I chose the name “Of nymphs and gnomes” for my column because I lived my teenage years as a rollercoaster ride, where one word would make me very powerful and feeling good, but another would make me feel like a worthless pile of nothing. So I guess what I’m trying to say with this title is that even though you feel like some awkward gnome who everyone stares at as they walk by, you will soon enough feel like a powerful nymph who is capable of so much. And who knows, probably when you’re feeling gnome-y someone surely perceives you as the nymph. Being a teen pagan is very challenging…

Removing our Kids from a Violent World There are violence, crime, pain, drugs and death all around us. It has become a part of society and we have begun the process of normalizing it into our everyday world. The video games, music videos and songs that depict violence are just unbelievable. So, if you are anything like me, as a parent there is a certain amount of anxiety you carry when thinking of your kids in the “real” world. You may be thinking, “What does this have to do with Paganism?” Well, it has everything to do with paganism and living a spiritual path. We, as adults, know we make…

Once, long before the age of man and dinosaur, the earth was an enchanted playground filled with magickal beings made up of elves, gnomes, and fairies. Although they were all different with a variety of talents and looks, they lived together happily. They were proud of their individual gifts and those of their fellow beings. The land was filled with happiness, love, and faith. The Goddess watched over her children and her heart overflowed with joy and love. Time began to pass and other feelings began to form between the magical beings. Feelings of envy, greed, and anger surfaced. Fights broke out. Magick was used for harm instead of good.…

Advice Column featuring Sage Dear Sage, Like most people these days, I’ve been thru quite a bit in my life. I am 30 yrs old and have recently discovered my pagan path. However, I’ve also come from a very sheltered background and a small minded town on top of it. I have no clue as to how to structure my way in my new found beliefs. Trying to study from the Internet is very overwhelming. Do you have any advice for a basic beginning and where to go from there? -Solitary Beginner Merry Meet Solitary Beginner, Coming from a small town, resources can be limited and as I am sure…

A young graduate opens a card from Aunt Betty; it contains a crisp green bill, along with congratulations and sincere wishes for success. Grandparents buy their new-born grandchild a Savings Bond, a gesture which will be stored away for decades before being “released” into that child’s life. A loyal customer respects the hard work of a local business owner, and goes out of the way to buy THERE, instead of some other business owned by strangers. Money truly is magic. Most money spells commonly involve a person’s wish to RECEIVE money. But what about the opposite? Can you attach and focus magical energy within the money you SPEND, so that…

Buddhism – Friends The Four Foundations of Awareness: Which Four? Only if & when the Noble Friend remains regarding any Body -own or other- simply as a heaped up group, just as a transient, compounded & complex collection, only as a fragile, accumulated & alien assemblage, while being alert, aware & clearly comprehending, then will he thereby effectively remove all urge & frustration from this world…!!! Only if & when a Noble Friend dwells observing any Feeling –from within or from without – simply as an affective reaction, just as an assigned response, only as a fleeting sensation, while being keen, fully conscious & continuously attentive, then will he thereby…

Throughout history, people of nature religions found something sacred everywhere they looked. There was no clear-cut boundary between what was religious and what was not, what was magical and what was not. Examples of this can be found all over Europe, where people had Goddesses and Gods for virtually every part of daily life. From ovens and doorways, to bridges and wells — everything was sacred! Latin, and the languages which descend from it, were shaped by Pagan cultures. Language assigned gender to every person place and thing, perhaps reflecting the idea that all things link back to a specific Goddess or God. Every person place and thing truly is…

He Said, She Said Wiccar Man Weyland sits down at the computer, slurping from a big green mug of coffee. He logs in and sees FireCat on his Buddy List. Wey: Hi, Whitey! 🙂 FireCat: Hi yourself. Wey: Well, I’m finally gonna do it. FireCat: You got a real job? Wey: No. Well, yeah, kinda. I’m going to get ordained. FireCat: Thought you already did that last year. Wey: Wasn’t ready then. FireCat: What changed? Wey: Me. I’m a kinder, gentler poobah now. FireCat: Really. Wey: Yeah. FireCat: Since when? Wey: Today. FireCat: Uh huh. Wey: I mean it. FireCat: I know. Wey: I can be serene if I put…

Introduction to Mark Kincaid I first became aware of ‘meditation’ when I was a young Episcopalian boy in the mid-1950’s. I had my first very informal experiences, now I realize when I sat in those old hard pews in Church and experiencing the awe and majesty of church devotions. A number of years later I went on Church retreats they were called back then and quiet time and reflection was a regular part of our weekends. However it wasn’t until I went away to college in 1969 that I first became aware of more formal meditations. My first meditation technique was a Yoga practice of AnandaMarga yoga. It was a…

The topic of Meditation to me, is one of the most absolutely exciting topics in the Consciousness or new age field. Having learned to meditate, myself, when I was 19 years old, in the hey days of 1970, I can say with some experience, “Wow”! I’ve recently been invited to create a column on meditation which I am very excited to do. Introduction There are a few misunderstandings as to exactly what meditation is so I’ll begin with a brief introduction. Meditation, the ancient art and science of “Purposeful Thinking”, is one of the most significant things that one can do in life. Meditation can be informal, it can be…