Online and London Pagan Events in the Next Week

 Here is a list of online events and small group activities over the next week or so for pagans, witches and those with similar interests. I mostly list online events, and things taking place in London, as that's where I live. At the moment, events are often being reorganised due to Covid-related rules changes, so please check before attending anything. If you know an online ritual, talk, meeting or workshop you want included, please email me at badwitch1234@gmail.com

Wednesday 30 September; Moon Books Live Talk and Discussion with Mabh Savage, author of A Modern Celt, hosted by Moon Books. Time: 7pm. https://www.facebook.com/events/1153326131706845/

Wednesday 30 September (tbc, but usually every Wednesday); Open Space Online Gathering via Zoom. Organised by Aho Studio, 13 Prince Edward Rd, London, E9 5LX. Time: 8pm. Tickets: £3. www.aho.community

Wednesday 30 September; Full Moon Sound Journey. Digital event organised by She's Lost Control. Tickets £5-£15. Time: 8.30pm. https://www.sheslostcontrol.co.uk/digital

Thursday 1 - 21 October; Make Your Home a Temple - A Course in Home Energy Clearing. Eight-session online course with Goddess Awakening. Time: Mornings. Cost: £255. https://www.starlight-temple.com/bookings-checkout/make-your-home-a-temple

Thursday 1 October; Cleansing, Banishing and Centring. Online workshop with Julian Vayne, via Treadwell's Online. Via Zoom. Time: 7pm start. Tickets: £20. https://www.treadwells-london.com/events

Thursday 1 October; The Lost Spells: Robert Macfarlane and Jackie Morris. Online book launch event including spells, art and a Q and A. Hosted by Penguin Books. Time: 7pm. Tickets: free to attend the talk, £16.56 including a copy of the book. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-lost-spells-robert-macfarlane-and-jackie-morris-in-conversation-tickets-121170834227

Thursday 1 October; Steve Parsons on 'Infrasound'. Online Association for the Study of Anomalous Phenomena (ASSAP) talk. Time: 7pm. Free event. The zoom link for the regular Thursday talks is emailed out to all ASSAP members, but can be booked by non-Assap members from Thursday morning if there are places left. Email secretary@assap.ac.uk. To join ASSAP, for £5 per year, visit http://www.assap.ac.uk/.

Thursday 1 October; Reweirding: Unofficial Britain. Online talk by Writer Gareth E. Rees via Conway Hall. Time: 7.30pm. Tickets: donation of at least £5 recommended. https://conwayhall.org.uk/event/online-reweirding-unofficial-britain-journeys-through-unexpected-places

Thursday 1 October (tbc); Aries Full Moon Ceremony on the bank of the Thames with London Woodland Witches, Wiccans and Pagans. Beginners of Wicca and Paganism welcome. This is likely to be just 6 people at the ritual site, with a zoom link for others to join in online, following social distance rules. Time: 7.30pm. Tickets £5/£3. https://www.meetup.com/LondonWoodlandWitches

Thursday 1 October; Full Moon Circle and celebration of the opening of a new crystal shop in Broadway Market. Digital event organised by She's Lost Control. Tickets Free. Time: 8pm. https://www.sheslostcontrol.co.uk/digital

Friday 2 October (tbc, usually every Friday); Friday Live Chat hosted by Rachel Patterson, author of the Kitchen Witch series of books. Time: 9am. Free event. https://www.facebook.com/RachelPattersonbooks/

Friday 2 October (tbc, usually every Friday); Shakti Yoga. Online event with Dancing the Goddess. Time: 9am. Tickets: £10. https://www.meetup.com/Dancing-the-Goddess/

Friday 2 October; 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/

Friday 2 October; Witchcraft and Folk Magic. Online talk via 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: Time: 3pm. Free event.  https://www.facebook.com/groups/725752541262809/

Friday 2 October (tbc usually every Friday); Psychic and Intuitive Skills Development. Online via Zoom with Mahesh Gordhan of the London School  of  Spirituality. Time: 8pm. Tickets: £5/£7.50. https://www.meetup.com/londonschoolofspirituality/

Saturday 3 October, The Grey Soul of London. Walk with Minimum Labyrinth around Gray’s Inn Road which fired the imagination of Arthur Machen. Tickets:  £15/£12.50. Two times: 2pm and 7pm. Details and booking:  www.minimumlabyrinth.org.

Saturday 3 October, The Wild Hunt online lecture organised by the Folklore Podcast. Time: 8pm. Tickets: £5. https://thefolklorepodcast.weebly.com/store/c9/Tickets.html

Sunday 4 October; I-Day Wicca Course for Beginners with London Woodland Witches, Wiccans and Pagans. Small socially distanced group, meeting outdoors in woodland. Venue: Queens Wood, North London. Time: 10.30am-5.30pm. Tickets £30. https://www.meetup.com/LondonWoodlandWitches

Sunday 4 October; Theatre of Blood - How Vincent Price Found Love in Kensal Green Cemetery. A guided tour with Peter Fuller as part of London Month of the Dead. Venue: Dissenters' Chapel, Kensal Green Cemetery, 364 Ladbroke Grove, Kensal Green, London W10 5AB. Time: 11am  Tickets £12 including a 20 per cent donation to Kensal Green Cemetery. https://www.londonmonthofthedead.com/

Monday 5 October; Shakti Yoga - Awaken. Online event with Dancing the Goddess. Time: 7am. Tickets: £7. https://www.meetup.com/Dancing-the-Goddess/

Monday 5 October; Mindful Still Life Monday Sessions with London Drawing, via Zoom. Two sessions: 12.30pm and 6pm. Free, but donations welcome. http://londondrawing.com/events/mindful-still-life-monday-sessions/

Monday 5 October; Opening Session of Romsey Storytelling Festival 2020, which runs to Saturday 10 October. Online. Time: 5pm. Tickets: Free for opening event. www.ticketsource.co.uk/romseyfestival

Monday 5 October; Ways into Witchcraft - Witches' Books. Online workshop with Rebecca Beattie, author of Nature Mystics, via Treadwell's Online. Via Zoom. Time: 7pm start. Tickets: £20. https://www.treadwells-london.com/events

Tuesday 6 October; Beautiful Death - Art and the Mystery of Mortality. A live, illustrated Zoom talk with Joanna Ebenstein as part of London Month of the Dead. Time: 7pm. Early bird tickets £4, including a donation to NHS charities. https://www.londonmonthofthedead.com/

Tuesday 6 October; Moon Cycle Alchemy with hedge witch Tree Carr. Digital event organised by She's Lost Control. Tickets £5-£20. Time: 7pm. https://www.sheslostcontrol.co.uk/digital

Tuesday 6 October; Intuition Masterclass. Digital event organised by She's Lost Control. Tickets £20-£30. Time: 7pm. https://www.sheslostcontrol.co.uk/digital

Tuesday 6 October (date tbc); Heron Drums Online Shamanic Drum Circle via Facebook or Zoom. Time: 7pm: Details: https://www.facebook.com/herondrumsuk/

Tuesday 6 October; Shamanism and the Medicine Wheel. Start of 13-week online and retreat foundation course with Miguel Da Silva and Gareth Hughes. Organised by Aho Studio, 13 Prince Edward Rd, London, E9 5LX. Time: 7pm. Tickets: £30 per online session. www.aho.community

