Happiness

  • Rulers: Oshun, Ra, Vishnu, Krishna, Aphrodite
  • Element: Water, Earth
  • Gender: Feminine
  • Number: Six
  • Sacred Geometry: Hexagon
  • Type: Food
  • Magickal Form: Any type
  • Qualities: Sweetening, Binding, Happiness, Healing, Love, Prosperity, Passion, Spirituality, Faerie

Honey – the glorious nectar of the bees is one of the oldest foods known to man…and woman. Honey’s history is extensive. A 8,000 year-old cave painting in Valencia, Spain depicts humans hunting for honey. Honeybees were sacred to numerous ancient civilizations including ancient Greece and Egypt. Our ancient ancestors knew that honey isn’t JUST good to eat, it also has multiple medicinal benefits.

The oldest honey ever found comes from an Egyptian pyramid – it’s three thousand years old and still perfectly edible! Microbes don’t grow on honey, moreover preservation lasts for thousands of years!

The Egyptians held the honeybee in high regard and used honey in their mummification process. Therefore honey was a sacred substance and sacred to any gods and goddesses of the underworld and the dead: i.e. Anubis and Osiris. In Ancient Greece, the high priestess of Aphrodite was “Melissa” which translates to “bee”. She tended to the sacred beehives at Aphrodite’s temple on Mount Eryx.

Honey has a number of magickal proprieties, uses  and distinct energies. the energies vary depending on which strain of honey you are working with. but overall I would describe them as positive, cleansing, gentle, soothing and warming. its great for spells, offerings and brews.

Honey can be added to any spell work or any culinary recipe to sweeten someone’s mood or disposition. Honey works well for happiness, love, prosperity and healing, it can also add a bit of zing to your love life too.

  • Honey makes an acceptable offering for deities.
  •  It can be kept on your altar (I keep some on my altar to remind me that amongst the seemingly overwhelming bitterness of everyday life that sweetness can be found).
  • Can be used in spells having to do with love, lust or sexuality.
  • Purification (works great in bath scrubs).
  • Health and healing.
  • Community or communication.
  • Abundance and prosperity.
  • Spirituality.
  • Candle magic (for anointing  or beeswax candles).
  • Honey can be used to represent wisdom, because gathering honey from hives can be difficult and painful if done incorrectly so it became a metaphor for obtaining knowledge through pain.

Honey is used to make mead which is absolutely delicious and wonderful to use in ritual and offerings…half a glass and I am away with the faeries…who actually like a drop of mead or honey as well…

Because of its sticky properties, honey can be used in magick to hold two things together. Some magical traditions use honey to bind a couple that has a shaky relationship. If you want to do a honey binding on a couple – or even on two friends who are struggling with their friendship – you can use poppets with a layer of honey between them, and then wrapped with a cord. Because honey does not solidify, you can always separate the two poppets later with minimal disruption. It’s good for binding spells because it can be undone fairly easily.

Use honey to sweeten a situation: angry co-workers or boss, court cases, family quarrels, divorces, etc. In addition, binding things or people together and keeping things flowing steadily. Healing and cleansing rituals include honey.

Use this sweet and sticky substance to attract good fortune, fertility, and love.

  • For wealth, create an altar with coins drizzled with honey.
  • For a conception spell, cover a pumpkin with honey and offer to a river.
  • For love, bathe in warm water and honey.
  • Add a drop of honey to incense blends to sweeten the mood.
  • Add a spoon of honey to a bath  to cleanse and sweeten your aura.
  • Drip small drops of honey onto or around candles for love and prosperity spells.
  • Leave on outside altars to attract faeries.
  • Use to summon angels and light beings.
  • Anoint your third eye with magical honey to dream of your future love.

If you do any kitchen magick, honey can come in very handy. Use it in dishes to bring about sweetness, fertility, or prosperity. You can use honey in rituals as an offering to deity–many goddesses and gods seem to appreciate it. You can also use a blend of milk and honey to asperge a sacred space if you’re holding ritual outdoors. Add some into a bath scrub for a ritual bath prior to working for love or romance, or anoint a candle with it when you’re doing candle magick.

Some ancient cultures used honey in embalming procedures. It’s always appropriate to leave offerings of honey at a gravesite. In addition, the folklore of a number of societies indicates that a blend of honey and milk is an acceptable offering to a deity. Honey makes an excellent offering to the gods, the spirits and the Faerie world.

Poured into the ocean and river, honey is an appropriate offering to sea and river goddesses like Oshun and Yemaya. Keep on the altar as a link to ancient bee priestesses and honeybee spirit guides.

In particular, honey is sacred to Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty. This is also a favorite offering for other love goddesses. An assassination attempt was once made on the African love goddess, Oshun. The plot was to poison her with honey. In remembrance of this, always taste the honey first before offering libations to any goddess.

In Hindu texts, honey is described as one of the five sacred elixirs of immortality. The Buddhist faith celebrates Madhu Purnima, which honors the day that Buddha made peace among his disciples – and honey is given as a gift to monks in his honor.

Honey Jars

These jars are also known as “sweetening jars,” and can actually contain almost any kind of pure sweetener, such as brown or white sugar, molasses, or syrup. You can make jars for each person you want to sweeten if you’re working more elaborate spells on them, or keep one jar with lots of names in it for general sweetening.

In some forms of Hoodoo and folk magick, honey is used to sweeten someone’s feelings towards you. In one traditional spell, honey is poured into a jar or saucer on top of a slip of paper containing the person’s name. A candle is placed in the saucer and burned until it goes out on its own. In another variation, the candle itself is dressed with honey.

Herbal Infused Honey

Honey comes in many forms and from many places all over the world. It varies in color, sweetness, and flavor depending on the region and plants. Some people enjoy infusing herbs and flowers directly into the honey itself. Depending on the herb or flower infused, it will alter the honey magic properties and can be further used for those purposes. For example:

  • Lemon balm infused honey: soothes nerves and anxiety and aids in falling asleep; also invokes joy.
  • Lavender honey: has honey magic properties of relaxation, love, beauty and purification.
  • Rosemary honey: purification, money, love, healing, mental clarity.
  • Mint honey: money, prosperity, cleansing, and love properties; plus mint aids digestion.
  • Thyme honey: the PERFECT offering for attracting the faery folk to your garden! Thyme is a favorite of fairies as well as honey.
  • Rose honey: love, healing, protection, long life.

Medicinal Properties

During the late summer and early fall, honey is a staple crop in many parts of the world. This deliciously sweet and sticky gift from the bee population is considered a health food – it will protect you against allergies if you eat just a teaspoon of locally sourced honey each day – and also has a number of magickal properties.

Honey is incredibly beneficial medicinally but also brings a good dollop of happiness with it. Honey is great for cold and flu treatment. Raw and organic honey is preferable as it is an antibacterial and is high in antioxidants. It can be used in an ointment for treating wounds, burns and cold sores. Honey is also an excellent hangover remedy.

Honey will help in muscle building; a teaspoon of raw organic honey after a workout can induce an insulin spike, allowing your muscles to get the most out of the workout. It can be used as a weight loss aid. Honey can cause changes to the metabolism that will help curb sugar cravings.

The healing power of honey has been known throughout the ages. Honey was used as a traditional Ayurvedic medicine, where it was thought to be effective at treating imbalances in the body. In pre-Ancient Egyptian times, it was used to treat wounds. The Prophet Mohammad glorified the healing powers of honey, and the Quran praised its healing ability.

Sacred Geometry of the Honeycomb

At the heart of our seasonal reverence, there is always light. In the dim light of midwinter we gather around a fire. My children tell me their own creation story of winter’s sleepy sun. It is her time to rest and the small brave fire remains beside us, a comfort in our sun’s absence…

We know winter happens because of the tilt of the earth, and we seek the fire because it warms us. Our winter fires provide one small spark of the sun’s fire. And the light of the sun not only gives us warmth, but color. We are cool blue in winter like the twilight that edges our days and we dream of the season that will fill our world with yellow particles of light like the pollen of the sun.

Many of us hold a glowing beeswax candle on special days during a festival or to create a ritual space. In his bee lecture, Rudolph Steiner compares beeswax to the material of our human body, the worker bees of the hive to the blood coursing through us, and the hexagonal shapes of the honeycomb to our cells. Structures of living organisms are mirrored throughout the natural world and beeswax reminds us of our relationship to the earth. The sweet smell of it when we light a candle is a hint of the warm comfort a bee might find in her small sacred capsule.

