Category: october

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The magic of working with Pumpkins

Autumn is a magical time, perfect for witchcraft, as we approach the latter half of the year and the long, dark, cold, months of Winter drawing near. In witchcraft we use many things in our lives as tools for our spell work from nature or our home, like one of the most popular symbols and flavors of fall; Pumpkins. Pumpkins are synonymous with the autumn season we see them everywhere; especially around Halloween / Samhain and carrying through the month of November until Thanksgiving here in the USA. But, Pumpkins and gourds have been used for centuries in magic though as a form of protection, a connection to abundance and fertility, a boost to love and more. Let’s take a look at the biggest fruit, full of seeds of potential inside, who takes center stage during the spooky and fall season; the pumpkin in this blogpost.

Pumpkins what are they?

The pumpkin, Cucurbita pepo, is a type of Winter Squash though technically it is classified as a berry! The name pumpkin originated from the Greek word Pepõn, which means large melon. Most pumpkins are typically large, round and ribbed and of a distinctive orange color. However, they can also be white, green, yellow and other shades depending on the cultivar, as there are 3 or 4 different kinds of pumpkins overall. Harvested in October, this nutritious and versatile orange fruit features flowers, seeds and flesh that are edible and rich in vitamins. The pumpkin, though popular in many places throughout the world today, is native to North America and Mexico and has been cultivated since at least 7000 BCE. They were even a common crop to be planted and grown before beans and corn.

Medicinal properties of Pumpkins

Rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, pumpkins aren’t just the most popular fall flavor and a common witches’ tool set out on our front doorsteps but, they are incredibly healthy for us as well. Pumpkins are loaded with nutrients that can boost your immune system and help you stay healthy like vitamin C, E, and A. Pumpkins are also high in carotenoids, which are compounds that can function as antioxidants and some believe may help protect against certain cancers like, stomach, throat, pancreas and breast cancers. The health benefits keep rolling in with them being high in potassium, vitamin C and fiber, which have been linked to having heart benefits. Plus these popular fruits can help you stay looking younger since they are loaded with nutrients that are great for your skin. Pumpkin seeds can also help boost your mood. They contain tryptophan which helps boost serotonin.

Magical themes of Pumpkins

In witchcraft every single ingredient and tool we use in our spells and rituals has magical themes and energies it can align with and be used for. Pumpkins are no different. They can be used in spells, rituals, or charms to enhance your fertility, boost your manifestation, and connect you to the gratitude of the harvest. They can be utilized to attract wealth, success, and opportunities for financial growth. Don’t forget the most common magical use of all; calling on them to aid in protecting your home and guarding your threshold. Take a look below for some more themes you can use pumpkins for in your magical workings, spells, and rituals. . Don’t forget you can use all parts of the pumpkin too! Especially the seeds for potent fertility spell workings.

  • Protection
  • Divination
  • Prosperity
  • Healing
  • Good health
  • Death
  • The harvest
  • Gratitude
  • Abundance
  • Good luck
  • The dead
  • Love and matters of the heart
  • Fertility
  • Transformation

Pumpkins in myths and lore

Pumpkins are a true symbol of Autumn and spooky season, most likely because, that’s when they are harvested. We’ve also seen them as part of Fall and spooky season festivals and celebrations for thousands of years across cultures especially during Samhain. Below are a few myths and common lore we have involving pumpkins.

The Origin of carving pumpkins

The act of carving faces into a vegetable originates with the Scots and Irish but they didn’t carve pumpkins in ancient times, they carved vegetables like turnips or potatoes. Later on, after the Scotts-Irish migrated to the New World, they brought their Samhain traditions with them but, started to use the native fruit of the land pumpkins instead. The frightening faces carved into pumpkins were thought to serve as guardians. People believe these glowing, eerie faces could scare away malevolent and confused spirits, and other dark entities, keeping homes safe during the Samhain season when the veil is pulled back from the other side.

The origin of the Jack o lantern

The term Jack o lantern actually originated in England and is linked to a supernatural phenomenon called Ignis Fatuus or “foolish fire”. This is an eerie, spectral light that sort of bobbs and dances. It seduces people off the beaten path and often to their death. In addition to the jack o’ lantern being a spook light, the name also has a couple legends behind it and refers to a character or man named jack or stingy jack who made a deal with the devil. Because of this deal with the devil, he is not permitted to go to Heaven or Hell and is doomed to wander the earth forever with a glowing carved turnip ( now pumpkin) as his head.. And apparently he amuses himself and passes the time by leading people to their doom down dark and haunted paths on Halloween night.

Other mentionings of pumpkins

According to a Huron creation story, pumpkins arose when a divine woman died in childbirth. All of the plants necessary for life sprang up from her body: Beans grew from her legs, corn sprang from her body, and pumpkin vines grew from her head.

In religions that sprang from the Africa, pumpkins are associated with several major deities, particularly Oshun and Shango. Oshun is a goddess of rivers, love, and fertility, which echoes the connections between pumpkins, the element of Water, and the concepts of fertility and abundance as seen in other cultures and traditions.

Duality and Pumpkins

Since, I am a grey witch I look for the duality in every single energy I work with including the tools and spell ingredients I use. Pumpkins are full of duality in the properties they represent and energies they allow us to work with. On one hand they are a symbol of prosperity and abundance. Connecting us to the unlimited and generous flow of abundance calling it INTO our lives. While on the other hand they connect us to the energy of death and protection. Being a common symbol sitting at our front doors protecting our homes and threshold by keeping unwanted entities and spirits OUT.

We can’t forget that the most popular time to work with this tool is in the fall when they are being harvested and there are plenty to go around. The fall season is a really unique pocket of liminal space and time for us to connect to duality. We get to be surrounded by the bounty and abundance of the fall harvest and all the joy, celebration and gratitude that brings. While we are also confronted with the reality of nature beginning to die around us and the dark cold winter that is very soon going to be upon us.

Correspondences for the Pumpkin

First, what is a correspondence? A correspondence is an item or symbol that is meant to connect you to a specific energy thru it’s representation. It is seen also as an item to respect, honor, and venerate that energy as well whether it be a deity, an archetype energy, the zodiac energy the moon is currently or for a magical tool/ fruit the pumpkin, which I will list below for you to use. Remember this is just a start to the list for you. You can use any correspondences that connect the magical themes and energies of the pumpkin. Just follow your intuition on what you choose to work with!

  • Planet- moon
  • Gender- feminine
  • Day-Monday
  • Element- water and Earth
  • Crystals-Orange calcite, citrine, pyrite, heliodore, moonstone, onyx, obsidian,
  • colors-oranges, whites, reds, yellow, greens
  • Deities-Oshun, Nicneven, Priapus, Woden, Osris, Loki, Persephone, Cerrunnos, Dionysus, lady hel, lakshmi, hades, Saraswati, hekate, Janus, Anubis, fide, The Morrígan,Parvati, Shango
  • Holidays- Lughnasadh, Diana’s Festival, Mabon, Samhain, the fall harvest, Alfablot
  • Zodiac-Virgo, Capricorn, Taurus, Scorpio

Ways to work with the pumpkin

We’ve talked a lot about pumpkins in this post so far, including the magical themes associated with them. Those themes are the energies we can connect to with Pumpkins. They are how we can use them to build our spells and rituals. You have many options on how you want to include them in your spells and rituals and many different ways to work with them. Below you will find a list I put together of some ideas for spells, rituals, and ways you can work with them using the themes and magic we can harvest in each rounded and fruitful one.

