or ammonia-based cleaning product together, or even one after the other, they produce a cloramine gas that can be fatal. Short term effects of chlorine exposure include vomiting, difficulty breathing, coughing, and eye, ear, nose, and throat irritation. Avoiding aerosol sprays.
Flame retardants used on upholstered furniture, mattresses, and electronic equipment have undoubtedly saved many lives, but there is a trade off. These polybrominated diphenyl ethers, or PBDEs, have caused memory and learning problems in rats and mice, as well as slowing their thyroid function and neurological development. The effect on humans is not known, however.

Laser and ink-jet printers sure make our lives easier, but recent studies show that they also release volatile organic chemical emissions and ozone particulates, which have been linked to heart and lung disease after being inhaled. The jury is still out on whether the exposure levels in the average home are safe.

A single fragrance typically contains several hundred chemicals. Fragrances and other beauty and personal care products often contain the man-made chemicals called phthalates, or plasticizers, molecules absorbed through the skin that have caused birth defects in male genitalia in animals and may cause lowered sperm count in boys and premature breast development in girls. 



Nonstick and stain-resistant coatings, used on everything from your favorite omelette pan to your suede sofa, include perfluorinated acids (PFAs). Though their toxicity in human is still unclear, in animals, PFAs cause birth defects, thyroid hormone abnormalities, and liver damage.
Watch warning labels! No one expects consumers to be experts, however, or to know which funny-sounding chemicals are known carcinogens. Look for products that give away the ingredients. Stay away from anything with a color in it. Labels that say 'keep windows open' and 'use in a ventilated room' are a dead giveaway."
Household bleach contains a concentrated form of chlorine. When people use chlorine bleach and an acid-based or ammonia-based cleaning product together, or even one after the other, they produce a cloramine gas that can be fatal. Short term effects of chlorine exposure include vomiting, difficulty breathing, coughing, and eye, ear, nose, and throat irritation. Avoiding aerosol sprays.
Flame retardants used on upholstered furniture, mattresses, and electronic equipment have undoubtedly saved many lives, but there is a trade off. These polybrominated diphenyl ethers, or PBDEs, have caused memory and learning problems in rats and mice, as well as slowing their thyroid function and neurological development. The effect on humans is not known, however.
Laser and ink-jet printers sure make our lives easier, but recent studies show that they also release volatile organic chemical emissions and ozone particulates, which have been linked to heart and lung disease after being inhaled. The jury is still out on whether the exposure levels in the average home are safe.

Check out TheOrganicBrew.com for Organic and All Natural Products for the body, mind, soul, and home!

A Witches Ring, A Magickal Tool of the Trade

I once had a Witches Ring of Sterling Silver with a beautiful amethyst setting. This ring was gorgeous, it had a very old world look to it and I quickly made it my Witches Ring. Well, one day my Witches Ring disappeared. Gone. Disappeared without a trace! My Witches heart was broken.

I looked everywhere for this ring to no avail, and let me tell you that 5 years later I still miss that ring! Crazy I know but the reason I tell you this is that in addition to blessing and charging your ring, make sure to also enchant it with some special words on how it will only be worn by you until the time you deem appropriate to pass it on. I had not taken this important precaution with my own ring and I paid for it. I have decided that the time has come for me to find a replacement for my Witches Ring. My hunt begins for the perfect magickal tool to wear as a daily reminder of who I am, what I stand for and to empower me with it’s magick.

Wish me luck!

       

A Witches Ring is a special magickal tool a Witch wears to empower both herself and her magick. You could have a Witches Ring that is worn daily or one that is worn during spells and rituals. A Witches Ring can be created to aid with empowerment, protection, divination, meditation, astral travel, love, or any intent you wish to create it for. Silver jewelry represents the Goddess while gold represents the God. When choosing a Witches Ring you should choose a ring that appeals to your magickal sense, it is also helpful if the piece itself has a special crystal or symbol geared towards the intent you are choosing it for. A Witches Ring of Amethyst and Silver for example would be perfect for protection, healing, meditation and gaining wisdom however when charging and blessing your ring you could instill your ring with whatever intent you choose.  