Each cell of the honeycomb is a hexagon. It is the perfect shape, the one that holds together in strength and efficiency. There is no waste in a system of cells that fit together at perfect angles, a necessary consideration when a honeybee must consume about eight ounces of honey to create one ounce of wax. The worker bees create their city of hexagons in tandem, each bee following her inherent plan of geometric repetition.

Each cell of the honeycomb may hold the golden honey, converted nectar from meadow flowers; or the precious life that will someday gather more honey, the bee’s larva. So the worker bee creates these small spaces as vessels of life, whether she is aware of this significant purpose or not. We can watch the honey bee create these small sanctuaries, her working body warming the cell as she forms it. This is her part in the circle of life and she puts her heart into her work.

If you wish to draw the honey bee’s symmetrical hexagon shape, you may start with the hexagram, the star that is made by overlapping two equilateral triangles. Connect the points of that perfect star to make the most precise hexagon. The star inside the hexagon holds the poetry of the honey bee’s sacred forms and their relationship to the spiritual body of our human world.

The hexagram, the six-pointed star, is the shape associated with Anahata, the heart chakra. It is the Star of David, it is associated with the Kabbalistic tree of life, and it is one symbol associated with the Christian Son of God. The hexagram is significant in Tibetan Buddhism, in astrology, in occult magic and Wicca practices. Here, once again, is nature’s pattern of repetition through time and space and meaning.

The honey bee sings while she works and we hear her spirit song. Her hum is spun into the fiber of summer so that we associate this vibrational sound with brilliant rays of sunlight that make us stop and close our eyes and feel the sun on our faces. It is no wonder the wildflowers turn their faces toward the sun and are graced by the light healing touch of the gentle honey bee.

The Bee Connection

Bees are incredibly magickal and are often said to be messengers from the Gods and the spirit world.

Tell it to the bees…they are great listeners…when a beekeeper died folklore says that the survivors must tell the bees of their keeper’s death and persuade them to stay rather than follow their keeper to the otherworld.

Anything important should be told to the bees such as marriages, births and other important events but make sure you whisper politely.

Bees are also considered to be an image of the human soul, perhaps due to their natural ability to find their way home from great distances.

 Save the Bees!

Humans have relied on the honeybees’ magical work for thousands of years. Not just for honey and its unique magick, but also because honeybees are one of our biggest pollinators! They help us make food by pollinating many of our fruits and vegetables. But sadly, the honeybee populations are dwindling worldwide.

Particularly in the U.S. where there’s a link between pesticides and honeybee disease/death. If all of the honeybees die out, we lose a large portion of our food source. So how do we support the honeybee population and health? Here’s some ways you can help:

  • DON’T use pesticides in your lawn or garden and encourage your friends, family and neighbors to do the same
  • Plant NATIVE flowers, trees, and shrubs. Native flowers and plants aid your local honeybee and other pollinator populations by providing a natural nectar source
  • Put a bee bath in your garden for the bees to bathe and drink
  • Support your local organic beekeepers, farmers and gardeners in their efforts to save the honeybees
  • Instead of having a honeybee hive destroyed – have someone come out and remove it and re-locate it
  • Stop cutting down trees that don’t need to be cut down! Bees and other pollinators and wild life need trees too!
    Learn more about how to save the bees here! Help The Bees

Important Note

There is a MAJOR difference between natural raw unpasteurized honey, and processed filtered honey. Most commercial honey has no traces of pollen and lacks beneficial vitamins and enzymes among a host of other natural constituents which are removed due to pasteurization and processing.

Most golden honey you see at your local grocery is dead and far from the health promoting powerhouse of its raw unpasteurized counterpart. Processed honey is not honey at all, and if you desire any kind of health benefits, you must stick to the real stuff.

Sources:

  • Keywords: Courage, leadership, manifestation, vitality, self empowerment
  • Chakras: Sacral, solar plexus
  • Element: Fire
  • Zodiac Signs: Leo, Libra
  • Number: 1
  • Affirmation: I am continually inspired by my inner visions, and delight in taking action to make them real.

With the radiance of the sun and the fire of the solar ray, Sunstone carries the energy of Ra, the sun god, whose energy brings all potential life from within the Earth. It is a Stone of Leadership – of personal power, freedom, and expanded consciousness. Truly reflecting the qualities of Light, it brings openness, benevolence and warmth, strength, mental clarity, and the willingness and ability to bestow blessings upon others.

Known as a joyful stone, Sunstone inspires the nurturing of self in order to be of service to others. It restores the enjoyment of life, good nature and provides a sense of abundance.

Sunstone is a member of the Feldspar family, and is named for its warm shades of gold, orange, reds and browns that sparkle like the sun. Inclusions of Goethite or Hematite refract light between the different crystal layers and produce an iridescent effect as the stone is viewed from various angles. Sunstone may be clear and transparent, or opaque, and is readily available on the market. Clean red specimens, however, are rare.

First discovered in Norway, the Sunstone crystal is linked with ancient Norse texts that reference the Vikings using it to navigate the seas. Thanks to tiny particles of Hematite, Sunstone gets it distinctive shimmer from light-reflecting properties, which these famous seafarers used to catch rays of light from the sun, the undisputed GPS of Mother Nature.

Powered by the radiance of the sun and the strength of its fire, Sunstone brings power and energy from within the earth and straight into your life. It will help bring the wisdom of your heart in alignment with the inspiration of your mind, and it will be beautiful and wonderful!

Sunstone is known to attract the powers of the sun, and it will cleanse your chakras from anything that’s not good for you. It will surround you with love and positive energies that you cannot help but be a source of happiness for everyone around you.

It’s a protection stone, an energizer stone, and a good luck stone in one. It’s a stone that will make you ready for the challenges of life and strengthen your belief that life is truly worth living.

Wearing Sunstone and carrying it around with you will definitely feel like you have the sun right on your shoulder!

Magickal and Metaphysical Uses:

You will never run out of reasons to love this stone because it’s ripe with wonderful and positive energies. Sunstone is all about freedom, self-empowerment, and independence, and this stone can truly be your best companion stone!

It will make you appreciate the fact that you can make decisions about your life, that you are free to do whatever you want, and that you can love the people that you want to love.

When placed with a white candle, Sunstone can help spread protective energies throughout your home or office.

Sunstone will remind you that you are doing a good job building a life for yourself. This stone will encourage you to keep working hard to achieve your dreams. It’s a stone of leadership that will showcase your abilities, strength of mind, and expanded consciousness.

Sunstone is an abundance stone. It encourages independence and originality, is inspirational in revealing talents, and attracts fame and unexpected prosperity. It is an excellent “good luck” crystal for competitions.

  • The Divinatory meaning of Sunstone: Enjoy the present without worrying if the good times will last.

Wear Sunstone to feel alive and enthusiastic. It increases vitality and is beneficial in starting, and maintaining, a fitness program or aerobic activity, and for occupations requiring high energy throughout the day.

As a workplace crystal, Sunstone increases your profile and brings opportunities for leadership and promotion. Place next to your computer when advertising your own business or services online.

Sunstone provides a source of strength if you are dependent on others emotionally, or have suffered the sudden loss of a partner. It helps alleviate fearfulness and stress, and protects against those who drain your energies or finances. It is also an excellent crystal for phobia sufferers to ease fear of the dark, enclosed places, or the presence of other triggers.

Worn as a ring on the receptive hand, Sunstone helps one receive what is needed and desired. On the transmitting hand, it channels multiple healings and blessings to others. Worn as a pendant, Sunstone brings the heart’s wisdom into alignment with the mind’s inspirations.

As an amulet of protection, Sunstone is a powerful Barrier Filter. Barrier crystals have incredible abilities to help us focus and amplify our efforts to keep undesirable elements out of our lives. Its crystalline structure gives it strength in all directions, allowing it to provide barriers to attack from all directions simultaneously.

Crystals with the earth power of a Filter, absorb positive energy flow but work to keep negative energy away from us. They help us view the world in a “glass half full” outlook, to see the best in others, the beauty in life, and the good in humanity. They keep us focused on the positive in situations and to not be overwhelmed by the negative. In our technological world, Filters also work to keep harmful electromagnetic transmissions from sapping our energy and health.

It will show the world that you are more than people think you are, and they will be pleasantly surprised at all the great things that you can do.

Sunstone is a joyful stone because it reflects the qualities of light. It invites you to be open, warm, and kind. It will bring about a willingness to give joy and happiness to others.