  • Use their seeds as a spell ingredient for potent fertility spells in spell packets, spell jars, offerings at altars and more
  • Save their stems and grind them up to add to wish spells and manifestation magic
  • Abundance magic
  • Carve the pumpkin in a scary face and use it as a protection spell for samhain
  • Use the pumpkin in kitchen magic making pies, cakes, soups or drinks as abundance and fertility spells or to bless your home and hearth
  • Add a candle to the inside of a carved out pumpkin and use it for fire scrying
  • Carve sigils of protection and blessings in them and add them to your altar, hearth, or front door
  • Add them to your Samhain altar for your ancestors to represent death and transformation
  • Write an intention or goal for the spring and bury it in the ground with some seeds for them to grow in the spring
  • Write something you wish to release and let die and bury in the ground with old pumpkins to allow them to be released to the earth
  • Place 7 pumpkin seeds into a green spell bag or packet and place it in your wallet or purse and carry it around to attract prosperity
  • Paint an Algiz, Uruz, or Tyr rune on a pumpkin and place by the front door for protection during the Samhain season
  • Visit a pumpkin patch to soak up the abundance and fertility of the land they grow from
  • Carve a heart and the person’s name you love into the bottom of the pumpkin then light a red candle inside to attract their love into your life
  • Use them as portal magic when the veil is thinned during Samhain
  • Give them as offerings for graveyard magic or to deities of the dead
  • Hold a small pumpkin while working on balancing and aligning your sacral chakra
  • Get 3 smaller pumpkins and paint or carve symbols of fertility on them. Then mediate while focusing on them and thinking about what you would like to bring into life
  • Take a carved pumpkin and place a wish written on a bay leaf inside the pumpkin and bury it in the ground before sunrise

Pumpkin Scrying with water

There are countless forms of divination across the Earth using many different tools. Pumpkins can be powerful tools for divination, particularly in the practice of scrying due to their connection to transformation. Scrying is a form of divination that involves gazing into a reflective or translucent surface to receive visions or insights. Using pumpkins for scrying combines the seasonal magic of autumn with ancient divination practices.

How to perform pumpkin scrying

Hollow Out the Pumpkin- Cut off the top of the pumpkin and scoop out the seeds and pulp. Save the seeds for fertility magic spells for later
Smooth the Interior- Scrape the interior walls until they are smooth.
Create a Reflective Surface- place a small mirror at the bottom of the pumpkin before adding water. This enhances the reflective quality of the water.

Fill the Pumpkin with Water-Pour clean water into the hollowed-out pumpkin, filling it to about three-quarters full.
Create sacred container- Do this in any way that works for you but, I recommned lighting black and white candles and setting them around the pumpkin to enhance the reflection

Gaze into the Water-Look into the surface of the water, allowing your gaze to soften. Don’t force any images to appear; simply observe and remain open to any visions or impressions.
Interpret Your Visions-Take note of any shapes, symbols, or scenes that appear in the water. Trust your intuition to interpret their meanings.

Samhain Pumpkin Protection Spell

Like we talked about above pumpkins were thought to be used as very strong symbols of protection during the fall especially when the veil was it’s thinnest during Samhain. While the veil is pulled back and entities, spirits, and the dead walk among us and come out to play. Don’t forget to protect your threshold. Making sure only those you wish to cross it on that hallowed eve are the ones who can.
Try this protection spell using a carved pumpkin on that night to give those unwanted spirits ghosts and entities a fright! I will even pull this spell out during different times of the year if my home ends up with an increased about of spirit activity for some reason.

What you will need:

A carved pumpkin, white candles, bay leaves, rosemary, sage, coriander, cloves

How to perform:

First take your white candles and set them in your pumpkin envisioning them bringing protection and being the guardian of your home this hallowed night. Next add your herbs of protection and connection to the dead to your pumpkin leaving out the bay leaves. Then take your bay leaves and add them one by one while saying out loud the names of the passed loved ones you would like to be able to cross your threshold and enter your home this hollowed night. After that take the top and with a deep breath seal the spell inside. Knowing this pumpkin will be the one now to decide who will come into your home on this hallowed night.

Kitchen Magic; Baking a pumpkin pie to bless your home

Kitchen magic is a very powerful type of magic that fills up the walls of your home. Allowing you to bless those you love while you can also create memories together and then fill their bellies with food. One common item to be baking right now especially with Thanksgiving at the end of this month when families will gather for a meal is a pumpkin pie. The entire process of making and baking the pie becomes a magical ritual. The spices used have their own magic properties helping you create your spell. You can then draw sigils or symbols in the pie crust before baking to add more magic and blessings for those you choose to serve it too.

Pumpkin Prosperity spell

Pumpkins are a significant sign of abundance and fertility for the fall. Think about when you cut open a pumpkin, it’s absolutely packed with seeds, each representing the possibility of new life and expansion. They can also be used to represent long term abundance as pumpkins can be kept for a long time before they start to decay. Another reason why they are plentiful for the fall harvest during this time right now. Try this prosperity spell using the very fertile and abundant pumpkin and watch your money flow get so much richer.

What you will need:
A piece of pumpkin
3 bag leaves
A pen
A piece of twine
A dollar bill
7 pumpkins
Cinnamon- abundance
Sugar- to sweeten the results and add speed
Rosemary-connection the dead
Basil-abundance/wealth
Nutmeg-abundance

How to perform:
Get yourself into sacred container focusing your energy and breath on abundance, prosperity and what it feels like to have more than all your needs met.
Then take your piece of pumpkin and sprinkle each one of your herbs on the entire thing continuously focusing on abundance and prosperity.
Next take your bay leaves and write the dollar amount you wish to receive on each of the three.
Take your pumpkin piece in your hand and as you envision that dollar amount coming to you freely grab it, the dollar bill and your three leaves and use the twine to bind and wrap the money to you and your family securely around your bright golden piece of pumpkin.
Once securely tied with the magic of a binding knot and your hand go outside somewhere you can bury it into the land. When you have your spot take your spell in your hand and recite out loud as you bury it into the ground.
” Pumpkin, pumpkin tightly bound bring your prosperity to me from the ground.
Pumpkin, pumpkin rich and bright bring this prosperity to me day and night.”

Now watch the money amount you requested begin to flow to you and your home.

Come join me for community, knowledge, and to restore the enchantment of magic in yourself and life today!

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Graveyard Magic and Etiquette

Halloween and Samhain are right around the corner and the veil is getting thinner every day!
This means more of us will be spending time in graveyards and cemeteries to perform rituals, say prayers, and connect to the dead who reside there. Graveyards are set apart from the hustle and bustle of everyday life—they remain quiet and sad while the world grows up around them. There is a stillness and a timelessness in graveyards. They often hold strong emotional energy, which can be potent for us to call on. They are a symbolic boundary between the world of the living and the world of the dead. While working in and with graveyards can be a magical, spiritual, powerful, and fun thing to do let’s not forget to have proper graveyard etiquette. Come learn about different types of graveyard magic and proper graveyard etiquette in this blogpost today and be prepared for when you go to dance among the graves.

Why work with graveyards?

Graveyards are amazing places for magical and spiritual work for several reasons: Cemeteries are a shared spiritual space that doesn’t belong to any one religion or group. After all, death is the thing that we all have in common. No matter what words are said over the casket, we all return back to the ground, in the end. We all will decay, decompose, and fertilize the soil in the hole that is our eternal home. For Witches and Pagans, graveyards can function as a neutral religious space, or even a temple when none is available. Not only that graveyards create a very liminal space for us to be able to reflect, contemplate, and dance among the shadows.

Mundane Graveyard Etiquette

Before we talk about some magical graveyard etiquette we must first talk about the more mundane etiquette we must always remember when we walk through the gates. First, make sure you look up the hours the graveyard is open to visitors. Which, yes will most likely mean you can’t enter them after sundown. I know as witches’ we love to work under the illuminating moonlight but, this is one rule you really should be mindful of. Mainly because you don’t want the police to show up and put a damper on your magical night or worse to happen because of it. Caretakers may not be able to tell the difference between a well meaning Witch or a vandal (or may not care).So, most Cemetery owners, caretakers, and neighbors will call the police if they catch you there at night.

Some other things to keep in mind, make sure you don’t litter. Take everything with you that you brought with. Don’t bury any spell remnants or ingredients to dispose of them either. Instead leave the sacred grounds and go somewhere near by to bury them instead. Be kind to each and every headstone and grave marker you pass by. This means not doing damage to them in anyway like destroying parts of them, marking them with graffiti or knocking over any of the offerings of remembrance left by loved ones. Lastly, if you happen to choose a time to go and there is a funeral service or mourners present try to come back at another time. If that isn’t possible for spell timing, make sure you don’t interrupt them and give them some respectful space by choosing a grave to work at that is far away from them.

Magical Graveyard Etiquette

First we must remember, every graveyard has a spirit known as a Gatekeeper. That acts as a protector and watches over the other spirits buried there. This is typically the first spirit buried in that graveyard. In my experience, this has been true without exception. I have even come across many stories of communities attempting to get past this binding by burying a dead animal or pet in the first plot in place of a human. From what I’ve found it’s never worked. The gatekeeper has many roles from guiding spirits, to protecting them from harm, and granting permission to each soul that crosses over the threshold. They are largely responsible for setting the energetic tone of the site. So, before you enter make sure to honor their role and the protection they provide to all the spirits who rest there. Ask for their permission to enter and use the energy within. Than with reverence and gratitude offer them a gift. It’s most common to leave some change like a dime to pay for your passage. But, you can also leave flowers, baked goods, and wine or mead.


