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Sadly, the daily pressures and problems of life can delay our spiritual growth and leave little time for meditation or reflection. Aged only Forty-eight, my father left behind a life which had been filled by hard work, alcohol and debt,- a life which had always been over-shadowed by the horrors of war. By the age thirteen, I had lost myself in an endless cycle of work and study. My mother blamed herself for my father’s death, and spiraled into depression and alcoholism. In a terrible row,- about a week before he died, she had cursed him,- wishing him dead. As always, I was a witness, and his reply was chilling.…

Forest food We are lucky to have clean enough forests to eat off of. It is harvesting time and, besides my garden, I take advantage of what wilderness has to offer. How awesome is it to simply walk into a forest and gather it´s offerings, free of charge?!   Time is the only thing it takes, and a bit of patience. But spending time in the forest is also therapeutic, so the longer it takes to fill the baskets, the better! Kids also enjoy time in nature, and with adults, so taking them along is a good idea. I took my two-year-old with me to this trip, and while we…

WHY MEDITATION?   Last column, I wrote about all the things I am want to talk about in this column, except for one very important thing.  Why meditation?  Why should you meditate?  What are the benefits to meditation?   Every day, we are called upon to play different roles in all aspects of our lives.  We are overworked, over-stressed, pulled in ten different directions.  Every second, we experience a constant barrage of conscious and subconscious thoughts.  This is called “monkey mind”, the constant chittering that occurs in our brains.   Meditation can calm these thoughts.  It brings about clarity of thought, it calms your nerves, it helps to eliminate unwanted…

Simon Stirling: History versus Truth Simon is the author of Who Killed William Shakespeare and The King arthur Conspiracy, Simon takes what we know about historical figures and turns that knowledge upon its head! He is currently writing for Pagan and esoteric publisher Moon Books and regularly blogs upon the true roots of the yearly festivals that stem from pagan beliefs. Mabh: You were into acting and writing from an early age, so how did you become so interested in history and legend? Simon: I guess acting/writing and history/legend go hand in hand. As an actor, you’re often being introduced to history in one form or another (plays set or…

The Samhain Season I love Samhain. Like most kids Halloween was one of my favorite times of the year. Growing up in Texas it was especially nice because it usually meant a much needed change in the weather was coming – cooler days and longer nights rode in on the wings of costumes, trick-or-treating and free candy. I didn’t know about the spiritual side, however; I was raised in a very Christian household. I honestly don’t think my family knew much about it either based on what they ignorantly said about “Devil’s Night” and such. In hindsight, I’m surprised we were allowed to trick-or-treat at all. Since I’ve become Pagan,…

Deadheads Merry meet! Sales have been going on for weeks, discounting Halloween merchandise and making it possible to stock up on items you can use not just at Samhain, but perhaps throughout the year. One of my favorite decorations, however, costs nothing. Samhain is the final of the three harvest festivals as well as the pagan “New Year’s Eve.” For me, it has always been a solemn time acknowledging that there is no more bounty as the earth shuts down and readies for the deepest darkness, and a quiet time of honoring the ancestors. Since I celebrate the first two harvests with what my garden has to offer, I do…

We usually think the main goal of the game of chess is to “win.” There is a winner and a looser. This has also become the illusion of the “game of life.” If we follow the present societal map that exists all around us on a daily basis, we are told that we must play to win if we wish to be successful. We have lived in a greed based patriarchal society for so long now, with this constant internal battle ingrained so deeply within us. We have forgotten that the true purpose of the game of life is our own Self realization as sovereign beings, which entails understanding our…

The art of Pathworking Many people confuse pathworkings with guided meditations as they become more involved in developing their spiritual practice. The two may seem to describe the same practice, simply with different nomenclature, but when you have a better understanding of what the effects and goals of each are, the differences become more discernible and more apparent. I write a lot of pathworkings and usually incorporate them in my workshops and articles as I can. For years I used guided meditations to relax and reaffirm myself or simply as a way to deepen my ability to remain open and receptive to new information. This was enfolded as part of other…

Table for 2 A common pagan ritual at Samhain is to honor the dead with a Dumb Supper. (Here, dumb means without speaking.)  By casting a circle, smudging or some other method, bring the dining area into sacred space. The table will have been set for two – all in black. One chair is for you and one is for the ancestors. You can drape or otherwise decorate the chair your guests will use, if you wish. Have pictures of your ancestors on the table. Objects that belonged to them may also be put out.  Light one or more candles on the table, and if possible, have them be your…

A while back, I advertised my services for teaching witchcraft on the Witchvox site. I maintain contact with a coven in Colorado Springs, Colorado, but for a number of years I have been a solitary. Currently I live in Norway, a retired witchcraft elder. The witchcraft I teach is the tradition my HPS, Wendy, and I have developed over the years. As she is still active as high priestess of the coven we founded, our approaches have somewhat diverged, though I think we still agree on most issues. At this time I have three active students. One is in Norway, and I see her in person from time to time.…