Sunstone carries with it energies of originality and inspiration. If you ever feel stuck or unproductive, and if you ever feel like you are not able to churn out new and effective ideas, just hold this stone in your hands. It will feel like a switch has been turned on and ideas will just naturally flow.

It will encourage you to reveal your hidden talents. It will heighten your sensuality and give romance a surge of freshness. It will bring you luck in all aspects of your life and energize all your chakras. It will give you stability and mental clarity.

Sunstone will give you an extra boost of energy when you’re feeling stressed or under the weather. It’s a natural anti-depressant, so it will also keep sad thoughts and emotions away.

It will instill good nature in you. Sunstone energy will allow the real you to shine through, and people will love you for it. No matter how weird or different you think you are.

It will fill your life with enthusiasm, optimism, and encouragement. Its energies will make you feel glad to be alive, and you will be filled with energy and cheer.

Having Sunstone with you can be particularly useful when you’re working on a project that will run for months, or when you’re on a fitness program that requires commitment. It will strengthen your resolve and your commitment, and it will make sure that you’re in it from start to finish.

Sunstone will heighten your intuition and strengthen your instincts. They will be right most of the time, too. Sunstone will dispel irrational fears that are preventing you from achieving your dreams or having the love that you desire. It will increase your self-confidence and self-esteem.

This is a particularly good stone to have for people who find it hard to say no.

This stone also has self-healing powers that will benefit you in a physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual way.

Sunstone For Healing

  • Physical Healing Energy

Sunstone warms the body, increasing metabolism, digestion, and vitality. It stimulates self-healing powers, regulating and harmonizing all of the organs.

Sunstone is used to treat chronic sore throats, and to reduce stomach tension and ulcers. Placed on the Solar Plexus, it is excellent for lifting depression and Seasonal Affective Disorder, and is helpful in chasing away nightmares.

Since ancient times, Sunstone has been used as a grid around the body to relieve cartilage problems, rheumatism, and general aches and pains. Today it is also used to treat osteoarthritis, cramps, fever, various infections, and athletic injury.

Sitting in the sun surrounded by a circle of Sunstones was an ancient remedy for rheumatism. Physical contact with a large specimen also relieved aching feet and spinal problems.

  • Emotional Healing Energy

Sunstone is highly effective in cleansing the aura and chakras, and for removing hooks from possessive loved ones, lovers, or anyone draining of your energies. Sunstone surrounds these hooks with love and positive energy, and returns them to the source. It is especially beneficial when ties need to be cut, or if you have difficulty saying “No.” It helps remove co-dependency, overcomes procrastination, and encourages self-empowerment and independence.

Those who hold back because of fears and self-doubt may find Sunstone melts away the sense of unworthiness, feelings of being discriminated against, disadvantaged or abandoned. It emanates a rich and positive spectrum of energies that re-balances one’s emotional patterns, and encourages optimism and enthusiasm. It can help transform anger into energy and judgment into joy.

“I am proud of who I am,” is the affirmation of Sunstone, a crystal known to help us find our joy, harmony and happiness after a dark time. Its properties of vitality and empowerment are particularly beneficial for those under the signs of Leo and Libra, both of whom rely on their good humor and ability to find joy in life. Sunstone’s primary chakra is the Root Chakra, connected to our basic needs and establishing our foundation.

  • Chakra Balancing

With its powers of the sun and light, Sunstone clears and cleanses all the chakras, restoring joy and nurturing the spirit. It is particularly energizing to the Base and Sacral Chakras, stimulating leadership and will, creativity and sexuality.

The red and brown shades of Sunstone activate the Base, or Root Chakra, located at the base of the spine that controls the energy for kinesthetic feeling and movement. It is the foundation of physical and spiritual energy for the body. When physically out of balance the symptoms will manifest themselves as lethargy, low levels of activity, low enthusiasm, and a need for constant stimulation. When its spiritual energies are out of balance, you will feel flighty, disconnected from reality, and distant.

When the Base Chakra is in balance, the physical body regains its strength and stamina, and the spiritual energy is rekindled in the form of security and sense of one’s own power. It often leads to independence and spontaneous leadership.

The gold and orange shades of Sunstone identify with the Sacral Chakra, or Second Chakra, located below the naval and above the pubic bone at the front of the pelvis. It controls the flow of energy and is the center of gravity of the body. It is the center of the Life Force of the body, and controls the flow of information from the body to the mind and from the mind to the body. Gut feelings, intuition, and other “non-linear” communication comes from this chakra.

When it is out of balance the symptoms will manifest themselves as confusion, over dependency on others, repression of feelings, inability to feel joy, fear of sensuality or sex, and frustration. When it is in balance you have grace, feel pleasure in life, find you are flexible and can “go with the flow” and do so in good spirit.

  • Spiritual Energy

Sunstone relates to people of faith – missionaries and others who give themselves in service to the world. It encourages us to act with grace, and aids in active, joyous meditation.

Sunstone carries yang energy, and balances with the yin of Moonstone. Worn together, these stones integrate god and goddess powers, assertive and outward success and inner harmony within your life.

Sunstone And The Goddess

Sunstone honors Cerridwen, the Welsh Goddess of Inspiration and Knowledge. She rules the gifts of prophecy and magic, and powers death and rebirth. She is the guardian of spiritual transformation.

Sunstone may also be used to honor Sekhmet, the Egyptian Goddess of War. She is the most powerful goddess of Lower Egypt, and is usually depicted with the head of a lion and the body of a beautiful woman.

How to Cleanse Sunstone?

If you own a Sunstone and use it all the time, it will need to be cleared and cleansed regularly. The clearing process is necessary before using any stone for healing, because the clearer the energy of a healing stone is, the more powerful it is.

Your Sunstone needs to be cleansed as soon as you buy them and after every use. A ready and clean Sunstone feels positive, bright, tingly, and cold to the touch.

You will know when your Sunstone needs cleansing when it starts to feel hot, heavy, or drained. There are many ways to effectively cleanse your Sunstone.

  • Sea Salt

Sea salt gets rid of any kind of negativity and is a very effective disinfectant of both physical and psychic disruptions.

Use sea salt every time your Sunstone is overloaded with negative energy. Just a tablespoon of sea salt and a glass of cold water are all you need. Let your Sunstone soak overnight.

To use dry salt, place some in a non-plastic container and leave the Sunstones there overnight with the points downwards.

Sometimes a Sunstone may take longer to clear, especially if it has been used in a deep, intense healing. If this is the case, leave it another day or two in the sea salt.

If you live near the ocean, you can bring home some salt water in a jar or wash the Sunstone directly in the ocean water.

  • Moonlight

Moonlight is another method of cleansing your Sunstone. Simply place it outside on a full moon or a new moon. Waning moons are good times to cleanse your Sunstone and dispel old energies, but anytime really works.

It is suggested to hang your Sunstone jewelry in a tree where the moonlight can cleanse them.

Try to avoid placing them under the direct heat of the sun because their colors may fade, or they may break or crack.

  • Burying It

Burying your Sunstone in a cupful of dried herbs like sandalwood, myrrh, frankincense, sage, and rose petals will also clear them.

This is a gentle and pleasant way to cleanse crystals, but it does take longer than the sea salt method.

Crystals may also be buried into the earth. This is especially helpful when you feel that your Sunstone needs deep cleansing.

Just head outside and dig a hole the same size of your Sunstone, placing it point down and covering it with the soil. If you live in an apartment, you can use a flower pot to bury your Sunstones in.

  • Smudging

Another quick way to cleanse Sunstones is to smudge them with burning cedar or sage.

Smudging is an excellent way to make sure your Sunstones are purified. This can be achieved by letting your Sunstone pass through the smoke of the burning cedar or sage stick.

  • Water

Finally, you can also cleanse your Sunstone by running them under cool tap water. The points should always be facing downwards to let the negative energies flow out and down the drain.

During this process, visualize the Sunstone as sparkly, tingly, cold, and belonging to just you!

Birthstones

Sunstone is not associated with any zodiac sign; however, it will bring out the sensuality of Virgos, and will temper the sexuality and possessiveness of Aries. Sunstone is most often associated with the Sun.

Sunstone which is gold in color is the natural birthstone of those born in the magical month of midsummer (July 22 – Aug 21). Gold crystals bring you success, enthusiasm, happiness, and power.

Sunstone which is orange in color is the true birthstone of those born at the end of summer (Aug 22 – Sep 22). Orange crystals bring you joy, friendship, pleasure, and family togetherness.

