Celebrating Beltane at Home or in Your Garden

Beltane, tomorrow on May 1, is a time for celebrating the joys of spring. When we aren't in lockdown, there are usually Jack in the Green celebrations, fire festivals and even a dragon parade in Glastonbury, but this year most people are going to need to celebrate at home. If you are lucky enough to have your own garden, then you can still get outside and appreciate the natural world in your own space. A witchy friend, Jane Mortimer, wrote:

Each spring, my lawn is covered with lesser celandines, and they're just too nice to murder with the mower. Now they've gone over, and there's a lovely patch of daisies at one end and dandelions at the other, and not much in the middle. As I plan to do an outdoor solitary Beltane ritual, I thought I'd mark out my sacred space with the mower [pictured above]. The paving I will mark out with lanterns and twigs. The circle is 12 feet in diameter, as I find the traditional 9 feet cramped with an altar in the middle and candles round the outside, especially as I wear long ritual robes that could easily catch fire. This year we're going to have a ready-made ritual circle surrounded by areas of meadow, not a manicured lawn!

If you are unable to get outdoors, then you could do a guided visualisation to journey into the wild in your mind's eye. Here is a link to a guided visualisation for Beltane Eve called The Path to Love.  This and other seasonal visualisations are also in my book Pagan Portals - Guided Visualisations, which is available for pre-order and is due to reach shops later in the year.

I mentioned that Beltane is often celebrated with fire. In the Pagan Wheel of the Year it is one of the big fire festivals. Indoors, you could light a candle to represent this. The picture to the left shows my altar for a solitary Beltane rite a few years ago, using a lovely ritual kit from Wicca Moon, with a large candle in the centre.

However, if you are having breathing problems, candles are best avoided, and they can set off sensitive smoke alarms too. Use LED tealights instead if you are worried. Put them in a decorated tealight holder and the glow is still lovely. Another suggestion is to download a picture of a fire or candle onto your phone or tablet and meditate on that. You could use the photo at the bottom of this post if you like.

If you are tempted to set up a fire pit in your garden, do be very careful. If you live in a built-up area with lots of people living around you, remember that smoke from fires could exacerbate breathing problems. I'm lucky that my garden backs onto a playing field that isn't in use at all at the moment, but I'd still avoid having even a tiny outdoor fire if the wind direction was towards my neighbours' homes.

The book Every Day Magic - A Pagan Book of Days has several suggestions for easy things you can do to celebrate Beltane at home, including preparing seasonal food and drink for a May Day feast. You could forage for wild food close to home or in your garden.

Mabh Savage suggests collecting hawthorn or May blossom at dawn, if any is flowering close to your home, and hanging it over your door for protection. You can also bring blossom and other flowers indoors to make a seasonal mandala of petals to meditate on.

While you might not be able to dance in a huge public celebration, you can still dance at home. Put on music and let the joys of spring fill you. Raise energy to make your wishes come true. Irisanya writes: "This is a time to dance all of your desires into existence."

You can view Every Day Magic on Amazon and also view Pagan Portals Guided Visualisations on Amazon.

Online Events for Beltane and the Week Ahead

While the world is dealing with a pandemic, I am only listing online events and resources on my blog. Please note that some of the activities are being run outside the UK, so check what time it will start in your location. If you know an online ritual, talk, meeting or workshop you want included, please email me at badwitch1234@gmail.com

Free Practical Magic 101 tutorials: How to do Candle Magic, How to Burn Loose Incense, How to use a Sage Smudge, How to use a Pendulum at https://www.treadwells-london.com/intro plus free podcasts: https://www.treadwells-london.com/treadwell-s-podcast  For  £12.99 a month you can also subscribe to gain access to uploaded illustrated lectures and seminars from Treadwell's renowned catalogue of events: https://www.treadwells-london.com/lectures

The Pagan Federation is offering regular talks, chats and rituals via its Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/paganfed/.  Every Monday evening new online content it added and there are also regular PF online blessing videos. Here is A Prayer for Healing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8_QPNggvWs and  https://www.facebook.com/groups/PFDisabilitiesSupport/

Free online resources from Hay House including podcasts, videos and ebooks on mind, body, spirit subjects: https://www.discover.hayhouse.com/freeresources/

For the next few weeks, the Kitchen Witch school of witchcraft is offering its online courses for free. The usual prices vary from £20 to £50. Choose from: Crystal Witchcraft, Dark Goddess Pathways, Celtic Gods, Arc of the Goddess, Celtic Goddesses, Magic of Trees and Herbal Pathways. Details here: https://www.kitchenwitchhearth.net/post/free-courses-for-a-limited-time?

Every day:  Free daily online guided meditation with the Mindfulness Association. Time: 7pm. Join here: Https://zoom.us/j/606060739

Daily: The Children of Circe Facebook Group is showing videos of talks most days, but recordings remain on the Facebook page so you can watch them later. Here are the next:  Wednesday 29 April, Magic in the Sheets, 8pm. Thursday 30 April, Magic in the Sheets, 8pm.  Friday 1 May, Beltane Ritual, 8pm. Monday 11 May, Magic in the Home, 8pm. Children of Circe is a private pagan group run by Richard Levy and sponsored by the Doreen Valiente Foundation. You have to join the group to watch the videos: https://www.facebook.com/groups/725752541262809/

Wicca Moon is running online courses in tarot (£5.99 per lesson), Reiki (four sessions, £80 total cost) and psychic development (1 hour per evening over 3 evenings at £17.97 total). Details on the Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/WiccaMoonEltham/

Wednesday 29 April; Children of Artemis Coffee Morning via social media, in your own home. Time: 11am. Free event. https://www.facebook.com/events/178041156650844/

Wednesday 29 April; Attune to the Moon Sound Journey. Digital event organised by She's Lost Control. Pay what you can sessions (£1-£15). Time: 7pm. https://www.sheslostcontrol.co.uk/digital

Wednesday 29 April; April Hertford Moot and 10th Anniversary. Time: 8pm. Free.  Via Zoom https://zoom.us/j/96237405177 meeting ID: 962 3740 5177. Details: https://www.facebook.com/events/660113298099774/

