Generally when Hubby and I do our House Blessing we dedicate an entire day and night to the ritual of the Blessing. We do the Blessing on the November1. starting first thing in the morning, we clean the house from top to bottom, making especially sure that we have checked for any areas that may be holding stagnant energy. Closets are good hiding places for stagnant energy, so this is a good time to get rid of old clothes and air out blankets. We start our ritual at sundown. Our Cakes and Ale during this ritual of house blessing is a meal. We invite the three Goddesses of Hearth and Home to our meal, Brighid, Vesta and Hestia. We ask them to look after us and our home and Family. We invite the God Cernunnos to our meal as well, he brings passion and enthusiasm to our home and family. The ritual usually lasts all night and we set out a new welcome mat in the morning. I have included two recipes that we enjoy during our House Blessing, hope you enjoy them too!!
40 Cloves and a Chicken
* 1 whole chicken (broiler/fryer) cut into 8 pieces
* 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 10 sprigs fresh thyme
* 40 peeled cloves garlic
* Salt and pepper
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Season chicken with salt and pepper. Toss with a 2 tablespoons olive oil and brown on both sides in a wide fry pan or skillet over high heat. Remove from heat, add oil, thyme, and garlic cloves. Cover and bake for 1 1/2 hours.
Remove chicken from the oven, let rest for 5 to 10 minutes, carve, and serve.
Crock Pot Mud Cake
RECIPE INGREDIENTS:
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
6 tablespoons butter
2 ounces semisweet chocolate (or 1/3 cup chocolate chips)
1 cup sugar (2/3 cup & 1/3 cup, added separately)
3 tablespoons plus 1/3 cup Dutch-processed cocoa
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup milk
1 egg yolk
1/3 cup brown sugar
11/2 cups hot water
Whipped cream or ice cream
1. Coat the inside of a 2 1/2- to 5-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. (Note: the cake's cooking time and final appearance will vary depending on your crock's size.)
2. Whisk together the flour and baking powder in a medium bowl and set aside. In a large bowl, melt the butter and chocolate in the microwave or over a pan of simmering water and mix well. 3. Whisk in the 2/3 cup of sugar, 3 tablespoons of cocoa, vanilla extract, salt, milk, and egg yolk. Add the flour mixture and stir until thoroughly mixed.
4. Pour the batter into the slow cooker and spread it evenly. In a medium bowl, whisk together the remaining sugar, cocoa, and hot water until the sugar is dissolved.
5. Pour the mixture over the batter in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 1 to 2 hours, depending on the size of the crock pot.
6. Even when done, the cake will be very moist and floating on a layer of molten chocolate, but you'll know it's ready when nearly all of the cake is set and the edges begin to pull away from the sides of the pot. (As you check, try not to let the condensed steam from the lid drip onto the cake.)
7. When it's done, turn off the power and remove the lid. Let it cool for 25 minutes, then serve it in bowls topped with whipped cream or ice cream. Makes 6 to 8 servings.
Ashlee side note: This stuff is seriously to die for. You can use milk chocolate or even dark chocolate if you prefer the flavor over semi sweet. And, if you've got a bigger crock pot, this recipe can be doubled. And...not peeking at this until the time is over. Even if the smells are really tempting. It takes about 20 minutes for a slow cooker to regain the lost heat, so it may not cook as it should. :0)
Friday, October 29, 2010
Sunday, October 3, 2010
New Year House Blessing
House Cleansing
This is the routine that I have been using for a while and it seems to be quite effective. When I moved in with my husband we needed to get rid of a lot of old energy. It was pretty intense. We generally repeat this every year during the Full Moon closest to Halloween. Halloween is the time when the veils between the worlds are considered to be thinnest. It is a time of retrospection before entering the "dark" of the year. In pre-Christian cultures it was considered "New Year's Eve". The crops were all gathered in and whatever food you had was going to have to last until the next harvest. It was also a time to honor and remember ancestors and to thank them for their contributions to your life. New Year's Day was the Winter Solstice, when the days start getting longer again and we finally have hope of Spring. So, Halloween or Samhain as we call it was a very important and major festival, and the Full Moon associated with it is just as important.
