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Jasmine or "Moonlight in the Grove"

6/11/2019

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Jasmine in Moonlight
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Flower Fairy Alphabet, Cicely Mary Barker, 1934

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As I walked into the garden last night, the heady scent of Jasmine overwhelmed me. The bright white flowers with pink pinwheel centers shone brightly in the moonlight. How appropriate ... since I recently discovered that Jasmine is also called "Moonlight in the Grove"!

The intoxicating fragrance of this flower alters the mood and attracts you to it.  It wafts through the night air and while the flowers catch the moonlight - you often smell it before you see it!  No small wonder then that Jasmine is used in many attraction, love and good luck spells and also to enhance personal beauty and attractiveness.


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Jasmine Flowers
Bibliography: The Language of Flowers, Penhaligon's Scented Treasury of Verse and Prose, Sheila Pickles, 1989
                                                                                                                                                             
Meadow Sweet Grove © V. Buchanan 2019
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How to Woo a Leprechaun (and gain his blessing!)

3/12/2019

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Image courtesy of getdrawings.com
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Illustration by Richard Hook

St. Patrick's Day brings popular images of leprechauns -  cute, comical and dancing about ... jealously protecting their pots o' gold.  They are seen as "fiercely" sweet but being oh so terribly tiny, can only trick human beings, rather than fighting a fair fight.  But don't forget that leprechauns are of the same ilk as banshees (who foretell death), changelings (ancient creatures who secretly take the place of human babies) and also of béfinds?  Remember fairy godmother #13 who cursed Sleeping Beauty to die?  Yeah, you want to keep on the good side of a béfind.  Also, what we mortals call fairies were gods and goddesses; once upon a long time ago.  Most are part of the Tuatha Dé Danann, an ancient race that arrived in Ireland many eons ago, or they are at least descended from them.  So in order to please a leprechaun, we need to replace the current cute image  and replace it with one that garners respect.  He is a very small, old and wizened fairy who makes his home under hills or in fairy mounds.  He smokes his pipe for pleasure and works diligently at repairing shoes ... or at least one shoe - why only one?  I think it's because it is a "smoke screen".  The leprechaun is working ... but it is appearance only.  He is actually waiting, observing, contemplating and if we wait long enough, this wise old fellow might remove the pipe from his mouth and let us in on a few secrets about the world.

If you would like to gain favour with a leprechaun, I suggest the following:
  • Leave a nice shiny coin (drop it in a glass of vinegar & baking soda to really make it shine) and put it somewhere secret in your garden,
  • Announce to the leprechaun that this is a gift to add to his pot o' gold that humans have tried to steal from him for so long and let him know that you appreciate his eternal struggle, 
  • Ask him humbly for something of value in exchange,
  • Most importantly, assure him that you respect his privacy and that you would of course keep any such transaction to yourself.  This is a key element to making magic work ~~~~~~ tell no one.

May you secure the good luck blessings of your local leprechaun this St. Paddy's Day!
Meadow Sweet Grove © V. Buchanan 2019
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Rabbits, Rabbits, Rabbits! - A spell for good luck

3/29/2018

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Picture china rabbits, elves,deer
Rabbbits, elves and furry friends, Meadow Sweet Grove collection
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It's the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown, Charles M. Schulz, 1974

Apparently, there is a folklore tradition, in Britain and North America, wherein it is very good luck to say "white rabbits" or "rabbits" or "rabbits, rabbits, rabbits!", or any combination of these words three times, on the 1st day of any month.  Three's the charm as they say and is always an important component to the success of any spell.  They must be your first spoken words upon waking on the 1st day of the month.  I've never heard of it before but am going to give it a go this Sunday!

How auspicious is it that the first day of our next month this year (April), is not only April's Fool's Day but also Easter Sunday.  Can't get much luckier than that!

There are so many diverse symbolic meanings attached to the rabbit - and often contradictory ones.   But if you think of both the prolific nature of bunnies and also the common "trickster" aspect of the rabbit - the above charm makes a lot of sense.  It both invites bounty and good fortune for the month ... while at the same time stymieing the possibility of silly tricks those cunning characters might play!
Rabbits, rabbits, rabbits!
Meadow Sweet Grove © V. Buchanan 2018
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Lucky Charms

3/16/2018

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Lucky Cornish Piskey, found in a charity shop in Northern England
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Hag or "Holey" stone, found on a beach in Southern England

Isn't it charming that many people throughout time have had or carried good luck charms?  Four leaf clovers, pebbles and coins - anything really that symbolizes good fortune to the holder. 

The four leaf clover is considered lucky because they grow few and far between in any bed of clover.  The odds of finding one are stacked against the seeker, so it follows that the finder is inherently "lucky" to spot one.

