Just a little space for Pagan stuff
Most people are familiar with the runic alphabet, but there are several other alphabets or scripts that are associated with magickal or spiritual practices.
The following pages show these alphabets in their entirety with their corresponding English letters. Keep in mind that these scripts have been given English counterparts based on the sounds of each letter, not necessarily because there is any connection between an ancient language and modern English.
Continue reading “Arcane Alphabets”Everyone knows that the Egyptians went to somewhat extreme lengths to ensure their continued life after death. They built huge tombs, hoarded wealth, and performed elaborate rituals and preparations on their bodies after death. It all makes for very interesting cultural history, but it all reflects back on their religion, beliefs and mythology.
The practice of mummification was based on one of the myths of Osiris and his brother Set.
Continue reading “Wrapping of Mummies”I’ve heard from people who say they aren’t always comfortable with the traditional element/direction correspondences. Some make adjustments to suit their own locations, such as a person who lives on the east coast of the United States may chose to associate east with water rather than with the more traditional air. It’s hard to ignore a huge ocean to the east.
Many mainstream Christmas traditions stem from original Pagan practices. Though Christian origins and associations have been attributed to many of these traditions, they do in fact pre-date Christianity. Continue reading “Pagan Roots of Christmas Traditions”
Looking to the past is one of the most authentic Halloween traditions. If you’re looking for other ways to celebrate your history and honour your ancestors, I have a few suggestions.
Some of these are larger projects that aren’t the kind of thing you do in one day. Continue reading “Honoring Ancestors at Samhain”
As the founder of modern-day Wicca, the life of Gerald Gardner is a very interesting and magickal one.
Gardner was born in 1884, in Blundellands, England. He was the son of a local justice of the peace, and had three brothers.
His family was no stranger to witchcraft. One of his ancestors was burned as a witch in 1610, and even Gardner’s own grandfather married a women who was rumoured to be a witch.
Wicca is a new religion, but people have been following Pagan ways for much longer. Archaeology has shown that the female image was formed into idols, figures and statues for many thousands of years. The true purpose of these figures is speculated to be spiritual in nature and connect the fertility of women with the Earth, but in fact we can never know what the artist was thinking when he/she created them. Continue reading “Goddess Figures from Ancient History”
During the Burning Times, one of the many feats attributed to accused witches was the ability to fly. The details of these flights varied from region to region, but often involved staffs, bundles of sticks, or broomsticks. Sometimes witches would be ‘seen’ travelling on bewitched animals or familiars.
In reality, it’s generally accepted today that the ‘flying ointments’ of times past did not help witches actually take to the skies. The chemical compounds in the traditional herbs used likely caused hallucinations or even induced true astral travelling. When accused witches talked of flying, people took them literally. Continue reading “Flying Ointment”
I’ve noticed this can be a touchy subject among Wiccans and other Pagans: the history of the Wiccan religion. People (usually novices) often make statements about the ancient origins of Wicca, or how Wicca has been practiced for thousands of years.
Sorry folks, but this is simply not accurate.
The base of the confusion is that some people don’t distinguish between something that exists today, and its historical roots. Ok, that’s not very clear, is it? How about an example. Continue reading “How Old is Wicca?”