Pagan Eye: Samurai Goblin Helmet at the British Museum

The helmet on the right depicts a Japanese mythological creature. I took the photo at the Samurai exhibition currently on at the British Museum. Here's the details about the two items of head gear:

"Helmet designs could be inspired by nature, myth, or the wider world. These helmets are formed to represent the mythological tengu goblin... The cylindrical brimmed hat shows how the arrival of European objects...also inspired new designs." 

The Samurai is an iconic figure, evoking images of formidable fighters possessing ideals of courage, honour and self-sacrifice. The exhibition shows how much of this is actually invented tradition, but I was fascinated by the amount of mythology and spirituality that inspired customs and designs.

The Samurai exhibition runs until 4 May. The British Museum is at Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3DG. Adult tickets are £25 but members get in for free. Find out more here: https://www.britishmuseum.org/

Pagan Eye Posts

On each of my Pagan Eye posts, I show a photo that I find interesting, with a few words about it. 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.

Previous Related Links

https://www.badwitch.co.uk/2026/03/pagan-eye-gods-from-hawaii-at-british.html
https://www.badwitch.co.uk/2025/05/british-museum-exhibits-ancient-india.html
https://www.badwitch.co.uk/2026/03/pagan-eye-woodland-witch-from.html
https://www.badwitch.co.uk/2024/02/pagan-eye-roman-dragon-standard-at.html
https://www.badwitch.co.uk/2023/05/exhibition-gods-goddesses-in-luxury.html
badwitch.co.uk/2022/09/pagan-eye-goddess-aphrodite-at-feminine.html

Review: Shadow Seer Tarot - Dark Archetypes

Shadow work is an important part of spiritual development in many magical practices. It's about looking into aspects of ourselves that are unconscious or we shy away from because we don't like them. The Shadow Seer Tarot, by Maja D’Aoust, is a new deck of cards to help us do that. 

It uses the traditional tarot format, but with dark archetypes relating to the familiar cards. For example, when I was trying out it out I drew Forlorn, the Shadow Seer version of the Star. The book that comes with the set said that everyone likes to wish upon a star, and is happy when the hopeful major arcana card appears. The flip side is relying too much on false hope, then feeling despondent if it fails. It's better to recognise that we don't know for sure what will happen in the future. We can best work towards a good outcome by being realistic.

The reading came when my moods were oscillating because I was going through a time of uncertainty. The message was helpful. Also, it wasn't a particularly nasty card to draw. I reckon most people would feel more uncomfortable if, for example, they drew the Murderer (Death) or even the Spoiled Brat (6 of Cups). This deck doesn't condone criminal activity or bad behaviour. What it does is show us that these are still part of the human experience. 

Shadow work is about recognising that many of us might feel like we want to kill someone even if we never would, or behave in a selfish way without realising it. The messages are gentle reminders to consider our needs and desires. Rather than shove them back into our subconscious or, indeed, do something terrible, we can consciously take actions that are helpful for personal and social development.

This is what publisher Inner Traditions says on its website:

 “The Shadow Seer Tarot deck and guidebook give methods to see through the blind spots of ordinary tarot readings into the heart of what is often hidden. Using Hermetic principles, Maja D’Aoust defines oppositional energies as they relate to the cards of the tarot. With the alchemical method of reconciliation through opposition, she looks deeper into the familiar meanings of the Major and Minor Arcana to give readers insight into the shadow energies at work in their lives to reveal a path toward wholeness. By inverting the archetypes and revealing their shadow side, or “darchetypes,” Maja opens portals of understanding to the bad behaviors that we often attempt to conceal, repress, or deny.”

The artwork on the cards is white line drawings on a black background, emphasising hands, faces and eyes. These are important to human communication. Maja D’Aoust writes that the art was inspired by a visionary journey to the underworld and seeing the images of hands in ancient cave paintings. Our hands are a major part of how we identify as humans, and the physical way we manipulate the material world. 

While I like the artwork, and understand the symbolism, what impressed me most were the words in the book giving  definitions of the cards and suggestions on how to work with them. I'll be continuing to use the deck for personal guidance going forwards.

You can view the Shadow Seer Tarot on Amazon as well as on Inner Traditions' website, linked to above. It is officially published in May 2026, and is available for pre-order, but I was lucky enough to see a preview copy for review.

(Please note: I earn commission from some links)

Previous related posts
https://www.badwitch.co.uk/2015/03/friday-13-solar-eclipse-death-tower-and.html
https://www.badwitch.co.uk/2026/01/art-theatre-deli-tarot-supporting.html
https://www.badwitch.co.uk/2022/11/ithell-colquhouns-taro-at-college-of.html
https://www.badwitch.co.uk/2023/02/book-excerpt-nature-of-astrology-by.html
https://www.badwitch.co.uk/2023/07/book-extract-runes-and-astrology-by.html

Magical Online & London Events in the Next Weeks

Here's a list of events for pagans, witches and those with similar interests over the next couple of weeks. I mainly include in-person things in or near London, because that's where I'm based, as well as online talks and workshops you can do anywhere (bolded for easier identification) and some bigger events further afield.  

