The Pentacle and Pentagram

Disclaimer: For the purpose of this post I am using the modern occult language of Pentacle to mean the up-right five pointed star within the circle and the word Pentagram to mean the ringless or free floating pentacle. An up-right five pointed star without the circle. So to simplify: Pentacle = Five pointed star with circle. Pentagram = Five pointed star without the circle. That is the language as it’ll be used in this post.

Secondary disclaimer: The etymology of these words both just roughly mean a five pointed shape. Neither, in their word origin, indicate a circle. So go figure. Now on with the rant.

Partly thanks to AI answers there has been a bit of a revisionist history about the symbol of the pentagram. The other night I was curious as to what others felt was the spiritual difference in the symbol of the Pentacle vs. The Pentagram.

I am aware that the ring in the symbol has had many meanings over the years from the cycles of life and the universe, to unity and balance, or contained within oneself or the human will represented as the circle. Or control. Or that the circle represents nature itself since all things in nature are cycler.

The five pointed star, itself, represents the elements of water, fire, Earth, air and spirit- the elements of nature and of magick. Now when I googled what the spiritual significance was in the difference between these two similar symbols I was surprised when the AI overview gave me an answer suggesting that the pentacle is magical and sacred and the Pentagram is just geometry. I know this to be a falsehood. And I realize that Googling different wordings can change how the AI answers the question. But this still struck me as wrong.

Another search result gave me Elphias Levi’s interpretation which claimed that the pentagram represented domination over the elements. Ironically I had once stumbled upon a similar interpretation for the pentacle within the circle with the circle representing control or dominion. It’s no wonder the meaning of these symbols has blurred and blended.

In the lore of werewolves as depicted in pop culture (Of the last eighty-five-years or so) the pentacle and pentagram have been used interchangeably to mean a ward against a werewolf, a warning as to who is the werewolf or who is doomed to be the next victim of the werewolf, and a symbol that could prevent the werewolf transformation if worn by a werewolf. In the lore of werewolf fiction the symbols of the Pentacle and Pentagram seem to have identical functions.

But that is pop culture and should be considered with some skepticism, despite it’s origin being derived from Germanic folklore, which also said that the pentacle could ward off demons, and trap the likes of the demon Mephistopheles (Goethe’s Faust Part 1 and the legend of Faust).

The pentagram was the sigil of Pythagoras (Father of music and mathematics) and was also a symbol of his followers. It was considered a keystone to modern geometry. But the symbol is more than geometry. It’s Sacred Geometry with a capital S.

There is an interesting phenomena where if you dig hard enough you’ll find a star, and in particular, the five pointed star, as a symbol of faith and protection in nearly all world religions. I’ll just name a few.

In Christianity in the middle ages it was believed that the ring given to King Solomon by the Archangel Michael depicted a pentagram or pentacle.

In medieval Germany until about the nineteenth century the pentacle was believed to ward off demons and hung over doorways as a symbol of protection.

Many medieval churches have a pentacle in the stain glass windows.

For a while Christians adopted the Pentacle and Pentagram to represent the wounds of Christ.

A version of the pentacle was used by Ancient Druids and The Ancient Greeks.

A crescent moon and five pointed star is the symbol of Islam. In Islam the star is supposed to represent God and his connection to humanity.

The pentagram without the circle is known in Baha’i as the Haykal and is symbolic of a person with his arms out stretched. People who follow Baha’i believe in harmony and acceptance of all people regardless of race, gender, or sexual identity. They also believe in equal access to education and that all religions have some truth to them.

Most Wiccans use a pentacle as their symbol of faith and magick while some use the pentagram. A few, like the Blue Star Wiccans, use a sepetegram (a seven sided star).

Other stars in faith to note include the Star of David of the Jewish Faith. The Star of Bethlehem that turns up in Catholicism and some other Christian denominations. And the five pointed star Pentagram that often tops Christmas trees though many don’t realize that actually is a pentagram.

Many police and sheriff badges have a five pointed star as a symbol of protection. Even Texas’s so-called “Lone Star” is actually a Pentacle. Many old barns and houses in upstate New York and New England feature a five pointed star or circular window with a five pointed star as an old symbol of protection, like hanging a horseshoe (which has its origin in warding off certain entities that are repulsed by or harmed by iron).