Wednesday 29 April; Magic Month of May - Free energy forecast webinar with Goddess Awakening. Time: 8pm. Free event. Link to sign up: https://event.webinarjam.com/register/11/24pgvcw

Thursday 30 April; The Moon Made Me Do It - Lunar Flow. Digital event organised by She's Lost Control. Pay what you can sessions (£1-£15). Time: 7pm. https://www.sheslostcontrol.co.uk/digital

Thursday 30 April; Children of Artemis Online Moot Book Club via social media, in your own home.  A chance to discuss your favourite books. Time: 7.20pm. Free event. https://www.facebook.com/events/681684045924538/

Thursday 30 April; Goddess Temple Beltane Ceremony (Online): Nolava the Lover hosted by Glastonbury Goddess Temple. Time: 7.30pm. Tickets: £3. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/goddess-temple-beltane-ceremony-online-nolava-the-lover-tickets-102792366736?

Thursday 30 April; The Teachings of Bjarka: Birch Tree – Healer – “Allmother” – Love Magic Counsellor, by Imelda Almqvist, in partnership with Christian Thurow. Zoom talk. Time: 8pm. Tickets: £25. https://www.tickettailor.com/events/surbitonshamaniccircle/368436?

Thursday 30 April; Sleepy Sounds Session - to help you sleep. Time: 9.30pm. Tickets £5/£0. https://www.heronmoon.co.uk/event-details/sleepy-sound-sessions-11

Thursday 30 April; Walpurgisnacht: A Celebration on May Eve with Cunning Folk and London Dreamtime. Time: 10pm-midnight. https://www.facebook.com/events/2813580978740857/

Friday 1 May: May Day Ritual in your own home: https://www.mookychick.co.uk/health/witchcraft-spirituality/may-day-magic-ritual-event.php?

Friday 1 May; Bealtaine Video Ceremony hosted by Solas an Iarthair from Ireland. Online. 11am. https://www.facebook.com/events/262692248453611/

Friday 1 May; Echo and Narcissus for Leighton House (online). with George and Vanessa of London Dreamtime. Price: free. This will be available across the Leighton House Social Media https://www.instagram.com/leightonhousemuseum/ and https://www.facebook.com/LeightonHouse Details: https://www.londondreamtime.com/calendar/

Friday 1 May; Astrology Circle - Making Sense of our Time. Digital event organised by She's Lost Control. Pay what you can sessions (£5-£20). Time: 7pm. https://www.sheslostcontrol.co.uk/digital

Friday 1 May; Children of Circe: Beltane Ritual. Time: 8pm. Free. https://www.facebook.com/events/344059889886805/

Friday 1 May - Saturday 2 May; Aphrodite's Flame Beltane/Samhain Festival. Join Aphrodite's Flame Keepers to tend a flame from dusk to dusk. Venue: Worldlwide. Time: 8pm to 8pm. Details: https://www.facebook.com/aphroditesflame/

Friday 1 May - Monday 4 May; Online Into the Wild Beltane Fire Festival: https://www.facebook.com/groups/in2wildonlinefestival/

Saturday 2 May; Healing Meditation. Digital event organised by She's Lost Control. Pay what you can sessions (£1-£15). Time: noon. https://www.sheslostcontrol.co.uk/digital

Saturday 2 May; Kevin Groves: Kemetic Storytelling, part of Witchfest Online organised by Children of Artemis. Time: 4pm. Free event. For more details and links visit: https://witchcraft.org/witchfest-online/

Saturday 2 May; Beltane Online Live Ritual hosted by Kassie Hardy. Time: 7pm, Bring drums, food, drink. https://www.facebook.com/events/235226724514593/

Sunday 3 May; London Woodland Witches, Wiccans and Pagans online Beltane rite 2020. Time: 2pm. Via Zoom. Details: https://www.meetup.com/LondonWoodlandWitches/

Sunday 3 May; Tales of High and Low Magic. Online music and storytelling with George and Vanessa of London Dreamtime. Time: 2.30pm. It is a live event, will be filmed and available to watch for a month after the event. Price: £2.50 by online payment (contact Vanessa for concession details). Email vanessa@londondreamtime.com with the name of the event and your phone number if you want to attend. Details: https://www.londondreamtime.com/calendar/

Sunday 3 May; Free Guided meditation and Reiki with Hermes Healing. Free event. Time: 4pm. https://www.facebook.com/events/2029100907227536/

Sunday 3 May; Graven Image - The Crafting and Manipulation of Effigies in British Witchcraft: Part of online lecture series with Martin Duffy on effigies hosted by Books, Beans, and Candles MS, USA. Time: Noon CDT, which should be 6pm British Summer Time. Tickets: $25 https://www.eventbrite.com/e/lecture-series-with-martin-duffy-on-effigies-tickets-103007500206?

Sunday 3 May; Dream Sharing Circle. Digital event organised by She's Lost Control. Pay what you can sessions (£11+). Time: 6pm. https://www.sheslostcontrol.co.uk/digital

Monday 4 May; Child Friendly Online Meditation and Sound Bath Session for Stress and Anxiety hosted by Uumbal Holistic. (Every Monday, until June 1) Time: 10am, but the session can be accessed for a week. Tickets: £10. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/online-meditation-sound-bath-for-stress-anxiety-child-friendlyrecurrent-tickets-100112992656?

