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Enjoy Responsibly Last summer I went camping at a swell InterFaith retreat in the mountains of south central Pennsylvania. I sat by a first-rate swimming hole and watched a little boy, probably eight or ten, as he tried to build a dam across a stretch of Sideling Hill Creek. Every time he got the rocks to the point where they might hold back the water, something went amiss, and the current rushed through. The boy got frustrated. “Hold still, rocks!” he commanded. He re-arranged them, and, as if talking to a dog, said to the rocks, “Stay.” The rocks didn’t stay. No matter how the boy exerted himself, his construction…

Perpetual Flame   Born yellow, orange and red I was to this wooden limb to this oak dweller but in the sacred grove, wise as a tree, silently walks our caretaker, tending her duty though between solstice and equinox, fall it now was birthed in times of long ago.   Now my entire intention’s to purify Kildare’s sentient beings worth protecting from pestilence, vermin, and imps that no individual petition would overcome clever maliciousness manifested in darkness, each attack unmade, undone – swathed in my embrace.   Wise one, revered Lady of Imbolc we offer bannock and drink; showered by your kindness we raise goblets abundantly flowing with ewe’s milk:…

Jasper     Relieves stress and insecure feelings.  In medieval Europe red jasper was worn to control bleeding, and green jasper to bring rain.  In modern times amulets of black jasper have been though to ward off lightning.  Yellow for stomach, intestines, liver, spleen areas.  It is earthy and grounding.  Green is fro Respiratory and Heart.  General tissue regeneration, mineral assimilation and general healing.  Darker colors are more grounding and less conductive for healing.  Stimulates the sense of smell.  Promotes stimulation of the immune system.  The placement and effect varies somewhat with the color.  Yellow heart area.  Red is used for bronchial problems, Brown is for grounding, and green for…

Crafty witch   On the internet and around me in real life I see a lot of crafty witches. I like to make things too. I’ve made my own runes from willow wood, made my own drum, several brooms, etc. In the past I’ve done a lot like making paper cards, creative journaling, using all kinds of techniques. So… it’s not that I’m not creative or something. There’s a part of the crafty world though that I can’t find my way in, although I’ve tried several times. On Pinterest and Facebook I see lots of beautiful wool work: crocheted and knitted mostly. My mum learned me how to knit when…

Water for Life   Water is one of the five elements and sacred in so many ways. It brings life, promotes healing and purification. Water is important for most living things, without it humans would perish. We rely on water for our bodies in various ways such as regulating pH, digestion, transporting oxygen and nutrients to cells, removing waste, lubricating joints, electrolyte balance, temperature regulation and much more. Not only do we ingest it, we also use it for cooking, washing, cleaning, recreation and growing food.     About 70% of the earth’s surface is water and that amount stays relatively the same each year as the water gets recycled.…

The Need Fire of Imbolc/Brighid’s Fire In ancient Ireland, all hearth fires would be extinguished and laid with fresh logs on Imbolc. A community fire would be built and presided over by the community leaders, most often Chieftains of the tribe. The fire represents the purification from the winter energy and a blessing from Brighid. A young girl would be chosen to light a torch from the fire. In a procession, she would then go house to house with her torch. She would be welcomed in and praised as the embodiment of Brighid. The girl would then light the hearth fire and offer a blessing to the household. On Imbolc…

Paganism   Definitions of paganism are difficult because most Pagans do not operate within a centralised religious body or follow a standard set of rules.  However there are similarities between the various Pagan and Neopagan traditions, including reverence for the Earth and nature.  Many Neopagans share common beliefs with indigenous traditions including pantheism, polytheism, and animism.   Below are examples of some of the largest groups within the Pagan and Neopagan movement.  However given Paganism’s eclectic nature, these are purely generalizations and there are many variations and interpretations!   Wicca Wicca is the largest of the Neopagan religious groups, thought to be started in the 1950s by Gerald Gardner in…

Brighid of the Augery                 Imbolc is coming and many Wiccans honour the Goddess Brighid on this Sacred Day. Brighid is a central figure in the Celtic mythos and one of the world’s most beloved Goddesses. She crosses cultures and faiths from Christianity to Paganism. In Catholicism she is still prayed to as St. Brigit of Kildare (b.451-d.523), although she was one of the “Saints” removed from the Catholic calendar in the 1960s. In the 8th century Cormac mac Cuilennain, the king-bishop of Munster in Ireland compiled the first linguistic dictionary on any non-classical languages of Europe on Irish words. This is part of his entry on Brighid.(1) Brighid—a poetess,…

Imbolc and New Beginnings Following the Sabbats is one of my favorite parts of being Pagan.   I like marking the change of the seasons.  I like the different ways we welcome the changes, whether simply updating the colors around our house or just focusing on something different in our lives. As cold as this winter has been, I’m really looking forward to Imbolc. While nothing beats the picturesque views of snow falling outside while a fire roars in the fireplace, my home is in Texas.  I like warmer temperatures.   Like may not be the right word – I need the warmth.  For me Imbolc is the first sign that warmer…