Here is a craft for you to welcome your family both alive a dead.. From Better Homes and Gardens 2006 Luminarias Every guest will feel welcome when sparkling lanterns surround your door. What You Need: Metal cans in assorted sizes, cleaned and with paper labels removed and saved Plain paper cut to fit the can (optional) 16-penny square nail Awl Hammer Punch-style can opener 16-gauge galvanized wire Pliers Votive Candle Instructions: 1. Fill the cans with water and freeze them overnight. (Freezing makes it easier to hammer a design into the can without damaging the shape of the can.) Don’t worry if the bottoms bulge slightly from the pressure of…

Dunloe Ogham Stones – County Kerry, Ireland In beautiful County Kerry, between Beaufort village and the Gap of Dunloe the traveler that visits here will be rewarded, for eight stones inscribed with Ogham have been collected here. Seven of the eight Ogham stones in this group were discovered in Coolmagort in the nineteenth century and have been set up on this site close to Dunloe Castle. These seven stones were originally the roofs of a souterrain or underground passage, which collapsed at the end of the last century, several centuries after they had been carved. Because of their long protection from exposure, the Dunloe inscriptions are unusually well preserved. The…

Although the characters of Lord Ruthven and Varney made a lasting impact on the vampire genre, another surpassed them in impact and popularity.  That character, Carmilla, was created by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu.  Le Fanu was born in Dublin, Ireland and was raised at the Royal Hiberian Military School.  His father happened to be the chaplain there (Melton 357).  At the young age of fourteen, Le Fanu tapped into his writing talent with an Irish poem, and his literary career began (358). When Le Fanu embarked on his literary career, his first works focused on aspects of the Irish character.  Most of these works were considered mediocre due to his…

Ancient Breasts Deep within you, whether you are aware of it or not, is your primal need for breast. It is part of you; it was born with you. It has been with you for millions of years. When you emerged into the world of air, hunger came with you. And linked to hunger was the remedy for hunger, already known to you. You had, at birth, the skill to guide yourself to it by touch, by smell, by warmth, by sweetness. You had, and still have, internal, ancient coding to find the breast and suck. ‘Find the breast and suck.’ This message sings in you, in every one of…

Thoughts on the Village in Paganism It Takes a Village to Raise a Child…. this proverb, saying, cliché is often bandied about in society.  While the origins of the saying are debatable, the meaning behind the term is one that I have always thought to be important.  As parents and as pagans how does this philosophy apply to our lives?  And do we practice it or should we even practice it? As humans evolved we lived in groups to ensure survival.  Our societal structure was vastly different from how it is today.  We hunted, gathered, ate together, lived together.  Our living was done in units.  The women and men probably…

Other Names: celtic ~ Summer’s End, pronounced “sow” (rhymes with now) “en” (Ireland), sow-een (Wales) – “mh” in the middle is a “w” sound – Greater Sabbat(High Holiday) – Fire Festival Oct 31-Nov 1(North Hemisphere) – Apr 30-May 1 – The Great Sabbat, Samhiunn, Samana, Samhuin, Sam-fuin, Samonios, Halloween, Hallomas, All Hallows Eve, All Saints/All Souls Day(Catholic), Day of the Dead (Mexican), Witches New Year, Trinoux Samonia, Celtic/ Druid New Year, Shadowfest (Strega), Martinmas or Old Hallowmas (Scotttish/Celtic) Lá Samhna (Modern Irish), Festival of the Dead, Feile Moingfinne (Snow Goddess), Hallowtide (Scottish Gaelis Dictionary), Feast of All Souls, Nos Galen-gae-of Night of the Winter Calends (Welsh), La Houney or Hollantide…

Halloween Black Cat Magick: calling upon the Egyptian Bast We know the day as Samhain, but the non-magickal call it Halloween.  And what is Halloween without the iconic black cat; fluffy tail, arched back and seated on the back of a witches’ broom.  Besides being associated with Witches, how did the infamous black cat get to be the unofficial ambassador for the holiday?  Well, many goddesses have had feline companions of one sort or another including the Norse Freya and the Greco-Roman artemis-Diana but the goddess that is possibly best known as a cat is the Egyptian Bast. Bast, or Bastet, wasn’t always as we know her today, she started…

On the History of Ireland History of Irish Myths Well this author was thoroughly impressed to discover that Ireland has a rather rich historic mythological background. I also suspect that it wouldn’t be considered “myth” had Christian monks not been the ones recording everything. The fact that they are of a tradition, caused me to hesitate, but then again, if it had been my own tradition doing the recording, then, maybe I wouldn’t feel that way. This will mark the beginning of a series of articles studying the different periods of the history of Ireland. If you would like to read about the history of your own tradition please feel…

“Web of Desire Rite” A solitary ritual to help you capture and bring something into your life. Supplies Silver cord Five thin nails Small wooden board A tea light candle and holder God and Goddess candles and holders A small bell Anointing oil of your own choice Small piece of paper and a pen Additional short length of the silver cord Offering of food and drink Chalice, plate and offering bowl Preparation Spend a lot of time thinking about something that you want to capture and bring into your life. It could be a new sense of self, such as peace and harmony or something tangible like a new friend…

The Grace of Her Smile More of Monique’s artwork can be viewed at: http://www.artwanted.com/artist.cfm?ArtID=20904