This Week's Pagan Events In and Near London

Friday 6 December; Temple of Levanah Monthly Meditative Circle with Vivianne Crowleyand Chris Crowley. Venue: Treadwell's Books 33 Store Street, Bloomsbury, London WC1E 7BS. Time: 7.20pm - 9pm. Cost: £8 per session. Space is limited so it is essential to book your place in advance by emailing: BMDeosil@aol.com

Saturday 7 December; Hendon Heathens Moot. The Greyhound, Church End, Hendon, London NW4 4JT. 6pm until 9pm (then over the road at a blues and rock club until the early hours). This moot meets on the first Saturday each month. https://www.facebook.com/groups/151618854867807/

Monday 9 December; Tales of Robin Hood. Storytelling with Michael Dacre, author of Ancient Legends Retold Tales of Robin Hood the Five Early Ballads.Venue: Treadwells, 33 Store Street, Bloomsbury, London WC1E 7BS. Time: 7.15pm for 7.30pm start. Tickets £7, advance booking recommended. For further details: info@treadwells-london.com http://www.treadwells-london.com/

Monday 9 December; Experiencing the Divine. Talk by Meggan Watterson at Alternatives, St. James's Church, 197 Piccadilly, London, W1J 9LL. Time: 7pm to 8.30pm. Tickets £10/£5 concs. Advance booking required. To book tickets and for more info visit the Alternatives website: http://www.alternatives.org.uk/Site/Talks.aspx

Tuesday 10 December; Elizabeth Roberts Presents Her Trance Students. Demonstration of skills at The College of Psychic Studies, 16 Queensberry Place, London SW7 2EB. Time: 7pm. Cost: £10/£12 Advance booking advised. For details call: 020 7589 3292 or visit http://www.collegeofpsychicstudies.co.uk/index.html

Tuesday 10 December; Buddhist Boot Camp,Talk by Timber Hawk Eye at Watkins Books, 19-21 Cecil Court, London WC2N 4EZ. Time: 5.30pm. Free event. For more details Tel 020 7836 2182 or visit the website http://www.watkinsbooks.com/

Wednesday, 11 December; Resisting War From Within the Military. Talk by Ben Griffin at The London Forum Meetup. Venue: The George Pub, upstairs bar, 213 Strand, London WC2 1AP (Opposite the Royal Courts of Justice. Nearest tube, Temple). Time: 7m-9.30pm. Entrance £8. http://www.londoncircles.net/

Wednesday, 11 December; The Moot With No Name. Venue: Devereux pub, Devereux Court (opposite the Royal Courts of Justice), London. 7.30pm for 8pm start. Cost £3/£2. This moot meets every other Wednesday. http://mwnn.webeden.co.uk/

Wednesday, 11 December; Ancient Mystery Tradtions - New Talk on the Acropolis by Ken Rees. Venue: 19 Compton Terrace (parallel to Upper Street), London N1 2UN. Time: 7.30 pm. Fee: £5 (£3 concession. Nearest tube station - Highbury and Islington (Victoria Line)

Wednesday, 11 December; Ickenham Moot. Venue: Coach and; Horses, High Road, Ickenham, UB10 8LJ. Nearest tube stations Ickenham and W. Ruislip. Time: 7.30pm start. Monthly moot on the second Wednesday. All welcome. For further details email Gina: brockwitch@yahoo.co.uk

Wednesday, 11 December; Herne: Dying God and Pagan Revival. Lecture by Dr John Callow. Venue: Treadwells, 33 Store Street, Bloomsbury, London WC1E 7BS. Time: 7.15pm for 7.30pm start. Tickets £7, advance booking recommended. For further details: info@treadwells-london.com http://www.treadwells-london.com/

Thursday 12 December; Winter Tales and Songs with Pete Castle, author of Derbyshire Folk Talesand Nottinghamshire Folk Tales.Venue: South East London Folklore Society (SELFS). Venue: The Old King's Head, Kings Head Yard, 45-49 Borough High St, London SE1 1NA. Entry: £2.50 / £1.50 concessions. No need to book in advance. Meetings are the second Thursday of each month. http://www.selfs.org.uk/

Friday 13 December; Open Evening with Tasters and Demonstrations at The College of Psychic Studies, 16 Queensberry Place, London SW7 2EB. Time: 5pm-9pm. Cost: £10 Advance booking essential. For details call: 020 7589 3292 or visit http://www.collegeofpsychicstudies.co.uk/index.html

Friday 13 December; Angelic Sanctuary: Relax, Rejuvenate and Receive Healing with Lidija. Event arranged through the London College of Spirituality. Venue: Westminster Quaker Meeting House, 8 Hop Gardens, off St Martins Lane (look for ‘Gymbox’ sign) London WC2N 4EA. Time: 7pm. Cost £15. Reserve places through: http://www.meetup.com/londonspirituality/

