Author: Paula Cas

I write fiction, non-fiction, verbiage for all our websites, and have been publishing my fan fiction on my various sites for many years. https://paulacas.com I am a Spiritual Medium and use Tarot cards as one my primary tools in doing readings. For 30 plus years have been doing readings in settings from my living room to truck stops. I tell you what Spirit wants you know for your betterment, not what you think you need to know. I’ve worked on computers since before there was such a creature as Windows. A Mountain Maryland native, but have spent years spent living in Oklahoma, Colorado, Texas, Oregon, California, Nevada, and Arizona. My husband, Oro Cas, and I spent 10 years driving tractor-trailer across the 48 contiguous states. Oro Cas and I produced and hosted Internet Radio shows on BlogTalk Radio, video productions on KDCL Media and Oro Expeditions YouTube Channels.

Genetic Caution — Dr. Gary Samuelson

In the past few years, we have become aware that some people in power (we are not exactly sure who) are developing genetic engineering technologies capable of synthesizing genetic code and testing it out on global societies. During the pandemic crisis, mRNA vaccines were developed (with much fanfare) containing genetic coding that forces our human […]
Genetic Caution — Dr. Gary Samuelson

These Shrimp Live And Die In The Woods

Over the years, I’ve met all kinds of strange creatures in the forest. Insects, mammals, mushrooms, and the occasional strange human are just a few examples.

But up until recently, I had never encountered shrimp-like creatures.

Truthfully, it never crossed my mind that the forest could accommodate such organisms. Besides pill bugs, which are often referred to as land shrimp, could anything shrimp-like actually live among the pin oaks and red maples? I didn’t think it was possible.

Until I learned about fairy shrimp.

Fairy shrimp are aquatic crustaceans that live and die in the woods. More specifically, fairy shrimp complete their entire life cycle within vernal pools. Eggs hatch in late winter. Larvae transform into breeding adults within a few weeks. By the end of summer, all fairy shrimp perish.

I recently spent a lot of time in the presence of fairy shrimp and decided to capture their short lives on film. To learn more about these amazing creatures, check out the brand new video!

You can watch the video here.

Thanks for reading and watching, and thank you for your continued support!

-Adam Haritan

Introduction to Spirit Journeying: Your Inner Sacred Grove — The Druids Garden

In the last two posts, we explored the preliminaries for spirit journeying: the preliminaries such as addressing issues like safety, believability, focus, and visualization and also doing an initial journey to find a guide that can assist you as part of your journeying work. The next step is to establish a safe space, a “home…
Introduction to Spirit Journeying: Your Inner Sacred Grove — The Druids Garden

HSA Webinar: Fairy Gardens Throughout the Ages (and How to Make Your Own)

The Herb Society of America Blog

By Julie Bawden-Davis

Hidden doorway in the forest floor Long before humans roamed the forests, fairies are said to have taken up residence in the cavities of trees, forming fairy houses where they took refuge. Dating back to the Middle Ages, fairy folklore says that these little beings possess supernatural powers.

Many believe that fairies come from the elements—in fact, from Mother Nature herself. For that reason, it makes sense to add fairies to your garden. Even better, adding fairy gardens to your landscape elevates the magic and mystery of your landscape.

How to Make Your Own Fairy Garden

Whether you believe in fairies or not, anyone can make their very own fairy garden. A wide variety of herbs work well in these mini wonderlands. In fact, the diminutive nature of some herbs, like thyme and oregano, makes them fairy garden favorites.

