Fairies. Gnomes. Greenman. The moon. And lots and lots of doors. Hundreds of original, intricately designed and brightly painted items are for sale at Fairy Behind the Door on Etsy. “It all happened by accident,” Jassmond Masters-Bell said. “I just happened to see a small fairy door mold 10 years ago, and I bought it for myself just to have a little door in my garden I was establishing at the time. I love creating gardens and I was just looking for accessories to go into the garden. This was when the fairy garden explosion happened “When I molded it and it came out beautifully, I showed my first…

Dragonfly Medicine Magick     Merry meet. You can use the dragonfly you made as a craft as part of a ritual or spell by calling on dragonfly medicine. According to BirdClan.org, “It is a power animal which can help to put us in touch with nature spirits. “Dragonfly medicine is about the breaking of illusions, especially those illusions that prevent growth and maturity. Dragonfly is the bringer of visions of power.” Dragonfly medicine can both foretell a time of change and help during the transition. So, if you’re uncomfortable, overwhelmed and struggling, seek assistance from dragonfly. They can help us see beyond the limits we place on our reality…

Meet the Gods: Bes     Merry meet. Bes was an Egyptian god who brought comfort and protection to mothers and children. The somewhat comical, somewhat sinister-looking bearded dwarf looks human but is often also portrayed as part animal – generally a lion with a mane and tail, or with wings. He has a plump body, bow legs, prominent genitals and is sticking out his tongue. He is always shown facing forwards, unlike most Egyptian Gods who are shown in profile. On occasion, Bes is wearing a plumed headdress or a crown, and carrying a rattle, drum, tambourine or knife.     Also known as Bisu and Aha, he was…

Dragonfly Merry meet.     With the magic of midsummer comes the magic of dragonflies. Their gossamer wings, narrow body and big eyes make them seem like they come from the Land of Fae I imagined in my youth as being all wee and cute. I have many memories of lazing on the lake on an inner tube or raft and having one or more landing on me, as if finding an island on their long journey over the water. Some would stay for many minutes. Seeing them reminds me of those warm, long days. To hold on to that essence of summer and the solstice – as the cold…

Meet the Gods: Dagda (This illustration of Dagda was found on Pinterest. His cauldron, known as the Undry or the Cauldron of Plenty, provided infinite food and drink but never to a coward or an oath breaker. It was also said to revive the dead. One end of his enormous club could kill while the other end could give life.)   Merry meet. The name of the Celtic god Dagda means “Good God.” He’s also known as Eochaid Ollathair, meaning “Eochaid the All-Father.” His name is typically proceeded by the article “the.” In the Celtic tradition, the Dagda is one of the leaders of a mythological Irish people, the Tuatha…

Book Review “The Tradition of Household Spirits: Ancestral Lore and Practices” by Claude Lecouteux, translated by Jon E. Graham Published by Inner Traditions English translation copyright 2013 Pages: 228 “A house is much more than a building. It is a microcosm, a living being with both a body and a soul. It speaks, even if its language is only creaking and cracking noises for the profane,” Claude Lecouteux writes in the introduction to “The Tradition of Household Spirits: Ancestral Lore and Practices.” “It speaks, even if its language is only creaking and cracking noises for the profane. Its wailings are evidence of an attack by hostile forces. … The house…

Dandelions Merry meet. I think the very first spell I ever did involved a dandelion. I can see myself as a young child, picking dandelions with the dried puffy seed ball, making a wish, and blowing them onto the wind. I would watch as they danced on the wind like whimsical little fairies. Someone later told me if I got all the seeds off with one breath, my wish would come true. Magic doesn’t need to be any more complicated than that. Just as simple as tossing a coin into a wishing well and the first star spell, “Starlight, star bright / First star I see tonight / I wish…

Book Review “Sacred Herbs: Your Guide to 40 Medicinal Herbs and How to Use Them for Healing and Well-Being” by Opal Streisand Publisher: Sterling Ethos Published: Hardcover, February 2018 Pages: 128 This book has beautiful, large, color photos of 40 medicinal plants. That is the best thing about “Sacred Herbs: Your Guide to 40 Medicinal Herbs and How to Use Them for Healing and Well-Being.” It makes for a wonderful identification and reference for those in the earlier stages of learning about herbs. For each, Opal Streisand gives the Latin name, an interesting note, the parts of the plant used, and information about the herb and its benefits, along with…

Meet the Gods: Dian Cécht (art by Jane Brideson) Merry meet. With so many people around me sick, it was probably no coincidence I came across Dian Cécht, the Irish god of healing. It so happens a story told about him is the same as the one told about Credne, one of the three craft gods, last month. He was described as a craftsman who worked mostly in bronze and when the High King lost his arm in battle, he fashioned a functioning replacement arm from silver. In “Pagan Portals: Gods and Goddesses of Ireland: A Guide to Irish Deities,” Morgan Daimler also tells the same story, adding that Dian…

  In his latest book, Michael H. Hughes brings together activism and magic as tools for the resistance. “What I’ve discovered doing research for this book is witchcraft, in particular magic, has always been the tool of oppressed people. When you are out of other means of getting something done, you still do what you have to do, and in many cases that involves magic,” he said. Enslaved Africans used hoodoo and root work. Voodoo was instrumental in the uprising against Haiti’s white class. In medieval Europe, there were poppets and wax figures used against royalty. “The more you dig into the history of magic used as a tool against…