Now – Friday 17 April; An Exhibition of Handcrafted Artifacts by the Artistic Workshop LOGOS 373, relating to Aleister Crowley and Thelema. Venue: The Atlantis Bookshop, 49a Museum Street, Bloomsbury, London, WC1A 1LY. Time: 11am – 6pm (closed Sunday) Free entry https://theatlantisbookshop.com/

Now to 20 April; Welcome To Fairy Land - Luciana Nedelea Art Exhibition. Venue: Viktor Wynd's Museum of Curiosities, 11 Mare Street, London E8 4RP. Time: Museum opening hours, free entry https://thelasttuesdaysociety.org/museum/events-exhibitions/

Now to 2 May; Conspiracies exhibition. Venue: Warburg Institute, Woburn Square, London WC1H 0AB. 11am to 6pm. Free entry. https://warburg.sas.ac.uk/news-events/events/conspiracies

Now to end of May; Dark Secrets: The Esoteric Exhibition. Venue: The Vaults, Leake Street, SE1 7NN. Open Wednesdays to Sundays. Tickets from £21. https://darksecretsexhibition.com/london/

Now – 19 April; Expecting: Birth, Belief and Protection Exhibition. Venue: Wellcome Collection, 183 Euston Road, London NW1 2BE. Free https://wellcomecollection.org/exhibitions/thirst-in-search-of-freshwater

Now - 25 May; Hawaiʻi - a Kingdom Crossing Oceans exhibition. Venue: British Museum, Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3DG. Adult tickets £18. https://www.britishmuseum.org/

Now to 16 May; Broken, Burnt, Buried. Exhibition of Egyptians objects deliberately broken as part of ritual and religious practices. Venue: Petrie Museum of Egyptian and Sudanese Archaeology, Malet Place, London WC1E 6BT. Free. https://www.ucl.ac.uk/museums-collections/

Now – 16 May; Witch/Craft. Art and Photography exhibition by Anne Jackson’s and Sara Hannant. Venue: St Barbe Museum, New Street, Lymington, Hampshire, SO41 9BH. Open Monday – Saturday 10am-4pm. Adult tickets £6. https://www.stbarbe-museum.org.uk/whats-on/exhibitions/witch-craft/?

Now – 13 September; The Material Heart: Front Line to Home Front. Exhibition of WWI folk art. Venue: Fashion and Textile Museum, 83 Bermondsey Street, London SE1 3XF.  Open: Tuesdays – Saturdays, 11am – 6pm. Tickets free with general museum admission ticket or a ticket to the Paint, Pattern, Print exhibition that's also on, costing £11.50. https://fashiontextilemuseum.org/

Now on; Vikings: The Immersive Experience. Venue: Dock X, Unit 1 Canada Water, Surrey Quays Rd, London SE16 2XU.  Opening hours: daily from 9am. Adult tickets from £23 and children from £16. https://vikings-immersive.co.uk/london/?

Now - 1 November; Exhibition: The Saxons. Opening day has talks, storytelling, crafts and other live events. Venue: Discover Bucks Museum, 9 Church Street, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, HP20 2QP. Time: Monday – Saturday 10am – 4pm. Sunday noon – 4pm. Adult tickets from from £5.90. https://discoverbucksmuseum.digitickets.co.uk/tickets

Every Tuesday to Sunday except over bank holidays; College of Psychic Studies -  pop in to have a look around the lovely building.  Venue: College of Psychic Studies, 16 Queensberry Place, London, SW7 2EB. Time: 11am-4pm. Free entry. https://www.collegeofpsychicstudies.co.uk

 https://www.collegeofpsychicstudies.co.uk/

Most lunchtimes and some other times: Meditation - in-person or online. In-person venue: Inner Space, 36 Shorts Gardens, Covent Garden, London · WC2H 9AB. Time: 1pm (for lunchtime meditation). Free. https://www.meetup.com/inner-space-covent-garden/events/

Every lunchtime: Rainbow Spirit offers a shared vegetarian lunch from a flat in Soho, London, for all people LGBT+Allies. The foundation is British witchcraft. Each meal is followed by Ancestor Circle, passing the talking stick. Alcohol-free event. To attend join the Whatsapp chat group: https://chat.whatsapp.com/LhDxaCzGsmE2YI6AReyw3W

or email: rainbowawakening1@gmail.com

Various dates; London Witches and Chilling History Bankside Walking Tour. Meet at Southwark View Point, Minerva Square, London, SE1 9DF. Times various. Tickets around £15. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/enthral-experiences-58960674733

Wednesday 15 April (and other dates and times); Viktor Wynd Museum Guided Tour and a Devil's Botany Absinthe. Venue: Viktor Wynd's Museum of Curiosities, 11 Mare Street, London E8 4RP. Time: 6pm. Tickets from £12. Price includes a Cocktail with Devil’s Botany. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/the-last-tuesday-society-viktor-wynd-museum-33776720489

