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Creating a Altar
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There is not necessarily a "right" way of setting up an altar in Wicca. Ask ten Wiccans what's
on their altars, you'll get thirteen different answers. If you're not following a specific tradition, you have the luxury
of figuring out for yourself what works for you. There is a general structure to follow, but there's much room for creativity
and individuality.
The magickal tools represent the elements. Candle and wand for Fire, incense and dagger for Air,
chalice for Water, and pentacle for Earth. In addition to the tools, some like to include things from nature that represent
the elements. Some possibilities are: a red stone or lava rock for Fire; a feather or flowers for Air; a seashell or bowl
of water for Water; a pinecone or herbs for Earth.
The incense and dagger are placed on the east side of the altar, candle and wand on the south side,
chalice on the west side, pentacle on the north side. The left side is for tools sacred to the Goddess (chalice, bell, pentacle,
cauldron) and the right is for tools sacred to the God (incense, dagger, candle, wand).
The altar cloth really can be made of whatever material you like and color or pattern you like.
Plain colored cloths seem to work the best for most occasions. Black is a popular choice. You could use colors that correspond
to your interests or specialties in the Craft, such as a green cloth if you're interested in herbal magick, or purple for
religion and spirituality. Patterned cloths are nice for Sabbats.
The altar stands in the middle of the circle, and is set to face either north for the Goddess and
the Earth, or east, the place of fresh beginnings, where the Sun and Moon rise.
This isn't meant to be an all-encompassing list of altar items used to represent the elements and
deities. Rather this is to give you an idea of the structure and creativeness involved, and to spark up your imagination.
If some of these ideas don't appeal to you, look for items by taking a walk in a natural environment, or even your own home.
Chances are you will stumble across something that speaks to you, that "tells" you it is meant to be a part of your altar.
You can also check out the Fire, Water, Air, and Earth correspondences on this site for more ideas on what can be used.
Make a dream pillow
Once upon a time, sleeping beauties laid their heads on pillows perfumed with sweet rushes and dried
hops, that is how these little pillows got the name of dream pillows.
All households made wide use of herbs and spices in pillows and sachets, for both the fragrance and
medicinal value. Day pillows would release a portion of the fragrance each time someone leaned back against them, dream pillows
were placed under the regular pillow or inside the pillowcase. These were used mostly to help promote sleep and pleasant dreams.
Even today you can visit many stores worldwide and find dream pillows for sale.
MATERIAL NEEDED:
2 pieces of your choice of material, any size or shape
Herbs and Spices (your choice)
Stuffing (optional)
Needle
Thread
Essential oils (your choice)
Zip Lock baggy
Ribbons and lace (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS:
Making your own dream pillows not only save you money, but using essential oils increases their effectiveness
and makes reviving them so much easier. The day before you are going to make the dream pillows take the herbs and spices you
have chosen for stuffing and put in the zip lock baggy. Now add several drops of the essential oil or oils of your choice.
How many drops to use depends on the size of the dream pillow and the strength of the herbs and spices you are planning on
using. With herbs and spices three to four should be sufficient, but if using stuffing fifteen or twenty would be better.
Seal bag and shake well to disperse all the oil, leave over night so that the oils will be absorbed completely.
For sleep dream pillows use chamomile, lavender, neroli, marigoram, valerian, nutmeg, or hops. All
of these essential oils help promote a restful, goodnight sleep. For the day pillows you might want to consider matching the
essential oils with the herbs and spices you have used, or make and match a different fragrance to each different room. Nice
ones to start out with are lemon, clary sage, geranium, and sweet orange.
To make your dream pillow all you will need is two pieces of material, any size or shape that you
want. Stitch along three sides of the material, then turn it right side out, leaving an opening large enough to add herbs,
spices or stuffing. Take the herbs and spice or stuffing out of your baggy and stuff this into your dream pillow, when you
have it filled about 3/4 full fold over the ends and stitch closed.
After a few weeks if your dream pillow seems to be losing all its fragrance, here is a way to revive
it: open a small corner of the pillow and add a few drops of your essential oils onto the herbs or stuffing and stitch back
closed. If you don’t want to go to that trouble then just put a few drops of essential oils on the outside of the pillow
and let dry.
With creativity and imagination you can make wonderful tailor-made gifts for family and friends. You
can decorate your dream pillow with a number of odds and ends, left over ribbons, buttons, and lace. Sweet dreams.
So Easy to Make Bath Salts
1 cup Sea Salt
1cup Epsom Salt
1 cup Baking Soda
Your favorite essential oils
Try
French Lavender, Rose Geranium and Ylang Ylang Extra
You'll want about 6 drops of essential oils per 1/4 cup salt blend
Use 1/4 cup per bath. This makes enough for several baths.
This explains three simple ways to make oils.
