Hello There

My thoughts about Traditional Witchcraft, Wicca, cooking, gardening, and anything else that catches my fancy.

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

New Home and "The Black Toad"

I've not written in a while for a few reasons. One, I moved into my new place around May 5th and it's taken some time to get settled in. I literally moved just across the street, but the new place is up a flight of stairs and was a nightmare to get everything in to. I am much happier in my new home, however, now that I am settled in. I now live in a kind of free-standing "tower" with no neighbors, so it's much quieter (I was having problems with noise from the apartment above me in the old place.) Also, my new kitchen is much larger so I am finally able to cook for real again!

In Witch news, Gemma Gary has a new book coming out called "The Black Toad: West Country Witchcraft And Magic." I recently got the updated version of her first one (I have the original as well) "Traditional Witchcraft: A Cornish Book of Ways." Here is a description from the website,
Troy Books.

"Described within The Black Toad is a collection of some of the fascinating magical practices and lore of the West Country’s cunning folk and early modern witches;  ways that have survived and evolved within the rarefied Craft of the area’s modern day witchcraft practitioners of the old persuasion. As this book affirms, these ways of the Old Craft and Cunning Arte include a belief in and working relationship with the spirit forces of the land, the Faerie, animal and plant lore, as well as the magical use of Psalms to cure or curse, the invocation of Christ and the power of the Holy Trinity."

Sounds amazing, yes? I very much look forward to it and hope it becomes available soon.

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

An Initiation, and Happy Beltane

I am very proud and pleased to announce that on Sunday, April 29th I became an initiate of The Unnamed Path. For those who don't know, the Unnamed Path is a shamanistic, magical tradition for Men Who Love Men. I've been studying with Hyperion, the founder, for the past year and a half. It's been a remarkable and life-changing journey, and I feel very privileged to have been given the opportunity to work with a group of such wonderful and dedicated people. Congratulations as well to all of my Brothers who were also received into the Path along with me on that magical day! As with any tradition, initiation in a sense is only the beginning, and I now look forward to a lifetime of working with, and dedication to, the Unnamed Path and its practices and Gods.

Also, happy  Beltane to all of my readers and friends! I don't have any particular plans for the holiday, but I hope that everyone's rituals and celebrations are awesome and that you all have an amazing and magical day!