Wednesday 15 April; Tarot Twins: Doppelgangers and Duals, workshop with Laetitia Barbier. Online via the College of Psychic Studies. Online event. Time: 6.30pm. Tickets: £90. https://www.collegeofpsychicstudies.co.uk/

Wednesday 15 April;  Manifestation Poppet Workshop. Venue: Crystal Wicca,  West Wickham, BR4. Time: 6.30pm. Tickets: £44. https://www.facebook.com/TheCrystalWicca

Wednesday 15 April (most Wednesdays); Gong Bath. Venue:  Akasa, 5a Prince Edward Rd, Hackney Wick,  London E9 5LX. Time: 7pm. Tickets:  from £23.46. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/sunita-kaur-34415293427

Wednesday 15 April (every Wednesday); Feeling Sound. Venue: She's Lost Control, 42 Valentine Road, London. Time: 7pm. Tickets: £18.  https://sheslostcontrol.co.uk/collections/all-events

Wednesday 15 April; Astrological  Sound Bath with Nicole Bettencourt Coelho. Venue: Treadwell's Bookshop, 33 Store Street, Bloomsbury London, WC1E 7BS. Time: 7pm. Cost: £30 per person.  https://www.treadwells-london.com/ or reserve a place by visiting the shop.

Wednesday 15 April (tbc but usually 3rd Wednesday each month); The More Mead Moot. Venue: The Hope pub, Carshalton, Surrey. Time: 7pm. Free. https://www.facebook.com/Pagan-FutureFests-352385661439366/

Wednesday 15 April; Enchanted Words for Strength. Class with Hannah Sanders via Treadwells Online. Time: 7pm start, delayed viewing available. Tickets: £15. https://www.treadwells-london.com/events 

Wednesday 15 April; Spring Witchcraft Practices. Workshop with Levannah Morgan via Treadwells Online. Time: 7pm. Tickets: £15. https://www.treadwells-london.com/events

Wednesday 15 April;  Researching the Weird and Wonderful. Talk by Dr Ciaran O’Keeffe online via The Viktor Wynd Museum of Curiosities and Last Tuesday Society.  Time: 8pm. Tickets ·from  £3.35. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/the-viktor-wynd-museum-amp-the-last-tuesday-society-12203346619

Thursday 16 April (most Thursdays); Shamanic Dance with Luisa Passalacqua. Venue near Wandsworth Town Station, London. Time: 11am. Tickets donations (or free) https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/luisa-passalacqua-16972493584?

 

Thursday 16 April; Awakening the Serpent Power. Venue: Wicca Moon, 50 Well Hall Road, Eltham SE9. Time: 2.30pm. Tickets £20. https://www.wiccamooninherservice.co.uk/ or https://www.facebook.com/wiccamoonuk/

Thursday 16 April (every Thursday); Midweek Meditation with the College of Psychic Studies. Online event. Time: 3pm. Tickets: free for members/£7.50 non members. https://www.collegeofpsychicstudies.co.uk

Thursday 16 April; Respell Your Reality with Lisa Lister. Talk and signing, Venue: Watkins Bookshop, 19-21 Cecil Ct, London WC2N 4EZ. Time: 5pm. Free but reserve a place https://www.watkinsbooks.com/events

Thursday 16 April; Swedenborg’s core texts: Afterlives: Influence and Legacy. Venue: Swedenborg House, 20/21 Bloomsbury Way, London WC1A 2TH. Time: 6pm. Tickets £3. https://www.swedenborg.org.uk/events/introducing-core-texts-swedenborgs-heaven-hell/

Thursday 16 April; The Art of Intuitive Colour. Start of 2-session course run by Tyrone Cusack, via the College of Psychic Studies. Online event. Time: 7pm. Tickets: £95. https://www.collegeofpsychicstudies.co.uk/

Thursday 16 April; May Folklore with Three Ravens. Talk and Soirée. Venue: Treadwell's Bookshop, 33 Store Street, Bloomsbury London, WC1E 7BS. Time: 7pm. Tickets: £10. https://www.treadwells-london.com/events

Thursday 16 April; Poetry Evening. Venue: Rudolf Steiner House, 35 Park Road, London, NW1 6XT. Time: 7pm. Tickets free https://www.meetup.com/rudolf-steiner-spiritual-science/events/

Thursday 16 April;  Robert Macfarlane and Jackie Morris on The Book of Birds: A Field Guide to Wonder and Loss. Vemue: The MCT at Alleyn's School, Townley Road, London, SE22 8SU. Time:  · 7.30pm. Book plus ticket: £45 (includes a signed copy of The Book of Birds, book RRP £35) Standard ticket: £12. Concession ticket (under 18): £10. https://www.village-books.co.uk/events/robert-macfarlane-and-jackie-morris-on-the-book-of-birds-a-field-guide-to-wonder-and-loss

