Sweet Taste of Spring March winds blow the sweet scent of maple sap boiling to my questing nose. When the days are warm and sunny and the nights below freezing, the sap rises in the trees. If those trees are sugar maples, then it is worth drilling a hole in the bark, inserting a tap, and collecting their sweet sap. There is so much sugar in sugar maple sap that it can be boiled and turned into maple syrup and maple sugar. There’s about one gallon of maple syrup and ninety-nine gallons of water in one hundred gallons of maple sap.* A hot fire and a slow but steady boil…

Coral Coral is viewed by many cultures as a gift from the deities.  Ancients believed that if you polished, ground, cut, or carved Coral its magical energy would be destroyed.  It is also believed that if a piece of Coral breaks during magic, the broken pieces should be returned to the sea and a new piece should be used.  Pacific Islanders used Coral as an important piece in many religious and magical rites. In the Mediterranean it was thought to contain the life essence of the Mother Goddess who lived in the ocean.  Some Hindu cultures follow the belief that after death a soul lives in the ocean.  Coral was…

How to see the aura Mental aura reading is a relatively rare skill to come across in a person. You need to learn not only how to see the aura but also how to interpret what is is that you see. While aura photography does exist it is met with much skepticism and does not replace your own personal intuition. Anyone can learn to see and read auras. The best way to begin is with people who are close to you whose personalities and histories you are familiar with. Not only are you already familiar with their energy, knowing their history and personality will help you interpret your findings. Begin…

Hel – Norse Goddess of the Underworld As we transition to Spring, let us look at one of the biggest transformational Goddesses in Norse Mythology – Hel.  Hel is the Norse ruler and Goddess of the Underworld. The top half of her body is a woman, the bottom half of her body is only skeleton.  She is the daughter of trickster Loki and the frost giantess Angrboda.  Odin found her to be hideous and because of her appearance and the fact she was daughter of Loki, he banished her to the underworld of Hel (same as her name), also known as Helheim.  (This should not be confused with the Christian…

Song of a Daily Druid: How I Found a Home in Druidry In the beginning, I was a wild child, a woodsy child, a child who could concentrate all of my attention on holding perfectly still so as not to startle the robin in the grass. I could disappear into the tense air of rapt attention, forget my own little body completely as my eyes widened and my breath stilled. Once, the robin’s twitching eyes turned towards me, and I thought I heard it whisper… Cheer-up. Cheer-up, calmly, almost with amusement, you know, I can see you. That was when I was a very little girl. As sometimes happens, eventually I…

Spring solstice is past.. and we are preparing to plant or preparing to settle in for the winter in the Southern Hemi.. I want to start this month with a poem I received.. I know not the author.. but it was lovely BLESSING THE EARTH FOR PLANTING ~ O gentle Air, we do come before Thee To ask that your gentle tender breezes kiss The plants that will come forth. O fearful Fire, we do come to ask that Your hot heat be but a gentle warmth To help the plants grow. O Water of Life, we do come before Thee To ask your gentle waters to bring life To…

With God All Things Are Possible I had a recent conversation with someone in reference to preparedness and being ready for the unexpected whether it is a medical emergency or, on a grander scale, a national disaster. The individual I was speaking with didn’t mean for it to be a spiritual conversation, however for me, everything evolves around spirituality. I pointed out to this individual, who happens to be Christian, that if he had faith in God then he would have faith that God would provide for him in his greatest time of need. In fact Scripture tells us so. In 1 Peter 5:7 of The New American Standard Bible…

Reaching the Moon through the Forest The night has settled in. The birds are quiet, welcoming a brief respite from the rigors of Spring’s demand, as I enter the forest. The cool air feels heavy and damp upon my skin. I can taste the richness as the carpet of deep green breathes and fills the dark. Slowly, I make my way to a small clearing where the old cedars and firs tower above me, disappearing into star light. It feels more still here. Their sentient presence dominates this part of the forest, the open ground beneath them a testament of patient, enduring strength. I set down my knapsack and place…

Oils and Spells Oils can be extremely useful for spells. It is actually one of my personal favorite ways to include the power of the scent or plant, in the working. Some would say that an Essential oil works better for magical purposes. I will agree to some extent. If you are using the power of Rose the flower, the scent, the color, everything about “Rose” then you will probably want the actual essence of rose. Blends and synthetics are good for their purposes as well but they are created by taking other scents and a base oil being mixed together so there would technically be other vibrations mixed in…

Moon Name: The Growing Moon Deities: Kali, Hathor, Anahita, Ceres, Ishtar, Venus, Bast Nature Spirits: plant faeries Colors: Red and gold Herbs: basil, chives, dragons blood, geranium, thistle Flowers: daisy and sweetpea Tree’s: pine, bay and hazel Scents: pine, bay, bergamot and my personal favorite patchouli Stones: ruby, garnet, sard Animals: Bear and Wolf Birds: hawk and magpie Powers: energy in creating and producing, balance is returned to the nerves change, self confidence, self-relience, take advantage of opportunities, Time to work on emotional turmoil and get your temper into prospective.