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Book Review – The Nepalese Shamanic Path: Practices for Negotiating the Spirit World by Evelyn Rysdyk with Bhola Nath Banstola
Book Review The Nepalese Shamanic Path: Practices for Negotiating the Spirit World by Evelyn Rysdyk with Bhola Nath Banstola Published by Destiny Books 360 pages Publication date: February 19, 2019 After a 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck central Nepal in April 2015, killing almost 9,000 people, injuring over 20,000 and destroying sacred sites, Bhola Nath Banstola and Evelyn Rysdyk collaborated to write The Nepalese Shamanic Path: Practices for Negotiating the Spirit World. Banstola is a 27th generation jhankri – a Nepalese shaman – and Rysdyk is trained in and has practiced core shamanism for many years. She writes and teaches, integrating…
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Book Review – The Tree Horoscope: Discover Your Birth-Tree and Personal Destiny by Daniela Christine Huber
Book Review The Tree Horoscope: Discover Your Birth-Tree and Personal Destiny by Daniela Christine Huber Published by Earthdancer, an Inner Traditions Imprint 144 pages Published October 19, 2021 This is quite simply a beautiful little book. Crispy written, easy to read, this book tells you everything you want to know about the Celtic system of tree horoscopes, tree symbolism, and where your destiny resides within this fascinating arrangement. Published in 2021 by Earthdancer, an Inner Traditions Imprint, The Tree Horoscope: Discover Your Birth Tree and Personal Destiny is written by Daniela Christine Huber. She also has pages on the Inner Traditions Imprint webpage, as well as Simon and…
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Peeking in the Shadows: Crafting a Book of Shadows and Light
A Journey Through the Witch’s Wheel of the Year 2022! The Witch’s Wheel of the Year In the February Issue we began exploring the Sabbats of the Witch’s Wheel of the Year and beginning a journey of filling our BOS with information about how we celebrated and what we found to be true of our practice. For a review of what the Wheel of the Year is take a look at February’s posting here: Peeking in the Shadows: Crafting A Book of Shadows and Light-February2022 An excellent resource for suggestions, visuals and ideas for making your Sabbat celebrations rich and visually beautiful, check out the…
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Witch Hunt
There are witches all around us. You can find them anywhere… The Witch on Wheels has been documenting her findings. Meet: Connie Duffy “We are healers and helpers,” said Connie Duffy, who only does positive magick. She will do mini rituals before going on motorcycle rides with friends, before work every day, on her dogs and anyone who needs a little pick me up. She gives mini reiki sessions, calls on the Goddess for help in her classroom, is energized by pine trees, and has gardens full of medicinal plants. An Aries, she uses fire magic. “I go in and I blow up shit – positively!!!”…
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Book Review – The Book of Stones: Who They Are & What They Teach
Book Review The Book of Stones: Who They Are & What They Teach by Robert Simmons and Naisha Ahsian Published by Destiny Books 560 pages Publication date: March 10, 2015 I really enjoyed this book. It is now the book I reach for if I have any questions about stones, or just want to do some reading to see what I may be needing in my life. There is a take on the approach to the stones that I really appreciate. They refer to it as “an I-Thou” meeting and talk about how the stones have the ability to do what they can, but only if they are…
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Book Review – Psychedelic Cannabis: Therapeutic Methods and Unique Blends to Treat Trauma and Transform Consciousness by Daniel McQueen
Book Review Psychedelic Cannabis: Therapeutic Methods and Unique Blends to Treat Trauma and Transform Consciousness by Daniel McQueen Published by Park Street Press 240 pages Publication date: September 28, 2021 “Psychedelic Cannabis: Therapeutic Methods and Unique Blends to Treat Trauma and Transform Consciousness” starts with an impassioned plea from Daniel McQueen: the world is in trouble and trauma is killing us. If we want to save our planet, we need to heal our personal and ancestral trauma, and learn to work together. In Part One, McQueen introduces cannabis and summarizes why it’s such an important useful plant ally for trauma…
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Book Review – Baba Yaga’s Book of Witchcraft: Slavic Magic from the Witch of the Woods by Madame Pamita
Book Review Baba Yaga’s Book of Witchcraft: Slavic Magic from the Witch of the Woods by Madame Pamita Publisher: Llewellyn Publications 336 Pages Publication Date: April 8, 2022 Every Slavic country had its own name for a witch in the woods. Hundreds of names were in the folk tales told to Russian author Alexander Afanasyev. The book he published in the mid-1800s used only one: Baba Yaga. Because her stories are traditional across traditions and countries, “cultural anthropologists and folklorists believe that Baba Yaga was originally a spirit or deity who was revered and honored as the Mistress of the Woods,” Madame Pamita wrote in the introduction. The…
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WitchCrafting: Crafts for Witches
Protection Door Hanger Merry meet. I was inspired to make protection door hangers by first fashioning twigs and vines into small wreaths that would fit over a doorknob. Then I collected up as many small objects as I could find that had protective powers, including bells, pentacles, tiny jars of salt, hag stones, sweet gum tree seed pods, tarot card charms, goddesses, crystals (black tourmaline, black obsidian, clear quartz, amethyst), evil eyes, rune symbols, dried herbs, and spirals. I attached these to the bottom of each wreath with embroidery floss, ribbon, twine, or string. Other objects that offer protection include angel wings, the Hand of Fatima, the triquetra, dreamcatchers,…
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Book Review – Pantheon: The Egyptians by Robin Herne
Book Review Pantheon The Egyptians by Robin Herne Publisher: Moon Books 200 Pages Publication Date: June 1, 2021 Pantheon: The Egyptians is part of a new series from established Pagan publisher Moon Books aimed at introducing readers to an entire Pantheon of deities rather than focusing on a single god, goddess, or spirit. Robin Herne’s volume explores the philosophy and theology of the Egyptians, alongside contextual geographical and historical information, ethics, mysticism, an exploration of magic and a “how to” approach of connecting with these ancient spirits and deities in our modern world. I’ve been fascinated by the Ancient Egyptians since I was a very small child, but…
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Celebrating the Old Ways in New Times
Celebrating the Old Ways in New Times for February 2022 (Photo by Wout Vanacker on Unsplash ) Bright Blessings! The holidays are behind us and it’s a new year. How time flies! For some that means you are still procrastinating about putting the Yule decorations away, doesn’t it? And the kids have absolutely begged you to leave them up, haven’t they? Have a mug of hot wassail and admire your work a bit longer why not? While you are at it, think about all the good things you accomplished in 2021. If you can’t think of anything? I can. What about the time you made somebody’s day because…