Welcome   Our beautiful Front Page Image is the artwork of Marcia Stewart (RocknGoddess)interviewed in this issue of PaganPages.       We have a Fantastic & Packed Yule Issue for you this month with some great features, such as…     A Book Review on the book Meditative Mandala Stones By Maria Mercedes Trujillo Arango.         An Interview with author  Nikki Starcat Shields.   The Final Episode of Patrick Kavanagh’s short story series Kiara!       It’s that time of the year again, when everyone is running themselves ragged trying to find the “perfect” gift…

Book Review: Pagan Portals: Moon Magic by Rachel Patterson       Pagan Portals is, as the name suggests, a series of books (by various authors) with the aim of introducing various aspects of Paganism. Moon Magic seems a staple in this diet, as there are few branches of Paganism that don’t require at least some familiarity with the cycles of the moon. My initial concern is that this book may have little to offer the experienced practitioner. Just looking at the contents page dispels these fears instantly. Not only does Rachel (also known as Tansy Firedragon) cover what I would think of as ‘The Basic’ such as the phases…

Holiday Hash and Eggs It’s the holidays and you have lots of holiday leftovers! So let’s make something fun for brunch! One of my favorites is hash and eggs. Of course, the easy way is to simply open a can of Mary Kitchen Corned Beef Hash and heat it in a pan and cook some eggs with it – which is always really good! But hash is really quite easy to make. Whether you have leftover corned beef, turkey, ham, roast beef or venison, mixing up a quick version of hash is easy and fun. I made this particular hash out of the leftovers of a turkey dinner but you…

Book Review:  The Only Wiccan Spell Book You’ll Ever Need by Marian Singer & Trish MacGregor   First off, I found this book very informative and well written. I was quite impressed by the amount of information they fit in such a small book. I was pleasantly surprised. The book starts off with their explanation of what Wicca is. “Wicca is an ancient practice, a gentle, earth-oriented religion that seeks truth and understanding, and a way of life meant to affect inner change. Yes, it’s a framework for using magickal powers. It also involves worshipping ancient Pagan deities, and it recognizes the duality of the Divine as one force that…

Marcia Stewart – RocknGoddess Etsy Shop   Large Yule Pentacle Gracing our cover this month is the beautiful art of Marcia Stewart, also known as, RocknGoddess on etsy.  We loved her work so much we thought we would get to know a little more about her. Marcia Stewart:  Thank you for inquiring about my art and Etsy Shop for PaganPages.Org. PaganPagesOrg:  Please share with us about yourself. Marcia Stewart:  As with many other pagan/witch folk that I speak with, I was raised in a Christian home, however, it never really resonated with me. During exploration of my spiritual beliefs, in 2000, I came across Earth-based religions, paganism, and witchcraft. I consider myself…

Winter Solstice 2016 Bright Blessings! The Solstice Season is upon us, and all I can think about is planning my ritual and gathering. Then, I can’t wait until the hubbub dies down from shopping, and parties that last until January. I have done my annual bowing out of all Christmas themed celebrations, and reminded people I do not send cards, or do gift exchanges. I have had the gripe fests with others who want to avoid the mainstream holiday, but can’t get away from it. A friend hit the nail on the head yesterday, and said, “I am just NOT in the Xmas Spirit this year.” I told him that…

The Faeries Winter can often convince us that we are older than we truly are. It is so much easier to take a walk in the summer and sit in the sun and drift back in time. But even though the Winter is a time for quietness and reflection,- there is still much that we can do to reconnect with nature and ,hopefully, our childhood appreciation of the magic which is all around us. On fine days, tuck up well, and walk in the winter forest. Listen to the wind in the trees. Watch the ash swaying and dancing with its beautiful silvery bark. Find a Holly tree, all bedecked in bright…

Nikki Starcat Shields: Centered in Reverence and Joy     Starcat is a Pagan based in Maine, and the author of numerous books, including Starcat’s Corner: Essays on Pagan Living. She’s the co-creator of the 30-Day Core Belief Kit and a personal spiritual coach. Despite her busy life, Starcat took the time to talk to Mabh at Pagan Pages about her world and her inspiration. Mabh Savage: Where does the beautiful name Starcat come from? Starcat: When I was choosing my Pagan name, more than 20 years ago now, I was inspired by Starhawk’s writings and her name. I too resonate strongly with the stars, and I have had a…

Lunar Magick: Part Two A Little Astrology This is the second of a series of articles that explores our connection to the Moon and how to use HER energy for magick and spiritual growth….     So What’s Astrology Got To Do With It? One of the important considerations when doing lunar magick is maximizing the effects of the working through use of the most beneficial astrological sign that your Full or New Moon is transiting through. Each of the astrological signs is identified by two basic qualities: the element (Earth, Air, Fire or Water) to which it resonates and the quality of that particular element (Cardinal, Fixed or Mutable)…

Meditative Mandala Stones By Maria Mercedes Trujillo Arango I am always looking for different and new ways to meditate. While I have heard of mandala meditation, i.e. meditating while looking at a mandala, I have never tried it. This set brings a new dimension to it, in that you make your own mandala on large river stones. My assumption is that it is akin to being stress-free by coloring, another trend. Ms. Arango gives us a brief introduction as to how she came to mandalas, after having a life-long love of stones. She began to draw mandalas in her journals and studying their history. Mandala in a broad sense means…