Samhain, the Pagan Sabbat called Halloween. Samhain is the middle point between fall equinox and winter solstice, the nights are getting darker now. Rest and Rejuvenate, Dream and Create, Plan and Recharge. We are given an opportunity to take the high road and not the low road. We are asked to step into our personal power as gracefully as we can. There is a surge about relying on yourself, on your knowledge, skills and tool set. You are having an opportunity to clear unneeded responsibilities and old karma.
Halloween, also referred to as All Hallows’ Eve, became a holiday observed on October 31. It initiates the season of Allhallowtide, which lasts for three days and concludes on “All Souls Day”. Halloween Celtic origins began as Samhain in ancient Britain and Ireland. It was considered the beginning of winter.
During Samhain festival, people believed souls, who had died would return to visit those they left behind and their homes. People set bonfires to ward off evil spirits, and they sometimes wore masks and other disguises to avoid being recognized by the ghosts. Many different characters were associated with this day as witches, hobgoblins, fairies, and demons.
Halloween Games:
dance to scary music and freeze when the music turns off
Everyone tells a scary story
Pass it on Ghost Story
Scary movies (age appropriate)
Go see the “Rocky Horror Picture Show”
Divination – Samhain is the beginning of the pagan year; Fire or Water Scrying – Tarot cards – Crystal Ball
Make masks and costumes (represents your alter ego for the next year)
Create spells
Gather in a circle and express a desire and expel a fear
Chant or make wishes around a candle
Carve pumpkins
Go trick or treating or have a party with friends
Samhain Recipes
Hallowed Cakes
1/2 cup vegetable oil 4 oz. unsweetened baking chocolate, melted 2 cups granulated sugar 4 eggs 2 tsp. vanilla 2 cups cake flour, sifted 2 tsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. salt 1 cup confectioner’s sugar
In a mixing bowl, combine vegetable oil, chocolate, and granulated sugar. Blend in eggs, one at a time, stirring well after each addition. Add vanilla. Stir in flour, baking powder, and salt into oil mixture. Chill for several hours or overnight.
Preheat oven to 350° F. Roll about a Tbsp. of dough into a ball. Drop balls into confectioner’s sugar, and roll until coated. Place balls about 2″ apart on a greased baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes.
Hot Apple Cider
1 1/2 gallons apple cider 2 whole cinnamon sticks 5 cloves 1 large orange, sliced thin with peel left on 1/2 lemon, sliced thin with peel left on 1/2 cup sugar
In large pot, combine cider, cinnamon sticks, orange and lemon slices. Add sugar to taste. Heat thoroughly. Serve hot.
Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies
1 1/2 cup softened butter 1 cup brown sugar or 1/2 cup honey 2 eggs 1 tsp vanilla 1 cup pureed pumpkin 1 1/2 cups flour 1 1/2 cups oatmeal (grind rolled oats in a blender, but not into a flour) 1/2 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp salt 1 tsp cinnamon 1/4 tsp nutmeg 1/4 tsp cloves 1/2 cup raisins 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
Cream together butter and sugar (or honey). Beat in eggs. Mix in pumpkin and vanilla. In a separate bowl, mix together flour, oatmeal, salt, soda, and spices. Add to the pumpkin mixture. Stir in raisins and nuts. Drop by teaspoonful onto a baking sheet and bake at 375° for 12 minutes.
Pumpkin Bread
2/3 cup shortening 1 tsp. nutmeg 2 2/3 cups sugar 1 tsp. cinnamon 4 large eggs 2 tsp. baking soda 1 tsp. vanilla 1/2 tsp. baking powder 3 1/3 cups flour 2/3 cup water 1 can Pumpkin 1/2 tsp. salt
Mix all the above ingredients together, pour into 2 loaf pans. Bake at 350° for 50-60 minutes. Optional – add dates and nuts
Lughnasadh is the harvest and reaping great rewards, it is also a day of feasting. Lugh, is the Celtic God of Light and this Pagan Sabbat is the midpoint between the Summer Solstice and the Autumn Equinox. Some bake a figure of the “corn god” in bread, and then symbolically sacrifice and eat it. The tradition of eating and sharing the first fruits, vegetables and grains of the season started with Lughnasadh in Ireland. In England, it became the medieval festival known as Lammas day. In keeping with the Lughnasadh tradition, the first grains were offered to the gods, the form of a baked loaf of bread. The loaf was blessed and cut into four pieces, with one piece placed in each corner of the home for good luck.
