Greek mythology has been studied for centuries. Often referred to as “Classical Mythology”, these mythologies have heavily influenced Western literature and culture. As a result, this is one of the best-known mythologies today. The Roman Empire had a very similar mythology. In Greek culture, gods were less often called upon and more often propitiated. Rather…
Ancient Egypt arose on the banks of the Nile River, in a relatively narrow strip of fertile land in the middle of the desert. One of the original cradles of civilization, ancient Egyptians worshiped gods as natural forces and in the form of animals that they saw frequently. Most of the ancient Egyptian gods and…
New pagans, especially solitaries, may have some doubt if they are channeling energies properly, or even at all. It can help to learn how you sense energies. The following exercise can help you learn to feel the energies around you. To sense energy for the first time: Hold your hands several inches apart, palm facing…
Grounding is the act of connecting your energies to the energy of the Earth. The Earth is a powerful energy neutralizer, taking in negative energy and converting it to neutral energy. Due to this, grounding can help balance your energies, whether you have too much energy or too little. Grounding can help you correct and…
Sumer is the oldest known civilization in the middle east. It lies in the Mesopotamia area of what is now Iraq. Mesopotamia is one of the six “cradles of civilization”, areas where humans first settled into agrarian cultures. Sumerians are believed to have worshiped thousands of gods and goddesses, with each city having its own…
Magic, or witchcraft, is the application of will to affect reality. In magic, you have a specific goal, and take steps toward making that goal manifest. A wide variety of pagans use witchcraft, but the most common method published today is the Wiccan method. We will address the Wiccan method but understand that there are…
Centering is about finding your energetic center. This varies from person to person. I may be in your solar plexus chakra, heart chakra, brow (“third eye”) chakra, or sacral chakra. For some reason, perhaps because my first lessons on energy work came from martial arts, I have always felt my energy center was my sacral…
A circle is a special space that is created for ritual and magical use. A circle is cast in an existing sacred space. A circle has three purposes: creating a space between the worlds, defending against distractions, and protecting from negative energies. Creating a space between worlds is important for rituals in which you are…
Smoke cleansing, sometimes called smudging, is a method of spiritually cleansing a sacred space or an individual. This is done by wafting the smoke from burning herbs or resins around the area or person being cleansed. The energy of the herbs clears the aura where the smoke passes. Why not call it smudging? Many pagans…
There are many ways in which color can be used in witchcraft. The most common use of color in witchcraft is candles. Color magic can also be used with crystals, stones, fabric, herbs, or any other magical tools. Using color can enhance the power of your rituals. Typical meanings of color in magic are: Some…
