I’m glad to be here on Pagan Song with my beloved friends the Crow Women, and pleased to offer you my thoughts about astrology for Samhain. Final harvest, cooling temps, a last feast, a definite feeling of joy and comradeship but also a knowing that big things are coming. Ritual is always serious at Samhain …
In autumn I begin harvesting my dried scarlet runner bean pods to have dry beans throughout the winter. Scarlet runner beans are an heirloom and many heirloom bean varieties are being rediscovered for their flavor and beauty. These beans have many uses throughout the seasons. Their scarlet flowers are a delicious edible flower in the …
Babalon’s Blood is a rich black cherry mead. Read on to follow along with the process as Sylvia and I make a splendid batch. This dark red mead is named for the goddess Babalon, a powerful deity of sexuality and power. One of my favorite chants by Sharon Knight honors three Great Goddesses, Inanna, Ishtar, …
A Ritual offering from Roki, the Kreaurabbit Another season changes, and my Crow friends are all a-flurry with fall rituals and activities. As usual, they make me giggle (i.e. twitch my nose happily) at their human naiveté. Yes, you should celebrate with a fall ritual, but all this singing and making muffins and dolls and …
I’m a writer. My inspiration grows in the fertile soil of my Garden of Dreams. You, dear reader, are a creator, too. Whether you create delicious food, stories or songs, happy children or empowering rituals, you need to nurture your own creative garden. When I was a girl, one of my favorite nursery rhymes was …
Bright sky, eagles take to fly, east wind blowsSun rise, far seeing eyes, blessed sight to knowthe path, the song, forever new, like the dawn, goes on and on calling me, shows the way to go. Calling the Elements, by Carole McWilliams, on our album Crow Magic This post continues my series on the elements. …
I composed my song Balance in All Things for use in group rituals for either fall equinox or spring equinox. That vision came to life this autumn in a Mabon ritual to bring balance. In this post, I’ll share that ceremony, with how-to instructions for you, dear reader. I hope you’ll incorporate these ideas in …
Mabon, the holiday of harvest feasting! When the “cakes and ale” moment comes in your celebration, pull out these glorious muffins for Mabon. It’s a perfect time to sing A Pagan Grace, too. I loved recording this delightful little song for our Seasons album, with Shannon and Alane. “Dear Goddess, we ask you to bless …
Initiation rituals are one of our most important rites of passage. We Crow Women are a close, close sisterhood! We have been circling for over 25 years, which has to be some kind of a record. There have been sisters who have moved away, and new crow women have been added to our nest. We …
While unpacking, I found this battered photograph of the Crow Women, and memories flooded back. In the picture we stand in front of the lake, smiles turned toward the camera as the sun sets. We are ready to set out to serve as Amazons. We are younger in the photo–women in the prime of life, …
