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Saint Expedite, beloved of many residents of New Orleans and other places, is the patron saint of people who have faith in his rapid solutions to their problems, who want immediate financial success and those who want the delays and procrastination of situations to cease so that forward movement to an end can be seen. Some petition him to aid and assist in overcoming bad habits long needed of change. His feast day is April 19th and many set up altars, burning candles and giving offerings in his honor. His day is Wednesday. Saint Expedite is pictured as a young brown haired Roman soldier draped in a red cape, holding a palm frond in one hand and an upright cross with the words “HODIE” (“today” in Old Latin) on it. Under his right foot is a black crow, holding a ribbon in his mouth with the word “CRAS” (“tomorrow” in Old Latin) written across it. The message of the image is traditionally held as that you need to stamp out putting off for tomorrow what can be done today. St. Expedite is popular in Italy, Spain. Portugal and Latin America, as well as New Orleans, LA, where a statue of Expedite is stationed in the Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe on Rampart Street (pictured above). Legend has it that when the construction of the Church had finished, the priests sent an order for statuary to place in the Church. One crate arrived with the words “EXPEDITO” (meaning to rush, hurry or “expedite”). The priests thought that the word “EXPEDITO” was the name of this statue was Expedite; hence the legend was born. There are statues of St. Expedite worldwide, thus creating more of a mystery on who this Saint really is! Altars honoring Saint Expedite are filled with flowers and red candles, to match his red cloak, but also red is a magical candle color to symbolize energy, “heat” and power. If you choose to work with Expedite, light a red candle and place it center back on the table, with his statue or image to the right hand corner and the glass of water to the left like this: Red Candle Glass of water Statue or Framed image of Expedite If using a prayer card taped to the candle, set the candle to the right side and the water glass to the left side like this: Glass of water Candle with image If and when St. Expedite grants your wishes and answers your prayers, you need to “pay” him. I say “if” he answers your prayers as sometimes he will not “work” with you for your immediate success. Do not take this as an insult; it is simply he is not the one you need to be petitioning for your situation. However, if he does bring you the the blessings you request, it is tradition to give him the gift of flowers, slices of pound cake (some say Sara Lee frozen pound cake that has been thawed) and some say a glass of red wine. It is crucial to make this offering to him after his work is done, as to not do so will incur his wrath and he will take back all that he has given you. Some go so far as to publish in the local newspaper his wondrous works in honor, just like many do so as customary...
October is the month that Mother Nature shows off the colors of the Season. The nights get cooler as the days still are warm in the afternoons and the trees give off wonderful golds, oranges and golden amber as they drop their leaves. This time of year is also known for the Pagan and Christian celebrations that brought us Halloween, All Saints Day and All Souls Day. Many cultures use this time for honoring the past with ancestor altars. Read more about the three days surrounding this time of year here: Free Candle Spells | Honoring Your Ancestors (Time of the Year)“. This time, before we march into the winter months and cocoon to dream of bright futures, is Nature’s way of teaching us that there is a cycle in Life: birth, living, and then death, and the process repeats itself over and over. It is an opportune time to consider making an Ancestral Altar for your family lineage. Setting up an altar for the loved ones in your family that have passed on is meaningful on many levels. An ancestor altar gives you a space to visit and connect with those who have passed, both known and unknown, and gives you a place to weep, mourn, remember and laugh. An ancestor altar is also a place of safe refuge when the World seems to be beating you with a stick. It is a place to sit in silence and ask for insight and wait for ideas to pop into your head to solve the problems of living in this world. In my Tarot card deck, I have an Ancestors card, and when it comes up in a client’s reading, depending on it being upright or reversed, it tells the client that they are their to help, as our ancestors are given the task to guide their progeny through their walk on Earth. Your ancestors will guide and protect you, but you must be receptive to the lessons and insight given, whether you like it or not. In the Bible, Exodus 20:12 tells us to “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord you God is giving you.” Setting Up an Ancestor Altar First, you need to determine a quiet place in your home for your ancestor altar. Considering that houses with children are noisier than adult houses, you may need to place your altar in a quieter den or corner of a back room so that their Spirits will not get upset. Do not place your ancestor altar in your bedroom, as this is disrespectful. Even a corner of the dining room is preferable than a bedroom for the altar. If you are blessed with a guest room or den, use it until you have guests visit, then you can move to another part of the house. A simple ancestor altar is a small table with a white cloth or doily, a glass of cool water and a photograph of those that have passed. Do not place photos of both living and deceased relatives on the table, as you may be inviting the living relative to pass over to the Spirit world. this ancestor altar is for your own blood line family, although some exception could be a non-relative that was “adopted” into the family, like a long term babysitter or a close friend that was always present at family gatherings and in your home. Like other altars you may have on your home, an ancestor altar will grow larger as your spiritual connection with them grows. You will be given ideas and impulses to purchase and add...