Monday 4 May; Heathen - Northern Spirituality Introduced via Treadwell's Online. Via Zoom. Time: 7pm start. Tickets: £10. https://www.treadwells-london.com/events

Monday 4 May; Witchcraft with Venus, with Rebecca Beattie, author of Nature Mystics, via Treadwell's Online. Via Zoom. Time: 7pm start. Tickets: £10. https://www.treadwells-london.com/events

Monday 4 May; The Saga of Branwen Podcasts with the Centre For Pagan Studies. Time: 8pm. https://www.facebook.com/events/659030621595301/

Tuesday 5 May; Intuition Masterclass. Digital event organised by She's Lost Control. Pay what you can sessions (£20+). Time: 7pm. https://www.sheslostcontrol.co.uk/digital

Tuesday 5 May and 12 May; Hypnosis and Trance For Magical Practice. Two-part workshop via Treadwell's Online. Via Zoom. Time: 7pm start. Tickets: £40. https://www.treadwells-london.com/events

Wednesday 6 May;  Angel Mediumship Webinar with Edwin Courtenay through the College of Psychic Studies.. Time: 7pm. Tickets: Members: £14, Non-members: £18. https://www.collegeofpsychicstudies.co.uk/

Wednesday 6 May; Full Moon Sound Journey. Digital event organised by She's Lost Control. Pay what you can sessions (£1-£15). Time: 7pm. https://www.sheslostcontrol.co.uk/digital

Thursday 7 May; Full Moon Event with Peace Fires. Light a candle or fire for peace wherever you are in the world, for just for 10 minutes or an hour or longer and state the intention: “Let there be peace on earth and love for one another.” Details: http://peacefires.org/

Thursday 7 May; Online Full Moon Ceremony, organised through Funzig. Time: 4.30pm-5.45pm. Tickets £6. https://uk.funzing.com/funz/online-full-moon-ceremony-11769?

Thursday 7 May; Full Moon Circle. Digital event organised by She's Lost Control. Pay what you can sessions (£5-£20). Time: 7pm. https://www.sheslostcontrol.co.uk/digital

Thursday 7 May; Children of Artemis May Esbat via social media, in your own home. Time: 9pm. Free event. https://www.facebook.com/events/605258483718459/

Please note: I do not organise any of these events and am not responsible for their content.

Let's See Your Witchy Hats: Pretty in Purple

A little while ago I invited my friends and anyone who reads my blog to take a selfie while wearing a witchy hat, and said I'd share a few on my blog. Su Jolly sent me this beautiful picture of herself, taken by professional photographer Chiara Mac. Su said: "This is me in my trademark witchy hat, and a matching shawl. Similar are available on commission from https://kaleidoscopefibreart.com/ if shameless plugs are OK?"

Yes, shameless plugs for small pagan businesses and talented crafters are fine!  You can also learn more about Chiara's photography on her Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/chiaramaccallphotography/

If you would like to send me a selfie of you wearing a witchy hat, to post on my blog, email the photo to badwitch1234@gmail.com, with a few details.

This photograph is copyright Chiara Mac

Links and previous related posts
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2020/04/lets-see-your-witchy-hats-christina-of.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2018/04/tales-from-witch-room-pointy-hats.html
badwitch.co.uk/2020/04/lets-see-your-witchy-hats-classic-black.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2020/04/lets-see-your-witchy-hats-carla-bohan.html
https://kaleidoscopefibreart.com/
https://www.facebook.com/chiaramaccallphotography/

Video Talk: Lucya Starza on the Colours of Magic

This is a talk about how colours can be used in spells, particularly candle magic. I recorded it for the Pagan Federation, and it is also going live on the PF Facebook page today, but I thought readers of my blog might like to see it here too.

I should probably mention that the lighting in the room in which I recorded the video had a slightly yellowish tone, which means that the white candle I pick up looks a little yellowish and the red candle looks a bit orange. Hopefully that won't make any difference to your enjoyment when you watch this!

You can also view my book on candle magic on Amazon or Waterstones, you can order copies via Treadwell's, and see details of all of my books on my author page at Moon Books.

Witchfest Online: My Talk on Poppets and Magical Dolls

Yesterday, Children of Artemis premiered a video talk I gave on poppets and magical dolls, including a bit about their history, and how to make and enchant them. It was part of Witchfest Online, which is is taking place at weekends over the next couple of months and offers a series of talks on pagan subjects. Above is a link to the recording of my talk on the Children of Artemis YouTube channel.

You can also view my book on poppets on my author page at Moon Books or order it through Treadwell's Online.

Let's See Your Witchy Hats: The Classic Black

Here's a photo of a lovely friend of mine, Dronma, wearing her witchy hat as well as a cloak, all in the traditional black.

A little while ago I invited my friends and anyone who reads my blog to take a selfie while wearing a witchy hat, send them to me. I said I'd share a few on my blog. I've posted some already, and I'll continue to do so. I've been very impressed with the quality of all the hats so far!

If you would like to send me a selfie of you wearing a witchy hat, to post on my blog, email the photo to badwitch1234@gmail.com, with a few details.

Links and previous related posts
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2020/04/lets-see-your-witchy-hats-christina-of.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2018/04/tales-from-witch-room-pointy-hats.html

Not a Mandrake: What Should I Call My Fakedrake?

I don't do much weeding in the garden to be honest, and I don't even mow my lawn that often. I like to see the wild flowers growing through it and I'm happy when I see bees and butterflies flitting about among them.

However, the other day I decided I would at least like a nice flat patch I could sit on to admire said wildflowers, bees and butterflies. I did a bit of mowing and I also uprooted some uncomfortable-looking spikey-leaved plants in the middle of the grass. This little root came up with one of the weeds, and it looked so much like a mini person that I had to keep it and put it on my altar. You can see the root itself in the picture above, and on my altar in the picture below.

No, it isn't a mandrake, but it does seem to have some personality of its own. What do you think I should call my fakedrake?

