Patheos has been doing a blog challenge, asking people to answer the question of why they follow the path they follow in 200 words. This is my answer:
I am a syncretic Gaelic-Heathen pagan because I(…)
Author Archives: Lairbhan
Yarrow Charms
Yarrow is probably one of my favorite herbs to work with, magically. Lady Wilde tells us that it is an excellent magic herb and was sown into clothing (Wilde, 1991). She also mentions an Irish folk charm where ten yarrow leaves(…)
Book Review – Druidry and the Ancestors
I recently read Nimue Brown’s book Druidry and the Ancestors: finding our place in our own history. I was intrigued by the book’s title but approached reading it with some trepidation as I have felt ambivalent about the work of other(…)
St John’s Wort
St John’s Wort is a well known herb with a long magical history. It grows in Europe and can now be found in the United States, often by the side of the road. The plant’s yellow flowers bloom in the summer and the plant itself grows up to(…)
A Prayer for Sleep
“I am placing my soul and my body
Under your protection this night, O Gods,
Under your protection, O mighty ancestors,
Under your protection, O goodly-inclined spirits,
The Three who would defend my cause,
May(…)
How We See the Gods
One of the most basic aspects of paganism may be how we see the Gods. Our Gods, after all, have a concreteness to them that lends itself to imagery. We have myth, folklore, and ancient pagan artwork to pull from as we seek to imagine what(…)
A Prayer for the Dying
Death is always difficult for the living to come to terms with, although it is said that to die to this world is to be born into the Otherworld. One thing we, as modern pagans, need more of are prayers for the dying, to help the soul move on and to comfort the living left behind. This is a blessing from the Carmina Gadelica to be said at death. I have modernized it and made it more pagan….
Druids – What I Do, the meme version
One thing about the internet, there is never a shortage of memes going around. One that’s been making the rounds for a while is a Druid version of the popular “What I Do” meme. I decided it was time to make my own version, one that I(…)
Hagalaz
Having completed the first aett we move on to the second, which begins with Hagalaz.
Hagalaz looks like an English upper case “H” with the crossbar slanted downwards, and indeed it represents an “h” sound as well. This makes Hagalaz…
When Your Children and Your Ghosts Don’t Get Along
Sometimes my spiritual practice and my role as a mother come into conflict. One such incident happened several months ago and presented a unique challenge for me. I thought I would share it here to help any other parents who find themselves(…)