Sunstone which is scarlet in color is one of the natural birthstones of those born in the first month of autumn (Sep 23 – Oct 21). Scarlet crystals bring you strength, vitality, willpower, and dedication.

Sunstone which is red in color is the natural birthstone of those born in mid-autumn (Oct 22 – Nov 20). Red crystals bring you energy, courage, passion, and love.

Sunstones and Color

Gold energy in Sunstone brings success, enthusiasm, happiness, and power. It is traditionally the color of kings, riches, and the sun ~ Gold ~ touches a deep part of our minds, conjuring up images of mystical places and adventure.

  • Light Gold crystals provide us with the simple pleasures of life, cheerfulness and contentment.
  • Dark Gold crystals have a deeper, more pronounced sense of devotion and commitment, providing us with a mature enthusiasm and ability to share a lifelong commitment of care and love.

The energy of Orange in Sunstone brings joy and friendship, pleasure, and family togetherness. It is a happy and sharing stone, integrating the parts of our communal lives, bringing things and people together. It is a stone of physical pleasure and intimacy.

  • Lighter Orange Sunstone promotes companionship and affection.
  • Darker Orange crystals deepen the sense of belonging and home.

Sunstone contains Scarlet energy, combining the energy of the pure red ray with the exuberance and joy of the orange. It reflects the color of strength and vitality, both physical and spiritual. Scarlet crystals are amulets of protection from physical harm. They help overcome fear and improve self-reliance, and are the crystals of victory, success, and skill. Lighter shades of scarlet, the lightly tinted red-oranges, are excellent talismans of dedication in young relationships. Dark Scarlet crystals are the key to the physical pleasures of maturity – in love, in life, and in relationships.

Red Sunstone brings a self-confidence built on fearlessness. It reflects the color of passion, energy, and life. It motivates. It is a very strong color – the color of fire and blood.

  • Dark Red crystals embody strong, deep feelings, durable energy and quiet passion. It is a masculine color, particularly useful for increasing devotion and seeing the seriousness of life.

Sunstone Lore and Legend

The Ancients believed Sunstone once formed part of the sun and fell to earth during a full solar eclipse.

In Oriental cultures Sunstone was known as a “phenomenal gem” to be worn on Sundays. Phenomenal gems exhibited a moving line, star, or changes on the surface as the light varied, and was considered to bring good fortune to the wearer.

In ancient Greece, Sunstone represented the sun god, bringing life and abundance to all fortunate enough to possess it. It was used often in the ornamentation of goblets and plates, and was believed to counteract poison and produce strength.

In ancient India, Sunstone was revered as protection from the destructive forces of other realms.

Sunstone was used by the Canadian Indians in rituals of the medicine wheel to show spirit guides the connection with the golden white healing light of the sun. During those ceremonies Sunstone was placed in the center of the medicine wheel, and it has been reported that during contact with the spirit guides, the stone emitted a golden glow.

Sunstone Feng Shui

Sunstone utilizes Fire energy. Fire energy is the energy of enthusiasm, warmth, brightness, illumination and activity. It is Yang in nature. It is the energy of heat, action, emotion and passion – of ideas, of concepts, and sex. It is traditionally associated with the south area of a home or room, and with the fame and reputation area of your dwelling.

Use its energy to give your life the boost it needs to enhance your standing in the community and within your family. Red and scarlet crystals should be used sparingly, to bring the sun’s power and the fire element’s energy to your space. Use orange crystals as an accent and as an accessory in rooms where high energy is needed.

Meditation with Sunstone

Sunstone is an alchemical stone bringing a profound connection to light and the regenerative power of the sun during meditation and in everyday life. Meditating with Sunstone on the Third Eye will enable one to see the highest path of action in any situation.

Sunstone meditation can help you feel the powers of the sun and light. With sunstone’s light, it can help clear and energize your chakras.

  • A Simple Sunstone Meditation 

Hold a sunstone in each hand, palms open. Close your eyes and breathe complete breaths. Breathe in and out, slowing your breath.

Imagine that you are a bright light, and that your hands, arms, head, and neck glow with the brightness of this light. Envision the light expanding and covering everything abundantly. Feel the warmth of your skin as it glows and spreads the light. Feel the warmness of the light as it heals your mind, body, and spirit.

Sunstone and the Angelic Realm

If your birthday falls in any of the following periods, a Sunstone of the color listed can be a valuable conduit to your Guardian Angel. The list below provides the name of the Guardian Angel of those born in the specified time period.

It is listed as follows: Date of Birth ~ Crystal Color ~ Name of Guardian Angel

  • Apr 5-9  ~ Orange ~ Elemiah
  • Aug 2-6 ~ Orange ~ Terathel
  • Sep 13-17 ~ Orange ~ Chavakiah
  • Sep 29-Oct 3 ~ Scarlet ~ Haamiah
  • Oct 14-18  ~ Light Orange ~ Hahahel (Hahael)
  • Oct 19-23 ~ Red ~ Mikael
  • Nov 13-17 ~ Dark Red ~ Asaliah
  • Nov 18-22 ~ Light Orange ~ Mihael
  • Nov 28-Dec 2 ~ Dark Scarlet ~ Daniel
  • Dec 8-12 ~ Dark Red ~ Imamiah
  • Dec 22-26 ~ Dark Orange ~ Mebahiah
  • Jan 6-10   ~ Orange ~ Ieilael (Ieliel)
  • Jan 11-15 ~ Light Scarlet ~ Harahel
  • Jan 21-25   ~ Orange ~ Umabel (Umbael)
  • Jan 26-30 ~ Light Scarlet ~ Iahhel
  • Jan 31-Feb 4 ~ Light Scarlet ~ Anauel
  • Mar 16-20 ~ Dark Red ~ Mumiah (Mumijah)

There are other Angels that are partial to Sunstone. The list below gives you the information about them.