Previous related posts
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2012/08/pagan-eye-magical-mandrake-or-mandragora.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2017/01/witchcraft-poison-by-wolfsbane-mandrake.html

Pagan Online Events For Earth Day & the Week Ahead

While the world is dealing with a pandemic, I am only listing online events and resources on my events page. Some of the activities are being run outside the UK, so check what time it will start in your location. If you know an online ritual, talk, meeting or workshop you want included, please email me at badwitch1234@gmail.com

Daily: The Children of Circe Facebook Group is hosting talks every day. The recordings remain on the Facebook page. Here are the next few going live: Tuesday 21 April, Crafting Powders, 8pm. Wednesday 22 April, Potion Brewing, 8pm. Thursday 23 April, Water Magic, 8pm. Friday 24 April, The God Hermes, 4.30pm. Friday 24 April, The God Hermes, 4.30pm. Saturday 25 April, Veneficium - the art of poison, 4pm. Sunday 26 April, Divination, 8pm. Monday 27 April, Beltane Spells, 8pm. Tuesday 28 April, Faerie Powers in the Netherlands, 8pm. Wednesday 29 April, Magic in the Sheets, 8pm. Children of Circe is a private pagan group run by Richard Levy and sponsored by the Doreen Valiente Foundation. You have to join the group to watch the videos, but you can find it by searching on Facebook and then apply to join: https://www.facebook.com/groups/725752541262809/

Free Practical Magic 101 tutorials, including How to do Candle Magic, How to Burn Loose Incense, How to use a Sage Smudge, How to use a Pendulum, plus podcasts from Treadwell's Books: Christina in conversation witch chaos magician Phil Hine; Pam Grossman, New York witch and author of Waking the Witch; Amy Hale: two-part podcast: https://www.treadwells-london.com/treadwellsonline

The Pagan Federation is offering regular talks, chats and rituals via its Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/paganfed/.  Every Monday evening new online content it added and there are also regular PF online blessing videos. Here is A Prayer for Healing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8_QPNggvWs and  https://www.facebook.com/groups/PFDisabilitiesSupport/

Free online resources from Hay House including podcasts, videos and ebooks on mind, body, spirit subjects: https://www.discover.hayhouse.com/freeresources/

For the next few weeks, the Kitchen Witch school of witchcraft is offering its online courses for free. The usual prices vary from £20 to £50. Choose from: Crystal Witchcraft, Dark Goddess Pathways, Celtic Gods, Arc of the Goddess, Celtic Goddesses, Magic of Trees and Herbal Pathways. Details here: https://www.kitchenwitchhearth.net/post/free-courses-for-a-limited-time?

Every day:  Free daily online guided meditation with the Mindfulness Association. Time: 7pm. Join here: Https://zoom.us/j/606060739

Wednesday 22 April; Pagan Federation Earth Day Online Moot. Time: 2pm-4pm https://www.facebook.com/events/1455134451361492/

Wednesday 22 April; Earth Day Ceremony - Honouring the Earth with the Sacred Earth Activism group. Time: 3pm. This will be on Zoom but there are details on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/167901704629258/

Wednesday 22 April (tbc); Online video of recordings of previous Earth Day events with London Woodland Witches and Outdoor Pagans. The details are still be be confirmed. Check: https://www.meetup.com/LondonWoodlandWitches/

Wednesday 22 April; New Moon Sound Journey. Digital event organised by She's Lost Control. Pay what you can sessions (£1-£15). Time: 7pm. https://www.sheslostcontrol.co.uk/digital

Wednesday 22 April; New Moon Circle. Digital event organised by She's Lost Control. Pay what you can sessions (£1-£20). Time: 7pm. https://www.sheslostcontrol.co.uk/digital

Wednesday 22 April; Fire and Light Chamber Prayer Ceremony for Earth Day New Moon, run by the Starlight Temple. Time: 7.45pm -9.45pm. Suggested donation £5- £10. https://www.starlight-temple.com/fireceremony

Thursday, April 23; From Striving to Relaxation: A Journey Led by the Heart with Gemma Polo Pujol. Organised by Watkins Books. 6.30pm. Free event. Details: https://www.meetup.com/WatkinsBooks/

Thursday, April 23; Crossbones Vigil (on The Astral). At 7pm on the 23rd of every month since June 2004, people led by John Crow and friends have gathered by Crossbones Graveyard in Redcross Way, London, to honour the outcast dead. This month it is being done on the Astral. In your own space, light a candle say with words you can find here: https://www.facebook.com/events/2266435156986074/

Friday 24 April; Damh the Bard House Concert with the Centre For Pagan Studies. Time: 6pm. https://www.facebook.com/events/2596137907320314/

Friday 24 April; Astrology of the Times. Digital event organised by She's Lost Control. Pay what you can sessions (£1-£20). Time: 7.30pm. https://www.sheslostcontrol.co.uk/digital

Saturday 25-Sunday 26 April; Om and Bass Free Online Wellness and Joy Festival. Yoga, dance, martial arts, meditation, talks, crafts, comedy, music and DJ sets. Free, but book tickets here: https://omandbass.heysummit.com/?ac=y0CSd7ed

Saturday 25 April; Lucya Starza: Magical Dolls, part of Witchfest Online organised by Children of Artemis. Time: 4pm. Free event. For more details and link to Facebook page: https://witchcraft.org/witchfest-online/

Saturday 25 April; Portals of London: Highwalks (online). George and Vanessa of London Dreamtime, together with Portals of London, will take you on an online storytelling exploration of the rifts and fractures of the city. Time: 6.30pm. Price: £2.50 by  online payment (contact Vanessa for concession details). Email vanessa@londondreamtime.com with the name of the event and your phone number if you want to attend. Details: https://www.londondreamtime.com/calendar/

Sunday 26 April; NWK Pagans - (Virtual) Moot (on Zoom). Time: 11am. https://www.facebook.com/events/638012656779326/

Sunday 26 April; Dream Academy - Sleep Hygiene. Digital event organised by She's Lost Control. Pay what you can sessions (£11-£30). Time: 6pm. https://www.sheslostcontrol.co.uk/digital

Sunday 26 April - Monday 27 April; Aphrodite's Flame Monthly Festival. Join Aphrodite's Flame Keepers to tend a flame from dusk to dusk. Venue: Worldlwide. Time: 8pm to 8pm. Details: https://www.facebook.com/aphroditesflame/

Sunday 26 April; Awakening - Women's Online Circle with Sound Healing. Time: 9pm. Tickets £3/£0. https://www.heronmoon.co.uk/event-details/awakening-womens-circle?

Monday 27 April; Child Friendly Online Meditation and Sound Bath Session for Stress and Anxiety hosted by Uumbal Holistic. (Every Monday, until June 1) Time: 10am, but the session can be accessed for a week. Tickets: £10. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/online-meditation-sound-bath-for-stress-anxiety-child-friendlyrecurrent-tickets-100112992656?

