Celtic Quatrains
By Sarah Rooke

With so many things happening of late, thought I would post something on Celtic quatrains, which can be found in Murry Hope's Practical Celtic Magic (sadly now out of print).

Celtic quatrains work on listing the deprivations or sufferings caused by another in at least four lines, and then invoking the power of rebound on the last one

For example, an old woman is staying at the house of a friend who has forgotten about her visit. She has noisy teenagers who play loud rock music all night. The old lady protests, but is told to leave by her less than sympathetic host. The old lady has no alternative but to go, but as it is a weekend there are few buses or trains, so when she reaches home, she is tired:

Where the old are welcomed and not the young
Where silence is the rule and no sound permitted
Where sleep is denied and friendship rejected
There let (insert name) dwell with her own!

Here is one Murry recommends for animal cruelty:

As the hungry hound bays in the cold night, chaffed by his evil fetter
As the abandoned kitten dies in the still of the stream, its cries unheard
As the overburdened mule drags its painful load along the dust baked streets
As the gentle pheasant drops to earth to please the laughing gun
So shall these things be visited upon the perpetrators

And here's one about something we often hear about today, a young woman with a small child is ill used by her husband and is abandoned for another with more money:

Where there's nought a caring hand to bathe the wounds
Where there's no warm greeting on a friendless night
Where there's no one to belong to, or who cares
Where there's poverty and need and times are hard
Let (insert name) through these lines a lesson learn

I’m sure also there can be one written to protest against the desecration of ancient sites!

These must be recited a minimum of three times on rising and retiring, if you have family members or friends who are like aggrieved, get them to recite it with you.

A word of warning here – such quatrains must only be used in cases of genuine grievance or real injustice, and not out of spite. Otherwise the law of rebound will come into play, and the energies will be returned to you plus multiplied by the psychic energies of your opponent, but I’m sure you don’t need me to tell you that

However, such quatrains can be used in cases where the intentions are honourable, it wont necessarily mean this or that will happen, but it will ensure some divine form of retribution on what the universe deems to be a suitable form of like justice.  They stem from the story of Corpry, who employed his bardic skills which proved to be the undoing of the inhospitable Bres

Without food quickly served
Without cows milk, whereon a calf can grow
Without a dwelling fit for a man under the gloomy night
Without means to entertain a bardic company
Let such be the condition of Bres

Lets take the scenario that you have lent a book out to someone (easily done in our tradition). They have however failed to return it to you, many months pass and you constantly remind them that they still have your property and you would like it back. Instead of offering an appropriate apology and giving you back your book, they become offensive and declare that you gave them the book and they have deemed fit to sell it. There is no legal way you can prove your case, though you know in truth they are lying. Just the situation for

No book to pass the sleepless hours
No friend to witness for the accused
No way of retrieving what has been stolen
No let up in the time of waiting
May such be the lot of (insert name)

As with the others, this sort of thing can only be used if the intentions are entirely honourable and not out of spite. Bear in mind with all spells the laws of equalities, the law of cause and effect and the law of rebound, as like attracts like

This doesn’t necessarily mean that you will get your book back, however it does mean by cosmic law that retribution is effected in some way. The energy that has been stolen from you as represented in the form of the book, will be drawn from the offender to what the gods feel to be an adequate substitute for your loss

I have just composed this Celtic quatrain for what’s happening to our ancient sites

Where the tears of the Old Ones and the Ancestors has no release
Where Ancient Sacred Sites of the Goddess are destroyed and desecrated
Where time immemorial shapes the Land and People
May those that show such disrespect face shame and sorrow
And their sacred places crumble and turn to dust, forgotten

Romany Spells
By Sarah Rooke

Here is a little collection of my favourite spells taken from ‘The Romany Good Spell Book’ by Gillian Kemp; sadly the book is out of print now

Love

On a Friday evening, light a white nightlight and place it in a holder or lantern. Imagine that the flame is a bright flame of love burning with your intended’s heart and that the lantern/holder is their body.

As you stare at the flame, your own passions will make the flame rise if you will it. When it does, pour your emotions into the flame. Think positively to draw your lover to the candle flame, say:

'May this flame of passion burn within your heart, from me, you will not part’

Leave the candle to burn itself out (or as long as you can let it burn). Repeat the spell on consecutive nights until you receive the desired effect.

Protecting the Home

Just as the Romanies bless and protect their vardos or caravans, so you can bless and protect your home

Sprinkle salt around the perimeter, or pray for a circle of gold light of protection and a circle of blue light for healing to be placed around it

Noisy neighbours can be dealt with by placing small mirrors on windowsills facing their home, these reflect what they are sending back, i.e. your are returning the energies back to them (I use a feng shui pakua mirror),

If no anger is attached to your actions your neighbours will respond without realising why they are suddenly being nice to you

To deter an Unwanted Visitor

Yes, this is one to use on those pesky sales people/cold callers

To avoid being revisited by an unwanted caller, you need salt. Soon as your visitor has departed, sprinkle salt on the ground where they said goodbye. Salt is regarded as a purifier and protection against evil

Water Divination

This is something Romany children tend to do, holding a stone, sit in front of a bowl of water and ask a question, which can be answered in either a yes or a no

Drop the stone into the water and count the ripples created, an even number denotes yes, an odd number no.

I have used this in the sink and needless to say it didn’t work! Still, maybe it might work in a living body of water such as a stream or river or lake

Rosemary Divination

This is similar to the above, the herb rosemary can be used in like manner. Pick a spring of rosemary; ask a question seven times that has only a yes or no answer. Then pluck a leaf, saying yes, then another saying no. Continue alternating until the spring is bare. The last leaf you pick reveals the answer

This is like a form of divination most of us learnt as a child, by plucking at the petals of a daisy or dandelion. I think the principle is the same, so if you can’t get a sprig of rosemary, try one of these two flowers instead!

