Ξ October 9th, 2016 | → Comments Off on A WITCH’S WORLD OF MAGICAL FOOD | ∇ Spirituality |
A  WITCH’S WORLD OF MAGICAL FOOD by Rachel Patterson
Best recipes: Ketchup from the Hedge, Sweet Potato Bravas, Lavender and Lemon Chicken, and Coriander Cookies.
Rachel Patterson is the High Priestess of the Kitchen Witch Coven and an Elder at the online Kitchen Witch School of Natural Witchcraft. I had no idea there was such an online resource, and I think if you’re a kitchen witch this is definitely worth checking out.
What a wonderfully laid out book, filled with simple yummy recipes from beginning to end. You might have to bookmark your favorite recipes in a few places, but most of the book’s recipes are easy to access over and over.
The ritual and magical information is equally as accessible, and what a wealth it is covering – all the pagan holy days as well as most major life events. What great magical resource!
The author definitely inspires her reader to want to experience the magic of foods. Her recipes are an alchemical blend of aromas, taste enjoyments and quality home cooking. The language alone makes your mouth water, can you imagine what foods would do?
Easy to follow recipes can be accomplished by even the most challenged cooks. So don’t be afraid to add a little kitchen magic to your life.
And you get a real sense of the kitchen as the sacred hearth of every home. Plus, I loved it that she introduced her readers to edible flowers, which is a wonderful higher vibrational magic.
Overall, a well done magical cookbook and ritual resource for anyone looking to spice up their life.
Ξ September 15th, 2016 | → Comments Off on Natural Born Shamans | ∇ Spirituality, Women's Writing |
Natural Born Shamans: A Spiritual Toolkit for Life by Imelda Almquist
As a school teacher myself, I was delighted to see the beautiful organization of this book for lesson planning the teaching of shamanism. This book is ideal for the home schooler, and possibly for use in a progressive school that wasn’t solely focused on test scores. I could see using this book for teaching shamanic practices to adults as well, especially developmentally disabled adults.
What an amazing journey for a parent to take their child on. Imagine how much they would learn about each other at a soul level. Then imagine how vital that would be to strengthening their relationship.
Natural Born Shamans is a life lesson in embracing spiritual reasoning for some of life’s challenges and lessons. It is a book that focuses on the journey of the soul from pre-birth through death. The idea being that we should embrace the spiritual needs of the soul for the its greatest advancement.
The only place I thought the author should have done more was with the Rite of Passage #9 Marriage Ceremony because I don’t think a generic pagan ceremony does justice for the shamanic soul. Many pagan handfasting ceremonies are constructed around made-up rites or rituals having little or no historic value for basis. But, this was the only missed opportunity in this wonderful book.
I would highly recommend Natural Born Shamans to anyone with children! It’s beautiful laid out and easy to follow. Lessons are simple and to the point.
Ξ September 12th, 2016 | → Comments Off on The Secret People: Parish-pump Witchcraft, Wise-women and Cunning Ways | ∇ Spirituality |
The Secret People by Melusine Draco is a quaint and wonderful read. The book is an easy to read resource for folklore, herbalism and some intertwined Christianity overlapping into pagan heritage.
The book is very seasonally oriented which is what most readers in this niche are looking for.
The Secret People: Parish-pump Witchcraft, Wise-women and Cunning Ways is the full title, and I really enjoyed learning about the rural folk-customs of the Parish-pump people. Although as the author points out at the end, it’s doubtful these people would have referred to themselves as witches. It’s a wonderful example of how the older pagan customs became blended into Christianity.
I couldn’t agree more with the author when she tells us, “Much of what passes as Craft today has its roots in ritual magic rather than traditional rural witchcraft.” I think many of us chafe against the ritualistic nature of some flavors of the Craft. So, personally I resonated with this pagan, people of the land, form of the Craft and will bring many aspects of her teachings into my own spiritual practices.
As a Master Herbalist myself, I am recommending this book for its excellent presentation of herbal knowledge, herbal folklore and Earth-based spirituality because at the end of the day we are all The Secret People.
