Every year on February 2, news channels across the country broadcast from Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania where Groundhog Phil emerges from his burrow to look for his shadow. “If he sees it, he regards it as an omen of six more weeks of bad weather and returns to his hole. If the day is cloudy and, hence, shadowless, he takes it as a sign of spring and stays above ground.” Most people think about this quirky holiday as just a whimsical part... Read more
It’s the most wonderful time of the year…Pantheacon season is almost upon us! For those of you not familiar with it, Pantheacon is the largest indoor pagan festival in the country. Held every year over President’s Day Weekend, upwards of 3000 people come from all over the world to San Jose, California to attend. There are over 200 presenters, a giant vendor room, hospitality suites, and much more. Check out the schedule of events here. As one Tripadvisor reviewer who... Read more
Exploring the Sacred within Mississippi National River and Recreation Area As an American of Swedish heritage, it’s no surprise that I have lots of family in Minnesota. I’ve visited many times throughout my childhood but its only been as an adult that I’ve been able to explore a bit on my own. I have a deep love and respect for indigenous cultures so the last few times I’ve been, I have focused on visiting and learning about local sacred sites.... Read more
The Salem Witch Trials are one of the most notorious events in the history of the New England Colonies. While many explanations, ranging from mundane to bizarre, have been suggested through the years; they still remain a fascinating historical enigma. One of the most misrepresented characters is perhaps that of George Burroughs, or as they called him in Salem- The Confederate of the Devil. The story of the man who would hold the distinction as the only minister executed during... Read more
In Pre-Christian Scandinavia, the sun was represented as a solar goddess-Sol or Sunna. She is the sister of the moon and drives the chariot of the sun across the sky every day. Read more
The concept of a mother goddess is one as old as humanity itself. Much of the world’s earliest art, such as the Venus of Willendorf, is speculated to be a representation of a mother goddess idol. Therefore, it is no wonder that in Western Art we continue to find the dominance of the mother goddess. This time, however, she is in disguise; hidden from the oppressing theology of monotheism as Mary-Mother of God (Gadon, 206). Despite having quite a minor... Read more
This post was prompted by an interaction I had in one of my classes last week. My professor, a very kind and experienced anthropologist, was talking about a women she met who was a witch. My professor mistakenly used the terms Wiccan and witch interchangeably. While explaining to the class that this woman practiced magic that was neither white nor black. I, of course, piped right up and stated that the woman clearly had not actually been Wiccan, as the... Read more
Washington, DC is a city full of secrets. Just watch National Treasure (I actually hate this movie but whatever). It’s a place steeped in symbolism, Masonic legend, and hidden meaning. And it also happens to be full of secret references to the divine feminine. On my most recent trip to the city, I visited the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception (thanks to a recommendation from a friend on Instagram!). Opened in 1959, it is the largest... Read more
The word ancestor comes from the Latin words ante(before) and cedere(to go); meaning the ones who go before. As I wrote in my earlier post about ancestor veneration, the practice of honoring those who have literally ‘gone before’ can be very meaningful and impactful in our spiritual lives as pagans. Since we have such a strange relationship with death and the elderly in our society, I thought it may be beneficial to outline a few ways that we can being... Read more
Stop everything you’re doing and watch this. It’s a 1974 interview with Tom Snyder featuring Ed Fitch, Isaac Bonewits, Fred Adams, and Caroll Runyon. The 1970’s special effects are super tacky and the host is a bit of a pain, but it’s amazing to see some of our most influential pagan ‘foreparents’ speak live. Also, throwback to when people still pronounced Samhain, SAM-Hayne. And the commercials are pretty funny too. Read more
The Wandering Witch
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