Thursday, October 25, 2007

Sunday Sabbat Sale

Don't miss the Samhain Sabbat Sale!!

10% OFF ALL ITEMS IN THE STORE

Sunday October 25th
12-5pm

Saturday, October 20, 2007

New Books of Note

Cultural Books:
We are endeavoring to provide more substantial books for the intermediate and edvanced practitioners seeking in depth material for their studies.

Living Santeria: Ritual and Experiences in an Afro-Cuban Religion
By: Michael Atwood Mason
$25.00 ISBN: 1588340775
This is an anthropology book for Latin American Studies. It focuses on practices, divination, ritual and religious identity. This is a concise and well-written ethnography and an excellent addition to anyone interested in this culture or religion.

HEKA: The Ancient Practices of Ancient Egyptian Ritual & Magic
By: David Rankine
$29.50 ISBN: 1905297076
A book that impressed the staff at the store greatly. It is misleading with its small size, however, once you begin to read through it you realize the enormous amount of information compiled for the reader. Heka is Egyptian magical practice and energy. This book reveals the lore and correspondances used in this mysterious practice. You will discover deities and spirits, symbols, colours, numbers, tools, gestures, ancient incense recipes, ceremonies and rites, amulets and dream interpretations all tied neatly with translated references from Egyptian texts.

Tea & Coffee Books:
As we are slowly opening up our new section on teas in the store, we are bringing in some interesting books to support this fun and fascinating new line.

Telling Fortunes by Tea Leaves
By: Cicely Kent
$15.95 ISBN: 9781406519013
This is an old classic text this is both rare and had been out of print for some time. Dodo Press has revived it for us! It explains all you need to know about tea leaf reading, where it came from and how it is done. In contains an extensive list of the symbols and how to interpret them. The best part of this book is the pictures of the symbols. They are not stylized perfect drawings, but more closely resemble what you would actually see in a cup. If you do divination by tea leaves, this is a must have!

Your Fortune in a Coffee Cup
By: Sahar Huneidi
$25.95 ISBN: 9781859062227
Divination with coffee is common in Romania, Greece and Turkey. This is a box set that includes the small Turkish coffee cup and saucer, as well as an instruction book. We recommend you buy a rakwa (also called tanaka in Arabic or cezve in Turkish) for making the coffee in, though you can use any small stove top pot. Depends on how authentic you wish to be. This book is very clear and detailed on how to properly prepare the coffee for this divination and how to interpret the images found in the cup from the coffee grounds. Like the book mentioned above, it contains pictures of what will actually appear in the cup with lots of advice on how to interpret what you see.

NOTE: You may want to take Nathalie Menard's Tasseomancy (Tasseography) workshop (October 27th, 3-5 pm, $35.00) here at the store for your own real experience!

Halloween Books:
It is the time of Samhain and we are laoding our tables with related books and supplies. The following are some books on Halloween traditions, ghosts, vampires, and Pagan practices.

Ghost Stories of Canada
By John Robert Colombo
$18.99 ISBN: 0888822227
At last some Candian works!! Canada has a wealth of spooky tales and places. Colombo has seen most and been to or heard about them all across Canada. This book recounts the tales from the Maratimes, to the West Coast, and even into the North of Canada.

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AN INTRODUCTION TO GHOST HUNTING (workshop with Hobbes)

Ever heard something go bump in the night? Have you ever seen a ghost? Have you ever spent a night in a haunted house? This workshop is a practical introduction to conducting your own Ghost Hunting Investigation. No experience necessary. Open mind required.

Thursday, October 25th, 6pm-9pm $25

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The Halloween Handbook
By Ed Morrow
$18.95 ISBN: 0806522275
This is a phenomenal do-it-yourself handbook on all things Halloween from decor, to cooking, to parties, to costumes and lore! It is chalk full of tidbits and info as well as details for creating a fun Halloween event!

Halloween: Pagan Festivals to Trick or Treat
By: Mark Oxbrow
$23.50 ISBN: 1903254124
Halloween is one of most popular secular festivals around the world. The fascinating parts are always a mystery. Where did Halloween and hits customs come from? How is it celebrated in other places around the world? This book focuses on all the questions and more. While many of the photos and information is British Isles based, it still touches on other locals and cultures. Worth getting for the stories and poetry alone!