Saturday 14 December; Yule: Custom, Lore, Magic. One-day workshop about the lore of Yule with Wiccan priestess Suzanne Corbie. Venue: Treadwells, 33 Store Street, Bloomsbury, London WC1E 7BS. Time: 11am-5.30pm. Ticket price £45, deposit of £25 in advance. Tel: 020 7240 8906 or email: info@treadwells-london.com http://www.treadwells-london.com/

Sunday 15 December; Winter solstice and Oak Moon mistletoe gathering and Sabbat with pub meetup, with the Order of the Horse and the Moon. Meet in a pub near Balham underground. Midday start. Details only given to members of the London Wicca Meetup Group: http://www.meetup.com/The-London-Wicca-Meetup-Group

Sunday 15 December; Dawn of the Oak. Pagan moot on the third Sunday of each month. Venue: Upstairs at The Castle, 34-35 Cowcross Road, Farringdon, London EC1M 6DB (near Farringdon tube). Time: 3pm-6pm.

Review: Pagan Portals - Runes by Kylie Holmes

When I was sent a review copy of Pagan Portals - RunesI asked Carol Tierney, who knows a lot more about runes than I do, to review it. Here is her write-up about the new book by Kylie Holmes:

My first thought on reading this book was that it was refreshing to encounter such an honest approach to rune reading. The author makes no secret of the fact that her methods are based on intuition, personal resonance and insights, which is a totally valid technique and one that doesn't get the acknowledgement it deserves. Kylie has clearly done her research and takes the time to introduce readers to some of the background that enriches her insights both in terms of personal spiritual journey and the historical context and background for the runes.

The majority of the book is given over to how to interpret the runes when they appear in a reading. I wouldn’t agree with everything she says – but I don’t need to, as this book does not try to present a ‘one true way’ of reading the runes so much as a guide on how to use the runes as tools to unlock your own intuition.

I’d recommend this book to anyone starting out with the runes or interested in divination generally.

Pagan Portals - Runesis published by Moon Books and can be downloaded from Amazon for the Kindleor ordered in paperback. It is due out in the shops in mid December.

Links and previous related posts
http://www.moon-books.net/
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2009/06/recycled-runes.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2012/07/review-hedge-witchcraft-pagan-portals.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2012/08/review-hedge-riding-pagan-portals.html

Review: The Old Magic of Christmas

Are you one of those who feels Christmas comes too early these days? That it is just not traditional to see Christmas tinsel in the shops as soon as the Halloween pumpkin lanterns are down?

I must admit I used to feel that way myself - but after reading a new book called The Old Magic of Christmas: Yuletide Traditions for the Darkest Days of the YearI realise I was wrong. The pagan Norse, it seems, began their winter celebrations in October with the Alfablot, or feast of the elves. Wild riders could be seen from November until the end of the 12 nights of Christmas. Advent candles can be lit on the fourth Sunday before Christmas and in some parts of the world the decorations don't need to be removed until Candlemas, or Imbolc.

Yet the Yuletides of old were not the bright and shiny festivals of consumerism they are today. They were the seasons of long dark nights, when even darker things prowled beyond the threshold and would venture inside if the correct wardings were not in place. This book is as much about what to fear over Christmas, as what to celebrate.

Publisher Llewellyn says on its website: "’Tis the Season for Witches, Elves, and a Legion of Ghosts... Not so very long ago, Yuletide was as much a chilling season of ghosts and witches as it was a festival of goodwill. In The Old Magic of Christmas, you’ll rub elbows with veiled spirits, learn the true perils of elves, and discover a bestiary of enchanted creatures. Rife with the more frightful characters from folklore and the season’s most petulant ghosts, this book takes you on a spooky sleigh ride from the silvered firs of a winter forest to the mirrored halls of the Snow Queen. Along the way, you’ll discover how to bring the festivities into your home with cookie recipes and craft instructions, as well as tips for delving more deeply into your relationship with the unseen."

Many of the legends covered in The Old Magic of Christmas come from Northern Europe, particularly from Germany, which is famous for its celebrations of midwinter and is the origin of the Yule tree we have loved inside our English homes since Victorian times. The book also includes lots of things you can make - many again harking from Germany - from window decorations to festive lanterns to edible fairy-tale houses made of spiced bread.

Like many people this year, or so it seems, I decided to put up my Yule tree on December 1. Then I settled down with a cup of mulled wine under its twinkling lights to read my copy of Old Magic of Christmas.Perfect.

Links and previous related posts
Old Magic of Christmas: Yuletide Traditions for the Darkest Days of the Year
http://www.llewellyn.com/
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2008/12/mistletoe-facts-and-folklore.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2012/12/spell-yuletide-potion-for-luck-love-and.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2013/11/shopping-cards-for-yule-and-midwinter.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2012/12/the-spiders-bride-great-ebook-for.html

The Candle Competition Has Been Judged

Thanks very much to everyone who entered the candle competition. There were lots of responses, and I have now picked a winner at random from those who gave the correct answer: Sweet Wood.

Don't worry if you want a candle but didn't win as they are now available to buy from the website: www.thehedgewitchesgarden.co.uk

Bad Witch in Print: Essays in Contemporary Paganism

Here's a book I can't actually review, because I'm one of its authors. I'm very proud of being included too.

