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Spiralled Edges – Good and Bad Teachers I’ve been thinking about teachers and students a lot recently. We talk a lot about teachers in Paganism. Someone to teach us how to be Pagan. How to do “it” right.     I’ve been a teacher, and I’ve been a student. I’ve been both at the same time. I’ve been a bad teacher, and I’ve been a good teacher. I’ve known teachers who were bad for me, but perfect for someone else, and vice versa. But what, in my mind, makes someone a good teacher and for that matter, what makes someone a bad teacher? A good teacher: Has a good understanding…

Celebrating the Old Ways in New Times April 2017 Bright Blessings! I missed doing an article for last month. My computer crashed! I am thankful we have a new computer now, and I can write all I want! This month falls in between Sabbats, March 20 being the official date of Ostara. This is one Ostara that I have planned no gatherings, and will not attend any. It’s not that I don’t have peeps, and it’s not that I lack invitations. It’s that staying in has become routine for me. Those who have been reading my articles know I’ve been struggling for a bit over 2.5 years now. I am not…

SIF (Photo Credit – debsden.blogspot.com) Sif is a Norse/Scandinavian Grain Goddess, associated with the Earth and its’ vegetation. One species of moss is named after Her, “haddr sifjar” or “Sif’s hair”, which is great praise, as her golden mane of hair was Her most striking feature. Her name possibly means “relation by marriage” which would be descriptive to Her role in Asgard. Sif was a swan-maiden, similar to the Valkyries, in that she was able to take the form of a swan. She is a Prophetess, as well as the Goddess of wheat, fertility and family. Some say She is also a Goddess of fidelity, but that title is debatable,…

  Plant Spirits Hammers and pens can be well made or faulty, beautiful or ugly. They require skill from the user, as well as a certain amount of intrinsic capabili­ties as tools, but they are not capable of independent thought or of deliberately hindering or helping our work. When you work with an herb, rather than with its plant spirit, the herb is a tool. When you work with a plant spirit, the herb is a sacred text that you can read to learn about the spirit. And that spirit has its own will and its own desires that may not match what you want to achieve. When you are…

Meet the Gods: Tricksters Merry meet. Given the tradition of April Fool’s jokes, this month’s column is about tricksters – those who play tricks on others, pay no heed to rules or authority, and care not for conventional behavior. They are generally smart or possess knowledge others don’t. They can be playful or harsh – either way, they are disruptive. Some can change their appearance. Tricksters are often characters in stories and myths originating in many cultures, including Coyote, Raven, Crow, Rabbit, Spider, Bear and Raccoon. They often serve as messengers between the earth plane and other realms. Some of them, however, are gods. Loki is one of the most…

                    WELCOME   ____________________________________________________   Welcome to the March issue of PaganPages.  We feature great information, articles, interviews & reviews for you this month!  Such as…     An interview with Elen Sentier: British Shaman who  walks in the Deer Trods of Elen of the Ways, and has written about this and many other magical topics.     A Book Review of “The Key to Spirit Animals from Communication to Meditation” by Dawn Baumann Brunke “The aim of this book is to engage spirit animals in more conscious ways.” An interview with Rachel Patterson: The Kitchen Witch.  Rachel Patterson, or Tansy Firedragon,…

Amethyst   (image courtesy: Shijewels https://www.etsy.com/shop/shijewels)   Having long been known as the stone of sobriety, amulets and goblets were made of Amethyst to prevent drunkenness. In addition, it assists in ridding oneself of addictions and bad habits. This spiritual stone vibrates at a higher frequency, helping to block and transmute lower vibrations to a higher spiritual frequency. It also has the ability to clear blockages and assist in connecting with more beneficial energies keeping you in line with your souls true path.       (image courtesy: Shijewels https://www.etsy.com/shop/shijewels)   This mineral is proficient at bringing both the mind and body to a tranquil state during meditation allowing one to move…

The Moon in Other Forms: Qabalistic Although not an apparent correspondence, I have chosen the discipline of the Hermetic Tree of Life as another source of deepening your solar connection. If you are unfamiliar with the basic principles of the Qabalah, please refer to the link at the bottom of the page. You will find enough information there to allow the opening of another overlay of understanding of the Lunar Principle.   YESOD – FOUNDATION Planetary Attribution: The Moon Milky whiteness and gown Of luminescent light Sparkles through veils Of fertile dreamtime. Images of shape and form Arise borne on gossamer wings Of faery flight and angels beckon From heavenly…

Rachel Patterson: The Kitchen Witch     Rachel Patterson: The Kitchen Witch Rachel Patterson, or Tansy Firedragon, is an accomplished witch with a passion for learning. She has written numerous books and is the High Priestess of the Kitchen Witch Coven, and an Elder of their School of Natural Witchcraft. I caught up with Rachel to find out a bit more about her craft and her writing. Mabh Savage: Can you summarise what it is to be a Kitchen Witch? Rachel Patterson: It is a term that has been used in the past to describe someone that is a bit of a food expert and actually nothing to do with…

Zodiac Tarot Spread Merry meet. A new zodiac year begins March 27 at 7:59 p.m. (on the East Coast) with the new moon in Aries. It’s an opportune time to do a manifestation spell using all twelve houses of the zodiac. While this is written for a group, changing a few pronouns will make it work for a solitary. To prepare for the ritual, place a copy of the zodiac wheel in the center of the table or on the floor, and put a candle at each of the 12 houses plus one in the middle to represent Spirit. Candles can relate to each the sign that rules each house…