Another nice choice for a Witches Ring would be what is known as a “Poison Ring”. Poison Rings originated in the Far East and India and replaced the practice of wearing keepsakes and other items in pouches around the neck. The wearing of vessel rings was so practical that it spread to other parts of Asia, the Middle East and the Mediterranean before reaching Western Europe in the middle ages.  During the Renaissance poison rings became popular among the European aristocracy. Like lockets they were given as love tokens and used to store images of loved ones, locks of hair and other cherished keepsakes. Perhaps the most morbid use of poison rings arose during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. Jewelers started making coffin shaped locket rings
complete with skeletons and images of Death. Called funeral rings, they were given to mourners as a memento of the departed.

Poison Rings have little compartments making them a really nice choice for a Witches Ring. They come in a variety of styles with magickal symbols, crystals, and talismans on the top. The compartment is perfect for placing small magickal objects like miniature spell scrolls, herbs, crystals and herbal blends.

A Witches Ring is a special magickal tool for every Witch, it carries her energy, love, power and magick within its sacred circle. Only the Witch herself should ever wear her special rings however you do not have to be a Witch to create a special ring for yourself. I have included instructions on how to empower your ring making it easy for both the novice and the experienced craft practitioner to create one.

To Enchant a Witches Ring

Choose a ring that appeals to you. To perform the enchantment you will need the following:

Ring of your choosing

Red Votive or Spell Candle

Moon Water

Chalice

Rose Water

Vessel to hold Rose Water

Sea Salt

Vessel to hold Sea Salt

Empowering Incense

Fire Proof Vessel to hold Incense

Empowering Herbal Blend

Vessel to hold Herbal Blend

(At The Organic Brew I offer an Empowering Incense and Empowering Herbal Blend for Witches called “Aradia’s Empowerment” which would be perfect for this type of ritual)

Clean soft cloth

Personal Fragrance or Essential Oil

Cast your circle according to your magickal tradition. Set up your spell items in the middle of your circle. Light your spell candle and incense. Ground and center yourself and prepare yourself mentally for magickal workings.

Now take a cloth soaked in Rose Water and clean the ring making sure to get in all crevices, a q-tip would be perfect for this.

Dry your ring with a clean soft white cloth.

Now you will consecrate your ring to the four elements.

Place your ring in the sea salt making sure to cover the whole piece and say:

“I consecrate thee by the power of Earth”

Pass your ring through the incense smoke three times saying:

“I consecrate thee by the power of Air”

Pass your ring right above the flame of your candle and say:

“I consecrate thee by the power of Fire”

Place your ring in the moon water so it is completely submerged and say:

“I consecrate thee by the power of Water”

Dry your ring with the white cloth.

Take your personal fragrance and anoint your ring.

Hold your ring so that it rests in the palms of both hands and raise them to the moon and say:

“I dedicate, consecrate, and enchant this ring to be a ring of Witchery unto me with the powers of the Goddess three, the Lady of all Witchery, and as my word so mote it be.”

Or:

“Simple circlet round

In thee magick to be bound

Sun and Moon enchant this ring

More than just a pretty thing

Lend your energy to me

For good of all, so mote it be.

Wrap the ring in a cloth of purple if possible. If you do not have a purple cloth use white. Allow your ring to charge in the light of the full moon for three consecutive nights, three hours each evening. This should be done the day before, the day of, and the day after the full moon.

Wear the ring whenever you are in a ritual setting, when you feel the need for protection or make it a ring to be worn daily! On the night of each Full Moon thereafter, anoint the ring with your chosen fragrance and raise it to the Moon asking for blessings in the name of the Goddess. You now have your own magickal Witches Ring! Enjoy your new magickal tool and make sure to treat it with care. None should wear your ring but you alone.

Please note that Witches Rings can be enchanted for a variety of intents like romance, marriage proposal, business success, protection, self confidence and so much more.

You can use the above steps and just alter the ingredients to suit your intent.

For example if you are going to enchant a ring for protection, use a protective herbal blend, a protective incense and change the chant accordingly. Instead of using Rose Water I would use Moon Water instilled with protective oils like clove. If possible choose a ring that has a stone that will also aid with your magickal intent, for protection perhaps a stone of onyx or obsidian. Then use a protective chant to empower the ring. When not wearing this special piece keep it wrapped in a clean soft cloth.

