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How a New Age Book and a Cookie-Scented Candle Made Me a Better Pagan   It was after the days had started growing longer and everything was pitch black both when I got out of bed and before I got home at night.  Anxiety and depression have a way of flowing like a wave for me: life is pretty okay; nope, not anymore. Up, down, up, down.  I was distinctly down, listening to “Tennis Court” by Lorde on repeat because I realized it just sounds so sad.  And sad people like things like that.  I thought about being pagan and I wondered what it had to offer me now, when…

      “Where, Oh Where, Has the Science Gone?” There was a time, about 40 years ago, when paranormal research was fueled more by a passion for science and understanding than for fame and glory. It was a time when some of the world’s most prestigious universities were home to large parapsychology departments conducting cutting-edge research and publishing their theories and findings in the world’s top academic journals where they were discussed and graded on their methodology and scholastic merit. It was a great time for the field- before Hollywood and groups using poor techniques and duct-taped equipment stumbled around with night vision cameras looking for ratings rather than…

“Oh, the weather outside is frightful…” It’s that time of year. The white stuff, aka snow, is forecast, falling, changing to a wintry mix, cancelling school, snarling traffic, causing roofs to collapse, and putting shovel-wielding workers at risk of heart attack. The white stuff is also pulling children out of doors to exercise, giving harried teachers a day off, blanketing everything in an eye-popping mantle of glistening crystal, and providing much-needed slow-release moisture for plants and aquifers. Love it or hate it, snow is going to fall. We can plan for it, but we can’t stop or alter the inexorable accumulation.  Snow is a fact of life in many temperate…

February 1, 2 Other Names: Imbolg (im-molc)(em-bowl’g) (Celtic), Candlemas (Christian), Brigantia (Caledonii), Oimelc, Festival of Light, Brigid’s (Brid, Bride) Day, La Fheill, An Fheille Bride, Candelaria (Mexico), Chinese New Year, Disting-tid (Feb 14th, Teutonic), DisaBlot, Anagantios, Lupercalia/Lupercus (Strega), Groundhog Day, Valentines Day. Animals & Mythical Beings: Firebird, dragon, groundhog, deer, burrowing animals, ewes, robin, sheep, lamb, other creatures waking from hibernation. Gemstones: Amethyst, garnet, onyx, turquoise. Incense/Oil: Jasmine, rosemary, frankincense, cinnamon, neroli, musk, olive, sweet pea, basil, myrrh, and wisteria, apricot, carnation. Colors/Candles: Brown, pink, red, orange, white, lavender, pale yellow, silver. Tools,Symbols, & Decorations: White flowers, marigolds, plum blossoms, daffodils, Brigid wheel, Brigid’s cross, candles, grain/seed for blessing, red…

Darkest Night of the Soul The Winter Solstice is the longest night of the year, which means each night following gets shorter, each day gets that much longer, until the summer solstice in June. Some people stay up on the longest night of the year, burning Yule logs, waiting to witness the rebirth of the sun.  This meditation is for those of us who like that idea, but really don’t have the energy to pull that kind of thing off. I have designed this meditation to work as a miniature “darkest night of the soul,” where you give form to your negative energy until it crushes itself out of you,…

Notable Holidays – New Year’s Day Wednesday, January 1, 2014 – 00:00:01 am EST Sun in Capricorn – 10 degrees Today is the day to make resolutions, right? And the most difficult thing is keeping your promises (to yourself). And as it happens, the Moon is caught square between its Nodes, which can specifically challenge you emotionally for the skills you need to hone and the talents you have already peaked. You may question yourself whether you have mastered them enough or if you need to enhance them even further. Mercury might be able to help you make a decision… It has just entered Capricorn, so thoughts will make you…

As promised, this month we will talk about another Six card, the Six of Cups.  In the Tarot Minor Arcana, the Six cards are kind of unique, in part because of the properties of the number 6, and in part because of the properties of the Sephira corresponding to the Tarot Sixes on the Tree of Life, Tiphareth.  Before we talk about the Six of Cups specifically, there is an in-depth discussion of the number Six in last month’s essay on the Six of Pentacles.  If you haven’t read that essay yet, please do so now.   The number 6 offers the concept of forward momentum achieved through victory over…

Introduction   As pagans, we are aware of being children of Mother Earth.  She carries us with her from life to life as she evolves at the slow pace of goddesses; for, as a good Mother, she wants to take all of her children with her in her evolutionary journey. Pagans are therefore in no hurry but, as a courtesy, should wish to develop their awareness to the next level, so as not to be a burden to their Mother but rather help her along.   Life thus is school for the children of Earth, and for those who wish to evolve more swiftly, becoming prefects, as it were, in…

Soup Magic   For me, one of the ‘magical’ aspects of cooking is the way ingredients come together synergistically, creating something which is more than the sum of its parts. Making soup is an especially good way of employing this kind of magic in cooking given the diversity of ingredients and the way they blend together. Ah, soup! Thrifty, warming, soothing, comforting! The perfect cold weather food.   A basic recipe for soup is to fry up some chopped onions and garlic in a little olive oil and butter until they are soft. If you are using spices, throw these in and fry briefly. Now add vegetables and/or meat, stir…

FAIR FAWN ~ Gift of Innocence ~     The essential self is innocent, and when it tastes its own innocence knows that it lives forever. ~ John Updike     This is a journey into the Gift of Innocence, a state of natural purity…who we all are, deep within our souls.  Allow yourself to go on this inner journey…into the Spirit of your Beautiful Infinite Self. For here is where you shall find your truth.   Begin by getting comfortable. Find a space that feels at ease with your bod, and allow yourself to get into a soft state of relaxation. Take some deep, healing, cleansing breaths…inhaling and exhaling,…