• Monthly Columns

    Notes from the Apothecary

    Notes from the Apothecary: Stinging Nettles     Called nettles, stinging nettles, or common nettle, this jagged-leafed plant is a hardy little medicine cabinet packed with folklore and magic. Urtica Dioica is the scientific name for the most commonly recognised species, and it’s found all over the world in hedgerows, woodlands, and anywhere where there is space for it to grow. Gardeners may hate nettles for stinging their fingers unexpectedly when weeding, and anyone who has been out hiking in shorts knows what a nettle sting on the leg feels like! But these feisty and fierce “weeds” have more uses than you would imagine, and can easily be forgiven for…

  • Reviews

    Book Review – Green Witch Magick: Essential Plants and Crafty Spellwork for a Witch’s Cupboard by Susan Ilka Tuttle

    Book Review Green Witch Magick: Essential Plants and Crafty Spellwork for a Witch’s Cupboard by Susan Ilka Tuttle Publisher: Fair Winds Press 192 pages Publication Date: October 19, 2021       While the practiced witch may only learn a small amount from this book, beginners will learn more than they bargained for. The first part of this book is a history of Witchcraft as well as an exploration of the various types of witch such as hedge, kitchen, and green. Various tools are discussed along with the sabbats and how to build altars. The herbs in the book are broken into categories including kitchen, wild, and both. The kitchen…

  • This Month's Holiday

    Lughnasadh/Lammas/First Harvest Correspondences

    (Lammas Folklore Zine created by Through The Hagstone of ThroughTheHagstOne on Etsy where it may be purchased.)   Major Sabbat (High Holiday) – Fire Festival August 1, 2 Other Names: Lunasa (meaning August), Lughnasaad, Lughnasa Celtic),First Harvest, August Eve, Feast of Cardenas, Feast of Bread, Tailltean Games(Irish), Teltain Cornucopia (Strega), Ceresalia (Ancient Roman) Harvest Home, Thingtide (Teutonic), Lammas (Christian). Laa Luanys, Elembious, Festival of Green Corn (Native American) Animals and Mythical beings: Griffins, Basilisks, Roosters, Calves, Centaurs, Phoenix Gemstones: aventurine, citrine, peridot, sardonyx, yellow diamonds, citrine Incense and Oils: wood aloes, rose, rose hips, rosemary, chamomile, eucalyptus, safflower, corn, passionflower, frankincense, sandalwood Colors: red, orange, golden yellow, green, light brown, gold, bronze, gray Tools, Symbols,…

  • Monthly Columns

    “What to Do When a Friendship Isn’t Working” Excerpt from The Junior Astrologer’s Handbook: A Kid’s Guide to Astrological Signs, the Zodiac, and More by Nikki Van De Car, illustrated by Uta Krogmann

    “What to Do When a Friendship Isn’t Working”     *An Excerpt from The Junior Astrologer’s Handbook: A Kid’s Guide to Astrological Signs, the Zodiac, and More by Nikki Van De Car, illustrated by Uta Krogmann   Certain signs just have a hard time bonding with one another. It doesn’t mean they can never be friends, or that these aren’t extremely valuable relationships—it just means that maybe they require a little more intention and work than others.   ARIES You can have a tough time with Capricorn, Cancer, and sometimes Pisces or other Aries. When that happens, try to check your own impulses—are you being too fiery? Are you being…

  • Monthly Columns

    New Faery Story – The Land of Cassari

    The Land of Cassari                                    by Kelpie Sunpearl HI EVERYONE! MY NAME IS KELPIE SUNPEARL! Oh, oops.. hehe. Sorry for the shouting, I’m just reallllly excited that I get to tell all of you about my homeland of Cassari! A nice lady by the name of Miss Jennifer asked my human friend Cyndi Pilcher if she knew anyone that wanted to tell all the humans all about Cassari! So, she suggested ME, and sent a message to me. Let me tell you how STUNNED I was first of all. I mean of ALLL the Fae she could have chosen, she chose me!? Instead of Orchid or Petunia or even Lady…

  • Monthly Columns

    MagickalArts

    A New (Witch’s Year)! The Space of Integration   Happy July and the Space of Integration Between….     We’ve just celebrated the Summer Solstice and now have an opportunity to rest in the weeks between before the next Sabbat of Lammas and the Autumnal Equinox. How we choose to use that time can serve us in unexpected ways and deepen what we have carried from our experiences of those previous Sabbats. In that spirit, I would like to invite you to just simply breathe into this month of July. This month is the pause before each inhalation and the fullness before each exhalation of breath. We can choose to…

  • Divination Articles,  Reviews

    Book & Oracle Card Box Review – The Shaman Box: Tools for Healing Protection and Good Fortune with Animal Oracle Cards by Nicholas Breeze Wood (author) & Sarah Bartlett (oracle cards)

    Book & Oracle Card Box Review The Shaman Box Tools for Healing Protection and Good Fortune with Animal Oracle Cards by Nicholas Breeze Wood (author) & Sarah Bartlett (oracle cards) Publisher: Hampton Roads Publishing 96 Pages, 36 Card Deck Publication Date: 9/01/2020   Opening The Shaman Box is like opening a medicine package. It presents as a hardback book, but then you open the cover. The paperback book, written by Nicholas Breeze Wood, is tucked into a sleeve on the right hand side of the cover and the oracle deck, with illustrations and key words by Sarah Bartlett, is in a soft box placed into an opening on the left…

  • Reviews

    Book Review – Tree Magic: Connecting with the Spirit and Wisdom of Trees by Sandra Kynes

    Book Review Tree Magic Connecting with the Spirit and Wisdom of Trees by Sandra Kynes Publisher: Llewellyn Publications 368 Pages Publication Date: June 8, 2021     “Tree Magic: Connecting with the Spirit and Wisdom of Trees” is a guide to bringing this energy into our lives. Rooted in the physical realm, trees provide food, medicine, raw materials, and shelter. In the mystical world, trees connect three realms: heaven, earth, and underworld. Our ancestors revered them. Humans have a symbiotic relationship with trees: We inhale oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide; trees absorb carbon dioxide and emit oxygen. A large tree can produce enough oxygen to support four people a day.…

  • Reviews

    Video Book Review – American Brujeria: Modern Mexican-American Folk Magic by J Allen Cross

    Video Book Review American Brujeria Modern Mexican-American Folk Magic by J Allen Cross Publisher: Weiser Books 240 Pages Publication Date: May 1, 2021     Bright Blessings! Welcome to another video review of a fabulous book. Published in 2021- hot off the press- by Weiser Books, this 240 page book was lovingly written by Portland, Oregon occult professional, and ghosthunter J. Allen Cross. Cross is an American witch who is an expert in Brujeria, and is good enough to share with us. I highly recommend this book for its easy flow reading, and great, simple magical instruction. Watch the video to hear book excerpts and some of the wisdom of…

  • Monthly Columns

    The Energetics of Various FoodStuffs an Excerpt from “Chakras, Food and You,” by Cyndi Dale and Dana Childs

    The Energetics of Various FoodStuffs   One of the most important ways to decide what to eat and what to avoid involves an understanding of the subtle energetics of various types of foodstuffs. As you’ll discover, carbs provide instant energy and comfort. If your best friend just moved away, you aren’t going to crave a strengthening protein. You’ll want a comforting carb. That’s okay—just select a healthy one for your chakra type. But when you’re headed to her going-away party? You might want to snack on a protein first, as you’ll need the strength proteins offer. The following outline of various types of foodstuffs and nutrients can key you in…