I hope you have enjoyed this latest addition to The Organic Brew’s Blog! Wishing everyone a magickal evening.

Kat

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How to Petition the Gods for Help

We ask great things of deity; keep my children safe, make me healthy, grant me prosperity…

Have any of us ever considered what these requests entail? Is it as easy as a finger snap for them?

Somehow I think not.

There may be strands of karma that have to be unraveled, perhaps other deities, spirits, and elementals are petitioned for aid. Our karma follows us through lifetimes, while we make choices everyday on what path we follow, we often make poor choices that screw’s up our path and takes us down roads we really did not want to travel nor are we equipped to handle. Getting back on track is not always an easy feat and I am sure it takes some work to get us there. Both on our part, our spirit guides and deity.

And above all, why help us? What makes our request more important then someone else’s? Are we more deserving then others? Why should they spend time getting us out of a mess we very well may have put ourselves in, in the 1^st place.

I think a big part is how we approach deity and petition them for help.

Entice them, show them your respect, let them know you are grateful for any and all help they choose to bestow. However, do not grovel, do not beg! Speak with confidence, not cockiness, show them respect, and make sure you pronounce their names correctly!

There are many options when asking for help from the Gods.

Do we call on someone who we have a long established relationship with? Will we have better luck calling on a God or Goddess who is known to aid with a certain issue we are having?

My answer to that is both. I have a long standing relationship with my patron Goddess and God; to them I always give thanks, their candles hold a place of honor on my altar at all times. I also realize that there may be times when I may need to ask another Goddess for help. That does not take away from my patron Goddess in anyway. When choosing another Goddess to work with, I keep the feelings of my patron Goddess in mind. I will not call on a Goddess whom she is known to have a long standing feud with, that would just be silly on my part. Why would I expect good results from that?

You want all the energy running through your sacred space to be cohesive, flowing nicely with all concentration on your intended outcome, not age old feuds and power battles. None of us wants to be caught in the middle of that!

How do we show gratitude because gratitude should indeed be shown.

For one, any deity I choose to work with always has a candle on my altar dedicated to them alone. Candles are not shared or re-used for another deity. I am all about recycling however this is not the place for that. I decorate the candle with images and symbols associated with that deity, spirit or elemental. Take your time, if you are not a crafter there are many online shops you can purchase lovely pagan candles from and of course you can always contact me at The Organic Brew for a custom created candle.

Our gifts and offerings should also be thoughtful. Research the deity whom you are calling on. What animal, herb, crystal or planet are they associated with?

For example if I was going to petition Rhiannon who is a Welsh Goddess known for her powers over dreams, fertility, overcoming enemies, and moon magick, I would decorate my altar with images of horses, moonstones, jasmine flowers and wear a piece of silver jewelry with a moonstone. I would choose an altar cloth that was white and add traces of Celtic knots or other Irish/Welsh artistry.  I personally would write my own invocation to Rhiannon making sure to add parts of her known journey into my writing. I do realize that writing an invocation is not for everyone so I am sure you would not have any trouble finding one online or in a pagan book.

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When leaving an offering for deity, don’t just throw a cake on a plate with a “Here you go” type attitude. Present your offering like you are presenting it to a Goddess.

Put an offering of food on a special plate. If you have made something hold it up and show it with reverence, tell them how hard you worked on it and how you hope they like it.

Another area I want to touch upon is sacred space. When calling on the Gods, spirits, elementals or anyone from the spirit world, make sure your sacred space is clean. It should look like you are expecting company. You do not want a cluttered mess. Clean up the dust, vacuum, sweep, air out your home; don’t leave dirty dishes lying around. Act like someone special is coming because someone special is! Make sure your home is Goddess worthy. And by this I do not mean that you need a rich house for the Goddess to show up, by no means should you go out and spend $200.00 on an altar because you do not think the old trunk from that garage sale is good enough. WRONG, that old trunk is perfect, as long as it is clean. That’s all. Clean out the clutter, light some appropriate incense, clean yourself up and you are ready.

