I wanted to post something, but I wasn’t sure what people would say about it. But, here we go. I made the first public LGBTQ mural in Orangeville, Canada.
I was going through my drafts and came back across this! I forgot that I never posted it, but I had drafted it before my sister’s pregnancy was announced with the intention of coming back and posting it once it was...
Apparently, I failed at that, seeings as my nephew will be two in February! Haha.
I don’t want the post to completely go to waste, though, so better late than never? Without further ado: a little post about the candle ritual I performed and the safe pregnancy/protection against miscarriage pouch I put together for my sister (and brother-in-law). This ritual was done under a Christian witchcraft framework, but I’m sure it can be easily adapted to accommodate any pantheon.
With my candle magic, I typically work off of a modified version of the ritual laid out in Greenway and Robbins' Wiccapedia: A Modern-Day White Witch’s Guide, which can be found on pages 69-75.
First, I inscribed a pink (femininity, emotional well-being, unconditional love) candle with my intent, which is that I desired a safe pregnancy and healthy baby for my sister and brother-in-law. I then used a damp paper towel to wipe away the wax shavings, and then anointed the candle with holy water. As I was also taking this time to cleanse the crystals for the pouch, I lit a stick of lavender (fertility, joy, stress relief) incense after setting the candle down and placing the crystals around it, and I positioned the burner so that the smoke would wash over the crystals.
As was my custom at the time (I didn’t have my wand yet), I used a raw amethyst crystal to cast the circle and called upon the holy trinity to be with me and protect the circle. Given the nature of the spell, I also called upon Mother Mary to be present and recited the Hail Mary before lighting the candle and beginning the incantation, which was to repeat the engraving on the candle nine times and close it with both "Lord hear my prayer” and "by Your will, so mote it be."
I also prayed over the crystals, stating my intent for them as they would be left to charge in the moonlight from my window.
The burn time in this ritual was approximately three hours; however, I did have to blow it out myself as I had to leave the house, and I did so with another quick prayer to acknowledge that my intent remained despite the flame being put out. I did relight it when I returned home, but the wax had burned so low that it wasn't able to melt in time before the wick went out on its own. Typically, these candles burn closer to five hours for me.
As for the pouch and necklace that I put together, I included the following crystals:
Rose Quartz, for protection during pregnancy and childbirth, to promote emotional healing, and to reduce swelling and hypertension;
Garnet, for grounding as your centre of gravity changes, to discourage miscarriage, and to promote abundance and prosperity;
Carnelian, to help reduce anxiety, boost confidence, and aide in labour and delivery;
Black Onyx, to promote a quick and easy childbirth, to ease the pain during childbirth, and to increase stamina; and
Bloodstone, to protect against miscarriage, to ease labour pains, and to promote hormonal balance.
I chose a green pouch for fertility, healing and success. I did not include them myself, but lavender petals would be another nice addition to the pouch.
I really wanted to include white agate to promote lactation, but was unable to find it in time, unfortunately.
This is probably still the most important ritual I’ve ever done, and I’m happy to say that my nephew is a healthy, happy little tot. I hope my process here can be helpful to anyone else looking to do something similar!
