The Magic and Mystery of the Seasons

The premise for Four Seasons of Mojo revolves around the magical ability of the seasons to enhance life. This book provides readers with useful ideas unrestricted by geographic borders, ethnicity, religion or magical path. Within its pages you will find inspirations from across the globe. Here is a sampling of the cornucopia of ideas you'll harvest by reading Four Seasons of Mojo:

• How to build and maintain a sacred garden, incorporating astrology, hoodoo, and eclectic mysticism.
• Selecting, using, and maintaining candles healthfully
• History of aromatherapy, and aromachology; how to use essential oils, hydrosols, and herbs for natural home cleansing
• Feast of Aphrodite celebration ideas
• Holistic health uses of corn, including a recipe for corn silk tea, succotash, and celebrating the "first fruits" (also called Kwanzaa)
• Traditional Soul Food Lucky New Years Recipes: Hoppin' John, White Rice, Stewed Tomatoes, Collard Greens, and Corn Bread
• St. Valentine's Day Love Potion and Chocolate Soap
• South Africa's super-antioxidant—Rooibos
• Healing with East African resins such as frankincense and myrrh
• Making exotic incense, featuring Nag Champa, aloeswood, sandalwood, lotus, lemongrass, sage, and spices
• Aboriginal Australian dreaming and healing lore
• Jamaican rum remedies
• Elder hospice
• Crone wisdom recipes
• Native American dream tending
• Tropical recipes featuring coconut, papaya, sour sop, mango, pineapple, banana, and sea salt
• Haircare: for children, dread locks, curly tops, as well as henna and natural dyes
• Shea Butter Mudra Meditation
• Magic with rain, thunder, and lightning in African tradition (see below)

Tears From the Heavens
Much of Four Seasons of Mojo centers on Africa, the Caribbean, and the Americas. There are practices in these locales that we can all utilize to live more joyfully. In Africa, for example, duality is highly touted. The year is divided into two opposing weather conditions: the wet and the dry. The dry is a time when life is challenged—resources literally dry up. Water, the most cherished elixir of life, is hard for animals, humans, or plants to find. Conversely, the wet is joyous; still, it has its own challenges. The joy comes from the first rains of the season, since they assure the continuance of life. The interaction between earth and the heavens is heightened. Rock-hard soil becomes malleable enough to make mud, useful as a health and beauty remedy as well as supplying material for constructing homes.

In the United States, many people have become distanced from the seasons. Frequently, weather is looked upon as a temporary nuisance, reported by a weather person rather than directly observed by the seers of the immediate community. Whereas the wet season in Africa and many other locales is a time for celebration, here rain is something that threatens our outdoor events, or more trivial still, moist weather causes frizzy hair. It's only when droughts occur and farms, flowers, or endless lawns are dried to a frizzled brown that we tend to take heed of the necessity of rain.

Then there are people intensely interested in the seasons and their relationship to the economy. It is a sad reality that most of the agrarian celebrations that have survived to the present day have only been kept alive because they afford an opportunity to make money from the mass marketing of food, gifts, and costly indulgence. With spring in the air, here are some holistic ideas for engaging the natural gifts of the season.

Working With Rain
Instead of hiding out from rain, sulking, or complaining, shift your focus and treasure the rain. Here are some ways to enjoy rain:

• Rainwater is easy to collect. Place multiple containers outdoors away from busy streets or eaves. Collected rainwater has magical and mundane uses. Mundane uses include conservation of potable water—you can use rainwater to irrigate the garden, flush the toilet, and other creative uses.
• Use rainwater magically to bless your besom before spiritual cleansing, clearings, during the creation of a circle, new altar, or nuptial blessings.
• You can also use rainwater to charge or renew crystals, rocks, and minerals. Once they are cleansed, clear stones again with sun and moonlight.
• Lightning water is water collected during a thunderstorm. Lightning water is believed to bring dramatic changes. It also lends an air of spontaneity or even capriciousness. In parts of Africa, lightning water is associated with deities, including the Yoruban orisha, Shango, and Oya. Use lightning water to help your mind accept changes (dieting, moving, new job, new school, divorce or separation, even mourning). Add a small portion to your bath or put out a small dish of it on your altar.
• Record the sounds of rain during a thunderstorm. Play these sounds during rites or ceremonies involving new beginnings, to generate ideas, to relax or in meditation.

This is only a small taste of what Four Seasons of Mojo has in store. I hope my new book serves as an aid in your magical and mundane life, helping you engage in that circular journey we refer to as "the seasons."