  • Guardian of the Fourteenth Mansion of the Moon ~ Virgo ~ Dark Gold ~ Ergediel
  • Dealing with Agriculture and Animals ~ Dark Gold ~ Risnuch
  • Ruler of Earth/Wind ~ Dark Gold ~ Ruchiel
  • Severity Angel; Tree of Life, Guardian of Tuesday, Ruler of Mars ~ Dark Gold ~ Samael
  • Guardian of the 24th Mansion of the Moon which is Aquarius ~ Dark Orange ~ Abrinael
  • Protector and Ruler of the dates Sept.13-17 ~ Virgo. ~ Dark Orange ~ Chavakiah
  • Protector and Ruler of the dates Dec 22-26 ~ Capricorn. ~ Dark Orange ~ Mebahiah
  • Guardian of the 11th Mansion of the Moon which is Leo ~ Dark Orange ~ Neciel
  • Protector and Ruler of the dates Aug 13-17 ~ Leo ~ Dark Orange ~ Reiel
  • Ruler of Saturn  ~ Dark Orange ~ Sabathiel
  • Protector and Ruler of the dates Nov 13-17 ~ Scorpio ~ Dark Red ~ Asaliah
  • Protector and Ruler of the dates Dec 8-12 ~ Sagittarius ~ Dark Red ~ Imamiah
  • Protector and Ruler of the dates Mar 16-20 ~ Pisces ~ Dark Red ~ Mumiah
  • Angel of Fertility ~ Dark Red ~ Samandiriel
  • Master of the 11th Tarot Card “Justice” ~ Dark Red ~ Zuriel
  • Protector and Ruler of the dates Nov 28-Dec 2 ~ Sagittarius ~ Dark Scarlet ~ Daniel
  • Master of the Tarot Card “The Sun” ~ Dark Scarlet ~ Nakiel
  • Angel of Hope ~ Dark Scarlet ~ Phanuel
  • Ruler of Earth/Earthquakes ~ Dark Scarlet ~ Ra’ashiel
  • Angel of Pride, and the Sea ~ Dark Scarlet ~ Rahab
  • Angel of Purity ~ Dark Scarlet ~ Tahariel
  • Guardian of the Nineteenth Mansion of the Moon which is Scorpio ~ Gold ~ Amutiel
  • Foundation Angel and known as the Tree of Life. The Angel of Monday ~ Gold ~ Gabriel
  • Ruler of the Moon, Earth, and Lighting ~ Gold ~ Gabriel
  • Master of the Tarot Cards “The High Priestess” and “The Hanged Man” ~ Gold ~ Gabriel
  • Angel of Pregnancies/Child Birth ~ Gold ~ Gabriel
  • Angel of the North Wind, Creativity, and Truth ~ Gold ~ Gabriel
  • The sun sign Aquarius ~ Gold ~ Gabriel
  • Guardian Fifth Mansion of the Moon; Taurus ~ Gold ~ Gabriel
  • Master of the Tarot Card “The High Priestess” ~ Gold ~ Schelachel
  • Master of the Tarot Card “The World” ~ Gold ~ Uriel
  • Heals Resentment and is the Ruler of the South Wind ~ Gold ~ Uriel
  • Angel of Music and Repentance ~ Gold ~ Uriel
  • The sun sign, Libra ~ Gold ~ Uriel
  • Master of Tarot Card “The Fool” ~ Light Gold ~ Chassan
  • Angel of the Mountains ~ Light Gold ~ Rampel
  • Guardian of the Ninth Mansion of the Moon ~ CancerLeo ~ Light Orange ~ Barbiel
  • Protector and Ruler of the dates Oct 14-18 ~ Libra ~ Light Orange ~ Hahahel
  • Protector and Ruler of the dates Nov 18-22 ~ Scorpio ~ Light Orange ~ Mihael
  • Ruler of Earth/Moon ~ Light Orange ~ Ophanniel
  • Ruler of Earth/Constellations/Stars ~ Light Orange ~ Rahatiel
  • Master of the Tarot Card “Temperance” ~ Light Orange ~ Saritaiel
  • Protector and Ruler of the dates Jan 31- Feb 4 ~ Aquarius ~ Light Scarlet ~ Anauel
  • Angel of Dreams ~ Light Scarlet ~ Duma
  • Master of the Tarot Card “The Hierophant” ~ Light Scarlet ~ Eraziel
  • Protector and Ruler of the dates Jan 11-15 ~ Capricorn ~ Light Scarlet ~ Harahel
  • Protector and Ruler of the dates Jan 26-30 ~ Aquarius ~ Light Scarlet ~ Iahhel
  • Angel of Music ~ Light Scarlet ~ Israfel
  • Ruler of Venus ~ Light Scarlet ~ Nogahel
  • Protector and Ruler of the dates Apr 5-9 ~ Aries  ~ Orange ~ Elemiah
  • Protector and Ruler of the dates Jan 6-10 ~ Capricorn ~ Orange ~ Ieilael
  • Protector and Ruler of the dates Aug 2-6 ~ Leo ~ Orange ~ Terathel
  • Protector and Ruler of the dates Jan 21-25 ~ Aquarius ~ Orange ~ Umabel
  • Master of the Tarot Card “The Tower” ~ Red ~ Graphiel
  • Protector and Ruler of the dates Oct 19-23 ~ Libra ~ Red ~ Mikael
  • Guardian of the Tenth Mansion of the Moon ~ Leo ~ Scarlet ~ Ardifiel
  • Protector and Ruler of the dates Sep.29-Oct 3 ~ Libra ~ Scarlet ~ Haamiah
  • Ruler of Mars ~ Scarlet ~ Madimiel
  • Deal With Fear ~ Scarlet ~ Yroul

Sources:

  • Scientific Name: Helianthus annuus
  • Type: Plant
  • Quality: Hot
  • Planet : Sun
  • Element: Fire
  • Parts Used: Seed, Flowers, Whole Plant
  • Basic Powers: Protection, Fertility

When summer is at its peak, its not uncommon to see rows of sunflowers blooming in all of their colorful glory. Ranging from just a foot or two high to well over eight feet in height, sunflowers come in a variety of yellows and oranges. Sunflowers have been growing in North America for ages, so there is a significant amount of folklore surrounding them.

No flower can lift someone’s spirits quite like sunflowers. They are bright and cheery, and as warm and inviting as the sweet summer sun. With brilliant yellow petals, also known as “rays,” sunflowers have an unmistakable sun-like appearance.

As its name signifies, the sunflower has close solar associations, not only because of its appearance, but also because of its habit of turning its head to follow the course of the Sun during its journey across the sky.

Spirits of the dead are drawn to this flower, for it reminds them of the sunlit world they once lived within.

The sunflower has magickal powers, too, and adorned the crowns of Roman emperors, thereby conferring the ruler with the potent power of the Sun that the flower held within it. The sunflower was later adopted by the Christian Church to denote the saints, prophets, and apostles of the faith; as the flower follows the Sun, so the true believer follows God.

Sunflower Lore

The sunflower originated in South and Central America, and migrated north, most likely due to the migration of Spanish conquistadors. Remains of sunflowers dating back 4,600 years have been found in Mexico. In the 1500s, Spanish explorers took sunflowers back to Europe with them, and the species has spread around the world since then.

In the 16th century, Inca priestesses in Peru worshiped a giant variety of the sunflower plant. This plant was a symbol of the Inca sun god.

The Inca priestesses wore clothing that was adorned with large flower shaped ornaments. These ornaments and decorations were made from gold, and the image of the sunflower was often carved into golden breastplates.

The sunflower was sacred to Native Americans; the flowers were used extensively in celebrations and festivities.

Native Americans used this plant for food and other things. It is believed that it was a very important Native American crop. Like the Inca priestesses that came before them, Native Americans also worshiped the plant.

They held spiritual ceremonies such as the Sun Dance. As well as being a food source, the flower became a symbol of strength and endurance. They would put sunflower seeds on top of graves containing their dead.

Early colonists in North America learned about the many uses of sunflowers from the tribes near them. In addition to being useful as a source of yellow and orange dye for fabric, the sunflower also comes in handy medicinally – it was known for its antimalarial properties.

Sunflowers In Legend

The Greek legend had it that a nymph called Clytie and the Sun God, Helios, were in love. But Helios cast aside poor Clytie for another lover. Clytie died of grief and was transformed into the sunflower, destined to live alone and having to follow the course of her former love. Therefore the sunflower, as a symbol has adopted an aspect of Clytie’s personality: the inability to overcome the emotions or to “let go.”

  • An alternative story is as follows:

There was a maiden who fell in love with Apollo. Every time he passed overhead in his fiery sun chariot, she stood in her garden and gazed at him longingly, even though she had chores and tasks to attend to. Apollo, who made a point of shining brightly so people on earth couldn’t actually see him, eventually got fed up with the girl’s foolishness. He flung one of his sun arrows at her, and she turned into a sunflower on the spot.

To this day, she faces east in the morning and west in the evenings, following the path of Apollo. In some versions of the story, it was not Apollo but the other gods who took pity upon her and turned her into a sunflower.

Sunflower Symbolism

The sunflower is a symbol of light, hope, and innocence, and has been adopted fairly recently as a symbol for world peace.

Sunflowers are known for being “happy” flowers, making them the perfect gift to bring joy to someone’s (or your) day.

In many folkloric traditions, sunflowers are seen as symbols of good luck. Sunflowers are often associated with truth, loyalty, and honesty.

The seed head of the sunflower contains a magical symbol. It shows a perfect example of the golden spiral that has been created naturally. This shape is one of the cornerstones of sacred geometry.

The Victorian language of flowers gave it various connotations, so that in certain contexts it stood for lofty ideas, or less flatteringly as a symbol for false riches.

In China, this flower symbolizes longevity or long life. It may be due to the sun which is perceived to have an enduring life even though eventually it will die out.

On a practical note, when these plant stems are cut to make flowers for vases and bouquets, they can last for 2-3 weeks so are quite hardy.

In dreams, the sunflower is believed to be a very lucky symbol or motif. It is viewed as symbolizing career and employment ambitions, wealth, good fortune and positive opportunities.

This flower is quite the lucky charm for someone who may be beginning on a new career path or starting a job.

One of the sunflower’s greatest and most important symbolic meanings is that of having a nuclear-free world. This flower was chosen back in 1996 in order to represent a world of peace and one that is free of any harmful nuclear weapons.

New varieties and seeds were planted during this time on an old Ukrainian missile base and also planted across nuclear disaster sites such as Fukushima, Chernobyl and Hiroshima.

The flowers have been shown to absorb harmful toxic elements and radiation from the soil and clean up the environment. Being so good for the environment as well as beautiful to look at, it is no wonder that the sunflower has now truly become a symbol of peace and also hope for the future of humankind.

Magickal Uses:

Faery flower sorcery sees the sunflower as harnessing the energy of the sun itself, making it useful for positive magick and lightwork. The light contained in its yellow petals radiates strength, useful for dispelling depression and encouraging a healthy sense of pride.

