GoodGod!
Meet the Gods: Ullr Merry meet. Winter is upon us, and up north, in the land of the Norse, was the cold-loving god Ullr. Norse mythology called him the God of Snow. Son of Six and stepson of Thor, Ullr became the patron saint of skiers. It is said he’s an expert skater, skier and hunter who moved around the world, covering the land with snow. References indicate he was an important deity: it is said he ruled while Odin was temporarily exiled and he occurs in many place names, but little else is known. (Ullr. Small Wooden Figurines created by Kseniya of AncientGods on Etsy.) …
Getting Spacey with Tarot – Interview with Laura Loup
“It’s a fairly interesting experience, pulling your own cards,” said Laura Loup, illustrator of the “Tarot in Space” deck. Calling herself “a professional humorologist,” she said in a recent interview at her Savannah shop, Cosmic Corner, “The whole idea was for it to be a fun deck, something that was lighthearted, still hard-hitting. There’s a Tower card, there’s a Death card, but they have a literal and a metaphorical silver lining.” She employs humor when navigating her own life’s ups and downs and created a tool to allow others to do the same, making that silver lining – in the form of shiny silver holographic edges – important to her.…
Book Review – The Seven Elemental Forces Of Huna: Practices for Tapping into the Energies of Nature from Hawaiian Tradition by Susanne Weikl
Book Review The Seven Elemental Forces Of Huna Practices for Tapping into the Energies of Nature from Hawaiian Tradition by Susanne Weikl 228 Pages When I studied Huna decades ago, I learned about the three bodies and the seven principles. In this book, Susanne Weikl presents the seven elements of nature from the ancient Hawaiian shamanic tradition. These forces are sources of power “to bring fulfillment, incentive, inspiration, growth, healing and ease into our lives.” These energies are primordial and powerful, and are at work in our DNA, she states. The book offers exercises, rituals and techniques to recognize and tap into the energies of water, fire, wind,…
Worth the Witch
The Magickal Earth “Gratitude and Transformation” was the theme of The Magickal Earth’s box sent to customers for November 22 to December 21. “The company is undergoing its own transformation,” said Janet Barto, who travels the country “in search of all things Magickal such as stones, rocks, minerals, and handcrafted items.” It just opened its first shop called the Magickal Earth Boutique in Enumclaw, Washington. In addition to work by local artists are items from around the world. “We are offering many amazing classes such as Chakra Healing with Crystals, yoga every Wednesday night, tarot readers every weekend … plus more.” Another recent change was introducing…
Worth the Witch
Una Spirit Medicine Bundle “Dream Guidance” was the theme of the Una Spirit Medicine Bundle sent to customers in September. Its contents were selected to increase awareness of the gifts dream journeys offer. “This is a topic very dear to my heart,” said Alicia Franzen of Heart Path Creations. “I have always felt that no matter how much one doesn’t remember dreaming, we are all dreaming every night. … We don’t exercise this awareness enough. We are deeply connecting to the Spirit world through dreams. Dreams are a sacred time of coming back to our truth.” Dreams don’t happen to us, we actively engage with…
Book Review – My Pocket Chakra Healing: Anytime Exercises to Unblock, Balance, and Strengthen Your Chakras by Heidi E. Spear
Book Review My Pocket Chakra Healing Anytime Exercises to Unblock, Balance, and Strengthen Your Chakras by Heidi E. Spear 176 Pages This handbook by Heidi Spear is an in-depth presentation of chakras, no previous knowledge necessary. She describes what chakras are, teaches how to recognize if each is in balance, and what to do when they are not. “The experience of chakra healing is creative, magical, surprising, restorative, and cleansing,” she writes, promising if readers take the time to heal their chakras, they can alleviate suffering, improve relationships, provide joy, de-stress, illuminate your life’s path and bring about overall well-being. The process gives “the ultimate potential for health,…
Book Review – Zentangle Dingbatz: Patterns & Projects for Dynamic Tangled Ornaments & Decorations by Brian Crimmins
Book Review Zentangle Dingbatz Patterns & Projects for Dynamic Tangled Ornaments & Decorations by Brian Crimmins 160 Pages In the world of typography, dingbats are ornamentation or decorations whose use dates back centuries. They can be seen framing a title, separating chapters and decorating broadsides. Dingbatz are dingbats made by incorporating the fundamentals of Zentangle. They nearly always have a frame, although the design can extend beyond it, and they are typically made with familiar shapes. Small and varied, they are easy to do and can fit just about anywhere, adding flair to hand lettering, scrapbook or journaling projects, and other crafts. For readers unfamiliar with Zentangle, Brian…
Book Review – I Ching, Text and Illustrations by Chao-Hsiu Chen
Book Review I Ching Text and Illustrations by Chao-Hsiu Chen Pages: 144 Of all the oracles in the world, the I Ching is the oldest, dating back more than 4,000 years. Created by Fu Xi, the mythical First Emperor of China, the I Ching is also known as the “Book of Changes.” Not only does it provide forecasts of the future, it is also the source of all Chinese wisdom. The outcome of throwing three coins determines if a line is broken or whole. Stack upon one another, each set of three lines forms a trigram; in all there are eight – based on the eight directions of…
Book Review – The Initiatory Path in Fairy Tales: The Alchemical Secrets of Mother Goose by Bernard Roger
Book Review The Initiatory Path in Fairy TalesThe Alchemical Secrets of Mother Gooseby Bernard RogerTranslated by Jon E. Graham308 Pages “Once upon time” immediately places the reader in a mythical, magical world. Like other often-used phrases, storytellers use it to transition to a place where anything is possible. Classic as well as little-known fairy tales are ripe with hermetic teachings of alchemy and Freemasonry. In this book, The Initiatory Path in Fairy Tales: the Alchemical Secrets of Mother Goose, Bernard Roger, provides an exhaustive analysis to prove his point and deliver what the title promises. Translated by Jon E. Graham, Roger demonstrates how hermetic ideas can be found in…
Book Review – Revolutionary Witchcraft: A Guide To Magical Activism by Sarah Lyons
Book Review Revolutionary Witchcraft: A Guide To Magical Activism by Sarah Lyons 158 Pages “This is a book about magic, politics, and how we can change the world when we blend the two together,” activist and practicing witch Sarah Lyons writes in the introduction to her book, “Revolutionary Witchcraft: A Guide To Magical Activism.” What many refer to as energy, prana or the Force, Lyons likes to call power, noting “politics is about power.” Magic has always been used to channel the power of desperation, pain and rage by people with no other means to achieve justice. And because “[w]itches get their power from a connection with the…