The non-sporting competitions in festivals were singing, dancing, poetry-reading and storytelling. Trial marriages were performed, couples would join hands through a hole in a slab of wood. The experimental marriage would last one year and a day, after which it was annulled without question.
Celtic festivals like Lughnasadh was an opportune time to make political, social and economic deals. All weapons and rivalry’s were laid down so the neighbors could get to know one another. Chieftains held important meetings, farmers would make trade agreements about crops or cattle for the coming season.
A common tradition of Celtic festivals were to visit holy wells. People would give offerings to the wells and decorate them with flowers and garlands, they could leave coins or clooties (cloth). They would walk around the well in a sun-wise direction praying to the Gods.
Preheat oven to 375°. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add broccoli and onion; cook and stir until broccoli is crisp-tender. Stir in greens and garlic; cook and stir 4-5 minutes longer or until greens are wilted. Unroll pastry sheet into a 9-in. pie plate; flute edge. Fill with broccoli mixture. In a small bowl, whisk eggs, milk, rosemary, salt and pepper. Stir in 1/4 cup cheddar cheese and 1/4 cup Swiss cheese; pour over vegetables. Sprinkle with remaining cheeses. Bake 30-35 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Let stand 15 minutes before cutting.
In a large saucepan, saute onion in butter until tender. Stir in the flour, salt and pepper until blended. Gradually stir in broth; bring to a boil. Boil and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened and bubbly. Stir in the cream, chicken, rice, mushrooms, pimientos and parsley; heat through. Transfer to a greased 2-1/2-qt. baking dish. Sprinkle with almonds. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until bubbly.
White Spaghetti Casserole
Ingredients
4 ounces spaghetti, broken into 2-inch pieces
1 large egg
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1 can (2.8 ounces) french-fried onions, divided
Directions
Cook spaghetti according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, beat egg. Add sour cream, Parmesan cheese and garlic powder. Drain spaghetti; add to egg mixture with Monterey Jack cheese, spinach and half of the onions. Pour into a greased 2-qt. baking dish. Cover and bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until heated though. Top with remaining onions; return to the oven for 5 minutes or until onions are golden brown.
Pasta Pizza Skillet Casserole
Ingredients
8 ounces uncooked angel hair pasta
4 teaspoons olive oil, divided
2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 can (15 ounces) pizza sauce
1/4 cup sliced ripe olives
1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
Directions
Preheat oven to 400°. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. In a large cast-iron or other ovenproof skillet, heat 1 teaspoon oil over medium heat. Add mushrooms, green pepper and onion; saute until tender. Remove with a slotted spoon and keep warm. Increase heat to medium-high. In same skillet, heat remaining oil. Spread pasta evenly in skillet to form a crust. Cook until lightly browned, 5-7 minutes. Turn crust onto a large plate. Reduce heat to medium; slide crust back into skillet. Top with pizza sauce, sauteed vegetables and olives; sprinkle with cheese and Italian seasoning. Bake until cheese is melted, 10-12 minutes.
Layered Fruit Salad
Ingredients
1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest
2/3 cup orange juice
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cinnamon stick
FRUIT SALAD:
2 cups cubed fresh pineapple
2 cups sliced fresh strawberries
2 medium kiwifruit, peeled and sliced
3 medium bananas, sliced
2 medium oranges, peeled and sectioned
1 medium red grapefruit, peeled and sectioned
1 cup seedless red grapes
Directions
Place first 6 ingredients in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 5 minutes. Cool completely. Remove cinnamon stick. Layer fruit in a large glass bowl. Pour juice mixture over top. Refrigerate, covered, several hours.
Berry Pie
Ingredients:
5 cups fresh blueberries
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 (15 ounce) package refrigerated pie crusts
1 cup sugar
½ cup all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon sugar
Method:
Sprinkle berries with lemon juice; set aside.
Fit half of pastry in a 9-inch pie plate according to package directions.
Combine 1 cup sugar and next 3 ingredients; add to berries, stirring well.
Pour into pastry shell, and dot with butter.
Unfold remaining pastry on a lightly floured surface; roll gently with rolling pin to remove creases in pastry.
Place pastry over filling; seal and crimp edges.
Cut slits in top of crust to allow steam to escape.
Brush top of pastry with beaten egg, and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon sugar
Bake at 400° for 35 minutes or until golden.
Cover edges with aluminum foil to prevent over browning, if necessary.
Serve with vanilla ice cream, if desired.