The Nocturnal Witch Collection: Book of Shadows from the Shadows
By: Konstantinos
$28.95 ISBN:9780738711560
For those into the darker arts of the Craft and the spirituality of the Shadow Self, this two-volume box set is ideal. Konstantinos captivated us and opens our minds to other ways of seeing and encourages us to look deeper into ourselves. If you are familiar with his works, this box set includes Nocturnal Witchcraft and Gothic Grimoire.

A Witch's Halloween: A Complete Guide to Magick, Incantations, Recipes, Spells, & Lore
By: Gerina Dunwich
$13.95 ISBN: 1598693409
Another excellent book in Gerina Dunwich's collection. She takes you into the heart of Pagan practices that revolve around this time of year. She looks at the evolution of the Halloween traditions and how Pagans today express them. She reveals the lore and legends and superstitions. She provides us with correspondances for herbs, gives us incantations we can use in our own rituals ans Sabbat recipes!

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If you are looking for a public event for this holiday:

CUPS: Samhain Ritual 2007

CUPS presents their annual Samhain Ritual! Come join us for a night of reflection and remembrance.

When: Friday, November 2, 2007 at 6:30 pm
Where: 2090 MacKay Street (Guy-Concordia Metro)

What to Bring:
1. Items to place upon our Altar of Remembrance
2. Feast food (with a list of ingredients) and feast gear for our Silent Supper Feast taking place after the Ritual. Feel free to bring extra gear for your departed friends and relatives.
3. Divination tools for use after the Silent Supper feast

We respectfully request that any food brought to the Ritual be free of nuts and nut oils (including peanut and almond oils) to accommodate ritual participants with very severe nut allergies. We also (unfortunately) cannot permit the consumption of alcohol during the feast due to university policy. Thank you in advance for your cooperation in these matters.

Thursday, October 18, 2007

November Workshops

Here are some of the wonderful courses that will becoming up between now and the end of November:

SPIRIT MESSAGE CIRCLE (Catharine)
This is a weekly group that is open to everyone. You may come as often as you wish. Each week, Catharine will talk about a theme, give a mini lesson on issues relevant to our lives, on the seasons, on symbols and on life cycles. A guided meditation is given to provide protection and relief from stress. At the end, everyone will receive a short psychic message!
Thursday November 1st, 6 - 8 p.m. $15.00

PSYCHIC DEVELOPMENT Level I (Catharine)
Being able to tell the difference between intuition, prediction, clairvoyance, predictive dreams, deja vu, gut feelings etc. is essential to developing your abilities. We will discuss the various ways psychic abilities manifest and do hands on exercises to test your present level. At the end we will have a message circle where each participant will receive messages from Spirit with Catharine. Saturday November 3rd 1 - 3 pm $30.00

PSYCHIC DEVELOPMENT Level II (Catharine)
Being able to tell the difference between intuition, prediction, clairvoyance, predictive dreams, deja vu, gut feelings etc. is essential to developing your abilities. We will discuss the various ways psychic abilities manifest and do hands on exercises to test your present level. At the end we will have a message circle where each participant will receive messages from Spirit with Catharine. Saturday, November 3rd, 3:30-6 pm, $40

PROBLEM SOLVING WHILE YOU SLEEP (Layne Dalfen)
What does a solution look like when it comes in the form of a picture? Layne Dalfen, author of 'Dreams Do Come True: Decoding Your Dreams To Discover Your Full Potential', will teach you easy approached to uncovering why you had that dream last night, and how to decode solutions to your current issues that appear in your dreams. Learn how to propel your problem solving skills!
Sunday, November 4th, 1—3 pm $30

TEA MEDITATION WORKSHOP (Scarlet)
Come learn the tradition of Chinese Tea Meditations as Scarlet guides you through the symbols and actions of etiquette and being in the NOW with unique selected teas.
Monday, November 5th, 7-9 pm, $20

EXPLORING THE HEART CHAKRA WORKSHOP (Scarlet)
Chakras are energy pools within us. Throughout our lives we draw energy from these pools and accumulate experiences which may block the flow of the energy. We continue with the Heart Chakra dealing with love, devotion, compassion, healing, comfort, harmony, grief and emotional pain. In this workshop, you will discover the various correspondences associated with this chakra that will help you explore it, cleanse it and balance it. We will end the session with an exploratory meditation.
Thursday Nov. 8th, 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. $30.00

