The Summer Soltice is almost here!

 Good Afternoon,

We've had lots of rain for the past couple of months, but the mid point of summer, the Summer Solstice, is almost upon us. The Summer Solstice has been a special time marking the mid point of summer for centuries. 

Stonehenge in Wiltshire, England has been a gathering site for the mid winter and mid summer calendar points for thousands of years. Archaeological evidence proves that as many as 4,000 people would gather at Stonehenge for the Summer Solstice in ancient times. The stones are aligned in such a way that an observer, standing within the stone circle, would see the sun pierce  over a specific stone, the heel stone, right at the moment of the sunrise. This happens every year in the same manner, suggesting the stone henge was built on the principles of a clock or stone calendar.

In Pagan times , long before Christianity was introduced, pagan folks would gather at outdoor venues such as sacred groves, crossroads, temples and such, to worship the Sabbats on the Wheel of the Year. The Summer Solstice was a big event as people were known to travel during the mild summer months to the celebration sites. The site of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris before the Cathedral was built was reputed to attract upwards of 10,000 people during the Summer Solstice.  In ancient times, those numbers are pretty impressive. Heck! Those numbers are pretty impressive today!

Enter Christianity.  As the early Christians were hell bent on converting everyone to the new, only, religion, they started to incorporate many concepts with which to encourage the conversion. One was to build churches and cathedrals on sacred gathering sites. This was why Notre Dame Cathedral was built. People would still come to the sacred site to worship, but now they had to go through the doors, pay their tithes  and worship as though they were Catholic.

Stonehenge was a Pagan gathering site that is still populated by Pagans every year at the various Sabbats and has not been Christianized to this day.

The Summer Solstice enters this Friday, June 21st and in the United States is recognized as the first day of summer, whereas for many Pagans it is the mid-summer marking point, as we recognized May 1st, Beltaine, as our first day of summer. Regardless of when you recognize summer to have started, we are in summer this week and I plan to enjoy it!

Going out now to plant two Witches Broom Bushes in my broom garden. I hope you get out this week and enjoy the summer in your own special way!


Peace and Happiness!






© 2010-2013 Faith M. McCann. Portions of this blog posting may include materials from my book “Enchantments School for the Magickal Arts First Year Magickal Studies.” For more information, see www.enchantmentsschool.com or go to the title of tonight's discussion and click, it will link you to my school's website. Please note that the copying and/or further distribution of this work without express written permission is prohibited.


 If you know someone who would like my work, please send them this link. If you or they would like to be included on our daily email distribution list send me an e mail with your email address to be included. If you ever wish to unsubscribe to this blog, please contact me and you will be immediately removed from our list.

You are cordially invited to . . . Enchantments upcoming events!

 Good Afternoon,

The next few weeks have a couple of fun things happening at Enchantments that I'd like to invite you to. First our Summer Solstice (Litha) Ritual and Feast.  To be held on Saturday June 22nd in the front gardens of Enchantments at 10 am. Followed right afterwards by a pagan feast. You are invited and are asked to please bring a dish to share with others.  We celebrate Litha (a Germanic name for a Summer Goddess) to honor the God and Goddess and this time of Summer and abundance.  Litha is the only Summer Sabbat we have as the prior three were considered Spring Sabbats. It is directly across from the Winter Solstice or Yule which we celebrate 6 months from now in December.  But enough about winter!! Now is the time to celebrate the warmth of the Sun, the flowers and abundance we find in our lives.

The next activity planned after our Litha Sabbat is our Bi-monthly Women's Spirituality Group meeting. This next meeting is being held at a special time and date, 7 pm on Tuesday July 2nd and we will meet at Halls Archery located at 291 Middle Tpke West in Manchester, CT. Ladies only, as this is our Women's Spirituality Group meeting and it will cost each lady $12.00 to participate. After an hour of shooting bow and arrow we will take the party across the street to the Chinese Buffet which will cost each person $13.99 and talk about our experiences. I have conducted this archery class every year for several years and it is a blast! No worries if you have never shot a bow and arrow before, nor if you are the least athletic person you know! With the excellent instructors at Hall's Archery you will be shooting bulls eyes before you know it. The hour goes by quickly and the empowerment from such an experience is awesome.  Being able to hold a quivering bow in your hands and direct an arrow to its destination can be a metaphor in many ways into taking charge of situations in your life and directing things as to where to go and how to work them for your own benefit. We will conduct a  spirituality meeting while having dinner at the buffet. I hope you will consider coming to this event. Please call me, Ms. Faith at Enchantments 860-791-6033 or e mail me at Enchantmentsllc@gmail.com to let me know to expect you at Hall's Indoor Archery on July 2nd.


