Mabon and Food

As the Fall Equinox approaches, we are reminded that this is the second and LARGEST of the harvest festivals (at least for the Montreal region of Quebec). Food is such an important part of rituals, especially sabbats like this one.

Sabbats are intended to be celebration days for the season and the gods (like the birthday of the gods related to that time of year), and thus not intended to be "magical working" days. Magical work is best saved for esbasts where they are intended. Who wants to work on their birthday anyhow!?! That said, we often celebrate with food. Within celebratory rituals is an aspect known often as "cakes and ale" (tho does not mean literally cake and ale). This is a part of the ritual where we commune with the gods. We offer them food and drink and share this with them.

Another important food-related aspect of ritual is the feast after a ritual. This is when everyone brings potluck food and drink to share. In our community, we also bring our feast gear (our own plates/bowls, cups/chalices, and utensils) as we are environmentally aware and perfectly capable of taking our own dishes home to wash rather that pollute Nature with our trashy disposables. This feast is critical energetically to help ground and rebalance everyone after a ritual. It is also a time for socializing and networking among community members.

Mabon (Autumn/Fall Equinox) is when we harvest the majority of the grains (wheat, barley, oats), later vegetables (beans, early squashes, eggplant, zucchini, and root vegetables like: onions, radishes, carrots, potatoes, turnips, beets), early tree fruits (plums, pears, nectarines, peaches), late berries (currents, gooseberries, elderberries), nuts of all kinds, lettuces, cabbages, spinach, and grapes for wine. There are so many things that can be made with such a HUGE harvest!

When planning your next attendance to a Mabon sabbat ritual, consider the harvest foods related to the holiday and try your best to put some effort into making something hearty.

~ Scarlet

PS. My plan for Mabon (which I will celebrate on Saturday) is to make buttered nuts and barley (with some mushrooms on the side because the hubby hates mushrooms), roasted garlicky mixed root veggies, beef/potato hash with onions.

Registration & Exams

We are revving up for the new sessions! The room is getting an overhaul and we are opening up for new registrations for all levels.

Level 1 provides a foundation.
Level 2 builds on that foundation and gives the needed correspondences.
Level 3 pulls together the knowledge of levels 1 & 2 for application in magic and spellcrafting.
Level 4 delves deeper for those looking to deeply walk their spiritual path or lead others.

If you think you can skip level 1 or level 2, there is an exam that you can take for each level for $50. If you do not pass the exam, then that $50 will be applied to that level's tuition.

Contact us to register or to take an exemption exam.

Registration is OPEN!

Crescent Moon School (CMS) has been teaching people for 22 years now. WOW! During the summer, we run specialty programs like: Chakra Specialty, Warrior Overview Specialty, Apothecary Specialty, and more. We start the new session of Levels 1 through 4 in September.

Registration for the Levels 1 through 4 are open as of TODAY!
Level 1 will be held Sundays 10am-1pm starting September 10th.
Levels 2-4 are arranged privately according to the schedules of teachers and the returning students.

To register for Level 1, go HERE: https://crescentmoonschool.blogspot.ca/p/registration.html

The next specialty program available is the Apothecary Intensive. It is open to all levels.

APOTHECARY INTENSIVE
Sundays, August 6, 13, 20, 27, 2-6pm

The apothecarian has always been an important role in our society from the wise people of olden days to the pharmacists today. We go to them for advice, for remedies to physical, mental, and spiritual ailments. They listen, counsel, and provide spells and/or rituals as the need arises. Sometimes they make the potions you need. But what goes into such training?

Session 1 - Histoty, Lore, & Energy Work
Session 2 - Counselling, Diviantion, & the Law
Session 3 - Spellcrafting, Ritual Crafting, Components, & Timing
Session 4 - Measureing, Blending, & Thematic Practicum

Bring every class: notebook
Bring to Session 4: a collection of jars & bottles of various sizes from 5ml to mason size), ziplocks, mortar & pestle

COST: $300 or $100/class (Includes supplies)

https://www.paypal.me/scarletcougar/300
OR
https://www.paypal.me/scarletcougar/100

Canada Day Weekend

Canada is 150 years old this July 1st !!

Canada is a mosaic of many cultures and religions. It has always embraced this diversity and is an example of how diversity can and is celebrated and welcomed. Paganism is also a broad faith full of diversity to be celebrated. Here is some lore about Canada:

The name “Canada” likely comes from the Huron-Iroquois word “kanata,” meaning “village” or “settlement.” In 1535, two Aboriginal youths told French explorer Jacques Cartier about the route to kanata; they were actually referring to the village of Stadacona, the site of the present-day City of Québec

Meaning behind our Canadian Flag:
The red symbolizes the Canadian sacrifices during World Wars.
The white symbolizes peace, tranquility, neutrality and impartiality.
The maple leaf honors the recognition of the edible qualities of maple sap.

Maple has the following magical properties:
Love, spiritual healing & comfort, moon magic, water magic, soothing the psyche, handfasting, gentleness, endurance, compassionate communication, knowledge, beauty, safe travels, longevity, abundance, generosity, practicality, balance, durability.

WEEKEND WORKSHOPS
 
SACRED TREES
Saturday, July 1st,  3-5pm,  $40 (supplies included)
https://www.paypal.me/scarletcougar/40
Discover the symbols and meanings of the 13 Celtic Sacred Trees. Make your own simple starter Ogham Divination set. Learn how to divine with these trees and how to incorporate them into a monthly routine of sacred rituals.