Monday 27 April; Healing Meditation. Digital event organised by She's Lost Control. Pay what you can sessions (£1-£20). Time: noon. https://www.sheslostcontrol.co.uk/digital

Monday 27 April;  Young Urban Witches - April, with Treadwell's Online. Practical Witchcraft for the under-30s, with Rebecca Beattie. Via Zoom. Time: 6.50pm for a prompt 7pm start. Tickets: £10. https://www.treadwells-london.com/events

Monday 27 April; The Saga of Branwen Podcasts with the Centre For Pagan Studies. Time: 8pm. https://www.facebook.com/events/659030621595301/

Monday 27 April; The Secret and Laws of Manifestation – Meditation/Webinar with William Bloom. Organised by Watkins Books. Time: 8pm. Free event. Details: https://www.meetup.com/WatkinsBooks/

Tuesday 28 April; Astral Projection Workshop. Digital event organised by She's Lost Control. Pay what you can sessions (£20-£30). Time: 7pm. https://www.sheslostcontrol.co.uk/digital

Tuesday 28 April; Heron Drums Online Drumming Circle. Time: 7pm. On Facebook Live at https://www.facebook.com/herondrumsuk or on Zoom at https://zoom.us/j/813541707  Password: HeronDrums

Wednesday 29 April; Children of Artemis Coffee Morning via social media, in your own home. Time: 11am. Free event. https://www.facebook.com/events/178041156650844/

Thursday 30 April; The Teachings of Bjarka: Birch Tree – Healer – “Allmother” – Love Magic Counsellor, by Imelda Almqvist, in partnership with Christian Thurow. Zoom talk. Time: 8pm. Tickets: £25. https://www.tickettailor.com/events/surbitonshamaniccircle/368436?

Thursday 30 April; Goddess Temple Beltane Ceremony (Online): Nolava the Lover hosted by Glastonbury Goddess Temple. Time: 7.30pm. Tickets: £3. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/goddess-temple-beltane-ceremony-online-nolava-the-lover-tickets-102792366736?

Thursday 30 April; Walpurgisnacht: A Celebration on May Eve with Cunning Folk and London Dreamtime. Time: 10pm-midnight. https://www.facebook.com/events/2813580978740857/

Friday 1 May - Saturday 2 May; Aphrodite's Flame Beltane/Samhain Festival. Join Aphrodite's Flame Keepers to tend a flame from dusk to dusk. Venue: Worldlwide. Time: 8pm to 8pm. Details: https://www.facebook.com/aphroditesflame/

Saturday 2 May; Kevin Groves: Kemetic Storytelling, part of Witchfest Online organised by Children of Artemis. For more details and link to Facebook page: https://witchcraft.org/witchfest-online/

Sunday 3 May; Tales of High and Low Magic. Online music and storytelling with George and Vanessa of London Dreamtime. Time: 2.30pm. It is a live event, will be filmed and available to watch for a month after the event. Price: £2.50 by online payment (contact Vanessa for concession details). Email vanessa@londondreamtime.com with the name of the event and your phone number if you want to attend. Details: https://www.londondreamtime.com/calendar/

Sunday 3 May; Graven Image - The Crafting and Manipulation of Effigies in British Witchcraft: Part of online lecture series with Martin Duffy on effigies hosted by Books, Beans, and Candles MS, USA. Time: Noon CDT, which should be 6pm British Summer Time. Tickets: $25 https://www.eventbrite.com/e/lecture-series-with-martin-duffy-on-effigies-tickets-103007500206?

Disclaimer: Please note that I am not responsible for the content of any of these events except my video talks with Children of Circe and Witchfest. Where a practitioner is offering information about magical protection, this is *not* medical advice.

Let's See Your Witchy Hats: Knitted Ogham

A little while ago I invited my friends and anyone who reads my blog to take a selfie while wearing a witchy hat, and said I'd share a few on my blog. Julie Winnard of Jez Designs took this photograph of herself in a knitted hat. It might not be a traditional black pointy thing, but definitely has pagan appeal.

She wrote: "Here's my winter favourite - an Orkney hat (very useful and fairly weather repellent, like Lancre wool socks!). I don't know what the Ogham runes say as I haven't found somewhere to look them up but allegedly they should be something from the grafitti at Maeshowe (awesome place) and not 'I went to Orkney and all I got was this hat' or 'I'm with stupid'!"

I went to Maeshowe a few years ago and I agree it is an amazing place. I wish I had seen hats like that on sale, as I would have bought one.

If you would like to send me a selfie of you wearing a witchy hat, to post on my blog, email the photo to badwitch1234@gmail.com, with a few details.

Links and previous related posts
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2020/04/lets-see-your-witchy-hats-christina-of.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2018/04/tales-from-witch-room-pointy-hats.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2014/06/scotland-holiday-tour-of-maeshowe.html?
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2020/04/lets-see-your-witchy-hats-carla-bohan.html
https://www.facebook.com/jezdesigns/

Let's See Your Witchy Hats: Carla Bohan

A couple of days ago I invited my friends and anyone who reads my blog to take a selfie while wearing a witchy hat, and said I'd share a few on my blog.

Here's a picture of Carla Bohan looking fabulous in a wonderful witchy hat, which she said she modified from vintage millinery.

Carla runs a online shop called TopNotch Vintage, selling clothing, jewellery and accessories from bygone eras. You can find the details here on her website at https://topnotchvintage.co.uk/ and on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Topnotchvintageshop/

If you would like to send me a selfie of you wearing a witchy hat, to post on my blog, email the photo to badwitch1234@gmail.com, with a few details.

Links and previous related posts
https://topnotchvintage.co.uk/
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2020/04/lets-see-your-witchy-hats-christina-of.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2018/04/tales-from-witch-room-pointy-hats.html

Pagan Eye: Flame of Avalon Burning for the Goddess

Jane Mortimer, who like me loves candle magic, sent me this photo of her Flame of Avalon burning on her altar. She wrote:

"I have been lighting my Flame of Avalon candles each month and meditating on different aspects of the Goddess. This time I kept an open mind about who to meditate on and just let something come into my head, and I found I was looking at a lady in a blue uniform, wearing a mask and gloves.  Just as our goddesses can be our heroes, I realised our heroes can be our goddesses in the strange times we find ourselves in.  My goddess didn't have a name - she had the names of all the nurses out there on the front line, so I will name her Legiona."

