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.
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.
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