Tuesday 6 October; Merpeople - A Human History. Online talk by author Vaughn Scribner via London Fortean Society and Conway Hall. Time: 7.30pm. Tickets: donation of at least £5 recommended. https://conwayhall.ticketsolve.com/shows/1173604458

Tuesday 6 October; The Witches' Inn Online Moot. Time: 8pm. Free event. https://www.facebook.com/events/2125531280924696

Wednesday 7 October; Forest Bathing: Seasonal Self with London Forest Bathing Meet-up Group. Venue: Queen's Wood, Highgate, North London. Time: 9.30am. Tickets: £35. https://www.meetup.com/London-Forest-Bathing-Nature-Connection-Meetup/

Wednesday 7 October; Shakti Yoga - Decompress. Online event with Dancing the Goddess. Time: 6pm. Tickets: £7. https://www.meetup.com/Dancing-the-Goddess/

Wednesday 7 October; Living With Plague And Pestilence - The Medieval Experience. A live, illustrated Zoom talk with Dr Elma Brenner as part of London Month of the Dead. Time: 7pm. Early bird tickets £4, including a donation to NHS charities. https://www.londonmonthofthedead.com/

Wednesday 7 October; Moon Books Live Talk and Discussion with Elen Sentier, author of books on Elen of the Ways, Merlin and Gardening with the Moon and Stars, hosted by Moon Books. Time: 7pm. https://www.facebook.com/MoonBooks

Wednesday 7 October; Working with the Tylwyth Teg: Welsh Fairies and Fairy Magick. Start of four-week course by This Welsh Witch, through YouTube with course materials also emailed to learners.. Course price: £50, including Welsh Witch Tylwyth Teg Spell Kit. Time: 7pm. https://www.facebook.com/events/596948680980850

October 7-14; Hay House Finding Your Flow Summit. Online talks from personal growth authors, with 4-5 new lessons available free for 24 hours each day. https://www.discover.hayhouse.com/flow-summit-homepage/

Thursday 8 October; The Magic of Seidr. Start of 8-week online foundation course with Andreas Kornevall through the College of Psychic Studies. Time: 7pm. Tickets: Members: £170, Non-members: £200. https://www.collegeofpsychicstudies.co.uk/

Thursday 8 October; Breathwork for Creativity. Digital event organised by She's Lost Control. Tickets: £5-£20. Time: 7pm. https://www.sheslostcontrol.co.uk/digital

Thursday 8 October (tbc); Meeting the Archetypes: Maiden, Mother and Crone, with David and Kasia from Sacred Union. Online event via Zoom organised by Aho Studio, 13 Prince Edward Rd, London, E9 5LX. Time: 7pm. Tickets: £20. www.aho.community

Thursday 8 October; The Lore of Wolves and Werewolves. Online talk at South East London Folklore Society. Time: 8pm. Price: pay what you can - suggested donation £5. Details: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2438110887/

Friday 9 - Saturday 10 October; The 17th UK Tarot Conference. Virtual online conference with speakers: Kim Arnold, Chris Butler, Sasha Fenton, Ethony Dawn, Liz Dean, Christiana Gaudet, Juliet Sharman-Burke, John Matthews, Andrea Aste, Darren Shill and Neil Kelso. Organised with Atlantis Bookshop. Full ticket price: £56  Details: http://tarotconference.co.uk/

Friday 9 October; Herbal series - Bay Leaf. Online talk via 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: Time: 8pm. Free event. https://www.facebook.com/groups/725752541262809

Friday 9 October; Ulfhednar: From Fear to Love, from Boy to Wolf. Online storytelling by Jason Buck as part of Romsey Storytelling Festival 2020. Time: 8pm. Tickets: £6/£3. www.ticketsource.co.uk/romseyfestival

Friday, 9, Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 October; Arias Of The Undead. A candlelit concert in Kensal Green Cemetery with Gothic Opera as part of London Month of the Dead. Venue: Dissenters' Chapel, Kensal Green Cemetery, 364 Ladbroke Grove, Kensal Green, London W10 5AB. Time: 7pm.  Tickets £20 including a 20 per cent donation to Kensal Green Cemetery. https://www.londonmonthofthedead.com/

Saturday 10 October;  Season Of The Witch - Online Craft Fayre. Starts 10am. Free. https://www.facebook.com/events/3420590494721679/

Saturday 10 October; Cemetery of All Souls. A guided tour with Robert Stephenson as part of London Month of the Dead. Venue: Dissenters' Chapel, Kensal Green Cemetery, 364 Ladbroke Grove, Kensal Green, London W10 5AB. Time: 11am  Tickets £12 including a 20 per cent donation to Kensal Green Cemetery. https://www.londonmonthofthedead.com/

Saturday 10 October; The Pantheon of Pancras. Walk with Minimum Labyrinth around St Pancras in North London, looking at its mythology, history and folklore. Tickets:  £15 (£12.50 concessions). Two times: 2pm and 7pm. Details and booking:  www.minimumlabyrinth.org.

Sunday 11 October; A New Way Of Death. A Guided Tour of Nunhead Cemetery with Keith Turpin as part of London Month of the Dead. Venue: Nunhead Cemetery, Linden Grove, London SE15 3LP. Time: 11am  Tickets £12 including a 20 per cent donation to Nunhead Cemetery. https://www.londonmonthofthedead.com/

Sunday 11 October; Chills of Chelsea. Stories of Murder and Satanic Rituals in SW3. A Guided Tour with Lauren Barnettas part of London Month of the Dead. Venue: Chelsea, West London. Time: 2.30pm  Tickets £12 including a 20 per cent donation to Brompton Cemetery. https://www.londonmonthofthedead.com/

Sunday 11 October; Werewolves of London. Tour and storytelling around Charing Cross with Vanessa and George or London Dreamtime. Time: 6.30pm. Tickets: £13 via https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/london-dreamtime-werewolves-of-london-tickets-119908153515?. Details: https://www.londondreamtime.com/calendar/

Disclaimer: Please note that I am not responsible for the content of any of these events. Where a practitioner is offering information about magical protection, this is *not* medical advice.

Magical Dolls: A Mandrake Root Becoming a Poppet

Isn't this mandrake root poppet amazing? 

It is a work in progress by Matt Xai Malachi Porter, who earlier sent a picture of his freshly harvested mandrake roots for the blog. Matt followed that up with the picture at the top, and wrote: "I'm currently working on making myself a poppet doll with a 2-year-old mandrake whole root."

I think it is brilliant. What I find is that all mandrake roots seem to have their own individual personality, which is why they make such wonderful poppets and magical dolls.

The Museum of Witchcraft and Magic, in Cornwall, has a few mandrake roots that have been used as effigies or carved into human figurines. You can see one here and another here. 

I don't have a mandrake root myself. A friend did give me some mandrake seeds, but I've not planted them yet. I do have a little root that looks like a person in my witchy room, but it definitely isn't a mandrake. I've also written about mandrakes in my book Pagan Portals - Poppets and Magical Dolls.

