“It is thought that the ancients only recognised two seasons, these being Summer and Winter. Beltane is the time when the Earth is literally buzzing with fertility. Life springs forth in all of its richness, and the land is covered with beautiful flowers; the freshly opened leaves of the trees are a quality of greenContinue reading “What is Beltane?”
Author Archives: Alberta Witches Association
What Is Ostara?
“There may be snow on the ground, and even thoughts of a last blast or two of winter weather coming, but there is a definite turn in the air. … The Spring Equinox marks a time when day and night are in equal balance. From a symbolic perspective it is the triumph of life overContinue reading “What Is Ostara?”
Brighid: Goddess of Fire
Brigid Mother Goddess of Ireland, © 2017 Jo Jayson (https://www.jojayson.com/) “The deities of the Celtic pantheon have never been abstraction or fictions but remain inseparable from daily life. The fires of inspiration, as demonstrated in poetry, and the fires of the home and the forge are seen as identical. There is no separation between theContinue reading “Brighid: Goddess of Fire”
What Is Samhain?
**WHAT IS SAMHAIN?** Samhain (Gaelic, commonly pronounced Sow-wen), is an ancient harvest festival and ceremonial practice dating back to pre-Christian Ireland and the rest of the Celtic world, taking place between 31st October and November 1st. Considered the beginning of the Wheel of the Year (and thus the Pagan “New Year”), Samhain also serves asContinue reading “What Is Samhain?”
Offerings to Deities and Spirit
**Offerings to Deities and Spirit** For Witches, Wiccans, Pagans, Heathens, Occultists, Vodouists, Indigenous and many others from the myriad of rich spiritual traditions around the globe who honour and/or worship various Deities/Spirit, the question of offerings often comes up. In ancient times, offerings might have been brought to meeting places such as temples or woodlandContinue reading “Offerings to Deities and Spirit”
The Celestial and Elemental Wheel of the year
**The Celestial and Elemental Wheel of the year** The wheel of the year is used by many witches, however, not all. The wheel of the year is a Wiccan construct and belief that was developed in the 50-90’s. It draws heavily on Celtic practices, as well as Norse and Germanic traditions. I am not WiccanContinue reading “The Celestial and Elemental Wheel of the year”
Lammas & Lughnasadh
**Lammas & Lughnasadh** Happy Lammas! Blessed Lughnasadh. These are two holidays you will not find on your 365 days of cats calendar (I’ve checked), but are they the same? Are they just simply interchangeable? We’re going to do a little dive to find out. If the title didn’t give it away, they are actually differentContinue reading “Lammas & Lughnasadh”
The Sun in Witchcraft
**The Sun in Witchcraft** The sun is one of the celestial bodies that affect us most directly, but in witchcraft, it gets less attention than the moon. Many witches feel a stronger association with the sun than the moon but have fewer resources to work with. If you are interested in sun work, here areContinue reading “The Sun in Witchcraft”
Burnout, Witchcraft, and Healing
**Burnout, Witchcraft, and Healing** “Being a Witch gives you the power to heal yourself, change your life, change your world.” —Witchery: Embrace the Witch Within, by Juliet Diaz As Witches, our work is often to heal and help others; it’s in everything we do, from simple spells, to energy work, to manifestation, to prayers toContinue reading “Burnout, Witchcraft, and Healing”
Yoga and Witchcraft
**Yoga and Witchcraft** Over the years as an Eclectic Witch living with Fibromyalgia and two autoimmune disorders causing additional pain and fatigue, I’ve often found myself struggling to get out of bed. Even before my diagnosis and before motherhood, in my single days when I supposedly had more “energy,” I found myself living like mostContinue reading “Yoga and Witchcraft”
Alberta Witches Association 