Lover's tiff

This is appropriate for if you have had a lovers tiff and you want your partner to make the first move towards making peace
It is best to do this when the moon is waxing, but if you cant wait that long, begin your spell anyway
Take a photo of your lover and one of yourself, paperclip them together face to face so that both faces are literally on top of one another
The idea being that the person you want to contact, cannot see beyond your face. Place the photos in your underwear draw and leave them there
The person should respond quite quickly

To entice love

This can be used to draw a lover closer to you or to attract love into your life. It should be worked on the night of a new moon
Take salt and pepper pots or a pair of ornaments. Using a piece of pink ribbon, tie the one representing the female to one end and the one representing the male to the other end. Leave about 30 cm between them.
Every morning, untie the knot at either end and move the objects alittle closer before knotting again
Eventually the two objects should meet - leave them bound together for seven days before you untie them. By this time, love should have entered your life or your existing partner should have drawn closer
 

Love divinations

This is a traditional method of divining a partner’s initial. Take an apple and peel it without allowing the peel to break. Holding the peel in your right hand say:

'Saint Simon and Saint Jude, on you I intrude, with this paring, to discover, the first letter of my own true lover'

Turn around anti clockwise three times before throwing the peel over your left shoulder. Whatever letter it closely resembles will be the initial of your intended

Lover Return

Your lover's attention has been waning, wait until a Friday as it is governed by Venus

With your pen and fresh white paper write your first name and your lover’s surname. Draw a square around them

With closed eyes say 'Our fate is sealed, we are one'

Cut out the square and place it inside your pillowcase or amongst your underwear. Your lover should return

To get a loving response

Your partner’s attention has been wandering. They don’t phone or don’t make much effort to please you

Take a photo of your partner and a quartz or magnifying glass. Place the crystal or glass over their face so it enlarges their features. Tell the person what it is you want them to do

According to the Romanies, he or she will get the message and respond

To mend a broken heart

Take some bay leaves, a bottle and a cup of water to a stream, river or spring

Sit down and cry, let it all out, imagine your pain ebbing away

When you feel you can, fill your cup with water and a bay leaf or two. Loosen what you are wearing and sprinkle some of the potion onto your heart. Then say

'This water of life will chase the sorrow from my heart
This herb will soothe my pain
I am happy again'

Throw the bay leaves into the living body of water. Fill the bottle with water and take it home. Place fresh bay leaves and water in a cup next to your bed for three nights
 

Predicting the sex of a baby

A time honoured tradition is holding a pendulum or ring suspended from a chain over the mothers womb. If it swings clockwise it is a boy, if it swings anti clockwise it is a girl

To alleviate illness

Using a pin and blue candle, inscribe from the base to the wick the name of the person who is ill. Pierce the candle with a pin and leave it there

Let the candle burn down, the pin should be kept for future spells

To increase health and vitality

If you have a piece of quartz or a crystal ball, wash it in warm soapy water and rinse with running water

Hold the crystal in both hands, close your eyes and visualise being surrounded in white light. Visualise the area of your illness and point the crystal there, visualise then a stream of light flowing from the crystal to that spot

Headaches

One method is to visualise a thread going from one side of your head to another visualising it is taking the pain with it, whilst saying:

'You have hurt my head, now go away, go back to the devil your father'

Another is to get a piece of quartz crystal, lie down on a bed and place the crystal next to your head

Cuts and gashes

A Romany method to heal a cut is to place jam mould on it, the penicillin contained within is said is to help it get better

Sneezing

The Romanies have this to say

Sneeze on a Monday, you'll escape danger
Sneeze on a Tuesday, a kiss from a stranger
Sneeze on a Wednesday, a good news letter
Sneeze on a Thursday, a gift which is better
Sneeze on a Friday, news will cause sorrow
Sneeze on a Saturday, you'll travel tomorrow
Sneeze on a Sunday, ask God to bless you
All the week, your health will keep

To recuperate from illness

Hold a glass of spring water in moonlight. Drink and ask the moon to take the illness away to the next cloud it disappears behind, and also with its wane

To heal cats

Light a blue candle, with your cat on your lap soothe it with loving strokes, until it purrs and is relaxed enough for it to be still for alittle while. Close your eyes and pray for a spirit vet to work through you. Direct your hands to where they are drawn to go

Visualise the colours of the rainbow streaming into the cat, finish by thanking the spirit vet, then say 'Kitten scrap scrabble scrap' and also kiss your cat

To heal dogs

Let your dog lie down in a comfortable position, sit beside it and pray for a circle of gold light of protection, and also a blue light to be placed round your pet for healing.

