Setjataset

The Spring Equinox also known as Ostara or the Vernal Equinox is the day which symbolically marks the first day of spring.  The day and night are of equal length and from this point onwards the days get longer as we head towards Beltane.  The Spring Equinox happens when the sun crosses the celestial equator moving – south in the southern hemisphere and north in the northern hemisphere, which causes the days to lengthen and the temperatures to go up.  Vernal itself means fresh or new like the spring and this time officially marks the time of spring. Ostara is derived from the German goddess Eostre who represents new beginnings in conjunction with spring.

This year in the Southern Hemisphere calendar it astrologically falls on Sunday the 22nd of September at 10.44pm (traditional date is on the 21st September). Gods such as Ostara/Eostre, The Green Man, Mother Earth/Gaia, Hekate, Persephone, Demeter, Osiris, Geb, Ver, Flora, Freya, Brigid, Jarylo/Yarylo/Iarilo/Gerovit, Eiar, Ba Jia Jiang, Ashanti, Saraswati, Cybele and Morityema all can be honoured during this time of year.

I have celebrated Spring with groups of people in various magickal settings and the one thing which I found linked them, was the coming together to celebrate the flourishing of the land.  Something which I have experienced often during this festival day is the acknowledgement of the bounty of the earth. 

One of the fondest memories I have during this time of year is celebrating the Spring Equinox through colouring eggs.  It’s something I learned from my mother who would prepare them for Greek Orthodox easter.  When I started observing the Spring Equinox I would make them in September to correlate with the southern hemisphere and would make them exactly like my mother did.  I did this by taking chicken eggs which had been wrapped in panty hose, keeping leaves or flowers in place to make a stencil of them appear on the eggs and using red Greek egg dye and vinegar to boil them. When they had cooled I would buff them with some olive oil to give them a nice shine.  Soon after my first few attempts I started to make eggs in elemental colours for the elemental quarters.  

In my coven and magickal groups thereafter we would occasionally make painted eggs which had been blown out from raw eggs and could be used as magickal symbols of spring.  We would also occasionally make floral or herbal wreaths to adorn ourselves with. 

As an avid herbalist during this time of year I notice that my garden is coming to life.  Plants, herbs and trees which have been dormant over the fallow period of the winter are blossoming, new shoots are being birthed or are regenerating. I like to acknowledge and thank my garden and the Devas of the land and its blessings by leaving herbs, trees or plants, offerings especially those who are decades old or have personal significance.  Such as a fennel plant which was planted by my mother and which is now decades old, plum trees which were part of the original farm which existed way before houses were built in the area, an aloe vera plant which was gifted to me by a coven sister in our youth, succulents gifted by an old friend who is no longer living in the country, a lemon/lime tree which my father created and planted which had stopped fruiting until recent years and a lemon tree I planted which was dying and which has regenerated recently.  Of course I adore and respect all the trees, plants and herbs I haven’t mentioned especially since they bring in local birds, insects and bugs which help pollinate and sustain them due to my garden being biodynamic.

During this time of year I also tend to cook a lot especially with the locally sourced organic produce available and gift items such as bread and biscuits to loved ones.  I also tend to food craft for my patrons (specifically Hekate, A’set and Sekhmet) which I then offer upon their shrines and altars during their devotionals.  

I personally feel that Hekate resonates with this time of the year.  Persephone has come back to her mother Demeter with the guidance and aid of Hekate, after being trapped with Hades during the dark part of the year when the earth lay dormant.  The earth is waking up due to Demeter’s great joy in being reunited with her daughter Persephone.  What this signifies from my perspective is that Hekate can be the enabling force for us to come out of and move on from of the dark and fallow experiences we have endured.  Now we can move onto new beginnings, opportunities and illuminate that which we should focus on to bring the blessings we want and need in our lives. 

Hekate can be a guiding force for change and movement.  Hekate can help us tap into the potential of this time as she lights up way which allows us to take a more beneficial path on the crossroads we might find ourselves at.  She encourages us to take the first step towards renewal and rebirth and the promise of new beginnings.  Hekate encourages us to engage in this movement onwards and upwards and use it for the power it contains – the promise of shedding the old and embracing the new and the power (internal and external) it contains.

