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Learning Lunar: Moon Magic & Mystery – Imbolc
Imbolc, Full Moon into Waning Gibbous Imbolc or Imbolg is a very special time of year for many people on a Pagan or spiritual path. It’s also a continuously celebrated Irish festival, although many people celebrate Saint Brigid’s Day instead, which occurs at around the same time. Because there is no hard and fast date for Imbolc, the moon phase will move from full to waning gibbous during the time that people are celebrating this festival. Let’s take a look at what that might mean, magically, astrologically, and practically. Note: Imbolc is happening in the Northern Hemisphere. If you live in the Southern Hemisphere, you’ll be enjoying your full-to-waning gibbous…
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The Modern Merlin’s Summer Reading List: Lessons, Perspective Shifts, Transformation and Impermanence
Hello friends! I know it’s been a hot minute since you’ve last heard from me, and I do apologize for that. To be honest, I hit a moment of deep inner change, one that I’m still not completely out of. During this process of change, I came to realize that returning to my roots in Buddhism and Taoism wasn’t enough; I had to apply those practices in my daily life, something that I still struggle with, and likely will for the remainder of my time in this life. That’s not to say that it isn’t worth it; in my view, it’s well worth it to be mindful, live in the present moment,…
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Book Review – Walking with the Seasons: The wonder of being in step with nature by Alice Peck
Book Review Walking with the Seasons: The wonder of being in step with nature by Alice Peck Publisher: CICO Books 128 Pages Release Date: February 13, 2024 Walking with the Seasons explores the habit of a ritualized daily walk as a way to stay in touch and build your relationship with nature throughout the year. The book is divided into four chapters corresponding to the four seasons, and each chapter deals with several different topics appropriate to that season, dedicating a couple of pages to each one. It’s a very well-designed book, with tons of full-color photos and graphics to illustrate the beauty of each season.…
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The Modern Merlin’s Corner: What’s in a name? The Power and Magick Behind Names
Names are some of the fundamental words we learn when we’re being taught how to speak any language. Every thing has a name. Every place has a name. Every one has a name. Place names, surnames and first names, middle names, magickal names are just some examples we see everyday, Pagan or not. In magick, both ancient and modern, it’s a pretty well accepted fact that having a spirit (or person’s) name, gives power over them. Examples of this are abundant in the Medieval Grimoire tradition, especially in works like The Goetia and other well-known grimoires. Knowing a deity’s name doesn’t give you power over them, but it does help you connect to their current of energy, and…
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Review: Breath Practice Cards
Breath Practice Cards are 50 breathwork meditations for mind, body and self by Rebecca Moore. These cards are a beautiful resource for anyone wanting to incorporate or expand their knowledge of breathwork into their self care. The 50 cards are organized into the following categories: Focus (grounding and centering)Relax (calming and restorative)Elevate (energizing and uplifting)Release (cleansing and clearing)Connect (harmonizing and meditative) The categories are color coded. Each card has the name of the technique, description of practice and a tip for optimal success of this technique. The front of each card has its name and a lovely illustration. These techniques have been used by myself and my family. The cards…
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Communing with the Essence
The Layers of Awareness and Our Essence Coherence — Communing with the Essence requires telling the truth. We must move with and through the layers of thinking, feeling, experiencing, believing, and perceiving in order to naturally and organically arrive at deeper states of awareness. We feel weight to feel weightless. We feel held to feel free. We feel alone to feel closeness. We sense the noise to sense silence. We become present to our life to feel present with others. Our Spirit embodies as a mortal human to know its immortality. We feel lack to feel full. We feel abundant to feel what’s missing. We forget to remember. To…
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Pagan Prompts no. 3: Coping with Overwhelm
PROMPT: How do you cope with overwhelm? Are you good at it, and do you have strategies for it? Do you see it coming, or feel like you are hit by it unexpectedly? Is it related to burnout, or something you can prepare for better in the more relaxed times? When you do find yourself overwhelmed, do you turn to your Craft to help? Or does it demotivate you from practicing altogether? by it? I hope those questions aren’t overwhelming in and of themselves… but these are important factors to consider. Often, overwhelm creeps up on us before we notice it. Being able to take a step back and look…
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Mindful Living: A Connection of Mind, Body and Spirit
The wheel of the year turns to Samhain. Days are cooler, nights cooler still. What leaves are left are either evergreens or late fall colors. The smell of coolness and decaying earth sits on the breeze signaling a change in weather and pace of living. Cooler days seem to signal our bodies and minds to go at a slower pace, yet modern times have fall and Winter busier times of the year. Mindful living doesn’t have to be complicated. It is about being aware of the moments you are in and connecting to your authentic self. When you are connected to yourself then you can create a life that you…
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Communing with the Essence
Gaia’s Creation Story of You — Lately I’ve been pondering the idea of what I used to believe was a “masculine” God up in the heavens out of my awareness of ordinary and earthly reality. I am now considering God might be deeply feminine or androgynous and the Essence of Earth otherwise known as Gaia. This view of God of course is very much within our scope of awareness and perceived reality as Earthlings and not “out there”, somewhere inconceivable. I realize this is not a new thought and not solely mine, however it feels like a huge epiphany for my embodied perception. If what I was taught to…
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Communing with the Essence
Cellular Communication — Our sensitivity provides us with a great gift. A gift of incredible sight that far exceeds our eyes. We see through our flesh, auric field, and biological, ancestral, and spiritual connection to the universal field of consciousness. In this web of Life there is infinite intelligence and we as humans are inherently plugged in. It’s through our biological birthright that our sensitivity gets restored and we find our rightful place as living Beings with our planet Earth, Galactic Milky Way, and beyond. Like a seed, it is my understanding that we grow deep into the Dark Rich Soil of the Earth to grow above and beyond…
