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At this time of year, I like to do a yearly “re-balance” check within myself.  Sort of like a tune-up.  It seems like throughout the year, I slowly, bit by bit, get scattered and torn in a bunch of directions in my life.  I like to take time to refocus at this time of year just around or shortly after the Summer Solstice, and again do a tune-up around the Winter Solstice.  It helps me keep sane.  This is a good ritual to do to also help relax you and ease stress.  It is an excellent spell to do prior to going to/getting ready for bed and helps to clear…

Full Moon in Capricorn at 12 degrees July 3, 2012 2:52 pm EDT When the Full Moon is in Capricorn, we tend to experience a stability within our emotions. It is easier to make peace and find serenity within. Meditations can be profound at this time. This Full Moon is determined to be cautious though. Although emotions are practical, they are also safely tucked away to avoid disorder and chaos. Try to find time to let loose a little and be yourself with an air of inhibition. Native Lore In July, some tribes of the Native Americans refered to the Full Moon as the Full Buck Moon, because it was…

Welcome to the June Issue of PaganPages EMagazine!  This issue is brought to you by:    This issue is as hot as the weather!!  We have a new herbal column for you:  The Mugwort Chronicles   Our etsy shop is back up at http://www.etsy.com/shop/paganpagesorg?ref=ss_profile come see the wonderful witchery in stock.   We are currently looking for a columnist interested in reviewing Pagan Sites.  If you are interested email us at [email protected]   Do you know of any good podcasts or apps?  Please share them below in the comments.    We hope you have a wonderful beginning to the summer, stay cool, and HAPPY READING!!!          

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 Precipitation Dear Mama Donna, It is raining again. For months now it has rained just about every day. The entire Northeast is inundated with more rain than we can possibly deal with. This seems like a curse from above. Any thoughts? Soaked to the Bone in Syracuse Dear Soaked, I know what you mean. This spring has been so incredibly wet. Here in New York City there are mushrooms growing out…

Neptune goes Retrograde in Pisces at 3 degrees , June 3, 2012 6:57 pm EDT Neptune can be very confusing at times, regardless of the Sign it sits. Conflict and Chaos can be obvious. However, when Neptune goes retrograde, it seems like the fog lifts and we can think more clearly of situations at hand. We can see and understand our immediate circumstances. As a Planet of Clairvoyance in Pisces, we begin to see the Light more clearly. Our instincts become more tuned in. Lifting the fog when retrograde, increases this energy. Enjoy the mystical senses of retrograde Neptune in Pisces. Go with your gut instincts!! ? Eclipsed Full Moon…

History of Litha (MidSummer) Also known as Summer Solstice, Litha, Alban Hefin, Sun Blessing, Gathering Day, Feill-Sheathain, Whit Sunday, Whitsuntide, Vestalia, Thing-tide, St. John’s Day In addition to the four great festivals of the Pagan Celtic year, there are four lesser holidays as well: the two solstices, and the two equinoxes. In folklore, these are referred to as the four ‘quarter-days’ of the year, and modern Witches call them the four ‘Lesser Sabbats’, or the four ‘Low Holidays’. The Summer Solstice is one of them. Litha is usually celebrated on June 21st, but varies somewhat from the 20th to the 23rd, dependant upon the Earth’s rotation around the Sun. According…

Waverly Hills        A haunting is often brought on by trauma and what place sees more trauma than a hospital?  During the early 1900’s there was an outbreak of the very contagious, tuberculosis, also known as “white death”.  With no cure available at the time, the disease would claim entire families.  One of the highest death rates was in Louisville, Kentucky.  In 1910 a hospital was built on a hill in Jefferson County with hopes of combating the disease.  The hospital quickly became overcrowded, and in 1924 a new structure was started.  Two years later in 1926, Waverly Hills Sanatorium was opened.       Though considered very advanced for its…

Adventures with Oregon Grape Root Last March I was lucky enough to participate in a local two day medicinal plant class which included a day long hike through some lushly forested private land. We spent much of the day learning to identify wild edible and medicinal plants with a special activity planned by our guide: harvesting Oregon Grape root for tincture.   Oregon Grape root (Mahonia spp) grows abundantly here in the Pacific Northwest and can be found not only in forests, but in urban neighborhoods, as well, where it is often used for landscaping. The two most common varieties seen here are Mahonia nervosa or dull Oregon Grape, a…

Respect   Ah, June! Summer at last. The height of energy pulses through everything. Summer Solstice and Father’s Day show up on our calendars. How does our value of Respect fit in with, at the very least, these two occasions?   Let’s look at how respect shows up in our daily lives. It definitely seems to me that respect is an old fashioned notion when I watch the news or just go out into my community. Good grief, were these people raised in a barn? I can hear my grandmother say this very phrase.   Perhaps. As a parent, I hear kids talk back to their parents with no repercussions.…