I personally like to honour Hekate during this time and make offerings of eggs, herbs (mint, sage, iron wort, lavender, wormwood etc – herbs of hers which are growing now), seeds (for planting), lavender flowers, sage flowers, saffron, corn flowers, edible flowers (violet, chive, clover, lilac etc) bread, apples, pomegranates, dandelions, wine, grape juice, honey infused tea/milk and substitutes such as oat or almond milk, onions, black garlic, grains such as barley, wheat husks, pomegranate cakes, cheese, legumes, beans and meat (lamb, rabbit and goat).

Vegetables such as beetroot, broccoli, cabbage, capsicum, carrot, cauliflower, celery, cucumber, eggplant, endive, leek, lettuce, onion, parsnip, pak choi, peas, radish, rocket, silverbeet, snow peas, spring onion, strawberry, corn and tomato.

Herbs such as chives, dill, mint, oregano, parsley, sage and thyme.

Flowers such as alyssum, asters, begonias, celostias, chrysanthemums, cinerarias, corn flowers, geraniums, petunias, daisies, carnations, lavender, marigolds, snapdragons, pansies, foxglove, sunflowers, gazanias, impatients and dahlias.

Some things you can do to honour and mark the Spring Equinox in your personal practice (or with a group of likeminded individuals) can be:

1. Make food usually consumed during this time and partake or share with loved ones, as well as leave as offerings to your gods or gods of the season: meat (lamb/rabbit/goat) or legume and bean stews, egg dishes such as quiches or boiled coloured eggs, cheesecake, yogurt, cakes and anything which can be shared and is seasonal.
   
2. Make coloured eggs or decorate wooden/ceramic eggs and leave them as offerings to the earth, seasonal God/dess or your patron/matron.
   
3. Rituals, spells and magick for new beginnings, fertility, rebirth, renewal, new opportunities and endeavours (especially at dawn).
   
4. Plant seeds for the future whether they be physical or metaphoric.
   
5. Clean and refresh your home or ritual/magickal space ie spring clean through cleaning, decluttering and revamping.
   
6. Rebirth rituals which can include taking devotional vows for a specific tradition or God/dess.
   
7. Get up at sunrise and bask in the first light of the day in nature, whether you do so in your own backyard, local park or nature reserve.
   
8. Feed your local wildlife appropriate offerings such as bird specific feed for your local natives.
   
9. Take the day off if you can and spend the time in nature ie a picnic or hike.
   
10. Light a fire (bonfire or fireplace) or candles to celebrate and honour the light of the sun during this time.
    
11. Make wreaths from seasonal herbs and flowers to adorn yourself with.
    
12. Craft some items which resonate with the season for you.
    
13. Prick some flowers or treat yourself to some from a favourite florist to bring spring into your living area.
    
14. Start a new hobby or lifestyle change (such as exercise) you have been wanting to or reconnect to.
    
15. At dawn light candles to mark the passage of time from winter to spring and also to honour the Gods of this season (in gold, green, pink, yellow, blue and purple).

So work your magick this Spring Equinox, honour the dawn, nature and new beginnings and opportunities which are available to you and ask for what you want to blossom in your life.

In her name

Setjataset

(c) T. Georgitsis 2021, Updated 2024/25

The Magick of this Moon

The Full Moon which is also a Blood Moon this month is happening this September full moon between the 7-8th (the total eclipse will happen around 3.30am EST in the Southern Hemisphere on the 8th – it starts around 2.28am and ends by 5.56am).  For specific times around the world please go here for further details: Date and Time Total Lunar Eclipse

A Blood Moon is a Full moon which is a Solar Lunar Eclipse.  The earth is between the sun and the moon which causes the moon to have a reddish tinge due to the red light which skims over the earth.

The Lunar Eclipse energies transition through the new and full moon phases during the eclipse, which enables the moon to cycle through the various stages of the moon and its magick.

Eclipse magick is when the energy is amplified due to the moon energies intermingling.

