Happy Canada Day!

Just a reminder to everyone that Melange Magique will be closed tomorrow (Friday) for Canada Day. We will be open once again Saturday and back on our regular schedule.

Let's hope the weather is gorgeous and everyone gets out to enjoy some fireworks. Yaayy fireworks!

Happy Canada Day! :)

Come Visit Ninja: Our New Familiar!

With Tequila retired, we have brought in a new cat to join the Melange family! Scarlet has rescued Ninja and now he is living with us as his new family. Ninja is a four-year old black cat (in fact he matches so well with Luna that we sometimes have trouble telling them apart). Our new little man is strong and handsome and very affectionate. He'll even let you pick him up for snuggles!

Though Ninja and Luna look very similar, their meows are totally different. Whereas Luna a a cute little "muw" Ninja sounds a bit like a duck that's been stepped on; poor thing.

Come by the store to say hello!

Goodbye Tequila!

Today Melange Magique says farewell to it's oldest resident as he retires from fourteen years of loyal customer service.

Tequila will be spending today at the store saying his farewells to customers, staff, and dear little Luna. He will be spending his retirement in the home of one of our very own staff members to be pampered and spoiled.

Tequila has been like a mascot for Melange Magique and a comforting presence to it's regulars for many years now. If you're in the area why not pass by and give him a nice send off?




Best wishes, blessings, and love!

Today at the Magical Blend

Tea of the Week

This week drop by and enjoy our Candy Ginger Peach Rooibos-- in iced tea!

This caffeine free herbal tea fits a great summer mood with its taste of peach and light hint of ginger-- a great blend that will tickle your taste buds without giving you a caffeine buzz. Delicious as an iced tea for those hot summer days!

Today in Store

We are joined by our Healer Catherine Lipscombe, a practitioner of Medical Qi Gong. She is here today from 2:00 until 4:00 and it is $35.00 for each half hour session. Call in or drop by to make your appointment!

Saturday Workshops

Don't miss our workshops coming up on Saturday!

Reiki II with Robyn

This course is only open to Reiki practitioners who have already received their First Degree of Reiki. Topics covered will include Reiki symbols and their uses, long-distance treatments, mental/emotional healing treatments, mind-to-mind techniques, chakra harmonization, Crystal grids and and formal initiation to the second degree of the Usui Shiki Ryoho style of Reiki using the American Reiki Mastery Association's style of initiations.
10AM to 5PM
$250

Astrology 101 - Uranus, Neptune and Pluto - Meet the outer Planets with Catharine

Your Sun sign is your identity, your moon tells us your inner self, and your Ascendant or rising sign is your filter to the world. The outer planets tell us about your generation and how this affects your life cycles...this is a big part of prediction. Come see how they all work together in your chart.
12PM to 3PM
$40

Chakra Cleansing - Third Eye Chakra with Catharine

Chakras are your bodies energy centers that govern many aspects of your physical, emotional and energetic well being. There are 7 main ones we will work with to explore the deeper meanings, symbolism and associations (each chakra has a sound, gem stone, body parts, activities etc.) We will do meditations to help you discover where your strengths and imbalances are and correct them with energy work. Please where violet for this workshop if possible.
3:30PM to 5:30PM
$40

Call or drop by the store to reserve your spot!



Just a reminder that we will be closed on Friday the 24th for St Jean Baptiste. Hope everyone enjoys their celebration!

STARHAWK IN MONTREAL!

TODAY!
Please join us for a special film screening to celebrate the NDG Food Depot’s 25th Anniversary.

Permaculture: The Growing Edge

A Film by Starhawk & Donna Read
Special guests : Starhawk & Donna Read
Musical performance by Kyra Shaughnessy & Jean Elliott Manning
Discussion moderated by Anne Lagace Dowson
June 22, 2011 at 7pm at the Crowley Arts Centre 5325 Crowley
(2 minutes from the Vendome metro)
Tickets $20 (Sliding scale available for those on a budget)
www.depotndg.org

Permaculture: The Growing Edge explores how ordinary people around the world are making changes in their lives and trying out new ways of growing food, providing for human needs, and building community. Permaculture is a sustainable system of earth care that offers solutions to many of our environmental problems and a hopeful, proactive vision of change. The film documents the immensely creative and regenerative ideas that are inspiring people around the globe. The viewer is invited to learn about the positive steps people are taking and the solutions that do exist.

