• Monthly Columns

    Jazz’s Gems

    A Quick Summary on Jade       Typically when you think of, or see jade, you see green jade. Although it does come in other colours, I will be touching  mainly on the green variety. It is best for abundance, soothing nerves, prosperity and helping one achieve their goals and dreams. It gives you an existential pick-me-up in a way. It is a softer stone so you need to be cautious when wearing it or cleaning it, but jade is a great addition to any home, work or as a piece of jewelry. Green jade is an abundance stone that brings harmony and happiness to your relationships and also your…

  • Monthly Columns

    Notes from the Apothecary

    Notes from the Apothecary Special: Flowers for Bealtaine   Bealtaine is an Irish festival traditionally celebrated on May Eve (April 30th), with many modern celebrations taking place on May 1st. The word is pronounced Bee-ell-tun-uh approximately – at least that’s my best attempt with my very basic Irish! I think it’s important to embrace the correct pronunciation (or as close as you can get) because Irish is a living language and thriving culture, so anglicising Irish words is needless. I pronounced it Bell-tane for many years – now I know better, I try to do better. I’m an English person whose Pagan path is heavily influenced by Irish Paganism, history,…

  • Monthly Columns,  This Month's Holiday

    Beltaine Correspondences

      Also known as: May Day, Bealtaine, Beltane, Bhealtainn, Bealtinne, Festival of Tana (Strega), Giamonios, Rudemass, and Walburga (Teutonic), Cetsamhain (opposite Samhain),Fairy Day,Sacred Thorn Day, Rood Day, Roodmas (the Christian term for Rood Day, Old Beltane, Beltain, Baltane, Walpurgis Night, Floriala (Roman feast of flowers from April 29 to May 1), Walpurgisnacht (Germanic-feast of St. Walpurga), Thrimilce (Anglo-saxon), Bloumaand (Old Dutch)   Date: May 1   Animals: Swallow, dove, swan, Cats, lynx, leopard Deities: Flower Goddesses, Divine Couples, Deities of the Hunt, Aphrodite, artemis, Bast, Diana, Faunus, Flora, Maia, Pan, the Horned God, Venus, and all Gods and Goddesses who preside over fertility. Tools: broom, May Pole, cauldron Stones/Gems: emerald,…

  • This Month's Holiday

    Imbolc Correspondences

    (Brigid Goddess Imbolc figurine/ St Brigid needle felt Stand Alone created by Rachel Mack of WonderfulWaldorfFelt on Etsy.)   February 1, 2   Other Names: Imbolg (im-molc)(em-bowl’g) (Celtic), Candlemas (Christian), Brigantia (Caledonii), Oimelc, Festival of Light, Brigid’s (Brid, Bride) Day, La Fheill, An Fheille Bride, Candelaria (Mexico), Chinese New Year, Disting-tid (Feb 14th, Teutonic), DisaBlot, Anagantios, Lupercalia/Lupercus (Strega), Groundhog Day, Valentines Day. Animals & Mythical Beings: Firebird, dragon, groundhog, deer, burrowing animals, ewes, robin, sheep, lamb, other creatures waking from hibernation. Gemstones: Amethyst, garnet, onyx, turquoise. Incense/Oil: Jasmine, rosemary, frankincense, cinnamon, neroli, musk, olive, sweet pea, basil, myrrh, and wisteria, apricot, carnation. Colors/Candles: Brown, pink, red, orange, white, lavender, pale…

  • Divination Articles

    Tarot Talk

    Comparing The Hierophant & The Devil     Let’s look at an interesting pairing this month, and compare The Hierophant with The Devil. Not everyone is comfortable examining at The Devil, but there are interesting similarities between these two cards. First, let’s review some terms. If you’ve read my column before, you can skip the next two paragraphs. There are 22 Major Arcana cards in a Tarot deck, with numbers from 0 to 21; the Majors usually deal with broader and more far-reaching life experience issues, archetypes that are easy for us to identify with and connect with at some point in our lives. An archetype (pronounced “ark eh type”)…

  • Monthly Columns

    Notes from the Apothecary

    Notes from the Apothecary: Olives   The olive tree, Olea europaea, is an evergreen tree, bearing small fruits that we harvest for their oil – or simply to preserve and eat. Olives are native to many Mediterranean countries and the Middle East, which is why they are often linked to Greek and Roman deities in Western spirituality. The first time I saw olive trees in the wild, it was amazing. Here was my favourite snack, growing right by the side of the road! I saw them in Portugal, Spain, but none were so striking as in the olive groves of the Greek island of Rhodes. Rows upon rows of small,…

  • Monthly Columns

    Jazz’s Jems

    Malachite       Malachite is a very versatile gem that is green with some dark green or black concentric bands. It is similar to rosasite, serpentine, chrysocolla and pseudomalachite. The main places you can find malachite would be Russia, Australia and Africa. It is mainly copper ( around 60%), so it is a useful ore as well. It is also known as the “Mirror of the soul” and a “stone of transformation”. Malachite is connected to the heart and throat chakras, is associated with the planet Venus, and it’s zodiacs are Libra, Scorpio and Capricorn. It is also used with the element Earth.        This green stone is soft…

  • This Month's Holiday

    Samhain Correspondences

      Samhain 2021 in Northern Hemisphere will begin in the evening of Sunday, October 31 and ends in the evening of Monday, November 1   Other Names: celtic ~ Summer’s End, pronounced “sow” (rhymes with now) “en” (Ireland), sow-een (Wales) – “mh” in the middle is a “w” sound – Greater Sabbat(High Holiday) – Fire Festival Oct 31-Nov 1(North Hemisphere) – Apr 30-May 1 – The Great Sabbat, Samhiunn, Samana, Samhuin, Sam-fuin, Samonios, Halloween, Hallomas, All Hallows Eve, All Saints/All Souls Day(Catholic), Day of the Dead (Mexican), Witches New Year, Trinoux Samonia, Celtic/ Druid New Year, Shadowfest (Strega), Martinmas or Old Hallowmas (Scotttish/Celtic) Lá Samhna (Modern Irish), Festival of the…

  • Monthly Columns,  This Month's Holiday

    Mabon/Autumn Equinox Correspondences

    Fall/Autumn Equinox, Wednesday, September 22, 2021   (artwork: Card – Mabon Meditation – fantasy art printed on sustainable paper by Maartje from the shop MaartjevanDokkum on etsy.)     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.)   It is the equilibrium of day and night and this represents the light and darkness in our lives. The long summer nights…

  • 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,…