A few more videos from my YouTube channel, The Witch’s Mirror. Have you subscribed yet?
Continue readingA Beginner’s Guide
A Beginner’s Guide to Paganism
Potted history of witchcraft
The other day I had a long rambling conversation with some people over Zoom where I ended up giving them a highly condensed version of a potted history of witchcraft.
This made me realize that I could make a short accessible series of videos on the subject. So I am doing exactly that, on my YouTube channel, The Witch’s Mirror.
Continue readingHow to write a coven enquiry letter
So you’ve read a book or two about Wicca, and now you’re looking to find out more, maybe join a coven. So you look on the Mandragora Magika group-finder page, and you find a group that you’re interested in.
So now you’re ready to write an inquiry letter to the coven. After you have read their entire website and any blogposts they have linked to from their site, of course.
Continue readingNotable & quotable: inclusive Tarot
It seems that inclusive Tarot is in the air, because I have seen two posts about it today.
Causality and ethics in Wicca
There are many people who will tell you that Wicca abides by the Threefold Law. If someone tells you this, the first thing you should ask is which version of Wicca they’re talking about, and the second thing you should ask is what version of the Threefold Law they’re talking about.
Tips for ritual writing
So you’re writing a ritual. Staring at a blank screen or sheet of paper can be daunting. Here’s a few tips to get started.
How to call a quarter
There are many ways to call a quarter, but all of them have a common aim: to make a connection with the element.
Review of “Traditional Wicca: A Seeker’s Guide”
If you are looking for a clear explanation of lineaged, initiatory witchcraft, this is it. If you are looking for a coven, thinking of joining a coven, or merely curious, I would recommend reading this book. Even if you are an experienced Wiccan initiate, you could benefit from the perspectives offered in this book.
If your coven is open to seekers, this book should go straight to the top of your recommended reading list, for seekers, new initiates, and even old hands. It’s clearly written, engaging, well-structured, and scholarly.
Witchcraft Traditions
When Gerald Gardner coined the term “the Wica” (originally spelt with one c), he seems to have intended it to refer to any and all witches. Subsequently, the term has come to be used by some people to mean only witches initiated into Gardnerian and Alexandrian Wicca, and has been used by others to mean anybody who identifies as Wiccan, and a whole spectrum of meanings in between those two terms. This can make it confusing for people to understand what is meant by any individual using the term Wicca.
[Estimated reading time: 10 minutes. Contains 2020 words]
Connecting with place
One of the key elements of Pagan thought is connecting with the Earth, Nature, and/or the land. As a general thing, Wiccans seem to focus more on Nature, Druids seem to focus more on the Earth, and Heathens seem to focus more on the land. however, there are always individual exceptions to these generalities. I have always felt very attached to the land around me, especially hills and ranges of hills.
The Pagan revival began, in part, because people felt alienated from Nature by the Industrial Revolution and living in cities.
Looking at other indigenous spiritualities and religions around the world, we can see that connection to the land and Nature is extremely important to them. This connection includes awareness of ecosystems, bio-regions, animals, plants, seasonal changes, rivers, rocks, and trees.