Recite the Lords Prayer, and then place your palms over them. Visualise rainbow coloured lights streaming from you into your dog. Ask for a cloak of spiritual protection to be placed around your pet

Money spell

Taking five small green candles and ten 50p coins, rinse them in warm salt water. Place five saucers or small bowls in a circle and place one coin in each

Using alittle melted wax, securely fix a lighted green candle on top of each coin. Distribute the remaining coins inside the circle so they form an up righted pentagram

Say: 'I need (x) amount of money'

Visualise green and purple starlight glowing from the candle flames, visualise coins cascading down from these flames for a few seconds

Let the candles burn out - providing your need is genuine, some money should be on its way. Remember to thank the spirit world when it arrives

Word of advice: Never ask for any more money than you need, as that old adage of not using magic for personal gain comes into play

Money attraction

Light a green candle, let it burn for about five minute. Blow it out, and rub your hands in the smoke and visualise money coming to you

Another way of inducing money is to say 'Trinka five'

Job Interviews

Light a green candle and show both sides of a banknote to the flame. Fasten the note to the back of a photo of yourself with a paperclip. Blow out the candle

Carry your note and photo to your interview in your handbag or wallet

Justice

Take the Justice card from the Tarot. Light a blue candle and place the card to the right hand side. Write your name and address on a piece of unused paper (must be green or white) and place to the left hand side of the candle

Light 13 night lights, representing the 13 lunar cycles, and place them in a circle around the card and candle

Say a prayer asking for protection to be placed around your family and yourself

If you have a legal matter, write it on a piece of paper, sprinkle it with rose oil and burn it in the flame. Place it on a saucer whilst it turns to ash

Leave the candle to burn for awhile

Hope you like these

Cord and Binding Magic
By Sarah Rooke, Archdruidess

Cord Magic

 Taken from D J Conway’s ‘Norse Magic', Cord Magic is a time old tradition of doing magic.  Best done at a waxing or full moon for if you wish to start something, and done at a waning or dark moon if you wish to banish something. 

 You can obtain many different cords from fabric shops, however I have achieved some success using ordinary sewing thread., though please bear in mind the colour rules e.g. pink for love, red for passion, orange for assimilation, yellow for confidence, green for balance, blue for healing, indigo for psychism, purple for spirituality, black for banishing, white for universal, gold for the sun and silver for the moon.

 First light some incense and a candle, and recite the following spell as you make each knot in your cord or thread and with your purpose in mind:

 By knot of one, this spells begun
By knot of two, it will come true

By knot of three, my power shall be

By knot of four, this power I store

By knot of five, this spells alive
By knot of six, events I’ll fix

By knot of seven, to Asgard’s Heaven

I send my spell to the gods to see

To give me aid and enlighten me
This spell goes out on wings of power

To return full grown in another hour

Then blow the candle out.  Keep the cord on your altar.

 
Binding Spell

Binding spells are done on those that are causing harm to themselves, you and yours and is a sure way of trying to prevent this magically.  Like the spell above, it is taken from D J Conway’s ‘Norse Magic’ and is best done on a waning or dark moon.    I tend to do the cord spell as above using thread though, and then recite the spell below in addition with my purpose in mind as I make each knot:

 One to seek them/him/her

One to find them/him/her

One to bring them/him/her

One to bind them/him/her

Stone to stone, forever one

So say I, this spell is done

 Then blow out the candle.  With the thread used, roll it into a ball with your fingers, and throw it in the person’s path.  Hopefully the spell will work and the person will not cause any more harm.   

 Hope these notes help.  Please bear in mind the Wiccan Rede when doing these (‘do as thou wilt, and may it harm none’)!

QUICK GUIDE:  TAROT (MAJOR ARCANA)
By Sarah Rooke, Archdruidess

This is a quick reference guide for the Major Arcana, the main 22 cards of the Tarot

FOOL – innocence, looking before leaping, foolishness

MAGICIAN - knowledge, skill, magic

HIGH PRIESTESS - mystery, priestess, occult

EMPRESS – mother figure, feminine power, beauty

EMPEROR – father figure, masculine power, leadership

HIEROPHANT – religion, guidance, advice

LOVERS – relationship, love, marriage

CHARIOT – energy, work, driving force

JUSTICE – balance, order, law

HERMIT – isolation, seclusion, loneliness

WHEEL OF FORTUNE – fate, luck, destiny

STRENGTH – strength, forbearance, determination

HANGED MAN – sacrifice, obstacles, insight

DEATH – transformation, sorrow, end

TEMPERANCE – harmony, equilibrium, rejuvenation

DEVIL- materialism, perversion, inner demon

TOWER – crashing down, destruction, ruin

STAR – inspiration, hopes, dreams

MOON – illusion, secrets, darkness

SUN - light, warmth, joy

JUDGEMENT – rebirth, breakthrough, awakening

WORLD – success, cosmic dance, freedom

 Basic layout:  Five Card Spread

Get your client to shuffle the cards and choose 5 of them, then lay them out 1,2,3,4, 5.  The first represents the present, the second the past, the third the future, the fourth the question, and five the outcome. 

In depth layout: Celtic Cross

This is more in depth.  Get your client to shuffle the cards and choose 10.  Your first card is in the middle and represents the person.  The second crosses the first and represents the problem.  The third is placed below the centre two and represents what is below or has gone before (the reason for asking).  The fourth is placed to the side on the left and represents the past. The fifth is placed above the centre cards and represents what is before the client and possibilities.  The sixth is placed to the right side of the centre cards and represents the future.  The seventh is placed separately in a new line to the right side and represents unknown aspects.  The eight card is placed above this one and represents the surroundings, where the enquirer finds themselves.  The ninth is placed above this one and represents the hopes and fears and the last one represents the outcome.   

Remember that ‘reversed’ cards are read negatively.  If you have too many ‘negative’ cards place a significator (another card) at the side.  Never hint in any circumstances of physical death.  Always try to end the reading positively as much as possible e.g. in a very bad reading try to give a ray of hope to the person!

