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Notes from the Apothecary
Notes from the Apothecary: Snowberry Snowberry, or Symphoricarpos, is the name for 15 or so shrubs that boast gorgeous white berries. The plant is part of the honeysuckle family, and is also known as waxberry or the beautifully evocative name, ghostberry. The inspiration to write about this plant came from my 13-year-old, who sent me this cute WhatsApp message on his way home (pictured). It’s lovely to be the “go-to” person for plant info, and nice to be able to give some fast advice on a potentially toxic plant! The interesting thing about snowberries is that, while they can be toxic, they’re also used medicinally in some…
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GoodGod!
Meet the Gods: Shakok Shakok is the god of winter of the Northern Mountain, according to Native American mythology. The story goes that Acoma’s chief’s daughter, Co-chin-ne-na-ko, married the winter spirit. After he came to live with them, the winters became colder, snow fell harder, the world stayed frozen longer, crops no longer matured, and food became scarce. One miserable winter day as Co-chin-ne-na-ko was searching for food, she met Miochin, the spirit of summer. He was wearing a yellow shirt woven of corn silk; leggings made of green moss; a tall pointed hat, and moccasins decorated with butterflies and flowers. Upon learning her people were eating cactus leaves,…
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SpellCrafting
Spells for the Craft: Peace Water Merry meet! Many of you are probably familiar with war water – typically made from iron nails or spikes left to rust in pond water along with another ingredient or two such as Spanish moss or wormwood. It’s used to drive away disruptive energy, and I have sprinkled it around the perimeter of my abode as a preemptive protective measure. Recently I learned of peace water. A hoodoo product, it brings peace, harmony, and gentleness to places, people or situations. It can create an energetic barrier, warding off negative entities and energies that would bring discord to your environment. It’s thought peace water draws…
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Teachings of the Mythic Past
Fairies and Plants in Slavic Folklore and Spirituality The ancient Slavs worshiped and believed in a broad range of magical creatures found in nature, and various perspectives on the male and feminine facets of divinity. Folktales from all across the world contain fantastical beings that sometimes resemble people and animals, and sometimes both simultaneously. Folklore holds the key to the numerous stories of giants, people, fairies, animals, and so on. We have referred to these stories as “fairy tales” for generations due to the relevance of these widely known and popular creatures. These beings are sometimes referred to as fairies, faeries, fey, or fae in modern English. In Slavic folklore,…
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Weyland’s Whey
For Your Deliberation I AM HERE because I choose to be. I AM MARRIED because I want to be. I AM ONLY FRANTIC when I forget that. When They Lived and What They Lived For Magic is truly everywhere. Recently Mihos attended the performance of a seventeen piece classic jazz and swing band. Reeds, Rhythm and All That Brass http://www.facebook.com/RRBbigband/ These folks deserve all the publicity they can get. Especially because they only perform for charitable, civic and seniors events. The kind of music his parents and grandparents listened to. Some of it was from eighty to a hundred years ago, from the Nineteen Twenties to the Second World War. From his seat…
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MagickalArts
What Are the Magickal Arts? … As magickal practitioners we are all “artists” in our own ways, honing our skills of creating magick, weaving patterns of energy that affect change and calling to the most Divine of our natures as we align with cosmos, greater earth and all of the many Beings that inhabit those realms. And, I like where this trend is taking us in exploring the craft in all of forms…. Samhain brings the opportunity for reconnecting with our deceased Beloveds and acknowledge our place in the cycles of life and death. This issue we honor… Magickal Art of Becoming the Ancestors! Who Are the…
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Mindful Living: A Connection of Mind, Body and Spirit
The wheel of the year turns to Samhain. Days are cooler, nights cooler still. What leaves are left are either evergreens or late fall colors. The smell of coolness and decaying earth sits on the breeze signaling a change in weather and pace of living. Cooler days seem to signal our bodies and minds to go at a slower pace, yet modern times have fall and Winter busier times of the year. Mindful living doesn’t have to be complicated. It is about being aware of the moments you are in and connecting to your authentic self. When you are connected to yourself then you can create a life that you…
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GoodGod!
Meet the Gods: Coyote Brother One of the gods associated with Samhain is Coyote Brother, a well-known figure in the myths and legends of many indigenous peoples in North America. Many tribes credit Coyote with gifting fire to humans and teaching them useful skills. Coyote Brother is most often considered “the trickster god.” He can be fearsome or funny, foolish or cunning. Many believe he brings winter, death, and all things evil. In northern California, he is portrayed as greedy, reckless, and deceitful. While that causes problems for those around him, his impulsive, often foolish behavior creates suffering for him, too, and sometimes even death, although afterwards he always manages…
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Spiritual First Aid
Moving Spirits On Welcome to the first installment of Spiritual First Aid! I intend to use this column for two complementary goals: one is what to do with a metaphysical crisis or having a magickal emergency, and the other is using magick to handle the difficulties of life. Some topics I will cover will be things such as dealing with unwanted spirits, banishing harmful forces, advanced protection magick, using magick when in an emotional crisis, dealing with possession, energetic parasites, dealing with psychic vampires (unethical ones not asking for permission), how to handle intense energies in and out of ritual, and even rebuilding your life after a major life crisis-…
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Shui Shed
Welcome to The Shui Shed…. …. a new column for PaganPagesOrg that will explore the basic principles of Feng Shui. This column will share concepts that can be used to bring positive energy and enhance the vibrations within your physical environment. This edition we’ll explore the Min Gua – what it means and how understanding your Min Gua or life pattern can assist you to interact positively within your physical space. Min literally translates to “life” and Gua means “pattern.” Enhanced clarity and focus can be achieved through a deeper understanding of your Min Gua. The practice of Feng Shui tells us that the physical space we occupy, the places…