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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…
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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…
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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…
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Equinox of the Heart – Exclusive Poem from Author Mabh Savage
A Brand New Poem from Author Mabh Savage, Exclusive to PaganPagesOrg. Equinox of the Heart March winds come before April showers May flowers Cleaning the earth Blowing away Winter’s chilling dust Remnants of rot Leaf piles dead Slushy, slimy heaps of Seasonal trash Yet busting out with life Wood lice, slugs, snails, early caterpillars Then birds that come to feast Blackbirds, robins, and now the mistle thrush Pecking industriously Through a compost carnival Early spring’s banquet Against a backdrop of Cautious blossom. My heart, my heart blooms like the Snowdrop the Crocus the Narcissus Waiting to be plucked To plunge me down into the Earth…
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Notes from the Apothecary
Notes from the Apothecary: Wild Garlic Wild garlic or Allium ursinum is a fragrant perennial plant with tiny clusters of white flowers atop long, lush green leaves that don’t grow any higher than most people’s ankles. It’s also known as ramsons in Europe and ramps in the United States. Other related plants such as Allium canadense and Allium tricoccum are also called ramps or wild garlic, and just to be more confusing, you might also hear them called wild leeks or wood leeks. Whatever you call them, there’s no escaping the fact that these plants are one of the most delicious smelling harbingers of spring. In the woods…
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Exclusive Interview with Author Nikki Van De Car
Nikki Van De Car is the author of several books including The Witchy Homestead: Spells, Rituals, and Remedies for Creating Magic at Home which we recently reviewed here on PaganPagesOrg. Nikki was kind enough to take some time out of her busy schedule to talk to us about her writing, her crafting, and the magic in her own life. Mabh Savage (Mabh): I’ve just read “Witchy Homestead.” Firstly, congratulations on a wonderful book. What prompted you to write this? What was your main inspiration? Nikki Van De Car (Nikki): About five years ago, I left New York to return to my hometown in Hawaii. It’s a tiny…
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Abroad at Samhain
A New Samhain Poem by Mabh Savage Exclusive to PaganPagesOrg A halfway house Twixt autumn and winter Cold for us Frozen for others Yet warm and barely golden For some. So many different Samhains So many calls to the dead So many nods to ancestors Mentors Friends of fur and feather Or those family we chose For ourselves. Wherever in the world You celebrate the turn Towards darkness Remember turnips Painstakingly carved Apple peels thrown over shoulders Candles lit while looking in the mirror The butter and cream left out For those who come Perhaps uninvited But never spurned or mocked. Be safe Walk well Ward well Hold…
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Book Review – Taking Up The Runes by Diana L. Paxson
Book Review Taking Up The Runes by Diana L. Paxson Publisher: Weiser Books 421 Pages Publication date: This edition December 2021, Originally Released 2005 This is one of those re-releases of a well-loved book that’s garnered classic status over the years. Released as part of the “Weiser Classics” range, it’s very telling that the book still ranks highly in all the charts it’s listed in on the major online retailers. I’d not come across Diana’s work in the fields of Paganism or Heathenry before, and was surprised to learn that she is a truly prolific author with many works of fiction published plus several volumes on Asatru and…
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Road to Runes
Reconnecting to Spirituality I recently had to write a little bit about divination for the Pagan Federation, and I realised that my regular practice had become, well, not so regular. For many months, I was drawing a card or a rune daily, and even taking an in-depth course on Ogham with the Irish Pagan School. However, I’d allowed myself to become bogged down in “day job” work and other commitments, and wasn’t utilising the tools at my disposal. What better prompt to get back into my journey learning the runes than this! And, what better question than, “How do I reconnect to my spiritual practice and ensure I’m not…
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Notes from the Apothecary
Notes from the Apothecary: Samhain Special Welcome to the special Samhain edition of Notes from the Apothecary! Samhain is the approximate midpoint between Autumn Equinox and Winter Solstice, and for many in the northern hemisphere, the time when we start to notice the long descent into the colder months. This means there is less wild food, plus fewer herbs and plants growing, so it’s often time to start using up ingredients stored from summer. In this issue, I’m going to go through some of my favourite herbs, fruits, and veggies to use around Samhain, and why I think they’re so magical. 5 Samhain Herbs, Fruits, and Vegetables …