Summer is Finally Here! So the warm weather has finally arrived. Most Pagans’ I know love to plant and grow things outside and this is the case here at the Wardrobe as well. This month I would like to touch on the energies that plants can bring to your home. As a rule, I like to consult a reference source to tell me what kind of energies plants are going to bring into my home before I bring them home. This way there are no surprises. My favorite reference book for this is “Cunningham’s Encyclopedia of Magickal Herbs” written by Scott Cunningham. Don’t let the word herbs in the title…

Oil for Luck 2 drops patchouli 2 drops sandalwood 2 drops carnation 1 drop juniper Mix essential oils in 1/2 Ounce carrier oil (Almond, Grapeseed, Safflower, Olive, etc) Wear when you feel you need luck, or do the candle meditation below… Meditation for Luck Chose a small green candle, or a color that says "luck" to you. (Or use white for all purpose) Anoint the candle with the oil, working towards you (drawing luck to you) with one or both hands. You can also lightly anoint yourself if you desire. While anointing your candle, state your purpose, mentally or out loud. Example… "I charge this candle to bring me luck!"…

Provoking Thoughts Over the past several weeks there has been information and news floating around regarding the fallen soldier who died in the war and his family fighting diligently to get a pentacle on his headstone. For those who are not aware, the United States military has about 38 approved religious symbols that can be put on the headstones of soldiers. Amazingly there is no religious symbol that represents the Wiccan faith that is approved for the headstones of soldiers. There are cries all across the American states that are pleading with fellow pagans to step up and be heard on this issue. Men and Women are dying fighting for…

Quick & easy hints to get you through your busy day. Staying Alive Out of the Broom Closet Part Two: At Home I’m not sure about Pagans per se, but there aren’t many second generation Wiccans around right now. Most of our parents or guardians were of different religious persuasions than we are–and that means most of us didn’t start off as Pagans, either. We converted somewhere along the way. Which brings up the question–what do we tell the family? I think it basically depends upon what kind of relationship you have with them. No, no, I don’t mean the quality of your relationships–those are either good or bad, and…

Lore of the Runes What we now know as the runic alphabet seems to have developed from two distinct sources – one magical, one literate. Pre-runic symbols, or hällristningar, have been found in various Bronze Age rock carvings, primarily in Sweden. Some of these symbols are readily identifiable in the later alphabets, while others represent ideas and concepts which were incorporated into the names of the runes (sun, horse, etc.). The exact meanings of these sigils is now lost to us, as is their original purpose, but they are believed to have been used for divination or lot-casting, and it is fairly certain that they contributed to the magical function…

Positive Self Image Before you can really learn anything about improving yourself, you have to truly believe that you can do it. Every time the words “I can’t” or “that’s impossible” enter into your vocabulary, you are setting yourself up for failure. Even worse, I have discovered, are the words “I’m trying”. It is ok to try in the original sense of the word… for instance, you can try food to see what it tastes like, but in the end there is either “I like it” or “I don’t like it”. In the sense of trying to do something, still, in the end, there is either “I did it” or…

Later this month, on July 22nd, the Catholic Church celebrates the Feast Day of Mary Magdalene. In honor of what I like to think of as her “birthday”, this month’s column is devoted to her. What we know about MM comes primarily from three sources: the Bible, the Gnostic texts, and legends. Let’s start with what the Bible says about her. Actually, let’s start with what the Bible DOESN’T say about her. No where, absolutely no where does the Bible state that MM was a prostitute. As a former Bible quotin’, Bible totin’, Bible knowin’ fundie, when I first heard this (courtesy of Margaret Starbird) I thought, “Somebody’s obviously not…

Since the earliest times, people strived to find a convenient way of classifying the archetypal energies in the universe. Many priests and scholars came to the realization that the best way to do so, was through the symbolic language of numbers. The Mayans, the Egyptians and the Babylonians, The Vikings and the Celts, the Greeks and the Jews were some of the few nations in different corners of the world who developed a numerological system of their own, with their own ideas of numbers. However, most of this knowledge vanished with the destruction of the major libraries in the ancient world. The two major branches of numerology we know today…

There are many different ways of protecting and shielding. I am not sure that anyone else will wish to discuss or open up about how they shield or protect themselves. Personally , I don’t wish to tell anyone *everything* about how I accomplish this. So , I certainly don’t expect anyone else to. I hope that no one takes offense to that , its just a personal decision. I feel that if I just blatantly tell everyone how I shield myself , I am opening myself up for any person to figure out how to "attack" or "break through" my shields if they so chose to. I am in no…

I have been noticing a dangerous trend in the general pagan and Wiccan communities of late. And it is one that seriously needs to be addressed. When I became truly active in the pagan community some years ago, I began discussing this topic. I have written on it in the past as well. But recent events demonstrate to me that it is time to visit the topic again. That trend, as you’ve probably guessed from the title, is the rise of denominational divides among pagans and Wiccans of various stripes. As a member of the clergy of the Correllian Nativist Church, one that is founded on principles of pagan unity,…