I hope you all have a blessed and safe Samhain. Pay attention to the energy around you today. Open yourself up to guidance from your ancestors. If you haven't already, create an altar to honor them. Today is a great day for meditation and divination work. This is the witch's New Year. Shed the old and make plans for the future. Wear black to repel and/or transform negative energy. I am wearing a Onyx and a Snowflake Obsidian today in my necklace. Both are great stones for Samhain. Be open to what Samhain has become for many.....Halloween. Support the fun of the children tonight, laugh at the Hollywood witches, make it okay (for those of us counting calories) to eat some candy....but always remember the true reason for the Samhain season. Blessed Be )0(
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Our kids pick up a lot of information, even when we aren’t knowingly giving it to them, right? My youngest is age 5 and I do not necessarily “teach” him anything religious. I mean he learns, from observing, what I do and he has recently begun asking questions, occasionally, but I am not going to drill spirituality into his brain at this young age. I think kids at this age learn the best from watching. So, I was curious how much he knows about religion, my practice, and/or the craft from his general observations and eavesdropping. I have always been amused with the crazy things kids will say and with three children; I have been terribly embarrassed on more than one occasion with one of their public outbursts that seemed so innocent in tone. I thought that it would be humorous and maybe slightly educational to hear from the kiddos a little. You’ll notice I didn’t ask him anything too in depth and I didn’t really drill him. I just wanted his immediate response to simple questions. I would love to hear your child’s tales of the craft as well, so post them on the page wall or anywhere it will allow you. This could give us all a little chuckle this Monday morning. Click HERE to view this video on our Facebook page. )0(
Being a solitaire practitioner for a long time, I was shielded from the “Best Witch” drama. Now, maybe because I pay more attention to it, maybe because I don’t hide my practice, but I am constantly reminded of the drama within groups of people. Why do we have to compete even in our spiritual practices? Seems like we are completely missing the point of spirituality when this happens. After all, there should really only be competition within oneself.
When I first opened shop, I was looking at a newer (but older than my own) metaphysical shop in my area for ideas and the possibility of maybe one day adding my products to her shop also. I had previously shopped in that store for supplies I needed and followed their website and Facebook pages. I loved that it gave me a sense of community within my community without having to be part of a group. This is probably a good time to explain my issues with a group….. Long story short, after a non-religious childhood and seeking religion at a young age, I found myself in important roles within a Methodist Church. Children’s Ministry Director, Pastor Perish Relation Chairman, Outreach Manager, along with many other hats held, I saw behind the scenes of mainstream religion and it was revolting to me. I saw how, outwardly faced people smiled, while behind the scenes they back stabbed, ridiculed and mocked good people. I saw judgment spew from the mouths of those who kneeled beside me on Sunday morning convinced this simple act made them righteous. If this is what a religious group of people done to one another then I wanted nothing to do with putting my faith and religion in someone else’s hands. Fast-forward several years and I found myself a solitary follower judging no one and being judged by no one….and that’s how I liked it. So back to this metaphysical shop…..they offered classes in house for new people and I thought about going. My history and social anxiety told me it wasn’t time. I wound up finding a group of people by accident really, that I really liked and clicked with. I still followed the shop, sometimes needing supplies I couldn’t get and sometimes just to see what new products were brought in by local artists. Plus, I liked supporting a like-minded individual and small business within my community. Until, one day the drama began…… An older and much larger metaphysical shop in the neighboring city was the most well-known and popular in our area. I had and still do shop there as well. Well, one day while scrolling through my internet I run into my local shop and this larger shop having an all-out Facebook war over non sense he said she said and then all their followers following suit and supporting or bashing the other. Although an interesting read at first, I was shocked, and a little appalled at how these people were acting. Business owners, leaders within our community AND representations of today’s pagan were making me happy I never attempted to associate within that circle. The drama didn’t end there, far from it actually. It continued over several months. I was easily able to see details in my Facebook newsfeed and I got tired of the constant drama. I didn’t have loyalty to either side, didn’t want involved and honestly found fault with each on what they were doing. I was tempted to just “unfollow” them both. Until one day I saw a post from the smaller store announcing their closing. Now, closed down, they continue to post airing out all the secrets and wrong doing within the local pagan community. I feel for them and their situation but I do think there are always better ways to handle things. I am saddened that their shop closed and am confused at how the larger shop could feel empowered by ridding our community of an already scarce commodity as a local metaphysical shop is. How can either feel like they won? The local pagan community, as a whole, lost…. I have seen these sorts of things within the Facebook groups that I follow as well. Someone asks a question, or seeks advice and others just jump on them like vultures. I think social media has made it way too easy for people to spew hate and judgment without having to face their opponent in person and take account for their words. It gives a false sense of empowerment and bravery when you can hide behind a computer. I have seen first-hand what groups of people, gossip and judgment can do in person but technology has made it so much worse. Is it the fault of the computer, then? No, it’s not. It’s our fault. When will we stop condemning and persecuting others and start projecting the love and light that we like to say we live? As pagans, we have enough enemies to worry about just based on our beliefs that we need to stick together as like-minded people and stop trying to be the best witch. In my experience, the no it all, the one that professes their greatness are anything but great. Modest, humble and private beings are those I look up to and seek as a guide. They have conquered the one true task, for they have conquered their own ego. Regardless of what the shop says.....
Today is the last day to get your order in for me to guarantee delivery BY Samhain!!! So, if you need something for your celebration get that ordered by midnight TONIGHT and it will be in your mailbox by October 31. Etsy automatically puts some estimated time to prepare an order and I have been unsuccessful in changing that. However, ALL my customers orders have shipped out within 1 business day from order placement since Cynnamon Charmed opened in July. This is my intention to continue UNLESS something is being custom made or personalized. Then I will get that order out ASAP but maybe not the same day. Although, I will try......Blessed Be We launched our voodoo/poppet dolls a little over a month ago and have gotten a great response on them.
