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An Irreverent Lughnasadh
Lughnasadh is my least ‘religiously’ observed festival. That seems pretty irreverent for a practicing Pagan, I guess, but my reasons are thus: Lughnasadh tends to fall at the time of year that I am busiest; either with my lovely children, or with camping, or catching up with friends, or all of the above. It can be a busy time in the garden, and it also falls right bang in the middle of the first section of the foraging season. We’ve just run out of wild elder flowers and are moving onto raspberries and blackberries, some of Lugh’s favourite offerings, although that’s from personal experience and not attested to in Irish…
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‘Magical Houseplants’ Excerpt from The Witchy Homestead by Nikki Van De Car
MAGICAL HOUSEPLANTS The following plants are ideal for placing around your doors or windows, in your bathroom or kitchen, in bedrooms and at the entryways—their energy and support will permeate your home. Ferns These ethereal plants can help protect your home from invasive negative energies. They’re also very easy to care for—they like humid weather and will thrive hanging on your porch in the summer, as long as you give them plenty of water. They prefer indirect light, as they thrive in shady, secretive nooks. SUGGESTED PLACEMENT: Ferns will keep your home happy wherever they are, but if there’s a certain room where you sit and read…
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Notes from the Apothecary
Notes from the Apothecary: Stinging Nettles Called nettles, stinging nettles, or common nettle, this jagged-leafed plant is a hardy little medicine cabinet packed with folklore and magic. Urtica Dioica is the scientific name for the most commonly recognised species, and it’s found all over the world in hedgerows, woodlands, and anywhere where there is space for it to grow. Gardeners may hate nettles for stinging their fingers unexpectedly when weeding, and anyone who has been out hiking in shorts knows what a nettle sting on the leg feels like! But these feisty and fierce “weeds” have more uses than you would imagine, and can easily be forgiven for…
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“What to Do When a Friendship Isn’t Working” Excerpt from The Junior Astrologer’s Handbook: A Kid’s Guide to Astrological Signs, the Zodiac, and More by Nikki Van De Car, illustrated by Uta Krogmann
“What to Do When a Friendship Isn’t Working” *An Excerpt from The Junior Astrologer’s Handbook: A Kid’s Guide to Astrological Signs, the Zodiac, and More by Nikki Van De Car, illustrated by Uta Krogmann Certain signs just have a hard time bonding with one another. It doesn’t mean they can never be friends, or that these aren’t extremely valuable relationships—it just means that maybe they require a little more intention and work than others. ARIES You can have a tough time with Capricorn, Cancer, and sometimes Pisces or other Aries. When that happens, try to check your own impulses—are you being too fiery? Are you being…
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New Faery Story – The Land of Cassari
The Land of Cassari by Kelpie Sunpearl HI EVERYONE! MY NAME IS KELPIE SUNPEARL! Oh, oops.. hehe. Sorry for the shouting, I’m just reallllly excited that I get to tell all of you about my homeland of Cassari! A nice lady by the name of Miss Jennifer asked my human friend Cyndi Pilcher if she knew anyone that wanted to tell all the humans all about Cassari! So, she suggested ME, and sent a message to me. Let me tell you how STUNNED I was first of all. I mean of ALLL the Fae she could have chosen, she chose me!? Instead of Orchid or Petunia or even Lady…
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MagickalArts
A New (Witch’s Year)! The Space of Integration Happy July and the Space of Integration Between…. We’ve just celebrated the Summer Solstice and now have an opportunity to rest in the weeks between before the next Sabbat of Lammas and the Autumnal Equinox. How we choose to use that time can serve us in unexpected ways and deepen what we have carried from our experiences of those previous Sabbats. In that spirit, I would like to invite you to just simply breathe into this month of July. This month is the pause before each inhalation and the fullness before each exhalation of breath. We can choose to…
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The Energetics of Various FoodStuffs an Excerpt from “Chakras, Food and You,” by Cyndi Dale and Dana Childs
The Energetics of Various FoodStuffs One of the most important ways to decide what to eat and what to avoid involves an understanding of the subtle energetics of various types of foodstuffs. As you’ll discover, carbs provide instant energy and comfort. If your best friend just moved away, you aren’t going to crave a strengthening protein. You’ll want a comforting carb. That’s okay—just select a healthy one for your chakra type. But when you’re headed to her going-away party? You might want to snack on a protein first, as you’ll need the strength proteins offer. The following outline of various types of foodstuffs and nutrients can key you in…
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My Name is Freya – Poetry
(Freya 2nd Edition created by the artist Samantha Chilton of SJChilton on Etsy and can be purchased from there.) My name is Freya, Goddess of Love And yet I am no stranger to death Upon the battlefields you will find me Collecting warriors from their untimely death With death comes life – rebirth With day comes night My husband Odur is the symbol of the summer sun But now you and I celebrate the return to darkness The Wheel of Life turns round and round So now before we turn inwards Celebrate all that you have achieved Celebrate all that you are Stand tall with the mighty oak,…
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Witch Hunt
There are witches all around us. You can find them anywhere… The Witch on Wheels has been documenting her findings. Meet Kim McFadden Kim was one of six of us who were founding members of a coven some sixteen years ago that changed over time but continues still, without us. Her strong, calm Taurus presence grounds me when she is near. She has a wicked sense of humor, and owns all her thoughts and behaviors, keeping her real. Kim hosts my stays in Connecticut and we often have wine on the porch and watch the sun set beyond my bus. Her house is modest for her…
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Celebrating The Old Ways in New Times
Celebrating The Old Ways in New Times for July 2021 Bright Blessings! The Summer Solstice is hitting hard with steamy days, muggy nights, and gorgeous gardens right now! I trust you have already enjoyed your Summer Solstice gatherings or solitary rituals, and enjoying all the joys of Summer in all its splendor! As it is in between Sabbats, I get to pick what to write about, and I’d like to discuss the Heathen virtue of hard work. It’s not exactly what we’d think it is, but it’s just as important as people say. Industriousness Industriousness and determination are other words used to express this, and I admit,…