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The Chakras The past few months, we have been talking about meditation, it’s benefits, the why’s, where-for’s and how-to’s. In Kundalini Yoga, the yoga that I teach, we move toward systematically raising heat and energy through our bodies and up our spines through use of the chakras. The word “chakra” means “wheel” in Sanskrit and are the energy centers within your body. These chakras can be blocked by long-held stresses, tensions and other factors. Meditation is key in helping to release these blocks. When working with the chakras, it is important to stay grounded and centered. To start always do a grounding exercise, such as the following: **“Stand up, grip…

The Art of Tea Leaf Reading     The ambiance of the cottage is serene and welcoming. Whimsical knickknacks are placed lovingly throughout the herb-scented rooms and a small fire glows in the time-worn fireplace. My hostess motions for me to sit in the cozy sitting room. Fresh flowers adorn the room with an enchanting vibrancy. Their sweet scent calms my mind, as I am nervous about what is soon to be revealed to me. My hostess places a reassuring hand on my own; with the most charming of smiles she eases my anxious mind. We begin to chat, a friendly rapport ensues. She has gathered from our short talk…

Witches Soul Work Part 6: The Path of the Mask “If that which thou seek thy find not within thee, thy will never find it without.” (1) The Craft involves deep soul work leading to understanding the authentic self, the connection with the divine, and understanding the Mysteries. If you were Buddhist you might called this enlightenment. What is enlightenment for Witches? Many people new to the Craft read the beginner books and think that that is all there is. I would like to share with you some of the ways that Traditional Witches do soul work, the way they approach and understand the Mysteries and an exploration of what…

Croning Part 2 Croning : when, where and with whom Merry meet! This month is the second of a six-part series on croning – a feminine rite-of-passage ritual for those reclaiming the power and wisdom of the old woman, the crone. It touches on when, where and with whom to celebrate. Croning can be a done alone or before a group. That group can include only women, a community such as a grove or a coven, or family and friends. It can include a formal circle, a picnic or a restaurant dinner. In other words, it can be be anything the crone wishes. The crone rules the dark of the…

The two most prominent symbols in modern Witchcraft are the Sun-Wheel and the Pentacle. The Sun-Wheel is the quartered circle, while the Pentacle is the circled pentagram or five-pointed star. I want to consider the relationship between them. The Sun-Wheel stands for many things. As the Wheel of the Year, it maps out the Sabbats. The four quarter-points of East, South, West and North stand for the minor Sabbats of Ostara, Litha, Mabon and Yule, respectively. These are the names used most widely in the Craft for the spring equinox, the summer solstice, the autumn equinox, and the winter solstice. The major Sabbats fall on the cross-quarter points: Imbolc on…

This month, I want to talk about healing, drumming, and an amazing personal experience that involves both activities. Tina and I have been drumming for several years now, travelling to venues around Lincolnshire and demonstrating Shamanic Drumming. Many people have reported good effects and inner experiences which have helped them in their lives. I saw Tina trance many times and manifest her guide, Nicholas Black Elk. I even had an hour long training session with him at Cleethorpes beach in Lincolnshire,- when He/Tina demonstrated many variations of the basic shamanic beat and left me exhausted from trying to keep up! When I started writing these articles, it was with the…

Notes from the Apothecary: Mint     Some of my friends have had trouble growing mint but I can’t seem to stop the stuff! Each winter it dies down completely, only to return in late spring in about a dozen other places other than the one I originally planted it in. My favourite is a Black Peppermint, which has a lovely, dusky purple shade to the leaves and is deliciously pungent. As the plant itself is now returning, I thought it a perfect time to explore it in a bit more detail. The Kitchen Garden Mint has been used for culinary purposes throughout the history of many different cultures. It…

What I Want for My Birthday May is one of my favorite months. It starts with Beltane, which for me means several days spent in the woods and the fields. Mother’s Day comes ten days after that, which is another celebration. The next weekend is my birthday. May ends with Memorial Day weekend. Many regard the Memorial Day weekend as the start of the summer season but really, the entire month of May can be a celebration of the start of summer and the growing power of the sun. I personally claim it as my own party month like the taurine that I am. Every day is a holiday. If…

Dollar Store Delights Merry Meet. Magical stores are few and far between, but dollar stores are everywhere and they have a wealth of items for altars, rituals and sabbats. With Beltane in mind, I snapped these photos as examples of items you can find for $1.   The world beings to turn green and bloom at Beltane, and you can find flowers and ivy at the dollar store.   They can be stuck into the florist foam to make a wreath that goes on the door or around the base of a candle. The ivy and the flowers can also be woven into grapevine wreaths (hot glue will keep the…

Nehalennia A few weeks ago I visited a place that I wanted to go for ages: the Nehalennia Temple in Colijnsplaat (province of Zeeland in The Netherlands). It is a reconstruction (based on archaeological studies and findings), dedicated to the goddess Nehalennia. It’s free to visit, but if you want to go inside you’ll have to contact the manager beforehand. It’s better not to emphasize the pagan interest in her too much; the management is more interested in history and archaeology, and the area is considered mainly christian and not too much into paganism. The original Nehalennia Temple was situated in the international port city called Ganuenta, just 500 meters…