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What I Learnt About My Ecological Footprint   I recently took an ecological footprint quiz to see how big my footprint really was. Thinking that it would be pretty low compared to others as we recycle a lot and are environmentally conscious. Did I get a wake up call! Despite the fact that we recycle, have less than one garbage bin a week, compost, have compact fluorescent bulbs, energy efficient appliances and turn things off when not using them, we are still using a lot of resources.   The purpose of calculating your footprint is to measure humanity’s demand on nature and to see how much ’nature’ our lifestyle requires.…

Black Sage ~ White Sage As summer fades into autumn, I have started to prepare the garden for the cold, rainy months ahead. Although most of the herb plants will do just fine left in place, I have a number which need a little extra attention if they are to survive the coming months, including the newcomers to my herbal family, the sages: Salvia mellifera and Salvia apiana.  Planted in glazed pots, the sages enjoyed the sunniest spot my garden had to offer during the summer. As our weather has started to become wetter, they have been moved to our front porch to control the amount of moisture they will…

The ones who came before   When the wheel is turning towards Samhain I feel the veils between the worlds are getting thinner. Ancestors are always present and I honour them all year through, but their special time is coming… Samhain is one of my favourite pagan holidays, a major sabbat.  The Halloween part with spooky features, pumpkins and the whole shebang are nice and enjoyable, but the other part  is much more important to me.   There are different groups I incorporate in honouring the ancestors. Of course there’s my own bloodline, but I also see it in a broader sense: the ones who came before. People that have…

Mum’s the Word   If it’s October, it’s time for me to prepare to be a mummer. Actually, I’ve been paying towards being a mummer since June. Rehearsals start in November. Final payment on my costume (we call them “suits”) is due at that time. I live near Philadelphia, and one of Philly’s grand traditions is its New Years Day Mummers’ Parade. In this lengthy, lively, and colorful affair, “mummers” of many stripes entertain the hung-over citizenry of the City of Brotherly Love. There are several divisions of mummers, depending upon talent, tenacity, and sobriety. At the top of the heap in all three categories stand the string bands, whose…

Autumn dress for upgraded home wear Oh those lovely days when I can stay at home the entire day, without having to leave the house!   I like a neat home, and to match my neat home, I need something neat to wear. For me staying at home the entire day does not mean slouching around in worn out sweatpants and a t-shirt that would do it´s best as a dish rag. That would be a bit depressing, and sad even, to be honest. For me too, comfort is the most important thing when it comes to my wardrobe.Only then comes beauty. Looking good means also feeling good. But one…

New Moon in Libra – 11 degrees Friday, October 5, 2013 – 8:33 pm EDT  A New Moon is always a good thing… where the Dark Moon finally rids us of negativity, the New Moon begins to filter positive energy into the void. Libra presents a balance to the whole and to find perfection, where it is needed most. Emotions level out and there is a happy medium. Enjoy this energy!!     Eclipsed Full Moon in Aries – 25 degrees Friday, October 18, 2013 – 7:37 pm EDT The Moon builds up energy and finally comes to fruition with robust energy when it is Full. If you had begun…

Privately Pagan:  In the Broom Closet I’m “in the broom closet”. It’s one of the most frustrating and difficult parts of being Pagan for me.  I live in the United States and I have rights and freedoms to practice my beliefs as I wish.  But, when it comes to being Pagan, there are consequences for being open and public about it. We can easily find a story in the news about a Pagan woman losing her right to see her children, someone losing their job or passed over for a promotion, someone’s home being vandalized or threatened, or children being teased or ridiculed for their parent’s beliefs.  It isn’t fair.…

October Book of Seasons   Samhain is here and at my house it is highly anticipated!  I love walking into a grocery store and seeing all of the new Halloween decorations out for sale!  Look at how so many people celebrate, albeit without knowing, our sacred turn of the year.  Pumpkins, skeletons, black cats and scarecrows peek from houses and businesses.  The fall harvest is in and the aromas of cinnamon brooms and pumpkin soup fill the house.  Can you tell I love this time of the year?  Let’s fill our hearths and hearts with the grounding abundance surrounding us.     Our affirmation is   My heart and hands…

Famous Witches, Wiccans and Pagans   Gerald Gardner was one of the first to take witchcraft ‘out of the broom closet’.  Since then, many witches have followed in his footsteps by publishing books and discussing publicly the beliefs, rituals and practices of Wicca.  These famous witches and pagans helped to bring Wicca out of obscurity, and allowed mainstream culture to gain insight into this secretive and selective group.   Gerald Gardner Gerald Gardner is known as the ‘father of modern Wicca’.  A British public servant, he spent much of his time abroad and was influenced by a variety of cultures and esoteric teachings.  He claimed to have been initiated into…

Improve Your Chances Of Spirit Communication      So, you want to be a ghost hunter.  You have picked your location and of course have permission to investigate the area.  You have done your research on the history of the location, such as who lived or worked there and if they passed on, you know how it happened.  You have extensive notes on the type of activity reported and the camera, flashlights and digital recorder are ready.  However, none of this will guarantee you will experience an encounter.  Many times investigators come up empty handed; it takes time, patience and persistence.  So how do you improve your chances of experiencing paranormal…