To create your own container fairy garden using herbs and fairy garden accessories, keep…

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Ancestral Spring Greens: “Viva La Italia”! — Gather Victoria

I am passionate about ancestral foods and none are more ancient than the wild greens known today as weeds. So in honor of International Women’s Day, I’ve decided to share these spring recipes from Gather Victoria Patreon, Wild Green “Erbazzone” Pies, and Wild Green Pancotto Soup. What, you may ask, do wild weedy greens such…
Ancestral Spring Greens: “Viva La Italia”! — Gather Victoria

MARCH MAGIC: BABA’S RED & WHITE SPIRAL COOKIES — Gather Victoria

“Spring has arrived, we will survive!” Old Romanian Saying Banish winter, bless the coming of spring, and ensure your face remains beautiful all year with these Rosehip & Raspberry Jam Spirals! They are my edible cookie version of the red and white magical talismans woven by Babas (old women or grandmothers) each March in Eastern…
MARCH MAGIC: BABA’S RED & WHITE SPIRAL COOKIES — Gather Victoria

Introduction to Spirit Journeying: Preparation — The Druids Garden

Spirit Journeying is a technique that we use commonly in the druid tradition, but it certainly is not unique to only our tradition. In fact, spirit journeying is what I’d consider being a core human spiritual practice, being used by different peoples throughout time. The more people that I meet who follow different traditions, and…
Introduction to Spirit Journeying: Preparation — The Druids Garden

What Field Guides Don’t Tell You About Mushrooms

Gary Lincoff said something interesting to me 8 years ago.

We were sitting at a picnic table during a mushroom foray in Pennsylvania. He just finished giving a presentation on edible mushrooms and agreed to sit down for an interview.

My plan was to ask him several questions about his life as a mycologist. The interview turned into a monologue instead. I asked Gary two questions and he spoke for 30 minutes. I didn’t mind. Almost everything he said was quote-worthy.

One statement in particular really caught my attention.

“Just to name mushrooms… after a while it gets boring.”

This surprised me. Gary was the author of one of the greatest mushroom field guides of all time. He must’ve thought that mushroom identification deserved at least some recognition. He led mushroom identification walks. He taught mushroom identification classes. He had a name for almost every mushroom he saw.

Yet there he was, admitting to me that names become boring after a while.

Before I could ask Gary to elaborate on his statement, he was already talking about the connections between plants and mushrooms, how he liked finding things that puzzled him, and how he really wanted to know the roles of organisms in the forest.

Collecting names, I realized, wasn’t Gary’s goal. It wasn’t mine either, and as I listened to his picnic table sermon, I was oddly reassured. Gary preached ecological literacy. His words were confirmation that humans are capable of connecting with nature in more fulfilling ways.

In a brand new video, I show you all the amazing things a single mushroom can teach you when ecological literacy is your goal.

You can watch the video here.

Thanks for reading and watching, and thanks for your continued support!

-Adam Haritan

HSA Webinar: Horticultural Therapy – Improving Health and Wellness

The Herb Society of America Blog

A girl and a woman planting herbs Have you ever said to yourself or others, “My garden is my therapy?” If you have noticed that you feel more relaxed and even rejuvenated after imbibing the beauty, fragrance, and even hard work in your garden, you are not alone! Gardening provides physical exercise, as well as a rewarding intellectual and emotional connection. When recognized on a personal level, it is not a stretch to see how people in a wide variety of care environments who are facing diverse personal challenges can benefit from professionally facilitated horticultural experiences as well.

Gardening in a raised bed as part of horticultural therapy The profession of horticultural therapy (HT) was formalized in the early 1970s, though people have sought out gardens and gardening activities for respite and health recovery well before then. The practice of horticultural therapy involves a plant-based activity, a horticultural therapist, client(s), and identified treatment goals and objectives. Either in a group or as individuals, clients participate in outdoor…

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Dreaming Primer: Lucid Dreaming, Dream Recall, and Exploring Dreamscapes for Creativity — The Druids Garden

The average human being will sleep approximately 229,961 hours over the course of their life. Dreaming, including working on dream recall and lucid dreaming, can offer us gateways to cultivating a rich inner life and in supporting our spiritual and creative practices. In many spirit-led cultures, dreaming and sacred dreams have a tremendously powerful role;…
Dreaming Primer: Lucid Dreaming, Dream Recall, and Exploring Dreamscapes for Creativity — The Druids Garden