Thursday 16 April; New Moon Women's Circle - Spring Renewal. Venue: East Dulwich Community Centre, 46-50 Darrell Road, London SE22 9NL. Time: 7pm. Tickets £16.96. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/bibis-circle-56277271483

Thursday 16 April;  Sister Sharing Circle by Claire The Soul Nurturer. Venue: Secret Soul Sanctuary, Sydenham Hill, London SE23 3PH. Time: 8pm. Tickets: £14.79. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/claire-the-soul-nurturer-35479207053

Friday 17 April (every Friday); Live Chat hosted by Rachel Patterson, author of Gods and Goddesses of England and the Kitchen Witch series of books. Online event. Time: 9am. Free. https://www.facebook.com/RachelPattersonbooks/

17-19 April; Inipi Sweatlodge Ceremony Weekend with Joseph Christlow organised by Aho Studio. In-person camping event. Venue: Berkeley farm, a few miles outside London. Tickets: Full event £210, day tickets from £70. https://www.aho.community/

Friday 17 April (1st and 3rd Friday each month); Pagan Portal Podcast by Moon Books. Time: noon (or listen to recording later). Free event. https://open.spotify.com/show/11N4kNj65tTz9NFUcZTMa7?

Friday 17, Saturday 18 April (and other dates); Stars In Their Eyes: A Zodiac Themed Tour of the British Museum by Sacha Coward. Venue: The British Museum, Great Russell Street. London WC1B 3DG Times 6pm/2pm. Tickets: £19.12. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/25512092243?

Friday 17 April; Way of the Witch monthly online circle with Samantha K. and Jacqui C. Time: 8pm. Tickets: £10. https://www.meetup.com/sammi-k-shamanic-practitioner-psychic-medium/events/

Friday 17 April; Hex and the City Walking Tour with  Maria Beadell of Herstorical Tours. Meet: Cowcross St, Farrringdon, London EC1M 6BY. Time: 8pm. Tickets: £25. https://www.herstoricaltours.co.uk/

Saturday 18 April; Strange Central: Mysteries, Monsters, Ghosts and UFOs. One-day conference with  London Fortean Society. Hybrid event. In-person venue: Conway Hall Ethical Society, London, WC1X 8. Time: 9.30am-5pm. Tickets from £12. https://conwayhall.ticketsolve.com/ticketbooth/shows/1173671347?f

Saturday 18 April; Special Event: Techniques of Prediction, talks by four top astrologers. Online event the Astrological Lodge of London. Starts 10am. Tickets £10/£15/£20. https://astrolodge.co.uk/

Saturday 18 April; Madder Mill Molly. Venue: various locations around London Bridge, SE1. Time: from 10.30am. Free, just turn up to watch. https://www.facebook.com/events/1272810307803031?

Saturday 18 April; Enhancing Your Mediumship Messages. Workshop with Tony Stockwell. Venue: The College of Psychic Studies, 16 Queensberry Place, London, SW7 2EB. Time 11am. Tickets: £130. https://www.collegeofpsychicstudies.co.uk/

Saturday 18 April (and other dates);  Reiki and Sound Healing. Venue: Hilton, 61 - 67 Great Eastern Street, London EC2A 3HU. Time: 11am. Tickets £30. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/121074557489?

Saturday 18 April (and other dates);  9D Transformative Breathwork. Venue: Hilton, 61 - 67 Great Eastern Street, London EC2A 3HU. Time: 12.30pm. Tickets £30. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/121074557489?

Saturday 18 April (every full and new moon); Moon Space online event via She's Lost Control. Time: 7pm. Tickets: £15.  https://sheslostcontrol.co.uk/collections/all-events

Saturday 18 April; Walking the Weirdstone. Archaeology and the Works of Alan Garner  lecture by Dr James Wright. Online event via the Folklore Library and Archive. Time: 8pm. Tickets:  £6.13. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/the-folklore-library-archive-68703440013?

Sunday 19 April; Group Constellation Workshop by Avideya. Venue: 30 Friern Watch Avenue, London N12 9NT. Time:  from 10am to 5pm.  From £53.80. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/avideya-30020254011

Sunday 19 April; Year of the Fire Horse. Start of three-session lunar experience with Crystal Wicca. Venue: West Wickham, BR4. All-day workshops. Tickets: £200 for the entire course. https://www.facebook.com/TheCrystalWicca

Sunday 19 April; Women's Forest Bathing in South Norwood Lake and Grounds. Meet at Sylvan Road, London SE25 4AN. Time: 11am. Free. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/parkbathe-34393467709

Sunday 19 April; Birthing the New Earth with 5D Energy. Workshop with Natasha Astara. Venue: The College of Psychic Studies, 16 Queensberry Place, London, SW7 2EB. Time 11am. Tickets: £130. https://www.collegeofpsychicstudies.co.uk/

Sunday 19 April (and other dates and times); Soul Restore Sound Healing. Venue: The Mandrake, 20-21 Newman Street, London W1T 1PG. Time: 11am. Tickets: £30. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/the-mandrake-17825575648

Sunday 19 April;  The Riddle of the Sphinx. Museum visit with London Wiccans. Venue: British Museum, Great Russell St, London WC1B 3DG. Time: 2.30pm. Tickets tbc. https://www.meetup.com/london-wiccans/events/313308728/?

