In Hag Stone Journal, I always try to connect to what is going on outside– what is happening seasonally. I want to connect us to the weather, the moon, and other natural cycles. I wrote in the Wander issue of Hag Stone Journal about the health benefits of spending time amongst the trees . I have found […]
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Add a quiet sacred moment to your holidays with Icelandic Christmas
Christmas is a time that is totally made for seeing the magic and creating the sacred. Christmas is meant to be so filled with the spirit of sacredness that it bursts out and sets the world aglow. The sacred is here, but stress about money, shopping, body image issues, and family drama can also be […]
Read More...The Cailleach
Happy Solstice! Winter has officially begun in the Northern Hemisphere. And bringing the brutal winter winds and blankets of snow is the Cailleach, The Storm Hag. The goddess of winter and wilderness who creates tempests in the seas and covers the land in snow. Cailleach literally translates as “old woman” or “hag”, and comes from […]
Read More...Shinrin-yoku, forest bathing
In Japan they have a practice known as shinrin-yoku, or forest bathing. Forest bathing is the practice of spending time in nature for its healing effects. Studies pioneered in Japan revealed that being in nature improves attention, cognition and empathy; reduces anxiety and depression; and helps manage symptoms of ADHD. Japanese scientists have led the […]
Read More...Philadelphia Krampuslauf/Parade of Spirits
This weekend we attended the 8th annual Krampuslauf/Parade of Spirits in the Northern Liberties neighborhood of Philadelphia. According to their website , their inaugural parade in 2011 was picked up by NPR and heralded Krampus culture in the U.S.. Krampus has been enjoying some recent notoriety in the U.S.. There are Krampus sweaters, Krampus art aplenty […]
Read More...Frau Holle, the Germanic Winter Goddess
Frau Holle, or Holda, is the Germanic goddess of agriculture and women’s crafts, and is celebrated with a midwinter festival. She lives at the bottom of a well, and first taught women the craft of spinning flax. Holle or Holda is also associated with witchcraft, and leads an army of witches riding distaffs. According to […]
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