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Notes from the Apothecary: Rowan   Image: ‘Flying’ Rowan at Brimham Rocks in North Yorkshire, UK. Copyright Chris Gunns 2006 via Wikimedia, some rights reserved. As well as what we traditionally think of as herbs, every apothecary should be stocked with some other items. I’ve already spoken about bulbs such as garlic, and spices like cinnamon. Now I’d like to move on to the largest of our green cousins; the trees. I’ve chosen the Rowan, or mountain ash, as my first tree to explore as it is well known as a sacred and magical plant in many different cultures. I am most familiar with the Celtic tales of the Rowan…

About Foofur and Familiars 17 years ago I spent quite some time in the local pet shelter. I was a member of the foundation board and the local SPCA, but I also worked in the shelter itself, cleaning the kennels and everything else that needed to be done. One day a little dog was brought in for surrender with just another lame excuse. His name was Bambi and he was a crossbreed Jack Russell / Welsh Corgi, just 8 weeks ‘old’. It was love on first sight for both of us. I instantly loved the little bundle of joy that almost fitted on one hand. We were meant to be…

Cinnamon Merry meet. Some items used in magic can be expensive, but there are plenty of other ingredients and objects that require little money. Cinnamon is one of those magical ingredients that is cheap, versatile and common enough to be sitting in your spice rack. You can burn cinnamon either in stick form, or powdered and added to a mix that’s burned on a piece of charcoal. Use it to purify individuals, objects or spaces. You can also roll a candle in cinnamon and then burn it. Steeping it into tea results in an infusion that can heighten psychic awareness and clairvoyance, making it good to drink before divination. Burning…

Crystals for Headaches Place either Crystal on your forehead or Third Eye.   Amethyst   A Stone of spiritual upliftment.  Mind quieting, wear it to reduce anger and impatience.  It aides in sleep and helps with nightmares.  Stress reliever.  Headache reducer.  Aids with sobriety in addictions of any kind.  Famous ancient detoxifier, especially helped with poisons and alcohol.  Worn by ancient Romans to prevent intoxication and restore courage.  It helps to prevent over indulgences and with the breaking of bad habits.   Sugilite   It is considered one of the most important love stones. It represents spiritual love and wisdom – opening and aligning all the chakras to love with…

Deepening the Work Last evening, I was reading T. Thorn Coyle‘s book Kissing the Limitless, and as always when I read her writings I begin to think more deeply about my own practice. More specifically, thinking of my response to the posed questions of: “What has set me on this Path? Why am I choosing to do this work?” Neither, of these questions has easy answers and the very nature of their query is one that should change and evolve in accord with the practice we are called to at any given time. But, there is also a certain clarity of purpose that reveals itself through answering the call to…

The Storm Moon Spring sowing The name March came from the God Mars, for this month was sacred to him. Mars is much like the other God’s – Ares’s (Greek), Tiu or Tiwaz (Central Europe), Teutates (celts), and Tyr (Norse). Astrological Signs: Pisces, February 19 – March 20, Aries, March 21 – April 20 Birthstones: Aquamarine Nature Spirits: Mer-people, Air and Water beings who are connected with spring rains and storms. Animals: Cougar, hedgehog, boar Birds: Sea crow, sea eagle Trees: Alder, dogwood Flowers: Jonquil, daffodil, violet Herbs: Broom, High John Root, yellow dock, wood betony, Irish moss Scents: Honeysuckel, apple blossom Colors: Pale green, red-violet Stones: Aquamarine, bloodstone God/dess:…

Healing Through Meditation “Prayer is where the mind is one-pointed and one talks to Infinity. Meditation is when the mind becomes totally clean and receptive, and Infinity talks to one.” ~ ~ Yogi Bhajan In past columns, I have talked about the benefits of a meditation practice – a calm mind, clarity of thoughts, ridding yourself of unwanted emotions, and relaxing and unifying your mind, body, heart, and spirit. Meditation also gives us the ability to heal ourselves. We do this by using the universal energy of the Infinite. By using basic breath exercises, we increase our Prana, (see Prana article here), the life force within ourselves. As we breathe,…

For many years of my life, I was reluctant to believe in the survival of the personality after physical death. I suspected that any such belief was just wishful thinking combined with my Roman Catholic upbringing. After the death of my father at the age of twelve, I walked away from mainstream spirituality and looked to more materialistic answers to the questions that life poses to us all. I was fascinated by the writings of R.D. Laing. In his book, Sanity Madness and the Family, he described the ability of a young man, being treated for schizophrenia in a mental hospital, to give details of his family’s actions. The young…

  Kiara, Episode 8 Matron almost dropped the poker to the floor as she woke. Oddly, as she lay it to the floor to allow herself to stretch and awaken properly, she felt calm, – despite the initial instinctive lunge to catch the poker. She badly needed a cup of tea and a chance to freshen up. She got up and pulled the cord to summon a servant. She needed someone to stay with Kiara while she washed and dresses in fresh clothes. She had much to do. She felt the girls forehead, she was warm to the touch. Still, she was young and strong. She would send for Maria…

The Pagan doctrine of multiple souls is a stumbling block for many Neopagans who are used to associating their soul with their identity. The ancients tended to associate the idea of soul with mental phenomena that are more or less under the subject’s control. This leaves room for psychic entities that serve the identity as instruments, and through long association we can come to identify with these instruments and consider them to be all or part of ourselves. Thus, the word personality derives from the Latin word for the mask worn by actors in Greek dramas, which was so shaped as to act like a megaphone, amplifying the actor’s voice…