Notable Holidays – New Year’s Day Thursday, January 1, 2015 – 00:00:01 am EST Sun in Capricorn – 10 degrees Today is the day to make resolutions, right? And the most difficult thing is keeping your promises (to yourself). And as it happens, there is a Stellium of four Planets – the Sun, Pluto, Mercury and Venus in the 4th House of Hearth and Home. Where personality transforms with dedication and expression employs the talents you have already honed. You may question yourself whether you have mastered them enough or if you need to enhance them even further. Saturn might be able to help you with your self-disciplines… It has…

Candle Crafting         Merry meet! Candles are a symbol of Imbolc, which is also known as Candlemas. With some advance planning, you could make your own this year. The easiest way is to buy beeswax sheets and roll of square-braid wick. (The larger the finished candle will be, the larger size wick you’ll want.) You simply cut the sheet as wide as you want the height of the candle to be. A straight edge and a craft knife work well, but other items in your kitchen will also suffice. Cut the wick about an inch longer than the wax. With a blow dryer, warm up one end…

Hello Jules, I would really like to know how to let go. Let go of sadness, anger, any/all negativity. Thank you for your time. Letting Go Dear Letting Go, I think that acceptance plays a big part on the road to letting go.  Our lives feel lighter and more manageable when we take the time to accept ourselves, our lives, our pasts, presents and futures, our fears, anger, negativity and positive emotions as well.  I think it is important especially to take the time to accept the current situation that we are dealing with.  Through acceptance we are able to let go of the things that weigh us down. Joseph…

Witches Soul Work: Sacred Stories and Flying   “If that which thou seek thy find not within thee, thy will never find it without.” (1) The Craft involves deep soul work leading to understanding the authentic self, the connection with the divine, and understanding the Mysteries. If you were Buddhist you might called this enlightenment. What is enlightenment for Witches? Many people new to the Craft read the beginner books and think that that is all there is. I would like to share with you some of the ways that Traditional Witches do soul work, the way they approach and understand the Mysteries and an exploration of what the Mysteries…

My Go-To Herbs On my Meetup page, one of my guests asked me what my ‘go-to herbs’ were. Well that was easy enough: Rosemary, Mugwort and Lemon Balm. Rosemary is such a lovely herb for cooking and for magic. Rosemary has a slight piney scent and is relatively easy to go on a sunny windowsill. I find the Spirit of Rosemary to be very friendly and willing to work with just about any one. For this reason, it is a good herb for those just beginning to use herbs in their magic. I think of Rosemary as the quartz crystal of the herb world as it can be charged with…

Over the years I have on occasion had times when I have found myself questioning. Can I still call myself a witch when I am not fully immersed in nature? Am I really Pagan when I don’t fully live my life around an agricultural calendar? While my grandparents, and their grandparents and theirs, going back further in time were all farmers, none in my mother or father’s generation have followed in that pat. I have lived in urban areas for the majority of my life, and I have been on the outer edge of Greater London for over 15 years. Add into this the repeated comments I see on social…

This month’s Bardic Song is called “Water Song“. It is a simple tune that has 4 lines for easier repetition and the melody line is rather easy. This song was written to be a simple round – part 1 repeats at the same time part 2 contiunes. There is a natural tendency for water to flow and so it shall. Part 2 of the song is almost like an echo, which reverberates as the beginning is over-toned with it at the same time. This song can be used to call a Quarter that assimilates the energy of Water, whichever that Quarter is to the individual or Group. As much as…

Spirits of the Household   In the next several installments I will be writing about the different goddesses, gods, and spirits of the witches’ home. These entities are known to bless and protect both the home and those who live within. By honoring them we grow closer to the Spirit of the home, infusing it with love, laughter and warmth. In this first installment I welcome Hestia, Goddess of the Hearth Fire.     Hestia     Homeric Hymn to Hestia XXIX   Hestia, in the high dwellings of all, both deathless gods and men who walk the earth, you have gained an everlasting abode and highest honour: glorious is…

Romany Rivers: Weaving Words Romany Rivers is an artist, Pagan Priestess and co-founder of Moon River Wicca in England. As a Celebrant Romany uses poetry and modern interpretations of fairytales to create unique celebrations, festivals, and rituals. Aside from her work as a Priestess and artist, she is also well known for her work in the holistic health community as a Reiki Master and Tarot Reader. Romany resides in Nova Scotia, Canada, pursuing dreams of a sustainable, family focused and rural lifestyle whilst providing holistic and family support services to the community. Her upcoming book, Poison Pen Letters to Myself is described as ‘A self-effacing, insightful and wonderfully authentic document…