The Potent Energy of October
Readers, please enjoy this guest blog post by Laurel Woodward, author of Kitchen Witchery, Backyard Garden Witchery, and the new Wellness Witchery.
Fall is the magickal season of harvest. At summer’s end, the energy shifts from The Harvesting Tide (June – September) to The Resting Tide (September – Yule) and all of nature feels the change. Night comes earlier as the hours of darkness lengthen. The air takes on a chill and with it comes a spooky sense of mystery and excitement. The turning leaves begin to fall leaving only the stark outline of bare branches against the sky. This is the season of slowing, of hearty foods and warm beverages. In the shops, summer’s colors have been replaced with harvest themes while menus feature pumpkin-flavored treats, both savory and sweet.
Fall is my favorite time of year. The promise of change hangs in the air buzzing like electricity. I feel it with a shiver every time I step outdoors. Now may be the time of ripening but all of nature knows that soon winter will cast its spell of dormancy and death. The knowing swells this fleeting moment of abundance, and as the veil grows thin, the unseen world becomes more tangible. When darkness falls, the liminality grows so sharp even the least aware among us pause to cast a curious glance at the deepening shadows.
The shifting tides awaken something deep within me that makes colors deepens and feelings stronger. As the year descends into darkness, the shift breathes new energy into my practice and draws me to preform more acts of divination, self-reflection, and shadow work.
Craft a Black Mirror
The magick mirror has been a popular device since the Middle Ages used by the cunning to divine the future, communicate with spirits, work magick, and repel negative energy. A black mirror is a mirror with a back that has been painted black and charmed to be a fluid condenser to condense your abilities, focus your energy, and open a channel with the cosmos. It is used for divination, spirit communication, and defensive magicks. Its reflective surface holds the energy of both the moon and water making it a fluid condenser with power to magnify abilities and sharpen focus.
You will need:
- A candle
- A piece of concaved glass or a shallow concaved bowl, or a picture frame
- Paper
- A paint brush
- Flat black paint
- An infusion of chamomile or mugwort
- Matches
Take the glass and clean both sides well. When it is clean, turn it over. Set it on some paper and paint the back with the black paint. Let it dry and inspect it. Depending upon the surface of the glass and type of paint, this could take several coats to get the coverage you desire. When the paint is dry and the full moon is in sight, catch the reflection of the full moon and draw down the lunar energy into your mirror. Then take your mirror and tell it what you want it to do for you. Dip your finger into the chamomile infusion and run it around the edge of the mirror as you hold your intention. When you have sufficiently charged it, draw a deep breath and blow out across it to fix your intention and empower the working.
Before you use your mirror, drink a cup of mugwort or skullcap tea and open your intuition. Light a candle and come to center. When you are focused, ask a question as you gaze at the surface of the mirror, studying it for images and movement. Notice each thought, vision, sound, and scent that come up. Take note of everything.
Note: Most black mirrors are kept covered and brought out only for scrying when a candle is lit and set off center to illuminate but not reflect in the mirror.
Our thanks to Laurel for her guest post! For more from Laurel Woodward, read her article, “3 Ways to Re-Enchant Your Life.”