The flowers growing in the garden bring the blessings of the Sun. The seeds are often eaten by women who wish to conceive. This is done during the waxing Moon.

Always include a sunflower or sunflower seeds in a birthday spell to increase happiness, health, and years. Sprinkle the seeds on the earth to invoke prosperity. Place the flowers on a love altar to invoke a long-lasting relationship.

Sunflowers are symbols of good luck. Planting them around your home and garden will bring fortune your way. It is also said that if you pick a sunflower at sunset, then wear it on your person, it will bring you good luck the following day.

Sunflower seeds that dry and remain on the flower head are said to possess the magickal capacity to grant wishes. Hold an individual seed in your left hand and make your wish. Eat the seed or plant it in Earth.

Sunflowers are also associated with truth, loyalty, and honesty. If you want to know the truth about something, sleep with a sunflower under your pillow – and the next day, before the sun goes down, the truth should be revealed to you.

To reveal a thief, place three sunflowers under your pillow. The thief will be revealed in your dreams.

The sunflower is considered a flower of loyalty because day after day, it follows the sun, from east to west. In some folk magic traditions, it is believed that slipping a bit of sunflower oil or seeds into someone’s food or drink will cause them to be loyal to you.

The sunflower is often associated with fertility, thanks to its connection to the sun. To bring about conception, eat sunflower seeds or take a ritual bath with sunflower petals. A necklace or crown of dried sunflower heads can be worn–particularly at Litha, the summer solstice–to bring about fertility.

In 17th Century Europe, some rural practitioners of folk magic used an ointment that would help them see the Faerie folk. This used a blend of several summer, sun-oriented flowers, mixed in with sunflower oil and left in the sun for three days until it thickened.

Some people believed that sunflower seeds were preventatives against the spread of smallpox.  Weave and knot dried sunflowers into necklaces and wear them to magickally repel smallpox.

In some forms of Hoodoo, the sunflower is associated with great joy. The oil is often used as a base in magical oils for ritual purposes. You can blend your own magical sunflower oil by blending freshly harvested petals into a carrier or base of sunflower seed oil, which is available in most grocery stores.

Please note that this is not the traditional hoodoo sunflower oil recipe, but it is still one that is effective. Once you’ve mixed your oil, consecrate it according to the method of your own magical tradition before using it in spellwork or ritual. A simple way to do this, with sunflower oil, is to leave it in the sun to absorb solar energy prior to use.

Brew a tea of sunflower petals in water, and use it to asperge around a sacred space during Litha rituals or solar-related spellwork. If you’re grieving or feeling down, use sunflower petals in a ritual bath for a magical, sunny pick-me-up.

The Spiritual Meaning of the Sunflower

The sunflower appears to worship the sun because the blooms have been thought to face the sun as it slowly moves and travels across the sky each day.

Many people view this flower as being highly spiritual. These flowers appear as if they follow the sun as it moves each day from East to West in the sky. It makes the flowers look as if they are highly loyal and devout, just as a follower of faith is.

In a spiritual meaning, these plants are seen as being genuine followers of the sun. This has a connection with Christians following God and other religions following their spiritual guide or divine being.

No matter how small or how little light there is, sunflowers are believed to seek out the light and hold their heads high as if in worship and adoration of the sun.

They are therefore a symbol of true and faithful loyalty to something that is much brighter and bigger than themselves.

Sources:

  • ALEXANDRITE is a rare and expensive gemstone, when worn it draws luck and good fortune.
  • AMBER is the fossilized resin of ancient coniferous trees.It has been used for nearly every purpose in magic. Warm to the touch, it is thought to possess life. Lucky and protective.
  • APACHE TEAR, a globule of translucent obsidian, is carried as a good-luck charm.
  • AVENTURINE is an all-around luck stone.
  • CHALCEDONY, an arrowhead carved of chalcedony is worn or carried for luck.
  • CHRYSOPRASE is a lucky stone worn for eloquence, success in new undertakings, and to attract friends.
  • COPPER is a lucky metal, perhaps because of its past solar attributions, and so can be used in combination with any luck-bringing gemstones.
  • CROSS STONE, a form of andalusite is found in coarse crystals. When broken open or sliced, they display a symmetrical cross pattern of alternating dark and light colors. As with all stones exhibiting unusual shapes or patterns, it is carried for luck.
  • L-SHAPED stones are thought to bring good fortune, perhaps because this form suggest the conjunction of the spiritual with the physical. They can be carried as good luck pieces or placed on the altar.
  • LEPIDOLITE is a purplish type of mica rich in lithium. It is a beautiful yet fragile mineral, carried to attract good luck to it’s bearer.
  • LODESTONE is carried in pairs — one to protect and the other to bring good luck.
  • OPAL, due to its flashing colors and beautiful unique appearance, the opal is a luck-bringing stone. The modern idea that the opal is a stone of misfortune, sorrow, and bad luck is untrue and can be traced back to a reference in the novel, Anne of Gierstein by Sir Walter Scott.
  • ORANGE stones have some of the fire of red but are gentler in their effects. Protective, they have often been seen as symbols of the Sun and are thought to be luck attracting.
  • SARDONYX was at one time engraved with an eagle’s head, set in silver, platinum, or gold, and worn to bring good luck.
  • TIN is carried as a good-luck piece and can be shaped into talismans to attract money.
  • TURQUOISE like all blue stones, is lucky and is carried to attract good fortune.

From: Cunningham’s Encyclopedia of Crystal, Gem and Metal Magic

The unicorn is one of the most famous and endearing of mystical creatures associated with fantasy, mythology, and magic. Images of the unicorn have fascinated people all over the world for centuries. Such a powerful and easily recognized symbol can have an important place in magical practice.

Symbols are integral to our lives, especially for magic and visualization. Often the success of a spell relies heavily on the symbolism that is chosen and how deeply it affects the user. Many people are drawn to magical creatures and have an affinity for certain ones, collecting various images of that particular creature. Since unicorns are among the most popular, here are some ways you can incorporate unicorn symbolism into magical practice.

Even if you have never been particularly fascinated with magical creatures, getting to know them by investigating their characteristics can add a new dimension to your personal power.

First, consider what the creature symbolizes to you. Unicorns have many standard associations, but we can build on this by adding our own personal characteristics or feelings.

For example, I first fell in love with unicorns as a child, so to me they represent not merely innocence, but a playfulness and lightness of spirit, a carefree time. As I grew older, that sense of joy and happiness was tinged with the melancholy moments of adolescence and the unicorn matured with me to become an escape from the sometimes painful events of growing up. But more than anything else, I associate the unicorn with imagination and purity—and the beautiful free spirit we need to recapture to avoid becoming jaded by the sometimes harsh realities of life. In short, the unicorn is hope and possibility.

But you may have different associations and feelings when you look at an image of the unicorn. That’s fine—the point is to use the symbolism for something meaningful to you and to focus on these feelings in your magical practice. Unicorn imagery can be used in spells for healing, peace, comfort, and inspiration. Still others may associate the unicorn with love, or to some they may represent bravery or strength. Choose what the unicorn means to you and incorporate that image into your spells and meditations.

Begin by collecting a variety of images. Or, if you already have a substantial collection, take inventory to see what you have and think of ways you can use them. These items may be statues, drawings, jewelry, clothing, or anything else you can find.

The most basic way to get started is to place a unicorn statue or other type of image on your altar or use it to represent deity. Unicorns have a long history of being associated with spirituality. And of course, statues and images can be placed in other special places in your living and working environment. Wear unicorn jewelry when you need to get in touch with the qualities the unicorn possesses. Place drawings where they can remind you of your goal.

You can anoint statues for special purposes to be placed around your home, in various rooms or outside. This would be ideal for a protection spell. I have a unicorn in almost every room of my house. They’re usually tucked away in a subtle location, but they’re present to remind me of my goal of keeping a youthful spirit and remembering the time when I felt that first touch of magic.

There are other countless ways to incorporate unicorn imagery into your magical practice. Because of the healing associations with the horn, a unicorn image would be excellent in a healing spell or one simply for general health and well-being. Unicorns are often symbols of vitality and strength.

You can also create a unicorn altar with different styles of statues to represent each element. Imagine different encounters with the unicorn for whatever needs you have. If you feel the need for comfort or healing, visualize yourself being healed by the unicorn. Create a detailed scene in your mind and make it as vivid as possible. For strength and confidence, visualize yourself as a unicorn or try a visualization of yourself riding a unicorn to create a feeling of freedom or to relieve stress.

