“The Minefield between Paranormal Belief and Religion” We’ve covered how to blend spiritual work into paranormal investigations in one of the earliest series for this column; and how the psychology of perception shapes our paranormal experiences; as well as a plethora of discussions on how scientific principles and methods apply to paranormal research. Through it all, we’ve seen that the realm of parapsychology is a very unique and complex field with theories that span the entire spectrum of human experience- from philosophy and spirituality to environmental science and physics. Recent surveys suggest that more than 67% of Americans hold some sort of belief in paranormal activity, and that number is…

Happy and Blessed Beltane to everyone!  For obvious reasons I decided to share some easy and enjoyable Beltane rituals with you this month.  Witches usually celebrate Beltane on May 1st, although there are a large amount that prefer to celebrate around May 5th, when the sun reaches 15 degrees of Taurus.  Whatever works for you is fine. Beltane is said to be the oldest known holiday, and it is of course still one of the four fire festivals in modern Pagan traditions.  It is also a fertility holiday. There are a lot of ways to celebrate Beltane, the best known of which is probably the May Pole, but because I…

Using law of attraction with everyday objects How to Make a Wishing Bundle   True mystics know that the “law of attraction”, which became so popular with the DVD “The Secret” has been practiced for centuries.  The “law of attraction” is just a scientific way for doing what ancient sages called “magic.”   The movie, “The Secret,” discusses how to manifest things in your life by using a vision board. However, in the old days, and even now, wise women and men create a  wishing bundle to help them manifest their desires.  The bundle has the same concept as a vision board, but can be even more powerful because it…

A Meditation on Desire          In the beginning, there was One.       After a few million millenia, One got bored, and became Two.       Consciousness, Stillness, Space – Shiva       and       Energy, Movement, Matter – Shakti.       Shiva and Shakti took one look at each other and fell madly, passionately in love. They immediately united with each other in every way they could, and there was much Big Banging.       From their Union came all the photons that make light and all the particles that make the atoms that make the molecules that make the minerals and the cells and the…

Honouring Our Descendants at Beltane   At Beltane it is said that the veil between the worlds thins, just as it is said to do at Samhain. Beltane – also known as May Day or Walpurgisnacht – traditionally marked the beginning of summer, and is directly opposite Samhain, the beginning of winter, on the Wheel of the Year. At Samhain many Pagans choose to use this thinning of the veil to honour and work with the spirit of their ancestors. Accordingly, why not balance this by honouring and working with the spirit of our descendants at Beltane?   I believe every moment of the present is a magical blend of…

Beltane   A young virile hunter, this balefire: Enveloped in a red orange cloak of passion, Arms stretching eagerly towards Her dark tresses, Growing aggressively with the gentle caress of Her breath. He is impatient, the way he prepares   The entire clan of gathered pagan folk Merry, lusty and carefree In their celebration of fruitfulness and prosperity, The sacred marriage of Cernunnos and Gaia Nothing is more joyous   Giving everyone a purifying blessing. They all should pass between the fire, bathe in juniper smoke. This is time for feasting, rejoicing and frivolity. When they tie the bells, they jingle. Their brilliant, cheery song   Chasing wee folk, faery…

Also known as: May Day, Bealtaine, Beltane, Bhealtainn, Bealtinne, Festival of Tana (Strega), Giamonios, Rudemass, and Walburga (Teutonic), Cetsamhain (opposite Samhain),Fairy Day ,Sacred Thorn Day, Rood Day, Roodmas (the Christian term for Rood Day, Old Beltane, Beltain, Baltane, Walpurgis Night, Floriala (Roman feast of flowers from April 29 to May 1), Walpurgisnacht (Germanic-feast of St. Walpurga), Thrimilce (Anglo-saxon), Bloumaand (Old Dutch) Date: May 1 Animals: Swallow, dove, swan, Cats, lynx, leopard Deities: Flower Goddesses, Divine Couples, Deities of the Hunt, Aphrodite,artemis, Bast, Diana, Faunus, Flora, Maia, Pan, the Horned God, Venus, and all Gods and Goddesses who preside over fertility. Tools: broom, May Pole, cauldron Stones/Gems: emerald, malachite, amber, orange…

  This is the first article for this new monthly series. The intention is to explore their myth’s, symbols and sacred objects, and other interesting information addressing an individual Goddess each month.   Since this is the first of this series I decided to start with Artemis: Goddess of Light and Protector of the Vulnerable. I have been drawn to Artemis for years, and have been fortunate enough to have received her assistance.   In Greek mythology Artemis was the daughter of Zeus, ruler of the Olympian gods. The first story we hear of Artemis is that her mother, Leto, gave birth to her after a short and painless labor,…

Western Coltsfoot Petasites palmatus                              Several weeks ago I enjoyed a day off work by becoming re-acquainted with a lovely state park not far from my house. The day was pleasantly warm and sunny for March. As I wandered alongside the Lewis River, I was startled by the appearance of Western Coltsfoot, right there next to the path. Western Coltsfoot belongs to the Asteraceae or sunflower family and is one of our earliest blooming native plants here in the Pacific Northwest. The plant sends up stalks of white to pink flowers before the leaves make their debut, earning its colloquial name, “son before the father”.  The leaves are basil shaped…