The Modern Merlin
Hello there! I’m the Modern Merlin, and I’ve been a Pagan, Witch, Sorcerer and Soothsayer for 15 years, worshipping and working with deities and spirits from many cultures, including Ancient Greece, Rome, Norse & Germanic, Celtic as well as Yoruba & Voodoo deities. I give readings and spiritual services on my Facebook page, The Modern Merlin, as well other free informational posts for everyone to see!
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Book Review: Secrets of Greek Mysticism by George Lizos
Secrets of Greek Mysticism: A Modern Guide to Daily Practice with the Greek Gods and Goddesses by George Lizos, published by Hampton Roads Publishing, an imprint of Red Wheel/Weiser runs a total of 240 pages. The book begins with Lizos explaining his own cosmological views, as well as the nature of divinity and the Gods and Goddesses. Lizos then goes on to discuss the relationship between humans the Gods and Goddesses, before beginning a section exploring in more depth, the 12 Olympian Gods and Goddesses. Each of the 12 Olympians has a section that covers the deity’s virtues, as well as hymns, prayers, and meditations with those Gods and Goddesses. The…
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Book Review: Pagan Portals: Dragon Magic by Rachel Patterson
Here Be Dragons… Pagan Portals: Dragon Magic by Rachel Patterson is another lovely addition to one of my favorite Pagan publication series. For those unfamiliar, Pagan Portals is a series of short, introductory books on various deities, magicks, etc., by Moon Books. I received an e-book copy of this wonderful book, and it doesn’t disappoint, either, especially if you’re a lover of Dragons and their lore, myths, and power. Patterson begins by addressing myths from around the world pertaining to Dragons, from Chinese myths, to Ancient Greek, Roman and Egyptian myths, various Catholic and Orthodox myths with Dragons, Middle Eastern, Celtic and Norse, and even more world myths of Dragons, giving the unfamiliar…
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Book Review: Alive with Spirits by Althaea Sebastiani
Overview of Alive with Spirits Alive with Spirits: The Path and Practice of Animistic Witchcraft by Althaea Sebastiani, published by Weiser, is a book that I’ve been personally excited to read since Weiser mentioned it on social media. Sebastiani doesn’t disappoint, either. She starts off with what I consider a thesis on the philosophy of animism, in that it isn’t something you believe but rather, something you embody through daily practice. Sebastiani continuously breaks down societal barriers and programming that prevent most from fully taking on this worldview. She states that Animistic Witchcraft and Polytheism typically go hand-in-hand (and from experience as a Polytheist and Animist, I concur), but that other paradigms of Witchcraft also…
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The Modern Merlin’s Corner: Owls and Oaks: Wisdom of the Seen and Unseen
My personal spiritual journey has been zig-zagging lately, between different topics, practices, pantheons and spirits. Lately, I’ve been on a path of deepening my connection with the land, the animals that inhabit it, and the spirits, too. When I began reading Celtic Goddess Grimoire for my review, which you can read here, I began sensing an even deeper appreciation for nature than I already had. I felt a deep connection with the trees, animals and land that I see everyday, and I can only explain this as Nemetona’s presence, one of the Goddesses in that book that really came through, along with Melusine, as I live in a town that was literally…
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Book Review: Celtic Goddess Grimoire by Annwyn Avalon
Overview of Celtic Goddess Grimoire Celtic Goddess Grimoire: Invoke the Enduring Power of the Celtic Feminine Divine by Annwyn Avalon is packed with spells, rituals, sacred practices, and meditations with a litany of Celtic goddesses from areas like Gaul, Wales, Ireland, Scotland, and other continental Celtic goddesses. The book covers some well known Celtic goddesses, as well as some that aren’t as well known to witches, but are to Druids, like Nemetona. Celtic Goddess Grimoire also covers some faery woman as well, such as Morgan le Fay and others. Avalon artfully weaves the the mythologies and known information about each goddess, and then follows each with a section of spells, rituals, invocations and…
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Book Review: Astrolations! by Jill Carr
Overview of Astrolations! Astrolations!: A Unique Astrological Guide For You and All Your Relationships by Jill Carr definitely lives up to its title, as Carr fuses Tropical (Star Sign) Astrology, as well as Sidereal (Astrology that uses more current dates for when the sun is in a sign, thus moving the sign dates forward), and Chinese astrology. The Book opens with a brief, yet thorough explanation of the Star Signs, the sign most of us know, and then also covers the Sidereal sign dates, as well as the Chinese zodiac signs, and gives a list of Chinese sign years starting in 1900, going until 2032, also giving the Chinese element of that sign…
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Book Review: Fortuna: The Sacred and Profane Faces of Luck by Nigel Pennick
Overview of Fortuna Nigel Pennick, a well known expert and author of pagan and occult subjects, published Fortuna with Destiny Books, a division of Inner Traditions Publishing. The material presented is historically accurate and informative, going through periods of humanity and how luck was perceived, as well as different oracle systems throughout the ages. Pennick does include some practical information that a modern practitioner of divination could use, such as geomantic figures, numerology lists, and a list of common epithets of Fortuna that could be called upon by a modern pagan, or anyone looking for divine help navigating life’s decisions and ups and downs, with simple but effective techniques. With Fortuna, Pennick…
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Book Review: Healing Pluto Problems by Donna Cunningham
Why this book matters in our time TW: This book, and review, will touch on very hard issues such as abuse, substance use, incest, molestation, rape, etc. Healing Pluto Problems: An Astrological Guide by Donna Cunningham recently got an update with Weiser rolling out its Classics Series. First published in 1986, when one of the most potent Pluto transits, in his native home of Scorpio, had just gotten underway about 2.5 years prior. Understandably, there was a need for this book at that time, when so many issues revolving around such Plutonian issues as drug and alcohol abuse, domestic abuse and sexual abuse were coming to light, and new, innovative…
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The Modern Merlin’s Corner: Set: The Misunderstood God of Ancient Egypt
Why Set Matters in our Time Set, Sutekh, Seth; for Khemetic practitioners and those with an interest in Ancient Egypt, this name conjures up the fratricide of Osiris by his brother, whose name graces this very article. For those leaning on the Left Hand Path, he is the Pagan Adversarial God, who provokes change through harsh means. For me, personally, I view Set as much more than these limited definitions. Set is essential change, essential chaos. The Ancient Egyptians both feared and revered this deity of the dry, arid, desert, and for good reason. My personal experience with this Dark Lord is that, yes, he can turn things upside down, but usually,…
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The Modern Merlin’s Corner: Transformative Magick With Astrology and Alchemy
My Dark Night of the Soul I think before I get along with my more practical explanation of what exactly I’m talking about here, I first need to explain why I chose to write this article, at this particular time. As an Astrologer, I firmly believe that humanity itself is on a threshold: evolve, or don’t. It sounds simple, but it’s much more complex, because we, as human beings, are more complex than duality of good vs. bad, or light vs. dark. The grey area is within us and around us. I mainly work in this grey area, believing that magick and spirituality are exactly what you make it. It…