**CAUTION** these methods should only be attempted by a knowledgable user.
The Inner Sanctum
is not responsible for injury resulting in these methods.
OIL BREW
This method will only make oil that will smell like the herbs, it will not produce any useable
quantities
of actual plant oil. For that, use the next two methods. These oils are generally
weaker than normal, so be aware
of that before you begin.
1. Choose base oil, canola, olive, and vegetable oil work well, but almost anything will
work so long as its smell is not too strong.
2. Mix and empower dry herbs to be used in the oil.
3. Heat base oil until
hot.
4. Mix in herbs in about a 1:1 ratio with the oil.
5. Let sit for about 20 minutes, adjusting the heat to maintain
a constant temperature,
stir every minute.
6. Strain and store in a medicine bottle or film canister.
BREW BOIL
This will produce a stronger oil, and you can make it exactly as strong or weak as you
like. You
can even make it pure. But, it can not me mixed with a base oil to dilute it {unless
you make it pure}and it can be time
and herb consuming {depending on the level of purity
you choose}
1. Mix and empower dry herbs.
2. Mix herbs with boiling water and stir until a STRONG tea forms.
3.
Strain herbs out of tea.
4. Boil tea down until you are left with a suitable strength oil.
5. To dilute this oil mix
with water instead of base oil, or they will not mix.
6. Store the oil in a medicine bottle or a film canister.
STEAM DISTILLATION
This will guarantee the purest oil possible. But, this can be a time and material consuming
method.
On average 2oz of herbs will yeald 2-3ml of oil, and about 2-3 cups of hydrosol
{a byproduct of this process, basically
water with a small amount of oil dissolved in it }
Here are the instructions:
Materials:
2 glass bottles with lids
1 plastic bottle
Aluminum foil
Aquarium or surgical tubing
Mixed, empowered herbs
Water
A stove
Punching tools
1. Fill a glass bottle with water, punch a hole in the lid, a small hole for gas pressure release,
run tubing through the large hole
2. Place other end of tubing in the second bottle, through a hole in the lid and run
the tubing
to the bottom of the bottle. Put another tube in the lid.
3. Run the other end of THAT
tube in a spiral {It should look like a spring} and connect it
to the bottom of the plastic bottle.
4.
Mount the plastic bottle upside-down over a glass.
5. Fill the second bottle {the one with two tubes}with the herbs
6.
Place the first bottle on the stove and let it boil until there is no water left
7. By this time there should the collection
glass should have water with oil floating on top,
use an eye dropper to remove the oil and throw away
the water {Actually, it is hydrosil, but
it is worthless just the same}
8. Place the oil in a medicane
bottle or a film canister.
How to Make a Hooded Cloak
A small blanket is much more compact
and easy to carry while hiking
than a winter coat. It's also easier to adjust with changing
temperature.
If it gets cold, pull the cloak tightly around you.
You may even want to belt it at the waist, making a kind of
overcoat.
If it gets warmer, take off the hood and throw the cloak
back over your shoulders. If it gets really warm, you can
roll the
blanket up and strap it to your pack, or roll it around a belt and
belt it to your waist like a fanny pack.
A
small blanket about 78 by 56 inches (198x142 centimeters) is a
minimum size. I also use one 108 by 65 inches (274x165
centimeters)
for a longer cloak. A wool army blanket is perfect. An acrylic
stadium blanket is warmer,
but it's bulkier and almost too small.
You can also use a cotton flannel sheet for a summer cloak. Dark
green
or blue would be nice.
Find the middle of the longer edge of the blanket and place it at
the top of your head,
with the blanket hanging over your shoulders
and down your back. Pull the edge of the blanket around your face
like
a scarf or a shawl. Don't pin it yet: if you were to pin it
together under your chin, the weight of the blanket
would pull it
off your head.
Instead, reach back and take a pinch of the blanket from just above
each
shoulder, about six inches back from the edge. Pull these
forward, overlap them, and pin them with a broach (a blanket
pin or
even a diaper pin will do.) Now the "hood" will stay in place. It
can be adjusted, made tighter
or looser, by pulling on the edge of
the blanket. You can also throw it back off your head, and it
looks just
like a real hood.
You will find that there are two long corners hanging down by your
heels. If you want to
use a blanket big enough to make your cloak
longer than knee-length, the corners may drag on the ground. You
can eliminate
the corners by cutting them off. Or if you think you
might want to restore the blanket later to rectangular shape,
you
can fold the corners up instead, and sew them in place. A smaller
blanket will clear the ground even if
you let the corners hang.
You can use a similar method to make a rain poncho out of a cheap
plastic dropcloth,
found in a hardware store by the painting
supplies. Get the thinnest plastic you can find and fold it in
half, using
the fold as the edge of the hood. Instead of pinning,
staple the pinches together and reinforce with strapping tape.
Make
sure to make the neck opening big enough to slip over your head!