Links and previous related posts

http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2020/09/pagan-eye-freshly-harvested-mandrake.html

http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2018/07/potato-dream-night-cramps-and-poppet.html

http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2020/04/not-mandrake-what-should-i-call-my.html

https://museumofwitchcraftandmagic.co.uk/ 

The Triple Tree: Seeing and Hearing Woodland Magic

Do you have any unusual trees near you? Jane Mortimer took this picture of one she has named the Triple Tree. She wrote: "I went down to Percival Grove with my camera to check out the changing seasons as part of my observance of the Autumn Equinox. I strayed into a wooded corner I hadn't explored before and there was a strong aroma of woody incense, so I wasn't the only one observing! On the way back through the grove, I spotted a tree that was rather unusual. It was all on one plane, with a triple trunk and a fork further up the main trunk. I've named it the Triple Tree." 

Jane added: "Then I tried something I've never done before. I put my ear to each trunk in turn and could hear the churning, sloshing pulse of the sap going up and down. It was awesome. I listened to a few more trees and noticed they all have different sounds and rhythms. Some are quiet, some are loud, and they each pulse at their own pace." 

What a wonderful idea to listen to the sounds that trees make! I have to admit that although I have favourite trees that I visit - and talk to - I probably ought to spend more time listening!   

The photo is copyright Jane Mortimer. 

Previous related posts 

http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2020/04/pagan-eye-hollow-tree.html

http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2019/04/marsh-meadows-wishing-tree-what-do-you.html

http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2017/11/pagan-eye-trained-oak-at-plotlands-essex.html

Moon Books Live with Lucya Starza - Autumn Magic

If you missed my Moon Books Live talk on Facebook last Wednesday evening, you can now watch the recording on YouTube - the link is above. 

I talked about magic for the Autumn Equinox and the days after, with a guided visualisation on the mellow season, a candle ritual for balance, and poppet magic to cheer you up if you get the autumn blues. 

You can also find my Moon Books author page here, with details of my Pagan Portals books on candle magic, poppets and magical dolls, guided visualisations and more.

Book Excerpt: The (Inner-City) Path by Melusine Draco

Here is an excerpt from the new book by  Melusine Draco: The (Inner-City) Path: A Gleaning of the Seasons. 

A Simple Guide to Well-Being and Awareness
The (Inner-City) Path: A Gleaning of the Seasons was inspired by Chet Raymo’s book of similar title that chronicled his own daily urban walk to work and observing the seasonal changes with a scientist’s curiosity. As often happens, I began thinking ‘what if’ there was a complementary book written from a pagan perspective for when we take to our local urban paths as part of our daily fitness regime or dog walk. And, as if arising from this external creative impulse The Path began to unravel in the mind’s eye … based on several urban walks that have merged together over the years to make a chapbook of the seasons and to offer a glimpse into the pagan mind-set that can ‘find mystery under every leaf and rock along the way’, or caught in the murmur of running water, and to act as a simple guide to achieving a sense of well-being and awareness so that even in the city’s throng we feel the freshness of the streams as per Longfellow’s ‘Prelude’ …

Generally speaking, witches and pagans come in all shapes and sizes from baby-boomers to millennials and each one is a product of their own generation, complete with all its fads, quirks, foibles and urban myths. By and large, for an older witch, a sense of well-being and awareness focuses on a need for inner harmony and being at peace with what they’ve achieved thus far in life, while looking forward to whatever challenges the future throws at them. For the younger variety, their sense of well-being and awareness is often preaching the gospel via social media (in all its many forms and contradictions) that has frequently made them appear less tolerant, more judgemental, and possibly a tad too obsessed with bodily functions. We are all a product of our Age … all as different as Nature intended … even town and city dwellers may have unconscious pagan leanings.

Nevertheless, we also know that Mother Nature is neither nor motherly and when she wants to cut up rough – she will, without a thought for anything, or anyone. In the guise of ‘the goddess’ she is usually seen as spending her days caring for her many children who inhabit and shape the landscape – often portrayed in trailing garments composed of lush plants, colorful flowers, and sinuous woody shapes. In most depictions she is meditative, embodying the spirit of the mythological ‘mother’ in Nature. In reality, humankind and nature can be said to be in conflict, since Nature is often seen by humans as natural resources to be exploited; while Nature will wipe out hundreds of humans with a shrug of the shoulder.

Getting back to Nature requires stripping away the anthropomorphism that causes us to interpret non-human things in terms of human characteristics. Derived from the Greek anthropos (meaning ‘human’) and morphe (‘form’), the term was first used to refer to the attribution of human physical or mental features to deities. According to Britannica, by the mid-19th century it had acquired the second, broader meaning of a phenomenon occurring not only in religion but in all areas of human thought and action, including daily life, the arts, and even sciences. Anthropomorphism may occur consciously or unconsciously and most scholars since the time of the English philosopher Francis Bacon (1561–1626) have agreed that although the tendency to anthropomorphise hinders the understanding of the world, it is deep-seated and persistent. But is it so wrong to consider all living, growing things as sentient beings?

The Path we regularly take when out for a daily walk has its own welcoming ambiance and if we feel as though we’re being swamped with negative emotions, we know it can be helpful to walk them off. In fact, a recent British health study showed that simply walking in green spaces induces a gentle state of meditation. Most of us live in urban areas and spend far less time outside in green, natural spaces than people did several generations ago but even a lunchtime stroll in the park may soothe the mind and, in the process, change the workings of our brain in ways that improve our mental health. Whatever the weather, walking in Nature is not only good for our heart and fitness levels, but according to numerous studies it has measurable mental benefits and may also reduce the risk of depression. In addition to promoting mental health, nature group walks also ‘appear to mitigate the effects of stressful life events on perceived stress and negative affects while synergizing with physical activity to improve positive affects and mental wellbeing’, the researchers wrote in the Researchgate study abstract.

‘Wellness’ entered the pagan lexicon with the advent of Mind, Body and Spirit magazine publishing in the 1980s when it was generally used to mean ‘a state beyond the absence of illness’ and aimed at promoting a sense of well-being. It quickly became an umbrella term for pseudo-scientific mumbo-jumbo and alternative health movements – becoming the defining spirit or mood of the 2000s as reflected by the ideas and beliefs of the time. All of which promoted journalist Hadley Freeman to write in the Guardian as early as 2015: ‘Pseudoscience and strawberries: ‘wellness’ gurus should carry a health warning’. It’s easy to mock wellness bloggers and their fattening apples, but their uneducated bletherings about food and health are, at best, irresponsible and, at heart, immoral. They’re right: what we eat is important, which is why it’s important that people with qualifications beyond an Instagram account educate us about it.

Nevertheless, a considerable amount of traditional witchcraft/ paganism revolves around natural folk-cures and herbal remedies, with much of it having been handed down by grandparents and elderly neighbours in rural communities. Foraging was part of growing up and knowing when and where in the country calendar certain delicacies could be found; and who, as a rural child experienced the bliss of gorging themselves on wild, woodland strawberries, has ever forgotten that exquisite taste? Or returning home with fingers and mouths stained purple from picking blackberries by the bushel as part of a school-dinners project?

‘Awareness’ is an even more recent innovation commonly used in reference to public knowledge or understanding of social or political issues. It is synonymous with public involvement and advocacy in support of certain causes or movements; or concern about and a well-informed interest in a particular situation or development. Awareness in the spiritual sense is harder to describe in intellectual terms but on a basic level it can refer to a mental state achieved by focusing our awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting our feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations … Awareness can mean different things and the first steps we can take on the pagan path is to become aware of the everyday world of Nature that surrounds us … even in the city’s throng …

Several decades ago, it was agreed that if it was to survive, witchcraft had to move with the times and although there was a romantic appeal in returning to the Old Ways, it was not always practical. In the years since the repeal of the Witchcraft Act in 1951, the Craft has evolved in many separate ways and when something evolves, it changes, or develops over time and much can be lost in the process: like our taste in music and literature, which transforms as we get older, and generally changes from one generation to the next. And yet … some things never change.