I too will be lighting a candle to the Goddess of Nurses, and do believe that new goddesses can appear to us in contemporary times, in the face of contemporary problems. In the past I have thought of Hygieia as the Goddess of Nurses. In Greek and Roman mythology, she is one of the Asclepiadae - children of the God of Medicine, Asclepius, and his wife Epione. Hygieia actually personifies health, cleanliness, and sanitation. She has four sisters. Panacea represents universal remedy; Iaso is responsible for recuperation from illness; Aceso is the deity of the process of healing; while Aglaïa represents beauty.

The Flame of Avalon is a sacred flame, the original of which was started at the 2004 Glastonbury Goddess Festival and was then held by the Glastonbury Goddess Temple. Every month, priestesses at that temple hold vigils when the flame is lit. Any candle lit by that flame is considered to carry its light and blessings, and people can contact the temple to find out more about it, get a candle, and join in the vigils in their own homes each month. Here is the link: https://goddesstemple.co.uk/the-flame-of-avalon/

On each Pagan Eye post, I show a photo that I find interesting, with a few words about it - it could be a seasonal image, a pagan site, an event, or just a pretty picture. If you want to send me a photo for a Pagan Eye post, please email it to badwitch1234@gmail.com Let me know what the photo shows and whether you want your name mentioned or not. For copyright reasons, the photo must be one you have taken yourself and you must confirm that you are submitting it for A Bad Witch's Blog.

The photo is copyright Jane Mortimer.

Links and previous related posts
https://goddesstemple.co.uk/
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2016/03/witchy-days-out-shopping-in-glastonbury.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2018/05/dragons-of-summer-winter-battle-in.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2017/07/pagan-eye-glastonbury-tor-on-summer.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2017/05/glastonbury-experiencing-red-white.html

Let's See Your Witchy Hats: Christina of Treadwell's

Here's a lovely photo that Christina of Treadwell's bookshop took of herself wearing her witchy hat while taking a break from dealing with online orders. She wrote: "Cheering myself up by wearing my witch hat to work at the computer. Just so you know there's a real person behind all the books in our online shop. Yup, me and Rambo."

Rambo is the Treadwell's dog. I have to say I really miss going to Treadwell's physical shop in London, and seeing with Christina and all the other staff, including Rambo with his waggy tail. At least I can catch up with them on the Treadwell's Facebook group, which is where this photo came from. I'm reposting it with Christina's permission.

I'd love to invite anyone else who reads my blog to take a selfie while wearing a witchy hat. If you email them to badwitch1234@gmail.com, with a few details, I will post them on my blog too. Then we can all see each other and our witchy hats. I'll take a photo of myself share post it soon!

Witchcraft Video Tutorial: An Easy Candle Spell

Here's a short video of me showing how to do an easy candle spell, just using things you are likely to have around the house already. I have already shared this on the Children of Circe Facebook group, which is currently offering daily talks on aspects of magic, mythology and spellcraft.

I'm going to record more short witchcraft tutorials over the next few weeks. Some of them will be based on material from my books on candle magic, poppets and every day magic, while others will be on other aspects of the craft.

You can view Pagan Portals - Candle Magic on Amazon.

Links and previous related posts
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2014/12/spells-big-hugs-candle-magic.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2016/11/charging-spell-candles-by-light-of.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2012/03/easy-candle-wishing-spell.html
https://www.facebook.com/groups/725752541262809/

This Week's Online Pagan Events and a Few Others

While we are all social distancing, I am only listing online events and resources in my weekly posting. Please note that some of the activities are being run outside the UK, so check what time it will start in your location. If you know an online ritual, talk, meeting, workshop, storytelling session or other pagan event you want included, please email me at badwitch1234@gmail.com

Daily: The Children of Circe Facebook Group is showing videos of talks every day, some are live and some are recorded and uploaded before the times stated. The recordings remain on the Facebook page. I've recorded videos about poppets, candle magic, the Goddess Eris, and a guided visualisation, which you can still find there. Here are the next few going live: Wednesday 15 April, Mary (goddess series), 6pm; Thursday 16 April,  Innana/Ishtar (goddess series), 8pm; Friday 17 April, Circe (goddess series), 8pm; Saturday 18 April, Inner Powers, 3pm. Sunday 19 April, Claiming Power from Darkness, 3pm. Monday 20 April, Making Oils, 8pm. Tuesday 21 April, Crafting Powders, 8pm. Children of Circe is a private pagan group run by David Levy and sponsored by the Doreen Valiente Foundation. You have to join the group to watch the videos, but you can find it by searching on Facebook and then apply to join: https://www.facebook.com/groups/725752541262809/

Free Practical Magic 101 tutorials, including How to do Candle Magic, How to Burn Loose Incense, How to use a Sage Smudge, How to use a Pendulum, plus podcasts from Treadwell's Books: Christina in conversation witch chaos magician Phil Hine; Pam Grossman, New York witch and author of Waking the Witch; Amy Hale: two-part podcast: https://www.treadwells-london.com/treadwellsonline

The Pagan Federation is offering regular talks, chats and rituals via its Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/paganfed/. There is also a weekly PF online blessing video. The latest is A Prayer for Healing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8_QPNggvWs and  https://www.facebook.com/groups/PFDisabilitiesSupport/

Free online resources from Hay House including podcasts, videos and ebooks on mind, body, spirit subjects: https://www.discover.hayhouse.com/freeresources/

For the next few weeks, the Kitchen Witch school of witchcraft is offering its online courses for free. The usual prices vary from £20 to £50. Choose from: Crystal Witchcraft, Dark Goddess Pathways, Celtic Gods, Arc of the Goddess, Celtic Goddesses, Magic of Trees and Herbal Pathways. Details here: https://www.kitchenwitchhearth.net/post/free-courses-for-a-limited-time?

