Isn’t this time of year amazing? The Earth awakens and brings forth its colorful beauty. The birds fill the air with their cheerful songs. People get the urge to go outdoors and fire up the grills. As we step outside and take a breath of fresh air, our minds actively respond to everything our senses take in. Spring is a time of rebirth for the Earth in so many ways. Conversations begin to consist of births and weddings more than any other time. However, I find that I often think of death at the beginning of this particular season. Funny thing is, I am sure I am not alone. Death…

Diana’s May Day Holy Water The Roman goddess Diana (the Greek Artemis) was called “The Dewy One” by the ancient Romans because they considered dew to be sacred to her.  They believed that the dew was left by the Moon (a symbol of Diana) during the night.  Practitioners of Strega (Italian Witchcraft) would collect dew from various sacred plants to then use in Holy Water. The phrase “Holy Water” has an obvious Judeo-Christian feel to it, so if you are not comfortable with this verbiage, the phrase “Blessing Water” may resonate better with you.  Either way, Holy Water has many uses including evoking the Water Element during a Ritual Circle,…

From hillside to hillside Light touching light She will awake Hear the drums On Beltane night Ribbons dancing Becoming entwined Swirling and turning Under and over Slowly weaving Like the flower and the vine On the horizon Fires of the nine Heather so did burn Sing to the Dawn Light to purify One with the Divine

Wounds are bothersome whatever time of year, however, with garden season upon us and all the other outdoor activities they can really become a nuisance. That being said, once again let us look to nature for yet another holistic remedy. Wound Powder 1 ounce Krameria 1 ½ ounces Goldenseal root 1 ½ ounces Usnea 1 ½ ounces Echinacea root 1 ½ ounces Eucalyptus leaf 1 ounce Juniper leaves 1 ounce Wormwood Grind all the above into a fine powder (an electric coffee grinder works great) and sift through a fine mesh kitchen sieve. Place powder into a sealed container, it will keep in freezer for up to one year. Powder can be sprinkled on…

Are you cyclically confused? In a ceremonial quandary? Completely clueless? Wonder no more. *Ask Your Mama™ The What, When, Where, Why, How, and Who of Ceremony & Spirituality by ©Mama Donna Henes, Urban Shaman A Question of Precipitation Dear Mama Donna, It is raining again. For months now it has rained just about every day. The entire Northeast is inundated with more rain than we can possibly deal with. This seems like a curse from above. Any thoughts? Soaked to the Bone in Syracuse Dear Soaked, I know what you mean. This late winter and spring have been so incredibly wet. Here in New York City there are mushrooms growing…

May Eve:  First Faerie Festival of the Year To ancient Celts, the first day of May was the first day of summer.  In Irish Gaelic, “Mí Bhealtaine” means “month of May.”  Thus it is that many neo-pagans celebrate Beltane, also known as May Day (among many other names), on May 1st.  However, Beltane may be celebrated on May 11th (“Old May” in Ireland), May 15th (Scotland after the change from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar) or on the full moon nearest the midpoint between the Spring Equinox and the Summer Solstice (which is April 28th in 2010). May Eve (Beltane) is the first of the three yearly Faerie Realm…

The Hierophant (5) “To be successful, we absolutely, positively have to find people who have already paid the price to learn the things that we need to learn to achieve our goals.”  ~Brian Tracy Image Description: The Rider-Waite deck portrays a spiritual leader, seated on a throne residing between two stone pillars, imparting his blessing upon two acolytes. At his feet are two crossed keys. A three-layered gold crown rests upon his head, and the decorative trim of his robes bears the markings of three vertical crosses. In one hand he holds a scepter crowned with a triple cross. Symbols: Keys: Knowledge, wisdom, spiritual realm, inner sanctum of the world’s…

MATERDEA Italian Translation Pagan pages: Who is MATERDEA? MATERDEA (Marco):  For MaterDea she is Diana, an Italian, Latin and Roman Goddess. She is the protectress of wild animals, the guardian of springs and streams and the protectress of women to whom she ensures an easy delivery. She is the bestower of sovereignty and Mystery.  Diana dwells in Nemus, and she is the sacred and vital lymph of Nemi’s Sacred Wood (Rome). Diana is well represented in the spoken verse at the end of MaterDea’s acoustic version, the last track of our album: “I am the Earth’s green beauty The clear moon among the stars The waters’ mysteries and the humans’…

Famously Haunted Part II Queen Mary Long Beach, CA. The Queen Mary also known as the Grey Ghost, is located in the Long Beach Harbor. I have been lucky enough to visit this ship on several occasions and have had wonderful experiences each time. There is such a rich history behind the ship yet it has become all the more famous in its current state as a “Haunted Hotel”. What makes the Queen Mary Haunted? Let us start with her early days as a luxury liner The Queen Mary’s construction began in 1930, yet her first voyage was not until 1936 due to delays caused by the Great Depression. The…

Mothers A famous Jewish proverb says, “God could not be everywhere, so he created mothers. Six thousand years ago, people believed it was the Goddess who created everything!  The goddess, known as the Great Mother, was thought to have given birth to the whole universe. She did so, not from a position of remote, male authority, but from the very blood and substance of her body, right here on Earth. In her limitless fertility and abundance, she birthed, not just a host of children of every kind, but the Heavens themselves. She created everything that walked or crawled upon the Earth, flew across the skies, swam in the oceans, lakes…