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Blend a Batch of War Water
In some magical traditions, war water can come in very handy in spellwork. It’s one of those magical ingredients that I don’t have call to use very often, but when I do, I like to have it already prepared and ready to go. Sometimes called iron water, water of Mars, or rust water, war water is designed to impart the attributes of Mars, the Roman god of war… who is associated with (wait for it) iron. It’s found in many types of folk magic, primarily those with European roots, but it also appears in Conjure and Hoodoo, and can be used to do some hostile foot track magic. It also…
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Seasonal Affective Disorder and Your Spiritual Well-Being
Many people suffer from seasonal affective disorder, and find that it can have a negative impact on many aspects of their lives. In particular, it can be disruptive to your spiritual life. Where you previously may have found your beliefs to be rewarding and satisfying, once seasonal affective disorder (also known as SAD) kicks in, you might find yourself just feeling apathetic towards any kind of spiritual celebration at all. Unlike the phenomenon known as the dark night of the soul, which can happen any time, SAD typically takes place in the winter time, and isn’t so much a feeling of spiritual loss and emptiness as it is a feeling…
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Loose Ends, New Beginnings, and Big Changes
Wow, where to begin? Lots of stuff going on in Patti-landia, and most of it is pretty great, so I wanted to share with you all some changes that you’ll see going forward. First, LearnReligions (formerly AboutDotCom and ThoughtCo) has made the decision that they no longer need their freelance contractors on most of their sites, so as of February 29, I will cease creating new content for LearnReligions. I’ve been with them nearly thirteen years, starting the Paganism & Wicca pages from scratch in June 2007, and it’s been one heck of a ride, opening up some really amazing opportunities for me through the course of my career. What…
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Herb Magic Now Available for Pre-Order!
Guys, I’m so excited! This year is shaping up smashingly, because I have not one but TWO books you can order — and the first one to release will be Herb Magic: An Introduction to Magical Herbalism and Spells, coming from Rockridge Press in April! Herbal magic is a powerful method of inviting protection, love, health, and wealth into your life―it can even aid you in finding guidance through divination. Perfect for fresh and seasoned herbalists alike, Herb Magic is your easy-to-digest guide to magical herbalism, introducing you to the spiritual side of herbs and how to use them in folkloric spells and rituals. Dive into magical herbalism with a reader-friendly…
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Witch Trials: Beyond Salem
I first became interested in the Salem witch trials long before I was interested in witchcraft itself. I remember reading about them as a child, and being fascinated by the tales of these girls my own age who had been possessed, taken by spirits in the night in league with the Devil himself. Accusations flew about like gray specters in the dark nights of colonial Massachusetts, fingers pointing, and no one was safe. As I got older, and became more interested in history itself — not just of Salem and its trials, but of the entire country and in particular, the pre-Revolutionary American world — I read more and learned…
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When You Hit Bottom: The Dark Night of the Soul
A reader asks, “I don’t know what to do. I was really active and excited about my spiritual practice, but lately I’m just feeling lost. I feel like nothing I do is working, I don’t have any motivation, nothing matters to me, I’m doubting my gods, and it’s hard for me to even care anymore. I don’t want to just give up, because my beliefs are important to me, but I feel like I’ve hit a wall. What do I do?” The first thing you do is relax a little bit, because I’m going to let you in on a secret. Ready? This happens a lot. Honest, it does. While…
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5 Easy Ways to Get Back to Nature
One of the common themes in many modern Pagan belief systems is that of a connection to the earth, a spirituality that comes from our interaction with the different aspects of the natural world. It can be tricky, in today’s society, to keep our focus on nature. After all, we’re driving to work, watching television, answering our phones, and running around at a breakneck, hectic pace. Technology makes our lives easier, but it’s not hard to lose track of our connection to the land. Studies have shown that people who spend more time outdoors – and not just outdoors, but unplugged from technology – are generally more relaxed. They feel…
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Animism, Spirits, and the Cosmic Whole
Animism is one of the earliest known spiritual structures. From an anthropological standpoint, it is a belief system based upon the concept of all things having a spirit or soul. Humans and animals have souls, as do plants and trees and rocks, thus eliminating any separation between the mundane world and the metaphysical one. Nineteenth-century anthropologist E.B. Tylor defined animism as a belief that all natural objects – in addition to, but not only humans – have souls. This includes living beings — dogs, horses, birds, etc. — as well tangible items like rocks, mountains, the sea, trees and flowers. It also includes natural phenomena such as earthquakes, wind and…
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Set Up a Pagan Kids’ Altar
If you have a family altar, that’s great! It’s a nice thing to have, whether you keep it up all year round or just bring it out seasonally. However, if you’re a Pagan or Wiccan parent, you may want to go ahead and let your kids have their very own altar. After all, an altar is a place where we keep things that are sacred to us — but what is sacred to children and what is sacred to adults can be two very different things. This is why it’s a great idea to encourage your kids to have an altar of their own in their bedrooms — it becomes a…
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Pagan Books: Finding the Real Deal
As more and more books on Paganism, Wicca, and other earth-based spiritual paths become available—hundreds appear on Amazon every year—readers are often faced with choices about what to read. One of the things people typically find themselves asking is, “How do I know what books are reliable?,” followed almost immediately by “Which authors should I avoid?” As you learn and read and study, you’ll learn how to separate the wheat from the chaff, and you’ll eventually be able to figure out on your own what makes a book credible, or worth reading, and what makes it one that should probably only be used as a doorstop or paperweight. There are…