Sunday 19 April;  Dawn of the Oak Pagan moot. Venue: The Sir John Oldcastle, Farringdon Road/Greville Street, London EC1M 3JF. Time: 3pm. https://www.facebook.com/groups/dawnoftheoak/ or  https://allevents.in/london/dawn-of-the-oak-london-pagan-and-heathen-meeting-15th-february-2026-tickets/80001854227648

Sunday 19 April;  Shamanic Breathwork Journey withg Linda Star Wolf. Online via the College of Psychic Studies. Online event. Time: 6pm. Tickets: £90. https://www.collegeofpsychicstudies.co.uk/

Sunday 19 April; Pagan Speed Folk Acoustic Night with PerKelt and guests.Venue: Top Floor, 6 Manor road, Stoke Newington,, London, N16 5SA. Doors open 6.45pm. Tickets: £16.75. https://www.skiddle.com/whats-on/London/The-Others/Pagan-Speed-Folk-Acoustic-Night-with-PerKelt-and-guests/42278085/

Sunday 19 April;  Works from The Witchcraft Series: Anne Jackson. Talk online via The Viktor Wynd Museum of Curiosities and Last Tuesday Society.  Time: 8pm. Tickets ·from  £3.35. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/the-viktor-wynd-museum-amp-the-last-tuesday-society-12203346619

Monday 20 April;  Meditative Art and Visualisation. Online via Rest Less Events. Time: 10am. Tickets £3.99 per class. https://events.restless.co.uk/event-calendar/

Monday 20 April; The Rise and Fall of Witch-hunting 1450-1700. Start of evening class course with Vanessa King via City Lit. Online event. Time: 3.15pm. Full fee: £139. https://www.citylit.ac.uk/

Monday 20 April; Beltane by Bibi's Circle. Venue: Rons Coffee House, Holdrons Arcade 135a, Rye Lane London SE15 4ST. Time: 6pm. Tickets free. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/bibis-circle-56277271483

Monday 20 April; Initiatory Wicca vs Solitary Witchcraft Class with Rebecca Beattie, author of Planetary Magic and Nature Mystics, via Treadwells Online. Time: 7pm start, delayed viewing available. Tickets: £15. https://www.treadwells-london.com/events 

Monday 20 April; The Cleveland Experiment: An Experimental Approach to Sufi Healing Phenomena, with Jamal Hussein. Online  presentation hosted by the Society for Psychical Research via Zoom. Time: 8pm. Tickets: Free for members/£5 non members. https://www.spr.ac.uk/

Monday 20 April;  Voodoo and Afro-Caribbean Paganism with Lilith Dorsey . Talk online via The Viktor Wynd Museum of Curiosities and Last Tuesday Society.  Time: 8pm. Tickets ·from  £3.35. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/the-viktor-wynd-museum-amp-the-last-tuesday-society-12203346619

Monday 20 April (tbc but usually every Monday); Tea With a Druid. Free online event by the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids. Time 8pm. https://druidry.org/ or https://www.facebook.com/druidry

Tuesday 21 April; Introduction to Astrology - The Houses. Part of series of astrology talks via Rest Less Events. Time: 2.30pm. Tickets £3.99 per class. https://events.restless.co.uk/event-calendar/

Tuesday 21 April (and other dates); Yoga for Mind, Breath and Body. Venue: Beckenham Place Mansion, Place Park, The Mansion, Beckenham BR3 1SY. Time: 6.15pm. Tickets: £12. https://www.beckenhamplace.org/whatson/

Tuesday 21 April;  Picturing The Dead: Spirit Photography c.1860-1940. Talk by Dr Helen Frisby via the Folklore Society online. Time: 7pm. Tickets £6. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/the-folklore-society-32190494089

Tuesday 21 April; Intermediate Tarot (Essential Spreads), Start of 4-part course with Adrien Mastrosimone via Treadwells Online. Time: 7pm start, delayed viewing available. Tickets: £150. https://www.treadwells-london.com/events 

Tuesday 21 April (and other dates); Cosy Candlelit Gong Bath by Claire The Soul Nurturer. Venue: Secret Soul Sanctuary, Sydenham Hill, London SE23 3PH. Time: 7.45pm. Tickets: £20.21. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/claire-the-soul-nurturer-35479207053

Wednesday 22 April;  Earth Day Ceremony with Sacred Earth Activism, Faith Bridge, Red Rebels, XR, Safe Landing and Movements.  Starts at Trafalgar Square, London, with gentle march toward Parliament Square . Time: 10.30am. Free. https://www.facebook.com/SacredEarthActivism

Wednesday 22 April (and other dates); Tea with a Medium. Venue: The Atlantis Bookshop, 49a Museum Street, Bloomsbury, London, WC1A 1LY. Time: 2.30pm  Cost £60 https://theatlantisbookshop.com/