Why am I writing all this? Well, the point is simple. The five pointed star without the circle is just as sacred and just as valid as the version with the circle even if the meaning might be slightly different for some.

The pentagram is not just geometry. Nor does it have to mean “Dominion” over the elements (again, I’ve happened upon those who think the circle represents that). Like the pentacle, the pentagram is ancient, sacred, and bundled in meaning by different people.

There’s even the rhyme “Rowan twigs and strings of red, deflect all harm, gossip, and dread.” This is in regard to rowan twigs (twigs from a mountain ash tree) forming a pentagram and secured with red string (or ribbon or thread, yarn, etc).

So yes, the use of the pentagram (without the ring) is just as valid as a spiritual symbol and symbol of protection, and the five elements of nature and magick.

The use of the ring around it to represent unity, or the cosmos, or will, or nature itself, is your choice. The loss of the ring does not diminish the innate symbolic value of the five elements configured as an even pointed, upright, star.

I made this post because I happen to like the pentagram as much as I like the ringed pentacle version. And I don’t want the symbol diminished for anyone because of a misleading AI or some nineteenth century occultist. Is it geometry? Yes. Is it sacred and symbolic of the wonders of nature, spirituality, and magick, also yes.

A semi-short rant about the anti-Wicca crowd on social media.

In recent years there's been a trend of bashing Wicca as if being Wiccan automatically makes you uneducated, child-like, or a Karen.

First you have the presumption that you, as a Wiccan, don't understand "real Paganism" even though all current Pagan practices are variations of Neo Paganism. And yes, I'm aware that Wicca is a hodgepodge of folk beliefs that have been stitched together like a patchwork quilt. And the resentment of Wicca's "newness" is another odd one when it officially couldn't legally be recognized until the 1950s in the UK, and wasn't officially recognized in the US armed services until 2007 or so. Asatru (Heathen / Germanic Neo Paganism) wasn't officially recognized or even named until the 1970s. Wicca's own name is an old English word that when pronounced correctly is Witch-ah (archaic for Witch. Witch originally meant one with wisdom). But we (in modern English) pronounce it as Wick-ah.

Then there's that weird, edgy mindset of "I'm not Wiccan anymore because I grew up." And they call back to the "Harm none" (the main rule of Wicca) as something to "grow out of." It's as if they think not wanting to hurt anyone is automatically "childish" and "immature." I have news for you. If you think maturity means deliberately causing suffering... You're not mature.

And finally, the claim that Wiccans try to force their beliefs on non-Wiccan Neo Pagans. and These anti-Wiccans do this with rants against the Wiccan Rede. I have never encountered a Wiccan trying to make a non-Wiccan follow the Wiccan Rede. I have, however, seen a lot of edgy Neo Pagans bash the Rede as "trying to control them." or such "clever" phrases as "There's no such thing as good and evil. Only power and those willing to take it." You know... I know this is a villain quote and I just Googled it. Google credits Lord Voldemort but I could swear I've seen / heard this quote said by villains before the Harry Potter franchise. Anyway, I consider deliberately quoting villains from children's literature a big red flag against one's philosophy.

The claim that Wicca is "cultural appropriation." There is no such thing as a religion that doesn't borrow from other previous religions. There's literally no faith around today that doesn't borrow from other faiths before it, even among Neo Pagans. That's part of why Neo Pagansim is Neo Paganism. That "Neo" is because a lot of it was lost and had to be re-established, usually cobbled from other beliefs.

The complaint that Wicca was founded by a bigot. Very few religions even among Neo Pagans hasn't been tainted by someone twisting it for their own devices. The founder of Wicca may not have been great but there were good ideas he used and were not originally his.

There's an old folktale (I believe it's referenced in Beowolf) of an old and evil woman spitting out her rotten teeth in a forest. And where those teeth fell an apple tree grew, producing the sweetest apples in the land. Proving that something good can come from someone terrible. Ironically Wiccan books were some of the first to provide instruction on same-sex wedding ceremonies, decades before the weddings were still not legally recognized here in the US.