American photographer Frances F. Denny attempted to explore the figure of the contemporary witch beyond the cultural chestnuts that have shrouded and obscured it for Elle magazine: The muddled stereotypes that surround witches nowadays are, in the end, not so very different from those used to define that perennial problem: woman. Her subjects are of diverse age, social class, and ethnicity, and practice a range of rituals, often drawing on ‘mysticism, engagement with the occult, politically oriented activism, polytheism, ritualized ‘spellwork’ and plant-based healing.

Denny asked the women she photographed for the series to wear an outfit or bring along an item that they felt would represent their practice and identity as witches, and as a result: ‘…some of the portraits do answer more readily to our expectations of what a witch might look like. They brandish mysterious implements – a crystal ball, a bow and arrow, a wooden staff; one woman reclines, entwined with a snake – and most are dressed in black. There was an immense theatricality…’

Nevertheless, the ‘witch’ has firmly entered the 21st-century zeitgeist as a figure akin to a synergetic composite of Burne-Jones in the terminal stages of the Pre-Raphaelite movement, Guinevere, of Arthurian romance, and Daenerys Stormborn from Game of Thrones – reflecting the general intellectual, moral, and cultural climate of the era. All of which appears to be an out-and-out attempt to make a statement and stand out from the crowd when our forebears would have done everything in their power to blend in with their neighbours! But it’s not always like that … since many traditional witches have learned the art of blending in.

Within esoteric circles the term ‘path’ is often used to refer to the spiritual journey that many of us take as part of our esoteric learning. In this book The Path is a series of gentle mental exercises to limber up the ‘spiritual vagabond’ part of our makeup before we embark on a much more challenging adventure as we metamorphose from embryonic pagan to fully-fledged witch. It helps if we get into a mind-set that plays a critical role in how we cope with life’s new challenges regardless of age or background and imbues us with a hunger for learning about the natural world around us. A pagan mindset is also about living up to our possible potential and who knows how far we can go if we set our mind to it – believing that the effort that goes into learning and deepening our understanding is well worth all the toil and trouble as we chart our way through the seasons.

For example: most of us overlook a bountiful food supply, one that satisfies us personally and, in a very small way, may benefit us financially: the wild larder. We have become so out of touch with food that we no longer recognize wild ingredients as something we can utilize for sheer enjoyment. Foraging puts us back in touch with nature and introduces us to new tastes we can use creatively. Gathering wild leaves and fruits is not the sole preserve of the country dweller as even a touch of wild garlic can enhance urban cooking.

It now becomes obvious why ‘gleaning’ was chosen as part of the title for The (Inner-City) Path: A Gleaning of the Seasons because it means to collect information in small amounts and often with difficulty. The conditions of farm workers in the 1890s made gleaning essential because it was the act of collecting leftover crops from farmers’ fields after they have been commercially harvested, or on fields where it was not economically profitable to harvest. In other words, we are picking up bits and pieces of information to add to our meager store of knowledge in order to supplement our life-style and its modern links with the natural world. And A Simple Guide to Well-Being and Awareness … well, as Dryden wrote: ‘what herbs and Simples grow/ In fields and forests,/ all their powers I know’ when referring to using a single herb or plant in a medicinal way.

And it is at this point we step out onto The Path … and a return to a pagan sense of well-being and awareness … and a feeling of wonder in everyday life.

You can view Pagan Portals: The (Inner-City) Path on Amazon. It is published by Moon Books, and you can see Melusine Draco's author page.

Witchcraft on a Shoestring: Ramekin Candleholders

These lovely candleholders are the latest topic in my series of posts called Witchcraft on a Shoestring, for witches who are strapped for cash. Jane Mortimer reminded me that glass dessert containers make excellent candleholders. She mentioned she'd gone to Aldi for her weekly shop and was looking for desserts when she spotted a pack of two creme brulees for £1.49. 

Jane wrote: "Considering they cost between £4 and £5 each in a restaurant, £1.49 for two was pretty amazing. The instructions are a bit of a faff, but the puddings were gorgeous, and we were left with two little glass ramekins that are perfect for catching the drips from small pillar candles. I've attached pix, but sadly I didn't think to photograph the puds before we ate them."

I've blogged in the past about upcycling jam jars into decorative tealight holders, but glass ramekins are even better because you don't have to reach right inside to light the candle. Of course, if you are really skint, then even £1.49 for two desserts is an extravagance, but you could ask if anyone has empty containers they don't want via Freecycle or similar sites where people give away things they no longer need.

Jane added that the ramekins can be decorated with glass paints to witchify them. I'd recommend doing a price comparison to find the cheapest crafting supplies. Martin's MoneySavingExpert says a search on Google Shopping is often the best way of doing that. 

Previous related posts 

http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2020/01/witchcraft-on-shoestring-white-candles.html http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2020/03/witchcraft-on-shoestring-scrying-on.html http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2020/05/witchcraft-on-shoestring-banana-skin.html http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2018/03/craft-upcycled-jam-jar-buttons-tealight.html 

http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2020/08/candle-magic-spell-for-boosting-witchy.html http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2020/07/spells-making-peace-dust-from-foraged.html

Online and London Pagan Events in the Next Week

Here is a list of online events and remote or very small group activities in or near London and for pagans, witches and those with similar interests over the next couple of weeks. I generally list events in the UK, but some activities are outside that time zone, so check when it will start in your location. 

Wednesday 23 September; Ancient Egypt – Exploring the Old Kingdom of Ancient Egypt. Part one of five-week online course with John Billman. Time: 2pm. Tickets: £35 for TVAES Members, £40 for non-members: https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/tvaes 

Wednesday 23 September; Crossbones Autumn Equinox Vigil livestreamed by Jennifer Cooper and Nicholas Greaves. At 7pm on the 23rd of every month since June 2004, people have honoured the outcast dead of Crossbones Graveyard, Southwark. You can also do a solitary ritual in your own space, light a candle and say the words you can find here: https://www.facebook.com/GooseandCrow/

Wednesday 23 September; Introduction to Reiki Healing. Digital event with She's Lost Control. Tickets: £30-£35. Time: 7pm. https://www.sheslostcontrol.co.uk/digital

Wednesday 23 September; Wanderers: A History of Women Walking. Online talk by Kerri Andrews hosted by Reweirding: and Conway Hall. Time: 7.30pm. Tickets: £5-£20. conwayhall.ticketsolve.com/shows/1173604413

Wednesday 23 September; Chasing the Sun: British Myths and the Uffington White Horse. Online stories and music with Jon Mason. Time: 7.30pm. Tickets · £5. www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/chasing-the-sun-british-myths-and-the-uffington-white-horse-tickets-114752140742

Wednesday 23 September; Magic for the Autumn Equinox and the Days After. Moon Books Live Talk and Discussion with me, Lucya Starza, author of Pagan Portals books on Candle Magic, Poppets and Magical Dolls, and Guided Visualisations, hosted by Moon Books. Time: 7pm. https://www.facebook.com/events/992383881222740/

Wednesday 23 September (tbc, but usually every Wednesday); Open Space Online Gathering via Zoom. Organised by Aho Studio, 13 Prince Edward Rd, London, E9 5LX. Time: 8pm. Tickets: £3. www.aho.community

Thursday 24 September, Advanced Elemental Magic for Beginners. Online workshop with Julian Vayne, via Treadwell's Online. Via Zoom. Time: 7pm start. Tickets: £20. https://www.treadwells-london.com/events

Thursday 24 September; Breathwork for Creativity. Digital event organised by She's Lost Control. Tickets: £5-£20. Time: 7pm. https://www.sheslostcontrol.co.uk/digital

Thursday 24 September; Alan Murdie on 'Powers of Evil? Negative Aspects of Psi Revisited'. Online Assap talk. Time: 7pm. Free event. Tickets limited to 100 and available first to Assap members, but can be booked by non-Assap members from Thursday morning. Email secretary@assap.ac.uk to reserve a place. To join ASSAP, for £5 per year, visit http://www.assap.ac.uk/.