Starhawk is the author of eleven books on feminist and earth-based spirituality, an activist, permaculture designer and teacher, and director of Earth Activist Training. Find out more about her at www.starhawk.org.

Donna Read is a producer, director and film editor. She was a member of the National Film Board of Canada's renowned women's studio, Studio D, for many years where she directed the Goddess trilogy and many other films before forming Belili productions. Find out more about her at www.belili.org.

New Blog Layout!

Stay tuned everyone! As part of our improvements, we'll soon be showing you a brand new layout for the same old Blog of Shadows you know and love. As part of this process, the blog may look odd for a few moments today, but it should be awfully pretty looking when it's done. We look forward to seeing how you like it and hearing your input on the matter!

Sunday Sabbat Sale

Don't forget today is our Sunday Sabbat Sale! Everything in the store is 10% OFF! And right on Father's Day, too-- great timing!

To all of the fathers, father figures, fathers-to-be...

Happy Father's Day!

Weekend Workshops June 17-19

Just a reminder of this weekend's workshops:

Coming up on Friday:

Série de 4 ateliers sur les 4 piliers de l'Être avec Sylvie & Suzanne
L'éthique
Choisir sa réalité devient de plus en plus urgent et important afin de trouver la joie, la paix et la sérénité. L’évolution va de plus en plus vite, comment demeurer centrée et calme, peu importe ce qui se passe autour de nous.
17 juin
19h00 à 21h00
$30.00 par personne

Coming up on Saturday:

Astrology 101 - Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn - Meet your inner planets! with Catharine
Your Sun sign is your identity, your moon tells us your inner self, and your Ascendant or rising sign is your filter to the world. Come see how they all work together in your chart.
June 18th
12PM to 3PM
$40.00 per person

Chakra Cleansing - Throat Chakra with Catharine
Chakras are your body's energy centers that govern many aspects of your physical, emotional and energetic well being. We will do meditations to help you discover where your strengths and imbalances are and correct them with energy work. Please where blue for this workshop if possible.
June 18th
3:30PM-5:30PM
$40.00 per person

Coming up on Sunday:

Série de 3 ateliers sur des méditations guidées avec le focus sur les divers chakras avec Sylvie & Suzanne
Chakra 5, 6 & 7
19 juin
14h00 à 16h00
$25.00 par personne

Litha Tea

Our very own Litha (Midsummer) tea blend is both delicious and serves a purpose. Whether it is to incorporate it into a ritual, use it to celebrate with a friend, or just to get into the feeling of the season.
With it's mix of berries, peach, pear, hints of spices and mint this tea is the perfect taste of Midsummer.

Drink it hot to finish off a summer feast or drink it cool during a day out enjoying the sun.

Don't know how to make your own iced tea yet? Here's how:

1. Steep your tea as normal, though make it twice as strong.
2. While the tea is still hot, add sweetener to taste.
3. Let it cool down a bit before pouring it into a good quantity of crushed iced.
4. Allow it to sit for a while and enjoy!

As far as foods go for your festivities, think summer and you'll be fine! Anything made with fresh fruits and vegetables and spices is perfect.

New Books in Stock and Father's Day Book Suggestions: Celebrate the God!

Melange just got a crazy amount of new books in stock! Both of our "New in Stock" shelves at the front of the store are crammed with books. In celebration of our new Healers, we have quite a few new books on Reiki and other types of alternative healing. Also come check out some of the books we've set aside to celebrate Father's Day!

Here are some of the new books we have in stock:

The Healing Energy Of Your Hands
by Michael Bradford
The Healing Energy Of Your Hands demystifies the art of healing. Beginning with a basic explanation of the nature of healing energy, illness, and the role of the mind in the healing process, Bradford offers techniques so simple that anyone, even a child, can work with healing energy. The author's intention is that anyone using his book can awaken his or her natural healing talents quickly and easily.
Topics include sensing energy, clearing energy blockages, eliminating negative self-talk, using affirmations, balancing the chakras, cleansing the auric field, relieving pain, and creating forgiveness.