Germanic Neo Paganism was used by bigots since the nineteenth century, and especially by (Rhymes with Yahtzee's.) during World War 2 ) And neo Not-seas (sound it out) twisted up Asatru and call their racism inspired version of Astru by Odinism.

There are those who call Wicca that "Catholicism" of Neo Paganism. And I say... So what? If you're branding any version of Neo Paganism to be like a "rival" Christian denomination, you may be the problem, dragging your Christian competitivity into Neo Paganism with you. Do you really want to be the Protestant, Orthodox, or Baptist "equivalent" of Neo Paganism? Because if you treat one as "the Catholicism" what does that say of what you think of the others, including, possibly, your own?

And lastly there are those who call Wicca the "Fluffy bunny" religion because of its preaching to not do harm and the belief that all things you do come back to you threefold, believing in a cosmic kind of justice, if not in this life, than later.

Well, in a gesture of gentle appropriation allow me to quote someone else, who in turn was referencing a slightly old queer slogan: "We're dear. We're here. Get used to it!"

A Wiccan Yule tea recipe of my own creation. This is a seasonal tea to promote sensations of comfort and hope in mid-winter and possibly seasonal nostalgia for happy memories. You will need the following ingredients. (All herbs listed should be dried). Hibiscus Rosehips Cinnamon Clove Ginger Optional dried apple or dried pumpkin or both or neither Licorice root (optional) Orange pekoe black tea Chamomile (optional) A tiny pinch of nutmeg (optional) All of these herbs (and even the apple and pumpkin) are protection against evil and negativity or they invite luck. Blend these herbs together into a tea with boiling hot water. Make as strong or as weak as you like. Let steep. The tea should give up a pleasant, simmer pot style aroma. (Easy cheat to blend these herbs together: Mix English tea shop brand Christmas blend tea / or their Rosehip, apple and cinnamon tea / or Hibiscus and rosehip and cinnamon tea, with Bigelow brand Pumpkin Spice tea to get a similar blend.) Fill a mug of about two thirds of the way with this brewed tea. This part is optional: Now add optional milk or light cream or half-and-half (Half light cream and milk) so that the mug is nearly full. Now add sugar to your preference (Personally I go for two and a half generous tea spoons). With tea spoon stir the mug clockwise twelve to thirteen times (twelve days for Yule and one for luck), while thinking of things that bring you comfort and joy. This infuses the tea with your thoughts of happiness and hope and comfort. You can make up a rhyming incantation to aid in this process. Now drink the tea and or share it with loved ones. And there you go. Easy Yule tea to be served at Yule or New Years Eve or just whenever you need a comforting reminder of Yule and of hope and love.

The difference between Pentacle and Pentagram...

Edit note: This post is NOT about the symbolism which is sacred and a major symbol among Pagan groups (including Wicca) as the five elements of nature and magick (Water, Fire, Earth, Air and Spirit.) With the circle representing unity, infinity, the cosmos, the cycles of life, and harmony.

With and without the circle the symbol is one of faith and protection against harm and against evil.

Again: This post is NOT about the symbolic meaning. It's about the literal meaning of the words. I only put this here because we are on the Internet and I have to clarify everything...

__________________

Google will tell you that in modern language the pentacle is an amulet of a five pointed star, usually within the circle, while pentagram is used for just a five pointed star, usually without the circle.

Some people use pentagram to mean the upside down version of the five pointed star in the circle and use pentacle interchangably to mean the five pointed star with or without the circle.

What's the true difference?

Well, simply... the language.

Pentagram is Greek and it means "five pointed shape."

Pentacle is half-Greek and half Latin. You have the Greek Penta (five) and acle (small shape) so this one is usually used for the amulets, usually within the circle.

But in reality both words loosely mean five pointed shape. Neither literally describes a circle at all. "acle" just suggests size.

So whether you use the words interchangeably or reserve pentagram for sacred geometry and pentacle for the jewelry version of the star in a circle, you are both correct, at least as far as etymology is concerned.

Yes, I just saw another Pro-Pagan but anti-Wicca meme with a bunch of comments that loved it...

I'm kind of disturbed at how many modern occultists say things like "The Wiccan rede was designed to restrain our powers and keep us weak." I've come to distrust people who say things like that.

