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Book Review-The Young Witch’s Guide to Living Magically: Potions, Lotions, Rituals and Spells for Kids by Nikki van de Car
Photo Credits: Stock Photo of The Young Witch’s Guide to Living Magically from Publisher The Young Witch’s Guide to Living Magically: Potions, Lotions, Rituals and Spells for Kids by Nikki van de Car is an easy read at 99 pages, with colorful illustrations and chocked full of recipes, spells and other magical activities that are easy enough for kids, teens and beginning witches to use, published by Hachette Book Group, a division of Running Press Publishing, of which I received an e-book copy. Van de Car covers various types of magick, for the self, for the home, for the family and for friends. The author takes a needed, light-hearted approach to the Craft,…
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Book Review: Wyrd Sisters Deck Of Spells and Rituals
Title: Wyrd Sisters: A Deck of Spells and Rituals Author and Artist: Casey Zabala Publisher: Weiser Books Release Date: April 8, 2024 Pages: 60 Cards and 80-Page Guidebook The deck and guidebook in this box make up a grimoire to inspire witches to make their own magic. There are cards with spells for things like sacred guidance and drawing down the moon, and cards using candles to create such energies as compassion and creativity. Other cards work with sigils and tools. Each has its own page in the guidebook giving insights, actions, and choices that are jumping off points for crafting personal rituals and spells. What makes this oracle…
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Book Review: The Way of The Wild Soul Woman
Title: The Way of The Wild Soul Woman: 5 Earth Archetypes to Unleash Your Full Feminine Power Author: Mary Reynolds Thompson Publisher: Findhorn Press Release Date: May 14, 2024 Pages: 352 With Mother Earth archetypes, personal stories, introspective journal prompts, explorative exercises, accounts of trail blazers, and rituals, Mary Reynolds Thompson takes women on a journey to connect to the wild, powerful forces of nature. I found myself nodding, underlining, and rereading passages as her words spoke about the landscapes and cycles I have encountered in this lifetime. Much of the book resonated with me, sweeping way lingering doubts about my feminine power and shedding light on ways to heal…
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Book Review-The Art of Flower Therapy: A Comprehensive Guide to Using the Energy of Flowers to Heal, Thrive and Live a Vibrant Life by Dina Saalisi
Photo Credits: Stock Photo of Cover of The Art of Flower Therapy from publisher’s website The Art of Flower Therapy: A Comprehensive Guide to Using The Energy of Flowers to Heal, Thrive, and Live a Vibrant Life by Dina Saalisi is a 142 page book published by Red Feather Mind Body Spirit Publishing, an imprint of Schiffer Publishing, of which I received an e-book copy. The Art of Flower Therapy covers the basics of using the Bach Flower remedies to heal emotional ailments that can then improve physical conditions, via the Mind/Body/Spirit connection. Saalisi starts off by covering succinctly the history and uses of the Bach Flower remedies, as well as dosages, combinations, and…
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Book Review-From Elder To Ancestor: Nature Kinship for All Seasons of Life by S. Kelley Harrell
Article Photo Credits: Stock Photo of Cover of From Elder to Ancestor, via Publisher From Elder to Ancestor: Nature Kinship for All Seasons of Life by S. Kelley Harrell is a 184 page paperback book published by Destiny Books, an imprint of Inner Traditions Publishing. From Elder to Ancestor is a book of animism in that it takes the belief that many Pagans, Witches and others walking a nature spirituality path hold, and expands it past nature spirits, spirits of place, etc., and moves it forward into tending community and leaving a legacy for future generations. Harrell leaves exercises, journal prompts and even suggestions for rituals. From Elder to Ancestor can be seen as a blueprint…
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Weyland’s Whey Lughnasadh 2024 Column
Lughnasadh It’s pronounced LEW-NAS-AH. One of the eight Pagan Sabbats, the focus is typically on an early harvest aspect and/or celebrations of the Celtic god Lugh. During the Middle Ages it included large gatherings for ceremonies, athletic contests, horse racing and feasting, among other activities. More recently, Lughnasadh observances were typically held atop hills and mountains. The tradition of climbing hills and mountains has survived in some areas, reinterpreted as Christian pilgrimages. (I’m thinking Sound of Music in robes, but that can’t be right.) Since the late twentieth century, Celtic neopagans (us, kinda) have celebrated Lughnasadh–or observances based on it–as religious holidays. Hey, any excuse for a party! (Sources: Wikipedia, learnreligions.com)…
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The Modern Merlin’s Corner: Trance States using Entheogens and Sacred Plant Medicine
Article Cover Photo Credits: Pinterest search for “psychedelic witchy art” My reason for writing on this subject is because my column entry last month mentioned using trance state to connect with local spirits of place, the Land, etc., and so, I decided after checking with the publisher, that I would share my knowledge in this area, and give you my tried and true method of using Entheogenic plants to reach a trance and visionary state and maintain it. This is my preferred method of contacting the Otherside, doing journeying, and the like, but which entheogenic plant I use varies by day, purpose, how I’m feeling, etc. I will not give…
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Book Review-Keywords for Astrology: The Essential Guide by Hajo Banzhaf & Anna Haebler
Keywords for Astrology: The Essential Guide by Hajo Banzhaf & Anna Haebler is a 280 page paperback, published by Weiser Books. Keywords for Astrology lives up to its title, as this is an essential guide for the beginning as well as more seasoned Astrologer. The books covers everything one needs to read and interpret a birth chart, from the planets, angles (ascending, descending, IC and MC), houses, signs, and aspects, even giving phrase building ideas to help express the energy of that placement/aspect, etc. Shadow and light sides of placements and aspects are each given their due, giving a complete view of the birth chart being interpreted, as well as ways to develop…
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Good God!: Kalfu
Kalfu (also Kalfou or Carrefour) is the Haitian Vodou God of Intersections. His name literally means “the crossroads,” which is the point where four roads emerge or two paths cross. It is also the point where magic manifests, where choices are made, and fates are forged. He is thought of as “the devil at the crossroads.” a terrifying god, a red demonic beast equated with Saten. One of their most powerful gods, Kalfu allows or denies spirits to cross into the real world “with an understanding into the nature of chaos and creation, good and misfortune, and injustices,” according to Wikipedia. Although other spirits know him, he often remains a…
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Book Review-The Easy Way to Learn Astrology: How to Read Your Birth Chart by Alison Chester-Lamber, MA
The Easy Way to Learn Astrology: How to Read Your Birth Chart by Alison Chester-Lamber, MA, published by Findhorn Press, an imprint of Inner Traditions Publishing, is a book spanning 175 pages total, of which I received a paperback copy. Chester-Lambert attempts to instruct those who are new to Astrology to read birth charts using what she has dubbed “Psychological Astrology”, an interesting approach for sure. Chester-Lambert discusses the basics of Western Astrology, including the elements, polarities, modalities, as well as giving each sign its’ own multiple-page section to discuss characteristics of each sign. Chester-Lambert then covers the houses of the Zodiac wheel, their elements, and areas of life they…
