By Tatiara
Happy Midsummer!! Litha is a time to revel in the fullness of life, honor the natural world, and prepare for the season of harvest. Embrace the magic of the Summer Solstice and let its vibrant energy illuminate your heart and spirit. Continue reading Summer Solstice Splendor
By Katrina Rasbold
Of all of the holidays, it can be argued that most cultures at some time or another celebrated Midsummer. The Sun reigns at its full power and dominates the sky for the longest day of the year on Litha. It is commonly believed that the Faeries are most active during this time; an idea perpetuated by William Shakespeare’s famous play, A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The power of herbs and plants is said to be strongest at this time, so many of the summer herbs are harvested on this day. Continue reading Witch At The Crossroads: Purge, Protect, & Burn Stuff at Midsummer
By Lady Saoirse
Bright Blessings,
I write this on Beltane Eve, and my online memories have been showing me photos from years past. For many years, we used to gather at Beltane. We would rent a group campsite or Metro Park shelter and be there from the time the park opened until it closed. We had rituals, potlucks, talks, and for some years we camped. Continue reading Practical Magic with Saoirse: Beltane Memories
By Katrina Rasbold
I met a man from Glaston Town
He said, “They call me Bill.
I really dasn’t likes it ‘cause
Me name is really Will.” Continue reading A Celtic Woman’s Beltane Lament
By Katrina Rasbold
In our circle, we work a strong duality between male and female energies and although we love the traditional celebrations, we always like to put our own spin on things. Beltane is a delicious High Holiday, ribald with innuendo and fun, celebrating the union between the masculine and feminine archetypes. In this blessed time of coming together, we honor the fertilization of the land and revel in the pleasures brought to us by earthly existence. That being the case, we always thought it as a little one-sided to ritualize this sacred day with only a maypole, the representation of male virility, thrusting its mighty prominence up out of the ripened land. Continue reading Witch At The Crossroads: All Hail The Mayhole
By Tatiara
If you’re like me, then you have felt the intensity of transformation afoot lately. The eclipse energy symbolizing “out with the old, in with the new,” was magical, yet a little harrowing for some of us.
Continue reading The Mystic Witch’s Journey: Lunar Beltane: Love, Gratitude and Transformation
By Katrina Rasbold
As we come upon Spring Equinox, it seems like a great time to talk about the differences between solstices and equinoxes. Continue reading Ask a Witch: Solstices & Equinoxes
By Cat Gina Cole
When I was young, my grandmother called what I now know as Imbolc the “Quickening,” It was not specific to a particular date but always occurred in February. We knew the quickening had arrived when Grandma would stop whatever she was doing, listen for a moment and say, “The quickening is here, do you feel it?” Sometimes, it would happen in the garden, sometimes not, but she could feel it. It was a noticeable shift in the energy of the earth and the plants that she could feel. What is the quickening you ask? Well, it is when the earth has warmed up just enough to trigger plants to shift from putting out roots to pushing out shoots.
By Nicki Ojeda (Tatiara)
In the soft, quiet breath of the season, regardless of weather, the call of Imbolc stirs something within me. A gentle reminder that Brigid calls me to reawaken the embers of inspiration and renewal. It feels like being called to dance with the Inner Mystic. The flame of spirit within, soul-fueled dreams and authentic aspirations take center stage, as I tap into the reviving glow of Imbolc. Continue reading The Mystic Witch’s Journey: My Personal Communion With Brigid
Imbolc is arguably one of our most underrated sabbats. If you do not study the value and impact of each of the eight sabbats, you lose balance on the wheel of the year, but for many Pagans, any celebration that is not Samhain or Beltane is met with limited enthusiasm… the sure sign of an amateur, truth be told. Sigh.
Continue reading Witch At The Crossroads: Imbolc, Dawn’s Early Light
By Cat Gina Cole
Wow! The “New Normal” since the pandemic is really challenging for almost all of us for a variety of reasons. As a freelance writer, I spend quite a bit of time on social media and the challenges are very evident. So too are the contentions those frustrations bring as we attempt to interact with each other. I say interacting, because it is not really communication. It is more “act” and “react,” and communication is a two-way conversation. That our social media interactions have become so black and white it got me thinking about Yule. Continue reading The Cat’s Eye – Yule 2023
The Green Egg Forum is a lively hotbed of thoughtful discourse, moderated by Cat Gina Cole. In this column, Cat shares some of the most interesting and interactive posts and threads from the forum. Want to get in on the conversation? We would love to have you! Go to: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1069823176940972/ to join.
This week in the forum the question was asked :
I think the responses show just how eclectic Paganism and Witchcraft traditions can be. Let us know in the comments what your plans are or what you think of the response you see here. Continue reading From the Forum: Yule, etc
By Katrina Rasbold
The energy of this ritual is releasing the energy of Samhain and welcoming the spark of light that comes with the Winter Solstice/Yule. You will need six candles, one each in white, red, black, yellow, blue and brown. The God and Goddess invocation summons the triple aspect of both the Goddess and God for a duality working. It presumes a male-female Divine polarity, but could be adapted to accommodate any part of the gender spectrum. Continue reading A Winter Solstice Ritual