The Wiccan rede is a moral code to not harm anyone. If you feel "weakened" because of a CHOICE to not harm anyone, that's your own issue. Most people (no matter the faith) choose to not harm others).

And please, don't reply to this with that annoying "Do no harm but take no sh-t." It's not clever. It's not as tough or as cool as it sounds in your head. I got tired of it TWENTY years ago! The assumption that you can still defend yourself and others is there. Self-defense isn't "doing harm."

It's also extremely condescending to treat Wicca as "Witchcraft for kids" or "Witchcraft with training wheels." That suggests to me that you don't realize that almost all Neo-Pagan pours from the same fount. That "neo" is there for a reason.

The cultural appropriation is in ALL spiritual paths, especially within Neo Paganism.

Wicca is, admittedly, a patchwork faith made up of aspects of several pre-Christian beliefs, particularly from within the UK, Germany, and Greece. No one denies this.

But to say it's not real or "doesn't count" as Neo Paganism because of when it was officially established, or because it admits to being a hodgepodge, or because it has a moral code, is just egotism and feels like a pissing contest similar to warring Christian denominations. It feels immature and childish that Wicca is chosen to be hated for being the "Fluffy bunny" religion.

I have argued this before and here are my main points.

1. Wicca isn't the "newest" of the Neo Pagan spectrum. Neo means "new." Most Neo Pagan faith were patched together from scraps of mostly-lost practices in the nineteenth and twentieth century. In fact Asatru was officially recognized AFTER Wicca. Asatru was officially recognized in Iceland in 1972. And that's when it was named. No thirteenth century Norseman would recognize the term even though it's made of the words that mean Aesir (Norse Gods) Faith. Wicca also comes from a repurposed old word, an old English word that actually was said as "Witch-uh" and evolved into the word "witch." Ironic to say Wiccans don't count as "witches".

2. The assumption that Wicca isn't "Real" Neo Pagansim because it borrows from multiple sources is very pretentious. Neo Paganism has that "neo" for a reason. A lot of the ancient practices were lost. Many modern Neo Pagan practices (ironically) are also patchwork, scrapped together from the remains of what was left after centuries of desecration and erasure.

3. Saying Wicca is "baby" witchcraft or "not real witchcraft" because those who follow it have a moral code is NOT respecting the beliefs of others. And hiding behind a "But they tell me I have to follow their rules!" is a bold lie and you know it. Sure, there might be some Wiccans stupid enough to think they can force their beliefs on others but to treat all Wiccans that way isn't justified.

What you are doing is bullying and targeting all Wiccans because a few of them might try to pressure you to follow their rules.

Also, criticizing people that not wanting to do harm is "restraining" themselves is a bit of a red flag. If you're not going to punch someone on the street, you shouldn't be whining because someone else doesn't want to do it. And if you are the sort of person who would punch another person while out on the street, okay, fine. But you shouldn't tell someone who is nonviolent that they are "limiting" themselves for not believing in violence. That's not fair. That "limitation" is a personal choice. It's like saying the government is "limiting" you by not letting you commit murder if someone cuts you off in traffic.

Personally, I'm kind of creeped out by anyone who thinks a personal belief of "I don't want to hurt anyone" is the same as "restricting" you.

Again, I am NOT okay with Wiccans trying to control how other people practice magick buuuut that doesn't suddenly mean YOU get the okay to do that to them and to treat them like they are inferior.

So many Neo-Pagans and some so-called modern witches (most of which never lived on actual forest land or an apple orchard) started to parrot beliefs they heard online that sounded "Deep" about how fallen fruit is "given" to you, and fell because it's "ready" but the living stuff is not for us humans or not ripe.

(To the people who keep repeating that nonsense) Honey, no. The vines and stems and branches keep the fruit healthy and alive until they're eaten. Not all hanging fruit is underripe. It's nature's preservative.

Eating fallen fruit you find on the forest floor = Yeah, have fun with that diarrhoea, Moon Child. Those of us with compromised immune systems because of autoimmune diseases have no interest in catching C-def (Clostridium difficile), worms, or other varieties of dysentery because you went to pretend the wind spirit gave you that half-rotten apple instead of the fresh one still on the tree. It's as bad as the ones saying to leave chocolate out as an offering. Sweets like honey on bread are fine but chocolate will kill a stray cat or dog.