Cut the bottom off to length and there
it is. Because there are no
seams, it is completely waterproof, and it's very lightweight.
Update:
I've found that by sewing a couple of tie-strings onto the
cloak, it's much easier to put on than it is when I have to
pin it.
The blanket still lies flat if needed. I also have done this with
the plastic dropcloth raincoat, attaching
the strings with staples
and tape. For the rain poncho, you can make the strings out of scraps
of the dropcloth.
For the blanket, make strings out of cloth or ribbon.
Attach them about 16 inches in from the top of the blanket, and 16
inches apart. Here's a diagram. The X represents the place where you
attach the tie-string. The ***
represents the tie-string. The slashes
represent the places where you may want to either cut or fold up the
corners.
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Put the cloak over your head with the strings
on the outside. Tie
The strings around your neck, and the cloak will be adjusted
correctly. You may want
to pin it on first to find the exact
placement of the tie-strings.
Yule Centerpiece
If your a busy person this is an ideal craft. One of the easiest things to do for your home is
to create a centerpiece for the table. It's quick, it's easy and it looks good. This can stay out all year long and you can
change the flowers and greenery to suit the season.
ITEMS YOU WILL NEED:
1: 6"-10" decorative basket that you can pick up from any craft or department
store. It should have some depth to it, without it being too big.
1: Oasis Form (a cube of styrofoam used by florists
which are easily attainable) or you can use a plastic evergreen bow left over from Yule. That should be only about 16" long.
1: Candle Holder. This can be made of any type of material that is pleasing to your eye. (Wood, glass, silver etc.)
3-4:
Plastic seasonal flowers. This way you can save them for the following years. For Yule: you can use: Holly, Mistletoe, Black
Berries, Pointsettias, Pine Cones, Dates, Dried Fruit (oranges symbolized for the returning sun) etc. You can purchase these
anywhere (craft stores, department stores, some hardware stores.)
1: Colour Candle. This should suit the sabbat. For Yule:
use a red or green candle.
DIRECTIONS:
Cut a hole in the centre of the Oasis Form big enough to fit your candle holder. Or
if you opted for the evergreen bow wrap it around inside the basket and place the candle holder in the middle. Cut the bow
to the length to fit your basket so it won't look too stuffed. Next add your candle holder in the centre of the basket. Use
pliers or wire cutters to cut the long stems of the plastic flowers and to defoliate the leaves that come with it. Cut them
at different lengths to give dimension to the basket in general. Once you have finished cutting your flowers, begin sticking
them into the form or evergreen bow. Start at the centre and move your way out. Remember to keep a 'balance' of colour and
texture to it.
Candle Making
A Beginners Guide
Ok then,Having decided to start on the Path of Witchcraft,what do
you need to equip yourself with??Apart from the obvious such as a pointed hat,black cat and broomstick there are several things
that the real witch needs to have,and needs to know.This is not to say that if you never make a candle you arent a real witch,it
is just like a good chef preparing a sauce from scratch and not relying on a premade sauce...no matter how good and reliable
his supplier is....one time in a thousand it might not be exactly prepared as before...and anyway...candle making is lots
of fun and very rewarding...so give it a go....it is safe,cheap,enjoyable and gives your mind a chance to grow.
So..The Basics.
A candle has three made parts....the WAX (usually parrafin wax now
days,but beeswax is still available),STEARIN (the secret ingredient that makes the candle harder and prevents heavy dripping
and makes the candle burn properly) and the WICK.(basically a very thin shop bought candle!)
Add the three together and hey presto...your first candle.For the
very unsure I would reccommend a candle making kit...available from candle suppliers and craft shops...but if you are a little
adventurous then this isnt really needed...just a mould,some new wax ,the wick and the stearin,all of which can be bought
seperately...(and cheaper too).You will also need two pans,one that holds the boiling water and a smaller one that fits in
side it....if you have ever melted chocolate you will know what I mean.The only diference is that the saucepan/container that
you melt the wax in is good for nothing else afterwards except melting more wax...so dont use the best saucepan set that you
got for Christmas!!You will also need some ****tail sticks,a blob of your kids plasticine,old newspapers and a clear firm
working surface where you can leave your candle to set.Colour dyes are optional..but lets just make a white candle to start
with,that way if it goes wrong you can add coloured dyes next time,reuse the wax and hide the mistake..I wont tell!!....
Step One
Important this...Hang a "Do not Disturb" sign on the kitchen door..This
is your first attempt and you will want to concentrate,kids,pets and the other half will be distracting.Feed the cat,put the
tv on for the kids,and throw the old man a pizza (or the phone,he can ring his own)!!.