Lughnasadh or Lammas is a harvest festival. In other languages:
Irish – Lá Lúnasa
Welsh – Gwyl Awst (August Feast)
English – Apple Day (drinking Apple juice, Apple cider, or Mead
Lughnasadh Harvest Spell
sit down in the middle of a circle of candles (tealight)
Cup your hands ready to receive
Repeat Aloud:
Thank you Mother Earth and our Amazing Land
Thank you for the seeds creating the food
Thank the nourishment feeding everyone we love, Thank the Farmer for tending the crops
Thank the handlers to get the crops to market, Thank you for the market representatves
Thank you Food Preparers, Thankful for Food. Let us Pray. So Much to Be Thankful For
The Sustenence, the Healing, The nourishing and the nurturing. Blessed Be
The Spring Equinox 2021 is Saturday, March 20th. Set up your Ostara altar outdoors to celebrate nature. Your altar needs to be positioned where the morning sun will reflect upon it. Put some stones and flowers, (loose or potted), soft colors of candles, write a poem and a list of your spring desires, a love letter 💚
I think all of us are feeling fortunate to be walking around and participating in the world right now. We don’t always know where we’re going. But if we close our eyes and center our minds and hearts. We know we can make good solutions to the dilemmas that may face us upcoming. Change is inevitable at any given time and our ancestors were brave and risked their lives to create good choices. It’s in our DNA to have courage and untapped skill to forge forward.
We live in an amazing atmosphere, the ground we walk on and the food we eat is mother nature at it’s best. If you haven’t taken a few moments every day to meditate and thank every facet of what earth gives to you. You are held in the palm of creation and cradled day in and day out. If only we recognize our good fortune.
This month as we celebrate the new moon, we’re to really put on our thinking caps and come up with at least 3 ideas in each area of your life.
Even if your skill set doesn’t make it easy, it is at least a new dream born in the dark and you can start to cultivate it. Just as a seed is started from the soil, welcoming you to start a seedling or metaphorically a creative endeavor.
Lets plant some motivation in your mind:
Sky Gazing
Looking up instead of looking down. You can do this standing, sitting or laying down. Figure out the different clouds, and then think of the possibilities of others places and at night enjoy the stars and be thankful about our solar system.
Being in Resonance with the Earth
Listen to the Planets hum or sound (scientific fact) and match your vibe with the great mother
Taking a Walk
When you’re walking around do so with complete wonder, notice how vibrant the colors are all around you. Tune into what you are seeing and feeling.
A Moment of Gratitude
who you love and who loves you
Who do you admire and who admires you
How you admire Earth and how earth admires you
If I could choose the perfect future what would it look like
Meditate
Come back into your natural state of being, it can be something very simple. If you need to rest then do so. Meditate for 10-20 minutes if you can, it can renew your day.
What you seek is seeking you
Are you wanting to find love, success, great health and wisdom. It is at your fingertips. Clarity a lot of times leads you to what you want and why you want it.
Offerings
We should always be giving something back to the earth. She is very much alive, she speaks the language of weather and the elements. You can pray with your feet on the ground, placing a flower at a tree base, or walking around in resonance. The sooner we treat her with respect and love, she returns it a 100 fold.
Happy Earth Day Everyone, & Beautiful Prayers at the New Moon ❤
This Palindrome day on the 33rd day of the year and with 333 days left until 2021 means:
All the disagreements, everything that didn’t make sense, and irrevocable upsets are now locked in the past as you move forward through this new portal of time. You are looking toward your future. The spark of light in the middle of winter allows you to awaken again as the crystallin in your eyes come to a full picture of a new self. It’s like all the reading, the learning and the questioning has now brought you to an understanding. You are ready to find what you are looking for again. As with 20/20 vision you are open to see, the path is bright and the choices are not as fuzzy as before. It’s a time of 2nd chances, mirrors and mirroring, and synchronicity. You are offered the resonance of grace.
The gathering will be led by Cat & Tara. Both are Modern Mystics from opposites ends of the world. February 29 only happens once every 4 years, so on this day they will help you unlock the far reaching portal treasure within your inner sanctum. Valuable tools you may have never used yet in your lifetime will be revealed. These new implements will help you recreate your time and/or goals in any area you have been lacking or needing a boost.
Tara will lead you into a deep hypnotic meditation searching for the discovery, tool or missing piece of what you need.
Cat will help guide you to push aside the blocks holding you back to gain this discovery.
Within you is lightning fire, the deepest well, the strongest wind and solid sacred ground, it’s time to discover what is missing in you and how to activate your supernatural abilities.
