• Uncategorized

    Karma: Is it Really a Bitch?

    Many times, during discussions in the Pagan community – particularly those revolving around perceived negative behavior – you’ll hear someone invoke the idea of Karma, the notion that what goes around comes around. However, the original concept of Karma is far more complex than simply a giant cosmic payback machine. Let’s look at the way some eastern religions view Karma, and how it’s been adapted by the modern Pagan and metaphysical communities. About.com Hinduism Expert, Subhamoy Das, has a great article explaining Karma as a law of cause and effect. In other words, it’s not just bad stuff that comes back on you, but good works and actions as well.…

  • Uncategorized

    Saturday Spellwork: Shiva Stones

    The Shiva Lingam is a stone that is found in many aspects of Hindu belief and folklore. A symbol of the god Shiva, the stone itself is sometimes simply called the Lingam. It’s shaped a bit like an elongated egg, but it also has a good deal of phallic symbolism attached to it. Because of its shape, it is connected with both the male and female aspects of life creation. In some of the metaphysical disciplines, the Shiva Lingam is tied to all of the different Chakras, and can be used in healing and energy work. In particular, it is associated with sexual fertility and potency – men who are…

  • Uncategorized

    When I Eat All the Things at Yule

    Okay, y’all, I make no secret of the fact that I’ve struggled with my weight all of my adult life. I’m pretty healthy and strong these days, but I know I’ll never be skinny. Regardless, because I love to cook, the holiday season can be a real challenge for me – but I’ve figured out over the years that if I set a few basic rules for myself, I can keep things under control during December. This way I don’t spend January through April hating the way my ass looks in a pair of yoga pants. Watch Your Portions One of the biggest mistakes you can make during Yule is…

  • Uncategorized

    How to Be a Good Holiday Shopper and Not an Asshole

    So, this is something I wrote a few years ago when I worked at the Big Chain Bookstore that rhymes with Yarns and Boble, but because I’ve seen so many examples of horrible shopping behavior this year, I wanted to share it again. Here you go, gentle readers. Ten ways to be a good holiday shopper… and not act like a dick to the retail peeps. ——————————————— The December holidays are nearly upon us, and even though Christmas/Hannukah/Kwanzaa/Solstice are still a good six weeks away, many of my friends are gleefully rubbing their hands together in anticipation of Black Friday shopping. Everyone claims they think Black Friday is an awful…

  • Uncategorized

    Chocolate Santas

    Everyone loves Santa Claus, and everyone loves chocolate. Put them together, and you’ve got a delicious holiday treat. But what inspired this idea in the first place? Who came up with the idea of chocolate Santas? And is it really nothing more than ritualized cannibalism? Chocolate is known as an aphrodisiac the world over today, but until fairly recently, it was mostly the domain of the Aztecs, the Mayans, and European royalty. In the mid-nineteenth century, the Industrial revolution brought equipment that mixed dried cocoa powder with cocoa butter. This resulted in a form of chocolate that was not only pourable, but easy to mold. Most likely, the Germans can…

Patti Wigington