To Join (or Not to Join) A Magickal Group This is an article I wrote many years ago and I’ve decided to share it in this month’s column. As the community and spiritual paths of pagan practice become increasingly more available, so too are the opportunities to become intimately a part of that expanding community. What that participation looks like and how in depth are multi-faceted. It is particularly timely for me since I have been in process of Hiving and forming a new coven within our Tradition, The Assembly of the Sacred Wheel. And, so in this spirit I pose the question that should be explored before committing to…

Stars Merry meet. My Yule tree is decorated largely with natural objects such as shells and pinecones, and replicas of such things as moons, suns and stars. Some of my favorite stars are rustic – made from twigs or, in this case, cinnamon sticks. Find five cinnamon sticks that are approximately the same length and thickness. Twigs or wooden chopsticks would also work. While I used threads separated from burlap twine to bind them, yarn, ribbon, wire and hot glue will also work. Place the pieces in the shape of a star so you can see the angle formed by each point. Begin tying the sticks together until you’ve worked…

Notes from the Apothecary: Cloves As we move into the darkest part of the year I want to focus on a spice that brings joy and warmth into the home. Though they are just little brown spikes, the heady scent and flavour of cloves instantly conjures up images of winter festivity. Combine this with citrusy flavours like lemon and orange and you have a veritable indoor winter wonderland. Cloves are actually flower buds, and it seems fitting that they are often used in winter as the tree they spring from is evergreen. The Kitchen Garden Cloves are a vital component in many different cuisines. In the west, we tend to…

The tale-finder had traced the story as far as a small tavern in a remote village. Quaffing his ale, he greeted the other guests and, after a customary exchange of pleasantries, asked if anyone present had heard the story Hob told of a midnight gathering of sorcerers. There was some chuckling, and then a giant of a man sitting in the corner replied that he knew the tale, or knew of it. “It isn’t much of a story,” he began. “This farmhand Hob, in some stead over the river, was about to head home for the evening when the Mistress of the farm stopped by and asked him if he…

Yule Brew Merry meet. For cakes and ale at your winter solstice gathering, or for a bit of Yule cheer during the deepest dark and gathering cold, brew up a batch of this seasonal blend. There are many recipes floating around – from wassail to glögg. Some call for wine, others for brandy or sherry, cider or ale, even poet and tea. All use a variety of spices (in addition to what’s below, consider vanilla bean and peppercorns) and fruits (others include raisins, cranberries and lemons). I chose to combine parts of two recipes and ventured out to gather up ingredients. These proportions work when using a quart jar. 2…

Spiralled Edge: The Face of Fear We are being asked and told too many times in life right now to be afraid. Afraid of other people, afraid of our governments, afraid of religions, afraid of doctors striking, afraid of… well, everything. And those fears keep us from questioning the validity of what we are being told is truth. They keep us from realising who or what is an enemy and who isn’t. Fear of being in a car accident keeps some people from driving, others it helps them to drive with greater awareness of potential dangers and hazards around them. Fear of being attacked keeps some people from leaving their…

I had been working in a small community within the larger Pagan community when I received a very insidious Facebook message that began with, “You’re too emotional when it comes to this community. It’s not all about you, nor is it all that important”. The sender then began to question my skills as a community leader, because I was still “new” (after 10 years) and told me that the pagan community as a whole, the one I worked tirelessly for, “wasn’t that big of a deal.” It ended with a smiley face emoticon and a message of “You know I’m only saying this because I love you right?” It was…

And so we flip to the opposite side of the wheel. In the northern hemisphere, the winter solstice (on or around 21st December) is sometimes also referred to as Yule, which has Germanic and Norse origins and has sort of been absorbed into modern Paganism as part of the “wheel of the year”, although it has its own rich history and is celebrated worldwide in a myriad of different ways. My most precious memories of the winter solstice all seem to be of going to a specific lakeside on the longest night. I remember it always feels later in the day than it is, because despite it only being early…

The 6th Chakra As I mentioned in the previous columns, when doing any chakra work, it is imperative to keep yourself grounded. While you can use any grounding exercise that you prefer, I have always used this one in my chakra classes: **Stand up, grip toes to the ground, long deep breathing, visualize your roots going deep into Mother Earth, keeping you grounded and centered. Inhale and bring the earth energy up to the base of your spine; exhale and let the energy return to the Earth. With each inhale, receive healing energy from the Earth; with each exhale, release all negativity. This will not hurt Mother Earth, as long…