The book is called Essays in Contemporary Paganismand is due to reach the shops in a couple of weeks or you can order it from Amazon now. It is a collection of essays by pagan authors all over the world, from different traditions and backgrounds. The idea came from Trevor Greenfield, the publisher at Moon Books, back in the spring. Several famous writers, including Emma Restall Orr and Jane Meredith, were already contributing to it when I spoke to Trevor, but he wanted to include a couple of chapters from unknown authors as well. I'm now one of them.

Before I wrote my chapter, Trevor explained what he wanted. He said: "The rules are that it has to relate to contemporary Pagan experience, it can't be fiction or bio/life-story writing."

So, I wrote about what I know - a chapter called A Week in Pagan London. I wanted to show how London is, as I wrote, "a melting pot – or a cauldron – of magical ideas". There are so many pagan events going on in London that pretty much every day of the week, every week of the year, you can find something to do. And that is what I set out to explore. I spent the week around Imbolc this year visiting some of London's most famous pagan sites, moots, open rituals and bookshops.

I hope my chapter will help visitors to London and those who live in the city but are new to paganism find their path. I also hope those who are regular attendees at PF London open rituals, Loose Association of Druid rites on Primrose Hill, talks at Treadwell's and the Moot with No Name will enjoy reading what I wrote about them as much as I enjoyed my visits to their events.

If you like my blog, I hope you will enjoy reading my chapter in Essays in Contemporary Paganism too. Even if you don't, I am sure you will find other chapters that do interest you - from the sacred landscape of Australia, to modern reconstructions of ancient druidry, to ways of parenting a pagan child, to life with King Arthur and his warband, to a look at the future of paganism.

It really does give a fascinating overview of modern paganism from varied perspectives, by pagans themselves. As I say in my chapter, I believe we are at the start of a Golden Age of paganism, but that isn’t just happening in London. It is happening all over England, Europe, America and Australia. And it is growing.

Essays in Contemporary Paganism is published by Moon Books and you can order copes through Amazon.

Links and previous related posts
Essays in Contemporary Paganism
http://www.moon-books.net/books/essays-contemporary-paganism

Review: The Tarot Masters - Insights from Experts

The Path

Most books about the Tarot are instruction manuals, teaching beginners the basics of what the cards mean. The Tarot Masters: Insights From the World's Leading Tarot Expertsis something different - and is a book that can probably be best appreciated by those who are already familiar with Tarot and know something about its history and teachers.

Publisher Hay House describes it on its website, saying: "In this beautifully illustrated book, leading experts from the world of Tarot, including Rachel Pollack, Mary K. Greer, Ciro Marchetti, and Caitlin Matthews, share their insights into the cards of the Major Arcana, and reveal the profound impact that Tarot has had on their lives."

Well, "Beautifully illustrated" might be a slight exaggeration of the pictures in the book - although it is illustrated with nice, original black and white interpretations of the Major Arcana - but the writing certainly is beautiful.

As Hay House Each goes on to say: "Each contributor shares how their Tarot journey began and what inspired them, and gives their interpretation of a Major Arcana card, and what it is about that card that they love or loathe. Their answers will help to deepen your own understanding of Tarot, and how this ancient craft can enrich your life."

Several dozen leading tarot designers, teachers and authors as well as other influential pagans and spiritual leaders have put pen to paper for this book. Each gives their own interpretation of a particular card that is personal to them and describes what got them started on the journey of the Tarot. And Tarot most certainly is a journey, both in the graphic novel-like story described in its images and in the path of personal development it inspires us to follow once we begin to study and use a deck. In fact, the book's editor, Kim Arnold, offers a new 23rd Major Arcana card with the title The Path (pictured above).

The description by Hay House mentions one of my personal favourite Tarot designers - Caitlin Matthews, who I met at the Steampunk Tarot: Gods of the Machine launch party. I was also delighted to read entries by Mark Ryan, whose Wildwood Tarot I use regularly; Geraldine Beskin, the co-owner of Atlantis Bookshop in London; Cilla Conway, author of The Intuitive Tarotand who has given me some amazing readings; Druid leader Philip Carr-Gomm; and Suzanne Corbie, who regularly runs classes at Treadwell's Bookshop in London.

If you are looking around for a suitable Yule gift for someone who uses Tarot, rather than buy them a new deck to add to their collection do consider giving them this book. Or buy it for yourself as a little treat.

Links and previous related posts
The Tarot Masters: Insights From the World's Leading Tarot Experts
http://www.hayhouse.co.uk/books/1781803048/the-tarot-masters
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2013/06/pagan-eye-wiccan-and-druid-elders-on.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2011/08/review-wildwood-tarot.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2013/01/steampunk-tarot-gods-of-machine-launch.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2013/01/review-steampunk-tarot-gods-of-machine.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2012/05/review-angel-tarot-cards-by-doreen.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2013/08/review-soul-coaching-oracle-cards-by.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2012/05/review-fools-wisdom-oracle-cards.html