Second, take the time to honor and clean off any graves you see that may need a little extra love as you walk by. Even if you don’t use their specific grave site you will still be pulling on their energy. Third, don’t take anything without permission from the spirits first! There’s a common phrase, “If you take from a graveyard, you’ll leave with more than you took.” It’s very ominous but it’s a good rule of thumb. Many witches will want graveyard dirt or similar items from a graveyard, but it’s always important to ask spirits before you take from their resting place. Good methods of asking spirits simple questions are pendulums or other forms of divination like throwing bones and meditation. Fourth, if you get permission to take anything leave a second offering. If the spirits grant you their permission to take from their home make sure to leave a second offering as a gift of thanks.


Fifth, try to pick grave sites that are over a 100 years old or a retired graveyard. This is a rule to honor and respect the family of the deceased one’s spirit and resting place you are working with. Choosing a graveyard that is retired and no longer accepting burials or a grave site that is 100 years old; lessens the chance you are picking a grave site that has family that comes to visit them. Which means you are less likely to interfere with their energy as well. Lastly, don’t bring things with as offerings or tools that have banishing or cleansing properties. You are coming to work with the spirits of the dead in their resting place, their final home. To bring items in to banish them from it, is just honestly disrespectful and rude.

Other magical rules I could find across the community are below but, remember the number one rule and thing to remember is reverence and respect when working with the spirits of the dead who call the graveyard their home.

  • Don’t point at graves or photograph them.
  • Say “sorry” when stepping over a gravesite.
  • It is bad luck to wear anything new to a cemetery, especially shoes.
  • Don’t whistle in a graveyard, or you tempt Death.
  • Leaving coins on a grave is a token of respect.
  • Don’t yawn near a grave, or ghosts could get inside your body.
  • Smelling roses when there are none around is a sign that a benevolent spirit is nearby.

Graveyard dirt what is and ways to use it?

Everything in nature has magical properties including the soil/ dirt we can find all around. I personally don’t think I ever don’t have a jar or bowl of dirt on my own altar. Dirt is part of the Earth element. It can and has been used in spells and rituals to physically represent Earth, fertility, the ancestors, and prosperity for centuries across different practices. When you collect dirt from a symbolic location that dirt aligns with it’s energy. We than can use that dirt to represent our intentions and the type of spell we are casting. Graveyard dirt can be used to hex or curse, speak with the dead, or aid in a variety of spells. It really is up to for how you want to use it.

Don’t forget these tips and rules when collecting your magical graveyard dirt as well. First, remember the rule above and ask for permission from the grave you choose to dig into. If you get a yes make sure to leave an offering for them in gratitude as well! The next thing will require a little bit of prep work before you go. Try and find any information you can about those who reside there. That way you have an idea of the essence of the energy that your graveyard dirt will reflect. For example if you want to use your dirt to create a prosperity spell maybe look at finding someone who was a banker or had lots of wealth. On the other hand your research will also tell you want graves to avoid like those who did things you disagree with or were an unwell soul. There is also a common belief that graveyard dirt from a criminal will hold extra power in your protection spells like hexes, curses, bindings, and banishing. Below you will find a list of SOME of the ways you can you use that graveyard dirt you collect.

Ways to use your graveyard dirt

  • Add it to your altar to connect to your passed loved ones and ancestors from your generational line
  • Add to floor washes and sweeps to cleanse, ward, and protect the home
  • Use it in spells and rituals connecting to gods and goddesses of the dead and the afterlife
  • Add to protective powders that you spread around your property and over thresholds
  • Add it to spell bags for things like love, protection, and prosperity and carry them on your person
  • Use it instead of salt to line your magical circles for rituals and gatherings
  • Add to floor washes and sweeps to cleanse, ward, and protect the home
  • Use it as an ingredient in spell jars
  • Add it to your sacred container as an anchor when doing shadow work
  • Add a small amount of it to your ritual baths for certain purposes like cleansings, protection, love, and prosperity
  • Add to the inside of stuffed lemons, potatoes, apples, pumpkins, and other items used in burial spellwork
  • Use it in your spell work to represent the element of earth and the essence of transition
  • Have a bowl of it near you when doing divination work
  • Add it to your Samhain altar as an offering
  • Mix it in with your oils and anoint your candles with it
  • add as an ingredient to spell packets for spells like prosperity, transition, divination, connecting to the dead, past life work, protection
  • Use it in spells focused on the cycle of life and death and dealing with grief

Graveyard magic enhanced when the veil is thinned

Many witches will get interested in graveyard magic during October and in the fall because our access to the spirits residing there will be much more welcome and enhanced when the veil is thinned. So, what does it mean when the veil is thinned? The Thinning of the Veil refers to the belief that during certain times of the year; especially in late October and early November; the division between the physical world and the spiritual realm weakens. This allows spirits, ancestors, and other supernatural energies to come closer, offering an opportunity for reflection, communication, and connection. This concept aligns with the seasonal transition from autumn to winter. The veil’s thinning is a powerful symbol for many people, representing a time to pause and honor the cycles of life and death. It’s believed that during this period, it’s easier to communicate with ancestors and receive messages from the spirit world across many cultures and practices. which is graveyard magic is so much more powerful and welcome when the veil is thinned.

Ways to practice Graveyard magic

Graveyard magic is a type of witchcraft that is considered to be one of the oldest forms of the practice. Not only that, graveyard magic is very versatile with so many uses for it across cultures and practices. While many witches go to graveyards to do spell work with the deceased ones who call it home like divination, seances, and calling on the spirits of the dead, you don’t have to do that. You can use this magical and spiritual place for so much more than that. The energy of this space can be used in spells like love, prosperity, transition, grief, community, and protection. Just listen to what the graveyard whispers to you and has to say. That will help you to pick which type of spell work will work best for that resting place. Because, remember each and every cemetery will have it’s own atmosphere and energy depending on the souls who reside there, specifically the gatekeeper or guardian. Graveyards are kind of temple for Pagans who connect with gods of Death or the Underworld as well. (such as Hades, Morrigan, and Hecate). So, you can simply just go there to contemplate mortality, ask them to guide you behind the veil, or be there to connect to them as well.

If you want to learn more about graveyard magic and etiquette and go in depth on the topics in this post head on over to my patreon community; modgepodgemystic mysteries and become a member today! When you become a member you get access to my exclusive prerecorded workshop there.

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Working with the energetic, motivated and headstrong Hunter’s moon in Aries

We are entering a new lunar phase this week; the full moon on October 17th. As the Moon changes signs approximately every 2-3 days, we feel her influence over our moods and intuition shift. October’s full moon brings the season of the hunt, preservation, and preparation for the icy cold days and nights to come. As you can imagine, any Full Moon close to Samhain, Halloween, and Alfablot, will be a powerful, mystical, and transitional time. The energy will be intense and pull us into the depths of darkness in both nature and ourselves, as the veil is getting closer to being pulled back all around us. This full moon we will also find ourselves in the headstrong, motivated, energetic, confident, independent, and passionate fire sign of the ram, Aries. The full Moon in Aries is set to ignite a fiery burst of energy to burn away all that holds us back and no longer serves us. To Start a bright, burning, raging fire of change, and a passionate pursuit of our goals. This fire is meant to keep us warm as we nestle alongside it during the long, dark, cold winter months ahead.

Keep reading to learn all about this Aries full moon, how it will affect you, and how you can harness it in your life and magical practice. By aligning yourself with the energy of the hunters full Moon in Aries, you can prepare for the dark winter months ahead by tapping into your inner strength and unleashing your full potential, passion, and inner warrior.

First, What is the Full Moon

Over the centuries, the Moon has played a significant role in different cultures and traditions. The full moon simply put is when the moon is completely illuminated in the sky and it has reached it’s peak in this lunar cycle in the sky. When the moon is completely illuminated it’s time for all to reach full expression. The full moon is the most powerful and potent time of the entire lunar cycle.