Thursday 24 September; London's Lost Artistic Worlds. An online salon with Danielle Thom and Devon Cox, organised by Antique Beat. Time: 7pm. Tickets: £4.50. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/salon-no79-londons-lost-artistic-worlds-tickets-121005892883

Friday 25 September (tbc, usually every Friday); Friday Live Chat hosted by Rachel Patterson, author of the Kitchen Witch series of books. Time: 9am. Free event. https://www.facebook.com/RachelPattersonbooks/

Friday 25 September; Shakti Yoga. Online event with Dancing the Goddess. Time: 9am. Tickets: £10. https://www.meetup.com/Dancing-the-Goddess/

Friday 25 September; Demonstration of Aura Reading. Online with Edwin Courtenay through the College of Psychic Studies. Time: 7pm. Tickets: Members: £14, Non-members: £18. https://www.collegeofpsychicstudies.co.uk/

Friday 25 September; Herbal series - Rosemary. Online talk via 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: Time: 8pm. Free event. https://www.facebook.com/groups/725752541262809

Friday 25 September; Psychic and Intuitive Skills Development. Online via Zoom with Mahesh Gordhan of the London School  of  Spirituality. Time: 8pm. Tickets: £5/£7.50. https://www.meetup.com/londonschoolofspirituality/

Friday 25 September - 16 October; Make Your Home a Temple - A Course in Home Energy Clearing. Eight-session online course with Goddess Awakening. Time: Mornings. Cost: £255. https://www.starlight-temple.com/bookings-checkout/make-your-home-a-temple

Saturday 26 - Sunday 27 September; Rural Gothic - two-day online conference organised by the Folklore Podcast. Tickets: £10. https://thefolklorepodcast.weebly.com/store/c9/Tickets.html

Saturday 26 September; Online Mind Body Spirit Fair with talks, workshops and meditations. Time: 11am-6pm. Free. https://www.facebook.com/events/333664437831181

Saturday 26 September; Pagan Federation Online Autumn Equinox Festival. Time: Noon - 6pm. Free event. https://www.facebook.com/events/351535059545090/

Saturday 26 September; The Pantheon of Pancras. Socially distanced walk in a small group with Minimum Labyrinth around St Pancras in North London, looking at its mythology, history and folklore. Tickets:  £15 (£12.50 concessions). Times: 2pm and 7pm. Details and booking:  www.minimumlabyrinth.org.

Saturday 26 September; Howling at the Moon. Talk by Diane Narraway, part of Witchfest Online organised by Children of Artemis. Time: 4pm. Free event. For more details and links: https://witchcraft.org/witchfest-online/

Sunday 27 September (tbc); Autumn Ceremony with London Woodland Witches, Wiccans and Pagans. Beginners of Wicca and Paganism welcome. This is likely to be an online event. Time: 2pm. Tickets £5. https://www.meetup.com/LondonWoodlandWitches

Sunday 27 September; Alice Tarbuck and Simone Kotva (in conversation around Alice's new book 'A Spell in the Wild') and Madeleine LeDespencer (Magdalena de la Cruz - The Devil's Own Abbess). Part of the Magickal Women Conference Summer Salons. An online series of short, engaging talks with discussion via Zoom. Time: 7pm. Tickets for individual salons: £8.50. https://ti.to/magickal-women-conference/summer-salons?

Monday 28 September; Shakti Yoga - Awaken. Online event with Dancing the Goddess. Time: 7am. Tickets: £7. https://www.meetup.com/Dancing-the-Goddess/

Monday 28 September; Mindful Still Life Monday Sessions with London Drawing, via Zoom. Two sessions: 12.30pm and 6pm. Free, but donations welcome. http://londondrawing.com/events/mindful-still-life-monday-sessions/

Monday 28 September; Astrology Circle - Jupiter. Digital event organised by She's Lost Control. Tickets: £10-£25. Time: 6.30pm. https://www.sheslostcontrol.co.uk/digital

Monday 28 September; Witchcraft with Venus. Online workshop with Rebecca Beattie, author of Nature Mystics, via Treadwell's Online. Via Zoom. Time: 7pm start. Tickets: £20. Details and booking: https://www.treadwells-london.com/events

Tuesday 29 September; Moon Cycle Alchemy with hedge witch Tree Carr. Digital event organised by She's Lost Control. Tickets £5-£20. Time: 7pm. https://www.sheslostcontrol.co.uk/digital

Wednesday 30 September (tbc, but usually every Wednesday); Open Space Online Gathering via Zoom. Organised by Aho Studio, 13 Prince Edward Rd, London, E9 5LX. Time: 8pm. Tickets: £3. www.aho.community

Wednesday 30 September; Moon Books Live Talk and Discussion with Mabh Savage, author of A Modern Celt, hosted by Moon Books. Time: 7pm. https://www.facebook.com/events/1153326131706845/

Wednesday 30 September; Full Moon Sound Journey. Digital event organised by She's Lost Control. Tickets £5-£15. Time: 8.30pm. https://www.sheslostcontrol.co.uk/digital

Thursday 1 October; Cleansing, Banishing and Centring. Online workshop with Julian Vayne, via Treadwell's. Via Zoom. Time: 7pm start. Tickets: £20. https://www.treadwells-london.com/events

Thursday 1 October; Reweirding: Unofficial Britain. Online talk by Gareth E. Rees via Conway Hall. Time: 7.30pm. Tickets: donation of at least £5. https://conwayhall.org.uk/event/online-reweirding-unofficial-britain-journeys-through-unexpected-places

Thursday 1 October; Full Moon Circle and celebration of the opening of a new crystal shop in Broadway Market. Digital event organised by She's Lost Control. Tickets Free. Time: 8pm. https://www.sheslostcontrol.co.uk/digital

Friday 2 October; Witchcraft and Folk Magic. Online talk via 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: Time: 3pm. Free event.  https://www.facebook.com/groups/725752541262809/

Friday 2 October; 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/

Saturday 3 October,  The Grey Soul of London. Walk with Minimum Labyrinth around Gray’s Inn Road which fired the imagination of Arthur Machen. Tickets:  £15 (£12.50 concessions). Two times: 2pm and 7pm. Details and booking:  www.minimumlabyrinth.org.

