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, …
In this series of posts, we’ll take a journey through the stages of group development that all groups go through. A pagan circle is like any other group—it follows predictable patterns of human behavior. I taught a class on group dynamics throughout the 28 years when I worked as a psychology professor, so I’ve thought …
Forming a New Pagan Circle: Group Development, Part 1 Read More »
Moon magic is one of my favorite types of magic! In this article, I’ll lay out a ritual I led for the Crow Women that revolved around some of my favorite pagan moon songs. You realize that, in addition to being a musical group, the Crow Women are a very active women’s circle, right? We …
As Lughnassad approaches, I am excited to harvest my favorite fruit for mead making: wild plums. The fruit heavily loads down the branches of a tree behind my house as I wait in anticipation until they have ripened to sweet perfection. Which is perfect timing for giving thanks at the first harvest festival feast, and …
As I believe we’ve already established, Crows have a close relationship with the elements. To become an elder Crow, one must have spent at least a year dedicated to each element: earth, air, fire, water, and spirit. Because we have each designed many, many rituals centered on an element, we have also written several pagan …
Deep down, deep into the earth my roots goDraw up Earth Mother power, she will help me growRise up, fill me, give me life, strengthen meA mighty tree, nourishing power from below from Calling the Elements by Carole McWilliams Indigenous people around the world have honored the Earth Mother for thousands of years. They understood …
Crow Magic was my first foray into recording with the Crow Women. Imagine my elation when our most prolific and arguably most talented songwriter Alane Crowomyn asked me to sing a lead on one of her songs. If only because of that, Farewell, My Familiar holds a special place in my heart. But it isn’t the …
The Tarot are keys. Keys that allow us passage through the doorway of the mind, and entry into the territory of the spirit – the province of the divine. ~ Umbrae Alone. I clear the table, light the candles and gently take my tarot cards out of their box. They are thick and stiff and …
Creating sacred spaces that reflect the environment where you live is a part of ecomancy: the magic of connection to place. I am fortunate to live on several acres of land in the hills outside my hometown, and enjoy a buffer zone of privacy in all directions from my house. I have created four altars …
