“The only thing worse than amateur scientists are drunken amateur scientists” Just when I thought that the bar of integrity in ghost hunting couldn’t get any lower someone went and removed it entirely. I only allow members to bring a small water bottle on investigations, but the owners of one of the most infamously haunted locations in the country will now allow you to drink alcohol anywhere and everywhere while you play scientist and fall victim to their new amusement park. Built in the 1880s, the Winchester House has never been registered for lodging let alone licensed for alcohol, but the current owners of the 160-room California mansion, Winchester Investments…

Merry Spring!     I thought for this month it might be nice to use traditional correspondences of Ostara and incorporate them into the entire month.     Here are some correspondences:   Symbolism / Ritual Work: new beginnings, new life, rebirth, fertility, balance, communication, growth, agriculture, planting, love, sex   Decorations / Symbols: Eggs, new moons, butterflies, bees, cocoons, rabbits, baskets, sprouting plants, wildflowers, lambs, robins, chicks   Stones: Aquamarine, amethyst, rose quartz, moonstone, bloodstone, red jasper   Plants: Blessed thistle, crocus, daffodil, jasmine, Irish moss, oak, snowdrop, ginger   Incense / Oils: Lotus, magnolia, ginger, jasmine, rose, sage, lavender, narcissus   Foods: Seasonal foods, seeds, edible flowers, eggs,…

Coming out of the Broom Closet   One of the major discussions among Pagan groups is whether or not to be in ‘the broom closet’.  This is reference to a person being open about their Pagan beliefs to others, including their friends, family, co-workers, or the general public.  It’s a touchy subject, which many Pagans have strong opinions about.   Coming out of the broom closet can lead to broken relationships if the person receiving the news feels strongly against your Pagan beliefs.  Some Pagans refuse to be open about their religious beliefs for fear of persecution or judgement by their friends or co-workers.  Some Pagans feel that this persecution…

Twig God(dess) Merry Meet. This month I hope to inspire you to craft a Goddess to adorn your space or be used in ritual. TwigBeltane Photo by Lynn Woike There are beautiful statues to be found of Brigid, Gaia, Hecate,  Frigga, Cerridwen, and many others. Gods, too. When I first started on my path, I was not familiar with many at all, and found myself working more with a “generic” Goddess that I came to think of as the Great Mother of All. Rather than calling on a named Goddess, I worked from my intent and would call upon whomever had the qualities I was incorporating into my work to…

Brendan Howlin is a Druid grade member of the order of Bards, Ovates and Druids (OBOD). He has been Senior International Tutor for Bards and Ovates for 13 years, and Science Correspondent for Touchstone, the journal of OBOD for 13 years. He is also co-founder of Surrey Druid Grove. Brendan is also Director of Postgraduate Research at University of Surrey. I’ve been fascinated by his upcoming book, The Handbook of Urban Druidry, and set out to find out a little more from the author himself. Mabh: I think when most of us consider Druidry, we don’t often think of the term ‘Urban’ as being associated. Can you tell me a…

The Complete Book of Tarot Spreads by Evelin Burger and Johannes Fiebig Published by Sterling Ethos, New York Soft cover, 160 pages.   I was never a reader who was drawn to spread books; right from when I picked up my first Tarot and attempted to tackle a Celtic Cross Spread, I found spread books to be limiting and confining. I prefer to create my own spreads, tailor-made for each of my seekers, and for me the construction of a spread works best if I begin from scratch rather than modifying an existing spread created by someone else.  I was pleasantly intrigued, however, by the Complete Book of Tarot Spreads.…

Zozo          You know how it is, you’re scanning the web looking for the latest in scary or bizarre happenings, and then something catches your interest next thing you know you find yourself in a spiral of stories and theories.  However, there comes the rare occasion when several stories match exactly or are eerily similar.  This is a rare occurrence in the paranormal community so when it does happen you can sense the universal excitement in the air.      I came across this the other night.  I can’t even remember how I got there but soon I was reading, stories upon stories of an entity that refers to itself…

Sacajawea Not much is known about Sacajawea. The most reliable sources, concerning her life, her capabilities, her personality and her imprint on history, come from the journals of the men with whom she traveled to the Pacific coast.   I think we all know who Sacajawea was – at least those of us who are students of history. For those who don’t, let me introduce you to a true warrior woman.   She was born somewhere between the years 1787 and 1790 in the area we now call Idaho. Her father was a chief of the Shoshone tribe, and her mother, well, let’s just say most womens’ names were not…

The Gates of Sound   You breathe deeply into the meditation of grounding; preparing and anchoring yourself in anticipation of entering sacred space. You step forward and cross the threshold of ritual space and pass between two drums placed on either side of you echoing the rhythm of your heartbeat. A rush of energy moves through you and you immediately feel the core of your center respond in resonance.  Boom-boom, boom-boom; each dual strike syncopating the placement of one foot in front of the other carrying you into the space of magick and arriving through the Gates of Sound.   Music soothes the soul, quiets the mind and sets the…

April Fools Day – Sun in Aries – 11 degrees Tuesday, April 1, 2014 – Midnight EDT April Fool’s Day or All Fool’s Day is accepted worldwide on or about April 1st as part of the old Roman holiday celebrating the Goddess, Hilaria. It is a day of fun and joking around. Folks pull pranks and practical jokes upon each other. From the old days, a paper fish could be smacked upon your back and the utterance “April Fish!” would be chimed by all. Today, there are many practical jokes played upon the computer. Stick a piece of tape under the mouse and watch what happens to the next person…