The Wiccan Church of Canada has offered open Wiccan temples facilitating classes, rituals, and training to the public since 1979. Drawing on resources available in our own communities and temples, we are a diverse, accepting, caring group of people united by our love of the Gods and our own journeys. W.C.C. classes and rituals are open to one and all, regardless of one's level of experience in the Craft. We offer an open, and accepting place to worship as an experienced practitioner or someone who's vaguely curious, all are welcome. We encourage you to check out the F.A.Q section on our website or contact us if you have questions. We hope our publication will reflect the diversity of our membership in offering a local pagan magazine written by the community for the community. Our articles are the voices of our community, those with knowledge and resources to share. Herbs and seasonal recipes we've tried and keep bringing back to our feast tables.We'll keep you abreast of pagan events, vendors and local artisans, as well as WCC classes & rituals.
The WCC is pleased to offer free online weekly classes Tuesday evenings 7:00-9:00 pm As well as a social Meet & Greet every Wednesday night via the ZOOM conferencing app. If you wish to participate, please email LPH.WCC@gmail.com with your email address.
The Wiccan Church of Canada
Wheel of the Year
The autumn equinox arrives on September 22nd when day and night stand equal before the dark half of our year takes the lead. It goes by two names. Harvest Tide, which is the English way of speaking of the season of gathering, when the last crops came in and neighbours shared the work and the feast. Mabon, a name borrowed in the 1970s from Mabon ap Modron of Welsh legend, means "great son of the great mother." He was stolen from her when he was only three nights old and later freed. Both suit the season: a full table, and something precious taken into the dark with the hope of its return. This is the second of the year's three harvests, the season of fruit, vine, and the last of the garden. Traditionally, this was a time of gathering in and giving thanks. The scales are equal, and it's a good moment to weigh what the year gave and what it cost, then decide what to store for winter and what to let go with the leaves. Apples are a common symbol of the second harvest, and many of us use them in ritual that thanks the gods for a bountiful year. Some perform ritual to restore balance and harmony to their lives, since this sabbat celebrates a day of equal light and dark. Another common practice is to set up an altar with symbols of the season, such as apples, grapes, and other late harvests. Cut an apple crosswise. The seeds sit in a five-pointed star. Set the halves on your altar, or share one in quiet gratitude as an offering. Give thanks by reaching out to the gods of orchard, vine, and descent, such as Demeter and Persephone, whose story of parting and return shapes the turning of the year, or Pomona, Roman keeper of orchards. Let curiosity lead you to the one who speaks to this harvest, and find a way to honour Them that feels like yours. This is the time to slow down, and enjoy the season to its fullest. Simmer something ... Spiced cider, or a crumble made with the last fruit of the season will fill the house with the smell of the harvest. But don't forget to offer the first spoonful before you eat to the Gods, and leave a small corner of your garden unharvested. The tradition of leaving a small corner of a garden or field unharvested is a centuries-old practice rooted in folklore, community survival, and spiritual gratitude. As you celebrate, give thanks for the harvest gathered as well as the dark ahead, because the seed needs both. What rests in the earth now is not lost, only waiting. Blessed Be
Stones with Sorcha
Sodalite
Sodalite derives from the Greek word "soda" meaning "sodium" and the suffix "ite" meaning "stone" or "mineral", thus literally translated as "salt stone" or "sodium stone", because of its composition. The largest Sodalite deposit in the world is located in Ontario, Canada in the Bancroft, Dungannon Township and Hastings County areas. For this reason the stone is known as the "Jewel of Canada". It is often referred to as Princess Blue, or other names of Canadian Blue Stone, Canadian Lapis, Blue Stone, Alomite or Glaucolite. It is sometimes called the "Poor Man's Lapis" due to its similarity in colour to Lapis and its affordability. In 1891 a vast deposit of the stone was discovered near Bancroft, Ontario, now named the Princess Sodalite Mine since 1901 when the Princess of Wales, Mary de Tech travelled to Canada. She come across the stone and immediately became captivated by it. She made arrangements to quarry and mine enough of it to send back to the UK to adorn her London