Saturday 3 October, The Wild Hunt online lecture organised by the Folklore Podcast. Time: 8pm. Tickets: £5. https://thefolklorepodcast.weebly.com/store/c9/Tickets.html

Sunday 4 October; I-Day Wicca Course for Beginners with London Woodland Witches, Wiccans and Pagans. Small group, meeting outdoors in woodland. Venue: Queens Wood, North London. Time: 10.30am-5.30pm. Tickets £30. https://www.meetup.com/LondonWoodlandWitches

Sunday 4 October; Theatre of Blood - How Vincent Price Found Love in Kensal Green Cemetery. A guided tour with Peter Fuller as part of London Month of the Dead. Venue: Dissenters' Chapel, Kensal Green Cemetery, 364 Ladbroke Grove, Kensal Green, London W10 5AB. Time: 11am  Tickets £12 including a 20 per cent donation to Kensal Green Cemetery. https://www.londonmonthofthedead.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

Note: If you know an online ritual, talk, meeting, workshop or London-based event you want included, please email me at badwitch1234@gmail.com. Disclaimer: I am not responsible for the content of any of these events except my own talks. Where a practitioner is offering information about magical protection, this is *not* medical advice.

Social Distancing Rules and Pagan Rituals in England

As today is the Autumn Equinox and many pagans are taking part in Wheel of the Year celebrations today or over the next week, I am sharing a message from the Police Pagan Association regarding social distancing rules in England. I should mention that this message was sent out a few days ago, so things might change again at any moment:

"The Police Pagan Association, along with representatives of several other faiths, have approached the government seeking a definitive statement with regards to the rule of 6 and the exemption for religious gatherings. In short, we have been told that a response will not be forthcoming anytime soon, and that the rules do not require clarification.

"As it stands religious gatherings are exempt from the rule of 6 and, as Paganism is a recognised religion in the UK, any upcoming Mabon / Harvest rituals should be accommodated under this exception. There is, of course, the ongoing requirement to abide by social distancing, the use of masks and hand gel, and additional advice pertinent to Pagan rituals specifically with regards to not passing round a communal cup of mead or bread, for example. The additional risk that we, as Pagans, face is that we may be celebrating outdoors – albeit off of the beaten path – and may therefore be more likely to be challenged that those who are worshipping indoors.

"The exemption for religious gatherings has been well documented and circulated, and any queries should be directed to this legislation in the first and, in the unlikely event that Pagans are approached by the Police, the PPA is happy to be contacted directly if required to restate the status of Paganism as a religion, and the exemptions that comes with it. In the absence of a definitive statement for the government, please feel free to use this correspondence accordingly.

"Brightest Blessings to You and Yours Sgt 1158 Andrew Pardy Founding Chair, Police Pagan Association"

Herbology: Michaelmas Daisies & Farewell to Summer

My garden is full Michaelmas daisies, as it often is at the Autumn Equinox. I love their purple and yellow flowers, and so do the bees, so I've let them grow tall. Well, actually, I've not done much gardening this summer, so most of my plants are growing tall, but at least it *is* good for the bees and other insects.

Michaelmas daisies are among the last flowers to bloom each summer. They are named for St Michael's Day, on 29 September, and I've already blogged about folklore associated with that. Sandra Lawrence, in Witch's Garden, adds that Michaelmas daisies are flowers of farewell - and the Autumn Equinox can be a time to say a farewell to summer and marking the end of the harvest, while welcoming the autumn season.

You can read my review of Witch's Garden here.

Previous related posts
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2013/09/folklore-michaelmas-daisies-for.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2020/09/my-trio-of-talks-for-equinox-samhain.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2020/09/review-witchs-garden-plants-in-folklore.html

My Trio of Talks for the Equinox, Samhain and Yule

I'm giving three magical online talks this autumn. The first is this Wednesday, 23 September, at 7pm UK time. It is part of a series of live author talks and discussions hosted by Moon Books via Facebook Live and is completely free. The second is part of Into the Dark Nights: An Autumnal Gathering organised by Magickal Women Conference, on 17 October, and the third online event is my official launch party for my new book, Pagan Portals - Guided Visualisations. That will be on Facebook Live on December 11. Here are the full details:

Wednesday 23 September: Moon Books Live Talk and Discussion 

The Equinox is on 22nd September this year. That’s the spring equinox in the southern hemisphere, but the autumn equinox for those like me in the northern hemisphere. I’m going to talk about equinox candle magic for balance, and also post-autumn equinox poppet magic to help keep cheerful as we head into the darker half of the year. There'll also be a visualisation on the autumn garden. The talk will start at 7pm, UK time, and you can find the details here: https://www.facebook.com/events/992383881222740/ 

Saturday 17 October: Guided Visualisations: Taking the Dark Path

On the first day of Into the Dark Nights: An Autumnal Gathering organised by Magickal Women Conference, I'll be giving at online talk at 4pm on Guided Visualisations: Taking the Dark Path. Guided visualisations can be thought of as a bit light and fluffy. They sometimes get categorised with general mind, body, spirit practices as forms of meditation with spoken words to help participants stay mindful as they journey towards enlightenment. However, in witchcraft, guided visualisations can take us along dark paths to face our fears. The ancient mythological tale of the descent of Inanna into the Underworld is often turned into a guided visualisation for those seeking second degree elevation in Initiatory Wicca. It requires those journeying to leave behind all status, all riches, and all the comforts of life; to strip the soul bare and to face death herself. In this presentation, I will be talking about visualisations as part of modern pagan witchcraft and offering two guided journeys into the dark. Tickets for the full weekend of talks are £50, and for a single day are £30. You  can find out details of the full programme and book tickets here: https://www.magickalwomenconference.com/dark-nights 

Friday 11 December: Online Launch Event for Pagan Portals - Guided Visualisations

Please join me on Facebook Live to celebrate the launch of my latest book. This will be something to help you get into the Yuletide spirit. It is free to join in and you can find the details here: https://www.facebook.com/events/353859452274902/

If you want to find out more about me, Lucya Starza, please visit my Moon Books author page: https://www.johnhuntpublishing.com/moon-books/authors/lucya-starza

Pagan Eye: Freshly Harvested Mandrake Roots

Matt Xai Malachi Porter sent me this picture of his freshly harvested mandrake roots. He wrote: 

"I just wanted to share with you this photograph of a few of my two-year mature mandrake whole roots which I have taken up from my garden from a few of my mandrake plants. I am currently working on making myself a poppet doll with one of the roots and have a large number of other plants coming close to three years old."

I'm very impressed!  Mandrake is one of the plants most closely associated with witchcraft and magic, and the roots have been used for many things including poppet-making as well as a traditional ingredient in flying ointment. It famously has the reputation of having a lethal scream when pulled from the ground. However, according to the new book Witch's Garden, this was merely "a story put about by professional root-cutters worried about losing business."

I'm delighted to see the photo of mandrake roots safely harvested, and hope Matt's poppets are a great success.

My Pagan Eye posts show photos that I find interesting - seasonal images, pagan sites, events, or just pretty pictures. 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. 

The photo at the top is copyright Matt Xai Malachi Porter. 