Reiki: The True Story: An Exploration Of Usui Reiki
By Don Beckett
Reiki: The True Story is a comprehensive investigation of Reiki as both a healing practice and a lifelong path of spiritual awakening. Author and Reiki expert Don Beckett weaves together a new story about Reiki's origins and its founder's true vision. The foundation of this book is the teachings of a group of Reiki founder Makao Usui's original students, who held their master's knowledge in secrecy for more than seventy years.

After a general introduction to Reiki, Beckett presents a thorough history of the discipline (including the testimony of some of Usui's students) as well as an in-depth manual for practice. The author rounds out his exploration with material from world renowned, contemporary Reiki Masters, Beckett's own insights into the nature of Reiki energy, as well as information about the chakra system, yin and yang, and the Five Transformations. The book concludes with a chapter entitled "Beyond Reiki," which bridges knowledge of Reiki with the lesser-known practice of Johrei. Thorough explanations coupled with cutting-edge discoveries about Reiki's past make this a compelling volume for novice and experienced practitioners alike.

Reiki Meditations for Beginners
By Lawrence Ellyard
Reiki Meditations for Beginners is a complete guide to the practice of meditation and shows how these two practices are in fact an integral experience for anyone wishing to cultivate inner peace and happiness in daily life. Far from being abstract ideas, the methods presented in this book make meditation readily accessible for the reader, whether they are a complete novice or seasoned practitioner.

The Witch's Bag of Tricks: Personalize Your Magick & Kickstart Your Craft
By Melanie Marquis
Increase your power, improve your spellcasting, and reclaim the spark of excitement you felt when you took those very first steps down your magickal path. The first book of its kind to offer solitary eclectics a solution to the problem of dull or ineffective magick, The Witch's Bag of Tricks will help practicing Witches boost creativity, improve abilities, and cast powerful spells that work. Whether your rituals have become rote or your spells just aren't working, you don't have to settle for magickal mediocrity!

Designed for the experienced eclectic practitioner, this guidebook offers advanced spellcasting techniques and practical hands-on exercises for personalized magickal development. You''ll gain the skills and knowledge you need to custom-design your own spells and advance your mystical development. Breathe fresh life into your practice and take your magickal skills further than ever with The Witch's Bag of Tricks.

Daily OM: Inspirational Thoughts for a Happy, Healthy and Fulfilling Day
By Madisyn Taylor
An inspirational companion to the popular DailyOM website, Daily OM is a valuable guide that will enable readers to find balance and wellness through conscious awareness. The gentle and affirming wisdom contained within these pages is intended to make each day a little happier, less stressful and more satisfying. Passages touch on topics such as meditation, relationships, nature and more.

Sacred Sage
By Silver Wolf Walks Alone
Learn about the ceremonial uses of sage and how sage can help with physical, mental, and spiritual healing. Includes information on gathering sage and the author''s personal reflections on healing.

Advanced Psychic Development
By Becky Walsh
There are many psychic development books on the market, but the vast majority are aimed at beginners. This is the psychics'' bible, whether you want to tap your intuitive potential for everyday use or whether you are already a professional. The skills detailed in it can transfer to any relationship, any situation. These are not party tricks, they are life skills.

How To See Faeries
By John Matthews
International bestselling artist Brian Froud and New York Times bestselling author John Matthews come together for the first time to create a spectacular interactive book that opens the doors to the enchanted world of Faerie. How does one discover faeries in one's backyard or a garden, forest, or meadow? Through insets, hidden messages, magical signs, reflective mirrors, and other paper mechanics, Froud and Matthews reveal how anyone may discover the way to the land of Faerie. All you need is to believe and to own this book!

The Last Wild Witch: An Eco-Fable for Kids and Other Free Spirits
By Starhawk
The first children's book by a visionary author and activist, "The Last Wild Witch" tells a tale of how the children of a perfect town let a little wildness get inside of them, how they find their joy and courage, and how they save the last wild witch and the last magic forest from disappearing. Full color.

You Are Clairvoyant: Simple Ways to Develop Your Psychic Gifts
By Belinda Grace
Connect with both divine guidance and your inner wisdom by following the simple techniques in this book. You already are clairvoyant-you simply need to learn how to activate this powerful skill and then use it to create greater happiness and fulfillment.