Read about unicorns—history, legends and stories for inspiration. Create unicorn art; even if you don’t have a talent for drawing or painting you can create collages of unicorn images or try sculpting with clay. Write some unicorns stories and poems of your own—create your own myths. If you have children, ask for their help and create a story together.

Cultures all over the world have claimed unicorn stories and legends of some kind. This creature is popular for a reason—it speaks to us on a symbolic level that can be very powerful. Tap into that power by discovering, or rediscovering, what the unicorn means to you.

Source: Llewellyn

  • Basic Powers: To bring happiness and spiritual transformation.
  • Pronunciation: “woon-yo”

Gaining the favor or untapped power of superiors, whether mortal or immortal; obtaining promotion or passing tests. It is also useful for gaining wisdom, and is very useful for timing spell results. If you want a spell to work at a particular time, Wunjo can be used to control the release of spell energy. So a talisman might use Wunjo (or wynn) to be made to work for nine days, in nine days, or some similar feature. Our method of measuring time (e.g;., four o’clock on Thursday) is not suitable, and the rune works at its best in a multiple of nine.

Wunjo is the rune of “happily ever after”. It is generally used in the final position as a significator of success and happiness. Fulfillment in any area, especially love or career. Success in travel.

Strengthens links and bonds. Invocation of fellowship and harmony. Banishes alienation. Happiness and well-being. Realization of the links and multiplicity of relationships of all things. Binding runes toward specific purposes.

The Chant

wunjo wunjo wunjo
wu wa wi we wo
wun wan win wen won
wo we wi wa wu
w w w u u u n n n

It can be used in conjunction with the symbol, or chanted while visualizing the symbol. The symbol can be etched into a candle while intoning the chant, and then, as the candle burns, the spell is released and sent.

The Statement of Intent:

It is bliss to reach the state of happiness:
no suffering, no sorrows, great joy.
To have the necessities of life
and to be able to help others.
Even in a reversal of fortune
one who is truly free
can still find joy
in this world and in other realms.

This is a modern version of the “Rune Poem” that defines this particular rune. It can be used in combination with the chant, and while creating a talisman or spell that uses the power of this rune.

Runic Posture

Rune Yoga, or Runic postures are used to anchor the energy of the Rune in your physical body. More about them can be found here: Runic Postures.

Assume the recommended runic posture and sing the name of the rune in a non-exhaustive way that you can feel your body vibrating – in magic literature it is called vibrating. It could be that you can hear overtones clearer as usual during vibrating. Take this as a good sign. You are visualizing the rune with your inner eye, as its form is being represented by your body and the energies are flowing through your body.

Stand up with your left arm down at your side. Your right arm is brought up above the shoulder, fingers straight and touching your head. Bend the elbow as shown in the image above. Hold the palm of the hand flat and level with the ground.

Before practicing a rune it is recommended to know everything on the powers of the rune you want to practice. The flow of energy is different for each rune, a field of research for your sensitivity.

The hand positions, or mudras are effective only after you have anchored the runes in your own aura and body. They can be made silent and unobtrusive.

Sources:

  • Folkname: Gilliflower, Jove’s Flower, Nelka
  • Type: Flower
  • Ruler: Capricorn, Saturn
  • Planet: Sun
  • Element: Fire
  • Magickal Form: Fresh, dried, essential oil
  • Basic Powers: Protection, Energy, Happiness

Inhaling the gorgeous scent of the carnation flower will immediately enhance emotions of joy and happiness, so the addition of the essential oil is perfect for incenses and oils to dispel depression and disappointment. Brush flowers down your body to cleanse. After reaching the feet, break the stems to trap and hold the negative energy.  This flower also helps relieve the depression of winter.

Keep red carnations on the altar to increase your energy level and to create more optimism in life. Once worn by Witches to prevent untimely death on the scaffold, it is used in power incenses and placed on the altar to produce added energy.

Dry nine red carnations in the Sun, crumble them and separate from the stems. Pour one dram carnation essential oil over them, mix well and smolder on charcoal for a tremendously powerful incense. Produces tons of energy!

Used to remove hexes and negative energy, the carnation is especially good for clearing out love problems. Add white and red carnations or essential oil to bathwater to stabilize your love life. Carnation flowers attract abundance as well, either as a bouquet or in a formula.

Including carnations or carnation oil in a blend for the sickroom is perfect to aid in the mental aspects of healing. If your eyes are bothered, rub them with red carnations – it will help. This belief comes from the biblical legend in which carnations sprang up where the Mother of Jesus’s tears fell as she cried over her son’s crucifixion.

Carnations have a history of being brewed into tea to help reduce stress and restore energy. Carnation tea has also been used to reduce fever and treat stomach aches. In addition to tea, carnation oil is used in beauty products to moisturize skin, minimize wrinkles, and treat skin conditions.

Magickal Carnation Aromatherapy

Raised in hothouses stretched along the Pacific coastline and grown across the border in Mexico, Carnations pop up everywhere and are available all year at fairly reasonable prices. The vast majority of these flowers are, however, useless for magickal aromatherapy.

As has been the case with the rose, carnations have been hybridized to produce the biggest bloom size, longest stems and brightest colors. The scent has been forgotten. Thus most carnations obtained from florist shops are virtually scentless. The red ones are an exception, but even here the spiciness is slight.

So what can you do if you wish to utilize the intriguing energies within carnations? Get yourself some starter plants and grow your own. What better way to ensure that you have a steady supply of these fabulous blooms? Look for short-stemmed red varieties with the heaviest fragrances.

These flowers, which Gerard said have an “escellent sweet smell,” are also smelled, with proper visualization, to bring a spicy love into your life.

Before a potentially exhausting magickal act, inhale the rich aroma of fresh carnation flowers. Accept the flower’s energy into yourself. Add it to your physical store of power which will soon be released from the body during magick.

When you’re suffering through a cold or some other minor illness, keep carnations around your sickbed. Inhale their odor while visualizing yourself in a healthy, healed state. If friends wish to give you flowers, you can always ask for carnations – even commercially grown ones.

The Sign of the Carnation

If you were born between December 22 and January 21, you were born under the sign of the Carnation. Those with the carnation flower sign are beautifully adept at putting things in order, and organizing. You are strong willed and determined for others to see your point of view.

You are a natural leader, and others look to you to lean on. You can be driven and determined and this makes you a strong personality. You are no stranger to hard work, and you like to get things done your way. You like security, particularly if you are building a comfort zone with your own two hands.

Carnation Symbolism

  • Carnations are the traditional first wedding anniversary flower.
  • Carnation is the birth flower for those born in the month of January.

For the most part, carnations express love, fascination, and distinction, though there are many variations dependent on color.

  • Green colored carnations are associated with St. Patrick’s Day.
  • The pink ones stand for a mother’s eternal love.
  • Light red carnations represent admiration.
  • Dark red denotes deep love and affection.
  • White carnations represent pure love and good luck.
  • While striped (variegated) carnations symbolize regret that a love cannot be shared.
  • Purple carnations symbolize untrustworthiness.

Carnation symbolism around the world:

  • Carnations native to the Near East, symbolize bonds of affection and love, health and energy.
  • In Portugal, bright red carnations were used when in 1974 the authoritarian Estado Novo regime was overthrown; therefore, this transition is known as the Carnation Revolution.
  • White carnations, in the Netherlands are associated with HRH prince Bernhard. He wore one during World War II and in a gesture of defiance some of the Dutch population took up this gesture. After the war the white carnation became a sign of the Prince, veterans and remembrance of the resistance.
  • In France, the purple carnation is a traditional funeral flower, given in condolence for the death of a loved one.
  • Along with the red rose, the red carnation can be used as a symbol of socialism and the labor movement, and historically has often been used in demonstrations on International Workers’ Day (May Day).
  • According to a popular belief in Russia, white carnations may take away your talent and good luck. Those who want to present a performer on stage with flowers should avoid white carnations. On the other hand, placing a white carnation under the pillow will awake you inspired next morning.

According to a Christian legend, carnations first appeared on Earth as Jesus carried the Cross. The Virgin Mary shed tears at Jesus’ plight, and carnations sprang up from where her tears fell. Thus the pink carnation became the symbol of a mother’s undying love.

Carnation Story and Origins

Carnations are also called pinks because of their spiky petals that look like they were cut with pinking shears. There are several theories about how the carnation got its name. Some believe that it comes from the word coronation because it was used in Greek ceremonial crowns. Others think that it originated from the Latin word carnis, meaning flesh, because early carnations were typically pink.