Wednesday 22 April; A Quest into the Past, Present and Future Akashic Records. Workshop with Vicky Sweetlove. Venue: The College of Psychic Studies, 16 Queensberry Place, London, SW7 2EB. Time 5pm. Tickets: £90. https://www.collegeofpsychicstudies.co.uk/

Wednesday 22 April; The Grammar of Tarot. Start of 2-session course run by Laetitia Barbierk, via the College of Psychic Studies. Online event. Time: 7pm. Tickets: £120. https://www.collegeofpsychicstudies.co.uk/

Wednesday 22 April; Shakespeare's Magic and Creative Writing. Online Workshop with Bernadette Russell via Treadwell's Bookshop. Time: 7pm. Cost: £15 per person. Delayed viewing available https://www.treadwells-london.com/ or reserve a place by visiting the shop.

Wednesday 22 April; Book Launch: Treasures on Earth by Jeremy Harte. Venue: The Atlantis Bookshop, 49a Museum Street, Bloomsbury, London, WC1A 1LY. Time: 7pm. Tickets for talk free but reserve a place, signed book £15.99. https://theatlantisbookshop.com/

Wednesday 22 April; Woodland Cacao - Earth Day special with EcoMagic with London Woodland Witches and Pagans. Meet at the entrance to Queen's Woods, Queen's wood Road, London N6 5UU, to be led into woods to the ritual spot. Bring a torch and wear suitable clothing and footwear. Time: 7pm. Tickets £11.55. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/mani-woodland-witch-34325436803 or https://mani.org.uk/ or https://www.facebook.com/PaganFrontiersOfLondon.

Wednesday 22 April; A Short History of Celebrity Seances with Dr Kate Cherrell. Talk online via The Viktor Wynd Museum of Curiosities and Last Tuesday Society.  Time: 8pm. Tickets ·from  £3.35. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/the-viktor-wynd-museum-amp-the-last-tuesday-society-12203346619

Thursday 23 April - 5 June; The Everyworld Redux exhibition. Venue: Swedenborg House, 20/21 Bloomsbury Way, London WC1A 2TH. Time: 10.30am To 5pm, Monday To Friday With Saturday Openings. Tickets free. https://www.swedenborg.org.uk/events/the-everyworld-redux/

Thursday 23 April; Water by Jalal Ad-Din Muhammad Rumi with Haleh Liza Gafori. Online poetry reading and talk via Watkins. Time: 5pm. Free but reserve a place https://www.watkinsbooks.com/events

Thursday 23 April;  Drumming for Infinity. Venue: Wicca Moon, 50 Well Hall Road, Eltham SE9. Time: 6.30pm. Tickets  £15. https://www.wiccamoonuk.com/shop/ or https://www.facebook.com/wiccamoonuk/

Thursday 23 April; Crossbones Vigil to Honour the Outcast Dead of Crossbones Graveyard, Southwark. Location: Redcross Way, London, SE1 1TA. Time: 6.45pm for 7pm. Free, just turn up  You can also view the vigil online.   http://crossbones.org.uk  

Thursdays 23 April; Work with the Fae and Forest Elementals. Start of 2-session course run by Pixie P Carney, via the College of Psychic Studies. Online event. Time: 7pm. Tickets: £95. https://www.collegeofpsychicstudies.co.uk/

Healing in Everyday Life. Start of 6-session course run by Lars Muhl & Naleea Landmann, via the College of Psychic Studies. Online event. Time: 7pm. Tickets: £375. https://www.collegeofpsychicstudies.co.uk/

Thursday 23 April; PF London Beltane Open Ritual via Pagan Federation London. Venue: Pirate Castle, Gilbey's Wharf Oval Road NW1 7EA London, UK Time: 7.15pm. Entry £8 for PF members, £10 for non-members (cash only). https://www.facebook.com/PaganFederationLondon

Thursday 23 April;  James Macpherson’s Epic Journey with Dòmhnall Uilleam Stiùbhart. Talk online via The Viktor Wynd Museum of Curiosities and Last Tuesday Society.  Time: 8pm. Tickets ·from  £3.35. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/the-viktor-wynd-museum-amp-the-last-tuesday-society-12203346619

Friday 24 April; Welcome Women's Circle. Venue: Rudolf Steiner House | 35 Park Road, London, NW1 6XT. Time: 7pm - 9pm. Tickets: optional donation of £5 - £15. https://rsh.anth.org.uk/whats-on/

Friday 24 April  (4th Friday of the month);  The Wild Wood Tarot study group. Free online event. Time: 7pm. https://www.meetup.com/astrotarotkitchen/events/

Friday 24 April; Demonstration of Spirit Portraits with June-Elleni Laine. Venue: The College of Psychic Studies, 16 Queensberry Place, London, SW7 2EB. Time 7pm. Tickets: £30. https://www.collegeofpsychicstudies.co.uk/