WORKING WITH ANGELS
By Sarah Rooke, Archdruidess 

This is taken from Solara’s ‘Starborne: A Remembrance for the Awakened Ones’ and is a way to unite with your Golden Solar Angel.  Solara works along the lines that Angels are our Higher Selves, Messengers of Light and Celestial Beings, and not just Guardian Angels or Devas. For they are the part of us that has remained Home amongst the Stars and they are connected to The Star That We Are, or the Great Central Sun, from where all things come from and return. We contain the Starseed that has been sent down via a Golden Ray of Light that emanates from this Sun, and this ray is the link between us and our Angel.

Now, I do appreciate that not everyone will find this easy to accept or understand, so we will leave it at that for now. Delenn once said in an episode of Babylon 5 that we are all made of ‘Star Stuff and we also acknowledge that we are made up of atoms and molecules as the stars, so there is a shift from inner space to outer space. 

Here is Solara’s method to unite with your angel. First, create your space.  Have a ritual bath if possible and put on clean (preferably white) clothes.  Play some nice inspirational music and mediate in an area that has your favourite crystals, some flowers, nice incense burring etc.  Now empty your mind of your doubts and fears, 3D worries (i.e. work, home, money) and centre your being by breathing deeply and relaxing.  With one hand raised above you and another hand pointing down, visualise a Golden White Star, which is connected to the Star That We Are. This star above you showers you with golden light.  Let it enter your being thorough the crown chakra and fill you with light.  .  Now connect to the Golden White Star below you in the Earth.  Breathe in this light and feel yourself radiating as a Golden Beam of the Star. Place your hands in prayer position to ground yourself

Your angel has always been with you and has always loved you.  It has never left your side.  We just need to acknowledge its presence abit more.  Once you have connected to your angel, you will start to feel like being embraced in Golden Wings of All Encompassing Love.  Now call out to your angel, sending it gratitude and love for always being with you, even when going through a ‘dark night of the soul’.  Tell your angel of your yearning to be reunited with it once again. Feel the waves of golden Love that is surrounding you in ever increasing brilliance, and experience the delight that your Angel directs at you. 
This is now the time to ask your angel its name.  Usually if you are a man, the female side appears, and if you are a woman, the male side. Angels work much on the principles of polarity of the person they watch over.  Be open and listen to whatever you receive from your angel.  If necessary, ask him or her to give it again.  Trust what you hear.  Let it now resonate through you, notice how you feel empowered by the higher frequencies or energies coming in.  Say your angels name out loud, and bring a Golden Beam of Light from the Golden White Star above you and below you into your body from your head and toes.  Feel your angel merge with you as One Being, chakra to chakra, until you are both aligned completely.  Now you have learnt to embody your angel’s presence in yourself.  And in how you may or nor perceive it, remember that you are an Angel, consciously or subconsciously serving on this planet that we call Earth. 

How to Set Up An Altar
By Sarah Rooke, Archdruidess

There are various methods and ways by which you can set up an altar to use as your sacred magical working space, depending on which author or book you read, and personal preference.  However, the main thing to remember is that on any altar, no matter how small or big, there are representatives of the four elements (earth, air, fire and water) on it.

For air, you can have incense or a feather; for fire, a candle; for water, a cup of water, for earth, a crystal or stone or maybe salt.   If you wish to include the fifth element (ether), you may wish to have a phial or bottle of anointing oil to consecrate or bless items or objects. 

Other items may include a wand or an athame, a bell, a sistrum, rattle or drum, a pentacle, a crystal ball, a statue of the goddess, an incense burner or ash catcher, and a cauldron etc.

If you are asperging a room to cleanse it for your sacred space, you may like to consider employing something simple as incense to represent air and fire, and salt water to represent earth and water.  

 In case of ‘emergency’ situations (i.e. when called upon to do magic in someone’s home with no paraphernalia), it is possible to use household items to represent the four elements, I have used pot pourri to represent earth and a fan for air for example.  The key to remember is to improvise with what you have to hand.

 Before you use any ritual items, it is advisable to bless or consecrate them first. This can be achieved by pouring a small quantity of oil or water on your hands, holding the item and saying, ‘I bless this …….in the name of the god and goddess ……so mote it be’, making sure the oil or water is evenly distributed on what you wish to bless.

 To make a wand to direct the art of magic, you can use a stick of wood or a piece of copper tubing.  These you can decorate with any magical symbols as you feel appropriate, or different coloured ribbons.  You may also like to add crystals or feathers to personalise it. 

Something else that you may wish to consider is obtaining a portable compass from a camping or outdoor shop, so that you can tell where north is if outside or at someone else’s home.  If you are in unfamiliar surroundings this can be a problem, especially when it comes to calling the quarters.  Remember that east is air, south is fire, west is water and north is earth.   

 Hope that these notes help.

The Xua and Lotus Heart
By Sarah Rooke, Archdruidess

These notes are an aide memoir if you wish to perform Solara’s Xua and Lotus Heart Mudras, videos of which can be found on her website:

http://www.nvisible.com/1111/VideoLotusHeart.html
http://www.nvisible.com/1111/VideoXua.html

The Xua!

The Xua is a useful technique performed to get rid of anything negative that needs to be cleared out of your personal matrix or the planetary matrix.  It comes from a Brazilian word, Xua, meaning wave, and is the sound that a wave makes when it sweeps in.  You can have subtle xua's or more powerful xua’s. I have found this an excellent tool and it actually does work and you can perform as many xua’s as you want!

To perform the xua, you need to make a moving motion upwards with both arms towards the nearest exit – this can be up or to the side.  If you wish to perform a subtle xua to clear the way, make the motion with your arms going gently up from your sides to your head and say xua softly.  You can also finish off by circling your arms and calling out xua loudly to really let go of anything that you don’t need and no longer serves you. 