What you need: A candle in your choice of color. You are going to let it burn out. I usually use a 7 day candle and let it burn out. There is always someone here since we have the store, but pick whatever size would be appropriate for your life-style.
Rosemary oil, a sage wand or sage incense, a lavender wand or lavender incense, a white candle ( a tea light is fine)
First. Go into the kitchen. The kitchen is the heart of the home, it is where meals are prepared and the family is nourished. This is always your starting place and try to move in a clockwise direction through the house.. Light a candle in any color you are drawn to. I use red, to honor the Goddesses Brigid, Vesta and Hestia. These are Goddesses of Hearth and Home in pre-Christian cultures. Place the candle on the stove (our modern-day hearth) When you light the candle, invite your Ancestors to help you to cleanse your home and to help you remove all negative energy from your family and from your home. If you are so inclined, you can also ask the 3 Goddesses to help you as well.
Next. Open the front and back doors (negative energy needs a way to get out) Sweep, vacuum, dust, wipe down everything. Use a cleansing solution of your choice, but add a couple of drops of Rosemary essential oil. Rosemary is used as an energy booster and a spiritual cleansing will always benefit from the addition of Rosemary Oil. Make sure to vacuum the tops of the closets and all of the corners, even if your house is spotless. You're not really looking for dust, you're trying to stir up any dead energy areas and any places that bad energy can hide. Don't forget attics and basements!
Next. Light a white candle (a tea light is perfect). Take the candle and go to every room. Hold the candle so that it lights every corner. Go into the closets and light every corner there too. The top of the shelves and the bottom on the floor and every where in between. Every inch of every room. Repeat something to the effect "I use this candle to light every corner of every place where negative energy can hide. Negative energy is exposed by this light and can no longer remain hidden"
After you have lit every corner, go back into the kitchen, leave the candle on the stove and let it burn out by itself. It will continue to expose the negative energy for as long as it burns.
Now light the sage. A sage wand feels more effective to me but many people just use incense. Starting in the kitchen again. Use a sweeping motion as you go back through the entire house, closets and all just like you did with the candle. Repeat something to the effect "Sage is cleansing. With this sage I cleanse this home and this family of all negative energy. Negative energy doses not survive in the presence of sage"
When you are finished, take the sage back to the kitchen and leave it in a heat proof dish. It will go out on it's on. It may be helpful, if you're using a sage wand to carry it with you to catch ashes as you go. You could just pick up a new ashtray at the dollar store to use for this. I usually carry a lighter with me in case the sage goes out, I can relight it quickly.
The Lavender is next. Lavender is used to draw in positive energy. Whenever you remove anything you create a void. Nature abhors a vacuum so we need to fill the vacuum with positive energy in order to prevent the negative energy from sneaking back in. Do the same with the lavender as you have done with the candle and the sage. Use a sweeping motion just like you did with the sage. Repeat something to the effect "Lavender is an herb of peace. I invite positive energy into this home and into the lives of this family."
Go back into the kitchen after you have finished. Thank the Ancestors and the Goddesses, if you called them. Ask them to continue to protect you, your home and your family. Let the candle burn out by itself. If you goes out before it runs out of wax, that's fine. Just don't put it out yourself. We like to think that the Goddesses and Ancestors have finished their work. Of course, it wouldn't be a good time to make a turkey dinner. haha!
After the Ancestor candle burns out, your home should be free of negative energy, but sometimes these energies are so very embedded into the fabric of our homes that it could be possible that it may need to be done more than once. In which case, there is no harm in doing another cleansing if you feel it necessary.
Last of all. We buy a new welcome mat each year, since they start looking bad any way by then. And since the house is cleansed it is now ready to accept guests, so we end this Cleansing by opening the door and putting out the welcome mat.
