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Special Announcement from The Modern Merlin: My Hanged Man Era
Hello everyone, I hope you’re doing well and that the week, and month, are getting off to an excellent start for you. Mercury stationed direct, and Venus is up next in less than a week, so things are looking up Astrologically. Every year, I do a “year ahead” tarot reading for myself, laying out a card for each month, respectively. April’s card this year, for me, is the Hanged Man. For months, I couldn’t understand exactly what was meant by that card, until certain events occurred, and began becoming overwhelming, thus voiding any creative impetus I may have had left in the tank. These events have forced me to put…
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Book Review: Gay Witchcraft
Title: Gay Witchcraft Author: Christopher Penczak Publisher: Weiser Books Release Date: 2003, Weiser Classics Series rerelease Pages: 320 When “Gay Witchcraft” was first published in 2003, it was the only book in stores that introduced the Craft to the gay community – and by who better than a member of both. This edition introduces a new generation to a classic that continues to provide a sense of belonging. It has a new forward and preface; there are some additions and edits; and the language was updated – all while keeping the voice and the spirit of the original. Christopher Penczak did not feel the need to write a sequel to…
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Deck Review-Oracle of the Phoenix by Christine Arana Fader, Illustrated by Elena Dudina
Deck Review Oracle of the Phoenix By Christine Alana Fader, Illustrated by Elena Dudina Publisher: Earthdancer 44 Card Oracle Deck, 126 Page Guidebook in a Sturdy Box Release Date: February 4th, 2025 Oracle of the Phoenix is a beautifully illustrated deck, with highly detailed and defined art on each card, and beautiful card backs, featuring a feather design and golden Phoenix in center. The Phoenix is my absolute favorite mythological creature, as they’re mentioned in mythology and folklore from all around the world. Ancient Egypt, Ancient Greece, Rome, Asia and the Middle East and Levant all have stories about the Phoenix-the bird that’s reborn and rises again from its own ashes.…
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Deck Review-The Stained Glass Tarot: An Illuminated Journey through the Cards by James Edward
Deck Review The Stained Glass Tarot: An Illuminated Journey through the Cards By James Edward Publisher: Destiny Books 78 Card Tarot Deck, 325 Page Guidebook, in a sturdy, magnetically sealed box Release Date: September 24, 2024 The Stained Glass Tarot: An Illuminated Journey through the Cards is, in a word, stunning. The deck itself features artwork that the pictures either I myself could take, or even from the publisher, just couldn’t serve justice to how exquisite these cards are. If you love the artwork in Catholic & Orthodox churches, as many mystics, pagans and spiritualists do, myself included, then this deck might just be for you. James Edward, the creator of…
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Book Review-Apparitions at the Moment of Death: The Living Ghost In Legend, Lyric, and Lore by Daniel Bourke
Book Review Apparitions at the Moment of Death: The Living Ghost in Legend, Lyric, and Lore By Daniel Bourke Publisher: Destiny Books 308 Page E-Book Release Date: December 3rd, 2024 Apparitions at the Moment of Death: The Living Ghost in Legend, Lyric, and Lore is a fascinating examination of just that: spirits that manifest at the moment of death, either for the person passing to the otherside, or those close to them. It’s a paranormal experience that many have had, and yet, it doesn’t get talked about nearly as much as I think it should in the States. I speak from personal experience that this phenomena has happened to me personally…
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Book Review-The Forbidden Knowledge of the Book of Enoch: The Watchers, Nephilim, Fallen Angels, and the End of the World by Harold Roth
Book Review The Forbidden Knowledge of the Book of Enoch: The Watchers, Nephilim, Fallen Angels, and the End of the World By Harold Roth Publisher: Weiser Books 203 Page E-Book Release Date: December 2nd, 2024 The Forbidden Knowledge of the Book of Enoch is not a book to take lightly, nor is it one that contains ceremonial magick and western occult influences, thanks to John Dee and Edward Kelly. So what is this book, then? Well, to understand that, we need to go back into history well over 4,000 years ago, and look at the different periods of history within Judaism, which is the religion that the Book of Enoch originates…
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A World Re-Enchanted March 2025
The month of March brings the first day of Spring. The clocks spring forward for places that have daylight savings time (not something that exist for us in Hawaii) and flowers start to bloom and there is a vitality in the air. The elemental focus for this month based on the Elven lore of Arda is Air. As with last month another of the three Elven rings forged by Celebrimbor in the second age is associated with Air. The ring is called Vilya also known as the Ring of Sapphire, the Blue Ring or the Ring of Air. The powers of this ring while never directly stated are speculated to…
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Mother Is The Name For God
I scanned the tall shelves, running my fingers over spines, both old and new. The library seems so out of place in a decaying city like Gehenna. Maybe the people who funded it hoped the residents would educate themselves and pull their city out of its decades-long funk. Unfortunately, crime, drugs, and poverty can’t be fixed with books. Two thick volunes rested under my arm; one on demonology, and one on angels—because there are two sides to every story. I tried to remind myself of that the other night when she showed up—this woman I wanted to know, until I saw her. We made eye contact for a second.…
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Deck Review-Mini Tarot: Rider Waite Smith by Margot Robert-Winterhalter, Illustrated by Nicolas Galkowski
Deck Review Mini Tarot: Rider Waite Smith By Margot Robert-Winterhalter, Illustrated by Nicolas Galkowski Publisher: Findhorn Press 78 Card Tarot Deck, 103 Page Full-Color Guidebook in a sturdy, magnetically sealed box Release Date: September 24, 2024 Mini Tarot: Rider Waite Smith is a pretty straightforward deck, inspired in artwork and meaning by the tradition Rider-Waite/Smith Tarot deck that has become a staple to Tarot readers, scholars and collectors alike. One of the first decks I picked up was the traditional Rider Waite deck, and at times I still go to that deck for readings. This little deck is actually different in a few important ways: first, the over emphasis on lines…
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Book Review: Druid Wands
Title: Living Wands of the Druids: Harvesting, Crafting, and Casting with Magical Tools Author: Jon G. Hughes Publisher: Destiny Books Release Date: January 29, 2024 Pages: 232 “Living Wands of the Druids” is a detailed guide to making the living wands used in hereditary Welsh Druidism. Author Jon G. Hughes, a fifth-generation Druid, explains the history and lore of wands, then goes on to describe the hermetic properties of various woods and botanicals, harvesting methods, preparation, and use of wands, rods, and staffs in magical work. Wands serve as a spiritual conduit, connecting the practitioner’s intention with the living sap at the core of the wand and channeling it into…