If you have had a bad experience (like a dream or argument), then you need a more powerful or quick xua by making the motion with your arms going up to the side (anyone will do) and saying xua abit more loudly.   

The Lotus Heart

This is a mudra to open the Lotus Heart. First stand and bring your arms in to your body with one hand over the other at your heart.  Lift up your hands gently above your head and open them out, letting your arms come gently down the sides again like a cascade. 

Now we have opened one lotus heart we need to open another, and another, and another.  As we keep opening up more lotus hearts, we realise that there is another behind it.  Opening the lotus heart enables our hearts to expand and grow.  We begin to let go of how little we perceive our hearts to be and realise how big they are, and as the jewel in the lotus, see the many coloured petals open up and unfold. 

We also begin to realise how much we have kept what is inside our hearts to ourselves, never letting anyone else see what is there.  By doing the lotus heart mudra, it will enable you to gently but subtly allow this to change, thereby opening your heart up to what is new in the one of all that is.

SEANCE TECHNIQUES
By Sarah Rooke, Archdruidess.

PROTECTION

Before conducting any séance you must say, ‘We seek only the highest light of the highest good and highest protection, and ask that we are surrounded by white light’.

CALLING OUT

You can say ‘If there are any spirits or astrals present, please make your presence known.  Touch one of us; make a noise, effect one of us in some way.  We are not here to disrespect you or cause you any harm’

You may get responses in the form of tapping, banging, hissing, moaning, groaning, sighing, crying, hair touching, clothes being tugged, cold air etc.

Note:  Never try to goad a spirit or make it angry, as some spirits may push people or become aggressive. 

DOWSING RODS

These are a pair of copper sticks that were used in ancient times to find water. Hold them each lightly in your hands.  You can ask the dowsing rods a couple of test questions first before asking the spirits.  Watch how the rods point or cross over. 

SCRYING

Sitting in front of a mirror that has a candle placed by it, let your eyes relax so that the face of a spirit overshadows yours.  Make a note of what they look like.  You may see and feel your face change to that of someone else. 

GLASS

Using a glass that has been turned upside down on a table, each participant places lightly the tip of their finger on it each in turn.  Asking if there are any spirits present, the glass may begin to move.  This may take some time to build up the energy, so have patience.  The glass will spin around and move in responses to questions.   

 Note:   Some groups may use an ouija board for this as well, it depends on personal preference. However, you may have simple cards with the words ‘Yes’, ‘No’, ‘Goodbye’ and ‘Hello’ placed on the table at points if you prefer not to use one .. 

TABLE TIPPING

Each participant places the tips of their fingers on a table; so that the spirits can use their collective energies to make the table move in response to questions.

AUTOMATIC WRITING

This is where a participant has their hand lightly touching a planchette (or a pen or pencil), so that a spirit may guide them to write something.

MAGICAL ROBES
By Sarah Rooke, Archdruidess

When you begin to practise magic, you might want to look the part.  The time honoured tradition for Druids is to wear white robes, and for Wiccans, black. However, you can have many other different coloured robes as well like green, blue, purple, red, indigo etc. 

Acquiring magical robes need not be expensive. You can try charity shops (you’d be surprised what they get in, though it may take a while to find a bargain).  Sometimes people visiting the Middle East bring back cotton kaftans that make ideal robes and for a reasonable price (they also make good bellydancing dresses, but that’s another story!)

You could make your own out of a large square or rectangle of black or white material.  Remember that the robe has to work so remember what time of year it is, i.e. if you want a winter robe; make sure it will be warm enough if you are outside. Fold in half and cut a semi circle at the top for your head and sew around the seam.  Then sew up the sides but leave a space for your arms.  You can then decorate with braiding or sequins from a fabric shop.

For headdresses, try a gold or silver Alice band or elasticated headband.  These are available in many outlets for a reasonable price. If you like you can then decorate with sequins or stick on gems. You can wear the headdress across your brow to give the effect.

For a cord, try fabric shops.  You can obtain these in many colours for a small price, though it is good to get at least two metres to tie around your waist.  

You may also wish to wear appropriate jewellery such as pentagrams, triquetras (Charmed symbol), and ankhs when doing rituals. Remember that gold is associated with the sun and silver, the moon.  You may also wish to wear crystals or gemstones, or Egyptian or Celtic inspired jewellery etc.

Some people also like to wear a long stole or scarf across their necks, these can be obtained in most outlets for a reasonable price, though do make sure that the scarf will lie flat.  It is also effective to have one that is sparkly. 

If you have the means, you could also obtain a cloak. These have more of a practical use when outside as they will keep you warm, though they do look the part!  You may need to hunt around for these, though you can make them or find someone able to sew.  

If you wish to obtain something more elaborate, try velvet robes.  These always look the part, and are available in many different colours (they also keep you warm during winter).  Try EBay, Amazon and catalogues for things like these as well as for cloaks, headdresses and jewellery.  

Hope that these notes help.

Poetry
By Sarah Rooke

Enter my World, Little One.

