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Book Review – Modern Wicca: Beliefs and Traditions for Contemporary Life by Rowan Morgana
Book Review Modern Wicca: Beliefs and Traditions for Contemporary Life by Rowan Morgana 170 pages Publisher: Rockridge Press Publication date: April 21, 2020 I have never thought of Wicca as “modern”. In fact, back in the mid-to-late 1980’s, when I first began to explore this religion – and its co-religions Paganism, Heathenism, Druidism, and various forms of Witchcraft – it was routinely called “the Old Religion”. After reading books by scholars like Margaret Murray, Merlin Stone and Monica Sjöö, among others, it made perfect sense to me that the ancients revered a great goddess over all and the rise of a patriarchal society gradually changed this to where…
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The Kitchen Witch
Molasses Crinkles When we think of Valentine’s Day, it’s normal to think of big heart-shaped boxes of chocolates for our loved ones – “sweets for the sweets” – and who doesn’t love to get one of these beautiful boxes of chocolates – usually accompanied by a big bouquet of red roses? I mean – I know I do! But – there are other ways to show how much we care for our loved ones. I personally think a nice home baked spice cookie says a whole lot more – and who isn’t ready for a spicy night on Valentine’s Day? Molasses Crinkles is my favorite spice cookie. There are dozens…
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Book Review – The Way of the Oracle and Odin: Ecstasy, Runes & Norse Magic by Diana L. Paxson
Book Review The Way of the Oracle: Recovering the Practices of the Past to Find Answers for Today and Odin: Ecstasy, Runes & Norse Magic by Diana L. Paxson Publisher: Weiser Books Around the time that Barack Obama was elected to be the forty-fourth president of the United States, I noticed a strange phenomenon in the Wiccan-Pagan world – a growing acceptance of the free expression of racism, white supremacy, white nationalism, and the call for ethnic purity. Because of this – and a few other issues – my Facebook friend list went from over 3000 members to under 200 in the last ten years. Some people might…
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Book Review – The Inner Work of Age: Shifting from Role to Soul by Connie Zweig, Ph. D.
Book Review The Inner Work of Age: Shifting from Role to Soul by Connie Zweig, Ph.D. Publisher: Park Street Press 416 pages Publication Date: September 7, 2021 I turned sixty in 2020 – the first year of the COVID pandemic. As someone who has lived through years of drug addiction, violent relationships, homelessness and poverty, I never expected to live this long, nor did I expect to end up in such a lovely home with the financial security that understandably don’t quite trust. I enjoy pretty good health but most of my friends are dead or dying, due to years of too much partying – some have succumbed…
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The Kitchen Witch
Applesauce Custard Pie It is my personal tradition to make something with apples for Samhain. Whether it’s an apple pie, a yummy apple kuchen, German apple cake or just simple baked apples, my home is always aromatic with the smell of apples and cinnamon, nutmeg and brown sugar at the end of October. To be sure – the smell of apple and cinnamon is present almost all year long! I had made applesauce earlier in the week and I wanted to make something with the batch of applesauce that I had. I have more than one recipe for applesauce cake – including the famous one that Olivia Walton makes in…
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Oracle Card Review – Animal Love Oracle Cards: Advice, Compassion & Wisdom from Our Animal Mentors by Nadine Gordon-Taylor
Oracle Card Review Animal Love Oracle Cards Advice, Compassion & Wisdom from Our Animal Mentors by Nadine Gordon-Taylor Publisher: Bear & Company 52 Cards & 128 Page Guide Book Publication Date: June 8, 2021 I was quite excited to get these cards! The first new oracle cards to review in my new house! I hoped that they would bring good luck and spiritual blessings to my lovely home! Beautifully packaged in a red box, these lovely oracle cards are the creative brainchild of artist Nadine Gordon-Taylor, marketed by Vermont publishers Bear & Company. Nadine Gordon-Taylor has studied art since she was in high school and studied at the Arts Students…
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Seeing the Signs: Oracle Deck Review -The Wild Elemental Oracle by Michelle Motuzas
Oracle Deck Review The Wild Elemental Oracle by Michelle Motuzas Publisher: Red Feather Mind, Body, Spirit 44 Cards & 112 Page Guide Book Publication Date: August 28, 2020 Once again, I am reviewing an oracle deck based on the images of animals. The Wild Elemental Oracle by Michelle Motuzas and published by Red Feather Mind, Body, Spirit has an entirely different look and feel than the Animal Lore Oracle Cards that I reviewed last month. They are every bit as artistically beautiful as spiritual, they certainly speak to the diviner using the cards. But the colors used to illustrate the cards – while vibrant and glowing – are…
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Book Review – Astrology For Mystics: Exploring the Occult Depths of the Water Houses in Your Natal Chart by Tayannah Lee McQuillar
Book Review Astrology For Mystics Exploring the Occult Depths of the Water Houses in Your Natal Chart by Tayannah Lee McQuillar Publisher: Destiny Books 176 Pages Publication Date: March 9, 2021 Most astrology books focus on the basics. Most of us – myself included – never get beyond these basics in astrology. We may know – as I do – our sun sign, moon sign and rising sign – perhaps we know our other signs, too – so that when we read that Venus or Jupiter or Neptune is going to be turning retrograde, we know what that means for us personally. But few of us – and…
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Book Review – Numerology And Your Future: The Predictive Power of Numbers by Dusty Bunker
Book Review Numerology And Your Future The Predictive Power of Numbers by Dusty Bunker Publisher: by Red Feather Mind, Body, Spirit 272 Pages Publication Date: 11/17/2020 When it comes to using divination to figure out one’s life path, especially mapping out the patterns of your life and how to navigate the many twists and turns of your personal journey, there are many choices for the seeker to use – tarot cards, one of the many oracle cards, runes, astrology, a pendulum, bibliomancy, gazing into a crystal ball, I-Ching – there are literally hundreds of methods and everyone has their favorite. But if you want immediate answers, I think…
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Book Review – Sleep Tight: Illustrated Bedtime Stories & Meditations to Soothe You to Sleep by Alison Davies, with illustrations by Alexandra Kern
Book Review Sleep Tight Illustrated Bedtime Stories & Meditations to Soothe You to Sleep by Alison Davies with illustrations by Alexandra Kern Publishers: Leaping Hare Press 128 Pages Publication Date: 4/13/2021 As a lifelong insomniac, I was really excited to receive this book for reviewing. I thought it was going to be a guide to how to get to sleep when one is anxious or manic, how to turn off one’s racing brain and get the rest so badly needed; how to stay asleep and what to do – and not do – if awoken; and what to do during the day to ensure good sleep at night.…