KITCHEN WITCHERY (Maery)
Are you what you eat? Food is something very present in our everyday lives, but is often overlooked. Kitchen withcery teaches and raises awareness of this powerful and sacred act. Learn how to cook and create concoctions for health, beauty, protection, love and prosperity.
Friday, November 9th, 6-8 pm, $30

INTRODUCTION TO THE TAROT (Robyn)
Sometimes it takes more then a tiny little pamphlet to know how to read your cards. In this basic level course we will be discussing the archetypal meanings of the trump cards as well as the general functions of the minor arcana. Please bring your own tarot deck to study with.
Saturday, November 10th, 1-3 pm, $30.00

METHODS OF MEDITATION (Robyn)
Have you ever wanted to meditate, but are not certain which technique will work best for you? Meditation is a means by which people work toward a sense of balance, stress relief and inner harmony. Join us for an afternoon of relaxation and together we will explore several different meditation styles and theories to help you find the way that feels most right for you. * There will be some practical exercises, so please wear loose and comfortable clothing and bring a floor mat or cushion .*
Sunday, November 11th, 1-3 pm, $30

INTRODUCTION TO THE KABBALAH (Michael Straw)
Details forthcoming
Sunday, November 11th, 1—3 pm FREE

TAROT II WORKSHOP (Scarlet)
Tarot is a complex system of divination. This workshop assumes that you have a deck and are familiar with the basic meanings of your cards. We will take the next step in understanding the tarot. You will learn the meanings of card combinations, explore various types of tarot spreads, and how to create your own spreads!
Thursday, November 15th, 7-9 pm, $20

METHODS OF DIVINATION (Maery)
Have you ever wanted a glimpse into your future? Ever wonder what it would be like to be able to make predictions and decipher omens? What tools do you need? How does it work? And will it work for you? In this Workshop we will cover various methods of divination, their pros and cons, and help you find out what will work best for you. Come experiment and learn over 10 different ways of divining the future. Topics include Ogham, Runes, Tarot, Pendulums, Scrying and Much more!
Friday November 16th, 6—8 pm $30

PSYCHIC DEVELOPMENT Level I (Catharine)
Being able to tell the difference between intuition, prediction, clairvoyance, predictive dreams, deja vu, gut feelings etc. is essential to developing your abilities. We will discuss the various ways psychic abilities manifest and do hands on exercises to test your present level. At the end we will have a message circle where each participant will receive messages from Spirit with Catharine.
Saturday November 17th 1 - 3 pm $30.00

PSYCHIC DEVELOPMENT Level II (Catharine)
Being able to tell the difference between intuition, prediction, clairvoyance, predictive dreams, deja vu, gut feelings etc. is essential to developing your abilities. We will discuss the various ways psychic abilities manifest and do hands on exercises to test your present level. At the end we will have a message circle where each participant will receive messages from Spirit with Catharine.
Saturday, November 17th, 3:30-6 pm, $40

WICCAN THERAPEUTIC THOUCH (Meri Fowler)
Learn this wonderful healing modality and go deeper into an understanding of the healing powers of the Elements. Therapeutic Touch is derived from the ancient practice of laying-on of hands. It is connected to the concept of universal life energy and field theory, which sees all energy as interconnected and in movement. This four hour workshop will teach participants the basics of TT which they can begin using immediately to help others. Following a Wiccan framework we will then incorporate the Elements and God/Goddess energy in the work as well as exploring the ethics of TT in relation to the Rede and the Rule of Three. Self-TT and distance-TT will also be addressed. No prior experience is necessary. An understanding of Wiccan principals would be helpful.
Sunday, November 18th, 1-5 $40

EXPLORING THE THROAT CHAKRA WORKSHOP (Scarlet)
Chakras are energy pools within us. Throughout our lives we draw energy from these pools and accumulate experiences which may block the flow of the energy. We continue with the Throat Chakra dealing with communication, expression, responsibility, truth & lies, faith, your true nature and the lies we tell ourselves. In this workshop, you will discover the various correspondences associated with this chakra that will help you explore it, cleanse it and balance it. We will end the session with an exploratory meditation.
Thursday Nov. 22nd, 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. $30.00

