Melting POT: Pagans of Texas Gathering   This past January I had a chance to participate in a very cool gathering of Pagans in my part of Texas at an event called “The Melting P.O.T. – Pagans in the Park”. There were workshops and events hosted by several different groups from the surrounding area, including belly dancing lessons, a song and chant workshop, a Pagan swap, talks by Pagans of different paths, Spiral Scouts, and, of course, lots of food.   My group participated as well, bringing a table with some items members have made over the last couple of years as well as some pictures from our events.  …

Morgan Daimler: A Druid in the New World Morgan is an experienced Druid and author of Where the Hawthorn grows, cited as a unique look at the beliefs and practices of American Druidism, looking at daily practice and practical, modern applications. Morgan was kind enough to answer a few questions about her life as a Druid and her writing. Mabh: Your book, Where the Hawthorn Grows, describes you as an Irish reconstructionist Druid in America. Can you sum up this description for us, tell us a bit about your path and its roots? Morgan:  Well, basically, I’m an Irish polytheist – with some Norse flavour – and I use a…

Maya Angelou   I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings The free bird leaps on the back of the wind and floats downstream till the current ends and dips his wings in the orange sun rays and dares to claim the sky. But a bird that stalks down his narrow cage can seldom see through his bars of rage his wings are clipped and his feet are tied so he opens his throat to sing. The caged bird sings with fearful trill of the things unknown but longed for still and his tune is heard on the distant hill for the caged bird sings of freedom The free bird thinks…

What I Find In the Winter    Everywhere I look lately, I see snow. We’ve been enveloped by winter lately, and I’ve begun to dream of the time when spring will finally come and I can head to the park with my journal and tarot cards. I used to have this vision of myself heading outdoors and communing with nature all winter long. Just taking regular walks and checking in with the unique energies of the season. “A blizzard, you say? Sounds like an amazing opportunity to learn about the harsher aspects of Mother Nature!” Only, that’s not what I say. I say, “Oh  God, it’s cold. I’m staying inside…

  “Egg”ads!   Merry meet.   I am calling this column Witchcrafting because it’s going to be about crafts connected to the Craft.   Since Ostara occurs March 20 or 21, depending on your location, this first column will be about a key symbol: eggs.   The egg – as well as all seeds – contains the promise of new life. It is a potent symbol of fertility because it contains the power to become something: a bird, a plant, a turtle, a tree. Eggs are a symbol of possibilities, wishes, abundance and prosperity. On Ostara, they are used as decorations, for offerings, as food and in magic. I tend…

SILENT SOUND ~ Gift of Inner music ~     See how nature – trees, flowers, grass – grows in silence; see the stars, the moon, and the sun, how they move in silence…we need silence to be able to touch souls.  ~  Mother Teresa     This is a journey into the Gift of Inner music, a state of natural harmony with all life – and your Self – deep within the Universal Soul, of which you are an intimate part.  Allow yourself to go on this inner journey…into the Spirit of your Beautiful Infinite Self. Here is where you shall find your Truth.   Begin by getting comfortable.…

Pagan in the City   Many pagans live in bustling cities and manicured suburbs, far away from the untamed nature of rural communities.  This is either by choice or because of other constraints, such as their job or family.  But just because one doesn’t live in a dense forest surrounded by native plants and wild animals, or live on a homestead that grows and raises its own food, it doesn’t mean that one cannot be pagan.  The city holds a variety of opportunities to tune into the natural world around us, as long as we take the time to seek them out and listen.  Some ideas to connect with nature…

The Certainty of Gaea “I am the Mother of all things and my love is poured out upon the earth.” (1) Spring is coming! Yesterday I saw six fat robins sitting in the maple tree! The ground has two feet of snow on it but the temperature is a little warmer and there is the expectancy of Spring in the air! Ostara is coming and we turn to the Goddess of Spring in our meditations and rituals. This is Gaea as the Maiden, also called Eostre, the pregnant mother who holds the egg and the hare as Her symbols of fertility. As Wiccans we say that we are a nature-based…

      “Parapsychology’s Database Debacle” It’s well-known that paranormal research isn’t taken seriously by mainstream scientists- after all there is a big difference between measuring phenomenon like earthquakes and hurricanes, which affect and are witnessed by hundreds of thousands, as opposed to telekinesis and ghosts sightings, which are often the subjective experiences of an individual. Not only is there a measurement issue, but there is a records issue. Advancement in medical research and development, for example, hinges on one crucial component- the existence of a database of verified knowledge and investigative research that is shared, and contributed to, by doctors and laboratories around the world. Without that collaboration, medical…

Deanna, I really enjoyed reading your book Magick for the Elemental Witch. You include information from a rich and diverse history in this book. Tell us a little about your research process, if you will. I research on both the internet and in print books.  The internet is so easy to access, however since anyone can post websites and information I always double-check anything I get from the web and see if I can find other sources to back it up or look to see what sources that website got their information from (such as from a book).  I also use a wide variety of resources, as you can tell from…