Wane Wyrds

I belong to some groups on Ye Olde Facebook which are geared toward paranormal investigations and in which many people share their own experiences of seeing, feeling, and capturing the spirit world in action. I have been following some of them fairly closely this past week, simply because I been stuck at home due to the lovely Oklahoma weather lately. Anyway, I have noticed that as soon as anyone comes forward with a supposed "entity" in the home, their seems to be  resounding answer of negative comments, about evil and demons and other such nonsense.  The people are always told different ways to cleanse the home to get rid of whatever it may happen to be that they feel has come into their lives or someone attached itself to them. I have to be honest and say that this overwhelming negative response to spirits in the home BOTHERS ME. I've read the experiences and looked at the pictures. I have felt nothing evil or negative from the evidence I have seen. Even...

I am going to be posting a series of essentials here on blog for those who might be interested in adding to their grimoire, journal, or BOS. These are taken directly from my own grimoires and information I have collected from various sources. This first one is information regarding moon phase correspondences. The link at the bottom is to the google doc I created as a way for anyone to print the information for their personal use.  In frith, Cena Moon Phases and Correspondences New Moon (crescent horns face left) *starting new ventures *creativity *energy for new goals or endeavors Waxing Moon *Abundance *Growth *Increasing Full Moon *Height of Moon power *Good time for all Spellwork *Divination *Love and Success Magic Waning Moon *Banishing *Removal *Lack *Purification *Diminishing Dark Moon *Not a good time for Spells or Magic *Reflection *Meditation *Rest and Relaxation  Phase Correspondences ...

It seems like there are just as many individuals in the business world catering to those of alternative faiths as there are those practicing them. All in all I think it is a positive, especially with the rise of sites like Etsy and even Amazon which allow authors and craftspeople to sell their wares without the need to deal with outside retailers. I feel it is a positive thing, but there are definitely some instances where one may feel like being a heathen or pagan may get a little expensive, in trying economic times. The abundance of available wares is a good thing, but it is important as well that we can learn how to use what is immediately available to us, and never base our devotion on the size of our altar. So I decided to use this week's post to simple give some of my own tips and techniques for acquiring the things we might need or want, regardless of how large our small our budget might be. I feel this is especially important for me as  Vanatru, practicing an ea...

You know, I have no problem with Science. I understand well the fact that atheism is an acceptable path for many in the postmodern world. The importance of reason is almost a sacred philosophy to me, even as a pagan. Sometimes it even takes effort for me to reconcile my spiritual beliefs with what I know to be scientifically valid. I keep tabs on a lot of atheist organizations and spokespeople. Richard Dawkins is one of the more well known of these. Anyway I have the Richard Dawkins Foundation page on my Facebook feed, and they do post alot of things I agree with. But some of them are a bit extreme for my taste. One such quote from Dawkins was that science will always corrode religious belief. This I couldn't agree with as a pagan. To be honest I have about as much respect for fundamentalist, dogmatic atheists as I do for Christian fundies. I never really understood why people always insist on comparing SCIENCE v. RELIGION as if the two are somehow indelibly connected as opp...

It's been very windy here the past couple days in Oklahoma, which has been positive for me though I'm sure a nuisance for many others. I just happen to love a good strong breeze. I just love to stand outside and feel it blowing around me and whipping my hair about. There is something magically about a strong wind blowing in the wild. So I thought I would write this post about Wind, and how it can be utilized in spellwork or other such practices. I encourage all of you, regardless of tradition, to do some research on the mythos of wind or air within your tradition and implement that accordingly. The ideas I present here are just general, and directional meanings, etc. of wind with of course be different depending on your tradition or mythological system. Direction The direction from which the wind is blowing can be an important element in determining what sort of energy it will best transport at a given time. Keep in mind direction refers to the where it is blowing FROM...

My beliefs are evolving. It is something I can't deny any longer. I wonder at myself for believing that they might remain static. Lately I have been questioning everything, both practically and spiritually. I just came to the conclusion that there is a need somewhere in me to move forward. I want to molt, to shed the past and move forward. The longer this year continues the more I realize that change and evolution is exactly what is in store for my life this year. And for the first time I am ready and willing to change. My belief in the Vanir and what they stand for does not change, but I find myself increasingly at odds with the Norse tradition in general. I feel as if I have gone as far with it as I can, and am eager to explore more of the world. I will always be pagan, yet I find myself needing to expand my path in different directions. Even more pressing is the need to question, to challenge, to truly get to the core of my own belief. Maybe it is the dormancy of the land...

The besom, or broom, is perhaps one of the most longstanding iconic symbols of witchcraft in world history. It's possible connections to witchcraft and magic extend from prehistory all the way through the modern revival of witchcraft in all it's forms. There is so much history and speculation behind it's magical meaning that I figured I would share some of them along with some tips for using this potent magical tool. Jumping the Broom : Though it's origins are ultimately lost in history and speculation, the besom has played a role in marriage and handfasting rites throughout the world, by many diverse cultures. Some believe these practices originated in West Africa sometime in prehistory, others believe they are derivative of Romany (Gypsy) rites, and others claim Wales as a possible origination of the connection between marriage and the besom. Some of the earliest mentions of brooms come from Ghana in West Africa, were the broom was seen as a spiritual symbol, a...