The Meaning and Purpose of an Altar An altar is a physical space to come to when the world seems too chaotic and you need to step out of it and take a break. In the books of the Old Testament , specific woods, gems, metals and even dimensions were written to be used in the construction of an altar. An altar not only provides a physical space, such as a table top, china hutch or dresser bureau, but also its’ sacred elements, deems so by you, create a psychic space in which you can open up to the Divine and seek comfort. What you use for your altar, be it driftwood from the ocean or a folding table with silks draped over it, the most important element in altar construction is what you deem sacred and spiritual and the placement and enjoyment you gain from the ritual of the construction. Many Altars, Many Reasons A good question to ask yourself is this: Why are you drawn to create an altar? Some have one because they have received or collected small images of deities and want to display them. Some create an altar for a place, such as the ocean or the forest, because the individual connects or is devoted to that region on Earth. Some create an altar of relatives who have passed, like on a dining room hutch or the fireplace mantle. Do not be surprised that even people who are interested in a favorite rock or pop star or an actor will have a rudimentary altar constructed for them with framed photos, concert tickets, snapshots and maybe even the drink cup from the venue, all to memorialize the function in which the fan attended. Other altars are created to “do” something, like draw money, work for court cases, humanity or to keep the family members safe. Some set small altars with a white candle near a bedside table when someone is ill, along with prayers and hope for them to return to full health. Some people collect religious statuary and items such as rosaries or crosses, and these can be grouped together in a nice setting, along with candles to give it a feeling of the sacred and divine. Here is my All Saints Altar where I burn candles for my clients: Whether you set up your altar in a private or public place, indoors or out, you can create an inviting and serene place to sit and meditate or pray, or to quiet the mind and soul from the worries of the day. How you create and use your altar is entirely up to you. Altar Basics To create an altar, you need a small table or top of a dresser, or some other piece of furniture. You will need a linen or lace table covering in white and at least one candle in a holder of your choice. Then get creative and place items on your altar that represent the values you hold close. Some love the ocean, so they have a blue or white candle, seashells, a rock from the seashore and maybe a photo or a piece of art that reflect a beach scene or a mermaid. Some have a certain devotion to a particular Deity, and will have many images of that spirit on it. They may also drape their altar in the colors associated with that Deity, even decorating the walls behind the altar as well such as this photo: Again, your creative expression can be released and there are no “wrong” ways to decorate an altar. Many times a person will begin with a simple set up,...
This upcoming weekend will be the feast day for Our Lady of Guadalupe, an avatar of the Virgen Mary that appeared to Juan Diego, a poor countryman of Tepayac, who told him of her wish to have a Shrine built when she visited him. Juan Diego petitioned the Bishop, who wanted proof and the Virgen instructed him to gather roses in his tilma, a blanket-type covering, to take to the Bishop. When he presented the roses to the Bishop, her image was imprinted on the tilma, thus convincing the construction to begin and making the tilma a Holy Relic. The tilma was framed and is hanging in the Cathedral in Mexico City. You can read more about the legend by clicking here. On this day, many begin to decorate their Christmas trees in the United States and attend Mass with the Mariachi band playing music to the Virgen and later the family gathers at home for warm foods such as tamales, pozole and atole. Some bring the scarlet poinsettia plants to construct a household altar, as the poinsettia plant is native to Mexico. Many will light vigil candles such as this one, to offer petitions to Her. The Virgen of Guadalupe is revered everywhere and Her image can be found on shirts, jewelry and many have her image as a tatoo to show devotion and asking for her protection. Here is one that I found on the Internet: Some people believe that if you paint her image on the building where you have your business, that you will not be bothered with break-ins and graffiti. Ironically, it actually is true, as I have read an article that observations has shown that Her image reduces crime in the area. Here is a shop owner who wants a peaceful neighborhood. Whatever your intensity of devotion to the Virgen of Guadalupe, you can agree that she is an influential image throughout the Southwest and West. Many of these statues at this market will be relocating in the living rooms of many Latino families very soon. ...