Enter my world, little one, what do you see
Look beyond the mountains until you find me
I am not only hiding in the water
But also in a dark cave where you cannot get in

Follow the yellow, winding road,
Travel when it is light
But don’t enter my world, little one
Until you have called My Name
For I am as mysterious as the Night
And as bright and fiery as the Sun
My skin is like the hue of the Moon
My hair radiates a crown of Stars
And my throne is the Earth
My eyes are like still waters running deep
That reveal my secrets when you are asleep
So don’t lift my veil and call my name
Not until you have discovered my nature
And my plan and game

Sarah Rooke, 1985

To the Old Ones of these Fair Emerald Shores

Following along in a desperate crowd
My soul feels it will be forever blind
Searching for something else, a truth, a sign
The Old Ones call my name out loud
Lifted onto another horizon
I feel taken to places anew
Says I, ‘Where am I?’
The Voice replies, ‘Look beyond yonder hill
Far into the distance, out the morning chill’

Oh great majestic Lugh, shine forever on your subjects far below
Fair gentle Dana, embrace me as you would your children
Sweet Brighid - daughter of the sacred hearth flame
Son of the Sea, oh Lir, how silent you are
Daughter of poets and knowledge, oh Sinend
Gwydion, father of all the sciences – reveal in time to us that which is fair and wise
Knowledge of things unbeknown to others - Arianrhod, child of the moon
Oh Math, protect us from our own foolishness with wealth
Rhiannon, enshroud us from the injustices in the world
Cerridwen, let us share in the secrets and service of your cauldron
Taliesin, entrust in us the knowledge of the Bards and Druids of old
The Cailleach and the Morrigan, Epona, the Dagda, the Tuatha de Danaans
Bran and Branwen, Manannan and Lludd, Cuculainn and Maeve
Camelot and the Grail, Arthur and Guinevere, Merlin and Morgana
The harp, lyre, flute and silver branch
Sing to the praises of these, the bells sound out of Tir na Gog and Hy Brasil
The Hyperboreans and Albion, the Vale and Isle of Avalon
Oh, how along ago did you arrive on these fair and distant shores?
Oh, how long will it be before you return
From the Great Kingdom and the City of the Old Country you came
Injustice was done on you by us, forgotten down the centuries
So you left us be, and disappeared into the Hills of the Sidhe
Oh hear our pleas, Great Gracious Ones of Old
The lessons we will have learnt, our Gracious Mother have we near burnt
The secrets of the trees, the Ogham, the Megaliths and carvings
And of course, the stones, wells and streams - the beauty and artistry of it all
To the Old Ones of these Fair Emerald Shores
You may not have visited us since the Last Dawn
But I know for sure in this New Dawn you never left us at all
Oh Old Ones, we need your help forever more.

Sarah Rooke, 1988

Moon at Sunrise

The Moon at Sunrise
See the sparkle in your eyes
Next to the red sky of the dawn
Perhaps a new love is born
Tonight my love
Let us repeat what happened
This early morn

Sunrise, I can see a thousand glittering stars
Where the clouds are breaking up, as if in a storm on Mars
See the winds gathering by the sea
Onto a lost island, far away from me

The dawn is breaking, and the moon is making
Her last appearance for the night
Disappearing soon, but visible into the twilight

Far across the seas and mountains
Over the valleys and mythical fountains
When shall I see you again?
In the sun or in the rain?
Or in some distant land not too far?

Sarah Rooke, 1986

I Sold my Soul

As I looked into the water in the bowl
It was as if I had sold my soul

I saw the reflection of the moon and stars
Through the watchglass there was a
Conjunction between Neptune, Pluto and Mars

In the distance, I saw myself standing
By the old canal
It all seemed so unreal somehow
As if I was waiting for someone

So I looked back into the water
But then I voice said, ‘Oh my daughter,
My daughter of the night look again’

And at once I had sold my soul
There in front of me, stood you

Sarah Rooke, 1986

From the Bulgarian Highlands

From the Bulgarian Highlands
Comes the sounds to match my soul
In the Lands of the Pharaohs lies
The Ancient Wisdom in lost scrolls
In the jungles of South America
Stand the ruins of my life
On the plains of Siberia
The mists of time cuts like a knife
In the outback of the bush
Stands the rock of the ages

Oh where oh where is my heart and soul now
Vanished into the lands we forgot
We dream of the seas, rivers, mountains
Flowers and trees
How can we not let their beauty dwell inside?
Why do we forever from them hide?
And deeper and deeper inside, have to let them die?

Sarah Rooke, 1989

The Evergreen

Smouldering smoke arises in the evergreen
Say ’This is the Land where dreams are made’
Through the evergrowth towards the sun
We search in vain for things unfound
Where lies the answer, is it in me or you?
Is it in the real or unreal, seen or unseen?
But it ever into the mist fades
To Earth are we bound, we are of Mother Nature
The Moon and Stars go by and by
And we don’t make a sound
Do they ever reveal their hidden secrets?
Say:  ‘Where are Merlin and Arthur?’
Do we truly realise the nature of the gifts of the gods?
Say: ‘The Old Ones are with us throughout time’
From the First Country to the sea and beyond
To the West, the East, the North and the South
Their influence on us is countless abound
They say: ‘Thrice Greatest Hermes is his name
As above, so below’
We look in us and round us for the sign

Sarah Rooke, 1989

What am I?

I am the fish at sea in the waves of the Ocean
I am a swallow in the air of the currents of the wind
I am a deer in the forests of the still of the night
I am the living force of nature and life

But what am I? Who am I? Where am I? Why am I?

