Articles — 2017

Connecting to the powers of the Four Elements is a foundational practice for many Pagans. Earth, Air, Fire, and Water move through us and inspire us. As ideas, they help us to make sense of and to describe a complex world. Even the simplest of Pagan altars usually have some representation of the Elements. Some Pagans have specific ritual tools consecrated to each one of the Elements. (The Wand, Cup, Disk, and Sword are the canonical tools of the ceremonial magician.) Others take a more spontaneous approach, grabbing everyday items that symbolize the elemental powers. There are traditional and non-traditional...

When did you come of age as a Witch? Some people can point to the exact day. Maybe it was in front of witnesses, when you took an important degree or initiation. Maybe you were all alone with the gods, when a vision or epiphany changed your life forever. As I look back on my own path, I’m sure that I have stepped over that threshold, from novice to Real Grown-Up Witch. I’m just not sure when, exactly, it happened. I don’t have any certificates or ceremonial cords to show for it. I can’t name the precise moment, though my...

Like any other subculture, Pagans have our own special vocabulary. Many of them just aren't found in Wicca 101 books or infographics. Fortunately, I write down unfamiliar words and Google them later so you don’t have to. This glossary covers some of the more obscure words and phrases in the Pagan lexicon. The ones that might leave you scratching your head if you’d never heard them before (or never before in a Pagan context). This is certainly not an exhaustive list of Pagan and magickal terminology—just a quick rundown of some of the weirdest Pagan words and phrases zipping around...

Seashells are a very special magickal material—a beautiful gift of Earth and Sea. Shells are found in the secret space between these two kingdoms, which is revealed only during the change of tides. They are treasures from an invisible world. Whether plain brown or white, or cascading with a rainbow of colors, each shell brings a message to the person who is fortunate enough to find it. Read on to find out more about the magickal properties of seashells. The amazing seashell Normally, I’d just dive right into the correspondences of shells and their uses in spellwork. But instead, let’s...

Called the “White Lady of the Woods,” Birch is a tree of great strength and beauty. As one of the first plants to sprout new leaves in the spring, Birch has long been associated with renewal. Birch is extremely important in Celtic, European, and Native American folklore. Birch is linked to the Norse rune Berkana and also to Beith, the first letter of the Ogham alphabet The Birch is a medium-sized, straight-grained tree that tends to grow in groups or “stands.” It is slender, graceful, and hardy. Birch trees are found all over the Northern Hemisphere, thriving in all but...