Free Candle Spells | St. Expedite Feast Day – April 19th
Posted by Jacqueline on Apr 13th, 2015 in Altars, St. Expedite Fast Luck Candle Spell, St. Expedite/San Expedito | Comments Off on Free Candle Spells | St. Expedite Feast Day – April 19th
Saint Expedite, beloved of many residents of New Orleans and other places, is the patron saint of people who have faith in his rapid solutions to their problems, who want immediate financial success and those who want the delays and procrastination of situations to cease so that forward movement to an end can be seen. Some petition him to aid and assist in overcoming bad habits long needed of change. His feast day is April 19th and many set up altars, burning candles and giving offerings in his honor. His day is Wednesday. Saint Expedite is pictured as a young brown haired Roman soldier draped in a red cape, holding a palm frond in one hand and an upright cross with the words “HODIE” (“today” in Old Latin) on it. Under his right foot is a black crow, holding a ribbon in his mouth with the word “CRAS” (“tomorrow” in Old Latin) written across it. The message of the image is traditionally held as that you need to stamp out putting off for tomorrow what can be done today. St. Expedite is popular in Italy, Spain. Portugal and Latin America, as well as New Orleans, LA, where a statue of Expedite is stationed in the Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe on Rampart Street (pictured above). Legend has it that when the construction of the Church had finished, the priests sent an order for statuary to place in the Church. One crate arrived with the words “EXPEDITO” (meaning to rush, hurry or “expedite”). The priests thought that the word “EXPEDITO” was the name of this statue was Expedite; hence the legend was born. There are statues of St. Expedite worldwide, thus creating more of a mystery on who this Saint really is! Altars honoring Saint Expedite are filled with flowers and red candles, to match his red cloak, but also red is a magical candle color to symbolize energy, “heat” and power. If you choose to work with Expedite, light a red candle and place it center back on the table, with his statue or image to the right hand corner and the glass of water to the left like this: Red Candle Glass of water Statue or Framed image of Expedite If using a prayer card taped to the candle, set the candle to the right side and the water glass to the left side like this: Glass of water Candle with image If and when St. Expedite grants your wishes and answers your prayers, you need to “pay” him. I say “if” he answers your prayers as sometimes he will not “work” with you for your immediate success. Do not take this as an insult; it is simply he is not the one you need to be petitioning for your situation. However, if he does bring you the the blessings you request, it is tradition to give him the gift of flowers, slices of pound cake (some say Sara Lee frozen pound cake that has been thawed) and some say a glass of red wine. It is crucial to make this offering to him after his work is done, as to not do so will incur his wrath and he will take back all that he has given you. Some go so far as to publish in the local newspaper his wondrous works in honor, just like many do so as customary...Free Candle Spells | Honoring the Past with Ancestor Altars
Posted by Jacqueline on Oct 1st, 2011 in Altars, Ancestors Altars and Candles | Comments Off on Free Candle Spells | Honoring the Past with Ancestor Altars
October is the month that Mother Nature shows off the colors of the Season. The nights get cooler as the days still are warm in the afternoons and the trees give off wonderful golds, oranges and golden amber as they drop their leaves. This time of year is also known for the Pagan and Christian celebrations that brought us Halloween, All Saints Day and All Souls Day. Many cultures use this time for honoring the past with ancestor altars. Read more about the three days surrounding this time of year here: Free Candle Spells | Honoring Your Ancestors (Time of the Year)“. This time, before we march into the winter months and cocoon to dream of bright futures, is Nature’s way of teaching us that there is a cycle in Life: birth, living, and then death, and the process repeats itself over and over. It is an opportune time to consider making an Ancestral Altar for your family lineage. Setting up an altar for the loved ones in your family that have passed on is meaningful on many levels. An ancestor altar gives you a space to visit and connect with those who have passed, both known and unknown, and gives you a place to weep, mourn, remember and laugh. An ancestor altar is also a place of safe refuge when the World seems to be beating you with a stick. It is a place to sit in silence and ask for insight and wait for ideas to pop into your head to solve the problems of living in this world. In my Tarot card deck, I have an Ancestors card, and when it comes up in a client’s reading, depending on it being upright or reversed, it tells the client that they are their to help, as our ancestors are given the task to guide their progeny through their walk on Earth. Your ancestors will guide and protect you, but you must be receptive to the lessons and insight given, whether you like it or not. In the Bible, Exodus 20:12 tells us to “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord you God is giving you.” Setting Up an Ancestor Altar First, you need to determine a quiet place in your home for your ancestor altar. Considering that houses with children are noisier than adult houses, you may need to place your altar in a quieter den or corner of a back room so that their Spirits will not get upset. Do not place your ancestor altar in your bedroom, as this is disrespectful. Even a corner of the dining room is preferable than a bedroom for the altar. If you are blessed with a guest room or den, use it until you have guests visit, then you can move to another part of the house. A simple ancestor altar is a small table with a white cloth or doily, a glass of cool water and a photograph of those that have passed. Do not place photos of both living and deceased relatives on the table, as you may be inviting the living relative to pass over to the Spirit world. this ancestor altar is for your own blood line family, although some exception could be a non-relative that was “adopted” into the family, like a long term babysitter or a close friend that was always present at family gatherings and in your home. Like other altars you may have on your home, an ancestor altar will grow larger as your spiritual connection with them grows. You will be given ideas and impulses to purchase and add...Free Candle Spells | Creating a Sacred Space with an Altar