Finally, make clear what you are willing to do on your end if they choose to help you. This is a two way street, do not expect deity to go out of their way for you and receive nothing in return.

Think long and hard about what you feel would be an acceptable offering and make sure you keep your word! Don’t you dare promise to do something that you have no intention on doing. Be clear on what your promise is, when you will make good on it and do it. Do it exactly when and how you said you would, the last thing you want to do is piss off a Goddess or God. They do not owe you anything and they do not have to help you. Do not make them regret coming to your aid. They tend to take our words very literally so be careful what promises you make.

If you pay attention to your actions then you should have positive results. I believe it goes back to the age old “treat others how you yourself wish to be treated”.

Katherine Cotoia

www.TheOrganicBrew.com

 

The Power of the Witches Foot Symbol in Magick and Ritual

The Witches Foot is a potent symbol used in Witchcraft.  It has one line running straight down and two lines crossing the middle creating a symbol consisting of six lines.

This symbol is very powerful when used properly, it can be used to access the threads of power that surround you and connect all layers of the worlds. The Witches Foot is known to bridge the gap between worlds and act as a device for soul flight. This allows access to the other worlds.

The art of invoking the presence of Spirit is also done by the power of the Witches Foot. When using this be aware of all 6 threads. Once you feel the power of all coursing through you from all places at once, you can feel the effects your various words, thoughts, and feelings have on the power of the world around you. With focus you can speak words of calling pushing those words through all 6 threads of the Witches Foot. By doing this you are ensuring that all of creation hears your call and the Spirit you seek will hear your call.

The Witches Foot Symbol depicts the 4 cardinal directions with the horizontal line representing above and below.

It connects all and is the basis behind the circle and the power that flows through the Witch. By opening the ways to the heavens, the earth, and the cardinal directions, power is allowed to flow freely. This power is then used to perform magick, rituals, meditation, astral travel and spirit communication.

When the power flows free deity can be welcomed into your circle by ascending or descending into your magick area. The Witch can also use this to travel between the worlds.

This symbol was also used centuries ago as a beacon for other Witches. Witches of years past would place this symbol on the bottom of their feet in a way that when they walked the symbol would be left in the footprint making it easy for other Witches to follow. This was done because their rituals needed to be kept secret, witches would not know where they were meeting for ritual, they would be told to meet at the entrance to perhaps the woods for example. They would then follow the Witches Foot Symbol to their destination.

There is much mystery and magick surrounding this symbol. As always I encourage you to do your own research into this magickal symbol, use it wisely and see what magick it bestows on your magickal workings.

At the Organic Brew I have a handmade Herbal Conjure Pillow with a Witches Foot Symbol in the center surrounded by the symbols of the four elements. This Conjure Pillow is filled with herbs, roots, resins, and botanicals all known for their magickal associations in connection with areas like astral travel and spirit communication. This magickal tool can be used during rituals and astral travel to aid you with your magickal endeavors.

I hope you have enjoyed this latest blog post at The Organic Brew.

Bright Blessings,

Kat

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Biddy Early Irish Healer and Seer

I have always had a deep fascination with the life of Biddy Early. I have read everything I can get my hands on regarding her life and her magickal works. I enjoy calling on Biddy when working any type of healing magick. I have my own representation of her Healing Bottle that I created some years ago and it holds a place of honor on my altar. I hope this story of Biddy Early will inspire you to aid your family and friends with some healing magick of your own.

Biddy Early was a famous Irish seer and healer, a cunning woman of the nineteenth century, often identified as Biddy 'The Healer', 'The Wise Woman' or 'The Witch'.  Much of what is known about her has been passed down from oral tradition and blended into myth and folklore.

Born Bridget Ellen Connors in lower Faha near Kilanena in 1798, Biddy was the daughter of a small land farmer, John Thomas Connors and his wife Ellen Early.  Biddy is described as being small in statue and pretty, a woman who kept her good looks throughout her life.  While married four times, she always used her mother's maiden name, believing that her gifts were inherited through the female line.  Her mother taught her all about herbs and how to make potions, just as her own mother had taught her.

