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Opening to the Anima Mundi – The Gift of the Equinox     The Great Wheel has turned once again and we find ourselves at the time of the Autumnal Equinox. The air is cooler, the leaves are turning and beginning to fall from brittle branches and all of life is giving pause to prepare for what changes lay ahead. This is the second of the three harvests and the fields are already beginning to brown as the day’s light gently wanes and we are enveloped in the quickening darkness of the setting sun. It is at this time we begin to gather our stores of ripened summer foods and…

Meet the Gods: Tyr         Merry meet.   This month we get to know Tyr (pronounced like “tier” or “tear”). Despite being the god of honor and justice, and showing courage by sacrificing his hand to save the gods and uphold the law, he came to be considered one of the lesser gods.   According to “Norse Mythology for Smart People,” more than any other god, Tyr presided over matters of law and justice, but was also a Norse god of war. At one time, he is thought to have been one of the three most important gods, along with Odin and Thor.   Mars, the Roman’s…

Celebrating the Old Ways in New Times Mabon 2017 Bright Blessings!   The harvest is in full force now. It is hard to believe it was just Lammas, and already, it is nearly Mabon!   Some of you are hard at work, gathering the fruits of your labor from your gardens, others, reflecting upon the fruits of your labors in your lives.   At my garden, we’ve had a very small harvest so far this year, but it’s not over yet.   We got six zucchinis, and three cucumbers. One cucumber is left on the vine, and then I think I will be pulling them out of the ground, as…

(Original graphic by: Violscraper) _____________________________________________________________________   Welcome to the August, Lughnasadh/Lammas Issue of PaganPagesOrg.  This issue is sure to please with features, such as …       A Book Review of “The Crane Bag,”by Joanna van der Hoeven. This book is not actually about cranes though it does start with a Celtic crane myth. It is really a brief introduction to ritual tools and practices from the Druid tradition.       We’re not always good, and for those times, we have “The Bad Witch’s Guide” to look forward to.  This month, Lucy Drake covers hexing herbs.  Using herbs and spices, from your garden, or kitchen cupboard, for their left-hand…

  This year I was asked to appear on the Shamanism Global Summit, July 2017. The Shift Network requested especially that I speak about my shamanic work with young people again, as I did last year. My shamanic group for children, The Time Travellers, has grown “older and wiser” since 2012, when we started this work. They are all teenagers now and acutely concerned about what is happening in our world One thing is clear: young people MIND not being asked for their opinions and visions. They will outlive us and inherit the consequences of many decisions we are making right now. Decisions about the environment and global warming, political…

Hand Fasting Gifts     Merry meet.   While couples planning weddings take advantage of gift registries at every place from The Home Depot to Crate and Barrel, couples who are hand fasting may appreciate a more pagan, creative and personal approach to gift giving.   At the urging of others, one couple I know visited their favorite pagan store and with the owner’s cooperation, made a list of items they liked. Those who wanted could look at the list and choose something without stressing over second guessing which book, what incense or the best color for an altar cloth. By the owner maintaining the list, it was helpful to…

In my daily work with children and families, the theme of forgiveness makes its way into many conversations I have with parents especially. Parents are in a leadership role that they are sometimes ill-prepared for. If they didn’t experience good parenting when they were children or see mentors engaging children with respect, it can be like becoming the CEO of a company you have no previous knowledge of. All of the sudden, parents are expected to launch into a demanding world of care, consistency, and responsibility while operating on very little sleep! This would stretch the capacity of any human being.   In Hawaiian culture, there is a forgiveness practice…

THE CRANE BAG By Joanna van der Hoeven   I read this slim volume on a two-hour ferry crossing between Dover and Dunkirk! This morning I woke up (in our house set in the forest in Sweden) to the call of two cranes in the field in front of our house. It seems that today is the day for writing my review of this book. The cranes themselves say so! This book is not actually about cranes though it does start with a Celtic crane myth. It is really a brief introduction to ritual tools and practices from the Druid tradition. “Held deeply within Celtic mythology, the crane bag is…

  The colour red appears throughout Celtic mythology and is normally associated with magic in some way. This may be the prophecy of war and bloodshed. Rowan, the tree with the startling red berries, is strongly associated with powerful magic. The Morrígan herself is normally portrayed as having red hair, especially in her guise as a sorceress or poet. Red is the magic of spells, curses, geas and prediction. Red is proactive magic; visible magic; magic that wants to be seen, admired or feared.   Think about red in our daily lives. Red means stop; warning; danger; love; passion; blood; fire; forbidden; command; hang up; hot; hazard and generally ‘pay…

What is an Altar? By Rowan Moss     What is an Altar? Is Book 4 in the Pagan Children Learning Series, by Rowan Moss. This book explains what an altar is, where you put it, and the different types (inside/outside, holidays, etc). After explaining that an altar is a sacred space, the author explains why it’s never okay to touch another person’s altar. A craft is included at the back of the book, which encourages children and their families to create an altar. This craft teaches children the items needed for the altar and the step by step directions to creating it. A glossary Is also included to explain…