listic athame. It is used to cut wands or sacred herbs, inscribe symbols onto candles or on wood, clay, or wax, and in cutting cords for use in magick.The cup: is simply a cauldron on a stem. Used to hold water which is often present at the altar; it may also contain ritual beverage. The cup can be made of nearly any substance: silver, brass, gold, crystal and other materials.Pentacle: Five pointed star, which has been adopted into the Wiccan religion as a symbol of its magick practices. The pentacle represents the element of earth.Holidays (seasonal days of celebration) Samhain, means "End of summer", and is the third and final Harvest. The dark winter half of the year commences on this Sabbath. It is generally celebrated on October 31st, but some traditions prefer November 1st. It is one of the two "spirit-nights" each year, the other being Beltane. It is a magical interval when the mundane laws of time and space are temporarily suspended, and the Thin Veil between the worlds is lifted. Communicating with Modern Wicca in America 7ancestors and departed loved ones is easy at this time, for they journey through this world on their way to the Summerlands5. It is a time to study the Dark Mysteries and honor the Dark Mother and the Dark Father, symbolized by the Crone and her aged Consort. Various other names for this Greater Sabbath are Third Harvest, Samana, Day of the Dead, Old Hallowmas (Scottish/Celtic), Vigil of Saman, Shadowfest (Strega), and Samhuinn. Also known as All Hallow's Eve, (that day actually falls on November 7th), and Martinmas (that is celebrated November 11th), Samhain is now generally considered the Witch's NewYear.(http://www.wicca.com/celtic/akasha/holindex.htm)Imbolc Lore: by the Druids, is the festival of the lactating sheep. It is derived from the Gaelic word "oimelc" which means "ewes milk". Herd animals have either given birth to the first offspring of the year or their wombs are swollen and the milk of...