A full moon occurs when the transit (moving) Sun and Moon are in the exact opposite positions in the Zodiac (called an opposition). The full moon greatly affects humans and it’s no wonder it does because, there’s a scientific reason for this – we are made up of 60% or more of water. Full Moons are the peak point of the lunar cycle: at this time of the month, the light of the Sun is fully illuminating the Moon, and the luminaries are exactly opposing one another from our perspective on Earth. This potent alignment offers us opportunities to gain more awareness about what is moving in our inner and emotional world, and information previously uncertain or hidden could be revealed at this time.

With the moon being fully illuminated it creates this portal to some of the most potent energy to connect to for us to manifest our desires and dream life. This portal creates a connection to our peak creative energy and the deep seated creative passions we all have within us. This creative energy and power is the energy we need to actually do and create the things and lifestyle we need to manifest what we desire. With the new moon phase being about planting the seeds of what you want to manifest, the full moon is about actually doing the work and moving the energy to make your manifesting happen. The full moon allows you to bridge the connection between these energies and themes and bring them into your life while reminding you how important it is to have them in your life not only when the moon is illuminated in the sky for you to see.

There are so many ways to work with the full moon, to learn more about the basics of working with the full moon energy check out my blog post here and you can watch my class all about lunar magic. But, remember each full moon will be slightly different and have different practices to add and different ways to do it based on which zodiac sign the full moon is currently in at the time.

The Hunter’s Moon

This full moon is also known as the Hunter’s moon. The Hunter’s Moon typically occurs in October, right after the Harvest Moon of September. Since the Harvest Moon is closest to the autumn equinox, the Hunter’s Moon is our signal for the days getting shorter and the nights getting longer. In ancient times, it became known as the Hunter’s Moon because the approach of winter meant it was time to hunt and prepare to store food to feed your family during the long cold winter months ahead. During this time animals would be fattening up and getting ready to hibernate, and conditions were ideal for hunters to get all the meat they could to add to their families stores.

This full moon, which occurs in the heart of autumn, marks a season of preparation, introspection, and connection with the natural world. The Hunter’s Moon symbolizes recognizing the cold and darkness in our own lives and preparing to face them. Internal reflection and self-recognition take center stage during the Hunter’s Moon. Reminding us that darkness may lie ahead, but only by preparing to face it will you find a way to not only survive but, to thrive. It’s also a time that draws us close to the rhythms, and cycles of nature all around us. In order to be good hunters we have to understand the land we are on and the animals we are attempting to track. So, this full moon really pulls us to immerse ourselves deeply into the nature all around. The hunter’s moon has always played a part in humanity’s survival letting us know it was time for the gathering of essential resources.

As with most pagan names there will be different ones for each culture so below I listed any of the other names for the hunter’s moon I could find across the Earth. The common themes among them is focusing on preparation, introspection, connection, and the coming dark days ahead.

  • Falling Leaves Moon (Binaakwe-giizis) (Ojibwe )
  • Seed Fall Moon (Celtic)
  • Harvest Month (duninvdi) Cherokee Native American origins
  • Haustmánuður (Norse) Autumn or Harvest Month
  • Sanguine or Blood Moon (Neo-Pagan origins)
  • Freeze Begins on Stream’s Edge – Cheyenne Native American origins
  • Whale Moon (South African origins)
  • Kindly Moon (Chinese)
  • Big Wind Moon – Zuni Native American origins
  • Blood moon-medieval England

Who is Aries?

Like, I said before each full moon will be amplified and influenced by the zodiac sign we find it in and this time the full moon is in the sign of Aries. So who is Aries?

Aries symbolized by the ram is the first sign of the zodiac which makes it the go-getter of the Zodiac. People born between March 21st and April 19th are considered Aries. As the first sign of the zodiac, Aries symbolizes new beginnings, assertiveness, and the pursuit of our passions. It’s ruled by Mars, the God of war, making the ram a fearless fighter. Aries is a fire sign, and its energy is passionate, dynamic, and driven. Through the sign of the Ram, we tap into our inner fire, embody our inner warrior, and work on developing a conscious relationship with our anger. Aries is the sign to commit to personal goals and have the fiery motivation to see them through to the end. Aries is the sign to connect us with our capacity to be the leaders of our lives, to take paths that no one ever walked before, to go toward the direction that instinctively calls to us. Aries, is known to be a little bit faster to react because, they are more intrigued by doing something they’ve never done before. Being ruled by mars Aries is much more willing to take a risk or take a gamble by pushing into the unknown and usually being the first one to do it as well.

Aries Constellation

Aries is one of the smallest constellations of the zodiac sitting in Northern sky. This constellation is located between Pisces to the west and Taurus to the east. The constellation has been associated with a ram since ancient times. In ancient Babylon, the Aries star constellation was known by the name CHUN-GA, or Aries. Also, the Persians, the ancient Egyptians, and the Minoans called it ‘Aries’ as well. Ultimately, by way of Greece, the constellation came to Rome, where astronomers gave it the Latin name ‘Aries’; meaning ram.

I find that Aries has one of the largest varieties of legends and myths about it’s placement in the skies and it’s association with the ram. One of the simplest and most commonly known legends attributes the name of the constellation to Zeus, who turned into a ram while fleeing the overpowering Titans which is why the image was place amongst the stars.

In another, less well known telling of the Aries constellation myth, a Roman writer Hygenius describes how Bacchus aka Dionysus (greek), the god of wine, together with his cheerful entourage, unexpectedly lost his way in the vastness of the Libyan Desert. In this dry wasteland, they were soon plagued by terrible thirst. Fortunately, they met a friendly ram that led Bacchus and his party to a source of water, saving them from certain death. In gratitude, Bacchus placed the ram amongst the stars in the heavens for all eternity.

In the most well known Aries constellation myth of Greek origin, King Athamas appointed his eldest son Phrixos as his heir to the throne. His current wife, Ino, however, wanted to see her own son named the heir. For this reason, the queen devised a plan to cause the crops of their land to not flourish and grow. She let the seed rot and spoil, so when they were planted the following year they would not be able to grow.

Once the crops that season had failed to grow she convinced her husband, the king to consult an oracle that she had visited prior and had under her control. He was told that if he wanted to avoid another crop failure in the following year, he would have to sacrifice his son Phrixos; the one he had named as his heir.

The king had agreed but, on the day of the offering, a magnificent ram, summoned by Nephele (Phrixos’s biological mother) appeared in a shining golden fleece. Phrixos and his sister, Helle, swiftly mounted the ram’s back and flew away. But high above the strait separating Europe and Asia, Helle fell into the sea, where she drowned. The ram flew on with Phrixos on his back to the land of Colchis, where the boy was well received. Upon the Ram’s wish as a thanks for his service; Phrixos sacrificed him to the gods where he now resides in the heavens among the stars for all eternity.

Aries The Primal Sign Of Passion

Aries is the first sign of the zodiac which means it is the big bang, our life force, the element of fire, primal passion, anger, rage, and ruled by Mars the God of War- this sign is the sign of life itself. It is the spark needed to light the tinder for existence to evolve. It is our will to persist no matter what obstacles are in our way. This sign is a Cardinal sign which means it is a leader, an initiator, and a visionary of the cosmos.

This full Moon is a time to embrace our inner warrior. Aries is ruled by Mars, the planet of action, passion, and aggression. During this full Moon, we may feel a surge of energy, passion, and assertiveness. We can use this energy to break free from old patterns and beliefs that no longer serve us. We can assert our boundaries, speak our truth, and take action toward our deepest desires with the flames of burning passion.

Aries The Sign Of Independence

This sign is also a sign of independence which means it’s a time to focus on what YOU really truly want for YOU and not for others. You will feel many things coming up for you that may surprise you especially if you are a people pleaser. The energy of Aries really pushes you to think about what makes YOU and YOU alone happy and whole. One of Aries’ “lessons” is to show a pure part of ourselves to the world. By acting upon our own inner impulses (constructive ones!) without fear, and by abandoning the need to refine these impulses based on what others might want us to do or what others think we “should” do, we learn more about ourselves. If we learn to depend on ourselves, we exude an all-new aura of strength that comes from personal integrity and confidence, and strength.

Aries the sign of action

Aries is the zodiac sign of action, as it is associated with initiation, taking the lead, and making a mark on the world. Aries draws fire into the atmosphere, stimulating life force and vitality pushing us into action. Aries it the energy that lights the fire in our soul driving us to make our mark on the world. Aries teaches us that courage is the key to unlocking our full potential. And that comes from connecting your head to your heart, focusing your will, and taking consistent action. Aries is a cardinal sign, which means it is associated with taking the lead and driving change. Aries is nothing if not bold, preferring to act first and think later never hesitating to step into the unknown.

