In this months Issue: Two Book Reviews Circle, Coven, & Grove Simple Wicca Faeries, Elves, & Other Kin teaches us about Banshees A New Column on Auras and a new column on Oils begin this month! Monthly Horoscope (Feb 19- Mar 20) Pisces the year 2010 will bring with it life changes, some of which will prove to be for the good, however, be mindful of those that are not. Unexpected difficulties will dot your horizon. But keep your stress under control, making yourself nervous will only add to your problems. Feuds in your workplace will continue throughout this year, and your pocket book will feel it. Nevertheless, midway through…

Winter is nearly over, and this year it seems to have been a very long season.  I think I got too happy at Samhain as it wasn’t cold and I wandered about with the kids in a witch costume and not much else.  My logical mind figured if it was mild at the end of October then surely winter couldn’t be too severe.  Well, that’s what you get for thinking and trying to out guess Mother Earth. Luckily we faired quite well here in the South of England with only 1 heavy snowfall but it’s been so cold.  Freezing cold (and I’m not a big fan of being cold).  Now…

Are We Limiting Ourselves? There is no doubt that following a Pagan path rarely has been from birth, speaking strictly in my experience. Most of those that I have had the honour to know have initially been of a different faith as a child and through the universal guidance found their way to Paganism. I had wondered whether once we find the path we are on does it remain stagnant or do we allow ourselves to continue to evolve irrelevant of where our journey takes us? There are so many dimensions and aspects to being a Pagan that I wonder whether any of us are becoming too comfortable in status…

Psychic protection is a hot button topic in a lot of circles.  Do we merely reflect what is being thrown at us or do we defend ourselves.  There is a lot of confusion as to whether the protective magick should be passive or active. This meditation works on both levels.  It makes you acutely aware of what is going on around you and you work actively maintain it.  It also effectively neutralizes the negative energy that may have been directed toward.  The protective meditation that follows is meant to be repeated on a regular basis.  I recommend you revisit it monthly. Visualize a spider web of stunning silver filled with…

Also known as: May Day, Bealtaine, Beltane, Bhealtainn, Bealtinne, Festival of Tana (Strega), Giamonios, Rudemass, and Walburga (Teutonic), Cetsamhain (opposite Samhain),Fairy Day ,Sacred Thorn Day, Rood Day, Roodmas (the Christian term for Rood Day, Old Beltane, Beltain, Baltane, Walpurgis Night, Floriala (Roman feast of flowers from April 29 to May 1), Walpurgisnacht (Germanic-feast of St. Walpurga), Thrimilce (Anglo-saxon), Bloumaand (Old Dutch) Date: May 1 Animals: Swallow, dove, swan, Cats, lynx, leopard Deities: Flower Goddesses, Divine Couples, Deities of the Hunt, Aphrodite, artemis, Bast, Diana, Faunus, Flora, Maia, Pan, the Horned God, Venus, and all Gods and Goddesses who preside over fertility.Tools: broom, May Pole, cauldron Stones/Gems: emerald, malachite, amber, orange…

The Storm Moon Spring sowing The name March came from the God Mars, for this month was sacred to him. Mars is much like the other God’s – Ares’s (Greek), Tiu or Tiwaz (Central Europe), Teutates (celts), and Tyr (Norse). Astrological Signs: Pisces, February 19 – March 20, Aries, March 21 – April 20 Birthstones: Aquamarine Nature Spirits: Mer-people, Air and Water beings who are connected with spring rains and storms. Animals: Cougar, hedgehog, boar Birds: Sea crow, sea eagle Trees: Alder, dogwood Flowers: Jonquil, daffodil, violet Herbs: Broom, High John Root, yellow dock, wood betony, Irish moss Scents: Honeysuckel, apple blossom Colors: Pale green, red-violet Stones: Aquamarine, bloodstone God/dess:…

Clear Quartz Clear Quartz works like a battery.  It absorbs, stores, releases, and regulates energy. This amplifying power can increase the power of other stones, but Clear Quartz can also take their place, when programmed.  It is very versatile and once charged can have the qualities of any stone.  Energy can be raised; scientists have show that holding Quartz in your hand doubles your bio-magnetic field. Shamans have been using Clear Quartz for thousands of years.  Ancient people believed Clear Quartz to be solidified water or ice.  In Britain they were sometimes called “Star Stones” to protect from illness.  Modern Wiccans wear Quartz during full moon rituals.  Clear Quartz has…

Discovering the Self As a follow up to last month’s piece, I wanted to talk more about taking chances and risks and living life to the fullest. I tried. Our family went away recently for a skiing vacation, up in gorgeous Maine, and I signed up for a 3 hour Learn-to-Ski lesson.  I already had a helmet, and I’d rented boots and skis and poles.  I was all set.  I kept the giant ball of fear locked away in a closet in the back of my mind, and I went into the lesson with every intention of skiing out of it at the end of those three hours. Things started…

Painting is a passion. It is what keeps my blood flowing. I’m  full of many visions that coil around my heart. having opened my emotions in a deeper light these paintings are portraits of my inner creature. being a self taught artist for some time now, I realize that it is truly the core of creativity that binds the colors and figures used in my work and feel very proud to make my art come to life. To Escape is to Dream Lovers Color My Eyes

Grounding and Centering: A Basic and Essential Concept I bid welcome to all of you who have returned (or are just finding me) to read my second column posting on the topic of “Grounding and Centering.”  It is a gift to have the opportunity to share some of my knowledge and even a greater pleasure to have made the acquaintance of those who have sent me e-mails.  In this posting we are going to discuss a topic that I view as essential to spiritual development whether within the guise of the craft or not.  The practice of grounding and centering is employed by not only those of us who consider…