perception of reality and provide a sphere of protection for our bodies.” Grandma walks to a particularly large oak and stops. “With your right index finger, you need to draw a circle on the bark.”
With my nose still scrunched, I dip my index finger into the mix. It feels even worse than it smells. Trying hard not to inhale, I draw a large circle on the bark of the oak tree.
“Now, read the first part.”
Grandma had written down the protection spell I need to speak. I read the part of the spell with a circle drawn next to it. “From earth to heaven, I call to thee, Heavenly Divine, guardian of this tree. Circle of magic, circle of life, protect us now from mischief and strife. Forged images in malevolent aspect, our minds’ eye will forcibly reject.” Who writes this stuff??
Grandma nods and starts walking to another oak about twenty feet away. “Draw the next symbol.” She’s all business now. Bossy, bossy. Has she been taking lessons from Kallen?
I look down at the page and copy the next image onto the tree. This clay stuff doesn’t become less slimy and stinky with use. After I draw a T shaped cross with a looped top, I read, “By thou who whispers gentle yet strong, thou for whom my soul doth long, I beckon thee with magic old, let your Divine light, darkness unfold.”
The next tree, I draw equilateral triangles. At least, as equilateral as I can draw them on the bark of an oak tree. Grandma said this should invoke wisdom. I sure hope so. I could use some about now. “By wood and wind, crimson and clay, your wisdom guides me this fateful day. Come to me, I beckon thee, from beyond the gates of death and birth, the one who gives all life upon earth. Guide me through this tangled path, of knowledge gained and wisdom’s wrath.” Wisdom’s wrath? I thought wisdom was supposed to be a good thing?
The next tree, I draw a chalice. Okay, my chalice looks a little bit like a sippy cup but, hey, I’m not an artist. “The Divine chalice filled with love, water, salt and wing of dove, from your lips to mine, this elixir of life, hold me fast against nameless strife. Fill my body, cleanse my soul, wash away thine enemy’s hold.”
I have to draw a candle on the next tree. I sure hope I’m not graded on the quality of my symbols. “By wind and fire, this molten flow, brings light from dark in a hollow soul. Bless me now with your love, light and power, become one with me this fateful hour.”
Next is the shield. Or in my case, the almost circle with a couple of points on the top. “Defender of sky, forest and field, breathe upon me your heavenly shield. Humbled by your mighty presence, fill me with your holy essence. With my life force held in hand, protect me as I make my stand.”
“This last tree will bind the spell and close the circuit,” Grandma says as she moves to an elder tree.
“Shouldn’t it be another oak tree?” I ask.
Grandma shakes her head. “The elder tree is a magical entity that has enough power to bind the oaks.”
I look at the elder tree with more respect. I guess the term ‘mighty oak’ isn’t as accurate as I thought. Looking down at my paper, I groan inwardly. I have to draw a pentacle and then place a drop of my blood on each point. Yeah, I need to take those iron supplements. Hope that won’t affect Kallen when he kisses me with his sensitivity to iron.
Drawing the pentacle with the last of the clay mixture, I then take Mom’s athame out of my pocket and jab the end of my finger. Squeezing a drop onto each point, I read the final part of the spell. Grandma called it the Act of Drawing Down the Moon. Mom was familiar with it, but not that its origins were this old. I read through it once in my mind before reading it out loud, making sure that I say it
With my nose still scrunched, I dip my index finger into the mix. It feels even worse than it smells. Trying hard not to inhale, I draw a large circle on the bark of the oak tree.
“Now, read the first part.”
Grandma had written down the protection spell I need to speak. I read the part of the spell with a circle drawn next to it. “From earth to heaven, I call to thee, Heavenly Divine, guardian of this tree. Circle of magic, circle of life, protect us now from mischief and strife. Forged images in malevolent aspect, our minds’ eye will forcibly reject.” Who writes this stuff??
Grandma nods and starts walking to another oak about twenty feet away. “Draw the next symbol.” She’s all business now. Bossy, bossy. Has she been taking lessons from Kallen?
I look down at the page and copy the next image onto the tree. This clay stuff doesn’t become less slimy and stinky with use. After I draw a T shaped cross with a looped top, I read, “By thou who whispers gentle yet strong, thou for whom my soul doth long, I beckon thee with magic old, let your Divine light, darkness unfold.”
The next tree, I draw equilateral triangles. At least, as equilateral as I can draw them on the bark of an oak tree. Grandma said this should invoke wisdom. I sure hope so. I could use some about now. “By wood and wind, crimson and clay, your wisdom guides me this fateful day. Come to me, I beckon thee, from beyond the gates of death and birth, the one who gives all life upon earth. Guide me through this tangled path, of knowledge gained and wisdom’s wrath.” Wisdom’s wrath? I thought wisdom was supposed to be a good thing?
The next tree, I draw a chalice. Okay, my chalice looks a little bit like a sippy cup but, hey, I’m not an artist. “The Divine chalice filled with love, water, salt and wing of dove, from your lips to mine, this elixir of life, hold me fast against nameless strife. Fill my body, cleanse my soul, wash away thine enemy’s hold.”
I have to draw a candle on the next tree. I sure hope I’m not graded on the quality of my symbols. “By wind and fire, this molten flow, brings light from dark in a hollow soul. Bless me now with your love, light and power, become one with me this fateful hour.”
Next is the shield. Or in my case, the almost circle with a couple of points on the top. “Defender of sky, forest and field, breathe upon me your heavenly shield. Humbled by your mighty presence, fill me with your holy essence. With my life force held in hand, protect me as I make my stand.”
“This last tree will bind the spell and close the circuit,” Grandma says as she moves to an elder tree.
“Shouldn’t it be another oak tree?” I ask.
Grandma shakes her head. “The elder tree is a magical entity that has enough power to bind the oaks.”
I look at the elder tree with more respect. I guess the term ‘mighty oak’ isn’t as accurate as I thought. Looking down at my paper, I groan inwardly. I have to draw a pentacle and then place a drop of my blood on each point. Yeah, I need to take those iron supplements. Hope that won’t affect Kallen when he kisses me with his sensitivity to iron.
Drawing the pentacle with the last of the clay mixture, I then take Mom’s athame out of my pocket and jab the end of my finger. Squeezing a drop onto each point, I read the final part of the spell. Grandma called it the Act of Drawing Down the Moon. Mom was familiar with it, but not that its origins were this old. I read through it once in my mind before reading it out loud, making sure that I say it
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