Previous related posts

http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2020/09/review-witchs-garden-plants-in-folklore.html

http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2017/01/witchcraft-poison-by-wolfsbane-mandrake.html

http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2018/07/potato-dream-night-cramps-and-poppet.html

http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2020/04/not-mandrake-what-should-i-call-my.html

http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2020/09/pagan-eye-fresh-sweetcorn-good-harvest.html

Review: Witch's Garden - Plants in Folklore & Magic

Witch's Garden is the title of gorgeous new book published by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, full of fascinating information and pictures of plants in folklore, magic and traditional medicine. It is published today, but I was lucky enough to be sent a review copy a few days ago. I've thoroughly enjoyed reading it, and I've learnt a lot.

Did you know that according to folklore only a witch or a rogue can successfully grow the common herb parsley? That must be why the pot on my kitchen windowsill is doing so well, while other herbs there struggle. Apparently, if you aren't a witch, the best way to get it is to steal it. It can also be used in a curse: speaking someone's name aloud while picking it is one way to wish their death. So, better not piss off anyone who's planning a nice sauce to go over some fish...

The Witch's Garden describes more than 50 magical plants, the myths surrounding them, their uses in traditional herbalism, and ways they've been used for magic. Those included range from ordinary kitchen herbs, like parsley, to calming St John's wort, to the famously witchy mandrake. The book also looks at magical theories, including gardening by the moon and stars, and the doctrine of signatures, which is the ancient idea that plants that look like a body part have the power to heal it. There is oodles of information on wise women, apothecaries, witches and herbalists through the ages, and how they cultivated and employed plants for their apparent mystical properties. As the blurb at the back says it included: "tales of remedies for everything from bad weather and broken hearts to protection from evil and the invocation of immortality."

What I really like about Witch's Garden is that, as well as being full of historic plant lore, it is lavishly illustrated. Each spread has pictures, and most of the images are paintings from the Royal Botanic Gardens' archives or photographs of dried flowers from the Kew Herbarium. The picture to the right shows the pages on foxglove, including Kew's herbarium sheet.

The author, Sandra Lawrence, is a friend of mine and I can vouch for the fact that she has a magical garden many witches would be envious of. I know I am. I've often sat there with her on a summer evening, discussing folklore, while enjoying food and drink she has prepared from fruit, vegetables and herbs she has grown there. She really knows her stuff when it comes to herbology. She has also written books on mythology, monsters, heroes and festivals and you can view her author page on Amazon. (Please note I earn commission from some links.)

Autumn Equinox Pagan Events in London and Online

Here is a list of online events and remote or very small group activities in or near London and for pagans, witches and those with similar interests. I generally list events in the UK, but some of the activities are outside that time zone, 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

Wednesday 16 September; Moon Books Live Talk and Discussion with Kenn Day, author of books on shamanism, hosted by Moon Books. Time: 7pm. https://www.facebook.com/events/3217067018401417/

Wednesday 16 September; Introduction to Shamanic Journeying and Safe Ceremonial space. Start of four-session online course Hosted by Anthea Durand. Time: 7pm. Tickets · £160. https://www.facebook.com/events/232833871496802

Wednesday 16 September (every Wednesday); Open Space Online Gathering via Zoom. Organised by Aho Studio, 13 Prince Edward Rd, London, E9 5LX. Time: 8pm. Tickets: £3. www.aho.community

Wednesday 16 September; New Moon Sound Journey. Digital event organised by She's Lost Control. Tickets £5-£15. Time: 8.30pm. https://www.sheslostcontrol.co.uk/digital

16/17 September; Equinox Magical Activism: Online Ritual Series with Starhawk. This is September 16th 5:30pm Pacific Time (US), but 17 September at 1.30am UK time. Tickets: $30-$150. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/magical-activism-online-ritual-series-w-starhawk-tickets-119700518473?

Thursday 17 September; Women who Run With The Wolves Zoom group. First session in 7-session online course with Mooney Stories. Time: 2pm-7pm. Cost:  £36 per session, £50 deposit for the course. https://www.facebook.com/events/971503939957702

Thursday 17 September; Waking The Water Ceremony, organised by Sacred Earth Activism. A ritual to do at a water course near you, in your own time. Time: 4pm. Free event. https://www.facebook.com/events/202821260978666

Thursday 17 September; Duchamp Versus Einstein. Talk and signing with Etan Ilfeld. Watkins Books, 19-21 Cecil Court, London WC2N 4EZ. Time: 6.30pm. Free event. For more details visit: https://www.meetup.com/WatkinsBooks/events/

Thursday 17 September; Online Assap talk. Dr Peter McCue on 'The Alleged Haunting of Sandwood Bay'. Time: 7pm. Free event. Tickets limited to 100 and available first to Assap members, but can be booked by non-Assap members from Thursday morning. Email secretary@assap.ac.uk to reserve a place. To join ASSAP, for £5 per year, visit http://www.assap.ac.uk/.

Thursday 17 September; The Magical Qabalah. Online workshop with Julian Vayne, via Treadwell's Online. Via Zoom. Time: 7pm start. Tickets: £20. https://www.treadwells-london.com/events

Thursday 17 September; New Moon Breath Ceremony with Lisa Li online via Zoom. Organised by Aho Studio, 13 Prince Edward Rd, London, E9 5LX. Time: 6pm. Tickets: £20. www.aho.community

Thursday 17 September; Breathwork for Creativity. Digital event organised by She's Lost Control. Tickets: £5-£20. Time: 7pm. https://www.sheslostcontrol.co.uk/digital

Thursday 17 September; Meeting the Archetypes: King and Queen, with David and Kasia from Sacred Union. Online event via Zoom organised by Aho Studio. Time: 7pm. Tickets: £20. www.aho.community

Thursday 17 September; New Moon Circle. Digital event organised by She's Lost Control. Tickets £5-£120. Time: 7pm. https://www.sheslostcontrol.co.uk/digital

Thursday 17 September; Secret Histories: Templars, Rituals and Roman Ruins. Storytelling with Jason Buck. Time: 7.30pm. Tickets: £2-£10. https://www.facebook.com/events/2387629434871679

Friday 18 September; Elements of Magick 2020 Online. First in 6-session online course in the Reclaiming tradition, hosted by Irisanya Moon and Urania Tami Griffith. This is on Thursday 17 at 5pm Pacific Time (US), which is 1am on the Friday BST (UK). Tickets: $90-$240. Contact Irisanya at irisanya.moon@gmail.com with questions. https://www.facebook.com/events/305235767552587

Friday 18 September; Shakti Yoga. Online event with Dancing the Goddess. Time: 9am. Tickets: £10. https://www.meetup.com/Dancing-the-Goddess/

Friday 18 September (tbc, usually every Friday); Friday Live Chat hosted by Rachel Patterson, author of the Kitchen Witch series of books. Time: 9am. Free event. https://www.facebook.com/RachelPattersonbooks/

Friday 18 September; Herbal series - Mint. Online talk via 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: Time: 8pm. Free event. https://www.facebook.com/events/4393026180739938/

Friday 18 September;Psychic and Intuitive Skills Development. Online via Zoom with Mahesh Gordhan of the London  School  of  Spirituality. Time: 8pm. Tickets: £5/£7.50. https://www.meetup.com/londonschoolofspirituality/

Saturday 19 September; Working with the Goddess of Autumn Equinox. Online workshop with Sarah Jane Dennis through the College of Psychic Studies. Time: 11am - 4pm. Tickets: Members: £65, Non-members: £85. https://www.collegeofpsychicstudies.co.uk/

Saturday 19 September; Basic Astrology - Astrological Signs. Online event with DragonOak Magical workshops. Time: 6pm. https://www.facebook.com/events/3877081818974163

Saturday 19 September; [THIS EVENT IS NOW A DOWNLOADABLE RECORDING, NOT LIVE] The Draug: Nordic folklore with Vanessa and George or London Dreamtime. Strictly limited places. Tickets: £10. Details: https://www.londondreamtime.com/calendar/

Sunday 20 September; Alchemy Online workshop with Edwin Courtenay through the College of Psychic Studies. Time: 11am. Tickets: Members: £65, Non-members: £85. https://www.collegeofpsychicstudies.co.uk/

Sunday 20 September; Deja Whitehouse (In Search of a Satisfactory God’ – Frieda Harris’s Quest for Esoteric Fulfilment) and Sue Terry (Something Comes Through: Traversing Occult Interdimensional City Space in the Magical Modernist Fiction of Mary Butts). Part of the Magickal Women Conference Summer Salons. An online series of short, engaging talks with discussion via Zoom. Time: 7pm. Tickets for individual salons: £8.50. https://ti.to/magickal-women-conference/summer-salons?

