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The Magic of Hedge Apples
The Osage orange, also known as a hedge apples (and in some areas, “monkey balls”), is a tree that grows in North America, and gets its name from the Osage Native American tribes who used its hard wood to craft bows for hunting. The “orange” itself is not a true orange (or an apple, for that matter) but a large, sticky fruit that is completely inedible to anyone but the local squirrel population. When the balls – usually about four to five inches in diameter – drop to the ground, it can create a huge mess, so generally it is recommended that if you plant an Osage orange, unless you…
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Sacred Springs and Holy Wells
At Litha, or Midsummer, the sun is entering the astrological house of Cancer, which is a water sign. In many traditions, this time of year is associated not just with fire, but with water as well — rivers, streams, springs, and so on. Image of the Well of Kildare by William Murphy / Flickr / Creative Commons (CC-BY-SA 2.0) In the British Isles, sacred springs and holy wells were considered more potent than usual at the summer solstice. In Bairnwell, Cambridge, a Midsummer festival has been held next to a sacred spring each year since at least the early thirteenth century. In many rural areas, local gods were often honored…
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Using Magic for Personal Gain
One of the first cautionary warnings that people new to the magical life seem to stumble upon is the idea that magic shouldn’t be used for personal gain. There doesn’t seem to be any clear-cut precedent for where this mandate came from, and in fact not all magical traditions follow it. To do magic is, after all, to express your own discontent with the universe and the things in it, and to make changes come about to your satisfaction. Think of it this way. Let’s say you are particularly skilled at building things. Is there some big Rule of Building that says you’re only allowed to construct things for other…
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Taglocks & Magical Links
Print this puppy out and stick it in your Book of Shadows for reference.
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I Give No Damns About Recruiting You
One misconception that some non-Pagans have is that roving groups of Wiccans, Druids, Heathens and other random types of Pagans are out to convert others into following the One True Pagan Way. Evidently, contemporary Pagans gain some sort of Karmic Bonus Points for every new member they sign up, and travel around stealthily trying to recruit unsuspecting souls into joining the Pagan/Wiccan Membership Club. Nothing could be further from the truth, although I’ve often wondered what I’d do with those Bonus Points if I had them. Maybe redeem them for fun prizes, like the old Greenbax Stamps at Piggly Wiggly. At any rate, cut and paste the following into your…
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Pagan Kids & Jesus Stuff
If you’re a Pagan parent, there’s a good chance you’re raising your kids as Pagan as well. And if that’s the case, you can be assured that at some point, one of your children is going to start wondering about Jesus. It may be something perfectly innocuous, like “Why is that naked baby in the manger at Christmastime?” or it may be something with a bit more depth, like, “My friend Sam told me Jesus loves me, and I don’t even know who that is.” Either way, at some point, you’re going to have to sit down with your little ones and discuss Jesus, Christianity, and the fact that your…
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Bamboo Magic & Folklore
Bamboo is grown in many parts of the world, and because it is both quick to develop and extremely hardy, it has a variety of uses from the mundane to the magical. The bamboo plant lives a long time, and will just continue growing until it is harvested. Because of this, some Pacific Island tribes regard it as a symbol of longevity and life, and include bamboo in some creation stories. In some parts of the Philippines, bamboo crosses are placed in the fields to bring hearty crops in at harvest time. In parts of India, bamboo symbolizes friendship, and in some Eastern religions, bamboo is the only acceptable material…
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Ohio’s Great Serpent Mound
Located in the small rural community of Peebles, Ohio, the Great Serpent Mound is perhaps the best-known serpent effigy in North America. It’s nearly a quarter mile long, and that makes it the biggest in the United States. The mound, which stands only a few feet high, represents an uncoiling serpent. It was originally believed that the Serpent Mound was created by the Adena culture, who lived in the Ohio Valley from around 800 b.c.e. to around 100 c.e. The Adena people built two burial mounds nearby. However, recent studies indicate that the Serpent Mound is actually much more recent than the Adena timeline, and is now attributed to the…
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Midsummer Magical Tool Recharge Ritual
At Litha, the summer solstice, the sun is at its highest point in the sky. Its power reaches its apex, and we celebrate the raw energy of the sun on the longest day of the year. Because this is the high point of the sun’s journey, it is a day of great magical potential. Take advantage of this natural power, harness it, and use it to recharge your magical tools. Typically, magical tools are consecrated before first use, but it’s a good idea to periodically recharge them, just like mundane tools. After all, if you use a cordless drill or a flashlight often enough, eventually the battery is going to…
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When Non-Pagans Come to Your Pagan Things
One of the most popular articles on my About/ThoughtCo site discusses proper etiquette when you’re a non-Pagan–or at the very least, a non-coven member–invited to a ritual. The piece discusses how to behave and interact with the folks holding the ritual, and how to make sure you’re invited back again. However, for each non-Pagan attending an event, there must clearly be someone putting on the ritual. It’s important, therefore, for us to discuss how to treat non-Pagans–or non-members of our group–when they take time out of their schedules to join us in ritual. Because y’all, for the love of dog, every time I promo that piece I get snarky emails…
