HedgeWitch

by Silver RavenWolf

  *You will speak the last stanza, given on page 108, after the working is done.

  To bring your ancestors to you, with your eyes closed, turn around slowly with your left hand raised. Where you feel pressure on the palm of your raised left hand is the gateway to your ancestors that, from this time forth, will be known only to you. Stop. Take a deep breath, ask for their assistance, and then visualize the quality you desire. Pull this quality into yourself, breathing deeply and smiling. In no way should you experience any negative feelings. If you do, then you haven’t asked for what you really need or you really do not desire this change. Choose a different quality and try again. When you are finished, be sure to thank your ancestors and the universe for the gifts you have received. Don’t forget to smile!

  Repeat the last stanza of the general HedgeWitch conjuration:

  As above and so below

  This working now is sealed

  O spell, be secret, safe, and sound

  Fruition in its field!

  It always works. Always a blessing.

  Remember to smile! In your HedgeWitch journal, inscribe your secret sigil for wood, or learning new things. Add to this your choice of a personal good luck animal. On a separate page, draw all the symbols you have created for the past twelve days. We will be adding two more—the sigil for the thirteenth night and the sigil for your own personal change, which will be designed the night of your dedication ceremony. This evening, review what each of the previously drawn sigils now means to you.

  Here is an example:

  First Night—Wind—My connection to Spirit

  Second Night—Fire—My personal creativity

  Third Night—Earth—Richness and abundance of the universe

  Fourth Night—Sky—My unlimited opportunity

  Fifth Night—Rain—My good health and healing

  Sixth Night—Mountain—My stability and treasures within the self

  Seventh Night—Lightning—My personal power, confidence, and balance

  Eighth Night—Thunder—My power of thought and action

  Ninth Night—Metal—My flow and harmony within Spirit

  Tenth Night—Stone—My gratitude

  Eleventh Night—Celestial Power—My light within

  Twelfth Night—Wood—Knowledge, wisdom, and education

  This way, you will have a quick reference to your symbols. Feel free to change the meanings of the symbols to more perfectly match your meditations the past twelve days.

  Before you drift off to sleep, close this evening by saying:

  Peace with the gods

  Peace with nature

  Peace within.

  It always works.

  Always a blessing.

  Remember to smile!

  Thirteenth Night

  Your affirmation for today: By observing in silence, I shape my life. I seek to listen and hear people, art, music, and events that bring peace, happiness, and tranquility into my life.

  Your symbol for today: Choose a symbol that signifies personal transformation and the combined power of all your sigils to you.

  Begin your day: Begin in the morning by reading the affirmation for the day. Today’s segment concentrates on silence, associating perfect quiet with the intuitive power of Spirit. Close your eyes, quiet your mind, smile, and allow Spirit to fully enter your body. Then repeat the word silence softly, conjuring your vision of perfect peace (the still point) in your mind. Open your eyes, and repeat the affirmation at least three times. Remember to smile as you finish! Throughout the day, repeat the affirmation as many times as you like. Begin and end with a smile. Write down in a small notebook (or your HedgeWitch journal) anything unusual about this day and events, people, or places that carry a strong silence association. In this way, you will be prepared to perform the thirteenth night’s Rite of Silence.

  To do today: Today I will endeavor to listen rather than speak without thinking. I will make special note of what I am observing. I will find a representation of my personal good luck animal that I chose last night. I will either wear this symbol or carry a picture of it with me.

  Today I will release…dirt and grime from my living space. If necessary, I will wash the floors, vacuum, and clean windows, especially in the room where I spend the most time and in my ritual area. I will throw out all old bedding and linens that are of no value, torn, or stained. I will throw out all old projects that I know I will never finish. If they are of value, I will give them away or sell them. I will go through all my bathroom cabinets and drawers that hold personal-care items and remove all old or unused products.

  Weekly planner: If you are spending a week on this rite, design something permanent to display in your home that speaks of the culmination of your hard work in HedgeWitchery study and transformation. This could be something you have manifested using the five Is; something you have made by hand, such as an altar cloth; something you have refinished, like a stool or altar table, etc. The choice is entirely yours.

  Herbs for today: Any cleansing herb or scent: pine, lemon, cedar, mint, orange, lemon verbena, lemon balm, green tea, or a combination that is pleasing to you. During the day, place a mixture of these herbs or scents on top of a picture of yourself positioned in the center of your altar. You can empower these herbs by using the herbal conjuration you used last night, or choose your own words.

  Supplies for tonight: Any item you choose to pamper yourself. If we do not feel good about ourselves, then we emotionally inhibit the changes we desire to make in our lives.

  Rite of Silence

  Tonight’s ritual is dedicated to pampering yourself, which means you won’t be working at your altar. You may visit a gym or a spa, or take a long, luxurious bath followed by a personal hygiene regime. You might decide to have your hair styled in a new way, shave off a beard, or color your hair in a new shade. Visit a nail salon or have fun shopping for new makeup or personal-care products. Choose a daring scent in a perfume or aftershave—something that encourages the new you to blossom!