I hear the water in motion
I feel the breeze of air
I touch the ground
I breathe in life
And I am life, in me, you and all around
I realise, but I don’t know how
I bear with me the burdens of a thousand lives
And when all is said and done
I can’t make a sound
I wonder and I gaze and realise
That what is in me, is in you, and all around too

Sarah Rooke, 1989

The Sun Shines So Brightly

The Sun shines so brightly today
The birds and bees are out as if in May
There is not a cloud in sight
The sky is pure azure blue

The flowers tall the tale of spring
Their sweet perfume sings
The green grass and poppy fields
All out in full bloom
The sun shines so brightly today

Sarah Rooke, 1987

I Heard the Sound

I heard the gentle breeze
Whisper your name
So gently, so softly
It rustled in the trees
And I thought to myself
‘Is this a game?’
When the butterflies
Flew past my window
Down yonder lane

And I heard the sound
Of the humming bees
I called to you
From the Other Side
But all I could hear
Was the sound of distant cries

I looked out, over the hill
I saw a vision
 From my windowsill
So softly, so gently,
It carries me father away
And I thought to myself
‘Will it ever be the same?’

And I heard the sound of
The emerald sapphire sea
I called to you from the Other Side
But you could not hear me
And I called to you
From the other side
Wishing that soon
By you I’ll be beside
Sarah Rooke, 1988

Take Me Away.

Sweet jasmine perfumed caresses
Slow kisses under the sycamore tree
Lie back in the shade and face
The River of a thousand streams
Lotus flowers and the rays of Ra
Take me away, I won’t have you love for less
Take me away, to a place where only we can be
Lead me to a place of tranquil dreams
Where the planets line up in a row
And we can take things slow
Beneath the gentle breeze,
The cool warmth of the sun
We become one in our passion,
in our own fashion
Come on and take me away from here
To a place few people know and go

Sarah Rooke, 1988

Land of Summer.

Strong, fragrant incense fills my heart
I have left this earth plane on a cloud marked ‘mine’
I can see it in your eyes that we shall never be far apart
I shall follow the stars that point as a sign into blessed exile
Say ‘farewell to thee’ of this mortal coil
Head for the spheres, beyond the limits of our physical toil
As the spirit and soul breaks free, there is no need to grieve
For I have found the land of summer, amongst and above
With the plants, flowers and trees, the animals, birds, insects, and the sidhe

Sarah Rooke, 1989
 

DREAMWORK
By Sarah Rooke, Archdruidess

We have all had those dreams which we can vaguely remember and strive to figure out what they mean. So what are dreams?  Dreams are the language of the subconscious, encoded in symbols, which is trying to tell you something as you sleep.  I hope that this brief guide will help in this respect and will act as a few pointers in trying to understand them.  First, it may be an idea to keep a pen and notebook by your bed.  This is so that you can jot down what you can remember of your dream when you awake before it becomes forgotten. 

Personally speaking, I have found that dreams can be interpreted at three levels:

Mundane– the everyday, e.g. dreams about work, paying that bill, etc

Psychological– This is where Archetypes can come into play, for example mother, father, hero, heroine, man, woman, queen, king etc. 

Spiritual– These tend to feature gods and goddesses, powers etc

To understand dreams, it is helpful to look at Jungian Psychology.  According to this, there are three aspects of the psyche or personality:

SUBCONSCIOUS (=Freud’s ID):  All info we are not consciously aware of, but motivates much of our behaviour and thinking e.g. drives, repressed/suppressed experiences, data collected by inner awareness and reactions.  Messages come across in form of language of symbols and dreams

CONSCIOUS (=Freud’s Ego):   Awareness of what is going on around at present, either at home, office or traffic. Expresses through the personality, i.e. reactions and emotions to everyday events, like relationships, environment or situations,   Also subject to defence mechanisms e.g. rationalisation and projection

SUPERCONSCIOUS (=Freud’s Superego):  Links us to ‘Higher Self’ or Spirit.  Aspect we refer to as Divine and Spiritual i.e. higher thoughts and feelings, mortality and ethics, conscience etc.  Utilises symbols like subconscious to give answers to problems.  Part of us that is Inspiration, Originality and Imagination.

In addition to this, there are other factors to consider such as:

EXTRAVERT/INTROVERT: Outward going/Inward looking e.g. flamboyant/shy

PERSONAL UNCONSCIOUS: Forgotten or repressed memories, recalled if needed.

COLLECTIVE UNCONSCIOUS: Reservoir of latent images in our mind or psyche stemming from our ancestors i.e. the ARCHETYPES, which can be divided into four separate types:

Persona/Mask - Outward face we present to the world, actor of the personality.  Reveals or conceals our true self.  Allows society to conform, letting role we play dominate

Anima/Animus – Feminine/Masculine side.  Unconscious ‘mirror image’ of our conscious gender i.e. the Goddess/God within

Shadow – Animal nature, like ID.  Destructive, aggressive urges.  Dark side of the personality.  All is well if the ego and shadow are in harmony.

Self – Unites personality, giving sense of oneness.  Self actualising i.e. realisation of ones potential in the scheme of things.

How does this work? If we take a dream about a house for example, it is said to represent the mansion of the soul. If it has three levels, the basement would be the subconscious, the first floor the conscious, and the second floor the superconscious.  You would then need to interpret the dream by what is found at all three levels.  So a cellar could be repressed memories, a kitchen could represent the hearth or heart and the upstairs could be your higher self. 

Dreams such as falling, walking down the street naked, the queen coming for tea etc are all fairly common.  As are dreams of a bill not being paid, work, the boss, family etc.  These could denote worries of a mundane nature that are maybe playing in the back of your mind, so you need to address them.   For psychological dreams, you need to think of whom persons such as the queen could be or mean, it could be a mother in law or another authoritative female figure like a boss.  However, some dreams are spiritual; these are the ones that feature gods and goddesses, you having powers, etc so take note here, as you could be given powerful messages from the Divine.  Dreams such as this can also be prophetic. 

