New Worlds of Body, Mind & Spirit Since 1901
As I explain in my book Slava! Slavic Paganism and Dual-Faith Folk Ways, a fundamental concept of holism exists in the Slavic mythic consciousness. This worldview is essentially animistic and shamanistic in nature, regarding as it does the intrinsic at-one-ness of humanity with a spirit-saturated natural world, as well as with the deities and other sacred beings that populate every level of the tripartite mythic construct of Ultimate Reality. This Reality is envisioned as a sacred oak tree (Drvo Svijeta in Croatian) at the center of the Universe. The Tree's middle realm is the domain of living people and the creatures with which we share this earth.1 One of the most revered creatures among ...
The moon has always been our most ancient guide. Throughout history, the moon has been used as a calendar and timekeeper to mark planting, harvesting, resting, and celebrating everything in our days. Today, we still tap into the energy of the lunar phases to manifest and create our best lives, as I outline in my book, Manifesting by the Moon: A Guide to Lunar Magic. Through ritual and spellwork, modern-day witches use the same techniques that were harnessed so long ago. One facet of any practice, and especially a lunar practice, is what we put into our bodies. Since we are mostly made up of water, we can easily feel the pull of the moon's phases if we open to this energy. We can also ...
The word Spirit can mean so many things. We have a Spirit, there is Spirit, we can connect to and with Spirit. But what the heck is Spirit? For the context of this conversation, I am referring to Spirit as an element of magic. The element of Spirit is sometimes called the fifth element (with the other classic magical elements being Earth, Air, Fire, and Water). In a modern witchcraft perspective, the four classic elements are often honored or acknowledged in ritual, but not all traditions honor Spirit. However, in a way, Spirit is the most important of the magical elements. Spirit is what holds the world together. It is the glue of the Universe. Nothing can exist without ...
Imbolc sees the first stirrings of spring. Translated as "ewe's milk," this is the time when lambs are born, early flowers such as snowdrops and crocuses bloom, and ice and snow melt under the heat of days that grow longer. Brigid, the Irish goddess turned Catholic saint, is associated with this sabbat. Her focus on fertility and life speaks to the promise of hope that Imbolc brings. Spiral Incense HolderThe spiral is one of the most enduring images associated with Imbolc. The Wheel of the Year continues to spin, revealing the seasons in their time. And Imbolc sees the continuation of this spiral as winter's hold begins to break, heralding the return of spring. This craft uses the ...