Saturday 25 April; To Sleep Perchance for Psi. Full day event via The Society for Psychical Research (SPR). Venue: 1 Vernon Mews, West Kensington, London, W14 0RL. Doors open 9.45am. Tickets: Members £32/£25, Non-Members £38. https://www.spr.ac.uk/

Saturday 25 April; Crystals to Heighten Your Creativity. Workshop with Melissa Alley. Venue: The College of Psychic Studies, 16 Queensberry Place, London, SW7 2EB. Time 11am. Tickets: £130. https://www.collegeofpsychicstudies.co.uk/

​Saturday 25 April; Sacred Sweat Lodge. Venue: Shamanic Centre Caer Corhrain Kent. Run by Lynn Gosney. Time: noon Tickets £30, email lynn.gosney@hotmail.com for info and to book. https://www.facebook.com/shamaniccentrecaercorhrain/

​Saturday 25 April; The Warrior of Love Tarot by Luna Marie. Talk and signing, Venue: Watkins Bookshop, 19-21 Cecil Ct, London WC2N 4EZ. Time: noon. Free but reserve a place https://www.watkinsbooks.com/events

Saturday 25 April; An Afternoon with Goddess Lilith. Venue: Wicca Moon, 50 Well Hall Road, Eltham SE9. Time: noon . Tickets £55. https://www.wiccamooninherservice.co.uk/ or https://www.facebook.com/wiccamoonuk/

​Saturday 25 April; Caer Corhrain Shamanic Development Centre Beautiful Beltane Celebrations . Venue: Shamanic Centre Caer Corhrain Kent. Run by Lynn Gosney. Time: 1pm. Donations welcome, email lynn.gosney@hotmail.com for info and to book. https://www.facebook.com/shamaniccentrecaercorhrain/

Saturday 25 April; Connecting the Trees ritual with Trefor Wickens. Venue: Oxleas Wood, Crown Woods Lane, London, SE18 3JA. Time: 1.30pm. Tickets free. https://www.facebook.com/events/950316210811851/?

Saturday 25 April; The Kings and Queens in Tarot. Workshop with Amanda Watson, via the College of Psychic Studies. Online event. Time: 2pm. Tickets: £95. https://www.collegeofpsychicstudies.co.uk/

Saturday 25 April;  Woodland Beltane and Maypole dance with London Woodland Witches and Pagans. Meet at the entrance to Queen's Woods, Queen's wood Road, London N6 5UU, to be led into woods to the ritual spot. Time: 2pm. Tickets £7/£5. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/mani-woodland-witch-34325436803 or https://mani.org.uk/ or https://www.facebook.com/PaganFrontiersOfLondon.

​Saturday 25 April (and other dates); Magic, Mystics and Martyrs Walking Tour with  Maria Beadell of Herstorical Tours. Meet: Fish St Hill, London EC3R 8AH. Time: 7.30pm. Tickets: £18. https://www.herstoricaltours.co.uk/book

Sunday 26 April; Shamanic Journeying for Beginners. Workshop with Andréa Ararê. Venue: The College of Psychic Studies, 16 Queensberry Place, London, SW7 2EB. Time 10am. Tickets: £130. https://www.collegeofpsychicstudies.co.uk/

Sunday 26 April; Healing Through Ancestral Wisdom. Workshop with Frances Billinghurst, author of Contemporary Witchcraft and other books, via the College of Psychic Studies. Online event. Time: 10.30am. Tickets: £90. https://www.collegeofpsychicstudies.co.uk/

Sunday 26 April; Shamanic Group with Les Fuller. All welcome Venue: Woodford Church at 9 Grove Crescent, South Woodford, London E18 2JR. Time 11am-3pm. Tickets: £10. http://woodfordchurch.com/

Sunday 26 April;  Live Music and Meditation. Venue: Rosslyn Hill Unitarian Chapel, 3 Pilgrim's Place, London NW3 1NG. Time: 7pm. Free, but donations welcome. https://www.rosslynhillchapel.org.uk

Sunday 26 April; The Folklore and Women Course. Start of 6-session online course by Prof Diane Purkiss  via Seed Talks. Time: 5pm. Tickets £35 - £80. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/36463428713?

Sunday 26 April;  Medieval Necromancy and the Cursed Imagination with Sophie Page. Talk online via The Viktor Wynd Museum of Curiosities and Last Tuesday Society.  Time: 8pm. Tickets ·from  £3.35. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/the-viktor-wynd-museum-amp-the-last-tuesday-society-12203346619

For activities after these dates please visit my events page. 

Please note that I am not responsible for the content of these events except my own talks and workshops. Contact organisers directly if you have questions or to check ticket availability. Where a practitioner is offering information about magical healing, this is *not* medical advice. If you're running an event you want included, please email me at badwitch1234@gmail.com Also please note I earn commission for some links.

Rounding the Year: Helping Birds in the Nesting Season

Here's a coot sitting on a nest in Crystal Palace Park, near where I live. I took the photo at the weekend, but I've also been watching bluetits, magpies and other birds getting reading to raise chicks. 