And don't get me started on the people who soak their pumpkins in bleach or other chemicals to keep them from rotting. So much bad information from people who trust memes or Tik Tok for their forest / spiritual advice.

(End of rant.)

I wonder if the fact that a pumpkin flower is a naturally forming pentacle (Ancient symbol of protection representing nature and magick) is part of why the pumpkin was chosen for the New World jack-o-lantern besides being easier to carve than the turnip.

Pumpkin Magick

Pumpkin Magick

This is a revising of an older post since I learned some more pumpkin lore.

It's that time of year again so it is good to remember that your favorite decorative gourd is not only edible but also (if you believe in such things) a protection charm.

First, every component of the classic Pumpkin Spice mixture is a ward against evil and negativity and also an attractor for luck. This includes Cinnamon, Nutmeg, cloves, and ginger.

Not only that but you will find that for over a decade now most pumpkin spice confections, at least in the USA, contain actual pumpkin, whether dried pumpkin or pumpkin puree. In the US it's very hard (today) to find a pumpkin spice beverage or confection without actual pumpkin as an ingredient now.

Once upon a Time Pumpkin Spice used to just mean the spice mixture one adds to Pumpkin Pie but after Starbucks started adding real pumpkin to their Pumpkin Spice latte, a trend was started that almost everything Pumpkin spice would now carry actual pumpkin.

Though incorporating actual pumpkin to the pumpkin spice confections is relatively new, the use of pumpkins for Halloween is not. And their protective power is old as well.

The flower of a pumpkin plant is a five-pointed star that blooms for only roughly thirteen hours out of a day. It will wither and fall away but regenerate until fertilized into a pumpkin or until the first frost. The five-pointed star is considered sacred geometry by the Ancient Greeks. It is Sacred to many NeoPagans, Druids, Wiccans, And Baha’i. It is also the ward against werewolves, demons, (and if you have faith in its power) against vampires as well as other supernatural threats. The five-pointed star is an ancient symbol for the elements of nature (Water, Fire, Earth, air, and spirit) and of magick as magick is the heart of nature. The fact that a pentacle is the shape of a pumpkin flower might be a subtle reason why the pumpkin was chosen as the jack-o-lantern of the new world. Similarly, apples were considered, by some, to have magical and sacred potential because if you cut them in half you could see a star formation at the core.

Many people who do not grow pumpkins don’t realize that the pumpkin flower is a five-pointed star (Pentacle) of yellow-orange golden color. The pumpkin flower, itself, is an ancient symbol if protection and magick.

It is believed that if you eat the stalk (stem) of a pumpkin you will be cursed to be a fool. Personally, I think that if you ate a pumpkin’s stem it may be a little late for that. You were already a fool. Try to only eat the flesh and seeds of a pumpkin, not the stem.

In China pumpkins are a symbol of fertility.

It is sometimes believed that giving a woman a pumpkin or something with a pumpkin depiction on it will aid in getting pregnant. Some women will eat pumpkin-based foods to try to improve chances of pregnancy. Pumpkins are a plant considered sacred to The Mother. Meanwhile pumpkin seeds or small, young pumpkins, represent The Maiden, and hollowed out pumpkins represent the crone of the Triple Goddess. But a whole pumpkin that is fresh and ripe is symbolically The Mother. While the pumpkin flower (a five pointed star that blooms for about thirteen hours at a time) represents magick itself.

When dust particles in the air give the full moon an orange-ish tint this is a pumpkin moon. A blood moon (lunar eclipse) may also be considered a pumpkin moon. A blood moon is believed to have wild magical energy.

One superstition in regard to pumpkins is that if you point at a growing pumpkin it will cause the spirit of the pumpkin to become bashful and shy and the pumpkin will start to rot.

Another superstition says it is best to plant pumpkins on good Friday however it is known that if you plant a pumpkin before the last frost of the season, it will die. Contradicting the notion of planting pumpkins on Good Friday is the rhyme “Plant Pumpkin Seeds in May and they’ll all run away. Plant Pumpkin Seeds in June and they will grow soon.”