Peace and Happiness


© 2010-2013 Faith M. McCann. Portions of this blog posting may include materials from my book “Enchantments School for the Magickal Arts First Year Magickal Studies.” For more information, see www.enchantmentsschool.com or go to the title of tonight's discussion and click, it will link you to my school's website. Please note that the copying and/or further distribution of this work without express written permission is prohibited. 

If you know someone who would like my work, please send them this link. If you or they would like to be included on our daily email distribution list send me an e mail with your email address to be included. If you ever wish to unsubscribe to this blog, please contact me and you will be immediately removed from our list.

Which elements are you?

 Good Afternoon,

We all, well most of us, know the element we are associated with due to our Sun sign. Such as Virgo is an earth sign, Aquarius is an air sign and so forth. But could you have more than one element within you? I think so. And, I've come up with a mini quiz to help you determine which elements you have the most of within you. Take my quiz and then check below to see the qualities that make up a part of you.

What element are you?

To determine the element you most sync up with circle only one option for each question.

1.     When working in the garden what item would you never wear ?

a.                 gloves

b.                 hat

c.                  shoes

d.                 sun glasses

2.     Do you use an umbrella when it rains?

  

a.                 sometimes

b.                 most of the time

c.                  always

d.                 never

3.     What would bother you the most?

a.                 Being in a large, crowded, noisy & excited place

b.                 Being in the dark

c.                  Being in a dark, musty, damp cave or basement

d.                 Being alone

4.     Imagine that you are upset about a situation and you were told that if you sat or lay down beneath one of 4 trees, you would feel better. Which tree would you choose?

a.                 oak

b.                 soft fir

c.                  sugar maple

d.                 willow

5.     What would you most like to do on a perfect day off?

a.                 go shopping

b.                 take a hot air balloon ride

c.                  go on a roller coaster

d.                 travel down a gently flowing stream in a very comfortable boat.

6.     If you could design the front yard which represents you the best what would it contain? Pick the one which is the most important for you to have in your front yard.

a.                 privacy hedge

b.                 a manicured or wild grass garden

c.                  bright, beautiful fragrant flowers

d.                 a fountain

7.     Which creature are you most “in sync” with?

a.                 bird

b.                 dragonfly

c.                  bee

d.                 butterfly

8.     What would be your ideal vacation from the 4 below?

a.                 Dude Ranch

b.                 Skiing

c.                  Tropical island

d.                 Cruise

9.     What creature would you most likely pick up?

a.                 Toad

b.                 Spider

c.                  Salamander

d.                 Snake

10.                        Which pet are you most likely to have?

a.                 cat/dog

b.                 bird

c.                  reptile

d.                 fish

11.                        Which one of the four color combos is most pleasing to you?

a.                 brown-green

b.                 yellow-red

c.                  red-black

d.                 blue-green

12.                        Which of the following is the most abhorrent to you ?

a.                 Falling a great distance

b.                 Being buried alive

c.                  Drowning

d.                 Being burned

13.                        What element is your astrological sign?

a.                 earth

b.                 air

c.                  fire

d.                 water

Astrological Signs:

Fire Signs - 

Aries (3/21-4/20)
Leo   (7/23 - 8/23) 
Sagittarius (11/23- 12/21) 

Air Signs: 

Aquarius (1/21) -2/18) 
Gemini    (5/22 - 6/21) 
Libra       (9/23 - 10/23) 

Water Signs: 

Pisces  (2/19 - 3/20) 
Cancer ( 6/22 - 7/22)
Scorpio (10/24 - 11/22) 

Earth Signs: 

Virgo (8/24 - 9/22) 
Taurus ( 4/21 - 5/21) 
Capricorn (12/22 - 1/20) 

 To score yourself apply the following:

Count up number of A’s, B’s, C’s, & D’. The majority of one letter is the dominant element within you. Many people have traces of all the elements in them, and many more have two strong elements within. How did you score?  a - earth, b- air, c- fire, d- water 

Now that you've scored yourself and found out your elements, lets discuss a bit about each element and what type of personal qualities each has. 

