Articles — 2017

“Why are you Pagan?” If you were to ask this question of a dozen people, you would probably get a dozen different answers. For Christians (and others who believe in one true God) the revival of polytheism may be confounding. For others, it is hard to understand why a sensible modern person would seem to turn their back on science to worship the gods of old. Before we get too far along, let's cover some background info. Paganism is defined broadly as non-Abrahamic religion that is Nature-based, polytheistic, or both. Wiccans, for instance, generally worship a creator Goddess and a...

Honeysuckle graces many a garden with its nectary fragrance and cheery blooms of ivory, pink, and yellow. Honeysuckle is said to attract friends, bring in luck, and sustain love in the home where it grows. Honeysuckle is especially liked by Faeries, and is essential if you wish to court their presence in your home. Like the Fae themselves, Honeysuckle thrives in liminal spaces, preferring fences and half-shade. If you eat the blossoms from a Honeysuckle bush, always leave a few of the best ones for the Fae. Be careful leaving a garden window open at night, because dreams of love...

Eucalyptus is a shrubby, flowering plant with a fresh and herbaceous fragrance. Most varieties are native to Australia. Koalas love to munch on the leaves, and the essential oil is popular in aromatherapy and herbal remedies. Lots of people are familiar with Eucalyptus as an ingredient in cold remedies like Vicks VapoRub. The fibrous leaves have even been studied as a renewable textile source! Eucalyptus is available to the Witch as a dry herb, as an essential oil, and as a blended (anointing) oil. Synthetics are rare because Eucalyptus oil is not terribly expensive to produce. Magickal Uses of Eucalyptus...

Dragon’s Blood ink is one of those magickal ingredients whose name sounds straight out of a fantasy novel. Needless to say, it doesn’t contain the blood of real dragons. Rather, the name refers to a red-tinted ceremonial ink formulated with resins, herbs, and fragrances. Dragon’s Blood ink—along with its cousins, Dove’s Blood ink and Bat’s Blood ink—is traditionally used to empower written spells, pacts, and petitions. Dragon’s Blood ink owes its name to a bright red-colored resin that is obtained from various plant species. In ancient times, the crushed resin was used as a pigment in both the West and...

Got a shiny new piece of magickal jewelry? Before putting it on, you may wish to take the extra step of ritually activating the object to make it more effective at its purpose. Charging and wearing an amulet is one of the oldest and most widely practiced forms of spellwork. In this article, I’ll discuss some simple ways to initiate your magickal jewelry so it can start working for you. We’re often asked if we charge or activate the pendants sold in our shop. We don’t—they all come “blank” and ready to receive your intention. The most we’ll do is...