Aries the ruler of self

Since Aries is the first sign of the zodiac, Aries is also the ruler of the first house in astrology. Which is often called the house of self. In this house you are given a window into understanding more about your outward appearance, traits, characteristics, outlook, and sense of expression. This house is the location of your ascendant or rising sign, which speaks to how you present yourself in the world. Since Aries rules this house, Aries represents consciousness, that first awareness of the self, separate from others and eager to explore the world. Aries is the personal fire deep within your soul, it’s our true self. Aries is the zodiac sign that blazes with a strong sense of self-worth, self-assurance, and self- confidence. Aries has the purest sense of self it’s the sign that truly navigates life in the 1st person perspective and approaches the world only as they authentically are.

Themes of the Aries Full moon

Every full Moon contains its own themes, which are related to the sign that it falls under. This time, we experience the full Moon in the energetic, motivated, independent, confident, and headstrong Aries. We feel that in a fiery burst of passion, strength, and determination under the glow of the full moon. This full moon is all about utilizing the fire within, embracing leadership, and conquering fears. If you’ve been holding back, this is your cosmic green light to move forward with intentional action.

Keep in mind that the full Moon relates to the continuation of your journey to manifest your desires and dreams. This will be especially strong this full moon being in the sign of our self, determination, and motivation. We will feel a blazing strong pull to take intentional steps down the path where all our goals will be met. So, try and have any of your workings based on these topics, and be grounded in those seeds of intention you had planted on the new moon. Don’t forget this full moon is layered with many energies for you to connect to as well like the preparation and preservation of the hunter’s moon. Along with the death, rebirth, and ancestral energy of Samhain, Alfablot, and Halloween right around the corner.

  • bold
  • confident
  • strong
  • courageous
  • headstrong
  • independent
  • passionate
  • motivation
  • determined
  • outgoing
  • pioneering
  • fearless
  • Change
  • Leadership
  • self worth
  • driven
  • ambitious
  • energetic
  • lively
  • impulsive
  • individuality
  • active
  • new beginnings
  • competitive

What To Be Cautious Of With The Aries Full Moon

Amidst the beauty of this lunar energy, there may also be feelings of explosive anger and outbursts. The energy of Aries is grounded in Mars, which is all about aggression, war, and conflict. So, take the time to stop and think before you let the little things allow you to blow up right now and create conflicts in your life by making small things bigger than they need to be. It is essential during this time to stay grounded, and connected to who you are so your emotions don’t allow you to wander from your goals, let your ego get in the way, or allow your anger to create unnecessary conflict with others.

Also remember, as you tap into Aries’ pioneering spirit, that Full Moons also highlight balance. While you may feel the urge to charge ahead, don’t forget to pause, reflect, and ensure that your actions align with your higher purpose. Aries can sometimes push us toward impulsive decisions, so let the glow of this Full Moon guide you with both confidence and mindfulness. It’s great to let our passion and motivation propel us forward without fear, but also remember that fear does serve a purpose. It keeps us safe and whole. So, while you use that bold, assertive, and headstrong Aries energy to pursue your dreams and goals make sure you listen to red flags of urgent danger that pop up along the way.

Aries and duality

Since, I am a grey witch every single energy I work with I look for the duality in that energy and how I can connect to it. This includes the full moon and the energy of the zodiac sign it currently is in. First, the full moon itself is all about duality as it is another time of transformation, transition, and rebirth. During this time we are pushed into a liminal space that forces us to look at the things, people, and places that have been obstacles or holding us back. This can be a thing of beauty and hope as well as a thing of pain and darkness which forces us into duality. Next, let’s look at the duality of Aries itself. Aries is known for being assertive and enjoying excitement, which can make it an energy that is full of passion, confidence and a bit impulsive. Which is an amazing energy for being able to truly let go of things no longer serving you by burning it away and moving forward in life with fiery motivation and passion. It can also be a potent time to really take steps towards the biggest goals for you unique path in life. However, it can also be known for that passion turning into a fiery temper. Which can cause us to lash out in anger towards those who are only trying to help us meet our goals and walk down our intended path. Once we feel discord in our relationships because of our own anger, it can make us feel isolated and cause us to no longer focus on the passion of this energy to meet our goals.

Correspondences for the Aries full moon

First, what is a correspondence? ,A correspondence is an item or symbol that is meant to connect you to a specific energy thru it’s representation. It is seen also as an item to respect, honor, and venerate that energy as well whether it be a deity, an archetype energy , or the zodiac energy the moon is currently in like I will list below for you to use. Remember to follow your intuition with the correspondences you choose to work with and that you can always use any that correspond to the moon itself as well.

  • planet-Mars, Sun
  • Animal-Ram
  • Element- Fire
  • Sex- Masculine
  • Modality- Cardinal
  • Symbol- The Ram
  • colors- Red, Orange, yellow, white
  • Motto- I am
  • Chakra-Solar Plexus
  • Herbs- Dandelion, Turmeric, Chamomile, Skullcap, Cinnamon, Lavender, Motherwort, Calendula, Honeysuckle, Geranium, All spice, Sage, Nettle
  • Stones/ crystals- Bloodstone, Green aventurine, Hematite, Black obsidian, Blue Topaz, Citrine, Rhodonite, Kyanite, Ruby, Jasper, Garnet, Carnelian
  • tarot- The Emperor
  • House- First House

How to connect to the Aries Full moon

Now, that we have talked about the themes of this motivated, energetic, passionate, resilient hunter’s moon in Aries and how it is going to affect you let’s talk about how you can specifically connect to and work with this moon. First, make sure to do all of your staples that your learned in the previous blog post linked here  for you like, charging your crystals, making moon water, and resetting your altar.

With this moon there are certain spells and rituals that will help connect you to this moon in the most effective way. With the Moon in Aries, magic associated with goals, taking a leadership role, confidence, using your anger, and harnessing your passion are highlighted now. You can also perform magic associated with death, rebirth, transition, and the thinning of the veil under this full moon as well. Remember these are just some of the many ideas, follow your intuition and the energy of this moon. You can find more ways to connect to the moon and more information on many of these forms of magic on my Pinterest page here and my Facebook here.

  • Divination like Fire scrying
  • Break Negative Habits with freezer spells, bindings and other forms of magic
  • Astral work
  • Creativity spells and expression
  • Sex Magic
  • Manifestation work-Deepest Passions, Desires and Projects
  • Write down and plan your smart goals
  • Chakra healing and alignment- Solar Plexus Work
  • Have a Ceremonial Fire- Burn a list of all your doubts, fears, and insecurities to release
  • Move Your Body
  • Magic Spells Using Anger
  • Chord Cutting
  • Inner Child/ Past Trauma Shadow work
  • Attract New Opportunities
  • Abundance Spell Work– you can do seasonal abundance magic using apples or pumpkins too!
  • Transformation Magic
  • Rebirth/ Renewal Magic- Egg magic 
  • Candle Magic
  • celebrate yourself
  • do journaling and shadow work based on your sense of self, your true passions, and the path you want to walk in life
  • connect to the magic of October
  • create a goal board aka vision board for your deepest desires in life
  • follow your impulses and go on a nature walk to connect to the animals around you that will soon be added to yours staples through hunting
  • prep and prepare food storages for the winter
  • do something that makes you feel like you are stepping into your own power
  • speak your own voice
  • Fight for something your believe in
  • Step into a leadership role in your career path or job
  • take tangible intentional steps towards your goals
  • spend time alone
  • heal old wounds and past trauma
  • set your boundaries
  • start and do a DIY project
  • pursue your passions
  • create a simmer pot to enhance your confidence or call in creativity to your home
  • allow yourself to make a decision without fully thinking it through
  • create a spell jar for motivation, courage, or increased passion

Reflection questions for Aries full moon

Every full moon is a great time for reflecting on those seeds you had planted during the new moon and how they are doing now at the end of the lunar cycle and how you can celebrate your success and adjust the future for even greater success. Whether you do it thru meditation, shadow work, or divination like tarot; below is a list of prompts and topics to connect with the energy of the Aries hunters full moon.

