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The Magic of Vesta and Juno
In ancient Rome, Juno was the goddess who watched over women and marriage. Vesta was the protector of the hearth, and of virginity. Together, these two mighty goddesses were sacred to Roman women. Although Juno’s festival, the Matronalia, was actually celebrated in March, the month of June was named for her. It’s a month for weddings and handfasting, so you could easily honor Juno at this time of the year. During the Matronalia, women received gifts from their husbands and daughters, and gave their female slaves the day off work. Like nearly all Roman deities, Vesta had her own holiday as well. The Vestalia was celebrated from June 7 to…
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Getting Handfast? Give Your Guests Magical Favors!
It’s become traditional to give each of your guests a small wedding favor. Typically, these are small trinkets with either the date of the event or the couples’ names on them. However, if you’re having a Pagan handfasting, rather than a traditional wedding ceremony, why not come up with an idea that celebrates your spiritual path, as well as announcing your commitment to the community? In some traditions, it’s become popular to have a besom wedding. Decorate small brooms with ribbons, flowers and a bundle of fresh herbs. You can usually pick up little brooms at the craft store, or you can make your own. Make a magical charm for…
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Coming in August: The Daily Spell Journal
You guys, I’m super excited about this! As many of you know, in 2017, the Daily Spell Book for the Good Witch was released, and it’s one of my favorite things I’ve ever done. Now, I’m pleased to announce that in August 2019, a tie-in journal is coming out! This gorgeous 4×6″ hardcover journal features the years’ worth of spells that you loved in Daily Spell Book, but now they’ve got places for you to make notes, keep records, and tweak your spell components. Add your own incantations, adjust the ingredients, and customize things to make them your own!The Daily Spell Journal: A Diary of Enchantments for Every Day of…
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The Witch’s Home is Now Available!
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Organize a Magical Swap Meet
At some point in your life as a Pagan, you’ll probably have moments where you look at a book on your shelf and think, “I will never read that again.” Or perhaps there’s a deck of Tarot cards that you own, but have never really connected with. Maybe you’ve got an athame that’s outlived its appeal, and you’ve replaced it with something new. So what’s a Pagan to do with all that stuff? Why not organize a magical swap meet? Look at it this way – if you’ve got a dozen things you don’t want or need, and you have nine friends who have a dozen things they don’t want…
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John Dee, Occultist and Alchemist
I’m a history geek, so when I get a chance to write about someone or something that combines my love of history with my love of metaphysics and the occult, it’s like a Writer Bonus Round. This month, I decided to tackle the subject of John Dee. John Dee image from Wellcome [CC BY 4.0), via Wikimedia Commons To today’s readers, Dee was perhaps best known for his work as an alchemist and metaphysicist – he was one of the guys, along with Nicolas Flamel and Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa, who spent decades trying to discover the secret of the Philosopher’s Stone. He never did – although, in fairness, neither did…
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Keep a Dream Journal
The Magic & Folklore of Forsythia
The Magic of Vesta and Juno
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The Dark Night of the Soul
A reader asks, “I don’t know what to do. I was really active and excited about my spiritual practice, but lately I’m just feeling lost. I feel like nothing I do is working, I don’t have any motivation, nothing matters to me, I’m doubting my gods, and it’s hard for me to even care anymore. I don’t want to just give up, because my beliefs are important to me, but I feel like I’ve hit a wall. What do I do?” The first thing you do is relax a little bit, because I’m going to let you in on a secret. Ready? This happens a lot. Honest, it does. While…
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The Magic of Chocolate Santas
Everyone loves Santa Claus, and everyone loves chocolate. Put them together, and you’ve got a delicious holiday treat. But what inspired this idea in the first place? Who came up with the idea of chocolate Santas? And is it really nothing more than ritualized cannibalism? Chocolate is known as an aphrodisiac the world over today, but until fairly recently, it was mostly the domain of the Aztecs, the Mayans, and European royalty. In the mid-nineteenth century, the Industrial revolution brought equipment that mixed dried cocoa powder with cocoa butter. This resulted in a form of chocolate that was not only pourable, but easy to mold. Most likely, the Germans can…
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How I Avoid the Yule Fat Pants
Okay, y’all, I make no secret of the fact that I’ve struggled with my weight all of my adult life. I’m pretty healthy and strong these days, but I know I’ll never be skinny. Regardless, because I love to cook, the holiday season can be a real challenge for me – but I’ve figured out over the years that if I set a few basic rules for myself, I can keep things under control during December. This way I don’t spend January through April hating the way my ass looks in a pair of yoga pants. Watch Your Portions One of the biggest mistakes you can make during Yule is…
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Words Matter: A Magical Cautionary Tale
One of the things I always try to stress to people when they’re working magic is that words matter – and by this, I mean you’ve got to be REALLY specific. As an illustration, let me share with you a story from my own checkered magical history. Way back when, in the days when I was too young to know any better, I decided that a recent speeding ticket would be the target of my witchy wisdom. I had gotten the ticket quite justifiably, because I was flying down the highway well over the legal limit when I got popped. I’d been traveling from Ohio to South Carolina, and there’s…
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Spellwork Basics: Break a Curse
In general, most of us go our entire lives without encountering anyone who has the skill set or level of motivation required to hex or curse us. In fact, if things are going badly for you, it could be that you’re NOT cursed or hexed, but simply (1) having a run of bad luck or (2) making really shitty life choices. However, it’s always POSSIBLE that bad things in your life are a result of some sort of magical attack. Before you go assuming this is the case, though, ask yourself a few questions: Did you seriously piss someone off in some way? If so, does that person have the…