Posted by Jacqueline on May 3rd, 2011 in Altars | Comments Off on Free Candle Spells | Creating a Sacred Space with an Altar
The Meaning and Purpose of an Altar An altar is a physical space to come to when the world seems too chaotic and you need to step out of it and take a break. In the books of the Old Testament , specific woods, gems, metals and even dimensions were written to be used in the construction of an altar. An altar not only provides a physical space, such as a table top, china hutch or dresser bureau, but also its’ sacred elements, deems so by you, create a psychic space in which you can open up to the Divine and seek comfort. What you use for your altar, be it driftwood from the ocean or a folding table with silks draped over it, the most important element in altar construction is what you deem sacred and spiritual and the placement and enjoyment you gain from the ritual of the construction. Many Altars, Many Reasons A good question to ask yourself is this: Why are you drawn to create an altar? Some have one because they have received or collected small images of deities and want to display them. Some create an altar for a place, such as the ocean or the forest, because the individual connects or is devoted to that region on Earth. Some create an altar of relatives who have passed, like on a dining room hutch or the fireplace mantle. Do not be surprised that even people who are interested in a favorite rock or pop star or an actor will have a rudimentary altar constructed for them with framed photos, concert tickets, snapshots and maybe even the drink cup from the venue, all to memorialize the function in which the fan attended. Other altars are created to “do” something, like draw money, work for court cases, humanity or to keep the family members safe. Some set small altars with a white candle near a bedside table when someone is ill, along with prayers and hope for them to return to full health. Some people collect religious statuary and items such as rosaries or crosses, and these can be grouped together in a nice setting, along with candles to give it a feeling of the sacred and divine. Here is my All Saints Altar where I burn candles for my clients: Whether you set up your altar in a private or public place, indoors or out, you can create an inviting and serene place to sit and meditate or pray, or to quiet the mind and soul from the worries of the day. How you create and use your altar is entirely up to you. Altar Basics To create an altar, you need a small table or top of a dresser, or some other piece of furniture. You will need a linen or lace table covering in white and at least one candle in a holder of your choice. Then get creative and place items on your altar that represent the values you hold close. Some love the ocean, so they have a blue or white candle, seashells, a rock from the seashore and maybe a photo or a piece of art that reflect a beach scene or a mermaid. Some have a certain devotion to a particular Deity, and will have many images of that spirit on it. They may also drape their altar in the colors associated with that Deity, even decorating the walls behind the altar as well such as this photo: Again, your creative expression can be released and there are no “wrong” ways to decorate an altar. Many times a person will begin with a simple set up,...Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe – December 12, 2009
Posted by Jacqueline on Dec 6th, 2009 in Altars, Various Saints Candle Spells | Comments Off on Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe – December 12, 2009
This upcoming weekend will be the feast day for Our Lady of Guadalupe, an avatar of the Virgen Mary that appeared to Juan Diego, a poor countryman of Tepayac, who told him of her wish to have a Shrine built when she visited him. Juan Diego petitioned the Bishop, who wanted proof and the Virgen instructed him to gather roses in his tilma, a blanket-type covering, to take to the Bishop. When he presented the roses to the Bishop, her image was imprinted on the tilma, thus convincing the construction to begin and making the tilma a Holy Relic. The tilma was framed and is hanging in the Cathedral in Mexico City. You can read more about the legend by clicking here. On this day, many begin to decorate their Christmas trees in the United States and attend Mass with the Mariachi band playing music to the Virgen and later the family gathers at home for warm foods such as tamales, pozole and atole. Some bring the scarlet poinsettia plants to construct a household altar, as the poinsettia plant is native to Mexico. Many will light vigil candles such as this one, to offer petitions to Her. The Virgen of Guadalupe is revered everywhere and Her image can be found on shirts, jewelry and many have her image as a tatoo to show devotion and asking for her protection. Here is one that I found on the Internet: Some people believe that if you paint her image on the building where you have your business, that you will not be bothered with break-ins and graffiti. Ironically, it actually is true, as I have read an article that observations has shown that Her image reduces crime in the area. Here is a shop owner who wants a peaceful neighborhood. Whatever your intensity of devotion to the Virgen of Guadalupe, you can agree that she is an influential image throughout the Southwest and West. Many of these statues at this market will be relocating in the living rooms of many Latino families very soon. ...