  • How can I have more passion and creative expression in my life?
  • What aspects of my self do I need to embrace more fully?
  • In what areas of my life do I feel the most confident? In what areas do I feel the least confident? How can bring more confidence into my life?
  • How do I allow myself to express creativity in my life? What blockages do I need to release to allow more creative expression in my life?
  • How is my relationship with each part of myself? How can I make sure each part of myself feels strong, confident, and knows they have worth?
  • What are my passions in life? How can my passions become my career?
  • What are my biggest recent wins that I can celebrate?
  • In what ways can I channel my inner fire and warrior to have strength in a situation I need to stand in own power?
  • What boundaries do I need to set to protect my self worth?
  • What are my biggest goals and dreams? What is the motivation behind them? how determined am I to make them come true and happen?
  • What is the biggest fear stopping me from walking my own unique path?
  • How can I help create moments in my daily life that allow myself to have courage and strength?
  • What past wounds, traumas, or hurts related to relationships and my sense of self do I need to heal and finally let go to allow my fire to burn bright?
  • What resentments and repressed angers do I need to release to be able to stand in my own power?
  • What toxic and unhealthy habits do I Have that overpower my sense of self and I need to let go of to become my truest self?

Full moon Prayers and affirmations

Some prayers or affirmations you can state with the full moon are:

  • I release all that does not serve my highest good.
  • I illuminate the things blocking my path to my desires.
  • I release all negative energy, feelings and thoughts that are not serving me.
  • I release the belief that I am not worthy or capable of manifesting anything that I want.
  • I call in the energy of the full moon to cleanse my field of anything that is not aligned with my higher purpose.

Some prayers or affirmations you can state with Aries are:

  • I release any toxic and unhealthy habits that are keeping me from being my most authentic self
  • I let go of fears that keep me from reaching my goals and dreams
  • I release the need to react quickly and lash out at others when I am hurt or angry
  • I stand in my power and face every obstacle and hardship head on
  • I release any past wounds, traumas, or hurts that have been holding me back and keeping me stuck on the path towards my dreams
  • I am a powerful creator of my own destiny bolding pursuing my goals and passions with unwavering determination
  • I am worthy of success however that looks to me and I am open to receive all the abundance the multiverse has to offer me
  • I honor my independence and trust in my ability to make decisions for myself releasing the need to overthink
  • I embrace my inner fire and allow it to burn bright for all to see
  • I celebrate my personal growth and self awareness with enthusiasm trusting I am on the exact right path

Ritual To Connect To Your Anger

Working with our anger can be a powerful, potent, and liberating experience. Anger in and of itself is not a negative thing to experience. No emotion is negative since every emotion serves a function and is sending us a message. How we use our anger is what determines whether it’s constructive or destructive. As the Aries full moon summons your inner warrior, think of your anger as a battle cry to pay attention to your boundaries, your passions, and your unmet needs and/or desires. If you’ve been letting someone push you around, it’s time to address the unworkable behavior and create a new way of interacting. Don’t be afraid to simply just let some pent up anger out as well by just letting a scream, yell, shout, or cry out to mother nature and the cosmos.

Use the journal prompts below to connect to your anger in a quiet sacred container. You can amplify the affect right now by having a red, orange, or white candle burning next to you as you do this work. The candle will help you connect to the element of fire, the planet mars, and the energy of Aries. Once you have completed the prompts below, you can than take the answers and burn the list in your candle flame to release any of the unwanted and negative affects of the anger you have been harnessing during this session. Don’t forget to visualize you harnessing your anger in a productive and constructive way in the future to manifest it into you life as you are also releasing the unwanted affects. To add some more potent energy to connect to the hunter’s moon you can add some bay leaves in the fire as well for releasing, cleansing, and banishing properties.

  • How does my anger hold me back?
  • When was the last time I felt very angry and what was the trigger?
  • What happens to my body when I am angry?
  • Are there any behaviors I do when I am angry I would life to change?
  • How do I currently handle anger? How would I like to handle my anger?
  • Do you have areas in your life you need to harness your anger to be more assertive?
  • Are there areas or causes in my life I need to harness my anger for the sake of justice and protecting others?
  • Is my anger being mistaken for something else? Like loneliness, hurt, passion, assertiveness etc.
  • Where in my life do I need to let go of anger and what does that look like?

Wrap up

When the Full Moon aligns with Aries, it amplifies the energy of this dynamic fire sign, creating a perfect time for bold action and fearless self-expression. Aries’ fiery spirit can fuel our emotions, instilling us with the courage and motivation to manifest our desires. Aries the bold and assertive fire sign of the zodiac, encourages you to look back on your recent actions and decisions. Aries invites you to step into your power, confront challenges head-on, and take decisive action toward your goals. Under the light of the Aries Full Moon, it’s time to assess what needs to truly be released. It’s a time to embrace your unique path, trust your instincts, and move forward with confidence. Let go of any impulsive habits or unfinished business that no longer serves your highest good, clearing the way for a more focused, unique and intentional path forward. It’s a time to be proactive, to take charge, and to let our intuition lead us forward without hesitation.

Don’t forget to make preparations for your full moon hangover you may experience after this lumination. If you don’t know what a full moon hangover is or how to deal with one you can read all about it in my previous blog post here!

Come join me and divination academy to celebrate the next moon and connect with its energy in sacred container and community. Click the link to join us on Thursday October 17th @ 8:00pm CST.

Come join me for community, knowledge, and to restore the enchantment of magic in yourself and life today!

Don’t forget to head over to the shop today for eBooks, workshops, resources, and 1:1 services with me! Plus don’t forget to support my work and keep all the guides on this site free by joining my patreon community today!

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Working with the magic of October; reflect with death, decay, and rebirth

As the leaves change color and the air turns crisp, we notice how this month beckons us into the depths of the world around us and the shadows within ourselves. October is a month of ancestors, death, transformation, and walking in the shadows, and is marked by the festival of Samhain and Halloween. It’s a time to honor the ancestors, remember the dead, and celebrate the thinning of the veil between the worlds. This month’s magic is a time to release, of letting go, and death. It is the month that reminds us of the importance of endings. Showing us the beauty in taking a moment of reverence to honor where we have been and where we came from. At the same time reminding us that it is necessary for a vibrant new beginning. As we give thanks for the harvest of this year and the stores we have prepared for the dark, bitter, Winter months ahead. We take the time to connect to the cycle of death and decay, fertilizing the soils where one day our future seeds will be planted to bloom for all to see.

History of October

October is the 10th month of the Julian and Gregorian calendars with a length of 31 days. The name October means 8th month in Latin as it was the 8th month of the year according to the old Roman Calendar which began in March.

Zodiac Signs For The Month Of October

Those born in October are said to be born under either the sign of the scales Libra or the scorpion Scorpio.

First, Libras are born between September 23rd–October 22nd. They are known for being charming, diplomatic, and peace-making, and are said to have a strong moral compass and the ability to see both sides of an argument. They are also known for being obsessed with symmetry and balance, and strive to create equilibrium in all areas of life.

Second, Scorpios are born between October 23 and November 21. They are known for being passionate, intuitive, sensual, and emotional. Scorpios are known for their intense passion and magnetic presence. They are also said to be fierce and enigmatic.

Thinning of the veil

As the days grow shorter and the air turns crisp, many spiritual traditions recognize a time known as the Thinning of the Veil during the month of October. This concept is central to festivals like Samhain, Halloween, and the Day of the Dead, where it’s believed that the boundary between the world of the living and the world of spirits becomes thinner. So, what does the thinning of the veil actually mean? The Thinning of the Veil refers to the belief that during certain times of the year; especially in late October and early November; the division between the physical world and the spiritual realm weakens. This allows spirits, ancestors, and other supernatural energies to come closer, offering an opportunity for reflection, communication, and connection. This concept aligns with the seasonal transition from autumn to winter. The veil’s thinning is a powerful symbol for many people, representing a time to pause and honor the cycles of life and death. It’s believed that during this period, it’s easier to communicate with ancestors and receive messages from the spirit world across many cultures and practices.

Sacred Days And Celebrations In October

Every Single month has sacred and important days and celebrations to help you connect to the energies of the month. Plus they usually are a lot of fun to take part in! Below you will find a list of the sacred days and celebrations for the month of October and there are many for this month! But, first we are going to talk about the one that is front and center this month for pagans, and witches. We even see it on the wheel of the year. In case you didn’t know; the wheel of the year; is a visual representation of the cyclical nature of time and the seasons, and symbolizes the eternal cycle of life, death, and rebirth. This month we celebrate the sabbat, Samhain, a festival marking the end of the harvest season, the beginning of the darker half of the year, and the thinning of the veil when our ancestors are the nearest.

