• Monthly Columns,  Paranormal, Folklore & Mythology,  Spells & Rituals

    A World Re-Enchanted February 2025

    “It is said by the Eldar that in water there lives yet the echo of the Music of the Ainur more than in any substance that is in this Earth; and many of the Children of Ilúvatar hearken still unsated to the voices of the Sea, and yet know not for what they listen.” R. R. Tolkien   The elemental focus for this month based on the Elven lore of Arda is Water.  As the above quote shows for the Elves of Arda water is a powerful force holding extensive wisdom and knowledge from the past. The Teleri or coastal Elves are most deeply connected to the ocean primarily and…

  • Gods & Goddesses,  Monthly Columns,  Spells & Rituals

    The Modern Merlin’s Corner-February 2025: Embodying the Divine Masculine in a Toxic Masculine Society

    Hello, and welcome to February! I hope everyone who celebrates had a wonderful, and inspiring, Imbolc. We’re currently seeing the effects of toxic masculinity in our society-especially if you live in USA. Our leadership, to be blunt, embodies everything that the masculine energy has to offer in its shadow: greed, hatred, bigotry, intolerance, and more. While there are many who support this cult of personality surrounding the “FOTUS”, I believe there are many more who are opposed to him, including within the United States. As a male leftist, pagan, witch, sorcerer and mystic, embodying the masculine comes with a sort of taboo these days; many see anything masculine as simply…

  • Spells & Rituals

    The Rite Way: Blessing Tools at Imbolc

    Imbolc marks the return of spring, even as winter continues its reign. It’s a time of rebirth and fertility, hope and new growth. It’s time to prepare for the warm spring days to come and for the renewal of Mother Earth and her bounty. This ritual is written for a group but can easily be modified for a solitary practitioner.  The goddess most associated with Imbolc is Brigid, a triple goddess, the patron of poets and bards as well as healers, magicians, and smiths. She was especially honored when it came to matters of prophecy and divination. She is the keeper of the flame, the protector of the home, and a…

  • Monthly Columns,  Paranormal, Folklore & Mythology,  Spells & Rituals

    A Word Re-Enchanted January 2025

    The Gregorian calendar has once again turned over and the start of a new year has begun. Change is a constant aspect of the seasons and time moves steadily forward. Here on the Big Island of Hawaii however things progress along pretty normal timelines. The seasons do not really exist and so tracking things like winter, spring, summer and fall are completely different. That being said even January has an impact as people look towards the newly unfolding year. Many people drawing on the fire ignited by the energy of the new year have started resolutions and sadly some have already ceased them and an estimated 43% will drop them…

  • Monthly Columns,  Paranormal, Folklore & Mythology,  Spells & Rituals

    Cody’s Column

    The Land Spirits Are Still Calling      It’s Winter in the Northern Hemisphere here along the Magic Skagit River in the beautiful and wet Pacific Northwest.  The bears have decreased their movement across the land but their claw marks on the apple trees are still visible.  Black-capped chickadees are flocking by the dozens to glean the small seeds of chicory and lamb’s quarter.  Our farm cats crouch in the crumpled grass with a glimmer in their eyes.  The snow is still wandering in the upper hills and mountains and has not come down to the riverbed yet.  Land spirits are here, I can feel their calls, they are a whole…

  • Spells & Rituals

    SpellCrafting: Money Rice  

    With the land lush and green in the Northeast, it felt like a good time to make a batch of green money rice. I got the idea from a video posted by Witch the Raven on TikTok and was waiting for the right time. July’s dark moon in Cancer after heavy rains that left the world smelling rich and earthy was that time. To make it, put dry rice in a bowl, add green food coloring and stir to coat. To that, Witch the Raven added salt, basil, cinnamon, and chamomile. After mixing, she added patchouli essential oil and stirred again.  When I made mine, I forgot all about the…

  • Spells & Rituals

    SpellCrafting: Return to Sender Mirror Spell

    I was feeling overwhelmed and helpless in the face of the actions of a handful of white men in power who are bringing about death, destruction, pain, fear, and hate. Then I remembered I am a witch with powers I was not using. After considering a number of spells, I settled on a return to sender spell using a mirror. I chose a compact with mirrors on both halves. That the one I found at a dollar store happened to be blue turned was a bonus because blue is associated with West, which I associate with water, cleansing, love, and healing. Blue is also a color associated with Kali Ma,…

  • Spells & Rituals

    SpellCrafting: Spells for Witches

    SpellCrafting: Starting Beltane Fires Merry meet! This issue’s WitchCrafting column has ideas for making fire starters. If you’d like to take it one step further, you can craft them as a spell. Beltane themes such as burning away that which no longer serves your highest good and greatest joy, planting seeds, and nurturing goals can be incorporated when making fire starters. For instance, toilet paper tubes stuffed with dryer lint can be decorated with Beltane colors (green, soft pink, blue, yellow, red, brown), pictures of flowers in bloom, or a sigil made for a specific intention. On it you can write what you are ready to release, what you desire…

  • Spells & Rituals

    It’s All Rite

    Spring is a time of hope, new beginnings, potential, and planting. Air, east, the new moon, the maiden archetype, inspiration, imagination, fresh flowers, nests, eggs, hawks, seeds, chimes, dragonflies, wonder, joy, playfulness, communication, spiders, purification, daffodils, childhood, and adventure are all associated with Ostara. For readers who want to keep it simple, below is a collection of easy yet meaningful activities to celebrate the Spring Equinox. Pick whatever interests you, and continue as long as you wish. Perhaps one of them will become a daily practice. * Put a bowl of candied eggs on a table or counter to bless new beginnings with sweetness and happiness. * Hang wind chimes…

  • Monthly Columns,  Spells & Rituals

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

    A Journey Through the Witch’s Wheel of the Year 2022!   The Witch’s Wheel of the Year In the February Issue we began exploring the Sabbats of the Witch’s Wheel of the Year and beginning a journey of filling our BOS with information about how we celebrated and what we found to be true of our practice. For a review of what the Wheel of the Year is take a look at February’s posting here: Peeking in the Shadows: Crafting A Book of Shadows and Light-February2022   We Continue Our Journey Through the Witch’s Wheel and call to the Light of the Summer Solstice…. THE SUMMER SOLSTICE/LITHA   The King…