April from a Witch’s point of view…

April from a Witch’s point of view…by Tansy Firedragon (Rachel Patterson)

Drip drop drip little April showers…April can be a bit hit and miss with the weather but it is (usually and hopefully) most definitely spring.  Plants are starting to really come alive, the seeds planted at Ostara are making good headway and the weather is (she says again hopefully) a bit warmer.

We are working off the back of the spring equinox and heading towards Beltane, everything is alive and buzzing with energy.

Magical workings for this month are; creativity, producing, return to balance, change, self confidence, self reliance, opportunities, emotions and selfishness.  I think the equinox always brings about changes of one kind or another (in my experience anyway), it is a time to clear out the old and that which has not worked and to bring in new projects, new ventures and new ways of thinking, make changes that bring in the positive.  It is so easy to get caught in a cycle of destructive or unhealthy actions, now is the time to break free (yep I am singing now…).   Sometimes we end up taking on too much and finding our entire life is out of balance and it has a ripple effect, like dropping a pebble into a still pool, the ripples from one tiny stone can have a huge affect on everything else.  The equinox gives us an opportunity to re-balance and use all the energy that Beltane brings with it to put those changes into action. 

Take a step back…take a really good look at your life and see where you can make changes to bring it back into alignment, to give a good balance between work, friends, family, play and ‘you’ time.  Even little changes are a start and can lead onto bigger ones.

To help you find the unbalance or the underlying problem issues I like to light a white and a black candle (go with whatever colours work for you but you need a darker and a lighter candle, pale blue and dark blue or pale pink and burgundy for instance).  I put them in holders and place a tarot card between the two candles something like Temperance or the Two of Pentacles, a card that says ‘balance’ to you.   Light both candles with the intent of seeking out the areas of your life that need adjusting, watch the flames and look deep into the cards…open yourself up to totally honesty and the answers will come to you.

If you want to work with deities that are associated with the month of April some suggestions would be Venus, Aphrodite, Eostre, Aprilis, Flora, Pales, Terra Mata, Ceres, Jupiter, Furrina, Cybele, Kali, Hathor, Fortuna, Ishtar and Bast.  Make a small altar to a specific deity, add an image to your existing altar or meditate to specifically connect with one of them, they will all have guidance and advice for you, all you have to do is ask.

Totem animal energies that are particularly associated with this month are falcon, beaver, elk, snake, ram, bull, bear and wolf.  Each of these totems have their own particular energies and characteristics that you can drawn on and help you understand, gain insight and strength from.  Invite them into your meditation and see where they lead you.

Veggies that are in season during April: Aparagus, broccoli, purple sprouting, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, chicory, chard, endive, spring & winter greens, kale, leeks, lettuce, onions, potatoes, radish, rocket, sea kale, sorrel, spinach and watercress.  One of my personal favourite fruits is also in season now and that is rhubarb.

If you fancy a bit of foraging (please make sure you have identified the plants correctly before eating!) Alexanders, broom buds, chickweed, dandelion (the leaves make a delicious salad), fat hen, hop shoots, nettles, sea kale, sea spinach, sorrel, watercress, wild rocket, cow parsley, meadowsweet, wild fennel, wild garlic, primroses (please pick these sparingly as they are becoming quite endangered in the wild) and wild mushrooms.

If you like working with the energy of crystals then a few suggestions to work with that correspond to the month of April are quartz, amber, aquamarine, azurite, carnelian, emerald, kunzite, kyanite, lapis lazuli, rhodonite, rose quartz, seleninte, tiger’s eye and variscite.   You could use the positive energies of April to make a crystal grid.  Start with a crystal in the centre and add your intent, if it is for business success you could put a business card under the centre crystal then add crystals going around in a spiral or a mandala pattern fanning out from the centre.  I like to add herbs and oracle or tarot cards to my crystal grids too.  Once your intuition has told you what crystals to use and where to put them visualise all the crystals, herbs and cards linking up with a ‘web’ of white light to bring your intent to reality.

Making a loose incense or an essential oil blend to help you connect with the flavour of April might include some of these; daisy, sweet pea, pine, bay, bergamot, patchouli, basil, dragon’s blood, geranium, sandalwood, cinnamon or thistle.  But be guided by your own intuition and what ingredients you have access to.

Try creating an incense with the intention of bringing about balance to your life, I would work with sandalwood, cinnamon and patchouli – it makes a lovely earthy scent.

Spring has sprung and the powerful energy of Beltane is on its way…

Tansy

Originally published in the Mystik Way magazine.

www.rachelpatterson.co.uk