Samhain

Samhain is probably the best known Wheel of the Year holiday. Irish Gaelic for “Summer’s End” Samhain (pronounced Soo-Ween) is a Celtic festival that takes place from October 31 to November 1. It marks the end of summer, the harvest, and the darker half of the year. the veil between the physical and spirit worlds is thin during Samhain, allowing for more interaction between the two. This time of the year is to close the year, reflection, set intentions for the year to come, celebrate and honor deities of the dead and our ancestors. Samhain is also considered the Witches and Wiccan New Year too many. This is when the Wheel of the Year, which represents the solstices, equinoxes and cross-quarters, now comes to an end and will start over again the following day after Samhain.

To learn more about Samhain you can check out my ritual from Samhain 2023 with Divination on youtube today!

Álfablót

Alfablot is deeply rooted in Norse culture and practices. It was a time when the people honored the Alfar, their ancestors/ the elves, with sacrifices, rituals, and offerings left at their burial mounds. Alfablot literally means Alfar and blood sacrifice or the elven sacrifice. So essentially, this was an observance that consisted of giving offerings or sacrifices to the Alfar, the elves or our ancient male ancestors. Álfablót was celebrated at the end of the harvest season, around the same time as Samhain, the Day of the Dead, and later all saints day. How this day was actually celebrated is shrouded in intense mystery but, what we do know is the women of the family usually led the festivities on the families property at the end of harvest season.

Dias De los Muertos

Day of the Dead combines the ancient Aztec custom of celebrating ancestors with All Souls’ Day, a holiday that Spanish invaders brought to Mexico starting in the early 1500s. The holiday, which is celebrated mostly in Mexico on November 1 and 2, is like a family reunion, except dead ancestors are the guests of honor. Día de los Muertos is a joyful celebration that is more about healing than feeling bad. It is also a time to face mortality and not be afraid of it. It’s a time when families welcome back the souls of their deceased relatives for a brief reunion that includes food, drink and celebration. Even though it is celebrated on November 1st I wanted to include it this month to give you prep time.

To learn more about Dias de los Muertos you can learn all about it on Divination Academy’s YouTube channel today!

Other sacred days and holidays

  • Oktoberfest: A beer festival that takes place in Munich, Germany, and runs from late September to early October
  • Roman Festival of Bacchus: A festival that takes place on October 3 and honors Bacchus, the Roman god of wine and vegetation.
  • Great Horn Festival: A festival that takes place on October 18 and involves invoking the Horned God and Lady of the Wood.
  • Celtic Tree Month of Reed: A month that begins on October 28.
  • Winter Nights/Vetrablot: A Norse celebration of the arrival of winter that takes place on October 31.
  • Dísablót: A Norse pagan holiday that takes place on November 1
  • Dussehra: A 10-day Hindu festival that ends on October 2
  • Sukkot: A Jewish holiday that commemorates the journey to the promised land
  • Diwali: A 5-day festival celebrated by Hindus, Sikhs, and Jains
  • October 3 to October 11 – Navaratri: A festival in the Hindu faith that celebrates the Goddess Durga.
  • October 11 (sundown) to October 12 (sundown) – Yom Kippur: This is the holiest day of the year in the Jewish faith, also known as the Day of Atonement and the end of the 10 Days of Awe. It is the second of the High Holidays devoted to prayer, repentance, and fasting. It is the most widely observed Jewish holiday of the year.

Magical And Witchcraft Themes For October

In witchcraft, October is a time of magic, transformation, and honoring the cycle of life and death. As the days grow shorter and the nights longer in the Northern Hemisphere, witches embrace the energy of the season to connect with their ancestors and the spirit world. It’s the month when we are able to communicate with them more easily and we welcome them alongside us once again. This month encourages us to be more aware of the cycles of life and to appreciate the beauty found in change. To embrace the necessity of death and decay for with it comes rebirth, transformation, and change. It is also a time for reflection, where we look back on what we have experienced and what we are grateful for. This is the time of the year when we reap what we have planted, nourished, and sown. This is the month we welcome our shadows and the things that we hide in the dark.

The gods and goddesses of October

With every season and month there are certain themes, magic, and energies we have the ability to connect to including deities. Everyone works with and views deity energy a little differently. Whether you view them as archetypes of the human consciousness, representations of the source energy, or as being entities on their own, there are certain deities that now is the time to connect to and honor them in the most sacred and amplified way.

During this month a few deities take center stage because they have festivals or sacred days during this month to help you connect with them in a very intimate way. The deities that are going to be the best for you to connect to right now are deities connected to the fall, our ancestors, the spirit realm, death, rebirth, the afterlife, shadows, and the underworld. You can also choose to work with the energy of Samhain and the deities associated with it. Below we will talk about some of the deities you can work with this month.

Persephone

In Greek mythology, Persephone is the goddess of agriculture, the spring, the Underworld, duality, and the wife of Hades. Prior to her marriage with Hades she was known as Kore, which means “daughter” or “maiden”. I find this to be crucial to her story and representation of rebirth, because, before she grabbed power in her marriage to Hades, the gods hadn’t even given her a name or her own place of power. Which makes no sense to me because she was born from two of the most powerful deities. Persephone is the daughter of Zeus, the chief god, and Demeter, the goddess of agriculture. For her to have such little power, be sheltered, and not have her own place of power within the pantheon was in injustice she would rectify through the power of rebirth and duality by becoming Hades wife. As the wife of Hades, Persephone governs the realm of the dead by his side with grace, compassion, and might. Persephone’s presence in the Underworld brings a sense of balance between life and death. Working with her this month you can call her as guide into the underworld and communicating with the your ancestors on the other side.

To learn all about this alluring, intriguing, and transitional goddess, and see her story in a whole new light. Plus meet her in a guided meditation you can watch my class all about her here!

Dionysus

Dionysus is a Greek god most well known for his wine-loving ways, but there’s SO much more to him than what’s on the surface. He is the Greek god of wine, intoxication, sacred polarity, ecstatic trance, dance and theatrical performance, sacred hallucinogens, and masked processions and festivals. He is a very unique god in the Greek pantheon because, he isn’t thought to be one of the original Olympians. But, to have originated from Thrace as a titan and later was added to the pantheon. He not only wasn’t part of the original 13 deities of the Greek pantheon but, he is said to be twice-born. Before he became Dionysus he was born to Zeus and Persephone as their son Zagreus. His story is one of death, sacrifice, transformation, and rebirth which is why he is such a great deity to work with during this month. Use him and his love of wine to help you connect to the deepest shadows of yourself to allow rebirth and connect to the spirits in the underworld.

If you would like to learn more about his first life as Zagreus, what his story means and how he can show up in your life join the Modgepodgemystic Mysteries my patreon community today where I share my journey with him.

Hekate

To some she is Hecate, others Hekate. For many, she comes without a name revealing herself during times of great personal pain and loss. To others she the triple goddess. There is much to learn about Hecate from the written records, but for a witch to truly know Hecate, we need to experience her.
Hecate is a complex goddess with a long history. Hecate is an ancient Greek Goddess often associated with the Underworld, witchcraft, necromancy, crossroads, the spiritual realm, and the moon and so much more. She is the Goddess of Witchcraft, a guide along the path, and the universal Keeper of the Keys. The Guide who leads us back to our soul. And she is a face of The Great Mother, creatrix and destroyer of all. She is a liminal spirit – she guards the thresholds between the human and spirit world. She is the bringer of power and healing. She spins the wheel of time, weaving her magic and mystery throughout. The fiery spark that lives in all the universe. Working with her during this month allows her to hold the torch for you as you walk to the crossroads with your ancestors by your side to choose your path for the next year ahead.

To learn more about her and meet her at the crossroads you can watch my class on her with Divination Academy here.


Osiris

Osiris is one of the most important deities in the Egyptian pantheon, he was the first son born to the god of earth geb and sky Nut. He was the Original ruler of the underworld until his wife Isis took over after his death at the hands of his own brother Set. Osiris was not only the ruler of the dead but also the power that granted all life from the underworld, from sprouting vegetation to the annual flood of the Nile River. He’s the god of fertility, resurrection, and the afterlife. Osiris is super important in the Egyptian underworld, called the Duat. He’s not only a god of the afterlife but, he is the one whom judges all the souls. When someone dies, their soul goes on a journey through the Duat, facing all sorts of challenges. Until The big moment at the end when the “Weighing of the Heart” ceremony takes place. They weigh the person’s heart against the feather of Ma’at, who stands for truth and justice. Osiris is there, watching and presiding over the entire thing. Being the one whom listens to the scales and judges each soul with fairness for all. Working with him this month can give you a chance to look at the weight of your own heart through reflection and do the inner work to still try and tip that eternal scale in your favor.

