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Learning Lunar: Moon Magic and Mystery
Learning Lunar: Waxing Gibbous Welcome back to Learning Lunar, Pagan Pages’ column on everything moon-related! Last time around, we looked at the power of the Dark Moon and some of the differences between the dark moon and the new moon. Check it out here. This time, we’re looking at the Waxing Gibbous moon (not the new moon as previously advertised!) because that’s what phase the moon will be around the time of the Irish festival of Beltaine. What Does Waxing Gibbous Mean? A waxing moon means that the moon appears to be getting larger in the sky each night. Of course, it doesn’t actually expand and contract. The…
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Poetry by Angela C Wood
Witch’s Trance counting down from 5 to 1 relax your body and mind reaching down to number 4 seeing 3 so you see more for 2 it takes you to the deep finding love and finding peace I will bring you to this dance fully charged in the Witch’s Trance release your worries and your woes feeling lifted as your light grows charging up to find the truth getting rid of what’s no use enjoying peace and harmony in this place will show your power, strength and ability to nurture the seeds you sow a time for you, your needs are met goals and…
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Book Review – Witches, Druids and Sin Eaters: The Common Magic of the Cunning Folk of the Welsh Marches by Jon G. Hughes with Sophie Gallagher
Book Review Witches, Druids and Sin Eaters: The Common Magic of the Cunning Folk of the Welsh Marches by Jon G. Hughes with Sophie Gallagher Publisher: Destiny Books 312 Pages Published: September 2022 Witches, Druids and Sin Eaters: The Common Magic of the Cunning Folk of the Welsh Marches by Jon G. Hughes and Sophie Gallagher represents the collaboration between a lineage Druid and a witchcraft researcher and is a thorough and comprehensive guide to the ancient magickal practices of the people of the Welsh Marches. The insight that Mr. Hughes and Ms. Gallagher bring to this tome is clearly evident in the content as a lineage of…
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Book Review – The Big Book of Candle Magic by Jacki Smith
Book Review The Big Book of Candle Magic by Jacki Smith Publisher: Weiser Books 309 Pages Release Date: July 1, 2022 The latest addition to Weiser’s increasingly well-populated Big Book series, The Big Book of Candle Magic is a wonderful deep dive into the world of candle magic and spellwork of all kinds. Like the other Big Books, this one takes on a single focused area of magical practice, and explores it thoroughly, from the most basic manifestations of this magical art to more advanced and complicated methods. Jacki Smith starts from the ground up in this book, introducing her own approach to magic in the…
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Book Review – The Magic of Mushrooms: Fungi in Folklore, Superstition, and Traditional Medicine by Sandra Lawrence
Book Review The Magic of Mushrooms by Sandra Lawrence Publisher: Welbeck Publishing 208 Pages Release Date: August 9, 2022 The world of fungi is a bit of an odd area; even amongst botanists, mushrooms are often viewed and treated with skepticism and concern. Mushrooms can be difficult to identify properly, and there are many members of the fungus kingdom which are dangerous to ingest, to the point of death. In addition to this, many people simply don’t like mushrooms, or don’t like engaging with the damp, wet, weird conditions in which mushrooms flourish. Perhaps it is for these reasons that mycophiles are often seen as being…
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Book Review – Pure Magic by Judika Illes
Book Review Pure Magic by Judika Illes Publisher: Weiser Books 320 Pages Release Date: April 1, 2022 Originally published as Earth Mother Magic in 2001, and later as Pure Magic in 2007 and The Big Book of Practical Spells in 2016, the newly updated Weiser Classics edition of Judika Illes’ first book Pure Magic boasts a new foreword by Mat Auryn and a new preface by Judika Illes. My own first experience of Illes’ work was when I acquired The Element Encyclopedia of 5,000 Spells: The Ultimate Reference Book for the Magical Arts a few years after it came out. That monumental volume has been with me…
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Book Review – Ossman & Steel’s Classic Household Guide to Appalachian Folk Healing by Jake Richards
Book Review Ossman & Steel’s Classic Household Guide to Appalachian Folk Healing: A Collection of Old-Time Remedies, Charms, and Spells By Jack Richards Foreword by Silver Ravenwolf Publisher: Weiser Books 122 pages Publication: August 1, 2022 From the publisher: “A long-treasured but forgotten classic of folk healing, with an introduction and commentary by the author of Backwoods Witchcraft and Doctoring the Devil. Ossman & Steel’s Guide to Health or Household Instructor (its original title) is a collection of spells, remedies, and charms. The book draws from the old Pennsylvania Dutch and German powwow healing practices that in turn helped shape…
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Book Review – The Witchy Homestead: Spells Rituals and Remedies for Creating Magic at Home by Nikki Van De Car
Book Review The Witchy Homestead Spells Rituals and Remedies for Creating Magic at Home by Nikki Van De Car Publisher: Running Press Adult 144 Pages Publication Date: August 17, 2021 I’m always on the lookout for books focused on everyday magic that makes home and family life easier and, perhaps, that little bit more wonderful. This one is so eye-catching with its promise of spells, rituals, and remedies for creating magic at home. Yes please! The book is handily split into three sections: Enchanting Your Food, Enchanting Your Health, and Enchanting Your Home. I love the idea of enchantment as an everyday practice to weave into all aspects of…
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Book Review – Becoming the Witch: The Art of Magick by Danae Moon Thorp
Book Review Becoming the Witch: The Art of Magick by Danae Moon Thorp Published by Llewellyn 408 Pages Published: September 2021 “Becoming the Witch leads you from the origins of Witchcraft to the secrets of sacred thinking and beyond. In a distinct, almost lyrical tone, Danae Moon Thorp teaches you what every beginner must know when starting on the Witch’s path, including the elements, spells, tools, deities, rituals, and more…” Becoming the Witch: The Art of Magick by Danae Moon Thorp is separated into nineteen (19) chapters replete with dozens of spells, an Appendix of Correspondences and a bibliography containing enough reading recommendations to keep a new witch quite…
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Book Review – Tarot Priestess: Using the Cards to Heal, Grow & Serve by Leeza Robertson
Book Review Tarot Priestess: Using the Cards to Heal, Grow & Serve By Leeza Robertson Published by Llewellyn Publications 219 pages Tarot Priestess is a 5 1/4 inch by 8 inch soft cover book with a matte finish full color front cover showing the book’s title and a closeup of an image from The High Priestess of the Major Arcana. My copy is an uncorrected proof (not for sale), with a back cover containing the publishing information and a brief bio of the author. I am assuming the final version would have a different book back. Tarot Priestess contains 219 pages with black print on sturdy off-white paper…