-
Book Review – The Witch’s Guide to Ritual: Spells, Incantations and Inspired Ideas for an Enchanted Life by Cerridwen Greenleaf
Book Review The Witch’s Guide to Ritual Spells, Incantations and Inspired Ideas for an Enchanted Life by Cerridwen Greenleaf 344 Pages “The Witch’s Guide to Ritual” is a surprisingly ambitious book which seeks to catalogue and discuss the use and place of witchcraft in rituals of all kinds. With such a broad subject as ritual, the scope of this book has been tailored: it’s intended for intermediate practitioners, so there isn’t a lot of introductory information about witchcraft in general, and the subject is approached very pragmatically, without too many frills or explanations for beginners. The book is broadly cross-cultural, and discusses many Eastern traditions, but expresses a…
-
As Above So Below (How the Stars Became Our Hearts)
Non Traditional Models of Intelligence and the Gaian Mind Where are you? Right now? I don’t mean your physical body. I mean, if you’re using your physical body as reference, where are you in there? The easy answer would be the brain. Maybe if you look a little deeper your answer may be the heart. If you look even deeper though, the question becomes hard to answer. In the dream state for example, you have no connection to your physical body, except the silver cord, a popular concept in metaphysics that ties you to the body during astral travel. Sometimes, in your dreams, you’re not even you, but…
-
Mabon Correspondences & Water Element Writing Ritual Excerpted from ‘The Ultimate Guide to the Witch’s Wheel of the Year’ by Anjou Kiernan
MABON September 21–24 (Southern Hemisphere: March 21–24) Pronunciation: MAB-bon Alternative Names: Autumn or Fall Equinox, Second Harvest, Harvest Home, Wine Harvest, Fruit Harvest, Witches’ Thanksgiving, Alban Elfid (Celtic) CORRESPONDENCES ALTAR DECORATIONS: Acorns, animal bones, apples, autumn leaves, balance scales, corn, cornucopia (horn of plenty), gourds, grapes and grapevines, pentacles, pine cones, pomegranates, poppies, root vegetables, seeds, sunflowers, wine ANIMALS: Blackbird, coyote, crow, duck, goat, goose, owl, raven, stag, squirrel, turkey, wolf CELEBRATIONS: Charity work, feasting, gathering, harvesting COLORS: Burgundy, burnt orange, dark green, eggplant, brown, gold DEITIES: Aphrodite/Venus, Dionysus/Bacchus, gods and goddesses of the underworld (Persephone/Kore/Proserpine, Demeter/Ceres, Hekate) (Greco-Roman); Modron and Mabon (Welsh) DIRECTION: West ELEMENT: Water FOOD…
-
Peeking in the Shadows: Crafting a Book of Shadows and Light
Over the next few months, we’re going to take a look at the categories and sections you may wish to include in your BOS. What you add to your BOS is as unique as you are and will evolve and change as you evolve and change on your path. Flexibility is key to organizing your BOS, but you should have a method of organization as well. This month our focus is on Visionary Work…. Visionary work takes many forms so you will undoubtedly have multiple sections in your BOS that are inclusive of that work. These will include divination and oracular practices, information gained from spell crafting, ritualistic visioning,…
-
Nurturing Your Wild Child
Prepping the Roots of Spirituality When and How to Introduce Your Children to the Path A common denominator in our Spiritual pathways as Pagans is the very immediate indoctrination of a secular Faith, and this beginning is very sheltering and terrifying for many of us. Growing through our Spiritual paths we find that healing becomes a part of this, a necessary piece to rid ourselves of this fear of something unknown which draws into our lives another commonality – the need to save our families from this same Faith-based trauma. This idea coupled with the understanding of how our natural cyclical beings are attuned to the Universe, we begin to…
-
‘The Grief Ritual’ A Ritual and Interview with Bernadette Pleasant, Somatic Healer and Creator of the Emotional Institute
‘The Grief Ritual’ A Ritual and Interview with Bernadette Pleasant, Somatic Healer and Creator of the Emotional Institute It’s almost two o’clock on a sunny Sunday afternoon, and I’m lying on my back on the floor of my stepson’s empty room, sobbing uncontrollably. My feet rest on the carpet and as I feel the fibers between my toes, I remind myself to let it all go: tension, pain, sorrow — everything I don’t want to burden others with, and everything I shouldn’t carry myself. I feel it melt away from my body and into the earth, flowing off of my body like water, lightening me with every shaking…
-
Tarot Talk 2nd Edition
Comparing 2’s & The Hanging Man Many Tarot cards can seem similar enough to each other that interpreting them when they both show up in a spread can be challenging. One way to achieve a deeper understanding of a card is to compare it to another card. This month we will compare a Minor Arcana card, the 2 of Swords, with a Major Arcana card, The Hanged Man. We will explore similarities between these two cards, and then we will look at the differences. I will be using card images from the Rider Tarot Deck for this analysis. First, the similarities. The basic messages or interpretations of these…
-
Book Review – Plant Magic for the Beginner Witch: An Herbalist’s Guide to Heal, Protect and Manifest by Ally Sands
Book Review Plant Magic for the Beginner Witch An Herbalist’s Guide to Heal, Protect and Manifest by Ally Sands 192 Pages “Plant Magic for the Beginner Witch” is a collection of herb-based magical spells for protection, love, abundance, healing, and personal power. Each spell is laid out like a recipe, with the ingredients on one side and a ritual for the spell on the facing page. In addition, there is a short summary of the herbs discussed in each chapter, and their associations. The herbs discussed are mostly traditional European herbs, and are easily grown or bought at any herb store, while the associations are based in European…
-
Witch & Popcorn The Sequel
Review of Stree Bright Blessings Film Lovers! If you have read many of my reviews, you know how much I love horrors! I simply can’t get enough of them. I find horror to be the most imaginative genre, and to have the most fun and surprises. I was pleasantly surprised by an amazing horror comedy from India , spoken in Hindi, of course, called Stree. Stree means Woman in Hindi, and it centers around the antics of Vicky, a tailor who works magic on clothes for women, and his bone brained friends, and how they find a way to end hauntings by the Stree. Here is…
-
Book Review – The Mythic Moons of Avalon: Lunar & Herbal Wisdom from the Isle of Healing by Jhenah Telydru
Book Review The Mythic Moons of Avalon Lunar & Herbal Wisdom from the Isle of Healing by Jhenah Telydru 408 Pages “The Mythic Moons of Avalon” by Jhenah Telyndru is a very worthy sequel to the author’s “Avalon Within”. It’s worth noting, however, that, while you may wish to for scholastic background, you do not have to have read “Avalon Within” to full enjoy and learn from “Mythic Moons”. “Mythic Moons” is based on the Women’s Mystery Tradition that is followed within the Sisterhood of Avalon, but again, you do not have to be a member to gain full benefit from Ms. Telyndru’s wisdom and knowledge. Part One…