Brewing Updates for Winter 2021

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Wintery Break

With the way, the pandemic was getting in November, December, and January, we decided to not have in-person rituals. We did zoom called with our coven members, did a Facebook live for a yule greeting, and one of our Priestess did a video ritual of Imbolc. All in all, we are getting through these tough times leading on each other when we can, through videos, messages, and phone calls. We are trying to decide what we can do for Ostara. But Beltain looks like it will be an outside ritual, still closes to walk-ins. Still want to be safe so for the time being guests will be limited. And with the calls I have received in the last month, we may have those slots filled. I will update this message when we get more info. Already three people, who are involved with our coven, are receiving the first dose of the vacation. I hope there are more to follow.

For information on the ritual please text Lady Arawyn  (419)276-8832    

If interested please join us at this ritual or the next one to see if we are what you might be looking for.

*We are accepting new students who can start classes in April. 2021.

 

Remember when visiting a coven, you should never be asked to do anything you are not comfortable with.  

If you are not comfortable doing something…

DO NOT DO IT…

Be Safe my Sisters & Brothers!

 

New policy starting in 2019, click the link to get details. Thank you.

New Donation Policy

Leadership of the Coven

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Lord Gwydion & Lady Arawyn

We, the Leadership of the coven, send blessings during this trying times. We hope you are all safe and healthy. To those that work on the front lines, we honor your sacrifice and dedication. We Stand with you! May we all get through this to a new beginning and a bright healthier future.

  • On a side note, we want to make it very clear that we not associated with any covens in the Toledo area except for the two covens we have listed on the right side.
  • One is located in Toledo, while the other is located in Delta, but does classes in Toledo.
  • It has come to our knowledge that there are false statements online when researching locate covens.
  • Lady Bona Dea is our founder. She trained and Eldered the Leadership in Starwood coven, and we trained the High Priestess of Owls Grove (This coven also brings in teachings from the High Priestess’s family tradition).
  • If you ever read anything online that claims Lady Bona Dea or us had trained a person, please confirm that with us.
  • If you every read or are told someone was trained by Lady Circe of Toledo, please do your research on this. We can help with this, but their our still Elders from her time availability to confirm such claims.
  • We want everyone safe, and being trained by a trusted teacher.

Thank you,

Lady Arawyn Lyonesse, Elder High Priestess

Lord Gwydion Lyonesse, Elder High Priest

The Feel of a Sabbat Ritual: Samhain

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Do all Sabbat rituals feel the same?

I do not believe Sabbat rituals feel the same. Yes, some aspects blend a little going from one to the other. They build on each other in a way. But the energies that are tapped into are completely different. Samhain can be darker, and more intense than the others. When you lift the veil and invite Ancestors of Blood, Teachings, and Anointed into your circle one has to be ready for some powerful messages and wonderful energy raising.

{Now keep in mind, all covens do rituals differently. This is just one way….the way we practice.}

All the Sabbats hold a special place in my heart, but Samhain moves ahead just a little more because it challenges me to face the darkness, and not be scared, To face the unknown, and embrace it. At this time up to Yule is a time to look inwards. To embrace who you are as a person, the dark and light side of you. The hardest part can be exploring your shadow side. The side we hide even from ourselves. The crone that speaks to us at Samhain helps us to face some of that. She shines her lantern of truth over us and tells us to open our eyes, not to hide from who we are. If you don’t like what you see, change it or learn to accept it…learn to love you.

Now who are these Ancestors I have mentioned:

Ancestors of Blood are your blessed kin. They are the line of your people who paved the way so you could exist. Their message, ritual night, was not to wait to do something. Time is short. The sands of the hourglass are falling swiftly. Each grain of sand is a moment in time. Did you enjoy it? Did you make the most of it? Do not have regrets like some of the Ancestors of Blood do. Enjoy life and the ones around you. Leave lots of memories that generation upon generation can share with each other.

Ancestors of Teachings are the ones in your life that passed down the knowledge to all. They first shared their wisdom with spoken word, then carved in stone. Pen to paper was the way for many years. Today it is ones and zeroes. The teachings are still true, and meaningful no matter how they are delivered. They too paved the way for us to be here practicing this faith. They were willing to teach others when it was dangerous and hard, but they would risk it for those who were willing to listen. Are you willing to listen? It may not be dangerous now, but it is still hard. That is the importance of the teachings they left behind. They can be handed down to many generations willing to face the challenge.

Ancestors of Anointed are the ones who were never alive on earth. They are the ageless spirits who have been here since time began. They are our guides, the whispering voice telling you what would be best (if you listen). They seek individuals whom they sense can handle a higher purpose in life and they touch them. Those individuals can feel it in their hearts. They will know they have a job to do in the world. The Anointed have charged them to go forth and share the magick, the love, with the world…to those who are ready to listen and learn from a future Ancestor of Teachings.

There are many other ancestors to call in during Samhain. Just calling in your blessed kin would be wonderful. We have found that these three work for us, and that is the message with ritual work. Try new ideas. Test things out and see what works for you…what makes sense to you. If you do not believe in what you are doing, if you do not have intent as to why you are doing something, do you think it will work? You are the most important tool in ritual work. You hold the key to all magick in this world. If you don’t believe, if you don’t have meaning behind it, INTENT, do you think it will work?

 

So the answer to the question “Do all Sabbat rituals feel the same?”  It is completely up to you. They can, but they don’t have to. Explore the possibilities!

©Lady Arawyn Lyonesse Oct/2018

 

The Darkness of Hallows

The Darkness of Hallows

 

Ancestors Blood/Ancestors Teachings/Ancestors Anoint
were researched from “Faery Teachings” Orion Foxwood.

