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The Winds of Change… There are pivotal times where change seems more evident than at other times. There is no doubt that this time of year the winds are blowing strongly. Some may believe this is conducsive with 2012 however, upon reflection it is evident that it is that time of year. Many fear change, believing that these winds will bring bad fortune however, if already plagued with unhappiness, financial worry and limitations around moving forward, can change be such a negative? When talking about change from an energetic perspective it is similar to the change of the day to day. The only difference is that it affects all of…

Also known as: May Day, Bealtaine, Beltane, Bhealtainn, Bealtinne, Festival of Tana (Strega), Giamonios, Rudemass, and Walburga (Teutonic), Cetsamhain (opposite Samhain),Fairy Day ,Sacred Thorn Day, Rood Day, Roodmas (the Christian term for Rood Day, Old Beltane, Beltain, Baltane, Walpurgis Night, Floriala (Roman feast of flowers from April 29 to May 1), Walpurgisnacht (Germanic-feast of St. Walpurga), Thrimilce (Anglo-saxon), Bloumaand (Old Dutch) Date: May 1 Animals: Swallow, dove, swan, Cats, lynx, leopard Deities: Flower Goddesses, Divine Couples, Deities of the Hunt, Aphrodite, artemis, Bast, Diana, Faunus, Flora, Maia, Pan, the Horned God, Venus, and all Gods and Goddesses who preside over fertility.Tools: broom, May Pole, cauldronStones/Gems: emerald, malachite, amber, orange carnelian,…

Karma and our lives We as witches are very aware of Karma. Many of us follow the Rede which states” An it harm none, do as thy will”. But it says much more than that.  It is a guideline for life, but it (or something like it) is essential as Karma does not care about what path you walk, what religion you follow or anything else. It only believes in the cosmic law… for every action there is an equal or greater reaction.  Whatever you choose to put out into the world , in thought, word and deed, WILL COME BACK. Some believe that it may come back threefold. Seriously..…

The Boline The boline and athame are very closely related, yet very different from each other. The double edged blade and black handled athame is never used to cute material objects, whereas that is the purpose of the boline. The boline is used to cut whatever may need cutting on the physical plane in preparation for or during a ceremony or ritual. The main uses are for cutting cords, ribbons, herbs, carving candles and runes. It is also used to cut wands and symbol inscription. The boline is also called a bolline or boleen and generally has a white handle made of bone, stone or wood. The blade can be…

Sexytimes In Public Oh my stars.  Catholics are asking to be treated differently due to their religious beliefs when it comes to providing health care for women who work for them.  The Republicans, sensing an opportunity that was actually a mistake, have done their best to pile onto this issue, in some very inelegant ways [1].  There are a lot of political arguments here, ones that have been stated much more clearly and interestingly elsewhere [2].   Personally I do believe that there should be an exemption for institutions whose primary function is religious on matters of principle where it is reasonable and practical.  This is a fundamental principle of religious…

An A to Z Guide to Healing Foods by  Mary Elise Collins  © 2010 Conari Press ISBN:  978-1-57324-419-0 164 pages    Paperback        $12.95 (U.S.) This is not a book to be read through – it is a book to be referred to and consulted.  It contains a listing of more than 250 foods with a basic description of the benefits to be derived from the consumption of each.  That comprises the first 130+ pages of this book.  There then follows a short section on Ailment Treatment and Health Maintenance.  That is followed by a brief glossary and suggestions for online shopping sources.  It is rounded out by a basic bibliography. There…

Moon Name: The Growing Moon Deities: Kali, Hathor, Anahita, Ceres, Ishtar, Venus, Bast Nature Spirits: plant faeries Colors: Red and gold Herbs: basil, chives, dragons blood, geranium, thistle Flowers: daisy and sweetpea Tree’s: pine, bay and hazel Scents: pine, bay, bergamot and my personal favorite patchouli Stones: ruby, garnet, sard Animals: Bear and Wolf Birds: hawk and magpie Powers: energy in creating and producing, balance is returned to the nerves change, self confidence, self-reliance, take advantage of opportunities, Time to work on emotional turmoil and get your temper into prospective

Angelic Guide Summoning Spell A SPELL TO MEET YOUR SPIRIT GUIDE (ANGEL) Items Needed: Altar Candle All Purpose White Candle 4” candles (white) 3 Violet candles 3 pink candles Crystal ball or glass of water Angel Guide Summoning Oil (make this yourself with olive oil, a drop of cinnamon and either Frankincense resin piece dropped in the oil, or a drop of  Frankincense oil.  If you have any of the other herbs or essential oils listed directly below that you can add to the oil, that would be great; if not, do not worry; what you have is fine.) Anise, cardamon, or coriander incense Cinnamon, frankincense, myrrh, or sandalwood bathing…

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 Mercury in Retrograde Dear Mama Donna, For years I have been hearing warnings about Mercury in Retrograde, but I am not sure I understand what that means or why I should be careful. All I know is that all sorts of weird, awful things are supposed to happen. Can you please explain this phenomenon to this astrology neophyte? Confused and wary in Wisconsin Dear Confused, Mercury, the planet of communication enters…

The Boogeyman “When I was 6 I always watched the show, The Greatest American Hero. I wanted to prove it wasn’t real, so I began testing his powers vs mine. Things like I would wrap a towel around my neck like a cape and I would try flying in the house. Then when I couldn’t fly in the house, I figured I had to be outside… I climbed on top of the trailer and jumped off. I realized the Greatest American Hero can’t fly. Then came the day I wanted to prove he wasn’t bulletproof, so I gave my friend my bb gun and had him shoot as many times…