residence, the Marlborough House. In 1906, 130 tonnes of the rock was shipped to England to be used to decorate the Princess' royal home. Due to increased popularity and high demand from Europe, a shortage of the stone occurred, and to counter this, synthetic Sodalite stones began to appear in the 1970s. Element:Air & Water Energy:Receptive Planet:Mercury & Venus Chakra:Crown, Brow & Throat Zodiac:Sagittarius Tarot:The Hierophant, Queen of Swords Magical Properties:Adaptability, Attraction, Awareness, Balance, Calm, Challenges (emotional), Communication, Community, Dream Work, Emotions, Endurance, Energy, Fear, Healing, Insight, Intuition, Knowledge, the Mind (clear, quiet), Peace, Problems, Relationships, Stress, Success, Transformation, Wisdom Magical Uses When you are embarking on a flight and have fear of flying, rub Sodalite over your body or wear a piece of it to bring about calmness. For those facing retirement or redundancy with work, place a piece of Sodalite in your workspace or about your home to bring about balance and harmony. For newly retired folk, it aids in the transition from work life to home life. For parents that have become empty nesters when their children leave home, it will help them move forward creatively to the next phase of life. Teachers and those involved with the law will benefit from wearing or carrying Sodalite as it keeps them in check and acting wisely during tense situations. For those who read tarot, tea leaves, or other forms of scrying, Sodalite assists in developing your 3rd eye and intuition. Hold a sphere of Sodalite to your brow prior to a reading as it will help open you to visions. It is used in croning/wise woman ceremonies to welcome the wisdom of the later years. Healing Uses Sodalite is known to help the body maintain a healthy, stable metabolism, aid with sleep disorders, strengthen the body's immune responses and lymphatic system, and aid in the proper functioning of the thyroid gland. It is a wonderful stone of support for women experiencing emotional turbulence brought on by PMS, menopause, or other hormone related matters as it works in bringing about balanceand calmness to emotions. Sodalite supports the regulation of blood pressure and a racing pulse or heart, and helps reduce inflammation in the body for conditions of fever, headaches, sinus infections, and muscle strains. It may be useful in treating the throat, vocal cords, and larynx, particularly in soothing hoarseness or laryngitis. It is credited for helping with deficiencies of calcium, reducing acid in the system, digestive disorders, to combat excess weight, insomnia, and damage due to radiation therapy. It's a powerhouse for healing, especially for emotionally related diseases or those caused by stress, nervousness, anger or fear. As the Wheel of the Year turns, Mabon is upon us. It is the time of equal day and night, making it the optimal moment to seek harmony and balance in our lives. This is the time for us to reflect on what we have grown and achieved over the summer months, and to look inward, finding gratitude, self-evaluation, and finding the mental clarity and balance within ourselves as we move into the darker months. This is a time for us to release what no longer serves us. Sodalite mirrors this moment in time of shifting, darkening skies with its deep rich hues of blue spattered with veins of white. This is a time of community and harvest feasts and Sodalite will enhance these moments as it fosters mutual trust, a peaceful atmosphere, companionship and commonality. It is the perfect stone to use at this time of parallel darkness and light!
Directions Prep the oven: Preheat to 375°F (190°C). Core the fruit: Wash 4 firm baking apples (like Granny Smith or Honeycrisp) and scoop out the core, leaving the bottom intact to form a cup. Make the filling: Mix ¼ cup brown sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon, and optional chopped pecans or raisins. Stuff and top: Fill each apple cavity with the sugar mixture and top with a small pat of butter. Add liquid: Pour a shallow layer of water or apple cider into the bottom of the baking dish. Bake: Cook for 35 to 45 minutes until fork-tender, then spoon the warm juices over the top.
The Sabbat Table
When combining apples, raisins, and cinnamon, you are crafting a powerful kitchen spell for abundance, love, and protection. In folklore and magical traditions, heating these ingredients activates their energetic properties to draw warmth and prosperity into your life.
Ingredients Apples: Choose a crisp, firm apple variety, such as Golden Delicious, Pink Lady, or Honeycrisp. Brown sugar: Dark brown sugar lends warmth and sweetness to each baked apple. Butter: Butter adds richness and flavor. Cinnamon: The warm and cozy baked apples are spiced with ground cinnamon.