Any stone can be considered lucky - they are too numerous to mention.  But the one I remember most from childhood was the "wishing stone".  Usually found by the ocean, the wishing stone is a smooth black rock, with a  single white line running in a complete, unbroken circle around it - hold it in your hand and make a wish.  A hag or "holey" stone (pictured above) is said to offer the wearer protection -- and sometimes offers a view to unseen worlds.  Both are relatively easy to find so I think the magic is less in the finding but rather in the vast symbolism of the circle.....

And of course, lucky coins need no explanation - they are a very tangible symbol of wealth!

By the by, did you hear that Lucky Charms cereal has added a new Magical Unicorn charm to their cereal?  The fairies in Meadow Sweet Grove are very excited - it is, quite understandably, their favourite cereal.
Lucky Charms ad

Meadow Sweet Grove © V. Buchanan 
2018
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Burying Bad Habits

1/6/2018

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Want a fun way to rid yourself of a bad habit this New Year?  Why not try a little bit of sympathetic magic.  Cut an apple in half, and "pour" in that bad habit, worry or negative feeling right into the apple's core.  Put the two halves back together tightly.  Tie with string, tape, or anything that works for you.  Bury the apple in your back yard. 

The reason this works, is because you are consciously identifying the problem, making a choice to remove it from yourself, and then discarding it into another space.   Works best for little things.

                                                                                                                            Meadow Sweet Grove © V. Buchanan 2018​

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A Rainy Day Spell from Mother Goose

3/30/2017

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PictureVintage "A Little Golden Book" Mother Goose, 1942

Some Mother Goose verses are real noodle-scratchers that puzzle us and beg to be deciphered ... this one, however, speaks plain and simple.  Johnny would like to play outside and it would be a lot more pleasant to do so if it weren't raining.

Yet if you look closer, a spell emerges from this simple children's rhyme. I love to find the magic in the everyday around us!

A spell to charm away the rain:

"Rain, rain, go away;"
Here the wish, want or desire is clearly stated.

"Come again another day;"
Here a caveat is placed to ensure that there will be no unwanted consequences (eg drought).

"Little Johnny wants to play."

This provides the emotional charge or feeling required to make the spell work. Johnny is waiting in the garden on a bench with a "heart" motif; just as he himself puts his heart into his wish by visualizing himself at play. Bucket and spade at the ready illustrates his belief that his wish will come true.


All the elements of a successful spell are present. The whole thing rhymes which makes it easy to remember and recite.  And as they say "3 times the charm". This is reflected in the amount of lines in the rhyme ... and reinforced by the number of ducklings.

Let's hope little Johnny gets his wish!

Meadow Sweet Grove © V. Buchanan 2017 / edited 2019
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An English spell to find a husband #magic #spell

2/14/2017

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Picture"Church in the Cotswolds", S. Buchanan, 1993
This bit of magic comes from Derbyshire, England.

On St. Valentine's Day eve, walk in a clockwise circle around your local church, scattering a handful of hempseed behind you.  Whilst scattering, make sure you chant:

    "I sow a hempseed,
     Hempseed I sow.
     He who loves me best,
    Come after and mow."


​Run home quickly now and look over your shoulder.  If a man begins to follow the path you made ... you will be married within the year.​


​​Meadow Sweet Grove © V. Buchanan 2017

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When Brownies Go Bad ... You've Got Yourself a Boggart!

11/15/2016

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PictureBoggart from the Spiderwick Chronicles - McDonald's Toy
Last week, I wrote about Brownies, but have you ever heard of a Boggart?  Unlike the helpful Brownie, the Boggart is a rather grumpy house fairy who generally causes a bit of mischief around the home.  If you have one that is not too ornery, the most he will usually do is hide your things.  This can still be very frustrating! The best thing to do is to stop wasting time and energy looking for the item and remember that 9 times out of 10, the Boggart will tire of his game and return the object.  If you want to hurry the process along though, you can leave out another trinket in exchange that you think he might enjoy more; or better still, a little offering of bread and honey - especially if you suspect that he is really just a Brownie who, long ago, lost his way.  Just remember:  never, never say "thank you" when he returns the item.  Boggarts really don't like that .... ​

Meadow Sweet Grove © V. Buchanan, 2016, edited 2020 & 2021
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Dartmoor Litany - A Protection Charm

10/25/2016

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Image from vintage trinket dish from Widecombe on Dartmoor

All Hallow's Eve is on the way,
so here's a charm to keep unwanted guests away.


A litany, a charm, a spell or a prayer;
just make sure you recite it when you swear,
that you heard a disturbing bump in the night
... or when walking past a graveyard at night.

So give this protective petition a try,
No need to question the hows or whys ...

Dartmoor's Litany

From Wizards and Buzzards,
And Long Tailed Lizards,
And things that creep,
Through other folks hedges,
GOOD LORD DELIVER US
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Or try another version ...


From ghoulies and ghosties;
And long-leggity beasties,
And things that go bump in the night,
GOOD LORD DELIVER US!
Just make sure to say it three times in a row;
for "three times the charm" as you know.

Meadow Sweet Grove © V. Buchanan 2016 / edited 2019 & 2020
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