-
Book Review – Celtic Tree Mysteries by Steve Blamires
Book Review Celtic Tree Mysteries Written by Steve Blamires Publisher: Crossed Crow Books 250 Pages Release Date: May 16, 2023 A Llewellyn author, Steve Blamires has traveled to all the continents and is known as an authority in Celtic mythology and paganism. He has worked for National Geographic and he leads group tours to Scotland, hosts a radio show, and is on the Board of Directors of American Center for Folk Music. The Llewellyn site wrote this about him: “Steve Blamires was born in Ayr, Scotland, and is one of the foremost Celtic scholars in the world. He is a co-founder of The Company of Avalon,…
-
Poetry – Lúnasa
We come to eat, we come to play To revel in the joy of the sun The heat of the height of the year The Solstice has come and gone. We bring in the first grains And pick first fruits to share We store away for later months We pickle and prepare. And while we feast and compete We honour those who came before By being better Being kinder Being something more For this green and graceful world Fragile in some ways But She’ll go on after us Nature stays, always stays… Let us hold the sun in our hearts Let us give space for the wild Let us…
-
Focus Pocus
Finding Inspiration When You’re Overwhelmed (Litha 2023) Everyone has probably felt overwhelmed from time to time, but those who are neurodivergent might experience overwhelming feelings differently, more frequently, or both. It’s easy for us to feel overwhelmed in overstimulating environments, our brains are always scanning the world around us, thinking at what feels like five times the speed of light, making connections upon connections, and our neurodivergent brains don’t help us filter a lot of the noise out. This can leave us anxious, paralyzed, and feeling like we’re stuck or out of control and can act like a huge barrier when we are trying to get ourselves together, especially…
-
Book Review – Backyard Witchcraft: The Complete Guide for the Green Witch, the Kitchen Witch, and the Hedge Witch by Cecilia Lattari and Betti Greco
Book Review Backyard Witchcraft: The Complete Guide for The Green Witch, The Kitchen Witch, and the Hedge Witch Written by Cecilia Lattari Illustrated by Betti Greco Publisher: Ixia Press 160 Pages Release Date: September 14, 2022 Backyard Witchcraft is a lavishly illustrated book that focuses on modern homespun witchcraft with an emphasis on herbal cunning tradition. In the Introduction, we learn all about the author’s approach to magic as an expression of plant relationship, and the three types of witchcraft that she will be discussing: green witchcraft, kitchen witchcraft, and hedge witchcraft. A bit like a witchy internet meme in book form, the book includes a…
-
Book Review – Spirit Speaker: A Medium’s Guide to Death and Dying by Salicrow
Book Review Spirit Speaker: A Medium’s Guide to Death and Dying Written by Salicrow Publisher: Destiny Books 128 Pages Release Date: April 4, 2023 Spirit Speaker: A Medium’s Guide To Death & Dying is more than a manual, it’s a confidant and Soul companion. As I read this book I felt confirmation of my psychic and paranormal experiences as well as validation for my sensitivities. So often in the world of the living, we rely way too heavily on what we can see and prove which can make us dismiss, invalidate, or even criticize the world of the dead and unseen. We cannot see oxygen or gravity…
-
Book Review – Flower Magic of the Druids by Jon G. Hughes
Book Review Flower Magic of the Druids: How to Craft Potions, Spells, & Enchantments Written by Jon G. Hughes Publisher: Destiny Books 200 Pages Release Date: May 2, 2023 Reading Flower Magic of the Druids; How to Craft Potions, Spells, & Enchantments by Jon G. Hughes reminded me of both the traditions of our Druidic Ancestors and the more modern flower traditions of my western life growing up here in the United States. Although Jon Hughes is mostly speaking to the flower landscapes of Great Britain and the United Kingdom, I was able to relate and extract much wisdom from his thorough teachings and guidelines as well…
-
Poem – Spinning The Sun
Spinning The Sun Height of the sun So high, so high Ground wavering and melting In the heat haze Call me to your soul Deep love, deep light Yet burning danger Consuming fire Nothing in part-measures Aching, desperate Passion so bright Call me to your home The heart of the desert The source of the hot spring The centre of the mountain Ready to burst Ash and fire Over the land Call me to your music Dancing the round Spinning the sun Clattering bells that Glisten and sparkle As boots hit the ground Over and over Beating the drum Beating the heart The thrum of blood Bursting through Summer’s…
-
A Spiritual Alternative to Baby Showers, “Mother Blessings”
Mother Blessings are special and sacred ceremonies for mothers-to-be. The ceremony originated with indigenous traditions of “blessing way” ceremonies, which were traditionally held for women about to embark on a birthing journey. On their passage, one was blessed with song and dance during the ceremony. Keeping this in mind, we strive to respect other cultures and not appropriate their traditions. Thus, we hold our own modified version of this event within our community, not using the exact same title, but always acknowledging the roots of this ceremony. The concept of a Mother Blessing is similar to that of a Baby Shower, but there are major di?erences between the two events.…
-
Book Review – Wyldwood: A Novel for the Scottish Borders (The Spiral Pathways) by Tava Baird
Book Review Wyldwood: A Novel for the Scottish Borders (The Spiral Pathways) by Tava Baird Publisher: Self-Published 190 Pages Release Date: May 5, 2022 “September 1746, the Scottish Borders. In a country still reeling from the Jacobite uprising, Saorsa Stuart, a practicing Celtic Witch and Bonnie Prince Charlie’s niece, has escaped imprisonment and must find her way west in search of her father and safety. Escorting her on the journey is Alexander Scott, a veteran of the Battle of Culloden who struggles with a dark supernatural secret. Part Faerie Tale, part romance, part adventure novel, and at its core the story of a young woman finding…
-
Good God!
Meet: Mercury Mercury, the Roman god of commerce, protected travelers and transporters of goods, as well as shopkeepers and merchants, especially those dealing in grains, who would pray to him for large profits. He is chosen for this issue because Lughnasadh is the grain harvest. Mercury was the son of Jupiter, king of the gods, and Maia, goddess of the plains. He is one of the twelve major gods of the Roman pantheon. The World History website explains, “He is frequently depicted holding the caduceus, a wand used to reconcile conflicts, and winged sandals for quickly carrying messages for the gods. The wand had been given to him by…
