10/06/2023
21 Minerva Street, Derby CT 06418 (203) 308-2457
Talisman and Cauldron Website
Talisman and Cauldron on Facebook
Talisman and Cauldron on Instagram
Laura Lenhard Talisman and Cauldron on YouTube
NEW Shop Hours:
Wed-Thurs 11am-7pm
Fri-Sat 11am-8pm
Sunday 12-5pm
Monday and Tuesday Closed
You are welcome to park in the City Hall lot across the street if street
parking is full. Reminder: We do not open in stormy/icy weather (stay home
& stay safe!).
IMPORTANT:
*Walk-in $5 readings and my private sessions are suspended while I
deal with a health issue. See below for details.
* NEW! Phone Readings are now available for most of our Readers
during the Saturday Faires. If you have ever wanted to sit with one
of our talented intuitives but live too far away to come to the shop.. now you can!
* Take the time to read down to the end of the newsletter, Alethea's
Astrology Corner is so helpful in showing us ways to navigate the
energy we are contending with.
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October 2023
Blessed Samhain / Happy Halloween!
One thing I hear often, this time of year, is "Oh you must get SO BUSY in October!"
and the truth is ... no. I mean, yes, we are busy but October is not our busiestmonth (that would be December, for Christmas/Yule). In this part of NewEngland, anyone with money to spend heads to Salem for a truly magickal time- and all of us practicing Witches, well, we already HAVE our tools and such.Samhain is, in reality, both the Celtic New Year and our "high holy day" so tospeak. It is a deeply introspective time, a time of reflection on the past year anddivination about the year before us. Most importantly, it is a time to communewith our ancestors, our beloved dead, perhaps by partaking in a dumb supperor seance or maybe paying a visit to a gravesite. It is traditional to set up anancestor table, with pictures of our dearly departed (and that includes ouranimal family members of course) adorn with autumn decorations andcandles, and thank them for the wonderful memories they left us with. And dospeak out loud - they love to hear their names spoken by those who love andmiss them. Samhain is considered the best time for divination because it falls ata great turning point of the year: the boundary between the worlds is morediffuse and access to other realms is easier. Wiccans/Witches do not activelytry to summon or call back the dead in the same manner as spiritualistsholding seances, but rather make the ancestors welcome - should they care tocome! This is an opportunity to reaffirm the special bond and place in one'sheart the person or pet continues to hold. A time to celebrate life, rather thanmourn its passing ... secure in the knowledge we are always connected.Later in the night (after visitors and trick-or-treating children have departed)might find us scrying or using other methods of divination, making offerings inritual on outdoor altars, gathering around a roaring bonfire (or smoulderingcauldron or fireplace) – I leave it to each of you to follow your hearts in thecelebration of our most sacred and mysterious of the holy Sabbats.I started a tradition, a few years ago, of sharing a "spooky story" as part of theOctober Newsletter ... and so I'll begin: Some years ago, I took part in a paranormal investigation with my good friendAndrew Neblett and his team. When we got to the house, someone remarked itwas the "classic" haunted house - dark, old, and surrounded by a pointy ironfence with a squeaky gate. We were greeted by the husband and wife, and veryquickly the wife took control of the conversation, eagerly showing us pictures ofwhat she called "orbs" as proof that the house was indeed haunted (somethingshe appeared to take great delight in). They had agreed to leave for a couple ofhouses, so we could film and record uninterrupted but as they were walking outthe door the wife stopped, looked over her shoulder, and said, "Do whatever youneed to do to find proof, but if you sage, put down salt or do anything to clearthem out I will kill you."After they left, I turned to Andrew and said, "Um, did she just say she would KILLus?" he replied, "Uh-huh this should be a fun one!"So we set recording devices, some people took pictures - we split up, and I wentupstairs and made myself comfortable on the floor of one of the smallbedrooms to meditate and see what images came to mind. When I came backdownstairs I found Andrew and as we were chatting and standing next to thebasement doorway, two members of the group came running up the stairsyelling "Nope! Nope! Not staying down there!" Andrew turned to me and said,"We're going down there right?" and I quickly agreed, ready for an adventure.Turned out that the oldest son was into death metal, and had turned the
basement into a sort of music studio, broken up into wood-framed "rooms". He
had decorated the walls with pictures of devils etc. and Andrew was pushed
back and prevented from entering the actual space where his drums were kept.
By the time we went upstairs the family had returned. The wife was, of course,
eager to hear what we had to say and we took turns showing and telling what
we had seen or heard. One thing was clear: Something had caused major
battery drainages of all our electronics in just those two hours. When it was my
turn, I said that I had meditated and two strong images had come to mind: The
first, I had seen a series of old cartoon pictures (Tweety Bird, The Flintstones,
Yogi Bear) and she laughed and said the former owner was a well-known
cartoon artist. Secondly, I had seen a view out the kitchen window of a huge
beautiful tree covered in green fruit - at first, I thought they were green apples
but then I realized they were pears. And when I looked out further, there were
rows and rows of these trees, all covered in fruit. She said the house was an
original farmhouse and the land around it had all been orchards where they
grew, among other things, pears.
She went on to tell us (when we were done) that she had grown up in this same
neighborhood and had always felt strongly drawn to this house. In fact, she told
people that someday she would live there, and always thought of it as "hers".
Some years after she married, the house did come on the market and they
purchased it. We said our goodbyes and began to leave. As we were moving
toward the door, I turned and watched her sink into an old rocking chair in the
drawing-room, close her eyes, and as she rocked I heard her croon "It's all okay,
I am home now, I'm back ..." and I swear to you, as I watched, her face
transformed into that of an old woman.
I must say that while I was happy to have had the experience, I was even
happier to leave!
God(dess) Bless Us All!
Laura
