"What you do comes back to you threefold” resembles the Buddhist principle of karma. The Threefold Law is a directive to always think of the consequences of personal actions, including rites, ceremonies, and spells you perform. Negativity comes back to you three times over, so attention to attitudes and thoughts is absolutely essential. The flip side of this law is that positive energy also comes back to you threefold. Kindness, love, and generosity also comes back to you threefold. Kindness, love, and generosity are all magnified. This is also a reason to do ritual work for long-distance healing and for global issues such as peace, the environment, and world hunger. Send good works and helpful intentions out to others and you yourself will benefit.
In his book, The Meaning of Witchcraft, Gerald Gardner states, “An ye harm none, do as ye will.” This statement encourages the individual freedom to do as you see fit so long as it does not affect anyone negatively. While you pursue your own interest, that is, think of how what you do affects others. This applies to all aspects of life, but especially with ritual and spell work because you are working with energies that have wide-ranging powers. This rule requires real attention and a high degree of consciousness in terms of assessing the repercussions of any action in regard to all the possible physical, spiritual, emotional, and psychological consequences as a result of all ritual work.
While we often think of herbs and flowers as having special properties, it is much less commonly known that fruits also contain much magic you must try for yourself:
The major sabbat of Lammas Day denotes the high point of the year; all crops are in their peak of fullness, the weather is sunny and warm and all the land is bursting forth with the beauty of life. For centuries, Pagans have known we have the heavens above to thank for this bounty and the gods of nature must always be recognized for their munificence with a gathering of the tribe and a feast, ideally in the great outdoors.Ask attendees to bring harvest offerings for the altar: fresh-picked flowers, apples, pumpkins, gourds, corn, wheat stalks bundles fresh pickings from their garden and food to share in thanksgiving made from the crops: berry pies, watermelon, tomato salads, pickles, green beans, corn pudding, lemon cakes, cucumbers, apple cider and beer brewed from wheat, hops and barley. This celebration of the reapings from the summer season should reflect what you grown with your own hands. Fill your cauldron or a big beautiful colored glass bowl half-full with freshly-drawn water. Get packets of tiny votive candles for floating in the water. At the feast table, make sure to have a place-setting for the godly guest Lugh who watched over the plantings to ensure this bounty. Place loaves of fresh-baked Lammas bread by his plate.
In the past month, we have seen thousands of people lose everything in the wildfires here on the West Coast. What to do? Ask for help. Ask your neighbors, local authorities, charities and also those who are less obvious. Calling guides and helpers is easy. Simply say, “Guardians from the light, please come to me and assist me on my healing journey.” You may choose to know them and can say, “Show yourselves to me; let me know your presence.” Sometimes a friend or loved one who has passed away will come, sometimes an old pet will appear, sometimes you may feel a touch on your shoulder or a loving presence. Trust these moments. You can always ask, “Who is with me from the light?” If you feel a strange presence that makes you uneasy or uncomfortable, ask who it is or simply ask the energy to go to the light and leave your space now. If you are unaware of guides or elders that work with you, there are some exercises later to introduce you to your helpers. Your higher self and other higher beings, such as angels, must be called. They are always present, but to actively work with you they must be invited. I call them like this: “Angels, Archangels, please come and be with me now. I would like your presence with me for this healing. Higher Self, please work with me now.” I also call all my guides and animal allies whenever I create my sacred space. After you have performed your ritual, make sure to express your deep gratitude alng with your goodbyes. I recommend doing this every so often so you know which guardians work best with you.
Outdoor altars are usually of a temporary nature and are all the more lovely for it. The beach is a wonderful place to set up a one-day altar on driftwood with seaweed and shells. There, unless the beach is too crowded, you can commune with the water deities and seek your deepest reaches of spirit. Forest, farm, and meadow offer earth and sky and the sanctity of our mother earth upon which to build your altar. As you do so, reflect upon your connection to the ancients, We follow in their footsteps.
I am inspired by the teachings of the brilliant Yoruban priestess, Luisah Teish, who told me she keeps a votive glass candle burning in her fireplace (where safe) at all times to “harness Magic Fire in another way.”
On the next full moon evening, gather a group around your hearth or build a bonfire on the beach or a beautiful fire in a safety-certified fire ring in a park. Ask everyone to bring a glass votive candle, preferably one of the seven-day candles you find at grocery stores or metaphysical shops. After everyone is comfortably seated around the fire, speak aloud:
Erin Lale
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Anthony Gresham
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