Articles — opinion

Thinking about attending a Pagan festival? Great! Festivals are a fabulous way to meet like-minded friends, nurture the mind and spirit, and be part of a vibrant, celebratory community. But there’s a lot to consider before you pitch your tent and go bounding toward the revel fire. This article will help you sidestep some of the newbie mistakes that can dampen your enjoyment of a Pagan festival. We’ll touch on what to expect, how to pack, how not to be a jerk, and how not to miss out on the wonderful things the festival has to offer. Disclosure: I’ve been...

Ever wanted to learn more about fairies? Here are some tidbits of fairy knowledge from Michelle, Grove and Grotto's own shop fairy. 1. Fairy wings aren't just for flying. One of the questions I get when children see my wings is, “Can you fly?” The answer is yes, if the wind is right. But flying is not the only thing wings are good for. Fairies use their wings to wave “hello” to each other, to “taste” the air, to express their moods, to look beautiful, and to show how important they are in fairy society. Wings also make a comfortable...

There’s not many places you can go to shop for a love spell these days. Or a haunted doll. Or a candle that will make your neighbors move out. Purveyors of magickal services have been driven into the back alleys of the internet, never to be seen again on reputable shopping sites. eBay has banned listings for spells and psychic readings since 2012. Etsy did a major purge of witches-for-hire in 2015. Increasingly, payment processors such as Stripe are dealing out warnings and account shutdowns for merchants whose businesses are tainted with a whiff of the metaphysical. The distrust of...

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...