Earth - an earth sign or someone with a lot of earth within them are usually steadfast, loyal, true and devoted. They fall in love strongly and for keeps. They are usually good with organizational tasks and give good advice to those closest to them.  Don't cross them though, as they can be true life long friends, betraying them will cause them to turn their backs on you and they never look back. 

Air - Those with a lot of air within are often in their heads. They are intellectual, trustworthy and very smart. They work well with others and can be great friends. They love with all their hearts but be sure not to treat their love lightly as they will tend to look elsewhere for the love, respect and admiration they desire. 

Fire- Those who have a dominant fire element within can be passionate, energetic, effervescent and fun to be around. They are passionate lovers and are hard workers. They tend to be truthful, sometimes this can be hurtful to others they tell their truth to! They make good friends and a fire element can be surrounded by many who wish to be with them. 

Water- Those who have an abundance of water within are caring, compassionate and loving. They can be moody with their emotions and at times just wish to be by themselves until they feel more sociable. They can be creative, artistic and are very consistent with their likes and dislikes. 


This is my mini quiz on how the elements may work within you. The ancient philosophers felt that the four elements, earth, air, fire and water along with spirit (the fifth element) were to be found in some combination within all things found on earth. I feel the same applies for us. I hope you enjoy the quiz!



Peace and Happiness

© 2010-2013 Faith M. McCann. Portions of this blog posting may include materials from my book “Enchantments School for the Magickal Arts First Year Magickal Studies.” For more information, see www.enchantmentsschool.com or go to the title of tonight's discussion and click, it will link you to my school's website. Please note that the copying and/or further distribution of this work without express written permission is prohibited. 

 If you know someone who would like my work, please send them this link. If you or they would like to be included on our daily email distribution list send me an e mail with your email address to be included. If you ever wish to unsubscribe to this blog, please contact me and you will be immediately removed from our list.

'Practical Magick' My new re-vamped class at Manchester Community College

Good Afternoon,

I am getting ready to teach a new class at Manchester Community College this semester. It's called 'Practical Magick' and it's designed to teach the beginner student, the ways of the witch. Over the last decade I have taught hundreds of students and countless classes at Manchester Community College, as well as at my own school for the magickal arts, Enchantments in Manchester, CT.  I've taken these lessons, re-vamped them, and paired them with a jazzy PowerPoint presentation to develop a new program that teaches moon magick, candle magick, potions, as well as having some fun quizzes designed to help the student find out more about their magickal selves.

So,  have you ever wondered about witches or pagans and their magickal belief systems? Maybe you have marveled at the full moon and wished that you could do something to honor it, or to celebrate in some special way the solstices, equinoxes and the four seasons. This course will guide you on your way!  Learn the Wheel of the Year, Moon Magick, Candle Magick and many more magickal topics. The final class will be a magickal potions workshop held at Enchantments, 349 East Center Street, Manchester, CT during which time students will make and bring home their own potion.  There is a $10 materials fee due at the first class, payable to instructor.

So, if this sounds fun to you, come and take class with me as I show you how to live and practice as a witch.

This course costs $65 payable to Manchester Community College. To sign up for classes and you MUST reserve your class in advance please call 860-512-3232 Your course number is CRN20729 and the classroom, this class will be held in, is GPA (Great Path Academy building on the MCC Campus) GP143

This class will be offered again during the fall semester at MCC and again in the spring of 2014. 

I look forward to seeing you there! Ms. Faith


 Peace and Happiness!




© 2010-2013 Faith M. McCann. Portions of this blog posting may include materials from my book “Enchantments School for the Magickal Arts First Year Magickal Studies.” For more information, see www.enchantmentsschool.com or go to the title of tonight's discussion and click, it will link you to my school's website. Please note that the copying and/or further distribution of this work without express written permission is prohibited. 

If you know someone who would like my work, please send them this link. If you or they would like to be included on our daily email distribution list send me an e mail with your email address to be included. If you ever wish to unsubscribe to this blog, please contact me and you will be immediately removed from our list.

Magickal Gardening and Magick when Tragedy Strikes

 Good Afternoon,

This past week, in magickal studies class, we did some magickal gardening.  My students and I prepared, planted and then blessed our garden in front of Enchantments.

