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Samhain Traditions & Folklore. Its almost here, the best holiday of them all, in my opinion at least, I love Samhain (pron Sow in – for those unsure) I remember even as a small child Samhain was a celebration for me of people who has passed over, I am still unsure to this day where I gained that knowledge from considering my own parents are far from Pagan and really never spoken about religion or the history of the holiday, to me at least. I have, to this day, certain traditions that I will always carry out and pass down to my own children, should they wish to follow them…

Winter Nights It is nearing midnight and a crisp Autumn wind chills the air. She clutches her wrap tightly and, though her old joints creak in protest, she presses forward.  Her destination is not much farther. Just beyond the Oaks along the wooded path – thirteen feet at most. The forest floor is thick with moss and cushions her footsteps. She reaches the sacred mound, shakes out a thick blanket and pauses while listening to the howl of a lone wolf. From the corner of her eye, there is movement and light; they are here. She stands in silence, just as she had as a young girl, beside her grandmother;…

Welcome to the September Issue of PaganPages.  Fall is upon us and we are all getting ready here at the Magazine.  How is your preparations coming along? We have a fantastic issue for you this month. In This Issue: A review of The Weiser Field Guide to Ghosts by Raymond Buckland Morrigan – FLYING QUEEN We are also introducing a few new columnists, we hope you enjoy them. We are currently looking for new writers for the following columns: Meditation Oils & Incense divination & Oracles Contest: This month’s contest is brought to you by: http://www.betterhagsandgargoyles.com/ Who donated this month’s prize. Esbat Oil and Incense For this month’s challenge we…

Anubis Anubis is one of those that most people would recognize but may not know who he is or what he stands for.  He is an ancient God who was widely worshipped in Egypt. He is the guardian of magical secrets and is the patron of embalmers, mummification and the dead on their path through the underworld. He has the body of man and the head of a jackal. It is believed that the reason he is portrayed with the head of a jackal is that jackals are scavengers who prowl along edges of desert and in cemeteries. He also has a host of messenger ‘demons’ that would carry knowledge…

MAY-bon, MAY-bun, MAY-bone, MAH-boon or MAH-bawn, – Lesser Sabbat – Fall/Autumn Equinox, September 21-23 Michaelmas (September 25th, Christian), Second Harvest Festival, Witches’ Thanksgiving, Harvest Home (Anglo-Celtic), Feast of Avalon, Wine Harvest, Festival of Dionysus, Cornucopia, Equinozio di Autunno (Strega), Chung Chiu (China), Night of the Hunter, Alban Elfed “The Light of the Water”(Caledonii/ Druidic-celebrates Lord of the Mysteries), Winter Finding (Teutonic, from Equinox ’til Winter Night or Nordic New Year, Oct 15th.) Mabon is considered a time of the Mysteries. It is a time to honor Aging Deities and the Spirit World. Considered a time of balance, it is when we stop and relax and enjoy the fruits of our…

All my life I’ve walked alone down thorny paths of broken stone. No one to hear my silent screams. No one to see my broken dreams. I’ve always held my head up high without a thought of days gone by. My tears contained within a cage, my soul poured out upon a page. These words you read explain my life. I’ve cut myself open with a knife. I’ve bled for you to feel the pain. I’ve bled for me to keep me sane. So take these words into your heart. Trust that I won’t fall apart. I’ll stand up tall without a crack because Ive beat those demons back.

The Rede- Harm None Harm none.  Short and to the point.  That being the case, it’s a law we can live with.  Besides, it’s easy enough to follow. Right? Well……. Seems like most applications should be fairly obvious… For example, not to do bodily harm, to ourselves or anyone else. Do not wish ill, manipulate, or deliberately hurt someone’s feelings. We even know better than to damage as we become successful. These things go without saying. But what about all the things we can’t know or control? Like how something we say might affect someone else. What if it is taken out of context, and angers them or brings on…

Relaxing Summer Tonic You will need 1tsp. of each of the following herbs: Lavender, Chamomile, and Jasmine You will also need about 1 cup of lemon juice. Bring approximately ¾ of a gallon of water to a boil and add the herbs.  Remove the pot from the heat and steep the herbs for a minimum of 5 minutes (longer if you want a stronger flavor).  Strain the mixture and place in a pitcher, add the lemon juice and ½ to 1 cup of sugar or other desired sweetener and stir.  Place in the refrigerator to cool. Serve over ice and enjoy. Madame Mora’s herbal This class is designed to show…

Meditation Moment: A Practical and Magical Skill I’ve spent the last few months discussing different ways to meditate; this month I’d like to focus on why meditation is such an important skill for both practical and magical purposes. Research is revealing more and more health benefits to a regular meditation practice, but the ability to direct your own attention and shift your focus as you wish is incredibly valuable in everyday life, not just while actively meditating, and also an essential part of working magic. As a practical skill, meditation can help us deal with difficult times in our lives. Many people who have depression experience being stuck in negative…

The Weiser Field Guide to Ghosts  by Raymond Buckland © 2009 Weiser Books  ISBN:  978-1578634512 Paperback        192 pages $14.95 (U.S.) There are field guide and there are field guides.  Weiser is, apparently, planning to produce a series of field guides on a variety of topics.  This is the second one I have reviewed (see The Weiser Field Guide to Vampires previously).  My only comment on the series, so far, is that it is somewhat inconsistent.  Vampires didn’t really seem to fit the category (although it was technically well-written and interesting), whereas this volume is truer to the format.  Oh, it ranges a bit afield – monsters and vampires being technically…