If a cat eats pumpkin it will cure the cat of excessive hairballs.

It is believed that eating pumpkin will cure constipation.

Jack-o-lanterns have been a protection ward against wandering spirits for centuries. The Tale of stingy Jack says that he was a wandering soul not granted access to Heaven or Hell and The Devil and his minion laughed at him and tossed on an ember from Hell to light his way. Jack carved out a turnip to use as a lantern and placed the ember inside of it. But Jack was a coward so if he saw similar lanterns he'd flee an area. Over time the belief became that these carved turnips would ward off all wandering spirits and malevolent entities.

When the Irish came to America, they started to carve their Jack-o-lanterns out of pumpkins. Most pumpkins were larger and easier to carve. Also they taste better when cooked and incorporated into foods. It also became a common belief that the pumpkin worked just as well as (if not better than) turnip Jack-o-lanterns.

It is believed that on Halloween night Jack-o-lanterns provide the most protection though they can work all year long (so long as you can make one). If you keep a Jack-o-lantern lit all night long it promises good luck for the year. If it burns out before midnight (however) or if it is blown out, that invites wandering ghosts into your home and possible bad luck. This is why you should never blow out a Jack-o-lantern's candle but instead let it burn out naturally.

It is believed that if you carry a Jack-o-lantern (or even just a replica of one) with you on Halloween it will protect you from wandering ghosts while out and about. A lit one is best but a depiction of one on clothes or jewelry, or an artificial Jack-o-lantern also works. This may be the unconscious reason so many traditional trick or treat buckets are made to resemble Jack-o-lanterns. This superstition works for any hollowed-out pumpkin or something resembling it carried on Halloween. This may also include a small artificial pumpkin.

And finally we have Pumpkin seeds.

It is believed that eating pumpkin seeds will cure an “excessively passionate nature.” Whether this means carnal urges or intense emotions is unclear. There have been real studies into pumpkin seeds’ ability to reduce anxiety and depression. Eating roasted pumpkin seeds or pepitas (small roasted pumpkin seeds) can possibly work as a mild mood stabilizer and sleep aid.

It's an old Eastern European belief that a pile of grain or seeds might distract a vampire, who will feel compelled to count the seeds rather than prey on the intended victim. There was the great New England Vampire panic in the late eighteenth century and nineteenth century.

Many Native Americans considered pumpkin to be one of the "three sisters" as important as corn and beans. Not only was it a source of nutrition but it was thought that pumpkin could keep away some pests and pumpkin seeds were used in medicine.

It is scientific fact that L-tryptophan is found in pumpkin seeds. This is a natural sleep aid and mood booster. A mild, natural, anti-depressant. Eating roasted pumpkin seeds or pepitas (small pumpkin seeds) can help drive away sleeplessness and negativity.

Negatively a superstition has it that if you feed a cow pumpkin seeds the cow will stop producing milk.

An old superstition is that if you eat pumpkin seeds it will cure worms and intestinal parasites. Since pumpkin is high in fiber and considered a natural stool softener and can aid in constipation it could be that this belief comes from pumpkin helping to expel the infection.

So there you have it.

Pumpkins (in the modern version of the Pumpkin spice mixture that contains pumpkin too) works as a ward against evil.

Carved Pumpkin Jack-o-lanterns drive away wandering spirits and malevolent entities.

Pumpkin seeds can ward off vampires, aid with sleep, and improve mood- driving away negative feelings.

Pumpkins may be "basic" but there is a practical magick to them.

At 11:47 PM (Eastern US time) the moon will be completely full. This is The Hunter's Moon also known as the Harvest Moon. It is the most powerful (magical) full moon of the year (outside of blood moons and blue Moons).

It is also the first Super moon of the year. The moon will appear fifteen percent brighter and larger than usual tonight.

For those who practice such things, this is a good night for making moon water and charging crystals.

Also beware of werewolves. The transformations tend to be more intense this time of year. Wear your silver and pentacles if you plan to venture out.