We learned that to plant plants properly, we pull apart, just slightly, the root structure of the plant and breath on it gently to infuse the plant with our life's energy thus giving it a stronger head start in the garden.

We planted Petunias which has the magickal property to soothe and calm a person. It also has the magickal properties of joy and happiness.We also planted Alyssum which has the magickal property to protect one against 'fascination' or being bewitched if hung up in the home. It also is able to rid a person of anger if worn upon the body. The third plant we planted was Geranium. Geraniums magickal properties are fertility, health, love and protection. There is an old saying "snakes will not go, where geranium grow" indicating a snack repelling quality to the plant.

We concluded our planting session by casting a circle,  holding hands, and sending out loving, growing energy to the garden. We smudged the garden and blessed it with blessed water.  This is what the garden looks like today: 

With the hard work of one particular student, Susan, the altar and surrounding area has been cleared of overgrown grasses and weeds. Doesn't it look amazing!? Ms. Eileen, Susan and myself planted the flowers and the entire front garden is truly a show piece! Thanks to the lovely ladies, three witches we, that have blessed Enchantments gardens with their special magick!

On a sadder note, let's discuss in brief, the terrible tragedy of the Tornadoes which have wrecked havoc on Oklahoma this past week. When a disaster such as this strikes, we all feel so helpless and it feels that there is truly little we can do.  But we can do something. Burn a candle. I know, it sounds simple and it is. But that doesn't make it less powerful or effective. For centuries candles have been burned at vigils and to help during the darkest of times and their special magickal energy is still effective today. You see everything, as I'm often saying, is made up of vibrational energy.  A candle has a special vibrational energy that with a bit of magickal effort on your part, syncs up with the energy of the situation in which you're trying to create change. Hold the candle in your hands, close your eyes and see in this case, people - happy, healthy, in touch with loved ones, in homes surrounded by warmth, light, good food and loved ones. After a few moments of visualization, open your eyes, light the candle and place it in a holder.

Allow the candle to burn completely down and know your loving, caring energies are making their way to a place and to people who will use that energy when it gets there. It can make you feel less helpless and more in control of being able to do something. It might also come to you to donate money, goods or services also, and if it does and this is something you can do, by all means do so. But don't dismiss burning a candle as trivial, for the magick that it brings is often quite powerful.

Our Blessings and prayers go out to all of those affected by the tornadoes in Oklahoma.

Peace and Happiness




© 2010-2013 Faith M. McCann. Portions of this blog posting may include materials from my book “Enchantments School for the Magickal Arts First Year Magickal Studies.” For more information, see www.enchantmentsschool.com or go to the title of tonight's discussion and click, it will link you to my school's website. Please note that the copying and/or further distribution of this work without express written permission is prohibited. 

If you know someone who would like my work, please send them this link. If you or they would like to be included on our daily email distribution list send me an e mail with your email address to be included. If you ever wish to unsubscribe to this blog, please contact me and you will be immediately removed from our list.

Earthing . . . a new concept for a better well being

 Good Afternoon,

Today I want to discuss a new concept I just came across called 'earthing'.  Now it's really not so new. In fact as children we, most of us, did it all the time. That is to walk barefoot on the bare earth and grass.

Proponents of earthing claim that by walking, laying on or getting your hands into the earth (as in gardening) without gloves or shoes, you connect with the vibrational energy of the earth and it combines with your personal energy and wonderful things can come of this vibrational connection.

Now quantum physicists will tell you that everything is made up of vibrational energy. Everything vibrates. Some things like rocks have a slower vibration where as electricity is faster. Humans, animals, plants, even manufactured items like a desk or a chair has a vibrational energy to it.

We all fall somewhere on the scale of vibrational energy. Animals and plants have a different level than humans for instance. All humans fall within a window but we are at different places within that window. That's why some people you meet you dislike or want nothing to do with, for no reason really. You might even have said "we're just not in sync" and you'd be right. Your vibrational energies don't sync up,  but for some people like a loved one, significant other or best friend you're absolutely in sync. This means your vibrational levels are very, very similar to one another.

I have taught students about vibrational energies for several years being a firm believer in the energetic world of vibration. Now along comes 'earthing' and I'm loving it! Why not!? It makes perfect sense, I'm surprised it hasn't been around longer, but then again .  .  .  maybe it has. Remember the 'tree huggers' of the seventies, the hippies 'peace love and joy man' of the sixties? They were all getting into, and getting off on, the energy of nature and the natural world around them.