Discover how you can meet and talk to angels and spirit guides for assistance; gain insights into past lives to overcome negative patterns and find healing; conduct psychic conversations to get your point across; and get answers to important questions through automatic writing. Written by clairvoyant healer BelindaGrace, this inspiring guide features true-life stories, easy exercises, and countless ways to use the gift of clairvoyance to transform your life-and yourself.

Ritual Body Art
By Charles Arnold
This fascinating new book covers: a brief history of body art and how it works symbols (and their meanings) used in body art meanings of the colors ritual and makeup, jewelry, apparel and props masks and masking scents, with and without art uses in sabbats, esbats and other rituals everyday uses for body art 16 pages of color photographs.

And to celebrate Father's Day and Midsummer check out these books celebrating the male deity and male archetypes:

The Witches' God
By Stewart Farrar
Exploring the Masculine Principle of Divinity This companion volume to The Witches' Goddess re-establishes the ancient balance between God and Goddess. Part I covers the many concepts of the God examined, including: His faces throughout history; The Son/Lover God; The Vegetation God; The War God; The Anti-God; and more Part II gives a close look at 12 individual gods of history with an appropriate invoking ritual for each. Part III presents a comprehensive dictionary of over 1000 gods from many world cultures, past and present. The Farrars are among the best-known authors on the Craft, and in The Witches' God have written what is likely to become the standard work on the masculine god aspect.

Walking With The Green Man: Father Of Forest, Spirit Of Nature
By Bob Curran
Almost since the dawn of time, the image of the Green Man-- the carven enigmatic head surrounded by leaves and foliage-- has both intrigued and mystified viewers and folklorists alike. Appearing in churches, taverns, and even on stately buildings, the carving seems shrouded in supernatural obscurity.

Is it merely a fertility symbol, or is it something much deeper, which calls for a response from us all? Though it seems a predominantly Celtic icon, does the concept of the Green Man also appear in other places and in other cultures? What is its relevance for the world today?

In the absorbing new book, Walking With the Green Man, Dr. Bob Curran traces the many strands that make up this enigmatic image. Tracing its origins from prehistoric times, he explores its significance in the medieval world and discusses its development in the modern world. He also investigates the image's psychological appeal, which has allowed it to continue down through the ages, and, pulling from a variety of sources, its impact upon other cultures in various parts of the world.
From heroic archetypes such as Robin Hood to Demigods such as Herne the Hunter; from the King of the Woods to the Jack in the Green, Walking With the Green Man examines the interconnection of man and Nature throughout history. Whether as a man amongst the trees, a man of the trees, or a symbol of Nature used to express secrets and solidarity, the Green Man's visage is traced throughout lands and cultures.

Walking With the Green Man will appeal to all those who are interested in the image of the Green Man as an example of symbolic art, as well as to those who are interested in folklore and the interplay between folklore and culture. It is a fascinating study, which not only examines the history of the icon but also its development within human perception.

When I See The Wild God: Encountering Urban Celtic Witchcraft
By Ly de Angeles
Deepen your knowledge of the sacred mysteries... enter the space where nothing begins and nothing ends... reclaim your pagan heritage. A unique blend of witchcraft instruction, Celtic mythology, and urban fantasy, this work goes beyond ordinary witchcraft manuals. Ly de Angeles provides insight into the Celtic perspective of sacredness, and presents invocations, visualizations, and urban magic rituals for the equinoxes, solstices, and the four Fire Festivals. Other magical theory and practice explored in this handbook:

The Law of Three; logos and mythos; animism; pantheism; the Four Worlds; death and timelessness; the Elements; shapeshifting; Tuatha dé Danann; the Quicken Tree.

Literary, eclectic, and infused with a masculine sensibility, When I See the Wild God is your guide to the Déithe and draíocht-- the gods and magic that exist within and around you.

Fathering Right from the Start: Straight Talk About Pregnancy, Birth, and Beyond
By Ph.D., Jack Heinowitz
Becoming a father is a life-changing event, and not an easy one. The new feelings, emotions, and reactions surfacing every day can be confusing and overwhelming, summoning new dads to resolve old issues. Fathering Right from the Start guides men through this life passage, helping them navigate difficult times and participate meaningfully in parenting. Complete with exercises, checklists, and firsthand accounts by fathers from all walks of life, this indispensable book carries the seeds for a new tradition of men’s involvement in the emotional, cultural, and physical structure of the family.