Step Two
Fill the big saucepan about a third full of water and put on to boil,when
boiling reduce the heat to a simmer...check that the water level doesnt rise too high when you put the smaller saucepan in
it...do this while the water is cold...when satisfied turn to the candle mould.Take your wick and thread it through the hole
in the bottom of the mould,tie the loose end to the ****tail stick and pull gently tight,then put a blob of pasticine in the
hole to seal it and stop the melted wax coming out.Cut off the extra wick,and center the wick on the ****tail stick.(I say
****tail stick because I am assuming you are making a fairly small candle as your first attempt...obviously if you are making
a large candle use a stick/scewer that fits accross the open end of the mould!).See diagram below.You can also use the plasticine
to set your mould upright if it isn't free standing.
Now add your wax chips and stearin to the small pan....in a ratio
of tens parts wax to one part stearin and melt slowly and gently in the simmering water.Some books will tell you about temperatures
of the wax etc,but if its melted and runny I consider it's at the correct temperature to pour into the mould!!When you are
satisfied that the wax is fluid enough (dont let it boil...this means the wax is too hot,it can give of some nasty fumes!),pour
into the mould,dont be frightened of the molten wax,if you pour hesitently it will run down the side of the pan and drip on
the work surface..(hence the newspapers!!),treat it like normal hot water,pur slowly but firmly into the mould.When the mould
is full replace the small pan back in the larger pan,you will need to add a bit more wax to the mould as the wax sets...because
as it cools it will shrink and form a recess in the base.
Step Three
About an hour later
This is about the most tricky time.....you will need to fill in the
indent in the bottom of the candle,remelt your wax (or,if you left it simmering,keeping an eye on the water level in the big
saucepan!) to fill in the sinkwell.I suggest you use an old spoon for this because if you overfill the sinkwell,hot wax will
get in between the part shrunken candle and the side of the mould...AND YOU WILL HAVE A PROBLEM GETTING THE CANDLE OUT!!.Once
the base is level you can turn off the cooker and go and have a well earned rest.
STEP FOUR
3 or 4 hours later
Approach your now set candle with a sense of excitement......how
will it look out of the mould??...Only one way to find out!!Cut the wick just under the ****tail stick,and remove the plasticine,be
careful as you turn the mould over to do this...it may be loose in the mould and might fall out.Give the mould a sharp tap
on a solid surface and out the candle should drop.Trim the wick and there you go...your first candle!!It didnt come out of
the mould??...No problem...stand it in the fridge overnight and try in the morning,it would have shrunk some more,you over
filled the sinkwell didnt you??If this doesnt work try running the mould under a hot tap for a while to remelt the base wax.
But I will assume all went well and you are now proudly holding your
first homemade candle.Light it up and think to yourself..."The flame lives...I've created life!!"
Next Time...
Colours.
During the melt stage just add the colour dye to the melted wax,start
with the lightest colour first..adding the darker colours in turn,that way you can use the same wax.Alernatively clean the
small pan between meltings.Use that old spoon from last time to stir the colour dye in slowly.
Standard candle colours for circle work are Green(North),Yellow(East),Red(South)
and Blue (West),Altar candles are white and black and Spirit candle is white.I use a mould about 6 inchs high by 2 inches
accross.This gives enough burn time to use in all the sabbats,I use one set all year,remake the candles at Imbolc and on that
sabbat we light the new candles from what is left of the old ones....that way each candle lives on in it's partner candle.....
A word on black candles.....black is merely an absence of colour
it isnt an evil colour.Now,I understand why you may not be happy with having a black candle in your circle...ok,no problem...use
two white candles instead...remember if it doesnt feel right to you then don't do it!!(Just for the record...and to make you
feel better I use two white candles on the altar...I don't have any particular aversion to the black candle but some people
who join the circle would be uncomfortable with it,so I don't use it!!)
Ok,That's the secret of cast candle making...let me know how you
get on...will be adding sections to this part of the site about candle annointing and candle rituals at a later date.Imbolc
is fast approaching so will be putting up an Imbolc Ritual using the Kaizen Circle and your home made candles if you would
like to start celebrating the Pagan Wheel,now would be a good sabbat to start!! By the way at the beginning I was kidding
about the pointed hat and the broomstick...a cat is nice tho!!
A FINAL WORD ON SAFETY
Hot wax can catch fire just like boiling fat.IF this happens smother
the flames with a saucepan lid or sheet of foil...DO NOT ADD WATER TO BURNING OR LIQUID WAX......EVER!!
Never melt wax over a direct flame...always use the double saucepan
methd,and remember not to let the water run out.
Never leave hot/molten wax unattended,and keep out of the reach of
children
Dont allow water to splash into your hot wax.
Clean up as soon as possible when you have finished...but allow extra
wax to harden in an old tin can or other heatproof container...personally I either leave it to harden in the pan...to be the
first to be used next time..or try to have as little left over as possible.
Don't dispose of spare wax down the sink....YOU WILL NEED A PLUMBER!!
Happy Candle Crafting
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