Hallow’een

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“I now walk where my ancestors trod,

In hallowed footsteps falling.

Bless’d are my feet on sacred ground!

Bless’d are the voices calling!”

            The word Hallowe’en, as you probably already know, is a shortening of the phrase “All Hallow’s Evening. This is the evening preceding the Christian All Hallows Day or All Saints Day on November 1st.  But from before the beginning of Christianity, many indigenous cultures honored the sacredness of their ancestors and the part that death plays in the cycle of life at this same time of year. Most pagans claim this holiday with first bragging rights. They certainly are entitled to, but what is more important is what it really means. What are we supposed to remember on this holiday? What is the true focus?

Obviously not cartoon character costumes, pranks, and candy corn. The definition of “hallow” is “to make holy.” What does “holy” really mean? It means to make sacred or to honor “by association with the divine” (Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary) The obvious assumption would seem to be, then, to “hallow” or honor our ancestors at this time of year. They have blazed the trail for us. They have helped us evolve to who we are now. This is true, but is that all?

Couldn’t we, shouldn’t we also honor the next generation of ancestors? Oh! That would be ourselves, wouldn’t it? Hmmm. What will the next generation honor us for?

How about also honoring our children who would become the ancestors of our world’s future generations? As frustrating as they can sometimes be, we will be passing the torch to them, someday.

Maybe Hallowe’en could be a time to honor all human life on this planet. We all have that divine spark within us. If we recognize and acknowledge that purely spiritual component that connects all humanity, maybe we can grow it bigger and evolve a little further.

We are all sacred. We need to remember that and treat each other accordingly.

 

© Bona Dea Lyonesse 2010

 

 

Can’t get this Song out of My Head!

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The Power of Song

     Ever wondered why a certain song just pops into your mind out of nowhere? Now sometime this happens because you just listened to it. Ok, that’s not that surprising. I’m talking about out of nowhere words with a tune start playing in your head, and you have not heard the song in months, if not years. Maybe I am alone in this, but it got me thinking. What if those are messages from guides or spirits trying to get you to learn a lesson, or relay a thought/emotion to you? Songs are a great way for us to retain a lot of information. Think about it, ever heard a song from your childhood, and you remember the words like no time has passed? The tune takes you back and the words flow through your mind and out your mouth. Well, could this also be a way for something to speak to you through song?

     This idea came to me while I was traveling down a street, in my mind I was thinking “I would never live here.” A little judgy, I’ll admit. So what song, out of nowhere, popped into my head? “Riffraff, street rat; I don’t buy that; If only they’d look closer…they find out there’s so much more to me”. Yes, the lyrics from a song in Disney’s Aladdin movie. I have not heard this song in years, but here it was playing in my head while I drove that section of the road. When I drove out it popped back out of my head. Could this have been a message to not be so judgy? I started to think, yes! This has not been the first time songs have popped into my head, and I asked myself why that song.

     I have noticed that lately some of the songs in my head have been those my teenage daughter listens to, and I, like most parents, don’t like some of her song picks. So why have I found myself replaying parts in my head? I think it was and is a message to give the music a chance. My inner voice was drawn to the lyrics, the tune. Plus, maybe it was trying to tell me to listen as a better way to understand my daughter. I was not giving the music a fair shot because it was different than what I was used to. So I listened more closely to the lyrics… the message the artist was trying to convey, and I found myself really liking the music and loving the emotion the songs possessed. My eyes were opened to new things and I had a better understanding of my daughter. Her music was a lot like mine when I was a kid; it was just in a different style. Plus the more music you listen to the more musical messages can come to you. More source material to pull from.

     Songs can bring up emotions that we may need to feel at a certain moment in our lives. Songs can pop into our minds to help us remember how we were feeling when we first heard that particular song. They can be a trigger for certain emotions. What a great way for an unknown force to help you feel or learn something through song. Ever have a song come to the mind that made you think about a loved one that had passed away? What if it’s a way for them to let you know they are with you; that you are not alone?

     Songs are a great way for us to learn something. Put words to a tune, and most likely you will remember them every time you hear that tune. Who has sung the alphabet to get the order of the letters? I have! It’s programmed in us at a young age…memory through song. So why wouldn’t guides, spirits or forces unknown not tap into this way of communicating with us? Even if we don’t understand, our subconscious knows. The message the songs are trying to express may be incorporated into our dreams or our so-called random thoughts. Whether you listen to the messages, thoughts, and/or dreams is up to you and always will be. As for now, enjoy the music in your head…a message for your ears only.

©Lady Arawyn Lyonesse 2018

music note head

To Reaffirm Your Mother Power

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I call forth all ancient mothers who have come before.

I call upon the power of the Mother Goddess, who have nurture this land since the beginning.

I call upon the women, who know that just listening can be the greatest gift.

I seek the knowledge to let my inner wisdom be heard.

I seek the confidence to be the mother I know I can be.

I face all challenges that may be on my path;

 With the strength of all the power and energy that runs through my blood, and spiritual line. 

I know that I stand, not a lone, but in the front of this powerful force!

I know that if trouble comes my way I have someone to help me stand my ground!

I am a Mother!

 I am a Witch!

I am a Woman!

I stand before all

Wiser because of… my mothers!

Stronger because of… my sisters!

Powerful because of… my Goddess!

I stand!

 

~Lady Arawyn Lyonesse ©2005 revised 2015

Its been 13 years on my journey as a Mother…loving every moment!

 

 Mommy and Phoenix