Whiskey & Spice Milk Punch w/ A Magical Touch of Heather — Gather Victoria

Happy Imbolc! In celebration, I’m sharing this recipe for Whiskey Milk Punch from the Gather Victoria ECookery book (for Gather Patrons) which is called Scailtin in Ireland. It can be dated back to the 1700s where it was commonly served in a punchbowl and drunk warm in a mug – but I’m serving it over…

For years I considered Imbolc, just another extra holy day to be observed. It didn’t hold a lot of personal resonance with me, and this can feel true for many individuals when it comes to the pagan holy days or witches’ Sabbats. Simply reading about the day’s history and traditional observances, learning the myth of an associated deity; or making Brigid’s cross every year because that’s just what you do, leaves some wanting for relevance and deeper meaning. Celebrations like Samhain and Beltane are outwardly witchy and their symbolic associations are self-evident. While every day can’t be Samhain, (unfortunately!) additional occult understanding of the Sabbats can be discerned by looking at them holistically. By looking not just at one Sabbat, but three; the Sabbat in question, its predecessor and the one following, we can gain additional insight into the story being played out by the stars. Think of…

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Attack Of The Invasive Asian Beauty Fungus (new video + Q&A opportunity)

Greetings!

Over the past few years, I’ve received countless emails and messages with lots of great questions pertaining not only to plants, mushrooms, and trees… but also to my background, study habits, and thoughts on a particular subject.

As a way of making this information available to more people, I thought I’d film a video dedicated solely to answering your questions.

If you have a particular question that you’d like me to answer, simply reply to this email and let me know. I can’t promise that I’ll be able to answer every question, though I’ll do my best to address as many as I can!

Again — all you have to do is hit “reply” to this email to ask your question. The Q&A video will be filmed sometime in February.

Moving forward, let’s discuss a lesser-known subject within the discipline of invasion ecology.

Fungi.

When fungi are mentioned in the context of invasion ecology, we usually read about the effects of invasive plants and animals on native fungi.

But what about fungi as invaders? Are there such things as invasive mushrooms?

According to most ecologists, the answer is a resounding “yes.” Fungi certainly have the ability to leave their native dwellings and establish themselves in new ecosystems… oftentimes, and not surprisingly, with the help of humans.

One such fungus with the perceived ability to travel the world is the Asian Beauty. Native to Asia, this fungus was first documented in North America only 10 years ago.

Could this fungus be an invasive species? Or have we simply been overlooking its presence on the North American continent for centuries?

That’s the topic of this week’s brand new video, so if you’re interested in learning more about the wayfaring fungus known as the Asian Beauty — and about the broader topic of invasive mushrooms — check it out!

Winter is a great time to observe common plants wearing new outfits. Tall Thimbleweed is one such species whose winter plants scarcely resemble their summer counterparts, though many people would agree that Tall Thimbleweed is most attractive during the coldest months of the year. Have you seen Tall Thimbleweed lately? Check out this Instagram post to learn more!

Click to view post

Thanks for reading and watching, and if you have a question that you’d like me to answer on video, hit reply and let me know!

-Adam Haritan

Cycles of Nature, Cycles of our Lives: Allowing for Fallow and Abundance in Spiritual Studies

The Druid's Garden

Preamble: Now that I’m the Grand Archdruid of AODA, starting in 2020, I will be doing one AODA Druidry-based post a month. A lot of my posts are already tied with AODA practices as it is my core spiritual practice, but I wasn’t always as explicit about it as I will be now! 🙂 All of these posts, while framed in the context of AODA druidry, will be applicable to many different kinds of nature-based spiritualities and druidries.

A beautiful cardinal flower in late summer

The Wheel of the Seasons offers us many lessons and one of the core principles in AODA is the principle of the Cycle and Season. In Western Pennsylvania, where I live, we have a growing season that runs from May to late October. That us, from Beltane to Samhain, during the light half of the year, we can grow vegetables, forage berries, and be…

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Chinese New Year – 2020 Year of the Rat: What is it and what does it symbolise

Clearing Space for the New; New Moon in Aquarius…

Good Witches Homestead

Today, January 24^th, we have a New Moon in Aquarius @ 1:42 pm PST (4:42 pm EST). This is our first New Moon of the Year and can help us to set the tone of our year, and even our new decade. Tomorrow, January 25^th, we celebrate the Year of the Rat ~ the Rat is the first zodiac sign of the Chinese Calendar and so we have a lot of new beginnings this year of 2020. Rat is yang energy and represents the beginning of a new day. The Rat Year is a time to develop your abilities, to think out of the box and to be resourceful and creative. The metal element signals renewed ambition and a desire to fulfill unmet needs. And during a Rat Year, you are encouraged to take care of yourself and not worry about others.

Aquarius Moon energy is…

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Sage Moon Cycle Lunar Report

Spirit de la Lune Sage Moon Lunar Report

This is the first official New Moon of the New Year and can bring about some intense emotions and dynamic mood swings.

This New Moon is square Uranus which can cause some big changes, unpredictable energy and intense moods.

This New Moon is in Aquarius and Capricorn depending on your location and time zone. Aquarius gives you an imaginative outlook and Capricorn can help you focus that into something tangible!

A new moon marks the end of the last 28 day cycle and the first day of the new one. This is a great time to set intentions for the cycle ahead. Each month using our Tune to the Moon Planners and Decks as our guide we put together the Moonthly Lunar Report to help us navigate the new moon cycle ahead.

Grab a cup of your favorite warm beverage and scroll down to see what this new moon cycle has in store for you!

Read original article at: Spirit de la Lune ~ Sage Moon Cycle Lunar Report

3rd Moon of Winter 2020

Self Love

CRYSTALS + PRACTICES TO MAINTAIN SPIRITUAL ALIGNMENT

Crystals + Practices to Maintain Spiritual Allignment / Alignment -- power word for 2020 that keeps you in the flow of synchronicity, your soul's vision, and your life purpose.

Alignment: power word for 2020. If you follow spiritual circles or teachers, you may have been hearing this word a lot.

The energy of 2020 is lined up to help us build our foundation for the next level of our success, fulfillment, Grace, health, new phase or story, but the key is setting this foundation in a way that is in alignment with our true heart’s desires and souls.

What does spiritual alignment mean? Simply put: embodying your soul’s truth and authentic feelings and desires.

What does alignment look like? Making choices and taking actions from that authentic place within, that keep you on your path and bring you towards deep fulfillment. It keeps you in the flow of synchronicity, magic, and Universal collusion — not to mention in a place of authentic joy.

It’s saying yes to YOU, your needs, feelings, honoring your soul’s vision, and saying “no” or “not right now” to anything that is out of alignment.

It could be career choices, relationships, where you live, right down to what you eat, how you pray (or not), and the small choices and decisions that make up your daily life.

It can look like buying the bright green couch that your friend thinks is hideous, because the color thrills you. Or saying no to the second date with the person who looks great on paper, but who just didn’t vibe right with you. It could be quitting the job, selling the apartment, moving to the country, getting a dog, and starting a lifestyle blog, because that fills you with fuzzy joy right down to the tips of your toes.

And, most importantly, it feels right.

Sounds like a magical way to live? IT IS. In every sense of the word.

BUT, for most people, there are inherent challenges to living an authentic life that is in alignment with their heart and soul.

Why? Let me count the ways: