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The first day of Spring – What the pagan festival Ostara is all about

By Nature, PaganismNo Comments

Today marks the first day of Spring and is also the pagan festival of Ostara (pronounced O-star-ah). So what’s Ostara all about?

ostara

It’s about new beginnings, rebirth and fertility. Ostara is an equinox (equinox is latin for equal days), the day and night are in balance. After today, the days will get longer and the nights will get shorter. The days will not only get longer, but warmer as well.

At this time Nature renews its self and new life begins: new buds appear on trees, plants like daffodils rise out of the soil, hibernating animals with come out of hibernation and many animals will give birth to offspring.

For pagans it is about new beginnings, such as starting new projects. It’s an opportunity to appreciate the renewal and new life in nature.

Symbols for Ostara include eggs (as practically all life comes from some sort of egg), rabbits (a fertility symbol), lambs and honey.

Colours associated with Ostara include yellow, orange, red and light green.

I intend of celebrating Ostara by planning some new creative projects.

Blog soon,

Antony



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Tuesday 20 March 2018

Book Review: Spellcraft for Hedge Witches by Rae Beth

By Amazon, Books & Authors, Paganism, ReviewsNo Comments
Spellcraft-for-Hedge-Witches-by-Rae-Beth-book-cover
View on Amazon.co.uk
 Spellcraft for Hedge Witches is a remarkable book about natural magic, spell craft and paganism by Rae Beth.

It is aimed at Hedge Witches (solitary practitioners) of all levels who are in need of healing for themselves or others.

Beth’s part-conversational and part-instructional writing style is engaging and informative.

Spellcraft for Hedge Witches covers all things natural magic including:

  • The basics: tools, visualisation, magic as energy, how to raise – intent – release energy and the importance of having a strong emotional resonance when spell casting.
  • Throughout brief mentions of the history of the Craft.
  • Magical Correspondence (along with why they’re important).
  • More advanced ways of working (nicely done as the book progresses so does the spell craft).
  • How to communicate and work with: the Fae, elemental spirits and the God/Goddess.

Here’s a list of spells in the book:
1. Spell to Heal Anything.
2. Chant for Power.
3. Spell to Banish Abuse from a Relationship.
4. Spell to Banish Humiliation.
5. Spell to Counter an Ill Wish.
6. Spell to Gain Psychic Protection.
7. Spell for Transforming Destructive Feelings.
8. Spell to Heal Psychological Trauma.
9. Spell for Justice.
10. Spell to Consecrate Your Life to a Chosen Purpose.
11. Spell to Gain the Right Home.

Dotted throughout Spellcraft for Hedge Witches are superb illustrations and purely on a visual front, these would have been even better if they had been in colour.

I’ve been pagan for well over a decade and still learned many things from Spellcraft for Hedge Witches. Beth also reminded more of many more things that I already knew, but had forgotten about. I found the ideas in this book inspiring.

Throughout Spellcraft for Hedge Witches Beth encourages the reader to be creative when spell casting and do what works for them. Beth truly is a wise-woman and this book is bursting with her wisdom.

I would highly recommend Spellcraft for Hedge Witches to any Witch, pagan or other follower of an earth-based religion. I bought it from The Goddess and the Green Man shop on a recent trip Glastonbury (read about it and see photos by clicking this link). It is available to buy on Amazon.

Review soon,

Antony



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Tuesday 15 August 2017

Photos from Astley Hall Park Today

By Friends & Family, Happiness & Joy, Inspiration, NatureNo Comments

Today my good friend Simon and I went to Astley Hall park. Here are some photos of the beautiful park, click on any photo for full size image:

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Astley Hall
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Astley Hall Park/Grounds (1)
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Astley Hall Park/Grounds (2)
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Astley Hall Park/Grounds (3)
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Trees that Simon and I nicknamed ‘Teardrop Trees’ (1)
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Tree that Simon and I nicknamed ‘Teardrop Trees’ (2)
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Art installation (1)
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Art installation – Close up (2)

Essential Info:

  • Free parking is available in a reasonably-sized carpark.
  • A super-expensive cafe is on site. Avoid due to costs and take your own food/drink.
  • Toilets on site.
  • A Chorley Remembers Experience, guided tour of Astley Hall, as well as various events are on throughout the year. For more details including Opening Times, Admission Prices, etc. See Astley Hall’s website here.
  • Has facilities for children such as play area/park.

Blog soon,

Antony



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Sunday 17 July 2016

A Random List of Things I Like & That Make Me Feel Good

By Happiness & JoyNo Comments

Here’s a random list of things I like and things that make me feel good:

  • Quality time with my family & friends.
  • Reading – being transported into a different life or world by an Author.
  • Being Creative.
  • Writing.
  • Having an adventure – such as the one I’m having at the moment in India.
  • Spending time walking in nature on bright and warm Summer’s days. Places like Rivington an Wales.
  • Watching shows, performances and gigs.
  • Laughing.
  • Making others laugh.
  • Caring for others.
  • When people write ‘Love you Always’ in a card.
  • Receiving a message that makes me smile.
  • People smiling.
  • Complements.
  • Small acts of kindness.
  • Waking up pain-free.
  • Having such a good conversation that I loose track of the time.
  • Watching a film that makes me so happy or sad that I cry.
  • Easing another’s suffering.
  • Sunshine.
  • Warm weather.
  • Blogging.
  • Sunbathing.
  • Naps.
  • A long, hot and relaxing bath.
  • Listening to music in the bath.
  • Birthday cards.
  • When someone says: ‘I just saw this and thought of you.’
  • New notebooks, especially Paperchase ones.
  • Seeing a sunset.
  • Uni-ball pens in various colours.
  • Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream.
  • Intimacy.
  • Pop music.
  • Lit Yankee Candles.
  • Low lighting.
  • A new hair cut.
  • New clothes.
  • New technology devices.
  • Playing Civilization 5.
  • Dancing.
  • Imagining having tea with Gandalf, Dumbledore and Mary Poppins.
  • Waking up after a good night’s sleep.
  • Having no where to be and nothing to do.
  • Watching Victoria Wood, French & Saunders, Lilly Savage, Jack Whitehall and Russell Howard stand-up again and again. To the point where I know the script word for word.
  • Colouring in – focusing on staying in the lines.
  • Carrot Cake.
  • Nice coffee – in particular a Starbucks hazelnut latte or Douwe Egberts.
  • Cinnamon buns.
  • Looking through old photos.
  • Looking through Memory Boxes.
  • Unexpected, spontaneous dinners and meals out.
  • Chocolatey goodness.
  • Cinema trips.
  • Sweet Popcorn.
  • Finding a pound in the pocket of your winter coat, the first time you come to wear it as the weather gets colder.
  • Imagining that I live in the countryside, in a nice small cottage with a well-stocked larder.
  • Imagining what I’d do if I won the euro millions jackpot.
  • Re-living happy memories in my mind.
  • A brew.
  • Doing a good job, in whatever I’m doing.
  • Films that capture my imagination or make me feel something.
  • Watching musicals.
  • Imagining being able to fly.
  • Crystals.
  • Dinosaurs and everything dinosaur-related.
  • Minions and everything minion-related.
  • Watching wildlife documentaries, where animals show love and care towards one another.
  • Writing lists.

What are some of the things you like? What makes you feel good? Leave a comment below.

Blog soon,

Antony



I aim for posts on this blog to be informative, educational and entertaining. If you have found this post useful or enjoyable, please consider making a contribution by Paypal:


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Tuesday 28 July 2015
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