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Pyramid Prosper Rite A solitary ritual to invoke prosperity in your life. Supplies One green votive candle, holder, and matches One quarter, dime, nickel, and penny (or any other currency in coin form) Two pair of chopsticks One terra cotta plate One coin bank One bowl of cooked rice One spoon One offering bowl Additional candles for lighting Crushed fool’s gold (optional) Rite Cast a sacred circle and call forth the Elementals in your own traditional way. Light the green candle in its holder and hold aloft in front of you. Say: God and Goddess, witness my rite and aid me in my workings tonight. I have come upon hard…

They say, Baby Yaga liked flying through the skies in her mortar and pestle. Perhaps, the old hag goddess flew in the skies through her mortar and pestle.

The Fellowship of the Fool Tarot Helena Domenic I created this deck to be a reflection of my own world – the models for the deck were all friends, colleagues, classmates, and students from all the different areas of my life – the Assembly of the Sacred Wheel, friends from in and around the DC/Baltimore and Philadelphia Pagan communities, faculty and friends at Cheyney University of Pennsylvania, as well as some of my students from Cheyney. I hope that although this deck is such a reflection of my world, that you are able to find some resonances with it as well. I began the creation of this deck in May…

The History of Astral Travel Astral travel and pagans have gone hand in hand since the dawn of time. Shamans, witches, & medicine people from aboriginal and native tribes everywhere have used astral travel to help their people. So what is astral travel? The definition of astral travel is, first, the assumption of an astral body, really a piece of yourself connected to your physical body, many believe by a silver cord attached to your belly button. This cord would then be followed back to return to your physical body. This piece of yourself is an exact duplicate of your own physical body. This energetic self lifts out of your…

Not everyone is skilled enough to turn out intricate gold eggs in their spare time or beautifully sculpted marble figures to grace their altars, but making your magical tools isn’t about becoming a world-renowned artist or a craftsman.  It’s about learning the relationship between you and the tool. When I was initiated, I wanted an athame.  Not just any athame, I wanted a black handled, double-edged, a bright and shiny 6 inch blade athame.  The shape of the blade had to be just so and the handle had to feel right in either hand (I’m ambidextrous).  I had a mental image that was crystal clear and all I had to…

The Sun (19) “Enlightenment is not imagining figures of light but making the darkness conscious.” ~Carl Gustav Jung Image Description: The Rider-Waite deck depicts a nude child, both arms outstretched wide, riding a pony/horse beneath the rays of a glowing sun. In his left hand he carries a flowing banner. Behind him a row of sunflowers grow tall and bountiful along a stone wall. Symbols: Horse: Solar energy controlled without bridle or saddle Nude Child: Nothing hidden; open, honest, and realistic attitude Red Banner: Action and vibration Sun: Warmth and light Four Sunflowers: Sacred to the sun, the four elements, the growing soul Wall: Beyond limitations Key Words: Enlightenment, Glory,…

Abundance Abundance is the perfect theme for July! Gardens are flourishing. And those of us who are lucky enough to have one, are deeply engaged in their tending and keeping. In her garden, a woman can be a goddess! Whether she has a few miniature pots of herbs on her kitchen windowsill, a patio pot garden, or a BIG garden, blessed with trees, bushes and lawns to be mowed, she is the Goddess of Abundance. That’s why I chose a garden image to illustrate Dr. Wayne W. Dyer’s “Face of Abundance” from his inspirational book, The Seven Faces of Intention. This book was important to me. I kept it by…

Heredity Witchcraft by Raven Grimassi has bestowed upon us his readers the inspiration to pass our own traditions on to the next generation. Trained in the Old Italian family tradition of Witchcraft Raven Grimassi has dedicated his life to passing on the wisdom of the old religion throughout his writings. Hereditary Witchcraft is a heartrending testimonial to what our past has to offer the future. ~ Michele Burke, Pagan Pages.org (2009) Courtesy of Raven Grimassi Interview with Raven Grimassi Pagan Pages: What were the driving forces that led you to write Hereditary Witchcraft? Raven Grimassi: The book was essentially an attempt to correct some misunderstandings surrounding my previous work on…

Magic:  Made Up Scientific Explanations My last column was titled “’systematic’ scientific explanations” (for magic).  I wasn’t talking about explanations that followed a set of rules, rather I was referring to explanations that were, or claimed to be, within the “system” of science.  I suggested that there were not any explanations that worked in the context of actual science, as they would need to follow the specific rules that science has formulated for things like energy (and quanta) as well as the rules for evidence and verification.  This month I’m moving on to the next group of explanations for magic, those that do away with having to play by the…

Fairy Summoning Spell The best times to do this is on the Sabbats of Beltane, Midsummer, or Halloween, but yo can use it anytime you would like. (best done outside in the yard at night) ~You will need powdered ginger and a small spoon. Set out candles at the compass directions: yellow in the east, red in the south, blue in the west, green in the north. Place a crystal or other stone beside each candle. Stand in the center of the room and send out thoughts of welcome to the little ones. ~Chant: “O spirits of plants and earth and trees, o little ones of every form, show yourselves…