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Celebrating the Old Ways in New Times
Celebrating the Old Ways in New Times for Yule 2022 and Imbolc 2023 Bright Blessings! As the year comes to a close, and we reflect upon the blessings Yule and Winter Solstice bring, we also look forward to Imbolc when the first signs of Spring appear. This time, instead of writing about the Sabbats, I want to give you gifts. I am sharing some letters my Priest was able to acquire and tell you about the things the letters discuss! First, a bit about my priest. Lord Shadow He is nearing age 72, the age he says most Ceremonial Magicians don’t live past, and he has already dodged…
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Witch & Popcorn
The 57th Annual Country Music Awards Bright Blessings! This time, I am reviewing something that is quite different from anything else I have reviewed before- the Country Music Awards ceremony from November 9, 2022. You might not think such a program was magical, but it was, and I will tell you why. First, watch one of the performances here: (33) This Performance by Chris Stapleton and Patty Loveless Will Give You Goosebumps | LIVE @ CMA Awards – YouTube This particular performance of You’ll Never Leave Harlan Alive that was at the awards has been a work in progress since at least 1997 when the song was…
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Witch & Popcorn
You are Not My Mother Bright Blessings Film Lovers! I am reviewing an amazing film made in Ireland that will scare your socks off and remind you that magic is real, and we had better pay attention when magical forces are eating away at us. I have to say this is literally one of the best films I have seen in a while and I cannot recommend it enough. It is called You Are Not My Mother, and it was released in 2021 starring Hazel Doupe, Carolyn Bracken, and Ingrid Craigie. Here is a trailer to watch: It is based on a very old folk belief from…
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Celebrating the Old Ways in New Times Exclusive Interview with Oberon Zell
Celebrating the Old Ways in New Times for October 2022 – Interview with Oberon Zell Bright Blessings, all! I trust by the time you read this, you are elbow deep in apples, pumpkins, mums, and all things spicy and Fall flavored. I trust your homes and gardens are bedecked in golds, oranges, burgundies, and purples, and many of you are planning to allow leaves to stay in the yard so insects can safely survive the winter. I trust all you Pagans are planning for Samhain including gatherings with friends and soul kin, and you plan to open yourselves to communication with spirits as the veil grows thinner. Many observe Samhain…
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Book Review – The Magick of Birthdays by Hannah Hawthorn
Book Review The Magic of Birthdays: Rituals, Spells, and Recipes for Honoring Your Solar Return Through Rootwork and Conjure by Hannah Hawthorn Publisher: Penguin Random House 269 Pages Publication date: July 12, 2022 Bright Blessings! I am thrilled to share an amazing new book with you that discusses exactly what the title says it does — birthdays and all the magic that comes along with them. I don’t read all that much for myself, because my day job entails plenty of research. As somebody who has to share facts and history on a weekly basis, I have to say I…
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Exclusive Interview With Author of Witch Wisdom for Magical Aging, Cait Johnson
Bright Blessings! I was lucky enough to get to review Cait Johnson’s book Witch Wisdom for Magical Aging: Finding Your Power Through the Changing Seasons, and let me tell you, it is one hell of a great book! I cannot say enough about how very much I loved this book, but I will share the review we published so you can read excerpts of it for yourself: Book Review – Witch Wisdom for Magical Aging: Finding Your Power Through the Changing Seasons by Cait Johnson – PaganPages.org Cait has authored seven fantastic books, including Witch Wisdom, but that’s not all she does! Her bio says: “She holds an…
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Book Review – Reclaiming the Power of Hoodoo by Alisha J. Brown
Book Review Reclaiming the Power of Hoodoo: A Beginner’s Guide to African American Folk Magic To Cultivate Peace and Abundance in Your Life Through Rootwork and Conjure by Alisha J. Brown Publisher: Independently Published 180 Pages Publication date: April 6, 2022 Bright Blessings! I am thrilled to share all about Alisha J. Brown’s Reclaiming the Power of Hoodoo book. Before I delve into what the book discusses, let me say this is hot off the press, released this year in 2022 and was independently published. It’s an ample 180 pages, and an easy read. Let’s explore Brown’s writings, but first…
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Celebrating the Old Ways in New Times
Celebrating the Old Ways in New Times for August 2022 (Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash) Bright Blessings! Lughnassadh is upon us, the first harvest of the Wheel of the Year, and I don’t know if I have ever felt less like writing about harvest before! Something is weighing on my mind heavily I feel needs written about and writing about harvest being all about how we reap what we sow, and to keep working hard at our goals will take a different tone this time. This is the hottest Summer I can ever remember having in Central Ohio and I know why it’s happening. Global Warming. Yes,…
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Witch & Popcorn
Review of Gone With The Wind Bright Blessings Film Lovers! Today I am reviewing a blasphemous film that has been one of my favorites since I was a kid. I will say the glamour, unbelievably great acting, magnificent sets, and the fantastic music make this a masterpiece of Hollywood few other films can rival. However, as an adult, I am aware of some ugly truths it laid bare- unintentionally of course- and how it was a sign of bias against both people of color and women in times bygone. The film had the highest budget that any other had at that time, and if you adjust for inflation, it’s still…
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Review of Kraft Paper Muse Magazine & Interview With Editor Ana Maria Selvaggio Renmeleon
Bright Blessings, Readers! This month, I was fortunate enough to review Kraft Paper Muse and score an interview with Ana Maria Selvaggio Renmeleon and I must say this is a great publication you can either read online for free or subscribe to and get the print copy for a small fee. This is what their site says: “Kraft Paper Muse (KPM) is an independently published, bimonthly magazine centered on intentionally living a more cohesive, digitally-analog creative life while maintaining wellness and balance. We believe in diversity, the power of words, and the importance of play. Drawing inspiration from the global collective of creatives around us, we celebrate all mediums and…
