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A Runic Prayer for Peace
Anyone who follows my blog will know that I’ve recently become reacquainted with Loki, a Norse God primarily associated with mischief and trickery. Most followers of Loki will know that this is a massive simplification of this complex and fascinating God. Loki is a catalyst for transformation, growth – and a welcome reminder not to take ourselves too seriously! As I created my altar for Loki, I knew I wanted a special piece that would be uniquely Loki’s. With that in mind, I commissioned my dear friend who is a jeweler and wire worker to create Loki’s name in runes. These runes represent a transliteration of Loki’s name.…
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Poem – Divine Love
A poem for anyone that has ever felt pure love for or from their deities. Love All my life I wondered about Divine love I have been devoted Twice before And felt adoration Awe Terror Humility And yes, a sort of love A connection beyond The mundane I knew I loved I appreciated I was grateful. But love? I didn’t feel it In return Maybe appreciated Maybe thanked or honoured When I followed through On oaths Commitments Daily devotionals But love? I didn’t expect it I didn’t miss it I didn’t yearn for it Because I was already So fulfilled Then you came back Into my life…
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Book Review – Pantheon: The Egyptians by Robin Herne
Book Review Pantheon The Egyptians by Robin Herne Publisher: Moon Books 200 Pages Publication Date: June 1, 2021 Pantheon: The Egyptians is part of a new series from established Pagan publisher Moon Books aimed at introducing readers to an entire Pantheon of deities rather than focusing on a single god, goddess, or spirit. Robin Herne’s volume explores the philosophy and theology of the Egyptians, alongside contextual geographical and historical information, ethics, mysticism, an exploration of magic and a “how to” approach of connecting with these ancient spirits and deities in our modern world. I’ve been fascinated by the Ancient Egyptians since I was a very small child, but…
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Book Review – The Book of Shadows: A Journal of Magick, Spells, & Rituals by Anastasia Greywolf
Book Review The Book of Shadows A Journal of Magick, Spells, & Rituals by Anastasia Greywolf Publisher: Wellfleet Press 160 Pages Publication date: October 5, 2021 This new addition to the Wellfleet Press collection of “Mystical Handbooks” is an impressive looking combination between a beginner’s guide to magick and spells and a journal to record progress in spellcasting. The book promises a foundation in witchcraft basics, reviews of what you need to become a witch, and over 40 spells and rituals aimed at transforming and improving your life. The first thing I noticed about this book was the beautiful presentation. From the striking, gothic-inspired cover to the detailed…
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Book Review – Pagan Portals: Temple of the Bones – Rituals to the Goddess Hekate by Jennifer Teixeira
Book Review Pagan Portals Temple of the Bones Rituals to the Goddess Hekate by Jennifer Teixeira Publisher: Moon Books 112 Pages Publication Date: June 1, 2021 Temple of the Bones is an inclusive and accessible introduction to working meaningfully with the Goddess and Titaness, Hekate. More than just a guide to Her many epithets and symbols, this book talks through how to work as a group to honour Hekate, and how to work magic for and with Hekate, to manifest change and healing within groups or communities. This work is done through knowledge of appropriate herbs, offerings, ritual, and honouring the dead. The book is introduced by a…
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Notes from the Apothecary
Notes from the Apothecary: Olives The olive tree, Olea europaea, is an evergreen tree, bearing small fruits that we harvest for their oil – or simply to preserve and eat. Olives are native to many Mediterranean countries and the Middle East, which is why they are often linked to Greek and Roman deities in Western spirituality. The first time I saw olive trees in the wild, it was amazing. Here was my favourite snack, growing right by the side of the road! I saw them in Portugal, Spain, but none were so striking as in the olive groves of the Greek island of Rhodes. Rows upon rows of small,…
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Notes from the Apothecary
Notes from the Apothecary: Heather Heather or ling, Calluna vulgaris, is a short, evergreen, bushy shrub with stalks of tiny purple, pink or white flowers, prolific on moorland or heathland. It’s native to Europe but has been introduced to many countries across the world. It often indicates areas of deforestation, where trees have not been allowed to grow back, so the heather and other shorter plants take over. I asked my three-year-old which plant I should explore for this month, and she said, “A pink one!”. After some pondering, I showed her some pictures of pink, purple, and white heather stretching across the moors, and she was delighted. So,…
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An Excerpt from Practically Pagan: An Alternative Guide to Planet Friendly Living
Recently, non-violent environmental activist group Extinction Rebellion took to the streets of London to protest governments investing in fossil fuels. Regardless of your political affiliations, we can all agree that looking after our planet is good for everyone, human and otherwise! Here is an excerpt from Mabh Savage’s upcoming book, Practically Pagan: An Alternative Guide to Planet Friendly Living, considering ways of fighting the systems that contribute towards an unhealthy planet and global ecosystem. I think some Pagans and spiritual folks may avoid intense environmental activism because they may be concerned that their practice may become too political. It’s easy to get bogged down in politics, which as…
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Notes from the Apothecary
Notes from the Apothecary: Clover Clover is also called trefoil, literally “three-leaves”, and grows in most places around the world. Although many clover plants look similar, there are around 300 species of Trifolium and they’re in the same plant family as peas. Both the round, joyful flowers and the iconic triplet of small, round leaves have a ton of folklore around them – and some surprising modern research, too. The Kitchen Garden Red and white clover are the most common where I live, and often pop up in lawns without any encouragement from gardeners. As well as being a fantastic food source for bees and other insects,…
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An Irreverent Lughnasadh
Lughnasadh is my least ‘religiously’ observed festival. That seems pretty irreverent for a practicing Pagan, I guess, but my reasons are thus: Lughnasadh tends to fall at the time of year that I am busiest; either with my lovely children, or with camping, or catching up with friends, or all of the above. It can be a busy time in the garden, and it also falls right bang in the middle of the first section of the foraging season. We’ve just run out of wild elder flowers and are moving onto raspberries and blackberries, some of Lugh’s favourite offerings, although that’s from personal experience and not attested to in Irish…