Something opens our wings. Something makes boredom and hurt disappear. Someone fills the cup in front of us: We taste only sacredness. — Jalal ad-Din Rumi Holding the beginning bead, in this case, my bisque Goddess image given to me long ago by Susan Baylies, I breathe. Find stillness. Begin. “Blessed Mother Goddess, Queen of … Read more
Dark of the Moon New beginnings Dark of the Moon Plant a seed tonight Dark of the Moon What we envision Will come to be by the Full Moon’s light. Wordless Wednesday is being preempted today, so we can begin our spell working. First, we start with a lovely piece by astrologer P.P., regarding this … Read more
My thanks to Heather, who is the first to come forward and share her beautiful beads and prayers. I welcome your own beads, as well! Please drop me an email and a photo and I will be delighted to post your creations. Isn’t this lovely? I love how each of the larger green beads is … Read more
Today is the last day of the month, and so is sacred to the great Triple Goddess, Hecate. Every month, we honor Her as Queen of the Night. She is the psychopomp, who shows the way to the land of the dead, the Lady of the crossroads. Although She is also Maiden and Mother, in … Read more
A strand of carefully chosen beads and charms can provide a group of symbolic objects to fill your mind and heart with associated images, memories and thoughts…[they] satisfy something very deep in the human psyche – the need to touch, handle, feel with our fingertips. — from Pagan Prayer Beads: Magic and Meditation with Pagan … Read more
The mantra becomes one’s staff of life and carries one through every ordeal. Each repetition has a new meaning, carrying you nearer and nearer to God. — Mahatma Gandhi Have you started collecting your beads yet? Assuming you have 1) your intention and 2) your prayer, including each part of it, it’s time to gather … Read more
Prayer is not an old woman’s idle amusement. Properly understood and applied, it is the most potent instrument of action. — Mahatma Gandhi In case you have never used a rosary, mala, or other prayer bead tool (I certainly had not when I first made mine), the idea is to construct a circle or line … Read more
Isis, Astarte, Diana, Hecate, Demeter, Kali, Inanna; Isis, Astarte, Diana, Hecate, Demeter, Kali, Inanna… – The Goddess Chant, various artists Today we actually begin to create and work with our prayer beads. As I have explained, I learned this from Donald Engstrom-Reese in 2003 at SpiralHeart Witchcamp. So my directions will be based on how … Read more
The preserving shrine is nature and what is preserved in it. The preserving shrine is memory and what is preserved in it. – Irish Brehon law My magical heart-sister, Isar Danu, was the first who ever told me about Reclaiming Witchcamps back in the mid-90s, when she started attending them. Officially called “Summer Intensives,” they … Read more
This article was written by Jason Pitzl-Waters on his Wild Hunt blog and news service. It is one of the many excellent tributes saying farewell to this tremendously important figure in the Pagan world. May Isaac rest easy in the shining peace of the Goddess. May his beloveds’ loss be eased by the love that … Read more