Biddy’s powers of clairvoyance are credited to a mysterious blue bottle.  How this “magic” bottle came into her possession, has since become part of her myth and legend.  Some believe her late husband Pat Mally gave it to her before he died or her son before he died; others believe it came to her from the “sidhe”.  There are some stories that say she was away with the sidhe, and went to live among them for a time as a child.  As a little girl it was said she could see and talk to the sidhe in their own language, which was different from Gaelic and that they taught her how to use her gifts.

She was instructed that by looking into the bottle with one eye and keeping the other eye open, she would be able to see what ailed people and view the future.  In exchange for this ability, she was never to charge money for her services, or she would lose the power.  She could accept gifts, but was to give away whatever was left over from her own needs.  She must never allow others to look into the bottle, or else they would either die or go mad.  By using the bottle, Biddy always knew when a person was about to visit her, and whether they had gone to a doctor or a priest first.  If they had, then she usually refused to treat them unless she was in a good mood.

Another great power which Biddy is accredited with was her ability to talk to and cure the wrath of the Fairies. People used to come to her who had been bewitched by the “little people”. One man had his entire herd of cattle had been cursed by the fairies and they all became violently ill. On the advice of one of his friends he went to see Biddy. After looking into her bottle, she saw the problem. He had planted a whitethorn bush along a fairy path in his field. She instructed him to go home and remove the bush. As soon as he had done this, his entire herd immediately returned to full health.

During the nineteenth century, superstitious belief in fairies and all things supernatural was very strong, and when something happened that appeared to be miraculous, without the aid of the church, it was commonly and easily attributed to witchcraft and the devil.  As such the local church viewed Biddy with suspicion, and all the local clergy were totally opposed to her.  As her fame spread they even tried to warn off people who went to visit her.  One story of the churches opposition occurred in 1865.  While visiting friends in Ennis, Biddy was charged with Witchcraft under the 1586 statute; however the case was dismissed due to a lack of sufficient evidence.  Many of the local people stood their ground against the clergy, maintaining she did nothing but good works. 

Before her death and despite their differences, Biddy had befriended one of the local priests and asked him not to let her bottle fall into the wrong hands when she died.  According to her wishes, the priest took the bottle and hurled it into Kilbarron Lake.  Since then, such was the belief in Biddy’s legend, many attempts to trawl the lake in search of the bottle have been made, but to this day it has never been found.

I have no doubt that her bottle was never thrown in the lake, it is probably sitting in the Vatican along with many other treasures.
I hope you have enjoyed this post on Biddy Early, my favorite Irish Healer. As always I would love to hear your thoughts and how you yourself may incorporate Biddy into your own magickal workings.
Bright Blessings,
Kat
TheOrganicBrew.com

Giveaway Winner/Sweet Magick

The winner of the latest giveaway from The Organic Brew is Joanne Gajewski! Congratulations Joanne! Despair not followers, I will be offering another product giveaway in a week or so!

Now onto some magick…J

Sugar has been used in magick for centuries to attract favorable circumstances.

White sugar, brown sugar, honey, chocolate, molasses, karo syrup, and other sweets can all be used to sweeten someone or something up.

While “sweetening up” spells do work, I personally prefer to use them as a smoother rather then a rectifier. For example, you have had a fight with a loved one, you have said or done something that was unkind. While you know this person will not remove you from their life permanently, you do want their forgiveness. Or perhaps you are forced to work with someone who for whatever reason does not like you. These are perfect situations for Sweet Magick.

A great way to perform this type of spell is by baking something special for this person. While adding the sugar and other sweet ingredients picture the person sweetening up to you. Picture your dealings with this person in a positive light. While mixing always mix in a clockwise direction picturing white loving light entering your mix. Picture this person enjoying what you have created for them. See them think of you in a positive light.

While mixing you can also say an appropriate chant of your own wording to direct the energy of the magick.

Please remember to treat people the way you want to be treated, do not take the time to work this type of magick and then turn around and think you can treat this person in a negative way and that the spell will rectify everything. No, you must keep the positive energy flowing.

Another way to work Sweet Magick is by creating a Sweet Jar for the same intended outcome. These are also known as Honey Jars.