So now we have a concept that has been coined 'earthing.' Today, it is believed by those who are following this concept that earthing can bring about a wellness of being, as well as increased good physical health. Now, I caution against those who develop a medical problem, that wish to avoid the doctor and just go walking around their front lawns. If you have a medical issue please seek out competent medical care but by all means enhance it with getting out in the sun, walking barefoot on the grass or along a beach and every now and then plant a flower or green plant and use your hands. Ditch the shoes and gloves which prevent you from absorbing the natural energies from the earth. See how you feel after doing a bit of earthing!


Peace and Happiness







© 2010-2013 Faith M. McCann. Portions of this blog posting may include materials from my book “Enchantments School for the Magickal Arts First Year Magickal Studies.” For more information, see www.enchantmentsschool.com or go to the title of tonight's discussion and click, it will link you to my school's website. Please note that the copying and/or further distribution of this work without express written permission is prohibited. 

If you know someone who would like my work, please send them this link. If you or they would like to be included on our daily email distribution list send me an e mail with your email address to be included. If you ever wish to unsubscribe to this blog, please contact me and you will be immediately removed from our list.

Let me clear up some things about me as a witch and about being Wiccan

Good Afternoon,

Recently I had someone come into Enchantments, he is a ghost-hunter, and ask me some questions about a place he's investigating that's haunted.  He was told by someone that the place in question had been inhabited by a woman, now dead, who was believed to be a Wiccan. Now that she's passed on, all sorts of paranormal activity has been going on.

He started to tell me some things, her magickal items. they had found in the place when I stopped him cold. He had said they found all sorts of bones from animals, mostly birds. I told him pointblank "She wasn't a Wiccan." I know this because we don't use animal remains, bones or blood in our practice. Not under any circumstances. This falls under the 'an' it harm none category'.

He had  come to me to see exactly what he was dealing with, and while I can say she wasn't Wiccan, at least not an educated in our ways, Wiccan witch way, I wasn't really able to help him other than to say she wasn't practicing Wicca.  He wanted to know if I could do a house cleansing. I do house blessings and cleansings of unwanted energies but I draw the line at homes under the influence of ghostly presences. I have ghosts at Enchantments and I can communicate with spirits but by my own definition I am not a medium, nor do I wish to be one.  The elimination of ghostly spirits I leave to those who enjoy that work. Not every witch is a medium. Besides I like the spirits that inhabit Enchantments and have no wish to see them go.

Also, Wiccans believe in God. Now, take a moment for that to settle in. While we may choose to worship the female aspect of the Godhead, Goddess, that doesn't mean we don't believe in God. Quite the contrary. I have had more people that will start off a conversation or make a remark similar to: 'Even if you don't believe in God, I respect you and your beliefs .  .   .  " Wait! What? Somewhere along the line just because we are not Christian in our beliefs people think that we've thrown out everything religious or spiritual in the process. That's just not true. Actually, if you want to be picky about it, I worship two Gods! The Goddess and the God, both aspects of one divine, amazing, all encompassing force but I stop and take recognition of the female aspect and again with the male aspect.  Just because I don't follow the Bible or practice Christian theology does not mean I am without God.

Finally for today, not every magickal person who does fortune readings uses the same tools. I use tarot, crystal ball, runes and stones but I do not read palms. I've had people come in and ask for a palm reading and look crestfallen because I don't use that divination method. Not every artist uses a paint brush. But that doesn't make the sculpture or flower arrangement less  beautiful or visually satisfying, now does it? If you want a reading, that should be the goal, not the method it is achieved by. The reading and it's accuracy should be what you're looking for, not necessarily someone to hold your hand.

I hope today's discussion clears up some misconceptions you might have had!



Peace and Happiness!







© 2010-2013 Faith M. McCann. Portions of this blog posting may include materials from my book “Enchantments School for the Magickal Arts First Year Magickal Studies.” For more information, see www.enchantmentsschool.com or go to the title of tonight's discussion and click, it will link you to my school's website. Please note that the copying and/or further distribution of this work without express written permission is prohibited.

 If you know someone who would like my work, please send them this link. If you or they would like to be included on our daily email distribution list send me an e mail with your email address to be included. If you ever wish to unsubscribe to this blog, please contact me and you will be immediately removed from our list.