In the Bramble of the Sidhe

I know many of us use pennies in our practices. But how many of you knew this?

Question: Is My Penny a Copper, or a Zinc Cent?@

Answer:

If your Lincoln Memorial penny has a date before 1982, it is made of 95% copper. If the date is 1983 or later, it is made of 97.5% zinc and plated with a thin copper coating.

SO: Do you try to use only old pennies for their properties for your workings?

Copper is primarily a conductor and it is also a bridge in many ways. It’s a good metal to use for a magic wand because of this. Copper can be used to draw away negative energy.

Copper is considered a mineral of energy and mental agility. In legend, copper is said to be the metal of the God Hermes, who facilitates that mental agility, and quick wit.

Copper is an excellent conductor of energy, from electricity to the mystical subtle energies emanating from higher planes, etc. Thus, copper is said to enhance and transmit thoughts, even over long distances.

Copper is used in traditional folk remedy and crystal healing lore to bring in additional energies for all types of healing, treatment of arthritis, relieving pain of broken bones, sexual instability, and low energy.

Copper: Healing, Balance, Luck, Love, Money and Conduction. Copper helps to detoxify the body by drawing away negative energy and allowing the blood to circulate better. Because copper is such a good conductor it also makes for a good wand or a bridge to the spiritual realm. Also, coppers use in currency has lent itself well in spells for wealth. Lastly, copper has been known to help with luck in love because of its association with the planet Venus. Ooh lala!

OR:

Do you use them where you can incorporate both properties into the purpose of your workings?

Zinc is the metal of magical revelation. It appears innocent and ordinary in its physical state, but on the other levels zinc is an extraordinary event with powerful transformational properties. One of the most fascinating metals to work with in energy magic

Zinc: Healing. It’s said to help balance hormones and calm the mind and is one of the metals found in the human body.

I have always separated my pennies since the change was made. Saving the what I feel are pure ones for my workings. I do have use occasionally for the zinc pennies.

http://www.magickaschool.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=30690

http://magic-spells-and-potions.com/magical_properties_of_metal.htm#Zinc

http://coins.about.com/od/uscoins/f/copper_to_zinc.htm

The Wights or Vættir/Vättar are spirits that reside in the earth. They are known to favor those who leave them gifts and offerings but can also be very melancholic if one offends or intrudes on them.

Simple ways to appease the Wights are:

• Leave offerings of food like fruits, grains, sweets and they are also known to enjoy milk. • Burn incense or other herbs in their honor. • Sing them songs or poetry. • Be kind to animals and all sentient beings including flora. • Wine and coffee are good too, however I would only offer them these if the wine was just opened / the coffee was just brewed.

Witchcraft works in a lot of different ways. To make things easier on myself, I’ll talk about my own practice.

Witchcraft, for me, consists of the practices of folk magic, spirit work, sabbatical practices, fairy doctoring, and a few elements from ceremonial magic.

A few definitions/explanations below:

Folk magic: relating to or originating from the beliefs and opinions of ordinary people, of or relating to the traditional art or culture of a community or nation. Basically, its magic that is practical, accessible, physical, and having connections to myself and the local land. 

Spirit Work: practice and relations with spirits; fairies, ghosts, ancestors, deities, etc.

Sabbatical Practice: A focus on the Witches’ Sabbats and their practices. Basically, I do my best to hold rituals on every full moon and dark moon, in order to fly to the Witches’ Sabbat ‘to the mountain’. 

Fairy Doctoring: Interactions with fairies and healing their ailments. I also aid in the healing of ailments caused from witchcraft, due to the connection of witchcraft to fairies. (rather simple explanation) 

Ceremonial Magic: I don’t take a lot of things from Ceremonial magic. To me, it feels like it takes me out of the right state of mind, but I do know the LBRP (Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram) and so on.

When I want to perform a spell, form a charm, make a amulet, etc, I base a lot of my magic on very physical things. I gather items that can assist with my desire. 

For example, I had to recently deal with a fairy dart issue. I gathered honey, my rose water, and tweezers. I placed the inflicted area in the sun and muttered charms to it. Once I was ready, I looked upon the area and plucked the dart with my tweezers. Then, I placed honey upon the wound. When the honey dried a bit in the sun, I peeled it off. Lastly, I anointed the area, in order to ward off any other fairies wishing to inflict pain upon this area.

The use of physical items helps me so much. I feel more connected to what I am doing because I can physically see what is going on. 

Sometimes though, I might call upon spirits (example: My familiar, fetch, or fairy companions) to perform a certain task for me. Some require an exchange of something, except for the fetch or familiar (exceptions may vary).