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The Moon Goddess “Once it be in a month, and better when the moon is full…”(1) By Meri Fowler HPS The other day I on Facebook I was sorry to see a definition of Paganism as “people who worship the moon”. The moon is, as far as I know, a piece of rock that orbits the earth, although some people think it might be made of cheese! We don’t worship it, we worship God. I had an argument with a doctor of theology who said that Pagans worship the forces of nature personified by deities that were invented by ancient people. He said they made up these deities to explain…

Annie Oakley. Now, that’s a name one would not associate with strength of character and determination. She was a strong woman, a warrior woman, who made a name for herself in the competitive arena of sharpshooting. A man’s world.   Phoebe Ann Moses (her stage name, Annie Oakley, was to come later) was born into a Quaker family in 1860. Her childhood was one of deprivation and sadness. Her father died when she was just six years old; her step-father died a few short years later, soon after marrying her mother. A third marriage did nothing to alleviate the grinding poverty in which the family lived.   Phoebe Ann’s mother,…

Photo used with permission. twopagans.com     Blessed Samhain! This is hands down, no doubt about it my favorite time of year. It is the time of year of new beginnings, so I use this time to clean out all the old and make room for the new. I will clean out my herb cabinet and return the old herb to the earth via compost. If I feel the need for a new besom, I will either make one or purchase it. And instead of waiting for January to make new resolutions I will state mine at the end of my Samhain ritual. (And of course some of them will…

Merry Meet and Welcome to the September Issue of PaganPages   We have a wonderful Mabon issue for you this month!!   Be sure to visit us on our Etsy Site for Beautiful Jewelry, Supplies, and Goodies.   We are currently looking for a columnist to review blogs, sites, podcasts, etc…  If you are interested email [email protected]    

Cultivating Patience & Boundaries in the Garden This is a bittersweet time in the herb garden as the days grow shorter and temperatures are beginning to cool. The plants which have been attentively nurtured since early spring are now sporting an overgrown and somewhat rangy appearance. Many are yellowing, setting seed, and turning their growth inward to their roots to prepare for the winter respite. This has been a very prolific gardening season for me, re-introducing my herbal plant friends back into their newly expanded garden bed. Two years ago, my husband surprised me with his plan to double the size of my herb garden. Although his intentions were wonderful,…

Autumn Fashion: Ragdoll-look The perfect garderobe… probably a myth more than reality. But I´m trying! The idea is to design and make five outfits for each Sabbat. Ones that I can rotate year after year. Saves both money and the Earth. Plus my nerves, because then I always have something to wear. I have found that looking at least somewhat groomed makes one´s life much easier and lighter, thus even happier. We are all good looking, we just need to enhance our best qualities (both outer, and inner of course). When one looks good, one feels good. And that good feeling creates a positive, uplifting aura. And everybody who comes…

HERBAL PHARMACY Picking and Drying Herbs    In your herbal pharmacy you transform fresh and dried plants into herbal medicines. Learning to identify and use the common plants around you is easy and exciting, beneficial and safe. Making your own medicines saves you money if you follow the Wise Woman tradition of using local herbs, free for the taking. Even one day’s work in field, forest, and kitchen can provide you with many years’ worth of medicines. When you make your own, you know for sure what’s in it, where it came from, when and how it was harvested, and how fresh and potent it is. Dried herbs are best…

September’s Book of Seasons   Yea!  Fall is finally here!  I adore the fall with its change in weather and amazing food in the farmer’s market.  Apples are everywhere as are pumpkins.  It is the sparkle of Samhain just around the corner that makes September so happily anticipated in my house!   Our affirmation for September is I find my balance and restore my energy.   The world is a constantly changing environment full of noise and all things artificial.  We who look to nature for grounding and spiritual wisdom can have a hard time locating sacred space.  I propose we consider the simple idea of using the power of…

Where’s the Worm?   I’m just back from the organic market, Whole Foods in this case, with just a few items I can’t find anywhere else. I remember when our local Whole Foods first opened. I was so excited! Finally, real organic produce! Vegetables with splotches and blotches and bruised dents and odd shapes! Apples with worms and cracks and little raised white pimples! Tomatoes with scars! Small, thin-skinned oranges, some the size of billiard balls! You’ll scarcely believe me, but I was deeply disappointed when I first walked into that store and saw all the picture-perfect groceries. The first question I had to ask myself was, “Where does this…

  Labor Day Monday, September 2, 2013 – 12:01 am EDT (Midnight) Kick off your shoes and pad around barefoot on the last holiday of Summer!! As a day of rest from Labor, we look at the House of Employment, the 10th House. Neptune and Chiron, both retrograde, share space at the onset of the day bringing an energy of awareness and egotistical self-sacrifice. Enacted into law in 1894, Grover Cleveland was filled with unfounded trepidation. Today, it marks the symbolic end of Summer. Schools begin their new school year depending on the region. It is also the official ending to wear white pants… As the evening winds down, take…