For this spell you will need:

A clean jar or bottle

1 candle of appropriate color

Honey

Sugar

Herbs, botanicals, and/or crystals to aid with the intended outcome

An altar oil appropriate for the intended outcome. If you are creating this for love then use something like “Come-Hither”

http://www.etsy.com/listing/103743743/come-hither-sexy-magickal-alchemy

For financial or job situations:

“Red Fast Luck Oil”

http://www.etsy.com/listing/92454617/red-fast-luck-oil-to-gain-wealth-and

A fabulous must have for all spell crafters is Louisiana Van Van Oil. This is an all purpose oil perfect for empowering all types of spell work.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/100463021/louisiana-van-van-conjure-oil-all

There are many other magickal oils to choose from at The Organic Brew.

A personal item of the person you are intending the spell for. A lock of hair, piece of clothing, a photo etc. If you have none of these then a piece of paper with the person’s name on it is fine. Surround the name with appropriate magickal symbols.

Begin by casting your protective circle and calling on your chosen deity. Take your spell candle and carve the persons name on it along with any magickal symbols that are appropriate for the intended outcome of the spell.

Anoint all objects with your altar oil.

Begin by placing the personal item you have obtained then add your herbs, botanicals and crystals. Add three spoons of sugar or other sweet substance that you have chosen to use. Now fill the jar with honey.

Close the lid and seal with candle wax. Place what is left of the candle on top of the jar to burn. You can hold it in place by dripping wax onto the lid and then place the candle into the still warm wax. This should secure the candle. Be a smart Witch and place this in a fireproof dish or in the sink.

Say an appropriate magickal chant over the jar, one of your own wording is best. It does not have to rhyme, just make it come from the heart. Remember to keep positive visualization during the creation of this jar. Picture the outcome you desire the entire time.

Keep the finished jar someplace where no one will touch it but you. When you are no longer in need of the spell jar, dig a small hole in your yard/garden. Take the lid off and empty the ingredients of the jar into the hole. Thank the appropriate deity for aiding you on this spell. You can either bury the jar as well or throw it away in your recycling bin. I would not re-use it however. Fill the hole back in with dirt.

I hope you have enjoyed this latest entry of The Organic Brew’s Blog! I would love to hear your thoughts or ideas on this topic.

Bright Blessings,

Kat

~Image taken of a butterfly in my Witches Garden this Spring~

Aromatherapy Used Daily to Enhance Your Life

Here are some helpful tips to bring the benefits of aromatherapy and magick into your daily life. The 1st thing I recommend is getting an oil burner, there are some fairly inexpensive ones around. Also, you need a quality essential oil for aromatherapy, not fragrance oils.
Onto the tips...
~Place a few drops of your favorite oil on a cotton ball and place in a vacuum bag or canister. Geranium works great for pet odors.
~To fragrance kitchen cabinets and drawers tuck the cotton balls in little corners where they will not be noticed. 
~Rosemary oil promotes alertness and stimulates your mind. You can inhale some of the oil to keep your mind fresh throughout the day or burn in your oil burner while studying to aid with memory.
~Using 1 drop of peppermint oil blended into a base oil and rubbed onto the back of the neck and temples aids with headaches.
~To bring down a fever sponge the body with cool water that you have added 1 drop each of the following:
Eucalyptus, Lavender and Peppermint.
~To promote healing of cuts, scrapes, and scratches use lavender and tea tree oil. 
~During the cold and flu season I constantly use a blend of germ fighting oils and burn them in my oil burner. 
Examples are lavender, eucalyptus, peppermint, rosemary
~To aid with pleasant dreams use cotton balls with Jasmine and Sandalwood, tuck the cotton balls in your pillow or under your mattress.
~To bring financial success place cotton balls with bergamot on them around the door.
You can also place crystals of Jade or any green crystal above or around your doorways to invite prosperity and success into your home.
~Rice thrown onto the roof of your home guards against misfortunes. Say a little chant of protection while doing this.

~To protect the perimeter of your home walk clockwise around your home and sprinkle a protective herbal and salt blend. Make sure to end where you began not leaving an opening for negative energy to enter through. 
In place of an oil burner you could use a small pan with water and allow to simmer.