This is the routine that I have been using for a while and it seems to be quite effective. When I moved in with my husband we needed to get rid of a lot of old energy. It was pretty intense. We generally repeat this every year during the Full Moon closest to Halloween. Halloween is the time when the veils between the worlds are considered to be thinnest. It is a time of retrospection before entering the "dark" of the year. In pre-Christian cultures it was considered "New Year's Eve". The crops were all gathered in and whatever food you had was going to have to last until the next harvest. It was also a time to honor and remember ancestors and to thank them for their contributions to your life. New Year's Day was the Winter Solstice, when the days start getting longer again and we finally have hope of Spring. So, Halloween or Samhain as we call it was a very important and major festival, and the Full Moon associated with it is just as important.
What you need: A candle in your choice of color. You are going to let it burn out. I usually use a 7 day candle and let it burn out. There is always someone here since we have the store, but pick whatever size would be appropriate for your life-style.
Rosemary oil, a sage wand or sage incense, a lavender wand or lavender incense, a white candle ( a tea light is fine)
First. Go into the kitchen. The kitchen is the heart of the home, it is where meals are prepared and the family is nourished. This is always your starting place and try to move in a clockwise direction through the house.. Light a candle in any color you are drawn to. I use red, to honor the Goddesses Brigid, Vesta and Hestia. These are Goddesses of Hearth and Home in pre-Christian cultures. Place the candle on the stove (our modern-day hearth) When you light the candle, invite your Ancestors to help you to cleanse your home and to help you remove all negative energy from your family and from your home. If you are so inclined, you can also ask the 3 Goddesses to help you as well.
Next. Open the front and back doors (negative energy needs a way to get out) Sweep, vacuum, dust, wipe down everything. Use a cleansing solution of your choice, but add a couple of drops of Rosemary essential oil. Rosemary is used as an energy booster and a spiritual cleansing will always benefit from the addition of Rosemary Oil. Make sure to vacuum the tops of the closets and all of the corners, even if your house is spotless. You're not really looking for dust, you're trying to stir up any dead energy areas and any places that bad energy can hide. Don't forget attics and basements!
Next. Light a white candle (a tea light is perfect). Take the candle and go to every room. Hold the candle so that it lights every corner. Go into the closets and light every corner there too. The top of the shelves and the bottom on the floor and every where in between. Every inch of every room. Repeat something to the effect "I use this candle to light every corner of every place where negative energy can hide. Negative energy is exposed by this light and can no longer remain hidden"
After you have lit every corner, go back into the kitchen, leave the candle on the stove and let it burn out by itself. It will continue to expose the negative energy for as long as it burns.
Now light the sage. A sage wand feels more effective to me but many people just use incense. Starting in the kitchen again. Use a sweeping motion as you go back through the entire house, closets and all just like you did with the candle. Repeat something to the effect "Sage is cleansing. With this sage I cleanse this home and this family of all negative energy. Negative energy doses not survive in the presence of sage"
When you are finished, take the sage back to the kitchen and leave it in a heat proof dish. It will go out on it's on. It may be helpful, if you're using a sage wand to carry it with you to catch ashes as you go. You could just pick up a new ashtray at the dollar store to use for this. I usually carry a lighter with me in case the sage goes out, I can relight it quickly.
The Lavender is next. Lavender is used to draw in positive energy. Whenever you remove anything you create a void. Nature abhors a vacuum so we need to fill the vacuum with positive energy in order to prevent the negative energy from sneaking back in. Do the same with the lavender as you have done with the candle and the sage. Use a sweeping motion just like you did with the sage. Repeat something to the effect "Lavender is an herb of peace. I invite positive energy into this home and into the lives of this family."
Go back into the kitchen after you have finished. Thank the Ancestors and the Goddesses, if you called them. Ask them to continue to protect you, your home and your family. Let the candle burn out by itself. If you goes out before it runs out of wax, that's fine. Just don't put it out yourself. We like to think that the Goddesses and Ancestors have finished their work. Of course, it wouldn't be a good time to make a turkey dinner. haha!
After the Ancestor candle burns out, your home should be free of negative energy, but sometimes these energies are so very embedded into the fabric of our homes that it could be possible that it may need to be done more than once. In which case, there is no harm in doing another cleansing if you feel it necessary.
Last of all. We buy a new welcome mat each year, since they start looking bad any way by then. And since the house is cleansed it is now ready to accept guests, so we end this Cleansing by opening the door and putting out the welcome mat.