Lady Hel

The ruler of Helheim. Hel Goddess of the Dead, daughter of Loki, is much more than a mysterious name and looming, shadowy presence. She is a deity of immense complexity, but one that is worth learning from. Hel, also called Hella and Hela, is the daughter of the trickster god Loki and the witch-giantess Angrboda in Norse mythology. Along with her brothers, the wolf Fenrir and the snake Jörmungandr, she was raised by her mother in a place called Járnviðr, the Iron Wood. She rules over the land of the dead, under one of the 3 roots of Yggdrasil, called Helheim. Yes, she is terrifying to behold, as the legends go, yet she brings transformation and paves the way for creation after destruction. When she manifests, she appears as a half-dead half-alive woman, showing the paradox between life and death. The polarity, that is needed for the Universe to continue on. Hel’s spiritual powers include death (physical and metaphorical), the afterlife, protection, transformation, omens, wisdom, mystery and ancestral connection. Work with her this month to learn more about ancestors, shadow work, and to explore your fears about death and the afterlife.

To learn more about her and meet her you can watch my class on her with Divination Academy here.

Correspondences For The Month Of October

First, what is a correspondence? A correspondence is an item or symbol that is meant to connect you to a specific energy thru it’s representation. It is seen also as an item to respect, honor, and venerate that energy as well whether it be a deity, an archetype energy, the zodiac energy the moon is currently or for time of the year like a month, which I will list below for you to use. Remember this is just a start to the list for you. You can use any correspondences that connect the magical themes and energies of October. Just follow your intuition on what you choose to work with!

  • Planet-Venus
  • Animal-bat, cat, blackbird, snake
  • Element-Air, Earth
  • colors- Black, orange, purple, red, brown, yellow, gold, silver
  • Symbol-Pumpkins, apples, cauldron, skulls
  • Herbs- Sage, rosemary, marigold, chrysanthemum, Calendula, sunflowers, wild ginseng, wormwood, yarrow, rose, marigold
  • Stones/ crystals- Obsidian, garnet, black tourmaline, Smoky quartz, amber, pyrite, onyx, carnelian, turquoise, opal
  • Deities-Ishtar, Horned God, Osris, Loki, Persephone, Cerrunnos, Dionysus, lady hel, lakshmi, hades, Saraswati, hekate, Janus, Anubis, fide, The Morrígan, Lilith, The Cailleach, baba yaga, Crom-Cruach, cerridwen, lady of the dead
  • Zodiac- Libra and Scorpio
  • Themes-transformation, rebirth, death, the underworld, shadow work, ancestors, the veil, spiritual realm, release, letting go, harvest, change, remembrance

How to connect to the magic of October

We’ve talked a lot about all the different types of energies the month of October has and gives us access to work with. So, how can you specifically connect to those energies? In your everyday life you can make sure your affirmations , intentions, and manifestations align with the energies of the end of the harvest, duality, transition, death, our ancestors/ guides, the afterlife, remembrance, our shadows and the cycle of seasons. You can celebrate and honor any of the sacred days and holidays and connect to the energies of Samhain, Dias de las Muertos and any other days of the dead while the veil is thinning all around us.

Some Rituals and spell workings during this time that will be really intensified will be based on the cycles of the seasons, death, decay, and the darkness of the shadows surrounding us.  October is a time of the year where witches are able to really connect to the veil, the otherside, and our guides/ancestors. We can use this time to set up altars to connect to those who came before us in remembrance, honor, and respect. We can also take the time to cast spells and do divination work to speak to those who are walking among us from the otherside. Giving them the voices they have been longing for to carry their messages forward. October is a month where witches enjoy spending time in graveyards and cemeteries to perform rituals, say prayers, and connect to the dead who reside there. While all of these are magical, spiritual, powerful, and fun things to do let’s not forget to have proper graveyard etiquette. If you need to learn more about what that is come join me on October 23rd in my patreon community for an exclusive event to learn just that!

October creates a very potent liminal pocket of time that is teeming with duality, balance, and the power of transition through darkness, death, and decay. It’s a month that really pulls us to go deep within ourselves for introspection, reflection, self awareness, and growth. This makes it a great month to do any work on transformation, death, and letting go through shadow work. Allowing the energy of death in the finality of the harvest season to fertilizer your soul, during the cold winter months to bloom and grow after there is no more snow. If you would like to learn more about shadow work you can purchase my eBook here;  you can book me for a 1:1 session as your guide here; and you can watch my free class previously taught on it through Divination here.

Spells and Rituals Ideas

  • Pumpkin Prosperity magic
  • Leaf magic
  • Create a spell jar for Samhain
  • Study the Alfar and connect to them with sacrifice
  • Have a dumb supper
  • Practice liminal magic working with the veil
  • Shadow work
  • Go ghost hunting and visit places where spirits are active
  • Communicate with the dead through divination like tarot, or seances (Don’t forget to check out my free virtual tarot event)
  • Create an altar to represent your ancestors in your home
  • Visit an apple orchard and do some apple magic
  • Walk a corn maze and connect to the earth and harvest
  • Visit a graveyard or cemetery and leave an offering for the gatekeeper who resides there
  • Connect with deities of the dead, the underworld, and the afterlife
  • Fire gazing during a bonfire
  • do release work
  • do protection magic like hexes, curses, and calling on the spirits of the dead
  • Create black salt
  • Make a simmer pot to welcome your ancestors and the spirits of the dead into your home
  • Make a pentagram wreath and hang on your door, your hearth, or your altar
  • go on a nature walk and do some earthing soaking up the death and decay around you
  • Use pumpkin seeds for some fertility magic
  • Cast spells for renewal, rebirth, and transformation
  • Leave a candle in the window
  • Carve a jack o lantern and leave sage leaves inside to protect your home and family from unwanted spirits or energies
  • Cast love spells, glamor spells, or perform sex magic
  • Journal and reflect on the past year
  • Clean up headstones at cemeteries
  • meditate on the next year ahead and what goals you are wanting to set
  • Perform grey magic to work with balance and duality
  • leave an offering at the crossroads for hekate to help you choose a path or make a decision that needs to be made
  • Necromancy spells
  • Use bones in divination
  • Do some self care to prepare yourself for your coming death during the winter months ahead
  • Prepare winter stores of food with kitchen magic and sigils
  • Place a pot of marigolds near the front door

Duality and the month of October

Since, I am a grey witch I look for the duality in every single energy I work with including sacred times like a month of the year like October. October is a month that really shows us how two things that are opposing can come together to create a time of both beauty, love, and joy while also creating death, sadness, and remorse. We see this theme all throughout the month with it starting off with Libra season. an energy encompassing beauty, harmony, and love and then ending in it’s cyclical journey with Samhain and holidays all about death, decay, and ancestors who have passed on. Speaking of; working with our ancestors, passed loved ones, and the thinning veil is the most dualistic aspect of this month over all. Working with spirits, ancestors and our passed loved ones when the veil is thinnest during this month allows us both a chance for comfort and solace. While also bringing us back to a place of sadness and loss. We are given a pocket in time where we can reconnect with those who were dear to us in a more tangible way than simply through memories. Working with them and allowing them into our homes during this month reminds us of the cycle of life. Reminding us to be grateful for our time on the earthly side of the veil and preparing us for when we will walk through it to be an ancestor ourselves.

Reflect with death, decay, and rebirth

We talked about many things in this blogpost including the history, some celebrations, the different energies and magical themes we can work with during this month, how to connect to those energies, deities we can honor and worship, and how to work with the magic of October. October is a time of powerful reflection, death, and spiritual connection. From the quiet introspection of Samhain to the lively celebrations of the Day of the Dead, this month reminds us of the ongoing cycle of life and death, and offers a chance to honor our ancestors. Whether you follow the rituals of Samhain, Halloween, or the Day of the Dead this month allows for a deep connection with both the past and the unseen world around us. Allowing us to bridge the gap between the past and where we are heading to next. October is the month when leaves fall thick to forest floors where they will decay and later be reborn. October is the month when the veil grows thin opening a door for a new cycle to begin.