Brightest Blessings,

Kat

Honoring American Goddesses on Independence Day

Today is a special day for all Americans, it is the birth of our country and that deserves respect. As a Witch and a Pagan I like to honor the Goddesses of our country today. So today, I honor the Goddess Columbia and the great Lady Liberty. I have included some information on both of these ladies here for you as well as a few ways to honor your country magickally. So grab a candle of either red, white, or blue or one of all three colors and dedicate to one or both of these deities. When lighting your candle tell them how thankful you are to live in this country where you can choose to honor whomever you wish in whatever way you wish (with harm to none of course).
In early American history, two female figures were frequently used as cultural symbols of the nation. One, Columbia, was seen as an embodiment of the United States in the manner that Britannia was identified with the United Kingdom and Marianne came to represent France. Columbia had supplanted the earlier figure of an Indian princess, which had come to be regarded as uncivilized and derogatory toward Americans. The other significant female icon in American culture was a representation of Liberty, derived from Libertas, the goddess of freedom widely worshipped in ancient Rome, especially among emancipated slaves.

The Statue of Liberty (Liberty Enlightening the World; French: La Liberté éclairant le monde) is a colossal neoclassical sculpture on Liberty Island in New York Harbor, designed by Frédéric Bartholdi and dedicated on October 28, 1886. The statue, a gift to the United States from the people of France, is of a robed female figure representing Libertas, the Roman goddess of freedom, who bears a torch and a tabula ansata (a tablet evoking the law) upon which is inscribed the date of the American Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776. A broken chain lies at her feet. The statue has become an icon of freedom and of the United States
Lady Liberty began emerging in America during the colonial era as part of the American quest for political independence from Britain. American patriot Paul Revere may have been the first to depict Lady Liberty in that context. In 1766, on the obelisk he created in celebration of the repeal of the Stamp Act, he used the image of Liberty with a Liberty Pole surmounted by a Liberty Cap. Another patriot leader, Thomas Paine, included Her in his poem, the "Liberty Tree," referring to Her as "The Goddess of Liberty." Freedom Goddess depictions not only emerged in America during its Revolution, but a few years later in France during its own Revolution, with the female symbol of the French Republic, the Marianne, depicted wearing the Liberty Cap, and often accompanied by Liberty's Cat.
On July 4^th 1776 the Declaration of Independence was set in motion and with it the birth of our nation.

Spell to Preserve Freedom

Cast a circle and in the center place a United States Flag. If you do not have an actual flag then draw one. At the four cardinal points, place three sparklers and a copy of the Declaration of Independence. Light the sparklers at sundown, and as they burn invoke your deities. Ask them for protection and support of all who defend and reside in this country. Read the Declaration of Independence out loud. Ask that the deities protect all of our servicemen and women who are at home or on foreign soil. Ask blessings on those who have served our country in the past and those who will serve in the future. Circle the flag with a censor saying:

“By the colors that wave over land and sea,

I send my wish that all may be free.”

This spell was written by Paniteowl and comes from the book “Witches Spell a Day Almanac” 2007. I think the deity that you call on for any work on the 4^th of July should be Lady Liberty herself.
The following spell was taken from “Witches Spell a Day Almanac” 2010 and was written by Ellen Dugan.

Celebrate Personal Freedoms

Tonight as you head out to watch the fireworks consider using the energy and light of the fireworks display in a creative type of fire magick. When the fireworks begin, look up and focus on the colors, the sounds, and the reaction of the people around you. Tap into this festive mood and channel this energy into a spell that celebrates your right to religious freedom. I suggest writing down the following charm ahead of time, then take it along with you.

“I celebrate tonight my right to live free,

To follow my magickal faith openly.

By fire and color, this freedom spell is begun,

May it open both hearts and minds, bringing harm to none.”

I personally find this spell to be beautifully written and perfect for this special day in our country.
That completes this edition of The Organic Brew’s Blog. I hope you have enjoyed this post and do not forget to enter into my latest product giveaway! We only have a few days left.
Happy Independence Day to all!
Kat