In this modern age, we can communicate with most of our friends and family instantly. We relay messages by phone, text or Internet posts and in most cases, a response is immediate. Easy, fast and clear communication is what we expect today, no matter what part of the world we are trying to connect with. The Goddess is not a world away from us. Most agree that the Divine is WITHIN us and can be found in everything around us as well. So why then, do so many feel disconnected from a force that resides within them?
Continue reading Talking to the GoddessAll posts by Kardia
A Bountiful Garden of Life
A Bountiful Garden of Life
If your life was a garden, would it be full of weeds and unwanted pests or would it be overflowing with flowers and nourishing gifts from your Mother Earth? Negative thoughts and energies are like weeds in the garden of life. They pop-up everywhere and seem to grow much faster than the positive things we actually want to cultivate. Most of us feel like we are constantly battling weeds.
How Do Wiccans Celebrate Samhain?
Note: Due to seasonal differences, these celebrations are reversed in the southern hemisphere and Beltane activities would be appropriate there. Visit our Sabbat Calendar page for more information on celebrating Beltane.
Sunset on Samhain (October 31) is the traditional beginning of the Celtic New Year. This is the time of year our ancestors gathered the last harvest and brought the animals in from the fields. Today, few of us need to worry about harvesting crops or tending to animals. However, we can still honor this special Pagan Holiday through a number of traditional activities.
Continue reading How Do Wiccans Celebrate Samhain?Beltane Blessings
Note: Due to seasonal differences, these celebrations are reversed in the southern hemisphere and Samhain activities would be appropriate there. Please visit our Sabbat Calendar page for more information on celebrating Samhain.
April 30th | May 1st The May pole was a focal point of the old English village rituals. People would rise at the first light of dawn to go outdoors and gather flowers and branches to decorate their homes. Women traditionally would braid flowers into their hair. Men and women alike would decorate their bodies. Beltane marks the return of vitality, of passion.
Continue reading Beltane BlessingsA 20 Year Journey Into Wicca
Like so many others, I grew up surrounded by Christian friends and family. Thus, when I was introduced to Wicca and Witchcraft in 1997. I had a lot of misinformation to deal with before I could truly embrace these paths.
As I connected with Wiccans and Witches around the world, I discovered a warm, open-minded and very tolerant group of people. Some shared their love of aromatherapy, herbs or gardening with me, while others enjoyed talking about their connection with animals. Virtually everyone enjoyed the outdoors and had a deep respect for our Mother Earth. Contrary to what I had been taught in church, I found no “evil” in their beliefs or practices.
Continue reading A 20 Year Journey Into WiccaAre You a Spiritual Tourist?
What is a “Spiritual Tourist”? I recently stumbled upon this interesting topic in our forums. The concern was whether or not a person should be taking parts of different paths and religions that they liked to weave together into their own religious path. I wanted to share my thoughts on this topic.
A tourist is described as someone who travels. Most of us do this for pleasure. We want to explore new places, learn new things and expand our horizons. If a person wants to explore different religious beliefs, they can be described as a religious or spiritual tourist. I use the term SPIRITUAL tourist because RELIGIOUS tourist usually refers to those who travel to PLACES. In this article, we are focused on visiting the BELIEFS or traditions and practices of other religions, not their locations.
Will the Real God and Goddess Please Stand Up
One of the first things you discover when you begin to explore a Wiccan or Pagan path is that there are many different deities honored in these traditions. How do you know who to connect with? Are some gods or goddesses better than others? Many of us grew up being told there was only one true divine power. How can we be sure all these old deities are even real?
Continue reading Will the Real God and Goddess Please Stand UpSharing Pagan Beliefs With Christian Friends and Family
Are you hiding your true beliefs? It’s not uncommon for Wiccans and Pagans to keep their practices to themselves. Too many people still view these paths in a negative way. But this doesn’t mean you have to hide everything.
Even if your friends and family have different religious beliefs, you can often find ways to share your core beliefs through activities. For example, I have a sister who is a strict Christian, and in contrast, I embrace a Pagan path. We have little in common when it comes to our spiritual beliefs. However, the Divine blessings we both enjoy are nearly identical.
Continue reading Sharing Pagan Beliefs With Christian Friends and FamilyCan Wicca Be Used for Financial Gain?
There are thousands of money spells on the Internet. Do you need some quick cash to pay a bill? There’s a spell for that. Perhaps you’d like a new job or a nice raise, or maybe money for college. No problem! There are spells for those things too … and anything else you might need cash for. So with all these spells so easily available, why isn’t every Witch or Wiccan rolling in the dough?
Continue reading Can Wicca Be Used for Financial Gain?Choosing a Craft Name
Choosing a Craft Name
In Wicca, choosing a Craft name for use in ritual or magic is a common practice. Some Witches take names associated with their branch of the Craft (Welsh names in Welsh traditions, Saxon names in Saxon traditions, etc.). Others try to choose a name that reflects their personality or describes their interests or feelings. Selecting a name associated with a goal you are striving for is also a good option.
In some traditions, if you are in a Coven, your Craft name may be given to you by a Coven member. However, if you follow an eclectic path, you can choose whether or not you want a Craft name and what you want it to be. The choice is yours. You get to choose what you want to be known as before your God and Goddess. This is your chance to redefine who you are or who you want to become.
I chose the name Kardia Zoe because I was studying the Greek language at the time, and it reminded me to write from my heart (Kardia) when I write about life (Zoe). Today it’s easy to go online and find the meaning of words in other languages, so the possibilities are endless!
Just remember that energy follows thought, and a name that makes you think and feel about something positive, will be more likely to draw positive energy to you, than a name like Dark Cloud or Stormy. You might want to identify yourself with the name of something that you have a strong association with. A type of animal, tree, plant, or crystal are a few more examples.
The choice is yours. You can decide the name you want to adopt as your own. You may want to change it again when circumstances in your life change, or you may want to stick with it forever. Just remember, you are describing who you really are (or want to become) so choose your Craft name wisely!