WITCH IN THE CITY

    Halloween  – October 31st  Festa Dei Morti ,  Day of the Dead ,  Samhain , Juorno de Morti,  Festival of the Dead   The true origin and roots of Halloween have been lost in time. It is often conjectured that this ancient holiday may be linked to the  Feast of Pamona , the  Roman Goddess of Orchards and Fruit  - as well as to  Parentalia ; the ancient Roman festival held in honor of the dead.  In the  Italian and Sicilian Traditions of Witchcraft  the Festa Dei Morti or Festival of the Dead focuses upon ancestral devotion and commemoration. The Festival of the Dead is a sacred and holy time of remembrance, love, spiritual communion, joy and mourning. It is a time of reflection, for looking back at the last year and coming to terms With the phenomenon of which we have no control over; death. Witches gather to celebrate the harvest season with family and friends. We mourn the downward spiral of life, but focus o...

There comes a moment in September when the light changes. It begins to recede, finding both peace and rest. The days may still be warm, gardens may still carry their flowers, and the afternoon sun may rest glowing upon the earth. It is a turning point, when something ancient has begun to turn. Evening comes sooner. Shadows stretch farther across the ground. Leaves lose the deep green of summer and begin their slow surrender to gold, rust, crimson, and brown.  The earth has not died. It is gathering itself inward.  Keep alight the fires burning within.  Autumn has always belonged to thresholds. It stands between the abundance of summer and the silence of winter, between what has ripened and what must now be released. In the old countryside, this was a season of gathering grain, preserving fruit, tending the hearth, repairing doors, drying herbs, and preparing the household for the darker months ahead. Nothing useful was wasted. Nothing necessary was left unprotected. There...

A Prayer of Purification and Deliverance  I implore thee, Most Blessed, Most Pure, Artemis Soteira.  You who are Most Holy within All Nature.  You who are the Spirit of Life, Love and Earthly Majesty.  You who are the bearer of the Silver Bow of the Cosmos.  Daughter of the King, most Mighty and High.  Daughter of the Queen, Most Humble and Mild.  Sister of the Eternal Prince of the Blazing Sun.  Supreme and Unrestricted you are in All Things and in All that Is.  I offer you this prayer, may you receive my love in all blessedness.  I offer you this prayer, in pure heart and in pure mind.  I offer you this prayer, with unending and faithful adoration.  Guide me, Protect me, Teach me.  Empower my spirit with purity and compassion.  May all wickedness be cast away and all foes turned away by the warmth of my soul.  Empower my body with both strength and fortitude.  May ill health not find me nor adversary bring...

Aries (March 21 – April 19)  September asks you to slow your pace just enough to notice what needs adjusting. The beginning of the month highlights routines, responsibilities, health, and the smaller choices that shape your everyday life. Love becomes more intentional, singles may find themselves drawn to someone who feels both dependable and peaceful rather than simply exciting, while couples benefit from showing love through consistency and practical support.  As the month progresses, relationships take on greater importance and conversations reveal where balance has been missing. The Full Moon later in September brings your own needs sharply into focus, making this a powerful time to release an old version of yourself and reclaim your confidence. By month’s end, your natural fire begins returning with renewed passion.  Flame of Renewal Spell: Light a red or white candle and place both hands over your heart. State out loud the following, “I release what weakens me and ...

Aries (March 21 – April 19) August turns the volume up on joy, romance, and creative courage. Leo season lights up your playful-wild side, and the August 12 solar eclipse can open a fresh chapter around love, confidence, children, or a passion project. Singles may feel ready to take a warmer, bolder chance on someone, while couples benefit from making room for fun instead of treating every conversation like a problem to solve.  By late month, Virgo season brings your attention back to work, wellness, and the little habits that keep life moving. The August 28 lunar eclipse asks for rest and emotional release behind the scenes. Give yourself permission to close a draining chapter. Money improves through practical choices rather than impulse spending, especially when excitement is running high.  Summer Spark Ritual:  At sunset, light a gold or orange candle and place a glass of cool water beside it. State out loud the following, “I welcome joy without losing my center.” Let ...

Name : Mountain Phlox  Botanical Name : Phlox subulata  Common Names : Creeping Phlox, Moss Phlox, Moss Pink, Mountain Phlox  Location : Eastern & Central United States Element : Earth & Air  Planet : Venus & Moon  Magickal Purpose : Attracting New Love, Harmony, Lasting Love, Friendship, Renewal, Emotional Healing, Peace, Unity  Although the warmth of summer now blankets the landscape, I often find myself thinking back to the first blossoms that welcomed the return of spring. Among the earliest flowers to awaken the earth is Mountain Phlox, a plant that transforms bare ground into a living carpet of vibrant and dazzling color. Its soft blooms seem to flow across stone walls, woodland edges, and garden paths like a river of blossoms, reminding us that even after the longest winter, beauty always returns.  Native to the eastern regions of North America, Phlox subulata has long been treasured as a resilient groundcover that flourishes where m...

Remembering Demeter on the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel  Every year, on the sixteenth day of July, church bells ring across the Mediterranean in honor of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. Villages carry statues of the Virgin through narrow streets lined with flowers. Farmers ask for blessings upon their vineyards and fields. Families gather to give thanks for another season of growth, placing themselves beneath the mantle of the Mother who watches over both land and people. For many, it is simply another feast of the Church. Yet beneath these celebrations lies a much older rhythm, one that reaches back thousands of years to a time when another mother received prayers at the height of summer.  Long before chapels crowned Sicily’s hills and Marian shrines overlooked fields of wheat, these same landscapes belonged to Demeter, the Great Mother of Grain and Queen Goddess of the Earth. She was not merely the goddess of agriculture, but the divine teacher who gave humanity bread, agricu...