  When you are finished, review your day and make notes in your HedgeWitch journal. Draw a symbol that represents the still point of peace and tranquility in today’s entry, as well as on the separate page you started last evening.

  Before you drift off to sleep, close this evening by saying:

  Peace with the gods

  Peace with nature

  Peace within.

  It always works.

  Always a blessing.

  Remember to smile!

  [contents]

  section

  The HedgeWitch

  Dedication Ritual

  Ceremony Night

  You’ve worked extremely hard these past thirteen days and nights (or weeks) to make the changes within yourself that you desire. This ceremony is an acknowledgement of your difficult work and of your determination to continue to allow Nature to assist you on your chosen life path. Read over the ceremony carefully. Feel free to change or insert any additional information or practices that you feel will enhance and personalize the ritual, so that it is more meaningful for you.

  Tonight’s Preparation

  The dedication ceremony supplies are listed here so that you can be prepared for your final rite of passage into HedgeWitchery.

  Mortar and pestle (for grinding herbs)

  HedgeWitch cleansing herbal mix—dried or fresh lavender, rosemary, chamomile, lemongrass, and lemon verbena (this is also used in the first night rite)

  Spring water

  Incense and incense holder (your choice of scent)

  HedgeWitch dedication candle: A special candle of your choice to be used for the final ceremony

  Appropriate candle holders

  Altar stone on which to do your workings

  Four altar candles for the f
inal ceremony: Green, black, gold, and white

  A cauldron in which to burn your wish

  Your signature herb

  Your magick key (real or charm)

  Bell or chimes

  Other herbs/flowers (fresh or dried) of your choice

  Empty bowl (for mixing water and herbs)

  Empty bottle to store tonight’s power potion—this should be a gold-colored bottle with a good sealing cap, if at all possible

  Fresh flowers, if you so desire

  Your magick symbols: How you represent these in your ceremony is entirely up to you. I drew mine with indelible black marker on small white stones. Some students drew them on notecards and arranged them near the dedication altar, others embroidered them on their ritual clothing or on an altar cloth. During the ceremony, you will touch each symbol. Some students simply opened their HedgeWitch journal and touched the symbols drawn there.

  Chamomile, bergamot, ginger, and rosemary (powdered or crushed—for the power potion)

  Morning dew collected from outside (for the power potion) or your favorite magickal oil or perfume

  Your HedgeWitch journal

  Fourteenth Night

  I am always connected to Spirit.

  Spirit fulfills my every need and

  my every desire. I know that Spirit lives within me.

  Welcome to Your HedgeWitchery

  Dedication Ceremony!

  In this ceremony, we begin with an empty altar (other than the stones you may have left there from the mountain ritual). All supplies should be close at hand for their placement as indicated within the ritual. Right before you begin, write one wish in primal language on a small piece of paper. You will burn this during tonight’s ceremony.

  Ring your bell or chimes to match your personal magick number. Light incense, and place this on the eastern corner of your altar. Mix together the HedgeWitch power potion herbs in a bowl. Add spring water and three drops of morning dew. If you have not collected morning dew, you can use three drops of your favorite magickal oil or perfume. Pour this mixture in your HedgeWitch power potion bottle. Hold your hands over the bowl and repeat the power potion blessing:

  Power Potion Blessing

  HedgeWitch power I invoke

  Heaven’s prayers like sacred smoke

  Clear the way to manifest

  That desire which I think best!

  Holy vial of glass and gold

  Allow my treasure to unfold

  With candle spark and vibrant flame

  I conjure that which I dost name!

  Sacred vessel, create the field

  Pattern rise and thought congeal

  Coalesce and make it right

  Spirit, lend thy holy light

  To conjure this most special brew

  Of my desire and morning dew!

  Power grows and comes to me

  As I will, so mote it be!

  Sprinkle a little of this potion on yourself, saying: “I am cleansed, consecrated, and regenerated in the name of HedgeWitchery!” Once you have cleansed yourself, sprinkle the remaining water on the altar and around the room or area in a clockwise direction. Place any fresh flowers on the altar now. If they will not fit on the altar, place to the right and left of the altar, on the floor, or on their own pedestals.

  Stand by your altar with knees slightly bent, feet about two feet apart. Take thirteen slow, even breaths—in through the nose and out through the mouth. Raise your hands like a gentle wave and flip your fingertips to the sky as you inhale, and bring hands down to chest level and push out toward your altar as you exhale. Do not begin the HedgeWitch circle conjuration until you feel steady, secure, and well-balanced—completely comfortable in what you are about to do.