Sunday 20 September; Equinox Divine I AM Transmission. Online event with Vaz Sriharan of the London Spirituality Meetup Group. Time: 7.30pm. Free. https://www.meetup.com/londonspirituality/

Monday 21 September; Shakti Yoga - Awaken. Online event with Dancing the Goddess. Time: 7am. Tickets: £7. https://www.meetup.com/Dancing-the-Goddess/

Monday 21 September; Mindful Still Life Monday Sessions with London Drawing, via Zoom. Two sessions: 12.30pm and 6pm. Free, but donations welcome. http://londondrawing.com/events/mindful-still-life-monday-sessions/

Monday 21 September; Astrology Circle - Jupiter. Digital event organised by She's Lost Control. Tickets: £10-£25. Time: 6.30pm. https://www.sheslostcontrol.co.uk/digital

Monday 21 - Wednesday 23 September; Aphrodite's Monthly Festival and Equinox Festival. Join Aphrodite's Flame Keepers to tend a candle flame from for as long as you wish in your own home. You can use real candles or LED lights. Venue: Worldwide. Details: https://www.facebook.com/aphroditesflame/

Tuesday 22 September and 29 September; Hypnosis and Trance for Magical Practice. Two-part workshop on Hypnosis and Trance For Magical Practice with Mark Vincent, via Treadwell's Online. Via Zoom. Time: 7pm start. Tickets: £40. https://www.treadwells-london.com/events

Tuesday 22 September; Mabon, the Autumn Equinox and Harvest Celebration with GreenSpirit. Online event with Zoom. Time 7pm. https://www.facebook.com/events/227435765240219/

Tuesday 22 September; Introduction to Tarot. First class in four-week course on the symbology of the tarot and the basics of reading with Suzanne Corbie, via Treadwell's Online. Via Zoom. Time: 7pm start. Tickets: £100. https://www.treadwells-london.com/events

Tuesday 22 September; Autum Equinox Ceremony. Online event organised by She's Lost Control. Tickets: £5-£20. Time: 7pm. https://www.sheslostcontrol.co.uk/digital

Tuesday 22 September (date tbc); Heron Drums Online Shamanic Drum Circle via Facebook or Zoom. Time: 7pm: Details: https://www.facebook.com/herondrumsuk/

Wednesday 23 September; Ancient Egypt – Exploring the Old Kingdom of Ancient Egypt. Part one of five-week online course with John Billman. Time: 2pm. Tickets: £35 for TVAES Members, £40 for Non-Members. Booking: https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/tvaes 

Wednesday 23 September; Crossbones Autum Equinox Vigil livestreamed by Jennifer Cooper and Nicholas Greaves from Nicholas Greaves home-page. At 7pm on the 23rd of every month since June 2004, people have honoured the outcast dead of Crossbones Graveyard, Southwark, but at the moment this are virtual events. You an also do a solitary ritual in your own space, light a candle and say the words you can find here: https://www.facebook.com/GooseandCrow/

Wednesday 23 September; Wanderers: A History of Women Walking. Online talk by Kerri Andrews hosted by Reweirding: and Conway Hall. Time: 7.30pm. Tickets: £5-£20. conwayhall.ticketsolve.com/shows/1173604413

Wednesday 23 September; Chasing the Sun: British Myths and the Uffington White Horse. Online event with Jon Mason including stories and music. Time: 7.30pm. Tickets · £5. www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/chasing-the-sun-british-myths-and-the-uffington-white-horse-tickets-114752140742

Wednesday 23 September; Magic for the Autumn Equinox and the Days After. Moon Books Live Talk and Discussion with me, Lucya Starza, author of Pagan Portals books on Candle Magic, Poppets and Magical Dolls, and Guided Visualisations, hosted by Moon Books. Time: 7pm. https://www.facebook.com/events/992383881222740/

Thursday 24 September; Meeting the Archetypes: Priestess and Warrior, with David and Kasia from Sacred Union.  Online event via Zoom organised by Aho Studio, 13 Prince Edward Rd, London, E9 5LX. Time: 7pm. Tickets: £20. www.aho.community

Thursday 24 September, Advanced Elemental Magic for Beginners. Online workshop with Julian Vayne, via Treadwell's Online. Via Zoom. Time: 7pm start. Tickets: £20. https://www.treadwells-london.com/events

Thursday 24 September (every Thursday); Online Assap talk. Time: 7pm. Free event. Tickets limited to 100 and available first to Assap members, but can be booked by non-Assap members from Thursday morning. Email secretary@assap.ac.uk to reserve a place. To join ASSAP, for £5 per year, visit http://www.assap.ac.uk/.

Thursday 24 September; London's Lost Artistic Worlds. An online salon with Danielle Thom and Devon Cox, organised by Antique Beat. Time: 7pm. Tickets: £4.50. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/salon-no79-londons-lost-artistic-worlds-tickets-121005892883

Friday 25 September - 16 October; Make Your Home a Temple - A Course in Home Energy Clearing. Eight-session online course with Goddess Awakening. Time: Mornings. Cost: £255. https://www.starlight-temple.com/bookings-checkout/make-your-home-a-temple

Friday 25 September; Herbal series - Rosemary. Online talk via 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: Time: 8pm. Free event. https://www.facebook.com/events/4393026180739938/

Saturday 26 - Sunday 27 September; Rural Gothic - two-day online conference organised by the Folklore Podcast. Tickets: £10. https://thefolklorepodcast.weebly.com/store/c9/Tickets.html

Sunday 27 September (tbc); Autumn Ceremony with London Woodland Witches, Wiccans and Pagans. Beginners of Wicca and Paganism welcome. This is likely to be an online event. Time: 2pm. Tickets £5. https://www.meetup.com/LondonWoodlandWitches

Sunday 27 September; Alice Tarbuck and Simone Kotva (in conversation around Alice's new book 'A Spell in the Wild') and Madeleine LeDespencer (Magdalena de la Cruz - The Devil's Own Abbess). Part of the Magickal Women Conference Summer Salons. An online series of short, engaging talks with discussion via Zoom. Time: 7pm. Tickets for individual salons: £8.50. https://ti.to/magickal-women-conference/summer-salons?

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

Disclaimer: Please note that I am not responsible for the content of any of these events. Where a practitioner is offering information about magical protection, this is *not* medical advice.