Baked Apples
White Cedar
Eastern White Cedar: Tree of Protection and Wisdom Thuja occidentalis Also known as Northern White Cedar, Swamp Cedar, and Arborvitae ("Tree of Life") Eastern White Cedar is one of Canada's most revered native trees. Herbalists, Indigenous peoples, and modern pagans alike have long seen it as a tree of purification, protection, longevity, and ancestral wisdom. Its green foliage holds through the harshest winter, which makes it a natural symbol of resilience and eternal life. A slow-growing evergreen of the cypress family, cedar reaches 10 to 20 metres, though ancient trees grow far larger. Its foliage is soft and feathery, in flat sprays of scale-like leaves that run from yellow-green to deep emerald. The reddish-brown bark peels in long strips, and crushed leaves give off a spicy, resinous scent. Cedar thrives in moist forests, swamps, limestone-rich soils, and along lakeshores and riverbanks. It is hardy in zones 2 to 7, grows in full sun to partial shade, and can live for hundreds of years, sometimes over a thousand. Dense stands shelter birds, deer, and small mammals through the winter. It is native to Ontario, Quebec, Manitoba, the Maritimes, and parts of Saskatchewan, as well as the northeastern United States and the Great Lakes region. Popular as a hedge and ornamental, it has naturalized in Western Canada, Northern Europe, the United Kingdom, and parts of New Zealand. Young branch tips steeped as tea are rich in vitamin C, antioxidants, and essential oils. Historical accounts credit cedar tea with preventing scurvy among Jacques Cartier's crew in the winter of 1535 to 1536. Small amounts also flavour wildcraft teas and add aroma to fires used for smoking fish and meat. Use it in moderation, since concentrated oils can be toxic. Indigenous nations have used cedar for colds and respiratory ailments, fever, joint pain, skin infections, and ceremonial purification. Herbalists describe it as antimicrobial, antifungal, expectorant, astringent, and a mild diuretic. The leaf oil is used externally for fungal conditions, muscle aches, and aromatherapy. It should never be taken internally, because it contains thujone, which is toxic in large amounts.
Herb Lore with Glenys
Magical Correspondences Element: Earth (secondary: Fire) Planet: Jupiter Zodiac: Sagittarius Gender: Masculine Direction: North Season: Autumn and Winter Sabbat: Autumn Equinox (Mabon) Powers: Protection, Purification, Healing, Longevity, Wisdom, Prosperity In modern practice, cedar is often linked with deities of forest, fire, and renewal, such as Cernunnos, Brigid, Artemis, and the Green Man. Cedar also carries deep ceremonial meaning within many Indigenous cultures. Those practices should be approached with respect and not borrowed into neopagan ritual without real understanding. Using Cedar in an Autumn Equinox Ritual Some respectful and simple uses include: Decorating an altar with naturally fallen cedar boughs Burning a small amount of cedar incense for cleansing Preparing cedar tea as an offering of gratitude Creating a wreath with cedar and fallen maple leaves Meditating beneath a cedar tree while reflecting on lessons learned during the year Using cedar wood in protective talismans for the coming winter A traditional equinox blessing might focus on: "Like the cedar that remains green through winter's trials, may I carry wisdom, strength, and gratitude into the darker half of the year." White Cedar is far more than a common Canadian evergreen. It is a tree of healing, protection, longevity, and spiritual resilience. From its medicinal history and practical usefulness to its rich magical symbolism, cedar serves as a powerful emblem of the Autumn Equinox. As the days shorten and the earth prepares for winter, this sacred tree reminds us to root deeply, preserve our strength, and honor the wisdom gathered through the harvest season.
