SGC Admin Bits and Pieces

How to do a Sage Smudge: The Magical Blend … :)

SGC Admin: Thanks to Robyn at The Magical Blend, here are some great tips on how to do your own smudging… :)

Traditional Native American Artemisia smudge stick burning Stock Photo - 5882810
http://www.123rf.com: Mona Makela

The Magical Blend states: “Most recently, we had someone write in asking how to perform a proper sage smudge. This is another question we used to get a lot at the store, so Robyn has written up an excellent step-by-step guide on the matter”.

 

How to Do a Sage Smudge.

This week’s bit of magical advice is a commonly-asked question that has come up again recently: How does one use a sage smudge?

WARNING: We know some people with severe allergies to sage and other herbs.Always check that no one who lives in that space is allergic. Even if you aren’t allergic to sage, for instance, your room-mate may be; sometimes, even the remnants of a smudging done earlier in the day can set off a reaction later that night.

 

  • The Short Short Version:
  • Light your smudge like you would an incense stick, so that it smoulders but isn’t on fire. 
  • The Longer Version:
  • Smudging can be done in a few different ways, depending on what it is you want to cleanse.

Smudging Your Own Person or Someone Else’s Person.

Light your smudge and spend a moment to focus on your intention to bless and purify the recipient. You will then slowly circle the person (or move the smudge around yourself) counter-clockwise from feet to head. Have your recipient sit and breathe in the smoke for a few minutes before putting the smudge out.

Smudging a House or a Space.

Similarly, if your intent is to purify or bless a home or sacred space, you will work counter-clockwise, and top to bottom. There are a couple other steps to add in, naturally.

  1. First, close all the exterior doors and windows to your house on all floors, but open up any doors to closets, cabinets, and rooms.
  2. Next, place yourself at the entrance to your home or space, facing inwards. If you are doing a smudging to banish a spirit, be sure to address it out-loud, ask it to leave in peace. Be firm, but polite.
  3. Begin your tour of your home or space, visiting each room counter-clockwise to where you began. Trace each wall with the smoke of your smudge, including inside any closets or cabinets.
  4. If your home has more than one floor: do the basement next, then any floors above.
  5. Return to where you began and put out your smudge.
  6. Let the smoke sit in the house for 15-20 minutes before opening up the windows to let out the smoke and any negativity and negative spirits along with it. 

Other Notes:

  • Do not be surprised if your smudge goes out! Herbs don’t burn evenly and while it might burn without trouble, sometimes it might need re-lighting. Try not to let that discourage you: it isn’t a sign that the smudging isn’t working.
  • Because smudges are bulkier than incense sticks, the ash that falls from the smudge will also be bigger. Some people like to catch the ash in an abalone shell or a bowl of some kind, or will carry the smudge in a shell to begin with.
  • To put the smudge out, tap the herbs out gently using a bowl or a shell with salt or sand in it.
  • If once you have finished smudging you have some of your smudge left over, you can put it in a paper bag and store it away for another day. There is no stigma against using the same smudge again, or even sharing it with someone else.

~Robyn

 

SGC Admin Bits and Pieces

Chakra’s: From The Magical Blend..

SGC Admin: Look what we found in our inbox from Robyn at The Magical Blend… :)

Silhouette of man with symbols of chakra Stock Photo - 11360067

Chakras 101 

Chakras are energy centers in your energetic or spiritual body. The word ‘Chakra’ itself means ‘wheel’ or ‘vortex’ and comes from the tantric and yogic traditions of Hinduism and Buddhism.

Everyone has seven major chakras, as well as several ‘secondary’ chakras. The main chakras are: the Root Chakra, which is located at the base of your spine; the Sacral (or Navel) Chakra, which is located at the level of your belly button; the Solar Plexus Chakra, which is located unsurprisingly at your solar plexus; your Heart Chakra, which resides in your heart; the Throat Chakra, which is at the center of your throat; the Third Eye Chakra, which is located just between your eyebrows; and your Crown Chakra, which sits atop your head.

Each of these Chakras governs a different energy or aspect of who you are. The Root Chakra governs courage and stability; the Navel Chakra governs your ability to feel pleasure; the Solar Plexus Chakra governs the ego, identity and confidence; the Heart Chakra governs all emotions and the ability to feel; the Throat Chakra governs all forms of communication and self-expression; the Third Eye Chakra governs our psychic abilities and the ability to distinguish truth from lies; and finally the Crown Chakra governs our connection to the Divine itself.

Sometimes, through the rigors of everyday living, we encounter negative energies, situations, and people that can clutter and clog our Chakras, thus putting them out of balance and leaving us feeling low in energy, dissatisfied, and generally ill-at ease. When people talk about Chakra balancing, they are generally referring to fixing an imbalance in this energy. Most often, people have problems with underperforming Chakra points, but Chakras can sometimes be overactive as well, which still requires a similar balancing treatment.

Please Click Here to visit The Magical Blend website… :)

SGC Admin Moon Phase: Current Sun Sign:, News and views

August 31 2012 see a “Blue Moon”… ?? huh what is that…?

From the Editor:  FYI A Blue Moon… 

Ever wondered what that means “once in a blue moon”? … Growing up I used to hear it, always in the context of  something that only happens every so often… 

Below, the Magical Blend of Montreal explains a little further about what this term means… 

Full moon reflected in water Stock Photo - 9302297

On the evening of August 31, 2012, we will have a blue moon.

Though the definition of the term ‘blue moon’ has varied over time, we modern folk consider a blue moon to be the second full moon in a single month;

Since each month is only supposed to have one full moon, a second full moon is a rare event.

A blue moon only happens once every 2.5 years, by our modern definition. This happens due to the difference between our calendar and the slightly mismatched lunar cycle– every month but February has at least 30 days in it, while the full moon occurs once every 29.5 days.

The older definition of a blue moon is a bit more complicated.

Farmers once counted a blue moon to be the third full moon in a season of four full moons (each season was only supposed to have three).

The reason for this odd choice was due to the Christian calendar; most Christian celebrations are defined by their relation to Easter, which is in turn defined by its relation to a particular full moon. When the blue moon popped in to say hello, the day most Christians celebrated Easter (and therefore the rest of the calendar) suddenly needed some recalculation.

A blue moon is thought to intensify the classical magical properties of a normal full moon; spells for luck and prosperity will be even stronger, while spells for long-term goals are particularly appropriate.

Plan your year under the blue moon this year, and make the rest of it go swimmingly!

Please Click Here to go to The Magical Blend website. 

SGC Admin Product and Gift Ideas

The Magical Blend Montreal Witch Balls are in…. :)

Please check out The Magical Blend website to order: 

Witch Balls are very pretty, especially when hung in a window where the sunlight can catch them…. 

The Magical Blend A Canadian Company…. 

 

 

Witch Balls Birth Months

Birth Month Witch Balls

A Magical Blend Product
12 birth months in small and large sizes, based on the birth month gemstones:

January – Garnet
February – Amethyst
March – Aquamarine
April – Crystal/Diamond
May – Emerald
June – Alexandrite
July – Ruby
August – Peridot
September – Sapphire
October – Zircon
November – Topaz
December – Blue Zircon
Trees of Seasons Witch Balls

Trees of Seasons Witch Balls

A Magical Blend Product
Four seasons to choose from, with matching colors!