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Notes from the Apothecary: artichoke     January is an odd sort of month, past the solstice but not yet at Imbolc; deep in the heart of winter where the promise of the sun’s return sounds like a distant whisper. In keeping with the oddness of the month, I thought it would be appropriate to look at a plant which is extremely odd indeed: the artichoke. The name artichoke is used for two distinctively different types of plant. One is the Jerusalem artichoke; a sort of knobbly, potato like root which is very tasty and nutritious. However, for this month’s notes, I will be examining the globe artichoke, as far…

  The Bad Witch’s Guide to Poppets   I am a bad witch. There are a long list of reasons why I am a bad witch. Having been out of the broom closet for some considerable number of years I would on occasion get asked “but you’re a good witch though?” My response to that depending on the person asking but I found I started to say “yes, a very, very good witch” rather darkly as it usually got the point across. As someone who has only relatively recently learned to sew I had to get crafty with poppets. I am quite cool about substitutes like onions and lemons (as…

  “Going Shamanic” is hosted by Jennifer Engracio on P.A.G.E.  Media Project’s blogtalk radio each month. The show focuses on how to integrate shamanism into every day life. Instead of relegating the spiritual aspect of ourselves to Sundays at church or weekend workshops, this show will support listeners in weaving ritual, prayer, magic, alignment with the Spiritworld and the Earth into their lives to enrich their experience of living.   This month We find out …   What is addiction really? Can we benefit from the shamanic experience and perspective to heal ourselves of the root cause(s) of the addiction? Today you will hear from a woman who has done just that. Michele Fire-River Heart is the…

  ____________________________________________________________________________________________ Cover art: Witch’s Christmas Kitchen by Victoria Thorpe of Victoria Thorpe art. Hello, my name is Victoria Thorpe & I’m a fantasy artist from the UK! I am inspired by magic, myths, history & I love to add gothic & alternative themes into my work. I work mainly with watercolours & acrylic paints. I love to experiment with my techniques & never follow the rules!  For Yule/Christmas this year I created “Witches Christmas Kitchen” inspired by the origins of Christmas using traditions of hanging up stockings ,holly & pine branches along the fireplace. The original painting also features a silver coloured pentagram on the cauldron which shimmers in the light.  I wanted to capture a…

Mexican Wedding Cakes When it comes to holiday cookies, Mexican Wedding Cakes are among my very favorites. I do have to admit – I only eat the ones that I make myself. The reason is this – I use my mother’s recipe and her recipe is the only one that has honey in it. Every other recipe for this little snowball of a cookie omits this important ingredient and the result is a dry, crumbly cookie. I know people who hate Mexican Wedding Cakes and refuse to eat them because they’re like eating “rolled up dust and nuts,” as one of my boyfriends once complained. But these cookies will melt…

  The Bad Witch’s Guide to Yule I’m always a bad witch, but apparently I really suck at this Yuletide thing. I mean I make my own gifts! I like snow! When people say “season’s greetings” or “Merry Christmas” I smile and mean it! I’m a monster! The cynical average British Pagan just sort of rolls their eyes at me. I don’t Cringle early. I spend November and December making gifts and decorations (I’m a bit slow this year but we have been adjusting to new medication this year, but I have plans)! I don’t even go and get really drunk! I mean I clearly suck at this witching thing!…

What your Pagan Teacher wants you to know …     About Meditation Meditation is a weird thing. It is seen as this perfect thing that a few people can actually do. In reality even after 30 years of meditation there are days I struggle. Not because I’m bad at it but because life happens! Much like falling asleep (a different kind of brain activity) there are layers and stages to meditation. I am sure they have proper names and titles somewhere. This is how I experience them, still. Brain Radio. Brain radio is the weird ambient noises inside my brain often a mix of 80’s cartoons, toy advert jingles,…

Book Review – Crystals for Beginners by Karen Frazier I love books and I adore crystals. If you know someone who feels the same way, then this book would be the perfect choice for them. While Ms. Frazier states that this book is for beginners, there is plenty of information here, as well as, for the more advanced among us. The author starts with the basics – what a crystal is and what it is not, how to shop for a crystal, feeling its’ energy, how to pair one crystal with another that it will work with particularly well. Of course, it is mandatory to talk about how to clear,…

Shamanic Journey or Meditation #1 Please see my related feature in this edition explaining what The Global Apology Project is! In the Closed Facebook group I have started for this project we have decided to post a suggested shamanic journey or meditation every week, inviting others to focus on a particular aspect of this work. In this short article I will share Journey #1. The link for this group is: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1902301606465391/?fref=nf Journey or Meditation #1 (posted on Sunday 26 November 2017) Today I invite everyone here to undertake a journey to your Helping Ancestors and ask to be shown if there is apology-and-healing work to be done on acts they…

(image from: https://hiveminer.com/Tags/fraktur%2Clettering)   Lesser Sabbat – Winter Solstice, circa Dec 21 Other Names: Jul (“wheel”, Old Norse), Saturnalia(Rome ~December 17 & 18), Yuletide(Teutonic), Midwinter, Fionn’s Day, Alban huan, Christmas (Christian~December 25), Xmas, Festival of Sol, Solar/Secular/Pagan New Year Animals/Mythical beings: yule goat (nordic), reindeer stag, squirrels, yule cat, Sacred White Buffalo, Kallikantzaroi-ugly chaos monsters(greek), trolls, phoenix, yule elf, jule gnome, squirrels, wren/robin Gemstones: cat’s eye, ruby, diamond, garnet, bloodstone Incense/Oils: bayberry, cedar, ginger, cinnamon, pine, rosemary, frankincense, myrrh, nutmeg, wintergreen, saffron Colors: gold, silver, red, green, white Tools,Symbols, & Decorations: bayberry candles, evergreens, holly, mistletoe, poinsettia,mistletoe, lights, gifts, Yule log, Yule tree. spinning wheels, wreaths, bells, mother & child…