Uncategorized
-
9 Plants With Really Weird Names That I Love
Shakespeare’s play Macbeth opens with three witches stirring a cauldron, into which they throw all sorts of vile-sounding things such as eye of newt, toe of frog, and tongue of dog, just to name a few. Where, exactly, does one obtain eye of newt? Well, it as luck would have it, Shakespeare was pretty knowledgeable about the folk magic of his era, and included in his Scottish play a number of ingredients that he called by their folkloric names rather than their botanical ones. There are actually hundreds of plants and flowers that are called by folkloric names that often make them sound much stranger than they really are. Let’s…
You May Also Like
Herbs to Dye For
Review: The Lost Tarot by Hans Bauer
Join Me at Hallowed Harvest!
-
It’s the Matronalia, Be Nice to Your Mom
In ancient Rome, the holiday of Matronalia was celebrated each year at the beginning of March. This annual “festival of women” was held in honor of Juno Luciana, a goddess who watched over married women and those in childbirth. She was in charge of newborn infants, and a woman in labor might make offerings to her so that she would have a safe delivery of a healthy child. Gifts were exchanged, and everyone treated the ladies exceptionally well on this day–it was a bit like a women’s version of Saturnalia. The down side? Women were still expected to cook for their slaves, who got the day off. Later on, Matronalia…
-
Diet and Your Chakras
In many metaphysical belief systems, the body’s seven chakras are the source of all energy. Many people believe that if one or more of our chakras is blocked or out of balance, it can have an effect us on a physical, emotional and spiritual level. There are a number of ways to get your chakras back into alignment–meditation and Reiki, for instance–but some people believe that the foods we eat can help us keep our chakras where they need to be. If you’ve been feeling off-kilter lately, consider modifying your diet in a way that will be beneficial to your chakras. Please keep in mind that a balanced diet is…
-
You’re Pagan, Your House is For Sale, What the Heck Do You Do?
A reader writes, “I’ve been trying to sell my house but I’m having some trouble. My realtor is trying to get me to “hide all that witch stuff,” but I don’t think I should have to, because I’m proud to be Wiccan and I don’t hide it. I feel like my realtor is being disrespectful of my beliefs.” No, your realtor is being a professional who is trying to sell your home for you. If that house sits on the market, unsold, your realtor isn’t making any money. Your realtor’s job is to market and sell your home, not coddle you. This is not about Pagan pride, your beliefs, or…
-
The Basics of Shamanism
For many Pagans who follow a religious or magical system rooted in the natural world, shamanism often has some appeal. Let’s look at the different types of shamanism, the symbolism found in such systems, and how we can apply an ancient practice to modern Pagan spirituality. The word shaman itself is a multi-faceted one. While many people hear the word shaman and immediately think of Native American medicine men, things are actually more complex than that. “Shaman” is an umbrella term used by anthropologists to describe a vast collection of practices and beliefs, many of which have to do with divination, spirit communication, and magic. In most indigenous cultures, including…
-
Mass Tragedy and Spiritual Response
In the wake of yet another horrific school shooting, I always find myself fielding emails from people who want to know what they can do, because for the love of Pete, thoughts and prayers don’t seem like enough. And yet, for some, thoughts and prayers offer comfort, and it’s the only thing they can think of as a response to a horrible and brutal event. One of my readers says, “I know this sounds crazy, but every time something big and terrible happens–like an earthquake or a mass shooting–I feel so emotionally connected. I don’t even know these people and I still find myself sobbing and crying and reacting as…
-
Chakra Basics 101
In many metaphysical disciplines, such as energy work, Reiki, and other healing modalities, practitioners use chakras as a focal point for their intent. While chakra theory originated in Hindu mysticism, it has been adopted by the New Age and metaphysical community. There are seven chakras, or energy vortexes in the human body, and each is associated with various physical and emotional experiences. It is believed that if a particular chakra is blocked or imbalanced, then the individual may have trouble or issues with the corresponding physical or emotional experience. For example, someone whose heart chakra is blocked might be experiencing an inability to open themselves up to a relationship, or…
-
Pagans, Lent, and No You Don’t Have To
Every spring, I get a few emails from Pagans who wonder if there’s something special they need to do while their friends and family members are all getting ready to observe Lent. A reader asks, “I’m trying to figure out what to give up for Lent. I’m a Pagan, so it’s kind of hard for me to decide. Do you have any suggestions?” Yes. If you’re Pagan, a good suggestion would be to not even worry about Lent. Here’s the thing: it’s a Christian holiday, and the notion of giving things up for it is unrelated to any Pagan spirituality. Lent is a forty-day period of preparation before Easter, and…
-
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…
-
Here, There, and Everywhere in 2018
OK, several of y’all have asked me where I’ll be this year, and when, so I’ve updated the event page accordingly! Keep in mind my schedule is constantly evolving, and I have five more conferences/festivals that I have submitted proposals for but not gotten confirmed – once I do, I’ll add those too. Also, there are a couple of great bookstores I visited in 2017 that I’m hoping to get back to this year for a repeat event. Suffice it to say, if you live within about 250 miles of me, we might bump into each other! Also, if you are the organizer of a festival or PPD event, or…
