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.

Hawthorn Berry Brownie Cake w/ Hawthorn Berry Buttercream Frosting — Gather Victoria

What more appropriate treat could there be for an occasion of the heart like Valentines Day? After all, many herbalists consider hawthorn berries the ultimate heart tonic and every kitchen witch knows that bewitching hawthorn opens the heart to love. Heart-warming.& heart-strengthening, hawthorn heals, protects and uplifts heavy hearts, supporting us physically, emotionally and spiritually. …
Hawthorn Berry Brownie Cake w/ Hawthorn Berry Buttercream Frosting — Gather Victoria

Nature Connection, Wildcrafting, and the Wheel of the Year

The Druid's Garden

One interpretation of the wheel in terms of our own activity

The Wheel of the Year is obviously a powerful symbol, both in nature spiritual practices like druidry as well as more general neopagan practices. It resonates with something that is ancestral and connected–living by the cycles and honoring the seasons. A host of different traditions use some form of a yearly wheel, and when you join many traditions, the wheel of the year is a critical part of the practice. But what do these holidays mean? How do they actually connect to our lives? How do they connect to our local ecosystems, and how do the wheel holidays help us connect with nature? I consider these questions and argue for a wildcrafted wheel of the year rooted in your own observation, connection, and daily life in connection with nature.

As a druid for the last 16 years, I feel…

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Vulcan Salute

Entering The Sage Moon | New Moon Lunar Report

This New Moon on February 1st could be considered the most powerful new moon of the year!

This new moon takes place on both Imbolc and the Lunar New Year in the sign of Aquarius. This helps us begin the month with what feels like a clean slate ready for powerful new beginnings.

This new moon is also right in the middle of Venus direct an Mercury direct which further helps set the stage for brand new beginnings in our relationships and the ways we might connect with others.

With this new moon we are entering the Sage Moon Cycle. This represents the time of year to clear away any stagnant or stuck energy so that you can plant new seeds for the year ahead.

Each month using our planners, decks and the current astrology, we create the New Moon Lunar Report.

Read complete article at: Spirit de Lune ~ Entering the Sage Moon | New Moon Lunar Report

A 21st Century Wheel of the Year: Reskilling at Imbolc

The Druid's Garden

Imbolc–the first signs of spring (artwork by myself and my father, Mark Driscoll)

In a traditional neopagan Wheel of the Year, Imbolc is the holiday that offers the first signs of spring. Most traditionally, this is when the ewes began to lactate, and the snowdrops appeared on the landscape in the British Isles. In the age of climate instability, traditional seasonal interpretations become challenged for many reasons–not the least of which are climate disruptions. So how might we bring the holiday of Imbolc into the 21st century and think about what this holiday means to us today?

As I’ve discussed in earlier posts in this series, the 21st Century, the Age of the Anthropocene, offers us a set of unprecedented challenges and yet opportunities. As a permaculture designer, I think it’s important to recognize that while the problems we already face are unavoidable, these problems give us a…

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Daemon

An Incredible Herb Right Under Our Feet…or Above Our Heads

The Herb Society of America Blog

By Katherine Schlosser

For most of us, our garden tools are cleaned and stored, the holidays have passed, and we have a little more time to simply enjoy what we find in meadows, forests, fields, and even in our own backyards. Lichens can fill a part of the void we may be feeling. Their curious forms and means of growing and spreading, with which many of us are unfamiliar, can fill our minds with the wonders of things we normally pass without notice.

There are more than 5,000 species of lichen and lichen-dependent fungi in North America, with colors ranging from blues, lavender, yellow, red, orange, and gray to many beautiful greens. Color in lichens can depend on whether they are wet or dry. A major paint company even created a color they call Lichen to mimic the natural, earthy beauty of the organism. Perfectly described by Ed Yong in…

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Welcoming In The New Year And The New Moon

Mercury enters its first retrograde period of the year on the 14th of January in the sign of Aquarius. Mercury retrograde in Aquarius can have us questioning what areas we are feeling restricted by in our lives. Aquarius is all about freedom and liberation, so this retrograde could have you noticing the areas in your life where you need more expansion and movement.

On the 16th, Sun conjunct Pluto can help you step into your personal power and make decisions from a heightened perspective. There is also a desire and increased ability at discovering mysteries or uncovering secrets.

The Full Wolf Moon in Cancer takes place on the 17th. The moon is most at home in the sign of Cancer, and you too might find your focus on your home and family.

The Wolf Moon in the nurturing sign of Cancer could shift your attention towards the safety of your pack and your environment. You might feel like cleansing, blessing and protecting your personal space at this time. Listen to your instincts!

Read full article at: Spirit de la Lune ~ Welcoming in the New Year and the New Moon

Viola Species – Herb of the Month, Herb for the Heart

An Approach to Spiritual Retreat and Rejuvenation: Going Dark Week

The Druid's Garden

Perhaps now more than ever, the idea of taking regular retreats is a critical one. Last week, in my post on the Winter Solstice, I shared the deep need for restorative activities that allow us to heal, process, and deepen our practice–particularly in today’s age and as we move further into the age of the Anthropocene. Finding restoration activities are particularly critical because so many of us are languishing, dealing with the real effects of deepening climate change, dealing with the long-term upheaval and separation due to the pandemic, among a host of other issues. Thus, this week, I want to share one practice that I’ve developed over the years that is particularly helpful–I call it “going dark” or “inner life retreat.”