BELLAS BOOK NOOK
Despite the heat and humidity, Autumn is making its’ presence known. The air in the evening is crisp, the leaves are slowly changing, and all the cute critters are getting their lauders filled as quickly as possible.It’s time to get the winter reading stack ready, and stock up on instant coffee and Chai tea.Yes, I know I just wrote tea twice. For Book Nook for the next little while, I think it is high time I showcase Canadian authors. The first authors’ work I will review is written by Kerr Cuhulain: A Handbook for Diversity Training – Pagan Religions. Published by Acorn Guild Press, in 2011, the ISBN: 978-0-9710050-6-8.My copy is the 4thedition and at 166 pages, it cost me $18.00 at Hamilton’s Pagan Pride Day. Kerr Cuhulain, is a retired police detective, who now lives in Surrey, B.C. He has written several books, including The Law Enforcement Guide to Wicca.In Pagan Religions, he describes the differences between Neo-Paganism and Christianity. The charts that he created are quite easy to understand and comprehensive. The foot notes which appear at the end of each chapter invite the reader to do further research. The first chapter – Paganism and the Occult, explains what Wicca is and how it differs from Christianity, and is the first of the many charts that I mentioned earlier.The language is straight forward without flowery speech.Part One (Chapter 2) begins with Celtic Neo-paganism. It describes what it is, and how it began. It explains how Celtic Neo-Paganism is different from Christianity, in terms of how things are structure, introduces the Wiccan Rede, Karma and what a Book of Shadows really is. The author gives a summary of what wiccan is and more importantly, what Wicca isn’t; as this chapter debunks a lot of myths surrounding Wicca. Further on, Wiccan symbols, Druidism, Deities are introduced and it becomes a whose who of the Celtic divine world.Two chapters are dedicated to the misinformation and the real celebration of Samhain.(And it’s not pronounced Sam - like the name, and Hain – rhymes with pain.) These chapters are presented in a straight-forward manner, while the following chapter, explains and debunks misinformation concerning the other Celtic festivals throughout the year. Part Two explains Norse and Germanic Paganism, which centers on Asatru and the Asatru Calendar. The Worldview, Deities, and Code of Ethics, celebrations that are held during the year, and the meaning behind various symbols are discussed. As with all great books, the section on Wiccan, Druidic and Heathen resources are extensive and may be slightly out of date.The appendix, glossary, and bibliography hold a treasure trove of books that could easy fill anyone’s library to the brink! Personally, this is one of those books that would help people who deal with the public, develop a better understanding of what we practice.Even though this book did not cover Greek, Roman, Egyptian, or other pantheons, it is a book worth while having in your library. So, until next time, wishing you a joyful celebration for the Autumnal Equinox and turning of the wheel.Stay cozy and Happy Reading! Bella!
LOCAL RESOURCES
Obskurah Bazaar www.obskurahbazaar.com Candles, Tarot & Oracle decks, magical curios, ritual supplies, spiritual self-care items, herbs, books, incense and occult inspired accessories are available online or at our retail shop in Hamilton, Ontario. Our goal is to provide ethically sourced, sustainably made, fair trade and ecofriendly products that support fair wages and working conditions for the makers and honor their traditions.
The Occult Shop www.theoccultshop.ca Your one stop shop for quality occult, Pagan, Santeria and Wiccan spiritual supplies & gifts. Specializing in custom incense sticks and cones, herbal blends, bath salts and over 2,000 magical oil blends. All made in house. We also carry a variety of books, candles, herbs & roots, jewellery and much more.
Acorns are a staple of autumn altars, especially around Mabon (the autumn equinox) and Samhain. They stand for harvest, the turning of the year, and the promise of what's stored in the dark: the seed that survives winter. The Oak King and Holly King story, where the two rule the light and dark halves of the year and trade places at the solstices. The oaks are now dropping their acorns, and if you stand under one this week you'll hear them land. If you can, sit with your back against and feel the deep strength, lean in to it. The acorns are special, an old magic of the cycle of things. We're going to put aside some of that energy for a future project. This is the time to pick some up. Choose ones that feel firm and whole, with their caps still on if you can, and leave any with a tiny hole in the shell, since something has already moved in. Bring them home and wash them, then spread them on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake them low, around 220F, for thirty minutes to an hour, and let them cool completely. This keeps them from molding and deals with anything that may be living inside. Store them somewhere dry, in a bowl or a paper bag, and set them aside. We'll use them in November, when the year has turned inward and we made room for the ancestors and for the people we carry with us. An acorn is a small, closed-up promise of potential, which makes it a fitting thing to hold while we remember merit and significance. Each one might stand for a person, a memory, moon, a sabbat, or something you're bringing with you through the dark months, the strand becomes something to hold while you validate your focus. But, for now, gather a few more than you think you'll need, and leave plenty for the squirrels and the jays. Tuck them away until we need them but choose with intent. The magic starts here.