You will learn about Sacred Space – where healing, ideas, inspiration and creativity are unlocked
You will learn how about ritual and ceremony – through ancient practices and how it tricks our stubborn ways to shift patterns to create new opportunities
Ancient energetic clearing techniques to shift emotions and boost the immune system
Protection tools
Activating Healers Hands
Opening the third eye through the Kawak ritual
Triggering cognitive abilities, mental action and acquiring knowledge and understanding through thought, experience, and the senses
Believing in You, Comprehending on a deeper level to access a better life
Come Join Us!
To register:
taraappointment@gmail.com
424-781-7103
Limited to 17
Cat Faith
Cat Faith – Romanian Shaman. She is a Modern Shaman, Health Educator, Teacher and Founder of the International platform “Do Good Academy”. She accesses a diverse spectrum of healing techniques, teaching the Spoken Ancient Shamanic Traditions and collaborating with tribes, healers, masters and teachers from all over the world. She introduces cutting edge practices in nutrition, biology and neuroscience. She also likes to assist people in breaking repetitive patterns, clearing past life imprints, deconstructing limiting beliefs, healing trauma, understanding dis-ease, soul loss and dealing with intrusive energies. Cat facilitates personalized transformational experiences and sacred journeys.
Cat Faith has been practicing energetic medicine since 2009, training in London and Romania. Cat is a graduate of Media Pro Journalism Bucharest and of Greenwich University in London where she received her MA degree in Business and Events Management. In 2015, she started “Do Good Academy”, a platform dedicated to health, growth, spiritual education and sustainability where she organizes large scale events, festivals and retreats, promoting international speakers who share their wisdom and teachings at a global level. In 2016, she received her certification as a Health Educator specializing in raw and living foods, from the world-renowned Hippocrates Health Institute in Palm Beach, Florida. She is based in Spain, Mallorca and travels in Europe and the world performing healing work, teaching and organizing workshops and retreats. Her website is http://www.cat-faith.com.
Tara Sutphen CHT
Tara Sutphen is a Master of the Mystic Arts. An Author, World Renown Psychic and a Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist, she has authored books and she has been twice Grammy nominated. Tara is on the Radio with her show “Transformation with Tara” featured on CTRNetwork, Contact Talk Radio. She has created several lines of meditation Recordings, Mp3s and DVDs and the APP IHYPNOTHERAPY available on your iPhone|iPad. Tara specializes in Shamanistic techniques which teach you to utilize your psychic abilities at your highest possible level. Tara’s Brain-Mind and Goal Programming techniques have helped many become successful, find love, create better health, reach spiritual attunement, happiness, and even become famous and/or wealthy. Tara is well-known for her Channeling and Automatic Writing with her spirit guide, Abenda. Tara conducts and facilitates seminars and workshops all over the world. Over 200,000 people have attended a Sutphen Seminar, workshop, or retreat. http://www.tarainsight.com
All Dreams are Born in the Dark A time of re-invention & deeper knowledge. Learning new ways of doing things. Setting yourself free to be the best you can be…
rewards, it is also a day of feasting. Lugh, is the Celtic God of Light and this Pagan Sabbat is the midpoint between the Summer Solstice and the Autumn Equinox. Some bake a figure of the “corn god” in bread, and then symbolically sacrifice and eat it. The tradition of eating and sharing the first fruits, vegetables and grains of the season started with Lughnasadh in Ireland. In England, it became the medieval festival known as Lammas day. In keeping with the Lughnasadh tradition, the first grains were offered to the gods, the form of a baked loaf of bread. The loaf was blessed and cut into four pieces, with one piece placed in each corner of the home for good luck.
The non-sporting competitions in festivals were singing, dancing, poetry-reading and storytelling. Trial marriages were performed, couples would join hands through a hole in a slab of wood. The experimental marriage would last one year and a day, after which it was annulled without question.
Celtic festivals like Lughnasadh was an opportune time to make political, social and economic deals. All weapons and rivalry’s were laid down so the neighbors could get to know one another. Chieftains held important meetings, farmers would make trade agreements about crops or cattle for the coming season.
A common tradition of Celtic festivals were to visit holy wells. People would give offerings to the wells and decorate them with flowers and garlands, they could leave coins or clooties (cloth). They would walk around the well in a sun-wise direction praying to the Gods.
Preheat oven to 375°. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add broccoli and onion; cook and stir until broccoli is crisp-tender. Stir in greens and garlic; cook and stir 4-5 minutes longer or until greens are wilted.