Father's Day Weekend!

Here at Melange and in the Pagan community we often focus on the Goddess and the Mother, but this Father's Day weekend we should remember to celebrate the God and the Father. Take some time to reflect on male archetypes like the Green Man, the Horned Man, the Sun God, the Sky God (or Thunder God), the Warrior, and the Sage.

This year Father's Day is only two days earlier than Midsummer, a holiday which is appropriately associated with Fire, the Sun, and other male aspects. In Wiccan mythology, Midsummer is the height of the strength of the Oak King and the forces of Summer. The Oak King is not only associated with the Warrior, but also with the nurturing aspects of the sun that bring life and vegetation to the world, as reflected by his guise as the smiling Green Man. Like a father who nurtures and guides his son, the Green Man nurtures and guides all living things, bringing them to their full potential and fruition: especially at Midsummer.

Reflecting on this aspect of the Green Man, here is a small craft project and ritual you can do with your children:

Go to a park with lots of trees and gather as many interesting leaves as you can. Be sure to ask the trees for permission before taking any leaves off of live branches!

Now sit down and ask your kids what they think about when they think about fathers. Write it all down, then crumple up the paper in a little ball and have your kids pick a tree. Bury the paper beneath the tree, near its roots; explain that just as their dad takes care of them and helps them grow, the paper with stuff that they associate with fathers will help the trees grow too.

Tell them that the daddy of trees and plants is called the Green Man, and he has a face made out of leaves. Take the leaves you have gathered, some cardboard paper and glue (and maybe some googly eyes for effect), and help your children make some Green Men for themselves. At the end of the day, put the pictures on the mantel or on your altar, and light a candle for the Father of Nature!

Tea of the Week

Angel's Dream is a specialty tea of the Metropolitan Tea Company, and if you haven't tasted it yet you should as soon as possible! Still relatively new to Melange Magique and our tea selection it is gaining popularity quite fast with it's sweet taste of maple, blackberry, Assam, and mystery green tea.
Have a cup, relax, and have a few dreams of your own.

On another note, Father's Day is coming up on Sunday! Have you figured out what to give your dad this year? We have rings, Runes, incense, and a variety of items that would make any man feel like father of the year.

Our Sunday Sabbat Sale falls on Father's Day this year! Can't think of what to get him? Give him a gift card or bring him in to the store on Father's Day and take part in our sale of 10% OFF everything in the store!

What Can Melange Magique Actually Do for You?

You read about our stock, our events.. But what can Melange Magique actually do for you?

No matter your beliefs, culture, or technique we are here to support and inform and aid you in your spiritual journey. Whether you are in search of a religion or want to get deeper into your religion, whether you want to open yourself to the energies of the universe or protect yourself from them, we are here to help you.

To anyone scared of the supernatural or fascinated by it, we can give you advice on how to deal with the situation or how to continue in your study of it.

To any skeptics or scientific minds, you have not been excluded! Stress relievers, aromatherapy, and teas are all things that can help you change your mood, which changes yourself, and changes a situation. Domino effect!

Energy is energy no matter which direction you approach it so no matter which direction you come from we can help you find something suitable for you and your needs.

Looking for a gift for someone? We have a gorgeous selection of cards and a wide variety of gift appropriate items. A spellcraft candle for a Happy Marriage or House Warming, jewelery, regular or customized bath salts, wind chimes, and much more.

Give us a call, send us an email, or drop by the store and see just how we can help you.

At last we have oils back in stock! And along with your old favourites we have two new additions: Juniper Oil and Honey Oil.
Juniper can be used for protection, anti-theft, love, exorcism, and health. Physically, Juniper can be used for stomach issues such as indigestion and inflammation.
Honey is very effective way of natural healing. Great to use on chapped lips or cracked/injured skin is aids the healing process and revitalized the skin. While people use it in tea as a delicious sweetener it is beneficial to the health of your throat, which is why so many recommend it during a cold or strep. Also used for those with respiratory issues and to compliment a prosperity or fertility blend/spell.
*Note: Our oils are not for consumption.

