• Monthly Columns,  Reviews

    Witch & Popcorn

      Buffy the Vampire Slayer   Bright Blessings, film lovers!   This month I am reviewing a cult television series that was famous in the 1990’s and early 2000’s and was one of the most popular supernatural horror TV series. It ran for seven seasons, and had a successful spin off show. It spawned what the writer called “a rabid, almost insane fan base,” and earned a spot in TV Guide’s Greatest TV Shows of All Time and Rolling Stone included it in their 100 Greatest TV Shows of All Time as well. It’s Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Here is a clip so you can see what to expect from…

  • Monthly Columns

    Creating a Solitary Rhythm An Excerpt from the Book ‘The Witch at the Forest’s Edge: Thirteen Keys to Modern Traditional Witchcraft’ by Christine Grace

    Creating a Solitary Rhythm   For the traditional witch the goal is real, functional witchery. This means that it is essential for us to do our craft on a day-by-day, season-by-season basis. For some this is easy and obvious, while for others it is hard. These challenges can be long term or last only a season. One challenge can be that many of us are solitary witches. At the Forest’s Edge, we say we are all solitary-in-community. This means that whether we have a local circle or not, we all cultivate solitary practice and work to maintain our ties to our tradition community. For a traditional witch with neither tradition…

  • Monthly Columns

    Good Vibrations – Subtle Energy Techniques for a Radiant New You this New Year by Cyndi Dale

    No matter your biological age, energy medicine offers great anti-aging benefits. From the get-go, I must admit that I have my own secret ingredient. I have spent almost two decades following my youngest son’s baseball career, with most of the games occurring between February and June in the upper Midwest. Guess what that means? Yup. I am typically sitting on the bleachers in glacial weather. The downside is that I am usually miserable. The upside? My wrinkles freeze in place. Short of recommending my own unique practice, there are numerous activities that promote longevity, good health, and a youthful appearance. The ones I share herein are backed by science but…

  • Monthly Columns

    GoodGod!

    Meet the Gods: Faunus     As part of the festival of Lupercalia, held on February 15, the ancient Romans honored Faunus, the god of forests, fields, and plains. One of the oldest Roman deities, he epitomizes the reproductive force intrinsic in the universe. He is the essence of wild male sexual energy and the urgent biological need to procreate. Similar to the Greek god Pan, Faunus is typically depicted as an attractive man from the waist up and a goat from the waist down, with human feet and goat horns. He kept company with similar creatures, known as fauns, in the woodlands. While delicate and humble, they were also…

  • Monthly Columns

    MagickalArts

    The Magick of Pisces February 18 – March 20     I have a great many interests and astrology is one of the top runners on my list. I thought it would be fun to explore a little bit about the little section of the Zodiac that carries the energy of a vision of humanity’s highest self (Aquarius) through the transition of Pisces gifts that flow into the boundless energy of a new turn of the Astrological Wheel (Aries). The star of this triune powerhouse is Pisces! To begin, let’s look at the timing of this post, February 1st. We are mid-point in the solar station of Aquarius and the…

  • Monthly Columns

    Nurturing Your Wild Child

    Imbolc – Bringing Brigid into your Family   We find in Irish Pagan Traditions a Goddess who embodies fertility and healing as she brings the warmth with her Sacred Flame to make Spring anew in the lands. In fact, her Sacred Flame remains eternal and is lit each year at Imbolc in Kildare, Ireland to bring her back to the forefront, renewing the temperatures and asking the lands to be fertility of animal and plant life. Brigid takes on many roles in both the Celtic Pagan Goddess and the Catholicism ideas – yet for both she is a safe harbor for children, leading and guiding them as a Goddess/Saint of…

  • Monthly Columns,  Spells & Rituals

    Peeking in the Shadows: Crafting a Book of Shadows and Light

      We begin a journey through the Witch’s Wheel of the Year for 2022!   The Witch’s Wheel of the Year     What is the Wheel of the Year? The Wheel of the Year marks the Sun’s journey across the sky, the solstices, equinoxes and the Earth’s changing seasons. Each spoke of the wheel marks an important moment of progression and change in the Earth and in accord with that progression a celebratory festival is aligned. These celebrations are called Sabbats. The Wheel of the Year is also a reflection of the recurring cycles of the Natural world. Traditionally, these celebrations were very closely tied to the cycles of…

  • Monthly Columns

    Jazz’s Gems

    Bloodstone         Bloodstone is a beautiful dark green gem with bright red specks in it. It shows up in your life when you need a boost of energy. It is a variety of chalcedony and is also known as Heliotrope. This mood stabilizer is associated with Aries, Libra and Pisces and it is the birthstone of March. If you are looking for something that will heighten your intuition- this one’s for you! It will also strengthen your heart, both physically and spiritually.        If you are anemic, Bloodstone will help. It will also detoxify the liver, intestines, kidney, spleen and bladder. It heals all things related to…

  • Monthly Columns

    Witch Hunt

      There are witches all around us. You can find them anywhere… The Witch on Wheels has been documenting her findings.   Meet: Roberto Vargas     I met Roberto Vargas about six years ago through a pagan discussion group. He and his husband, Norman, are one of the nicest couples you’d want to meet and we’ve remained friends. Both have their sun in Cancer. The three of us connected with three other friends and committed to planning a public ritual for all eight sabbats during one turn of the wheel. He was unflappable. I learned a lot about how wonderful things turn out even if you feel like you’re…

  • Monthly Columns

    As Above, So Below (How the Stars Became Our Hearts)

    Who Are The Dark Goddesses?     Before we begin, as a disclaimer, it should be noted that with the old gods, stories differ from source to source, and were never canonized. An ironic word to use in that the word canonization comes from the canonization of the Bible. So in effect, the word doubles its meaning, in that they are religious texts non canonized, and that the various stories written about them are done so non canonically. The gods and are something that can only be expressed, not explained. Above is a picture of Shiva. Some of you may know, he is one of the Principal Deities of Hinduism.…