UPDATE: (on doll pictured below) SOLD.... I had lots of people "favorite" this one in the shop but it has been homed :) No two dolls are ever the same so if you see one you like, don't let it slip away. Keep an eye in the shop in a week or two for the one I will be making and posting to fill this vacancy.....I'm thinking it will be primarily green (Earth element color). We do still have 2 others currently available in the shop as well. Hope you all are having a great week!!!! Samhain is only 7 days away There are a lot of crazy stories that circulate this time of year about what Samhain/ Halloween is and what it is not. Just recently, I had an individual tell me about how they overheard a group of people discussing Halloween and the kids that come to their door trick or treating. They said they didn’t believe in it. That they turn their lights off and sit is the dark praying to make it appear that no one is home. This conversation slightly offended me on a couple different levels. Not from the point of the one telling me about it, but from the ideas that others have in general about what this Sabbat is all about. Their story makes it sound like they are hiding from children who may come to prey on them….innocent children looking for candy and fun.
Samhain/ Halloween being viewed as a pagans Satan ritual is the most disturbing accusation. In general, pagans do not believe in Satan. He is a concept of a totally different religion. I read an article recently where an opposing religion admitted they were never comfortable with their children dressing up as a witch or as a devil for Halloween and I am perplexed. The witch, as visually recognized today, is a Hollywood version. Look at any costume in the store and you’ll surely get some version of the Wizard of Oz’s bad witch with a green old wrinkly face, evil smile, pointed nose, etc. Do they really think this is what all the witches in the Salem Witch Trials looked like? Uhhhh NO! This is Hollywood. So when a child dresses as a witch for Halloween they are more recognizable as the “Bad Witch” of Wizard of Oz or a Hocus Pocus witch then that of the accused and murdered pagans from a few hundred years ago. SO what and why trick or treat? Well, we know that Samhain is a day to honor the dead. We also know that honoring our lost loved ones on this night and our belief that they can cross a veil to our world would mean that dark entities could do the same. So, I have heard stories that Celts would dress in disguise, such as animal skins, so that to hide from dark entities or possibly to scare them away. Bonfires were a form of purification and they would keep them away as well. The big feasts were set to welcome good entities who came. Some thought the feasts were actually a sort of peace offering to get evil to leave them alone. Over the years and over different countries this became a tradition where people would dress up, sometimes even commit crimes in disguise as an evil entity, and play pranks or do tricks for food/ale and sometimes money. Other stories (mumming) told were those of people who thought it was wise to set food outside their doors as offering to these dark entities so that they were spared and their house passed by. However, poor people or beggars began dressing up as the dead so that they could steal this free food for themselves. Souling soon become popular in this period. This is where parades and festivals were held as offerings and prayers were made ALL in the name of saving our souls from evil. See back in these days the festival activities were primarily performed by adults. It wasn’t until later that children took over the activities. As different traditions made its way here to the United States, we took on a combined form of the celebrations. Fire, treats, and costumes stuck in the American tradition. People started to worry about the inconvenience of handing out slices of pie and also about the possibility of people tampering with items that were handmade and not sealed. This made candy much more popular of a choice and I am sure the kids loved it. Fire contained in jack-o-lanterns also became a more practical modern choice. Commercialization and the recognition of the money to be made in this were discovered about 80 years ago. In addition to this, the need to regulate and provide structure to the activities became necessity. Teens and kids were beginning to get into lots of trouble and cause damage without have structured activities available for those who wished to celebrate. Because of this we now have what we have today. We have opportunities for children and adults to have parties, trick or treat, and celebrate in a way that is legal and safe. However, we have also mostly lost the meaning of the true Samhain. Ask someone on the street what Halloween is (because most wouldn’t even recognize the word Samhain) and they are likely to tell you “the day of the dead”, if they know at all. They say it like it’s a bad thing, a thing to fear and yet they forget that it’s also a day of recognition to those who came before us. It’s a day to make offerings and honor our ancestors who came before us. It has nothing to do with Satan or the Devil, for from one pagan to another, “who is that?” AND….if I decide to put my pointy hat on, on Samhain night it’s not to come out of the closet, because that closet has already been opened and raided. It is to poke fun and add a Hollywood flare to what I am on a daily basis. Congratulations to our Samhain Giveaway Winner!!!!! Say-Rah Elizabeth Allum
You can watch the video of the drawing HERE on our Facebook page. Nothing is better than pumpkin and chocolate to get into the Samhain spirit. This is a recipe that has been a favorite in my family for as long as I can remember. I am bringing this one straight out of my own recipe book. These are perfect for Samhain or even for office parties during the holiday season. Thicker than a cookie but too sweet and delicious to be just a bread....these fall somewhere in between. Pumpkin Chip Cookies 1 can or 2 cups pumpkin puree 2 tsp baking soda 4 tsp baking powder 1 tsp salt 2 tsp cinnamon 4 cups flour 2 cups sugar 2 beaten eggs 2 TBSP sweet condensed milk 1 cup vegetable oil 2 tsp vanilla 1 pkg chocolate chips- semi sweet Put all the ingredients into a LARGE bowl in this order. Mix very well. Place TBSP size spoonfuls onto a greased cookie sheet and bake 14 min. at 375 degrees. Quantity depends on the size you make these but this should easily make a couple dozen. I wouldn't double the batch just because mixing it together well would be very difficult. Even a single batch is much easier to mix thoroughly with a stand mixer. |
Keri Nichol
Founder, Artist, Herbalist, and Writer Archives
August 2018
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