Happy Mabon! (Autumn Equinox)

About a month ago I saw a witchy tips post with all the uses of salt, mostly for protection against evil, warding, and luck.

The list was pretty basic like how salt can be used to drive away evil spirits. (This is where the superstition of sprinkling salt over your shoulder comes from) or how a circle of salt can protect against black magick and evil forces.

The tips were mostly correct until there was one for "attracting wealth" by placing your bank card (Debit card) in salt.

Please do NOT do this! This is as foolish and as harmful as smudging (with sage) when used on antique books. (smoke damages book paper and binding.) There are other non-invasive ways to cleanse used books such as with crystals.

Now with cards and salt, the salt can get into the card and damage both the magnetic strip and the microchip inside the card. You can damage your card and accidentally render it unreadable.

So I came across YET another annoying seasonal post claiming pumpkin spice has no pumpkin it.

This was true decades ago. Originally "Pumpkin Spice" was just the spice mixture used in pumpkin pies. But after the backlash against Starbucks for not having actual pumpkin in their Pumpkin Spice Latte, they and other companies started adding pumpkin to their pumpkin spice drinks and confections. Today (At least in the USA) it's actually very hard to find a pumpkin spice food product without actual pumpkin as an ingredient. Check the ingredients if you don't believe me.

Please don't spread this now out-dated information claiming there's no pumpkin in pumpkin spice foods. It's irresponsible and can harm someone with a food allergy.

Another interesting piece of trivia: Every spice and even the pumpkin in pumpkin spice are considered magical protection wards against evil.

Some witch tricked society into guzzling down a protection potion once a year when the veil between worlds is thinnest. :-P

Incantation vs. Chant and Baby Brooms

I don't know if someone has coined a similar term before me but I've started calling the younger / online witches and witch Wiccans Baby brooms.

Now, Baby brooms, what's with the "Chants"? Back in my day... century, we called them incantations. If it's a vocal spell and you're putting your will into it, and or it has "So mote it be" in there it's an incantation. You diminish the intended power when you call it a chant.

A chant is more like "We got spirit! How about you?" at a high school prep rally.

What you are doing is an incantation. Can we please bring back to the correct terms and acknowledge that there are spells that require nothing more than a voice? Not all spells require candles, herbs, or crystals. Sometimes the power is in your own words.

The whole reason why some people cast these spells in different languages from your own or in rhyme is because it makes you focus more on the words and the intention and meaning behind them. It makes you weave your will into the words.

That, baby brooms, is an incantation, not a "chant."

It's time to leave high school and enter the Scholomance.

During this time of year it's good to remember that the popular pumpkin spice flavor you find all over North America is also a configuration of protection against evil.

Every ingredient in the traditional Pumpkin spice mixture is a herb or spice used to repel evil or bad luck and invite good luck (like cinnamon).

Thirty or so years ago "Pumpkin spice" was just the term for the spice mixture you usually would add to pumpkin pie but in the last few decades most Pumpkin spice flavored confections, drinks, or deserts would contain some pumpkin and for the last two centuries Irish immigrants in America have used pumpkins to carve Jack-o-lanterns. Jack-o-lanterns were not merely for decoration. They were wards against evil and wandering spirits.

Though originally carved from turnips, Irish immigrants found pumpkin Jack-o-lanterns, to be just as effective if not more so in warding off of evil or wandering spirits. (Pumpkin also tastes better and is easier to carve).

So even the pumpkin when pumpkin is one of the ingredients, is also a protection ward against evil.

The popular flavor of the autumn is a strong protection ward against evil. :-P Now what clever witch went out of their way to shift all of pop culture so that the majority of US and Canadians are drinking or eating, (or decorating with) a protection spell mixture all through the season when spirits wander?

The Black Moon and Magick

What is a Black Moon? A black moon is when you have two New Moons in a month the way a Blue Moon is two full Moons in a month.

A seasonal Blue Moon is when there's an extra full moon in a season. And Seasonal Black Moon is when you have an extra New Moon in a season.

This August has a Seasonal Black moon on August 22nd and August 23rd.

What use is black moonlight in magick?