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Countdown to Samhain
Over the next month I'm going to try to post a few different things that we do during our Samhain celebration. Our Samhain is Halloween in the secular world. Samhain, pronounced sow-in or sow-en, means "end of summer"and is Irish-Gaelic for the month of November. November was the official start of the winter season according to the old Celtic calendar. It is the time when the veils between the worlds are thin. It is a time of retrospection before entering the "dark" of the year. In pre-Christian cultures it was considered "New Year's Eve". The crops were all gathered in and whatever food you had was going to have to last until the next harvest. It was also a time to honor and remember ancestors and to thank them for their contributions to your life. New Year's Day was the Winter Solstice, when the days start getting longer again and we finally have hope of Spring. But the time is between is the dark time. The days are getting shorter and shorter. People didn't venture out as much and there were plenty of preparations to be made before the weather turned cold.
Samhain is a time of heightened magic abilities and opportunities for introspection. This is also the time when we look at our lives and decide what things need to change in order to have a productive and happy new year.
During this time of year Hubby and I do a few different things that help us prepare for the winter and that time when we're stuck in the house. We're both outdoors/nature people so it is really important to us that we make our home as comfortable as possible to get us through the winter.
The very first thing we do, and tomorrow in fact, is to clean out the craft room and turn it into a greenhouse. All of our temperature sensitive plants need to come in this weekend. I've lost count of how many thee are but the craft room is out of service now until Spring! Before we even start bringing the plants in they have to be checked for bugs and bug nests, especially with the stink bug problem we're having this year... then of course there are the usual spiders and box elder bugs! Some of the plants have to come into the store, there a few that prefer the light in the store to the light in the house.
I've already started decorating with fall leaves, pumpkins, gourds and my collection of witches, scarecrows and crows. We've scrubbed the house and cleaned off the altars and redone them. We shined up the picture frames of loved ones who have passed over, checking for structural damage to the frames. We want everything to be in order prior to the House Blessing we'll be doing on Samhain. We have a broom with a black pointy witch hat and a scarf that sits beside the door during the season to keep unwanted visitors out. We have a scarecrow who guards the Meditation Garden and one to guard the vegetable gardens. We also have a mini scarecrow hung on the door to encourage prosperity. We'll decorate the balcony on the front of the house this weekend as well. I still need to get mums, indian corn, corn stocks, hay bales and such to finish decorating the porch and yard. Guess I need to get back to it! So much to do!!
Samhain is a time of heightened magic abilities and opportunities for introspection. This is also the time when we look at our lives and decide what things need to change in order to have a productive and happy new year.
During this time of year Hubby and I do a few different things that help us prepare for the winter and that time when we're stuck in the house. We're both outdoors/nature people so it is really important to us that we make our home as comfortable as possible to get us through the winter.
The very first thing we do, and tomorrow in fact, is to clean out the craft room and turn it into a greenhouse. All of our temperature sensitive plants need to come in this weekend. I've lost count of how many thee are but the craft room is out of service now until Spring! Before we even start bringing the plants in they have to be checked for bugs and bug nests, especially with the stink bug problem we're having this year... then of course there are the usual spiders and box elder bugs! Some of the plants have to come into the store, there a few that prefer the light in the store to the light in the house.
I've already started decorating with fall leaves, pumpkins, gourds and my collection of witches, scarecrows and crows. We've scrubbed the house and cleaned off the altars and redone them. We shined up the picture frames of loved ones who have passed over, checking for structural damage to the frames. We want everything to be in order prior to the House Blessing we'll be doing on Samhain. We have a broom with a black pointy witch hat and a scarf that sits beside the door during the season to keep unwanted visitors out. We have a scarecrow who guards the Meditation Garden and one to guard the vegetable gardens. We also have a mini scarecrow hung on the door to encourage prosperity. We'll decorate the balcony on the front of the house this weekend as well. I still need to get mums, indian corn, corn stocks, hay bales and such to finish decorating the porch and yard. Guess I need to get back to it! So much to do!!
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