St. John’s Eve in New Orleans
Ask a group of Pagans what the most important time of the year is, and they’ll usually answer “Samhain” or “Beltaine.” But ask someone from New Orleans, and they’ll most likely tell you that in the Big Easy, the high point of the…
What’s an Athame?
An athame is a knife used in Wiccan ritual. The name is usually pronounced “A-thuh-may” or “a-THAW-me,” but there’s ongoing squabbling about the “correct” way to say it, so bringing it at a Wiccan dinner party is a great way to start a…
What’s a Book of Shadows?
Amongst Wiccans and Witches, a book of shadows—often referred to as a BOS—is usually a collection of texts used in rituals, such as ritual scripts and stage directions, poetry and songs, spells, invocations, techniques and teachings, recipes, and sometimes ritual notes or journal…
Bad Magic
The energy, power, force of will, juju, positive thinking, or whatever you want to call the force that makes magic work is neither good nor bad. It’s like electricity—it can be used in ways that are good, bad, or somewhere in between. Anyone…
In or out of the Broom Closet
For as long as I can remember, Witches and Pagans have talked about whether or not they’re in the “broom closet,” meaning whether or not they’re out about their religion publicly. Whether to be in or out and who to come out to…
Pentacles and Pentagrams: What’s the Difference?
A pentagram is a five-pointed star, usually depicted as interwoven, or with the lines used to draw it overlapping. A pentacle is a pentagram with a circle around it. Pentagrams and pentacles have long been symbols of protection and warding off evil, and…