1. Black Moonlight (actually shadow) is useful for de-hexing, removing minor curses, hexes, or the evil eye.

2. Under Black Moonlight is the perfect time to cast counter-spells ore remove spells. This is the time for lifting spells or charms you don't want anymore, or ending things. Spells for ending relationships, or to end troubling thoughts- this is when to cast them, it's a time for ending things, change.

3. You can make a (unfortunately volatile) moon water, only really useful for warding and de-hexing. It can be used for removing minor curses and amplify certain spells such as counter-curses, justice spells, spells to end things like bad relationships, or bad memories haunting you. Similarly you can charge crystals and stones or amulets with the power of black moonlight (shadow) including pentacle wards against werewolves or similar entities.

4. Black Moon Water can be used as a blood substitute during a binding ritual to make a pet familiar or even a human familiar (Must have consent if you intend to claim a human familiar!) The night of a black moon is also the perfect time to ritualistically claim and create your familiar (Pet or human). (Again I remind you, that human familiars must be claimed with consent. It's meant to be an eternal transformation, to be claimed and kept by another magical praticitioner).

5. Black Moonlight (and black moon water) can weaken a werewolf. During the black moon a werewolf will be at their most human and weakest and at their least wolf-like. If you intend to try to "cure" werewolfism (and there are a few spells for it) this is the time to cast it.

During a Black Moon werewolves and those who feel a kinship to wolves may feel something similar to extreme fatigue or even flu-like symptoms. Witches who practice Moon based magicks may experience similar symptoms or even a sense of their power waning. Don't be alarmed. This is only temporary. Take it easy and sleep it off. When the moon light returns you will be fine.

6. Black Moons are when most moon based magicks can be undone, countered, or even just temporarily break. (Some may re-activate when the moon is again visible).

7. Spells to do with shadows or shadow work will be extra potent during a Black Moon. It is also a good time for cloaking spells, invisibility or aversion spells too.

8. Black Moon nights are ideal for Oneiromancy (dream based magick) or dream walking. It is a night to show appreciation to Phobetor AKA Ikalus (or Icalus, not to be confused with Icarus) the Oneiro of Nightmares. Appreciating him could lead to the reward of inspiration for horror writing, art, or Gothic poetry. Morpheus (giver of dreams that are true or at least symbolically true) also can be shown appreciation on a Black Moon night though being a shaper of forms Morpheus tends to seem to have a preference for nights with moonlight. it's Phobetor who usually works with shadows. Phantasos (giver of fantasy) can be shown appreciation during the waxing or full moon.

9. If you want to be scary, face your fears, or conquer your fears, the black moon is the time to do it. Show respect to Phoebetor, weaver of nightmares for aid in such matters during the Black Moon. Wander a meadow or forest and / or dance in the shadows in his honor.

10. Black Moons are ruled over by the Queen (Crone) aspect of the Triple Goddess. It's a time to ask for justice or to appreciate the wise sage aspect of The Triple Goddess. Her sigil is the right facing crescent of the triple moon sigil.

You can leave an offering to her and perhaps an offering to Phobetor (God of Nightmares) during the Black Moon, depending on your needs. If you need justice or wish to show appreciation to the Triple Goddess, that is for the Crone. If you want inspiration while writing a scary story or a Halloween display, or just something decidedly Gothic- the one you want is Phobetor.

11. Ghostly activity or shadow person activity might increase during a Black Moon. Your best defense if out and you sense something watching you or following you is to head for running water. Most of these entities of wandering spirits will not cross running water. If you have a Jack-o-lantern (even an artificial one) it can work as a protection ward against wandering spirits.

12. Black Moonlight is the time for secrets or anything secretive where even The Moon won't watch you.

13. A Seasonal Black Moon indicates that something big is ending. And that also means something new can begin.

About a week ago in a Witchcraft Facebook group (Yes, I know. I know they tend to be... ill-informed...) someone posted a verbal spell / incantation and there was one comment of "Is this a spell or a chant? Because I don't see anything other than words to say." and they got a reply of "It's not a spell. It's a chant." Does... Does no one know what an incantation spell is anymore? Not every spell requires candles, crystals, herbs, athame, altar, or a specific moon phase. It's weird that there are people going around making phone emoji spells but can't grasp that a spell can be a "chant."