• Monthly Columns

    Teachings of the Mythic Past

    Animals in Slavic Spirituality, Part I: Heroic Hedgehog, The Practical & Prickly Protector “If wits were pins, the man would be a veritable hedgehog. – Frances Hardinge “The Fox knows many things-the hedgehog, one big one.” – Archilochus   Animals often make an appearance in folklore as symbols of the traits they are thought to embody. People have had a strong relationship with animals since the dawn of time. Among the many critters found in stories of yesterday, the hedgehog is more relevant than you may initially have thought – especially in Slavic spirituality and folklore. One tale tells the story of a hedgehog poking holes in the black of…

  • Monthly Columns

    Celebrating The Old Ways in New Times – Final Edition

    Celebrating The Old Ways in New Times 2023 – Final Edition Bright Blessings! Since 2016, I have written about the Sabbats in this column. As the Wheel turns, and seasons change, so do we, and this old witch wants a new topic. This will be my final Celebrating The Old Ways in New Times, and starting with the next issue, I will be writing a column about Tarot. I’m a Tarot reader and have been for years. I was lucky enough to be one of the readers at the psychic fair that was this past weekend at the shop where I get to read, and let me tell you, being…

  • Monthly Columns

    Notes from the Apothecary

    Notes from the Apothecary: Blackberry The humble bramble or blackberry (Rubus fruticosus) is a common sight in British and Irish hedgerows and wild places. Blackberries are also found all over the United States, and may also be called caneberries. Blackberries grow on thick, fast-growing branches covered in thorns, making picking the fruit perilous – use gloves! Each berry is a collection of tiny balls called a drupe, and the taste ranges from sweet to mouth-shrivelling and sour if you pick the tiny, hard ones. In the woods near my house, once you venture away from the paths, the spiky branches trail riotously between tree trunks, making it impossible to create…

  • Monthly Columns,  Spells & Rituals

    Notes from the Apothecary

    Notes from the Apothecary: The Beech Tree   The common beech, or Fagus sylvatica, is a majestically large deciduous tree, native to North America and Europe, and a vital part of the ecosystem thanks to being home and food to many forms of wildlife. There are other beech species, all in the Fagus genus, with some native to Asia, including Fagus japonica, the Japanese blue beech, and Fagus engleriana, the Engler or Chinese beech. In the U.K. where I live, we often see “Copper Beeches”, which have distinct, purple-bronze leaves and look like they’re straight out of a fantasy tale. Interestingly, this isn’t a different species, but a carefully cultivated…

  • Monthly Columns

    Notes from the Apothecary

    Notes from the Apothecary: Lilac     Lilac is a flowering shrub in the olive family, Oleaceae, cultivated in many parts of the world including all across Europe and North America. Robust spikes of delicate yet strongly scented flowers come in colours ranging from purples and pinks through to blues and whites. I’ve been writing Notes from the Apothecary for over 6 years now, and some months I struggle to think of a plant that’s magical, seasonal, and of interest to our readers worldwide. I had no such struggle this month, thanks to the wonderful fragrance that stopped me in my tracks as I was out playing with my 3-year-old…

  • Monthly Columns

    Notes from the Apothecary

    Notes from the Apothecary: Blackthorn   Prunus spinosa, literally meaning a spiny fruit tree, perfectly describes the beautiful yet oh so spiky blackthorn. Blackthorn is a familiar sight across much of Europe, and in Northern England where I live, the blossoms are one of the most impressive displays of spring. Blackthorn blossoms really stand out in the hedgerows because the flowers arrive quite some time before the leaves; white, delicate yet profuse blossoms perched on dark, spiny twigs. Blackthorn is also intertwined with folklore, otherworldly beings, and magic. It truly is a worthy addition to our apothecary.   The Kitchen Garden Many people will know the blackthorn for its beautiful…

  • Monthly Columns

    GaelSong

    Labyrinth Lore I’ve built quite few labyrinths and used to walk one every day, for years. This is the season for labyrinths and mazes, so I’ll share my thoughts on the two major types that have been found in history. First is the Minoan, 7-circuit one. This was built as a place for initiates to meet their darkest fears, and it is said there was a Minotaur in the center. But I am guessing it was shaman in disguise, helping move his tribe through their initiations, instead. These ancient mazes were not easy places, though, for many who entered did not come out alive. The seven-circuit labyrinth was used in…

  • Reviews

    Book Review – Demons and Spirits of the Land: Ancestral Lore and Practices by Claude Lecouteux, Translated by Jon E. Graham

    Book Review Demons and Spirits of the Land Ancestral Lore and Practices by Claude Lecouteux Translated by Jon E. Graham 212 Pages     In Demons and Spirits of the Land: Ancestral Lore and Practices, Claude Lecouteux has written a fascinating and well-resourced exploration of pre-Christian Europe’s relationship with the spirits of the land. The writing is academic in nature, with many quotations from and cites to original sources deftly weaving centuries of cross-cultural traditions from Northern and Western European. Lecouteux describes the practices by which humans first respected the spirits of natural places, then colonized and “civilized” those places, changing their relationship with the local beings. With numerous references…

  • Monthly Columns

    Retha’s Crystal Reflections

    The Magic of Azurite     I have been wanting to write about azurite for some time, as it’s such an important crystal it deserves its own moment. Azurite is one of the most potent and intense stones you can work with. So strong that Edgar Cayce credits azurite with being instrumental in aiding his many visions and predictions! This crystal will make itself known and stand out from the rest of your crystal tools as you start to work & focus on your psychic potential. To learn all about this truly amazing gem, read on!     Azurite is a deep blue copper carbonate mineral with a porous appearance.…

  • Reviews

    Book Review – Herbs of the Southern Shaman by Steve Andrews

    Book Review Herbs of the Southern Shaman by Steve Andrews 152 Pages Herbs of the Southern Shaman is Steve Andrew’s follow-up to Herbs of the Northern Shaman and makes an excellent companion to it. This is a well-researched overview guide to entheogenic plants which grow in the Southern Hemisphere. It is a small book, 152 pages, that contains a wealth of information about more than 50 “teacher” plants we commonly associate with altered consciousness, like peyote and ayahuasca, and those we are more likely to find in the kitchen, like nutmeg. There is a bit of overlap with the Herbs of the Northern Shaman that Andrews references, as plants like…