The Sun and the Moon SOLAR & LUNAR ECLIPSES: These are dramatic moments for magicians. Many natural magicians use the suggestive power of an eclipse to fuel spells involving banishments, unlike in the past, when magicians were urged not to perform magick during eclipses. THE SUN Some may wait months for the sun to enter the proper sign of the Zodiac. This is fine for major workings but unrealistic for working everyday magick. However, there are other solar cycles worth following… SUNRISE: As light stretches out from the eastern horizon. When the Night runs from the Day. This is an excellent time to perform rituals involving purification, business success, study,…

A Thin Veil Towards the end of October it seems that everyone has ghosts on their mind with Halloween just around the corner.  There are many traditions and superstitions that have carried over many years.  Some we have barely modified and some have taken on a life of their own.  Many carry on these old traditions without knowing how or why they came to be.  Even for those who do not believe in the paranormal, Halloween turns almost everyone superstitious for one night. The holiday we celebrate today is a large blend of different beliefs, religions and folklore that accumulated over the years.   The Celtic belief, over 2,000 years ago,…

Last month’s experiences had left me frightened. After recording an mp3 of my preferred astral traveling mediation, I discovered that listening to my own voice proved to be very effective and I was able to leave my body every time. The downside was that this created a split; while my astral body was wondering about, my physical body fought to wake up. I struggled with finding a way to keep the good and get rid of the bad with this new method—finding a way to astral travel whenever I used the mp3 but not have to deal with the paralysis and nightmarish struggle. Originally, I woke up from a 6…

Rosemary is one of my favorite herbs. The fragrant aroma that it brings to a house is astounding, but the taste it leaves in food is even better. I was fortunate to gain a sizable amount of fresh rosemary from a friend. She has beautiful bushes in her back yard, but they had quite literally run amok and she needed to give a lot away. Her family graciously allowed our group to do a Lughnasdha ritual at her house, so it also gave her plenty of people to give springs upon sprigs of rosemary. Since acquiring the rosemary, I allowed it to dry on its own. I used some before…

Morals and ethics or the lack thereof, in our magick and our lives… Merry Meet and welcome to my Hearth again. Please grab a seat and a cuppa something yummy and lets talk. I have been mulling something over for a while and it has really been bothering me.. and a few people I know. It is the Morals and Ethics of the Pagan community. Now I know than many who read this are not Wiccan. So they do not follow the Rede. But most of us have some code that we use to guide us in our lives. Wiccans have the Rede “ Harm None”, Christians have the Golden…

*The Hedgewitch lives in the space between the Village and the Forest. Between the mundane and the magical. S/He lives with a foot in both worlds. This column is dedicated to the Hedgewitches of the planet earth. Mindfulness, Meditation and the Thinning Veil This is the time of year, as the Wheel turns round once more, the Veil between Worlds is at its thinnest. Visions, dreams and premonitions abound. Communications between the sides comes easily, and clarity is so pronounced. I very often use this time to use the abundant energy to enhance my divinatory abilities, and find my dreams to be more vivid, my perceptions more accurate and my…

A Matter of Perception. We have all had those moments in life, when someone says something that leaves us feeling a little vexed and wondering where their perceived ideas came from.  This happened to me the other day… because of my hands. Hands that over 50 years have, plucked the fluff out of my cots mattress, fed me crayons, stuck forks in power sockets. They have cleaned and scrubbed clothes by hand, chopped wood, kneaded bread, kept my home clean, dug in the earth, they create ritual, have soothed my children and for 20 years cared for the sick and dying. Once I was embarrassed by the deep lines on…

As October rolls around, many Pagans begin preparing for Samhain, the Celtic festival of summer’s end, when the veil between the worlds of living and dead is especially thin. For Pagans today, this is often a time for acknowledging those who have died in the previous year and telling myths about death and rebirth. For all who may be grieving or remembering grief at Samhain, I would like to offer some suggestions about how meditative techniques can help you experience and move through those feelings. Concentrating on these emotions, especially the ones we usually seek to avoid, may seem like the very opposite of the calm peace and even detachment…

Harvests and Hauntings- Autumn in Michigan It’s autumn again. Breathe it in. The cool air rushes in; and a patchwork of colors dot the landscape, making the world look like an open box of crayons ready to be played with. The pungent smell of dried leaves and wood fires fill the air; and our memories are pulled back to childhood images of candy corn and apples. With the changing season also comes that carefree holiday that brings excitement and chills to child and adult alike. Call it what you will- All Hallows Eve, Samhain, Halloween- it is nevertheless a magickal time of year when the veil between worlds is thinnest.…

The Magnificent Power of Trees Everyone knows that trees are magick.  We’ve known it for thousands of years.  Joan of Arc knew it, and so does any ordinary individual who just spends some time sitting or laying under one, only to find themselves feeling grounded and refreshed. Stand at the base of an ancient old oak or maple and gaze up into the branches, those strong arms and fingers reaching to meet the sky.  They grab for the crisp inspirational air and absorb the power of the sun and moon.  Then bring your attention to your feet and the ground below you.  Consider the root system of this tree, which…