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Book Review – Herbal Tea Magic for the Modern Witch: A Practical Guide to Healing Herbs, Tea Leaf Reading, and Botanical Spells by Elsie Wild
Book Review Herbal Tea Magic for the Modern Witch: A Practical Guide to Healing Herbs, Tea Leaf Reading, and Botanical Spells by Elsie Wild Published by Ulysses Press 224 pages Publication date: November 23, 2021 If you like tea and want to know more about its magical use, you’re certain to enjoy Herbal Tea Magic for the Modern Witch. This book is a modern introduction to basic herbs, mixing and brewing tea, tasseography, and basic herbal magic. The first chapter explores the history of herbalism and tasseography. This history is fairly short, but provides a good basis of context for what follows. Chapter two lists a number of…
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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 – Shamanic Creativity: Free the Imagination with Rituals, Energy Work, & Spirit Journeying
Book Review Shamanic Creativity: Free the Imagination with Rituals, Energy Work, & Spirit Journeying by Evelyn C. Rysdyk Published by Destiny Books 256 pages Publication date: January 25, 2022 I have been on an Evelyn Rysdyk reading binge in the last few months. In the April 2022 edition of Pagan Pages, I reviewed her book, co-written with Bhola Banstola, The Nepalese Shamanic Path. I was lucky enough to have another of her books on hand to review – Shamanic Creativity: Free the Imagination with Rituals, Energy and Spirit Journeying. Working from her underlying worldview of shamanic practice, Rysdyk shows us how to examine our relationship to the fear…
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MagickalArts
What Are the Magickal Arts? When I began this column for PaganPagesOrg many years ago, I had a vision of filling it with writings focused on exploring the magickal weavings of artistic endeavor. I am after all a former professional ballerina. One of my children is a trained fine artist, another is a classically trained musician, and all five of my children are excellent writers and artists in their own rights including the sciences- a pediatrician, a biomedical engineer and a veterinarian. As the years continued forward I have come to using the term Magickal Arts as an expression of the artistic and refined nature the Craft requires. As magickal…
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Book Review – Wild Witchcraft: Folk Herbalism, Garden Magic, and Foraging for Spells, Rituals, and Remedies by Rebecca Beyer
Book Review Wild Witchcraft: Folk Herbalism, Garden Magic, and Foraging for Spells, Rituals, and Remedies by Rebecca Beyer Publisher: Simon & Schuster 240 Pages Publication Date: May 10, 2022 “The spirit of a place.” In “Wild Witchcraft: Folk Herbalism, Garden Magic, and Foraging for Spells, Rituals, and Remedies,” Rebecca Beyer gives readers ways to come to know the spirit of a place, forming deep, intimate relationships with its plants, animals, minerals and history. There will be a unique magic of that place, too. A witch and a forager, Beyer specializes in folkloric plant history, as well as magical, edible, and medicinal uses. The detailed information about botanicals, and…
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Celebrating the Old Ways in New Times
Celebrating the Old Ways in New Times for April/May 2022 Bright Blessings This is our first Spring in our apartment, and as I was deciding what to plant for this year, I pined for the ground and built-in planters I had at our old place. I used to buy so many seeds, and there were years I planted tons of cucumbers and tomatoes as well as pumpkins, roses, herbs, and a whole lot of annual flowers. This year, I am relegated to a limited number of pots, and the truth is, it may be this way for a while, if not permanently. We made it out of the condo successfully…
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Book Review – The Book of Shadows: A Journal of Magick, Spells, & Rituals by Anastasia Greywolf
Book Review The Book of Shadows A Journal of Magick, Spells, & Rituals by Anastasia Greywolf Publisher: Wellfleet Press 160 Pages Publication date: October 5, 2021 This new addition to the Wellfleet Press collection of “Mystical Handbooks” is an impressive looking combination between a beginner’s guide to magick and spells and a journal to record progress in spellcasting. The book promises a foundation in witchcraft basics, reviews of what you need to become a witch, and over 40 spells and rituals aimed at transforming and improving your life. The first thing I noticed about this book was the beautiful presentation. From the striking, gothic-inspired cover to the detailed…
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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…
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Peeking in the Shadows: Crafting a Book of Shadows and Light
We begin a journey through the Witch’s Wheel of the Year for 2022! The Witch’s Wheel of the Year What is the Wheel of the Year? The Wheel of the Year marks the Sun’s journey across the sky, the solstices, equinoxes and the Earth’s changing seasons. Each spoke of the wheel marks an important moment of progression and change in the Earth and in accord with that progression a celebratory festival is aligned. These celebrations are called Sabbats. The Wheel of the Year is also a reflection of the recurring cycles of the Natural world. Traditionally, these celebrations were very closely tied to the cycles of…
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Book Review – Pagan Portals: Temple of the Bones – Rituals to the Goddess Hekate by Jennifer Teixeira
Book Review Pagan Portals Temple of the Bones Rituals to the Goddess Hekate by Jennifer Teixeira Publisher: Moon Books 112 Pages Publication Date: June 1, 2021 Temple of the Bones is an inclusive and accessible introduction to working meaningfully with the Goddess and Titaness, Hekate. More than just a guide to Her many epithets and symbols, this book talks through how to work as a group to honour Hekate, and how to work magic for and with Hekate, to manifest change and healing within groups or communities. This work is done through knowledge of appropriate herbs, offerings, ritual, and honouring the dead. The book is introduced by a…
