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Self Dedication   Merry meet.   Many witches practice the Craft as a solitary, so they never get to be initiated into a tradition with a formal ceremony. That leaves the option of performing a rite of self-dedication. Some people choose to wait until they have studied the Craft for a year and a day before holding this rite. Others will choose to do a self-dedication on Imbolc, which is often the time of initiations and dedications in the pagan traditions. New moons are a time of new beginnings, making them another option.   (Phyllis Curott)   Wiccan High Priestess Phyllis Curott said in a video found on Howcast,  …

(A Wooden Altar Tile dedicated to Imbolc. Found on etsy in Scriptorium Julianum by artist Julia Raduzhan.)   February 1, 2 Other Names: Imbolg (im-molc)(em-bowl’g) (Celtic), Candlemas (Christian), Brigantia (Caledonii), Oimelc, Festival of Light, Brigid’s (Brid, Bride) Day, La Fheill, An Fheille Bride, Candelaria (Mexico), Chinese New Year, Disting-tid (Feb 14th, Teutonic), DisaBlot, Anagantios, Lupercalia/Lupercus (Strega), Groundhog Day, Valentines Day. Animals & Mythical Beings: Firebird, dragon, groundhog, deer, burrowing animals, ewes, robin, sheep, lamb, other creatures waking from hibernation. Gemstones: Amethyst, garnet, onyx, turquoise. Incense/Oil: Jasmine, rosemary, frankincense, cinnamon, neroli, musk, olive, sweet pea, basil, myrrh, and wisteria, apricot, carnation. Colors/Candles: Brown, pink, red, orange, white, lavender, pale yellow, silver.…

While it may not be what some would consider the season of Hecate; in actuality, it is always the season of Hecate. You never know when you may need Her, and so…… (Photo Credit: exemplore.com) HECATE – Her name alone can conjure up a vision of what we imagine Her to be. She is the Goddess of the Witches, a Dark Goddess, the Keeper of Ancient Knowledge, Keeper of the Cauldron of Secrets. She is the Guardian of the Crossroads, holding aloft Her torch, accompanied by Her hounds who are able to look at Past, Present and Future. We look to Her for guidance and protection as She encourages us…

A Review of Sasha Fenton’s Fortune Teller’s Handbook I have been a fan of Sasha Fenton for thirty years. I remember when The Fortune-Teller’s Workbook: A Practical Introduction to the World of divination first appeared at my favorite library and I borrowed it again and again. I was so happy when I found it in on Amazon.com – I snapped it up immediately. It’s the kind of basic text that any student of the divining arts ought to have, and it is perfect for beginners. Not only is it written in a clear and concise manner, it has some fun divination techniques – and who says that divination can’t be…

(en)LIV(en)ING With the Muses-Clio This is the third posting of the (en)LIV(en)ING with the Muses Series The Muse, Clio is considered the Muse of History. Her name, sometimes spelled Kleio is a form of the greek verb, “Kleo” which means to make famous, to recall or to celebrate. She makes full use of her birth right as the daughter of Mnemosyne (Goddess of Remembrance) as memory is a key component that every historian must rely upon to accurately give account of events, people and places. Unlike her sisters, who are more directly related to the act of inspiring whatever their specialty is, Clio works at the level of codifying and…

“The Modern Witchcraft Guide to the Wheel of the Year: From Samhain to Yule, Your Guide to the Wiccan Holidays” by Judy Ann Nock Publisher: Adams Media Date: 2017 Pages: 238 Available at Barnes & Noble, Target and elsewhere in hardcover, NOOK Book, Kindle, etc. This book from the Modern Witchcraft series is essentially a reprint of Judy Ann Nock’s “The Provenance Press Guide to the Wiccan Year: A Year Round Guide to Spells, Rituals, and Holiday Celebrations,” published in 2007. There is a new introduction and minor word changes, but then, the wheel of the year and the night sky have changed little from ancient times, and the book…

THE RESURRECTION BONE   Many spiritual traditions call the human body a Temple. It has taken me 50 years on this planet to fully comprehend the truth of this teaching! The Tzeltal Maya people take this concept a few steps further. They believe that the human bodies and the bodies of animals they hunted have a so called Resurrection Bone. This bone is part of the pelvis and it often the last bone to survive when a body is unearthed long after burial. Tribal hunters believed that from residual essence here a person will be reborn after death. This is why they often carved the sacrum of animals they hunted.…

  The Bad Witch’s Guide to Imbolc 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… January was called Wolf month in Anglo-Saxon. Where the starving creatures ventured into villages snapping at the young and helpless, just like the bitter winter winds. January stalks through…

This turn of the Greater Wheel moves us towards a place of newness and the quickening of what was brought to light at Yule, the Winter Solstice. We stand at the mid-mark between the act of revealing (Winter Solstice) the fertility that lay dormant from the triple harvest and the action of sowing and planting (Spring Equinox) what we hope will prove viable and grow to its fullest potential. This is the time of quickening and enlivening the hidden seeds of transition and preparation of what will wither and die and what will germinate a become viable product. Our coven, Oak and Willow of the Assembly of the Sacred Wheel…

Book Reviews: Reflexology for Beginners–Stefanie Sabounchian Reiki for Beginners – Victor Archuleta I am a certified reflexologist and a Reiki Master Teacher, and for years I have practiced these modalities together. So, it seems only fitting to present these lovely little books in one review. The books are written in the same style: a brief introduction to the modality, how it works, and its background and history. They are similarly illustrated many clear, detailed and colorful diagrams. As the titles indicate, the content is directed to beginners interested in practicing on themselves or their families.   Click Image for Amazon Information   Reflexology for Beginners by Stefanie Sabounchian addresses foot…