  “I conjure thee, O HedgeWitch circle” (put right hand up to the sky and left toward the ground—slowly bring both hands to an imaginary ball in front of you and believe that you have brought the power of the sky and the power of the earth together)

  “Through charge of earth and sky, I create a leafy hedge of positive energy” (make the imaginary ball in your hands larger and smaller by moving your hands in and out at least three times, breathing in as you move your hands out and breathing out as you move your hands in)

  “And manifest a field of unlimited possibilities herein!” (open your arms as if you are flinging the energy out around you like a protective circle, visualizing the leafy hedge of protection exploding around you in a riot of delightfully colored leaves, flowers, and hedge)

  “As above, so below! This circle is sealed!”

  Stamp your foot on the ground to seal.

  Ring your bell or chimes three times.

  HedgeWitch Charge

  Rub your dedication candle with HedgeWitch herbal mix—either the mix you learned to make on the first night or your signature herbal mix. Place a bowl of clear spring water on the altar, preferably on the left side. Place your magick key on the altar, near the center. As you put it there, consider what this key means to you. Set up the candles (green, black, white, and gold) that represent the HedgeWitch colors. Do not light the candles at this time.

  Breathe deeply and slowly thirteen times. Shift your mind into the power of the earth, sea, and sky. Draw a figure eight on the ground. Imagine a gateway at the center of the eight. Step into it. Wait until you touch the still point of quiet. The hair on your arms may begin to rise. Speak the charge loudly, and as you say each element of HedgeWitchery (wind, fire, etc.), think of the lessons you have learned in the past several days. Allow your voice to flow with power!

  Wind of Spirit, inner fire

  Bring the change that I desire

  Earthly gifts of stable ground

  Sky to bring the spirit down

  Rain to nourish, sun to light

  Mountain guards and moon for sight

  Lightning sparks to make connection

  Thunder roils to merge perfection.

  Wood and stone and nature’s breath

  Inner magick coalesce

  Metal bends and shapes and cools

  Still-point silence—HedgeWitch rules!

  Your Dedication

  Speak the dedication:

  From this day forward, I pledge to study the ways of herbal witchery

  for the betterment of myself and others on my life journey.

  Honor is the law. Love is the bond. So be it!

  Ring your magick bell or chimes three times.

  Place your HedgeWitch journal in the center of your altar. Light the four altar candles (green, black, white, and gold). Hold your hands out in front of you, palms up. Now light your personal dedication candle. Envision a spiral of energy building in each palm. Take your time. Each time you breathe in, you are gathering power; each time you breathe out, the power in your palms grows. When you feel quite strong, touch the representation of your first symbol (wind), then place your hands over your heart and repeat the first line below, inhaling and exhaling slowly to reap the benefits of all that you draw in with your breath. Repeat each subsequent line, following the same procedure (touching the symbol, putting hands over heart, announcing the power, and breathing in the energy, exhaling slowly).

  I take into myself the power of wind (breathe deeply)

  The power of fire

  The power of earth

  The power of sky

  The power of rain

  The power of mountain

  The power of lightning

  The power of thunder

  The power of metal

  The power of stone

  The power of sun

  The power of moon

  The power of wood

  The power of silence

  Which combine to make the power of O
ne! It always works. Always a blessing!

  Remember to smile! Dip your finger in the spring water and draw the figure eight on your third eye to seal these powers within yourself. Ring your bell or chimes fourteen times.

  Your Rebirth

  Take apart the stone pile you created on the mountain night. As you remove each stone, say: “I am reborn in power and perfection. From this day forward, I have the ability to accomplish anything I desire.” Place these stones under your altar or near it. You can reuse them again later, if you so desire. Burn the conjuring bag and its contents in your cauldron. (This can be done outside at a later time, if you feel it will smoke up the house too much.) When the flame has died, state clearly: “I am reborn!” Ring your magick bell one time.

  Your Wish

  Place your wish that you wrote before the ceremony underneath your magick key but on top of your HedgeWitch journal on the altar. Take a deep breath, and exhale slowly. Hold your hands over the key and wish, saying:

  Power of the east, winds of sacred birth

  Gather all your forces and bring desire to earth.

  Power of the south, winds of hot creation

  Separate the earth by fire, refine this incantation.

  Power of the west, winds of down below

  Bubble up to meet the sky and make the pattern so!

  Power of the north, winds of sacred treasure

  Solidify my own desire and formulate the measure!

  Power of Spirit, winds of dusk and dawn

  Align the planets in their places, words convey the song!

  Power of myself, the winds of my demand

  Thrice I speak to penetrate and bring about my plan!

  It always works. Always a blessing!

  Clearly speak your desire three times in primal language. Say thank you, and smile! Then burn the wish paper in your cauldron. Ring your magick bell three times.

  HedgeWitch Closing

  Stand with your feet about two feet apart, knees slightly bent. Gather the circle into a ball of energy in front of you. Visualize the leaves, branches, and flowers you created in your mind condensing back into a beautiful ball of energy, and then clap your hands together, saying: