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Notes from the Apothecary: Yarrow       One of my favourite wild plants, yarrow is found right across North America, Europe and even as far east as China. The feathery leaves give way to clusters of beautiful, tiny flowers that are loved by bees and other pollinators. Most commonly they are cream or white, but there are many coloured varieties too, including some incredible bright red species that are currently adorning my local park. The plant’s formal name is achillea millefolium. The first part refers to the association with Achilles, who was taught by the centaur Chiron to use the herb to staunch the bleeding of his soldiers. The…

In-Spired Magick         When we are mentally inspired our thoughts come rushing in like a gust of wind; often moving so quickly that we have to pause for a moment and breathe into the excitement of downpour or we miss some of the fine points. Our breath quickens and our heart races at the potential of what has been intellectualized and refined by mental process. When we are emotionally inspired our feelings flow throughout our being often in a rhythm of ebb and flow similar to that of the ocean’s tides. We breathe into the momentum and allow ourselves to either languish in the beauty of these…

“The herbal Alchemist’s Handbook: A Grimoire of Philtres, Elixirs, Oils, Incense, and Formulas for Ritual Use”     by Karen Harrison Published by Weiser Books Published: 2011 Pages: 236 This book is everything it claims on the cover – and that’s a lot for one book to deliver. Karen Harrison has been involved in the magickal and psychic life since early childhood. She earned a master of herbology. As a magickal practitioner and a master herbalist, she combines her knowledge of both, giving the medicinal and the astrological properties of herbs. It’s a combination that makes sense when you remember that both astrology and herbology are arts that have been…

Herbs – Plain & Simple – Over 100 Recipes for Health and Healing by Marlene Houghton As someone who has had more than a passing interest in herbs, and works with them on intermittent basis, I can definitely say that this book lives us to its’ name. It is definitely “plain and simple”. This does not mean that it is not chock-full of information – because it is. This does not mean that it is only meant for beginners. – because it is not. What is does mean is that this little book, at 169 pages, gets right to the point, dispensing herbal information in simple, everyday language. It is broken…

                                       Welcome                                              ***   (This month’s cover graphic is created by 11 year old artist Lilia Portuguez. She enjoys drawing and playing with her cat.  Do you have Pagan art you would like to share?  email us at [email protected])                                                ***   This June Issue of PaganPagesOrg is…

    Since childhood H.P. Anuj Elvis was attracted to spirituality and occultism. He used to think of it as some deep hidden art that very few can learn and practice. His questions started in earnest when he was 13 soon after he succumbed to jaundice. His state became so severe that the doctors gave up his recovery, but leaving no stone unturned Anuj’s mother took to mystics, contacting a local yet powerful Tantra practitioner who claimed that he could bring her son back to health. Soon after Anuj did indeed recover, and when the young Anuj Elvis went back to this tantra practitioner and thanked him for his recovery,…

    This is a brilliant book and an absolute treasure trove of esoteric information you will not easily find elsewhere! I was pleased to be asked to review it as I had already set the intention to post a review – because this author deserves more readers. In this book Pennick describes how magic was deeply embedded in the everyday life of pre-Christian societies in Northern Europe. People believed in magic both because it worked and because their whole worldview was inherently magical. In this book Pennick examines the underlying principles of this work and how different forms of magic are powered and used. When we speak of the…

Notes from the Apothecary: Apple   The apple is a fruit that is either revered or maligned, depending on which tradition or religion you look at. For Christians, it is the forbidden fruit, the ultimate temptation in the Garden of Eden. Strangely, the bible itself never names the type of fruit as an apple, and some studies suggest it may actually have been a fig, a pomegranate or even a grape. Despite this, the image of the apple as a fruit of seduction and forbidden knowledge has persisted into the modern age. For the Celts, however, there was nothing sinful about the apple at all. The fruit was associated with…

So what winds whisper from the elf mounds; what wind breathes from beneath the hollow hills where fairies dwell and myths were born? In other words, how many of us today still feel inspired by the tales of ancient Celtic warriors and wise folk? Which parts of our lives do these stories creep into the most? What do our ancestors still truly have a hand in? What is the meat of modern Celtic influence? Well a quick “Google” search on the word “Celt” will find you brewing techniques that are based on Celtic history; BBC Wales has a site dedicated to the history of the Iron Age Celts and the…

The Eight Limbs of Yoga This Month: Pratyahara & Dharana (Photo Credit: Pinterest)   The Fifth Limb is Pratayahara – “prata” means “away” or “retreat”; “ahara” means “nourishment” or what feeds the senses. Pratayahara translates into withdrawing from that which nourishes our senses. This forms the basis of “non-attachment”.   Instead of our emotions controlling us with what it desires/craves, we become the controller of those emotions. When we are unable to stop the flow of these emotions, they very often cause an emotional imbalance, which in turn can, and in most cases, will, result in physical illness.   Yoga, and more to the point, meditation is the means to…