Ξ September 12th, 2009 | → Comments Off on Eclectic Covens | ∇ Spirituality |
There’s a trend in the witchy pagan community to form eclectic covens that like to mix and combine various traditions.
In the San Francisco Bay Area there’s one eclectic coven of particular interested call the “Come As You Are Coven.”
The Come As You Are (CAYA) Coven is an eclectic, open, drop-in coven whose mission is to create safe, loving, magical space for all those who wish to participate in community rituals. They gather for rituals in the same fashion as ancient rural villages and tribes did. CAYA welcomes everyone as members of their pagan community.
The group’s high priestess is Rabbit Matthews, a New York transplant who attended Berkeley University. Rabbit’s eclectic style has been influenced by the likes of Z Budapest and Starhawk, and many others. Rabbit is also part owner of The Sacred Well, a metaphysical-occult shop in the Lake Merritt area of Oakland, where she hosts events and classes.
CAYA does have a membership, but no event or practice is ever mandatory. Their members are offered opportunities to participate so that everyone’s talents and skills are honored. The idea is that each person is welcomed to participate “just as they are.”
The CAYA website (www.cayacoven.org) outlines the three sacred tenants of this unique coven.
We honor one another’s unique spiritual practices, and seek to enrich our sense of community with diversity.
We accept one another’s divinity as inherent and non-negotiable.
We believe that we are each qualified to determine our own personal path, and share our experiences and thoughts in a spirit of generosity, without presumption.
And, interestingly the CAYA coven is governed by a matriarchal council, although the group as a whole accepts both women and men. CAYA also operates a training collective they call the Wildflower tradition for men and women. At Imbolc (February 2nd) each year, a new group of Initiates enter into their year-and-a-day training program.
So what makes CAYA so unique?
Well, first of they are matrilineal which is rare within the pagan traditions. Plus, CAYA serves as a type of umbrella organization overseeing the inclusion of any tradition to “come as you are,” no matter what Wiccan tradition you practice. There’s a place for you with them. It’s very progressive.
CAYA has announced their first ever Harvest Home Camping Festival, Sept. 18-20, 2009. They sent out a call for … “Witches and Wizards, Priests and Priestesses, Pagan Parties and Magical Minions of every stripe, Come As You Are Coven proudly invites you to attend our first-ever camping extravaganza!”
They have announced an outstanding line up of talented pagan musical performances for their Harvest Home Camping Festival:
Fontain’s M.U.S.E.
This unique duo has enraptured audiences throughout the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles and San Diego with their mix of Improvisation, Alternative and Eastern styles since 2000. Fontain’s M.U.S.E. has performed for the popular Sonoma County Harmony Festival as well as Techno-Tribal Groove Temple. They are a regular feature at annual events like Pagan Pride in Berkeley and Pantheacon in San Jose.
Irina Rivkin
Outmusic Awards Recipient for OutSong of the Year 2003 & Nominee for Outstanding Debut Recording 2005, Rose Street House of Music founder and singer-songwriter Irina Rivkin has performed for 25 years.
Meer
Meer is a fiddler who often brings the gift of her music to the CAYA rituals. Meer has recently returned from a trip to the Shetland Islands, where she has learned even more fiddle tunes to share.
Dick Bagwell
A many-talented musician/storyteller/author/dancer who has performed at Renaissance Faires, Celtic Fairs, the California Christmas Revels, music festivals, theatre festivals, and, of course, pubs, in the Bay Area and around the world. He is the Squire of the Deer Creek Morris Men of Palo Alto and the author of “The Pipe and Tabor Tutor”
Mad Molly Morris Dancers
Molly dancing comes from East Anglia in England. They dance with a bouncy, high-kneed step. In performance, they might burst into song at any moment.
The Harvest Home Camping Festival promises three days of workshops, rituals, and musical performances by CAYA clergy and Bay Area performers. The venue is outdoors at a beautiful pagan sanctuary where magic and wonder abound. You can visit the CAYA Coven website for more information on their festival and other upcoming events.