There are various types of magick you can perform during this coming moon:

• Liminal – magick worked between the darkness and the light.
• Manifestation – setting goals, intentions and affirmations.
• Breaking – curses, bad habits, bad relationships and connections.
• Transformation – self/surroundings, spellwork and health encompassing all aspects of oneself (body/mind/spirit and emotion).
• Devotion – to lunar or liminal Gods and Goddess.
• Focus – personal and spiritual development along with illumination and psychic work (divination and magickal goals).

This is a good time to clear the energies which no longer aid you in preparation for the next phase in your life.

Now is the time to work on breaking the bonds which drag you down and transform it into manifesting that which raises you up.

Since the full moon is in Pisces it will be an intense time full of transformative evolution, therefore I suggest working on the self and opening yourself to insight and truth. Below I have outlined an easy rite you can perform in any tradition you resonate to, with the guidance of Hekate:

Hekate Eclipse Magick by Setjataset

Preparation:

Chose a liminal time and place for the ritual to be set, preferably outside if you can manage it under the full moon or alternatively where the moon beams can shine upon your workings.

Purify body by showering or washing head, hands and feet.

Your shrine and offering items should be placed on a shrine or working altar and should include: black candle, red candle (or white/neutral coloured candles if you don’t have red/black), purified water/khernips mixed with salt, a token or offering you have for Hekate, incense and an image of Hekate.

Welcoming and Opening

Open sacred space or the shrine/altar and welcome Hekate by simply calling to her or reciting a hymn, poem, evocation in her name.

Light your incense and waft over sacred space.

Sprinkle purified salted water over sacred space.

Magical Working

Write (with a sharpie) or carve (with a blade, wand, knife, pin, fingernail) on a black candle what you want to get rid of.

If you don’t have a black candle use a white or neutral colour and write on the candle a word representing what you want to get rid of ie procrastination.  Think about it carefully and don’t be rash in what it is you are wanting to get rid of and make sure its what you really want.

Write (with a sharpie) or carve (with a blade, wand, knife, pin, fingernail) on a red candle what you want to bring in.

If you don’t have a red candle use a white or neutral colour and write on the candle a word representing what you want to bring in ie self-love.  Think about it carefully and don’t be rash in what it is you are wanting to bring in and make sure its what you really want.

If so desired, anoint candles.  Use an oil such as Abramelin oil or something simple such as olive or lavender oil.  If you have no oil, use your own saliva.

Light both candles.

Push the black candle away from you and the red candle towards you and then say:

“Hekate Queen of Earth, Sky and Sea

Assist me to straddle this liminal time

Guide me through the Darkness and into the Light

With the power of the Moon I release my intentions”  © T. Georgitsis 2020

Let the candles burn down completely in a safe manner.

Thanks and Closing

Thank Hekate and close sacred space or the shrine/altar.

Ritual is now complete and any feasting and/or grounding work can take place.

Do not speak about your working until it has manifested and even then be cautious with how you share it.

© T. Georgitsis 2020, Updated 2021 and 2025

Imbolc, which means “in the belly” or “ewe’s milk”, is the day that marks the incoming Spring.   Symbolically it marks the halfway point between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox and celebrates the rebirth of the sun as the days get longer.  Traditionally it is a Northern Hemisphere Gaelic festival which falls on the 1st of February and celebrates the Feast Day of Brigid. It marks the time of the year when spring flowers start to emerge in nature and can be a date to celebrate women.

This year in the Southern Hemisphere calendar it falls on Friday the 8thst of August at 10.14am. Gods such as Brigit, Aenghus Og, Cerridwen, Hekate, Persephone, Demeter, Gaia, Hestia, Aphrodite, Eros, Pan, Bast, Aradia, Ceres, Faunus, Venus and Vesta can all be honoured during this time of year.

I have celebrated Imbolc with groups of people in various magickal settings and the one thing which I found linked them, was the coming together to celebrate the planting of seeds and sharing of food in a communal setting.  Something which I have experienced time and time again during this festival day is the ritualistic act of planting physical and metaphorical seeds which symbolises set intentions for the coming season of Spring and Summer.  Also feasting is highlighted during this time as so many religious festivals tend to celebrate this way.

