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My Celtic Side My paternal grandmother was of Irish and Scott’s descent; whereas my paternal grandfather was of Welsh and English descent. I never had the pleasure of knowing my grandfather as he passed before I was born. From what my mother has told me of him, I think I would have liked him. I have never heard my father speak of him. As for my grandmother, she was fair, freckled, with red hair and other than her Irish maiden name, was very much removed from her Irish/Scott’s roots. I was around the age of 4 when the Celtic Gods appeared in my life. The first was Arianrhod. A stately…

Summer Skin-5 Safe Herbs With temperatures heating up and summer on the way, the one thing most people forget to consider is their skin. Whatever outdoor activity you’re into, your skin is constantly being pummeled with harsh UV rays.  Rather than buying pricey, products full of artificial and synthetic chemicals why not go straight to the source and treat your skin right, the natural way? There are five herbs that will do wonders for maintaining your healthy skin this summer. Comfrey An all-around great plant to have in your garden for its use as a potent medicinal herb, comfrey is a self-seeding, high yielding herb that can save your skin…

The Evolution of the Urban Legend        Everyone has heard one form or another of the Urban Legend.  They are told around campfires, or at slumber parties.  Scary stories of ghosts, crazed lunatics, and bizarre occurrences.  Why are we so drawn to them?  The origin of the story is always vague and some details may change but the root of the story is always the same, to scare and shock.  Usually these stories leave us questioning if this did or could this really happen.      What is interesting is how these stories have evolved due to the advancements in modern technology.  We remember the legends from the older generations. …

Ahhhhh. Summertime. Time to make those vacation travel plans! Well, ideally, yes. In reality, I haven’t got a brass farthing for travel. I’m a public school teacher with a daughter in college. Looks like my vacation will consist of sitting in the back yard, observing closely as the little yellow flowers on my tomato plants wither and turn into shiny green bumps. Maybe I’ll make a game of it. Assign each budding tomato a name and a personality. Oh, but then they’ll be hard to eat! Who says staycations are easy? If I had some computer savvy and some clout in the Pagan community, it wouldn’t have to be this…

Let´s go swimming! I´m such a wuss when it comes to swimming in natural waters! Why does it always feel so cold? Even swimming pools are challenging… But once I do dare to hop in, I´m totally loving it. The feeling of floating nearly weightless is heavenly. But whether to wear a swimsuit or a bikini, that is the question. Finding well-fitting swimwear is difficult. And a torment to try on! In search of the perfect swimwear, I decided to rely on my trial-and-error-method of making it myself. And I chose a bikini. Inspired by Litha and the sea. This is the very first set I have made, ever, but…

  Welcome to the June Issue of PaganPages *** This month Features your Old Favorite Columns, Your New Favorite Columns, and New Columns we Promise will Become Favorites! Check out our New columns:   Connecting with Nature Musings from a Hereditary Witch art and mystery Nelland Living The Neon Pagan Signposts A Year and a Day Seeing the Signs Tink About it Seed, Root & Stem Bare Feet on an Earth Path Also find all your Litha correspondences *** Interested in writing?  Pitch us a column.  Email [email protected] Do you write your own Spells and Rituals?  Would you like to share them?  We are looking for Spells and Ritual Columnists.…

I came to paganism, like many of us, by way of books. They intrigued me, and once I got my nose into them, one led to another, which led to another. Many of these books were written by brave, public pagan figures who had recorded their knowledge so that I, an inheritor of that knowledge, could follow their bread crumb trail on a journey of my own.   The very first books I plucked off of the bookstore shelves and brought home with me were introductory Wiccan books. They did their best to describe just what Wiccans are and what they do, saying that “Wiccans believe this” and “Pagans do…

Are you cyclically confused? In a ceremonial quandary? Completely clueless? Wonder no more.                  *Ask Your Mama™                Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Spirituality and Didn’t Know Who to Ask™ by ©Mama Donna Henes, Urban Shaman A Question of Connection   Dear Mama Donna,   It’s so important that we all work together in cooperation. Unfortunately, most people don’t realize that we’re all connected. They live their lives thinking they’re completely separate. So how do we get everyone to realize that we are a whole?   Looking for Unity in Ashville We are here to awaken from the illusion of our separateness.       -Thich…

I wake up slowly on the second day of a writer’s retreat in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains in Washington State.  The morning is cool, the air gray and hazy.  Unzipping my tent, I’m surrounded by green.   Moss-covered trees flank rolling hills just beyond a forest where coyotes, mountain lions and wolves hunt in freedom.  In the clearing, I see that dandelion flowers have gone to seed, overnight changing from sun-yellow to moon-white to form hundreds of pale spheres.  Painted in the morning mist, they look like spirit flowers. My dreams from the night before were of water.  “Distill” was the word that came.  The story that I’m writing…

The Spellcasting Picture Book By Diana Rajchel © 2008, 2011 Diana Rajchel 48 pages electronic book available at http://www.dianarajchel.com The Spellcasting Picture Book’s full title is The Spellcasting Picture Book: Visual tools for grown-ups. At first glance it does appear to be a children’s picture book and not a book for adults. Further investigation reveals this to be a fun and inventive book. The book is full of fun colorful pictures with directions or spells. The artwork is done primarily in crayon and inspires the reader to take the whole further with their own fun with crayons and spells. The author does state the spells are designed for the reader…