INTRO TO CALLIGRAPHY & BRUSH PAINTING
Sunday, July 2nd,  10am-12pm  $50 (supplies included)
https://www.paypal.me/ThesaurusTea/50
Calligraphy and brush painting are two excellent ways to add style and flare to any Book of Shadows or written spell work. In this workshop you will explore several forms of calligraphy, as well as try your hand at traditional brush painting techniques. Supplies for the class are included.

INTRO TO RITUAL LATIN
Sunday, July 2nd,  1-3pm  $40 (Includes vocabulary/grammar handouts)
https://www.paypal.me/scarletcougar/40
Using another language brings an air of mystery and power to any ritual. Learn some of the vocabulary and grammar needed to create quarter calls and dismissals, circle casting/decasting and blessing people. Latin is considered a "dead" language as no one actively uses it, which makes it ideal for ritual use or even for regular use in your Book of Shadows as a magical secret language (team this up with a magical script for greater secrecy of your sacred book).

Methods of Scrying

DATE: Saturday, May 27th,  12-5pm

Scrying is a form of Divination, gazing into something to see beyond... to see the mysteries... to see the answers. It is a way of connecting with the gods and spirits, or even our higher selves.

On this day, there will be hourly presentations and discussions of various scrying methods.

COST: $15/hr or $50 for the day (enter amount here: https://www.paypal.me/scarletcougar/)

12pm - Tapping into Intuition
1pm - Fire Scrying
2pm - Water Scrying
3pm - Wax scrying
4pm - Crystal Scrying

Beltain Fair Weekend!

Beltain Spring Fair:
The Ephemeral Market of Maplestone Academy

This year, the Ephemeral Market will open to the public (the muggle/mundane world AND the witch/wizard/magical world).

DATE: Saturday & Sunday April 29/30, 2017

SATURDAY
CMS-Passages, 6575 Somerled #204, 2nd floor, NDG, QC, H4V 1T1
 
12pm - Tea & Coffee will be available from this point on ($1 per cup donations please) 
12 - 4pm - Private Readings by Erica Glaser ($40 per 30min ticket) 
4-5pm - Harry Potter and Defense Against the Dark Arts for Pagans (FREE)
5-6pm - Dinner with our Guest (come join us!)
6:30pm - Tea by Thesaurus Tea
7pm - Erica Glaser speaks on Learning How to Perform the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram (LBRP) ($50 per ticket)

Erica Glaser

She was one of the staff members at Le Melange Magique. She was well-known there for her readings, oil blend, spellcrafting advice, translating Hebrew on talismans, and teaching about ceremonial magick, as well as being a great connaisseur of tea! Now she lives in Toronto and works at the Toronto Occult Shop. She still incorporates Tea, gives advice, and blends herbs and potions. She is also an artist as Smiling Wolf Art.

Tickets for Readings: $40 per 30min reading

Learning how to Perform the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram (LBRP): $50
In this workshop we will be learning how to perform the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram as well as some of it's visualizations and symbolism. The LBRP is a powerful Qabbalistic and Ceremonial banishing and protection ritual that uses divine and
angelic energies to remove influences from your sphere.

SUNDAY
Montreal-West Curling Club, 17 Ainsley, 3rd floor, Montreal-West, QC, H4X 1K4

10am-5pm : Ephemeral Market is open to the public

12-1pm : Crookshanks & Hedwig-Magical Familiars & How to Connect with Them by Erika Glaser

1-2pm : Maplestone Academy presentation by teachers and students

2-3pm : Public Beltain Ritual in Davies Park

SUGGESTED DONATION: $5 (fundraising to bring in Judika Illes for Yule)

WHO TO EXPECT THERE?
- Le Melange Magique: Magical Supplies
- Thesaurus Tea: tea
- Crescent Moon School: Info & wood crafts & books
- Maplestone Academy: info & school supplies
- GUEST: Eri: art & readings
- Wizard Craft Academy: wands & notebooks, etc.
- Heartfelt Hollow: clothing
- Kamy of Montreal Medium: jewelry & readings
- Aurora of Soulful Traveler: readings
- Fox & Fur: Jewelry & crafts
- Morrigane: prayer beads & crafts
- Nina: photography & journals
- Valerie Schoof: baked goods, skin products, coffee
- Missoui Studio: blown Glass
- Marie-Anne Poulin: massotherapie
- Marie Donaldson of Elfe Apothecaire: Magical Supplies
- Witches Creations: Magical Supplies
- Vikki Walker: candles
- Jason: books of shadows
- Nixsy: naturopathy, reflexology Nutrition & healing products
- Deb: Therapeutuc Touch & Singing Bowls

April 1st - April Fools Day

The History Channel has a great little bit of information about April Fools Day which seems to start as early as the 1500's but was more official in England in 1700 when court fools played pranks on each other on this day and made it an annual event.

http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/april-fools-tradition-popularized

Now we try to play early pranks on our friends and family, though it is said that by noon, all the magic of pranking must end. Prank for fun everyone. But please, do not be mean. There should be laughter for all on this day not tears.

In light of the theme of fools, pranksters and tricksters, We will have a special workshop on Trickster/Teachers hosted by Robyn.

DIVINE TRICKSTERS (with Robyn)
Saturday, April 1st, 12-2pm
​Coyote, Morrigan, Loki, Maui, Anansi.. Perhaps you've heard the legends, but have you ever wondered how (or WHY??) one might go about the worship of a Divine Trickster? Join this workshop ​to learn more about their role among the other gods, as well as what one might do if called to serve them. Stories, spiritual practices, and laughs guaranteed!
COST: $40 (pay via paypal: https://www.paypal.me/ThesaurusTea/40)