When I was still elementary school age, every summer me and one of my friends would bike to the edge of our suburban world into what seemed like wilderness to us: prairie grass, rolling hills, and trees, trees, trees. We would hunt through tall grass, kicking up hoards of flying grasshoppers with each step, and shout out whenever we found the tiny red morsels we were looking for. We would hunker down next to our wild strawberry patches to pick and eat little juicy beads until they had entirely disappeared. Since they only cropped up in the area for a week or two, we checked often so we wouldn’t miss the moment and took full advantage when it emerged. This was my first lesson in

At the recent Babalon Rising festival I saw the usual assortment of cars, trucks, and SUVs in the parking areas. Many were old and rather beat up, being held together with bumper stickers such as "Freedom of Religion Means ALL Religions." But a surprising (to me) new entry was a bright and very shiny Jaguar. It was newer and obviously quite expensive. Someone had enough money to spend on that car. This Jaguar was at a car show in England Why is it that so many people who profess to be able to do magick are constantly in poor financial condition? Yes, I know the world's economy is in the dumpster, but there are still lots of people making lots of money. Shouldn't magicians be part of

Learning the meanings of the cards is just one part of learning tarot. In some ways, it seems like it is the easier part. I cannot tell you how many students learn the cards, with deep and profound understanding and spiritual insight, ask me "how to put them together into a reading that makes sense?" One of the trouble is, I think, that we forget how to tell stories based on pictures. As children, this is no problem! But when I lay three cards in front of an adult and say, "just tell me what you see...what is the story?" the person freezes and seem to be afraid they'll "get it wrong." So, my first tip is of course that one: lay out three cards. The first card is the beginning of the

I have had the honor and privilege of knowing Chick and Sandra Tabatha Cicero for many years. The Ciceros They refer to themselves as "Senior Adepts of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn," which is sort of like Johnny Depp calling himself just a guitar player (he does play guitar, but that's not his major contribution by far). Indeed, Chic and Sandra have introduced more people to the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn and the system of that group with their many books and international workshops than perhaps anyone since Israel Regardie. Just some of their books include The Essential Golden Dawn, and Self-Initiation into the Golden Dawn Tradition.   Their work