I regularly go for walks in my local parks and see birds returning to the same sites each year, including coots at Crystal Palace. Sometimes they're successful, sometimes the weather is against them and the nests flood or a dry spell causes other problems. At the moment, avian flu is also killing many birds.

This year the RSPB is pointing out that bird feeders can spread diseases as birds congregate there, so it's best to pause them from early May to October. Only have them up in the colder months and keep them scrupulously clean. You can put out fat balls or mealworms during the breeding season. Better still, plant wildllife friendly flowers and plants in your garden.

Share your Pictures

Since my book Rounding the Wheel of the Year  came out I've been inviting people to share seasonal pictures, art, crafts, words and other creativity. I'd love to encourage readers to record what's happening in nature in various ways including photographs, as well as other seasonal journalling, musings, drawing, painting and crafting.

Here are ways to share the things you're doing or what you see out and about as the wheel turns:

• Leave a comment on this post about what you're up to
• Find my prompts to share on my Facebook Page: Lucya Starza Pagan Portals Author
• Share on Instagram with the tag #RoundingtheYear
  

Where to find Rounding the Wheel of the Year

My book offers more ways to acknowledge and celebrate the seasons in ritual, magic, folklore and nature. You can view Rounding the Wheel of the Year on Amazon, find it at esoteric bookshops or via my publisher Moon Books: https://www.collectiveinkbooks.com/moon-books/our-books/pagan-portals-rounding-wheel-year

(Please note: I earn commission from some links.)

Other previous Related Posts
https://www.badwitch.co.uk/2026/01/rounding-year-when-snowdrops-bloom.html
https://www.badwitch.co.uk/2026/02/rounding-year-daffodils-narcissus.html
https://www.badwitch.co.uk/2008/03/springtime-camellias.html
https://www.badwitch.co.uk/2026/01/rounding-year-flower-of-love-hope-or.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2024/03/rounding-year-too-soon-for-silver-birch.html
https://www.badwitch.co.uk/2026/03/rounding-year-damson-blossom-green-buds.html

Celebrating My Gothic Novel Erosion Being 2 Years Old

Two years ago my Gothic novel, Erosion, was officially published. I'll be celebrating the anniversary. 

I'm still hugely proud of my story about a group of friends finding an ancient burial site on an eroding Kent cliff. Rather than tell the authorities, they decide to do a seance to contact the spirit of the woman they believe is buried there. You can see a quote from the book in the graphic above.

It's a magical ghost story, but it's also about friendship over a summer by the sea. Here's the synopsis from my publisher Moon Books' website:

 ''It all began when we found the bones…'' This is the start of Erosion, a gothic novel set on the English coast, in 1987, the year of the Great Storm. Violent weather is but one of the problems a group of friends face when they discover an ancient grave inside a crumbling cliff and decide to unearth a skull. Supernatural mystery intertwines with the problems of human relationships, of earning money, of following dreams.

If you want a further taster, I blogged with a short extract from the text. You can find it here: http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2024/04/sea-magic-extract-from-erosion-my.html

Endorsements and Reviews

I'm still very grateful to Ben Aaronovitch, author of the Rivers of London series of novels, for writing the endorsement that appears on the cover of Erosion: 

"An elegiac tale of memory, growth and regret set along the crumbling coast of 1980s Kent." 

Other reviews have also been highly positive. Witch and author Ness Bosch wrote:

"Erosion is a great read. Lucya weaves a colourful story with great characters and the bittersweet emotional turmoil of the drama. Yes you need to get the bigger picture at the beginning, once you have it, it flows like water. 

"No only is it engaging but Lucya manages to transport us back in time, to younger years, to the intense emotions, the frustrations, the bravery, the fears. That is pretty good already, but on top of that is the magic inside the book, the mystery, I would say beyond Gothic. I see proper Necromancy in these pages. I even loved the name of the ghost."

Arietta the Crafty Witch has reviewed my Gothic novel Erosion on her YouTube Channel. You can find the link here. 

I put a few of the other comments I've received on an image that you can see below.

Where to Find my Books

Here are some of the places you can find Erosion and my other books:

• My publisher is Moon Books, an imprint of Collective Ink. You can see Erosion on the website via this link: https://www.collectiveinkbooks.com/moon-books/our-books/erosion-novel
• Before most shops had copies of Erosion, Treadwell's bookshop in London hosted a signing event. The shop still stocks copies of my titles. Pop in or order online. Treadwell's Bookshop is at 33 Store Street, Bloomsbury London, WC1E 7BS. The website is: www.treadwells-london.com/ .
• Paperbacks can be ordered from Bookshop.org, which supports independent bookshops.
• Erosion can be also be viewed on Amazon

(Note: I earn commission from some links.)

Other Previous Related Posts

http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2024/08/art-and-writing-coastal-erosion-and.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2024/04/video-launch-of-erosion-my-gothic-novel.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2024/04/my-gothic-novel-erosion-is-published.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2024/11/heres-how-to-read-my-christmas-ghost.html