• Uncategorized

    Meditation Moment

    The Opposite of Multitasking The act of meditating is mostly about not doing anything else at the same time. That’s why last month I discussed how to measure the time of your meditation practice without letting the act of measuring time become overwhelming; you have to be able to let go of worrying about time. When we let go of being concerned about one thing, most of us seize onto something else to concentrate on. If it’s not the time, it’s the laundry; if it’s not the laundry, it’s the dog; if it’s not the dog… We are constantly tugged on by the past and the future, and as a…

  • Uncategorized

    Madame Mora’s Herbal, Lesson 5

    This class is designed to show the practical application of herbs to assist with everyday needs.  The lessons printed will not outline “magical” uses for the herbs, but, if questions on this topic rise, please feel free to ask. Also, please remember, the information in this class is a look at herbal therapies that may show promise as adjunctive treatments to conventional medical approaches, and is not meant to give specific recommendations or advise for the treatment of a specific illness, nor is it intended to be a replacement for good medical diagnosis and treatment. Lesson 5 herbal allergy relief The following 5 herbs help with the cough and inflammation…

  • Uncategorized

    Me,Myself and I, Notes from a Solitary Practitioner

    A couple of years ago I read about using the energy from the full moon to charge water for future use in spells, cleansing, whatever.  I don’t remember which author it was to give proper credit, but I use it quite often and Ostara happens to come under that category.  It’s best to use spring, ocean, or rain water, something from the elements and catch it in a non-metallic container.  Put the container outside where the light of the full moon can shine on it unobstructed all night and then bring it in before it is touched by the sun.  Keep it somewhere dark like a closet, etc., and dip…

  • Uncategorized

    Let’s Spell it Out

    Greetings!  This month’s article is inspired by a Greek feast day called the Anthesteria, the festival of flowers.  It fell on March 4th and was dedicated to Flora and Hecate. FLORA Flora is the eternally youthful Roman goddess of flowers, flowering plants, flower magic, grain, human sexuality, fertility of vegetation and is associated with the element of Earth. Flora was the consort of Zephyrus, the god of the South Winds who announced the arrival of Spring. She was mostly worshipped by young girls who gave her offerings of fruits and flowers.  Flora was one of the many ancient goddesses that were depicted carrying a flower garland which links her to…

  • Uncategorized

    Astral Travel, Lesson 9

    The Mirror Exercise You’ll need a mirror and a notebook (or journal) with pen. You’ve probably heard of this one before, and may even have tried it. If so, I encourage you to try it again for this class. When you combine this exercise with all that you’ve done so far, you’ll find this mirror exercise to be very powerful. Stand in front of a hanging mirror (we want the wall to be holding the mirror, not you). Stare into your own eyes. Unlike with meditations, don’t try to clear your mind. Allow all thoughts to flow freely. Don’t judge any thought, don’t quiet any thought. During this time, release…

  • Uncategorized

    Airmid’s Cauldron

    Ostara recipes Cheesy Poppy Seed Bread 1 cup biscuit mix 1 cup shredded cheese 1/2 cup milk 1 egg 1/4 cup chopped onions 1 T. poppy seeds Combine Biscuit mix and Cheese a in bowl Add milk and stir until moistened pat dough into pan of choice Combine remaining cheese, egg and onion and spread over biscuit dough Sprinkle with poppy seeds and bake at 425 for 15 to 20 minutes Violet Salad 1T raspberry vinegar 1T minced Shallot 1/2 t Dijon mustard fresh ground black pepper 1 1/2 t chicken stock, vegetable for vegetarians 1 1/2 t virgin olive oil 1/2 lb. mixed greens washed 1/4 cup violet blossoms…

  • Uncategorized

    Ask Your Mama

    Are you cyclically confused? In a ceremonial quandary? Completely clueless? Wonder no more. *Ask Your Mama™ Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Spirituality and Didn’t Know Who to Ask™ by ©Mama Donna Henes, Urban Shaman A Question of Egg Balancing Dear Mama Donna, First let me say that I have great respect and gratitude for the work that you do. As a long time organizer in the neo-pagan community I have followed your activities with pleasure in the media through the years. But there’s one thing that really irks me; this spring equinox egg balancing hoax. The fact is that it is no easier or harder to balance an…

  • Uncategorized

    Myths and Legends:Journeys Through Time

    Quetzalcoatl If you dig through all of the mythologies out there, sooner or later you start to realize that there are many similarities between the gods and goddess. In ever mythology there is at least one head honcho…Greek mythology has Zues, the Romans have Jupiter, Egyptian mythology has Ra (or Osiris, sometimes Set depending on which mythos you’re looking at), Norse mythology has Odin, Indian mythology has Shiva etc. These guys always have a wife who is a diety in her own right (Hera, Juno, Isis, Frieda, Shakti etc) and there is always one very well known god or demi-god; Heracles, Persues, Horus, Kali-ma and so on. There are also…

  • Uncategorized

    Let’s Spell it Out

    Greetings!  Instead of a two-for-one special month, you get a three-for-one special! The theme for this month’s spells is centered on the Moon and the sacred days that fall in February for two Moon Goddesses.  Selene had two festivals set aside for her, February 7th through the 9th and February 27th.  Diana had a feast day this month as well, February 12th. February 7-9 and February 27th:  The Day of Selene (Day of Diana) Selene, the goddess of the Full Moon, is one of the original, and sadly a minor, Greek deity.  Selene was described as a beautiful silvery woman with wings and a golden or crescent crown.  Her name…

  • Uncategorized

    March Correspondences

    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:…