Every day:  Free daily online guided meditation with the Mindfulness Association. Time: 7pm. Join here: Https://zoom.us/j/606060739

Wednesday 15 April, Self-love Online Guided Meditation with Tjasa Marin. Time: 11am. https://www.facebook.com/events/208069863823747/

Wednesday 15 April, The Wyrd Woodland Wednesday - The Lost Lady of The Pines - Online storytelling with Jason Buck Storyteller. Time: 6.30pm. Tickets: £1-£5. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/wyrd-wood-wednesdays-the-lost-lady-of-the-pines-tickets-101612806640?

Wednesday 15 April; Chakra Healing Meditation. Digital event organised by She's Lost Control. Pay what you can sessions (£1-£20). Time: 7pm. https://www.sheslostcontrol.co.uk/digital

Wednesday 15 April; Sound Journey - Attune to the Moon. Digital event organised by She's Lost Control. Pay what you can sessions (£1-£15). Time: 7pm. https://www.sheslostcontrol.co.uk/digital

Thursday 16 April; A Free Live Q and A Webinar on Home Energy Clearing with Goddess Awakening. Time: 8am. Details: https://www.meetup.com/GoddessAwakening/

Thursday 16 April; Living Knowledge: Patterns of Life and Death in the Company of a Master. Online talk by Lucy Oliver based on her book. Organised by Watkins Books. 6.30pm. Free event. Details: https://www.meetup.com/WatkinsBooks/

Thursday 16 April; Crystal Masterclass, organised by She's Lost Control. Pay what you can session (£20-£30). Time: 7pm. https://www.sheslostcontrol.co.uk/digital

Thursday 16 April; The Teachings of Tyr - Spiritual Warrior, God and Rune - Live Webinar with Imelda Almqvist. Time: 8pm. Tickets: £25. https://www.tickettailor.com/events/surbitonshamaniccircle/365807?

Friday 17 April; Friday Night Soul Journeys - Create Your Brightest Reality with George Lizos. Digital event organised by She's Lost Control. Pay what you can sessions (£5-£20). Time: 7.30pm. https://www.sheslostcontrol.co.uk/digital

Friday 17 April; Surrender Spell with Mama Moon. This is a candle spell and you will need a white, yellow or pink candle. Digital event organised by She's Lost Control. Pay what you can sessions (£1-£20). Time: 6pm. https://www.sheslostcontrol.co.uk/digital

Friday 17 April; Smoke Fairies - At Home. Live online show to raise money for the RSPCA. Time 8pm. Donations: https://www.paypal.me/smokefairies Details: https://www.facebook.com/events/238256687323526/

Saturday 18 April; Freedom and Responsibility. Online talk hosted by Golden Rosycross. Time: 7pm. Free. Tickets: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/freedom-and-responsibility-tickets-101448743924?

Sunday, 19 April; The Still Voice Within: Meditation as Woman. Online event with Dancing the Goddess. Time: 9am-11am. Tickets: £22. https://www.meetup.com/Dancing-the-Goddess/

Sunday, 19 April; Psychic, Wellbeing and Craft online event. Time: 10am-10pm. https://www.facebook.com/events/2360368960930748/

Monday 20 April; Child Friendly Online Meditation and Sound Bath Session for Stress and Anxiety hosted by Uumbal Holistic. (Every Monday, until June 1) Time: 10am, but the session can be accessed for a week. Tickets: £10. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/online-meditation-sound-bath-for-stress-anxiety-child-friendlyrecurrent-tickets-100112992656?

Monday 20 April; Healing Meditation. Digital event organised by She's Lost Control. Pay what you can sessions (£1-£20). Time: noon. https://www.sheslostcontrol.co.uk/digital

Monday 20 April; Understand Your Chakras Webinar with William Bloom. Organised by Watkins Books. Time: 8pm. Free event. Details: https://www.meetup.com/WatkinsBooks/

Tuesday 21 April. Learn to read the Tarot with Nicky Phoenix, via Zoom. Six-week tarot reading course via Zoom. This course started a couple of weeks ago, but you can still join in at £10 per session / £5 for unwaged. Time: 7pm - 8.30pm. https://www.facebook.com/events/219966642409945/

Thursday, April 23; From Striving to Relaxation: A Journey Led by the Heart with Gemma Polo Pujol. Organised by Watkins Books. 6.30pm. Free event. Details: https://www.meetup.com/WatkinsBooks/

Thursday, April 23; Crossbones Vigil (on The Astral). At 7pm on the 23rd of every month since June 2004, people led by John Crow and friends have gathered by Crossbones Graveyard in Redcross Way, London, to honour the outcast dead. This month it is being done on the Astral. In your own space, light a candle say with words you can find here: https://www.facebook.com/events/2266435156986074/

Saturday 25 April; Lucya Starza: Talk on Magical Dolls, part of Witchfest Online organised by Children of Artemis. Time: 4pm. Free event. For more details and link to Facebook page: https://witchcraft.org/witchfest-online/

Saturday 25 April; Portals of London: Highwalks (online). George and Vanessa of London Dreamtime, together with Portals of London, will take you on an online storytelling exploration of the rifts and fractures of the city. Time: 6.30pm. Price: £2.50 by  online payment (contact Vanessa for concession details). Email vanessa@londondreamtime.com with the name of the event and your phone number if you want to attend. Details: https://www.londondreamtime.com/calendar/

Sunday 26 April - Monday 27 April; Aphrodite's Flame Monthly Festival. Join Aphrodite's Flame Keepers to tend a flame from dusk to dusk. Venue: Worldlwide. Time: 8pm to 8pm. Details: https://www.facebook.com/aphroditesflame/

Disclaimer: Please note that I am not responsible for the content of any of these events except my video talks with Children of Circe and Witchfest. Where a practitioner is offering information about magical protection, this is *not* medical advice.