Witch - Crafting
The WCC is pleased to offer free online weekly classes Tuesday evenings 7:00-9:00 pm via the ZOOM conferencing app. If you wish to participate, please email LPH.WCC@gmail.com with your email address.
Community Happenings
May your harvest be bountiful, your heart be grateful, and your home be filled with warmth and blessing this Season.
WCC Meet & Greet Meet the Wiccan Church of Canada community every Wednesday evening @ 7 pm via Zoom. Open to the public across Canada, as our members across the country sign on for our online Community Get Together. A time to meet new friends, see the faces you have been missing. Whether the conversation is around sharing how you honour your Gods, your magics, or just to soak up the support of community during a tough time, it is a great get together. Come on out and join in the fun! Email lph.wcc@gmail.com for the link
~ S & C
SKY GAZERS ~ as above, so below ~
September 22 - Autumn Equinox.Marking the official astronomical start of fall in the Northern Hemisphere, day and night are nearly equal in length. This period is also famous for the "equinox cracks" in Earth’s magnetic field, which often trigger more frequent and vibrantaurora borealisdisplays. September 23 - Full Moon (Harvest Moon).The Full Harvest Moon rises just one day after the equinox. It provides bright, beautiful light early in the evening, a phenomenon that historically helped farmers harvest their late-summer crops late into the night. September 26 - Neptune at Opposition.The elusive blue giant reaches its closest approach to Earth and is fully illuminated by the sun. Shining at its absolute brightest for the year, it will be visible all night long. While it is a prime target for astronomy enthusiasts, its extreme distance means you will still need a telescope or strong binoculars to spot its distinct blue dot. October 2026 shifts the celestial spotlight toward dramatic meteor showers and excellent opportunities to view our solar system's most famous ringed neighbor. October 7 - New Moon. A pristine, moonless night sky returns, offering the perfect darkness required to hunt for faint constellations and distant star clusters. October 8 - Draconids Meteor Shower Peak. This shower peaks early in the evening rather than the pre-dawn hours, making it highly accessible. Because the moon is just a sliver past its new phase, the skies will be beautifully dark, maximizing your chances of catching these slow-moving meteors. October 21 to 22 - Orionids Meteor Shower Peak. Produced by dust grains left behind by the famous Halley's Comet, the Orionids peak late into the night. A waxing gibbous moon will present some light competition early on, but once it sets, patient stargazers can expect to spot fast, bright meteors streaking out of the constellation Orion. October 22 - Full Moon (Hunter's Moon). October's full moon is traditionally named the Hunter's Moon, signifying the time to store food for the coming winter. It will dominate the night sky with brilliant, bright light. October 29 -Saturn at Opposition. Saving one of the year's best planetary views for the end of the month, Saturn makes its closest approach to Earth. The ringed planet will be fully illuminated by the sun, making it exceptionally bright and visible all night. Even a modest backyard telescope will reveal its spectacular ring system and largest moons in stunning detail.
WildFlute on Spotify brings you music inspired by wild spaces, and places. Jaye Marsh offers Classical, Rock and everything in between compiled for your pagan moods.
Supporting pagan arts, music and knowledge
WILDMOOD
Windsor
Looking to find out whats going on in your local temple? Perhaps you have questions regarding classes and rituals. Maybe you're a new seeker, or a solitaire looking for company or to share favourite seasonal fare; all are welcome. Our online communities are rich with diverse experience, skills and pagan knowledge. WCC Facebook groups strive to be safe spaces to discuss the Wiccan Craft and explore ideas of paganism in general without politics or proselytizing. Come see what we get up to between the sabbats!
Toronto
Wiccan Church of Canada
FIND US ON FACEBOOK
Hamilton
Sword & Chalice