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Apple Butter for Mabon
One of my favorite things to do every August and September is to go to the local apple orchard and pick fruit straight off the tree. Last weekend, my guy and I went and picked peaches, and sometime in the next few weeks, we’ll be returning for apples. LOTS OF APPLES. The great thing about apples is that they’re super easy to pick, and you end up with a ton of them. The downside? YOU END UP WITH A TON OF THEM. I mean, you can only eat so many apples before you’re tired of them, so I like to do a lot of different things with apples, just to…
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Pagans and Renaissance Festivals
Every year, especially in the fall, I get a few emails from people asking why Pagans seem to really dig the cultural phenomenon of the Renaissance Festival or Faire. This got me wondering – I myself go to a nearby RenFest each year. I pick a weekend in September, get dressed up in full garb, and drive two hours to spend a day with my friends in the town of Willy-Nilly On the Wash. We drink mead, flirt with large jousters, and we helpfully point confused, non-garbed visitors to the nearest privy (there seems to be an assumption at RenFest that if you’re in garb, you automatically know where stuff…
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When You’re Outed Online
With the popularity of social networking sites, it’s no surprise that some members of the Pagan community who are still in the broom closet are finding themselves accidentally “outed.” A reader writes in and says, “I have a Facebook page, and there’s a spot for “religion” and I put “Pagan.” Now all these people that I hardly even know are looking at my Facebook page and sending me emails asking me if I’m really a witch and telling me I might go to hell and they’re going to pray for me. It’s none of their business! What do I do?” Well, first of all, accept the fact that you’ve outed…
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5 Reasons to Support Your Local Pagan Shop
Many towns and cities are home to Pagan shops, but unfortunately they tend to come and go. It’s a rare Pagan shop indeed that lasts more than a few years – your favorite store may be there one day, and vanish the next. That’s partly because, like any small independent business – a locally-run Pagan shop depends on local customers for its livelihood. If customers don’t patronize these shops, they vanish, because it’s not cost-effective to run a business that’s doesn’t make a profit. Here are five reasons you should support local Pagan businesses if possible: Local businesses build the local economy. It’s a no-brainer that local businesses help the…
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Ritual and Food Allergies
A reader asks, “My coven does a cakes and ale ritual at every Sabbat. I just got diagnosed with Celiac disease, and I’m wondering what I should do. I can’t eat the cakes because they’ll make me sick, and if we use beer for the ale, that could have a negative effect on me as well. I don’t want to miss out on the ritual, though, and be the only one who doesn’t participate. Are you familiar with anyone having a similar problem? Any suggestions on how to deal with this?” Answer: As a matter of fact, I’m familiar with this situation on a first-hand basis – I’ve been gluten-intolerant…
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How to Find a Pagan Teacher
If you’re someone who’s new to Pagan religions – or if you’re someone who’s been Pagan a while and wants to branch out a little – you might find it of benefit to yourself to find a teacher or mentor. However, many people decide that “finding a teacher” means just randomly posting on the Internet, asking strangers to contact them. This is not the ideal way to find someone who can teach you about spirituality, for a variety of reasons. Let’s look at some of the things you should do if you’re looking for a Pagan teacher – and some of the things you should really try to avoid. Know…
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Dream Catchers: Popular, But Not Pagan
Peruse any Pagan shop or selling website, and chances are good you’ll stumble, at some point, across dream catchers. While these are popular items that have made into the mainstream, particularly in the metaphysical community, they’re not specifically Pagan, at least not in the context of modern Neopaganism – much of which stems from European beliefs and practices. In fact, dream catchers actually have their beginnings in Native American spirituality. It is believed that dream catchers originated with the Ojibwe, or Chippewa, peoples of North American. Tribal communities existed primarily around the northern part of the United States and the southern regions of Canada, in particular, around the Great Lakes.…
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Bread Folklore and Magic
When Lammas, or Lughnasadh, rolls around, many modern Pagans celebrate the harvest of the grain crops. This is nothing new – for our ancestors, the grain harvest was a cause for great celebration. A successful harvest meant families would be able to bake and store bread through the winter – and that could mean the difference between life and death for many. The word “Lammas” comes from the Old English phrase hlaf-maesse, which translates to “loaf mass.” Today, it’s not uncommon to find a celebration of bread at a Pagan festival during the Lammas season. There are a number of different ways that bread itself can be incorporated into a…
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Lammastide Warrior Meditation
At Lammas, the harvest is kicking in. This is a time of year when the masculine energy of the earth is in full swing. For starters, it’s the season of the spirit of grain, and a time to honor Lugh, the craftsman god. Lugh was not only a craftsman, but a gifted smith and swordsman. The season from late summer to the middle of fall is often a season of heightened energy for those who identify with the warrior soul. The warrior in today’s society is someone who understands the idea of right action. He or she follows a code of honor, and abides by that code even when it…
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The Aonach Tailteann Games
When Lammas, or Lughnasadh, rolls around at the beginning of August, it’s often a time for local festivals, country fairs, and harvest events. Believe it or not, this isn’t a new tradition at all. The Aonach Tailteann was a fair held by the High Kings of Ireland in County Meath, and some early historians believe it originated during prehistoric times. Also spelled Óenach Tailteann, this fair was a combination of the political assembly, marketplace, and games of skill and strength. Origins and History of the Aonach Tailteann According to the Irish Book of Invasions, the hero and god Lugh himself organized the first of these fairs, in his aspect as…