To interpret dreams, you may also find it helpful to find a Dream Dictionary to explain the quick meaning of some of the symbols.   As for books, I can recommend Dr Anne Faraday’s Dream Power and Dream Game, and Nerys Dee’s Your Dreams and What They Mean. If you wish to interpret dreams by yourself, you may wish to ‘replay’ the dream in your mind and concentrate on a certain element or feature, what does it mean to you?  Though it may sound silly, ‘talk’ to a particular object or person to see what they mean.  What does it or they say?  This is the method that Dr Anne Faraday recommends, and it is based on Gestalt Psychology

You also need to remember that there are a couple of stages of sleep, the main ones being REM or Rapid Eye Movements, which is when we actually dream.  Then there is Non-REM or Non Rapid Eye Movements, which is when we are drifting off to sleep or when we have ‘chatter’ playing in the back of our minds, for example, everyday thoughts going through our head, this is our mind literally sifting through information.

I hope that these meagre notes are of some help.

ASTROLOGY BASICS
(From Russell Grant’s ‘Your Sun Signs’)

There are twelve sun signs in the Zodiac:

ARIES – The Ram. Energy, love of action and perseverance. Impetuous, yearning to lead and conquest.  Element is Fire and Ruled by Mars.  Loyal and Quick tempered.  Colour is red

TAURUS – The Bull. Steadfast, reliable, practical.  Limited outlook and interests, prone to stubbornness.  Element is Earth and ruled by Venus.  Honest, but wont take advice.  Colour is Turquoise

GEMINI – The Twins. Agile, versatile and adaptable. Easily bored, can’t concentrate for long.  Element is Air and Ruled by Mercury.  Friendly, but doesn’t pay attention.  Colour is silver

CANCER – The Crab. Sensitive and protective, and homely. Easily hurt and moody, also clingy. Element is Water and ruled by the Moon. Imaginative, but jealous.  Colour is White

LEO – The Lion. Extrovert, magnetic and born leaders. Impulsive, dramatic and opinionated. Element is Fire and Ruled by the Sun. Reliable, but outspoken.  Colour is Gold. 

VIRGO – The Virgin. Perfectionists, efficient and methodical.  Discriminative, hypochondriac and shy.  Element is Earth and Ruled by Mercury.  Generous, but also critical.  Colour is Grey.

LIBRA – The Scales. Balanced, loyal and artistic. Indecisive, restless and afraid of the new.  Element is Air and Ruled by Venus.  At best patient, at worst hate arguing.  Colour is turquoise

SCORPIO – The Scorpion. Passionate, Analytic, and intuitive. Hypersensitive and broody.  Element is Water and Ruled by Pluto.  Determined but over dramatic. Colour is Scarlet.

SAGITTARIUS – The Archer. Adventurous, generous and confident. Impatient, boastful and impulsive. Element is Fire and Ruled by Jupiter. Humorous, but untidy.  Colour is Amethyst.

CAPRICORN – The Goat. Ambitious, hardworking and thrifty.  Reserved, worry and can appear cold.  Element is Earth and Ruled by Saturn.  Efficient, but moody.  Colour is black.

AQUARIUS – The Water Carrier.  Humanistic, broad and progressive.  Eccentric, impartial and outrageous.  Element is Air and Ruled by Uranus.  Sincere, but impatient.  Colour is Electric blue.

PISCES – The Fishes. Romantic, intuitive and imaginative. Hypersensitive, dependent and dreamers. Element is Water and Ruled by Neptune. Compassionate, but delusional. Colour is Seagreen.

HOUSES:   First – Personality (Aries), Second – Money (Taurus). Third – Relationships (Gemini), Fourth – Home (Cancer), Fifth – Pleasure (Leo), Sixth – Health (Virgo), Seventh – Marriage (Libra), Eighth - Mysteries (Scorpio), Ninth – Travel (Sagittarius), Tenth – Business (Capricorn), Eleventh – Friends (Aquarius), Twelfth – Fantasies (Pisces)

SEVEN MYSTICAL POWERS (THE PLANETS)

Sun – Rulership, Integration, Creativity, Personality, Will Power, Nature

Moon – Responsive, Reflective, Instinctive, Intuitive, Emotional, Receptive

Mercury – Communication, Intellect, Reason, Adaptive, Perception, Expression

Venus – Harmony, Art, Beauty, Possessions, Love, Affection, Lust

Mars – Discrimination, Bravery, Drive, Energy, Anger, Destruction

Jupiter – Leadership, Generosity, Opportunity, Experience, Luck, Optimism

Saturn – Slowness, Responsibility, Hard Work, Pessimism, Research, Endurance

Also:

Uranus – Hidden depths, Originality, Inspiration, Revolution, Science, Change

Neptune – Occult, Mysticism, Psychism. Hallucinations, Visions, Delusion

Pluto – Mysteries, Secrets, Transformations, Regeneration, Obsessions, Wealth

To find out where the planets were when you were born, you will need an Ephemeris.  Please note that the information given will be in Sidereal Time, the Time of the Stars. 

You can also download a blank chart from the internet if you would like to work it out for yourself, but you will need an astrology book telling you what the different planets mean in the different signs.  

Also, nowadays you can get free online basic astrology charts from websites such as Astro Labe if you would prefer not to do it yourself!  http://alabe.com/freechart/. 

Planetary Symbols and Zodiac Signs:

Please note that there are two different alternative symbols for both Uranus and Pluto, I have given both sets of planetary symbols here for comparison in case you may come across them.

Pallas, Juno, Vesta and Ceres are asteroids that are sometimes accounted for in astrology, though not always. Likewise Chiron is a planetoid in our solar system that has an orbit in between Saturn and Uranus.