Unroll pastry sheet into a 9-in. pie plate; flute edge. Fill with
broccoli mixture. In a small bowl, whisk eggs, milk, rosemary, salt and pepper. Stir in 1/4 cup cheddar cheese and 1/4 cup Swiss cheese; pour over vegetables. Sprinkle with remaining cheeses.
Bake 30-35 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Let stand 15 minutes before cutting.
In a large saucepan, saute onion in butter until tender. Stir in the flour, salt and pepper until blended. Gradually stir in broth; bring to a boil. Boil and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened and bubbly. Stir in the cream, chicken, rice, mushrooms, pimientos and parsley; heat through.
Transfer to a greased 2-1/2-qt. baking dish. Sprinkle with almonds. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until bubbly.
White Spaghetti Casserole
Ingredients
4 ounces spaghetti, broken into 2-inch pieces
1 large egg
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1 can (2.8 ounces) french-fried onions, divided
Directions
Cook spaghetti according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, beat egg. Add sour cream, Parmesan cheese and garlic powder. Drain spaghetti; add to egg mixture with Monterey Jack cheese, spinach and half of the onions. Pour into a greased 2-qt. baking dish. Cover and bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until heated though. Top with remaining onions; return to the oven for 5 minutes or until onions are golden brown.
Pasta Pizza Skillet Casserole
Ingredients
8 ounces uncooked angel hair pasta
4 teaspoons olive oil, divided
2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 can (15 ounces) pizza sauce
1/4 cup sliced ripe olives
1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
Directions
Preheat oven to 400°. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain.
In a large cast-iron or other ovenproof skillet, heat 1 teaspoon oil over medium heat. Add mushrooms, green pepper and onion; saute until tender. Remove with a slotted spoon and keep warm. Increase heat to medium-high. In same skillet, heat remaining oil. Spread pasta evenly in skillet to form a crust. Cook until lightly browned, 5-7 minutes.
Turn crust onto a large plate. Reduce heat to medium; slide crust back into skillet. Top with pizza sauce, sauteed vegetables and olives; sprinkle with cheese and Italian seasoning. Bake until cheese is melted, 10-12 minutes.
Layered Fruit Salad
Ingredients
1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest
2/3 cup orange juice
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cinnamon stick
FRUIT SALAD:
2 cups cubed fresh pineapple
2 cups sliced fresh strawberries
2 medium kiwifruit, peeled and sliced
3 medium bananas, sliced
2 medium oranges, peeled and sectioned
1 medium red grapefruit, peeled and sectioned
1 cup seedless red grapes
Directions
Place first 6 ingredients in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 5 minutes. Cool completely. Remove cinnamon stick.
Layer fruit in a large glass bowl. Pour juice mixture over top. Refrigerate, covered, several hours.
Berry Pie
Ingredients:
5 cups fresh blueberries
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 (15 ounce) package refrigerated pie crusts
1 cup sugar
½ cup all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon sugar
Method:
Sprinkle berries with lemon juice; set aside.
Fit half of pastry in a 9-inch pie plate according to package directions.
Combine 1 cup sugar and next 3 ingredients; add to berries, stirring well.
Pour into pastry shell, and dot with butter.
Unfold remaining pastry on a lightly floured surface; roll gently with rolling pin to remove creases in pastry.
Place pastry over filling; seal and crimp edges.
Cut slits in top of crust to allow steam to escape.
Brush top of pastry with beaten egg, and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon sugar
Bake at 400° for 35 minutes or until golden.
Cover edges with aluminum foil to prevent over browning, if necessary.
Serve with vanilla ice cream, if desired.
Lughnasadh or Lammas is a harvest festival. In other languages:
Irish – Lá Lúnasa
Welsh – Gwyl Awst (August Feast)
English – Apple Day (drinking Apple juice, Apple cider, or Mead
Lughnasadh Harvest Spell
sit down in the middle of a circle of candles (tealight)
Cup your hands ready to receive
Repeat Aloud:
Thank you Mother Earth and our Amazing Land
Thank you for the seeds creating the food
Thank the nourishment feeding everyone we love, Thank the Farmer for tending the crops
Thank the handlers to get the crops to market, Thank you for the market representatves
Thank you Food Preparers, Thankful for Food. Let us Pray. So Much to Be Thankful For
The Sustenence, the Healing, The nourishing and the nurturing. Blessed Be
LifeForce Activation 