Carnations scientific name is Dianthus caryophyllus. Some believe the name Dianthus originated from the myth of Diana. There are a few variations of this story. In one variation Diana, goddess of the hunt, was returning from an unsuccessful hunting trip. She stumbled upon a shepherd playing a flute and blamed his music for spoiling her hunting.

In a fit of rage she attacked him and plucked out his eyes. Once she cooled down, she regretted her actions. Where the eyes fell, red carnations grew as signs of innocent blood.

Others believe that Dianthus was named after Zeus, as Zeus in Greek is dios and flower is anthos. Carnations are also referred to as the flower of the gods.

Carnation Holidays and Events:

Red carnations are worn on May Day as a symbol of socialism and the labor movement in some countries, such as Austria, Italy, and successor countries of the former Yugoslavia. The red carnation is also the symbol of the Portuguese Carnation Revolution.

January 29th is National Carnation Day, also known as Red Carnation Day, this day honors the memory of President William McKinley. The carnation was said to be McKinley’s favorite flower, and he always wore one in his lapel. The Columbus, Ohio Statehouse often commemorates by giving discounts at the museum shop for individuals wearing red carnations or dressed in scarlet.

Carnations are often worn on special occasions, especially Mother’s Day and weddings. In 1907, Anna Jarvis chose a carnation as the emblem of Mother’s Day because it was her mother’s favorite flower. This tradition is now observed in the United States and Canada on the second Sunday in May. Ann Jarvis chose the white carnation because she wanted to represent the purity of a mother’s love. This meaning has evolved over time, and now a red carnation may be worn if one’s mother is alive, and a white one if she has died.

In Korea, carnations express admiration, love and gratitude. Red and pink carnations are worn on Parents Day (Korea does not separate Mother’s Day or Father’s Day, but has Parents Day on 8 May). Sometimes, parents wear a carnation corsage on their left chest on Parents Day. Carnations are also worn on Teachers Day.

Green carnations are for St. Patrick’s Day and were famously worn by the Irish writer Oscar Wilde. The green carnation thence became a symbol of homosexuality in the early 20th century, especially through the book The Green Carnation and Noël Coward’s song, “We All Wear a Green Carnation” in his operetta, Bitter Sweet.

In Poland, in times of the People’s Republic of Poland, carnations were traditionally given to women on the widely celebrated Women’s Day, together with commodities that were difficult to obtain due to the country’s communist system, such as tights, towels, soap and coffee.

At the University of Oxford, carnations are traditionally worn to all examinations; white for the first exam, pink for exams in between, and red for the last exam. One story explaining this tradition relates that initially a white carnation was kept in a red inkpot between exams, so by the last exam it was fully red; the story is thought to originate in the late 1990s.

But Wait – There’s More:

Carnations have inspired many artists, poets, and authors. British composer Joseph Mazzinghi wrote a song entitled “Ye Shepherds Tell Me”, which told of a beautiful girl wearing a wreath of flowers.

A wreath around her head,
Around her head she wore,
Carnation, lily, lily, rose,
And in her hand a crook she bore,
And sweets her breath compose.

Sources:

  • Encyclopedia of Magickal Ingredients
  • Gardenerdy
  • The Herbal Alchemist’s Handbook
  • Ftd.com
  • Magical Herbalism
  • Wikipedia
  • Magical Aromatherapy

Witches know that ultimate Magick comes from the heart of nature. Forging a strong bond with nature by nurturing house plants is very empowering and can sort out your health too!

The top five plants all remove chemical vapors that build up in the home from paints, cleaners, solvents and other unhealthy things – and they have magickal abilities too as listed below:

  • GERBERA DAISY Great to encourage happiness.
  • PEACE LILY Encourages harmonious energies and good communication.
  • BOSTON FERN Encourages psychic ability and intuition.
  • ENGLISH IVY For protection and luck – especially good for newly weds.
  • ARECA PALM (or Butterfly or Yellow Palm) For peace and creativity.

  • Ruler: Venus
  • Type: Baked good
  • Magickal form: Various fillings

Originating in ancient Greece and Rome, pies are associated with happiness, love, and wholeness. Eat cherry pie to increase self-confidence and find self-love. All fruit pies invoke love when shared with another. Meat pies create fillings of security. Place your thumb in a pie and make a wish, it might come true.

Mince pie magick and lore:

Mince pies (sometimes known as mince tarts) are a popular part of Christmas. Most people think they will gain a month of good luck for every mince pie they eat during the Christmas season, as long as a different person makes each pie. One hundred years ago, the tradition was that each pie had to be eaten at a different person’s house, and they had to be consumed between December 25 and January 6. This gave you twelve days in which to eat enough pies to guarantee a year of good luck.

The mincemeat mixture should only be stirred in a clockwise direction. To stir it anticlockwise is to bring bad luck for the coming year. A wish should be made whilst eating your first mince pie of the festive season.

Pies and Their Magickal Qualities:

  • Apple pie: Love, Healing, Peace
  • Banana cream pie: Money
  • Blackberry pie: Money, Sex
  • Chocolate cream pie: Money, Love
  • Cherry pie: Confidence, Self esteem, Love
  • Lime pie: Love, Purification
  • Lemon pie: Purification, Love
  • Mince pie: Luck, Money (always make a wish when eating a mince pie)
  • Pecan pie: Money
  • Pineapple pie: Love, Healing, Money, Protection
  • Pumpkin pie: Money, Healing
  • Raspberry pie: Happiness, Love, Protection
  • Rhubarb pie: Protection, Love
  • Square sweet pies: Prosperity
  • Strawberry pie: Love

From: Encyclopedia of Magickal Ingredients and other sources

 

marjoram_facebook

  • Ruler: AphroditeVenus / Mars
  • Element: Water
  • Planet: Venus
  • Type: Spice
  • Magickal Form: Ground or whole leaves, Essential Oil
  • Magickal UsesGrieving, Happiness, Love, Money, Protection, Psychic Development, Psychic Protection, Tranquility, Weddings

From the Greek word Eros (mountain) and ganos (joy) it was given the name “joy of the mountain.” The Greeks believed when Marjoram sprung from graves, their loved ones were happy in the after life. In Greek weddings couples wore the herb to symbolize the joyful event.

Perfect as an addition to any herbal love combination, marjoram is sacred to the Goddess Aphrodite. An herb that blends the potent energies of Venus and Mars, marjoram brings strength to the union of marriage. Add marjoram to food to promote love and happiness between family members, and strengthen relationships.

Legend has it that if you anoint yourself with Marjoram before bed, you will dream of your future spouse.

It is a great herb to burn before saying “I love you” to a partner for the first time because it guarantees that these words will be mirrored back.. It is woven into bridal wreaths to bring joy to the marriage. Marjoram should be added to all love charms and sachets.

Burned as an offertory, it promotes spiritual bliss and connection to the Divine. As a symbol of familial love, marjoram sprinkled around the perimeter of the home or grown by the front door protects the inhabitants. Grown in the garden, placed around the house or carried, it shields from evil energies.

When placed inside a coffin with the deceased or grown on top of a grave, this herb is said to deliver the soul safely to the next world. Marjoram brings happiness. When carried by living persons, it cures depression. In case you’re confused about the use for both grieving and happiness, it is meant to restore happiness to the grief-stricken.

Put Marjoram around every room of your house for protection from negativity and evil intent. A bit in each room will aid in protection of the home. Mix it with violets when doing this to protect the family from colds and flu. During the winter make an amulet of marjoram and violets to guard against colds.

More Magickal uses for Marjoram:

  • Use it in a bath by placing a mesh bag under the tap water for love and peace.
  • Add to money sachets and mixtures.
  • Burn it over a burner for help in accepting life changes and for anti-sorcery spells.
  • When combined with thyme becomes a powerful spring cleanser.
  • Given to a depressed person, marjoram brings happiness.
  • Carry it in a sachet to protect against evil.
  • Grown in the garden it offers shielding powers against evil.

 

Information gathered from a variety of sources.

“Magic is only unexplained science. Science is explained magic. When I study science, I study magic. When I study magic, I study science.” ― C. JoyBell C.
Notice
Do not use any ingredient if you are allergic to it. There is always something else that can be used, or substituted.
Subscribe
If you'd like to stay up to date on everything that is posted you can subscribe via email:

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

Moon Phase Tracker
-
Be Merry!


I think it's time to go shopping... maybe even buy some really cool stuff at one of my online shops!!

Stats