Dogs as Power Animals in Tradition Witchcraft

Here is an article on dogs and their magical perspective by Melusine Draco, author of Aubry’s Dog -Power Animals in Tradition Witchcraft:

Dog’s are never out of the limelight these days. They lead the visually impaired, alert the hard of hearing and support those with mental problems. The load and unload washing machines; help with medication; sniff-out substances such as explosives, illegal drugs, wildlife scat, currency, blood, and contraband electronics; they are members of the armed forces, police and the fire service. The use of dogs in search and rescue is a valuable component in wilderness tracking, natural disasters, mass casualty events, and in locating missing people. They make wonderful companions and research has shown that caring for a canine might actually extend our lifespan. Previous studies have shown that dog owners have an innate sense of comfort and increased well-being and they provide a calming influence to help reduce both physical and psychological reactivity which is particularly relevant for veterans who are suffering from PTSD … and the list goes on.

Is it surprising then, that magical practitioners can drawn on the ‘power of the dog’ ? DNA research has led to the deciphering of the genetic code of the dog, which makes the choice of the dog ideal as a ‘power animal’. An article in the Science Journal reveals that many of the 360 inherited dog diseases have human counterparts, and that the genetic code of the dog is spelt out by about 2,500 million ‘letters’, compared with the 3,000 million that describes their owners. “Dogs and humans share 650 million ‘letters’ and scientists have found an equivalent dog gene for three quarters of known human genes,” explained Dr Venture. “The fact that they are so similar, despite millions of years of evolution along separate tracks, suggests that they are important.” A fact that should not be overlooked by magical practitioners when searching for a compatible power animal.

To put power dogs in their true magical perspective we need to recognise which breeds are the aristocrats in terms of our own ancestral associations – as well as theirs. We must also understand why certain dogs are better suited to individual spell casting, protections and curses.

In Aubry’s Dog we examine the various breed characteristics that can be looked upon as further canine ‘correspondences’ for use in magical working. When using ‘dog power’, we need to be able to create an amulet, charm or talisman that will reflect these characteristics. For seeking lost property over distance, for example, we would not enlist the help of the greyhound (sight hound) – but we would use the image of a bloodhound (scent hound); for defeating our enemies we would be ill-advised to use a terrier, when we can call upon the energies of the mastiff.

When working with wild energies, however, we must refrain from attempting to give them the anthropomorphic characteristics of the domestic dog. Wild dogs are voracious and ruthless hunter-killers, sometimes turning their attentions on humans if and when circumstances warrant. As much as we may admire their fearless survival skills, it is inadvisable to underestimate them both in the wild, and in magic. When invoking the energies of the wild dog, regardless of species, we are calling upon their primeval instincts over which humans have no control.

Like the Egyptians, the early Babylonians, Assyrians and Chaldeans, who were living between the two great rivers the Euphrates and the Tigris, also revered the dog. History relates that the governor of Babylon owned so many dogs that four towns were made exempt from taxes provided the inhabitants fed their dogs properly. According to encyclopaedia Man, Myth and Magic, because the Egyptians worshipped the dog, the Hebrews hated them and scorned the belief that dogs could detect the presence of spirits and ghosts or were familiar with the world beyond the grave.

Nevertheless, in contemporary society, the animal’s value is due to its remarkable companionable abilities and because a dog’s senses are much keener than a human’s.

• A dog’s hearing is attuned to pick up extremely high-pitched tones from a considerable distance. The so-called ‘silent- whistles’ used by dog trainers demonstrate the great range of a dog’s hearing powers and make it invaluable as a guardian of family and livestock.
• A dog’s nose is so sensitive that we are unable to conceive the great range of odours that canines detect. A piece of wood touched only by the tip of its owner’s finger can be selected by a trained dog from 20 other identical pieces. Bloodhounds have been known to follow perfectly the trail of a stranger 48 hours after the path was traversed. There is no known method of measuring this sensitivity of the dogs’ olfactory powers, but it is among his strongest and most often utilised senses.
• A dog’s sight is considerably weaker than man’s although they have a greater sensitivity to movements, however slight. Some breeds, specifically the ‘gaze-hounds’ do make great use of their sight in following game across open country.
• A dog’s ‘fleetness of foot’ means that it can pursue and overtake its quarry, or outrun its rivals. In the wild, a wolf’s speed makes all the difference to whether the pack goes hungry or not.
• A dog’s strength and tenacity is not necessarily determined by its size. Smaller dogs, especially the terrier breeds, can often be the champions in terms of sheer grit and determination.

In Aubry’s Dog, we look at creating a protective charm for the home and a healing amulet, as well as taking the physical attributes of the various different breeds and creating a very personal, protective amulet. One of the simplest ways is to acquire a piece of jewellery, or even a metal key ring, bearing the image of one of the more popular dog breeds (or wolf, fox, etc.,) and charge it magically. For those who prefer to create an amulet from scratch in the traditional way, however, first catch your dog! Or rather acquire something from a canine that suggests strength, i.e. claws, bone, teeth, rather than the softness of fur. This does not, of course, mean that any living canine should be deprived of these accoutrements. Seeking them out over a period of time should be viewed as part of the magical quest … but your vet might be able to help out with claws or the odd tooth. A dead fox could provide everything, but as a mark of respect do bury the remains within the parameters of magical ethics.

Once we have acquired our canine ingredient (natural or manufactured) focus on the breed of our astral canine protector. It could have been selected for its:

• Eyesight (to see danger or detect opportunity).
• Hearing (warning sounds or hearing something advantageous).
• Smell (detecting a threat or danger).
• Speed (fast action in dealing with a problem).
• Strength (the power to help overcome adversity).
• Tenacity (the will to persevere or fight against the odds).

This is a personal amulet, so only we can decide what the focus will be. Do we want a general charm that will go everywhere with us like a trusty dog; or are we looking for specific protection (in the workplace, while out hunting, or from rivals/the opposition, etc.,); or do we need backup in areas where our own faculties are not fully functioning? Do bear in mind that a focused magical spell will be much stronger than a more general purpose one.

You can view Aubry’s Dog: Power Animals in Traditional Witchcraft on Amazon. It is published by Moon Books in the  Shaman Pathways. Please note I earn commission from some links.