Releasing the Old Year Merry meet! While Samhain most often involves honoring the ancestors and divination, the night is also the eve of the new year. Even if I have participated in a group ritual, there’s a simple ritual I like to do alone in front of my altar, or outside when possible, as close to midnight as possible. There is no reason this can’t be done in a group. I gather some paper, something to write with, a cauldron and something with which to light a fire. Once in sacred space, I reflect on the previous year, often flipping through the pages of my gratitude journals to remind me of…

“The Magical Art of Crafting Charm Bags: 100 Mystical Formulas for Success, Love, Wealth, and Wellbeing”     by Elohim Leafar Published by Weiser Books Published: 2017 Pages: 235   We all have them – stones, botanicals, charms, claws and other objects that we consider precious and that we protect. Our ancestors in all cultures and magical traditions the world over had them, too.   These talismans go by many names: charm bag, mojo bag, medicine bag, conjure hand, gris-gris bag, trick bag. They come in all shapes and sizes, can be used for almost any purpose, are fairly easy to make and offer powerful magic.   Elohim Leafar –…

Altars When you Have No Space   Merry meet.   Dorm rooms, studio apartments, extended-stay suites and RVs are some of the places where there is likely to be no space for an altar.   (This curio shelf, found posted on Pinterest by At Wayfaring Stranger Outfitters, can hold a collection of magickal objects.)   Since I am preparing to live in an old school bus converted into a tiny house, space for an altar will be scarce. Searching for ideas, I came across some that might work for those of you who think you have no space you can make sacred.           (This small wooden…

Meet the Gods: Hades   (art by Samantha Sullivan)   Merry meet.   As the wheel turns to Samhain, it is natural turn to deities of the dark, of the underworld. This month we get to know Hades.   A god with a place that shares his name, Hades is thought to be the god of death – in the Greek pantheon, that was Thanatos. Rather, Hades invites all to join him in his kingdom, the underworld. Hades is not hell, it’s the place all who die go.   Wanting a bride, Hades is said to have asked Zeus for one of his daughters and was offered Persephone. On one…

“The Good Witch’s Guide: A Modern-Day Wiccapedia of Magical Ingredients and Spells”     by Shawn Robbins and Charity Bedell Published by Sterling Ethos Published: 2017 Pages: 305   Rituals, History, aromatherapy, crystals, candle magic, spiritual alchemy, potions, tinctures, herbs and recipes are just some of the topics covered in this hardcover book that’s approximately six inches by six and a half inches. It’s an inch thick and just feels good to hold.   As a “Wiccapedia,” it covers all the topics you need to know, and then offers lists for additional reading and reference materials.   The section on herbal folklore includes information about botanicals for health and healing,…

  Mabon Blessings     (Mabon Table)   Merry meet.   As the second harvest, Mabon is the pagan’s version of Thanksgiving. It’s also the autumn equinox when day and night are equal before we begin slipping into the dark half of the year.   What follows is a collection of blessings and inspiration you might use as you celebrate the sabbath and welcome the dark half of the year.   “Prayer to the Dark Mother” by Patti Wigington on thoughtco.com Day turns to night, and life turns to death, and the Dark Mother teaches us to dance. Hecate, Demeter, Kali, Nemesis, Morrighan, Tiamet, bringers of destruction, you who embody the Crone, I honor you as…

Meet the Gods: Tyr         Merry meet.   This month we get to know Tyr (pronounced like “tier” or “tear”). Despite being the god of honor and justice, and showing courage by sacrificing his hand to save the gods and uphold the law, he came to be considered one of the lesser gods.   According to “Norse Mythology for Smart People,” more than any other god, Tyr presided over matters of law and justice, but was also a Norse god of war. At one time, he is thought to have been one of the three most important gods, along with Odin and Thor.   Mars, the Roman’s…

Hand Fasting Gifts     Merry meet.   While couples planning weddings take advantage of gift registries at every place from The Home Depot to Crate and Barrel, couples who are hand fasting may appreciate a more pagan, creative and personal approach to gift giving.   At the urging of others, one couple I know visited their favorite pagan store and with the owner’s cooperation, made a list of items they liked. Those who wanted could look at the list and choose something without stressing over second guessing which book, what incense or the best color for an altar cloth. By the owner maintaining the list, it was helpful to…

Meet the Gods: Barleycorn Merry meet. Lughnasadh is celebrated this month – traditionally on the 1st, astrologically on the 7th. It is the first harvest, a festival of grain. While traditionally in Europe, corn meant grain, many Americans have come to think of corn only as maize. Because I know of no fields of rye, oats or barley here in Connecticut, maize has been my go-to grain. While it’s found its way into my rituals as corn muffins, corn dollies and fry bread – to go with the bounty from my garden – I had never sought to welcome the corn god to my circle. This year I will. Most…

Meet the Gods: Thor     (art by Samantha Sullivan)   Merry meet. Thor is the hammer-welding Norse God of Thunder. He is the son of Odin, the primary god of all the Nordic gods, and the earth goddess Jord (also reported as Fyorgyn). He is one of the most important and well-known gods in the Norse pantheon, also said to be a sun god, the god of stormy weather, and a fertility god. His wife is also associated with fertility: the goddess Sif. Together they live in Thrudheim (“Place of Might”), the largest house in Asgard with more than 500 rooms. They have two children. Thor also adopted a…