One of the fondest memories I have during this time of year is celebrating Imbolc through planting seeds or seedling when I was starting out in my first coven.  It’s something I never did before on my own and being able to watch something I planted with my own hands, grow and prosper developed my love of gardening.  When I started studying herbalism a few years later I became obsessed with growing all the medicinal and magickal herbs I could.  I spent years transferring my garden into a large organic one and creating special herb garden spaces dedicated to Hekate and A’set respectfully.

As an avid herbalist who likes to grow my own plants, herbs and trees I can use in my practice, I tend to always focus energy during this time planting organic heirloom seeds or seedlings for the coming season’s use.  I also like to plant my intentions for what I want to grow in my life as I feel this is the perfect time to do so, to align with nature.  Along with this, I also love to spend a lot of time in nature and honouring nature.   From the seas to the mountains, I tend to go on a Imbolc hike coupled with a picnic/bbq if the weather permits.

I also tend to make a lot of candles as I am an avid candle maker and use various methods from set tapers and pillars, rolled wax to poured soy.  I make them for my patrons (specifically Hekate, A’set and Sekhmet) which I then burn regularly on their shrines and altars during their devotionals.  I also make a lot of incense for the same patrons as I find when I blend and grind up all the materials its quite easy to set intention for them as I find it an incredibly meditative and magical act.

Brigit represents the light and so does Hekate and I personally feel Hekate can guide us out of the darkness and into the light, like she did for Persephone.  

I feel that Hekate resonates with this time of the year for various reasons.  Hekate can illuminate what has been hiding in the darkness and ignite the flame within us.   In this time  she encourages and enables us to turn our attention to the presence of the promise of new opportunities to come.  As the time of growth and movement is happening all around us Hekate encourages us to engage in this and use it for the power it contains – the promise of a light at the end of a dark tunnel and the promise of growth after a fallow period.

I personally like to honour Hekate during this time and make offerings of seeds, bread, apples, pomegranates, dandelions, primroses, grape juice, honey infused milk, onions, grains such as barley, wine, honey cake, seed cake and preserve cake.

In the garden now is the time to plant:

Vegetables such as  lettuce, spinach, kale, collards, Asian greens, beetroot, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, leek, onions, sweeds, parsnip, turnip, peas, radish, rocket, garlic, potatoes, cucumber, eggplant and silver beet.

Herbs such as mustard, horseradish, curry plant, licorice, dandelions, parsley, feverfew, dill, mint, marjoram, oregano, lovage, and chervil.

Flowers such as, primroses, cornflowers, calendula, Siberian wallflower, nasturtiums and cyclamen.

Some things you can do to honour and mark Imbolc in your personal practice (or with a group of likeminded individuals) can be:

1. Make the food usually consumed during this time: colcannon, sowans, dumplings, barmbrack or bannocks.
2. Make oak crosses.
3. Make corn husk or straw dolls.
4. Visit local wells, rives or streams and collect the water for magick and ritual work.  Use water to bless home, family and garden.
5. Take a walk sunwise (clockwise) around a well and pray for good health or an ailment ensuring to leave an offering such as a coin.
6. Hold feasts with loved ones.
7. Divination such as candle (flame or wax), water and weather divination (cloud, sunset/sunrise).
8. Sew seeds for the coming spring and plant what you want to grow into your life.
9. Spring clean (such as home and altar/shrine) as it’s the time of purification which can be used to remove the stagnant energies and bring in cleansing new energies.
10. Make offerings to the earth and sea.
11. At sunset light candles to mark the passage of time from winter to spring and also to honour the Gods of this season (in gold, white, yellow and red colours).
12. Light torches in your Gods names.
13. Go for a walk in nature and take stock of what is growing and coming in for you.
14. Initiation and self-initiation rituals can be worked during this time due to apt timing.
15. A good time for fertilising things such as ideas, projects and even yourself with what you want to grow

So work your magick this Imbolc, honour the light and ask for what you want to manifest in your life.

(c) T. Georgitsis 2021/2024/25