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The Halloweenification of Black Cats
As the proud kitty mama of my own feline void, we are going to discuss the associations that black cats have with witches and more especially, Samhain. Black cats are most often associated with Halloween, Samhain or witchcraft. In most Western cultures, black cats have typically been looked upon as agents of misfortune. In a lot of other cultures, black cats are seen as lucky. Bringers of prosperity and happiness. So just how did cats become so intertwined with witches? A number of Pagan deities hold the cat in high esteem. Bastet tops the list with being pictured as a being with a woman’s body and a black cat’s…
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Learning Lunar
The Full Moon How exciting to be three issues into our Learning Lunar column and already able to wax lyrical (pun intended) about the full moon! Lúnasa 2023 falls on August 1st which, this year, is also a full moon. Lúnasa, or Lughnasadh, is an Irish festival co-opted by many Pagan traditions as a time of harvest celebration, games, competitions, and other summer festivities. Another popular celebration held at this time is Lammas, the Anglo-Saxon early Christian festival of blessing the first fruits and loaves of the seasons. Having the full moon to add to these blessings can only add to their fruitfulness! What Does the Phrase…
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Celebrating The Old Ways in New Times
Celebrating The Old Ways in New Times Summer Solstice for June 2021 Bright Blessings! I can hardly believe it’s just a little over two weeks after Beltaine, and already I’m writing about The Summer Solstice. 2021 is flying by! After more than a year of lockdowns, covid vaccines are more widely available, and States are going to start relaxing mask mandates, opening the way for larger gatherings and indoor things. At 37% of the population of the United States now recorded as fully vaccinated, indeed, many are raring to go to restaurants, and birthday parties, as they have foregone all of that for months and months. Not the top country…
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Book Review – Modern Wicca: Beliefs and Traditions for Contemporary Life by Rowan Morgana
Book Review Modern Wicca Beliefs and Traditions for Contemporary Life by Rowan Morgana 170 Pages I have never thought of Wicca as “modern”. In fact, back in the mid-to-late 1980’s, when I first began to explore this religion – and its co-religions Paganism, Heathenism, Druidism, and various forms of Witchcraft – it was routinely called “the Old Religion”. After reading books by scholars like Margaret Murray, Merlin Stone and Monica Sj??, among others, it made perfect sense to me that the ancients revered a great goddess over all and the rise of a patriarchal society gradually changed this to where the god ruled alongside the goddess but eventually took over…
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Earth Protection Spell an Excerpt from the Book ‘Modern Wicca: Beliefs and Traditions for Contemporary Life’ by Rowan Morgana
Earth Protection Spell Excerpt from the Book ‘Modern Wicca: Beliefs and Traditions for Contemporary Life by Rowan Morgana Intention: To invite the elemental Earth spirits to live in your garden to protect and nurture it. Protecting a small part of your own garden counts toward the greater good of protecting and healing Earth. If every- one takes care of their little corner of land, a wave of Earth-healing may begin. This spell is best done under the light of the full moon. What You’ll Need: 1 very large stone Dried lavender and thyme Gold, red, blue and green ribbons each about 12 inches…