MEDICINAL TEAS (Maery)
Natural remedies are slowly getting more and more publicity, and more anecdotal evidence that they really do work. Come and learn simple homeopathic remedies that really work inside your teacup. Learn how to soothe indigestion, calm headaches, boost your immune system and much, much more.
Thursday, November 22nd, 6 -68 pm $30

FREE REIKI LECTURE (Robyn)
The word 'Reiki' comes from the Japanese Rei meaning 'universal' and Ki meaning 'life energy'. This energy is also known of in other cultures, and can as easily be recognized as Prana, Mana, Chi or Ruach. This universal life energy animates all life, and flows through all of us, all of the time. Come to this free introductory lecture to learn more about this beautiful method of healing and relaxation, and to ask any questions that you may have about Reiki and how it works.
Friday, November 23rd, 7-8 pm FREE

REIKI LEVEL ONE (Robyn)
Join us in this two day long course to learn all you need to know to become a First Degree Reiki Practitioner. Topics covered will include: the history and origins of Reiki, the ethics of being a Reiki practitioner, what the hand positions are in a full Reiki session, how to treat others as well as yourself, and formal initiation to the Usui Shiki Ryoho style of Reiki using the American Reiki Mastery Association's style of initiations. Ample time will be given for practice as well.
Saturday November 24th, 10-5 & Sunday November 25th, 12-5 $150

SPIRIT MESSAGE CIRCLE (Catharine)
This is a weekly group that is open to everyone. You may come as often as you wish. Each week, Catharine will talk about a theme, give a mini lesson on issues relevant to our lives, on the seasons, on symbols and on life cycles. A guided meditation is given to provide protection and relief from stress. At the end, everyone will receive a short psychic message!
Thursday November 29th, 6 - 8 p.m. $15.00

MAGICAL TEAS WORKSHOP (Scarlet)
Throughout history and across cultures, teas have been used for many different purposes from love potions, to healing, comfort, meditation and ritual. In this workshop discover the meaning and uses of various herbs in teas for magical properties and discover how to blend them yourself! One free cup of the tea blend you created in class!
Thursday Nov. 29th, 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. $30.00

Friday, October 12, 2007

We're at the Romani Yag!

This weekend Melange Magique will be holding a space in the Romani Yag's vendor room (located in the Ukranian Federation building, 5231 Hutchison Ave.) The festival itself has many promising events and concerts planned, and we're very excited to be a part of it.

Come and visit us when you join the Festival!

For more information about the Romani Yag, visit http://www.romaniyag.com/ .

Wednesday, October 10, 2007

New & Exciting!

There are new items in the store and due to arrive soon. ALSO! Also, we have a new service coming soon.

What is back in stock?
- Root Chakra Kits
- Chakra Flash Cards
- Elemental Candles
- various herbs (now that some harvests are now in)
- Cauldrons
- Mortars and Pestles

What is new and in store now?
- Egyptian statues
- Handmade Soaps for Samhain
- Driftwood Dragon Incense Burners
- Gemstone Reiki & Massage Wands (quartz, rose quartz, fluorite, agate)
- Gemstone Pendulums
- Mini Lucky cats for Feng Shui
- Glowing Globes
- Naval Chakra Kits
- Calendars & Agendas for 2008

Books from the NEW shelf:
"Wicca's Charm" by Catherine Edwards Sanders
ISBN: 0877881987 $20.99
Understanding the spiritual hunger behind the rise of modern witchcraft and pagan spirituality. This is a great academic study with discussion questions in the back and an excellent list for further reading!

"Tea Bliss" by Theresa Cheung
ISBN: 157324211x $18.95
Infuse your life with health, wisdom, and contentment. This informative book is beautifully presented and teaches you the proper ways to blend and steep teas, methods for serving it, meditations, and healing with tea. A book for the true connaissuer!

"Dreams Do Come True" by Layne Dalfen
ISBN: 158062636x $19.95
Decoding your dreams to discover your full potential. This book is a guide on how to analyze your dreams. Take advantage of this now! The author will be in our store on November 4th leading a workshop from 1-3pm on Dream Interpretation ($30) and will be signing books after the course!

