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Witchy Wednesday™ Back in the 90’s, I was one of the first in my area to hold a Pagan/Witch discussion group. In the 60’s these were called ‘Salons’ and today we mostly know them as Meet & Greets. I created Witchy Wednesday at a time when there was a need for a safe place (I chose my home) for people to gather, meet other like minded people and hold intelligent discussions. This was a moderated group, all paths were welcome, but also a tolerance for other people’s beliefs was important. We would meet on the second Wednesday of each month for a couple of hours in the evening. For the…

Moonchild   The moon is a fascinating subject. Magically of course, but also in a scientific way. I like to learn facts about the moon, but I’m also interested in moon lore, moon deities, etc.  I’d like to share some of my thoughts, facts and feelings about the moon.   It often surprises me that quite a few witches know lots about the magic moon part, but lack any (f)actual knowledge. There’s so much interesting stuff to explore! The NASA moon website can keep you busy for hours: facts, pictures, projects, special kids programs, etc. Or go to the Wikipedia moon portal and start from there. Just some teasers, but…

It is the middle of the Christian season of Lent, a time of growth and sacrifice. During this time, Christians meditate on the sacrifice that Christ will make at Easter, and honour it by making sacrifices of their own. Okay, but what does that have to do with Paganism? I bet some of you reading this don’t believe Christ ever existed. And if you do believe he was a real man, you probably think he was nothing more than a talented teacher and not the literal Son of God. However, at the same time, I think we can all learn something from him about sacrifice, selflessness, and making good decisions.…

“The only thing worse than amateur scientists are drunken amateur scientists” Just when I thought that the bar of integrity in ghost hunting couldn’t get any lower someone went and removed it entirely. I only allow members to bring a small water bottle on investigations, but the owners of one of the most infamously haunted locations in the country will now allow you to drink alcohol anywhere and everywhere while you play scientist and fall victim to their new amusement park. Built in the 1880s, the Winchester House has never been registered for lodging let alone licensed for alcohol, but the current owners of the 160-room California mansion, Winchester Investments…

Merry Spring!     I thought for this month it might be nice to use traditional correspondences of Ostara and incorporate them into the entire month.     Here are some correspondences:   Symbolism / Ritual Work: new beginnings, new life, rebirth, fertility, balance, communication, growth, agriculture, planting, love, sex   Decorations / Symbols: Eggs, new moons, butterflies, bees, cocoons, rabbits, baskets, sprouting plants, wildflowers, lambs, robins, chicks   Stones: Aquamarine, amethyst, rose quartz, moonstone, bloodstone, red jasper   Plants: Blessed thistle, crocus, daffodil, jasmine, Irish moss, oak, snowdrop, ginger   Incense / Oils: Lotus, magnolia, ginger, jasmine, rose, sage, lavender, narcissus   Foods: Seasonal foods, seeds, edible flowers, eggs,…

Coming out of the Broom Closet   One of the major discussions among Pagan groups is whether or not to be in ‘the broom closet’.  This is reference to a person being open about their Pagan beliefs to others, including their friends, family, co-workers, or the general public.  It’s a touchy subject, which many Pagans have strong opinions about.   Coming out of the broom closet can lead to broken relationships if the person receiving the news feels strongly against your Pagan beliefs.  Some Pagans refuse to be open about their religious beliefs for fear of persecution or judgement by their friends or co-workers.  Some Pagans feel that this persecution…

Twig God(dess) Merry Meet. This month I hope to inspire you to craft a Goddess to adorn your space or be used in ritual. TwigBeltane Photo by Lynn Woike There are beautiful statues to be found of Brigid, Gaia, Hecate,  Frigga, Cerridwen, and many others. Gods, too. When I first started on my path, I was not familiar with many at all, and found myself working more with a “generic” Goddess that I came to think of as the Great Mother of All. Rather than calling on a named Goddess, I worked from my intent and would call upon whomever had the qualities I was incorporating into my work to…

Brendan Howlin is a Druid grade member of the order of Bards, Ovates and Druids (OBOD). He has been Senior International Tutor for Bards and Ovates for 13 years, and Science Correspondent for Touchstone, the journal of OBOD for 13 years. He is also co-founder of Surrey Druid Grove. Brendan is also Director of Postgraduate Research at University of Surrey. I’ve been fascinated by his upcoming book, The Handbook of Urban Druidry, and set out to find out a little more from the author himself. Mabh: I think when most of us consider Druidry, we don’t often think of the term ‘Urban’ as being associated. Can you tell me a…

The Complete Book of Tarot Spreads by Evelin Burger and Johannes Fiebig Published by Sterling Ethos, New York Soft cover, 160 pages.   I was never a reader who was drawn to spread books; right from when I picked up my first Tarot and attempted to tackle a Celtic Cross Spread, I found spread books to be limiting and confining. I prefer to create my own spreads, tailor-made for each of my seekers, and for me the construction of a spread works best if I begin from scratch rather than modifying an existing spread created by someone else.  I was pleasantly intrigued, however, by the Complete Book of Tarot Spreads.…

Zozo          You know how it is, you’re scanning the web looking for the latest in scary or bizarre happenings, and then something catches your interest next thing you know you find yourself in a spiral of stories and theories.  However, there comes the rare occasion when several stories match exactly or are eerily similar.  This is a rare occurrence in the paranormal community so when it does happen you can sense the universal excitement in the air.      I came across this the other night.  I can’t even remember how I got there but soon I was reading, stories upon stories of an entity that refers to itself…