• Monthly Columns

    Poem – Spinning The Sun

    Spinning The Sun   Height of the sun So high, so high Ground wavering and melting In the heat haze Call me to your soul Deep love, deep light Yet burning danger Consuming fire Nothing in part-measures Aching, desperate Passion so bright Call me to your home The heart of the desert The source of the hot spring The centre of the mountain Ready to burst Ash and fire Over the land Call me to your music Dancing the round Spinning the sun Clattering bells that Glisten and sparkle As boots hit the ground Over and over Beating the drum Beating the heart The thrum of blood Bursting through Summer’s…

  • Divination Articles

    Road to Runes

    A Single Rune Reading   Can a single rune reading be an effective form of divination? Yes, I believe so, as do many others. It may not provide as comprehensive an answer as a multi-rune reading, especially when those readings are completed in layouts that examine the past, present and future, or specific events relating to the questions, such as obstacles or goals. But for a quick spot of guidance, a single rune can certainly give a fast answer or prompt you to think about a situation from a different perspective.   Ways to Do a Single Rune Reading If you have a physical set of runes, the simplest way…

  • Monthly Columns

    Learning Lunar

    Learning Lunar: The Waxing Crescent   Welcome to the next instalment in our Learning Lunar series, and the second about waxing moons, this time looking at the waxing crescent. The crescent moon is such an evocative image, found throughout history in the form of Roman pendants, Greek goddess statues, and even 16th century Christian manuscripts. Understanding the meaning of the waxing crescent moon could help hone your moon magic skills and increase your connectedness with the cycles of the moon and the seasons. What Does a Waxing Crescent Moon Mean? A crescent shape is instantly recognisable, and is basically a sliver of the moon—less than half, but beyond the dark…

  • Reviews

    Book Review – The Green Witch’s Guide to Magical Plants & Flowers by Chris Young and Susan Ottaviano

    Book Review The Green Witch’s Guide to Magical Plants & Flowers by Chris Young and Susan Ottaviano Publisher: Skyhorse 280 Pages Publication date: June 6, 2023     Plants are my bag, so any book aimed at “Green Witches” is going to be hitting my shelves, sooner or later. The subtitle for this one is, “26 love spells from apples to zinnias,” which startled me a little, as the main title seems to indicate it’s a general guide, rather than a book specifically on love spells. Oh well—as with all things, I approached it with an open mind! First impressions, this book is gorgeous. The artwork from the cover design…

  • Reviews

    Book Review – Moon Phases by Cecilia Lattari

    Book Review The Green Witch’s Guide to Magical Plants & Flowers by Chris Young and Susan Ottaviano Publisher: Skyhorse 160 Pages Publication date: April 26, 2022     The tagline for this book is “Use the lunar cycle to connect with nature and focus your intentions,” which straight away seems right up my street. I love moon magic, and indeed the science and astronomy surrounding the moon itself. I also focus on keeping my spiritual and magical path as connected to the seasons and nature as possible, so was keen to get a look at this book. There are thirteen chapters for the thirteen moons of the year, many of…

  • Monthly Columns

    Notes from the Apothecary

    Notes from the Apothecary: Asparagus June is the final month for harvesting asparagus in many places, which makes it an ideal plant to look at for our Summer Solstice edition of Notes from the Apothecary. This unusual vegetable crops up in plenty of mythology and folklore throughout the ages, and is used by many modern witches and pagans for love, lust, and luck magic, among other things. Asparagus, or Asparagus officinalis, is a perennial which means it grows back year after year. It’s a flowering plant, and, if left to mature, may produce small white or yellow flowers and orange berries. It’s one of those plants that looks wildly different…

  • Monthly Columns

    Learning Lunar: Moon Magic and Mystery

    Learning Lunar: Waxing Gibbous   Welcome back to Learning Lunar, Pagan Pages’ column on everything moon-related! Last time around, we looked at the power of the Dark Moon and some of the differences between the dark moon and the new moon. Check it out here. This time, we’re looking at the Waxing Gibbous moon (not the new moon as previously advertised!) because that’s what phase the moon will be around the time of the Irish festival of Beltaine.   What Does Waxing Gibbous Mean? A waxing moon means that the moon appears to be getting larger in the sky each night. Of course, it doesn’t actually expand and contract. The…

  • Monthly Columns

    Notes from the Apothecary

    Notes from the Apothecary: Columbine   The columbine, or Aquilegia, is a striking flower, with hooked spurs that resemble either eagle’s talons or the heads of doves gathered together. It’s in the same family as buttercups (Ranunculaceae), which while isn’t obvious in the shape of the flowers, becomes more apparent when you look at the hairy stems and the lobed leaf shapes. There are up to 70 species of columbines that we know about, with colours ranging from bright blue to deep red. Also known as Granny’s Bonnet, these fantastic flowers carry a wealth of folklore and magical associations.   The Kitchen Garden Columbine are one of those plants that…

  • Monthly Columns

    Learning Luna: Moon Magic and Mystery

    Welcome to Learning Luna, the new column exploring the moon, its mysteries, magic, folklore and other associations. The moon is revered in numerous cultures and spiritual practices, and is an important part of many Pagan paths. This column will take a look at the different phases of the moon and ways each phase may affect you, your magical or spiritual practice, or even the world around you. As Spring Equinox 2023 falls on a dark moon, this is the phase I’ve decided to explore in this issue. The equinox is March 20th 21:24 UTC, so check your own time zone for variations.   Dark Moon versus New Moon This can…

  • Divination Articles

    The Road to Runes

    The Road to Runes News: Possible Oldest Runestone Found in Norway What could possibly be the oldest known rune stone has been found in Norway by archaeologists from the Norwegian Museum of Cultural History. The stone is a chunk of sandstone, with clear examples of Elder Futhark runes inscribed upon it. The Historical Museum, connected to the University of Oslo, is calling this find “…a runic scholar’s dream.” The stone will be on display at the museum until February 26th. What are Runestones? The term runestone can be applied to any piece of rock that is found with runic inscriptions on it. There are thousands of runestones across Scandinavia that…