Don't miss our workshops taking place soon:

Totem & Power Animals with Scarlet Today from 7:00PM to 9:00PM $40.00/person
Animals have power. Totems are guides that help us on our path. Power animals lend us their very gifts when we need to call upon them. Find your totemic guide and power animal in this workshop and learn how to tap into their power and wisdom.

Série de 4 ateliers sur les 4 piliers de l'Être avec Sylvie & Suzanne Parti: L'intention. Demain à 19H00 - 21H00
L’évolution va de plus en plus vite, comment demeurer centrée et calme, peu importe ce qui se passe autour de nous. Nous vous proposons une série de 4 ateliers portant sur des thèmes qui permettent de devenir conscients du rôle que jouent nos pensées, nos émotions, nos croyances dans notre processus décisionnel.



It's getting hot and humid out! Do you know how to stay safe in this weather?
- Be sure not to over do it with the physical activity. Work and play at a steady pace and be sure to take breaks when you need to.
- Keep cool. Open the windows, turn off the lights, and draw the curtains. Still too humid? Take a stroll in an air conditioned mall or go to the movies.
- Most importantly, keep hydrated! Be sure to drink plenty of water. Tired of drinking so much water? Try making some of your own iced tea from your favourite tea blend! Not sure how that would taste? Melange will be starting up our iced teas once again very soon so stay posted and drop by to try it out.

Iced Tea:
Steep your tea as normal, though make it twice as strong.
While tea is still hot as sweetener to taste.
Let it cool down a bit before pouring it into a good quantity of crushed iced.
Allow it to sit for a while and - voila! Home made iced tea!

- And if all else fails you can always put your shorts in the freezer for a little bit :)

Artistry

Art is one of the many ways we can beautify our homes and ritual spaces. Engaging in art (painting, writing, dancing) stimulate our creativity and is good for the soul.

The store is doing BOTH!

April-Anna, a local artist, has provided us with some of her stunning photos and paintings in card form for all to enjoy. Gift them with gift instead of the boring birthday cards you usually find. Something this unique can be treasures for a long time. Frame it and put it on the wall, too!
Scarlet has many such works on her walls at home.

April-Anna has also recently been contracted to paint a mural in our Readers Corner. You can see it from the street in the various stages of development. When you come in for an appointment with one of our clairvoyants, you will be treated to sitting in a space infused with art.

For more about April-Anna's art,
You can find her here: http://www.aprilanna.com
Or on FaceBook at: http://en-gb.facebook.com/aprilanna.arts

Tea of the Week

Ice Wine is an orange pekoe grade tea from Sri Lanka. This black tea joins with sweet pear, hints of berry and caramel in their delicious all natural flavours to make a tea of wonderful summer evening taste.
Even tastes great if you add a little sugar and ice the Ice Wine!

Books in stock!

The Small-Town Pagan's Survival Guide: How to Thrive in Any Community by Bronwen Forbes Have any worries over living in a small town and still living your life in peace or worried about being singled out? Here's a book all about the struggles that sometimes come with small town life. Covering topics such as starting a coven, getting along with non-Pagan neighbors, when and how to reveal your beliefs, raising Pagan children, and more!

Fairy Tale Rituals Engage the Dark, Eerie, & Erotic Power of Familiar Stories by Kenny Klein A very interesting read, this book goes through childhood favourites such as SnowWhite, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, Hansel & Gretel, and others. "Each tale is explored in two ways: first by looking at the story itself,.. its mythic roots and magical elements. Next, a powerful ritual is presented based on (the story) which you can use.."

Heal Yourself with Qi Gong Gentle Practices to Increase Energy, Restore Health, and Relax the Mind by Suzanne B. Friedman Qi Gong is a Chinese practice of movement, meditation, and breathing to connect with your energies in order to strengthen your body and spirit. It uses the vital life force in the body to establish better health, higher energy. With chapters such as Instant Enetgy Boosters, Exercises for Restoring Physical Vitality, Emotion Balancing Techniques, and Practices for Calming the Spirit you can combine any of the techniques to suit your own needs and practices.