As we move towards Samhain and the thinning of the veil, one of the things that has been very present on my mind is the topic of Ancestor Veneration. We know that this was hugely important to people of the past and many modern day cultures (such as Japan and Mexico) still have a strong tradition of ancestor veneration. Unfortunately, in the culture that I am most familiar with (the United States in 2017), we have a very strange and... Read more
I can’t remember when I first heard of the Morrígan. All I know is that when I did, it sent a ripple of recognition down my spine, like a far-away memory of something long forgotten. I played a game of hide and seek with her for years. I would read something about her, see something that vaguely reminded me of her, or hear her name in hushed pieces of conversation within the pagan community. She seemed larger than life. Intimidating,... Read more
As of this past week, I have formally submitted my final homework for Witchcraft One (The Inner Temple), the formal year-long intensive course done by the Mystery School of the Temple of Witchcraft in Salem, NH for their first degree. It’s hard to believe that the year is finally over. So much has happened, both in my physical world and my spiritual world. I began the course in October of 2016, I was in New Zealand at the time and... Read more
The Wicker Man (1973) Probably my favorite ‘pagan’ movie of all time. It features a star studded cast including a very young Christopher Lee as Lord Summerisle. The scenery is to die for. The plot line is well written and has some surprising twists. And the soundtrack is a pagan’s dream, written by Paul Giovanni, it includes 13 folk songs. If there is one movie on this list you have to watch, this is it. The VVitch: A New... Read more
Gerald Brosseau Gardner is a name that is linked to Wicca and Witchcraft at the most intrinsic level. And yet many newer Wiccans and pagans don’t even know who he is even though they are using tools and rituals influenced by his work and practice. Almost every book about Witchcraft or paganism at least mentions his name, even if they say nothing else about Wicca itself. Take for example, this excerpt from the first chapter of Witches of America by... Read more
This past summer I spent 6 weeks exploring France. Throughout my travels here, I have fallen in love with the mythos of the Black Madonna/Virgin or as they say in French la vierge noire. These are usually statues of the holy mother and child that were found under miraculous circumstances; resulting in the development of a local cult for their worship. They are found all over the world ( Virgin of Guadalupe -Hidalgo )is an example many North Americans may be... Read more
Ok witches, so you’ve heard the word altar thrown around. Maybe you have one (or 5?) or maybe you want to build one. I’m going to walk you through the elements and tools of what you may normally see on a pagan/Wiccan altar. I want to stress that it is not necessary to have all of these things. A witch’s tool is a very sacred object and many people spend years waiting for the right tool to find them. I,... Read more
Witch interviewed on Fox news. Laughter ensues. Read more
This is the excerpt for a featured post. Read more
The Wandering Witch
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