Coming to the store soon:
- Healing Milk Baths (from the people who brought you the Badger Balms)
- Onyx Chalices
- oils

TEA CORNER:
This month we are building a tea corner. We will be offering a selection of fine, hand-picked and custom blended teas for your magical and spiritual needs. Glass tea pots and zodiac blooming teas are ALREADY available. Soon there will be more teas, prepackaged for your convenience and loose in our Apothecary. You will be able to ask for a tea specially blended just for you for that day or in a larger amount for you to take home and enjoy. Comfy chairs are now in place where you may sit and relax. And soon, we will have tea ready to drink for a simple donation of 50 cents!

Watch for this new service!
Related workshops also coming in November!!

Monday, October 08, 2007

Root Chakra

There is a great series of workshops in progress for the chakras. Every 2 weeks, will be in information session on a chakra. Those who are following the entire series will spend the days in between working on that chakra. A couple weeks ago the class for the Root Chakra was given with an excellent group of 6 participants. Here is some information about the Root Chakra:

ROOT CHAKRA
The root chakra is located at the very base f the spine, specifically where the perineum is on your body. It ties in the secondary and tertiary chakra points of your legs, knees and especially your feet.

This is the chakra of EARTH and of GROUNDING. Its colors are reds, browns, and black. The gemstones for this chakra are onyx, obsidian, jet, red jasper, garnet, hematite, bloodstone, smokey or black quartz, and black tourmaline. The herbs and oils for this chakra are oakmoss, Irish moss, patchouli, vetivert, cedar, myrrh, red sandalwood, styrax (also called storax).

If you wish to ingest substances to help connect with this chakra, eat foods that are high in protein or slow and heavy in the body... grounding foods. These include red meats, dairy products, legumes, grains and breads, hearty oatmeal. For those who like teas, we recommend a gentle green powdered macha, a roasted genmacha, or solomon's seal tea.

This chakra is associated with male sexual energy, grounding, carnal and material needs, basic needs (food, shelter, safety), stability, survival, perseverance, your foundations. You know you have problems or blocks with your root if you have many problems with bowel movements, aches and pains in the legs and feet, anxiety. FEAR blocks this chakra. Work through the things you are afraid of to clear out and open this chakra. Face your fears, understand them, and then let them go. It does not mean you will not be afraid, but that you will not be paralyzed by these fears. You feel balanced and grounded, more stable.

Some things you can do to meditate and connect with this chakra are to do exercises to work out the legs and develop balance (like standing in the Horse Stance), sitting still and relaxing, pamper your feet (foot and/or leg massages, pedicures).

This chakra is also about the RIGHT TO HAVE AND RIGHT TO BE. You have the right to BE who you are. You have the right to BE where you are. You have the right to basic needs, the right to feel safe and secure. You have the right to have material things in your life, the right to have success and stability. It does not mean to excess or for luxury, but to have what you need in life whatever those needs are.

Wednesday, October 03, 2007

Herbs VS Teas

Every now and then, the store receives a complaint about an herb making a client ill. On the packaging of all our magical herbs, we do not recommend them for drinking, not without serious research into herbalism. Our packaged herbs are for magical use only.

If you seek herbs for ingesting for their magical properties, we ask that you please be patient as we are in the process of setting up a tea corner with magical and medicinal tea for sale as well as private blends from our Apothecary. The area is under construction and staff are under training.

For the time being, please consult the following:

"The Herb Book" by John Lust
or
A certified Herbalist

Monday, October 01, 2007

And So the Wheel Turns

We have passed a great Fall Equinox. The weaher was incredible for ritual outdoors. Now we are moving into October and Samhain. This is a time to bring things to a close and evaluate the year. It is also a time to think about your ancestors. As the veil grows thinner between this worl and the Otherworld, It is easier to communicate with the other side, and so divination becomes important around this time of year.

Here at Melange Magique, we are also getting ready for this time of year. Whe are decorating for the Sabbat with cats, mice, pumpkin and more. We have received cauldrons and books about strange and scary creatures. We have even received some specialty items: Pentagram soaps and Pumpkin soaps, wands, Bast and Thoth statues.

We are also preparing for a new event: Romani Yag

We will be in attendance with a booth in their vending area. We hope to see you there, October 12-14th.