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February 2022

February 20, 2022

Magic is Fun!

I’m a serious writer who writes about serious matters, but even I know there’s a...

February 13, 2022

This Far and No Farther

Occasionally, Heinrich Heine has been right. Those who burned books ended up burning people. We...

January 2022

January 30, 2022

The 2000th Post on Under the Ancient Oaks

This is the 2000th post on Under the Ancient Oaks. Sometimes I’m a reporter, sometimes...

January 27, 2022

Are You Hexed or Are You Living in a Pandemic in a Dysfunctional Society?

When you can’t find ordinary explanations it’s time to start looking for magical explanations –...

January 18, 2022

Seeing the Reality of Gods, Spirits, and Magic

I’m convinced that almost everyone can experience the reality of Gods, spirits, and magic. It...

January 13, 2022

What Is Seen Cannot Be Unseen

You can always forswear magic. You can always go running back to Christianity, or to...

January 06, 2022

Hex Twisting: Countermagick Spells for the Irritated Witch

Diana Rajchel’s new book on curse breaking and other countermeasures is suitable for both beginners...

December 2021

December 12, 2021

The First Solstice: A Story That Never Was But Is Again

I look back on the mythical people who first observed the Winter Solstice. Like them,...

December 02, 2021

The Currents of Magic are Getting Stronger

Our world is becoming a more magical world, for good and for ill. There’s more...

November 2021

November 16, 2021

What To Do When You Think You’ve Been Hexed

Beginners worry about being hexed far too much. Spend your time building a good spiritual...

October 2021

October 31, 2021

Season of the Witch

Last week there were two excellent articles on witchcraft in major American publications. That acceptance...

October 19, 2021

Building For A Future We Won’t See

I’m used to my Gods not showing me Their plans. I trust Them and I...

October 10, 2021

What Kind of Witch Do You Want To Be?

It’s October, when the media remembers that witches are real and tries to use them...

September 2021

September 21, 2021

Magical Pictures on My Office Wall

It never occurred to me to bring pictures to work. When I finally did, I...

August 2021

August 29, 2021

All Magic Comes With a Price and That Price is Change

Do magic deeply enough for long enough and you’ll find there’s a price on the...

July 2021

July 29, 2021

What to do when a Pagan is Wrong on the Internet

People are wrong on the internet all the time, and arguing with trolls accomplishes nothing....

July 25, 2021

Elves, Witches & Gods

Cat Heath’s new book Elves, Witches & Gods is grounded in what we know about...

July 20, 2021

Miracles, Myths, and Magic

If you’re in a difficult situation, do what you can to improve it, or to...

July 01, 2021

Is it a Spirit or is it Energy?

Are energy and spirits the same thing? Does energy have a spirit? Is energy a...

June 2021

June 22, 2021

Structured Rituals vs. Free-Flowing Rituals

Is it better to structure rituals carefully or just go with the flow? There are...

June 03, 2021

9 Ideas For Magical Workings

It’s fairly easy to come up with a spell to address a clear and immediate...

June 01, 2021

A Magical Challenge

I work magic every full moon, but lately I’ve been setting my sights awfully low....

May 2021

May 09, 2021

Why Are Pagan Groups Cash-Poor?

Both in our personal affairs and in our religious communities, too many Pagans simply don’t...

April 2021

April 29, 2021

Why I Block Every “Law of Attraction” Account I See

Do I have a serious point to make here or is this a “get off...

April 15, 2021

Paying Attention to Changes Between the Worlds

I have a theory (that’s more like informed speculation) of what’s going on between the...

April 04, 2021

The Irregulars

The Irregulars grabbed me. It’s not great, but it is good. The 8-episode series dropped...

March 2021

March 16, 2021

Why I Couldn’t Work Magic Without The Gods (even though others could)

A commenter said the best way to work magic is to “ditch the Gods.” Some...

March 11, 2021

For Those Coming Into Their Power

Recently I saw a social media post by someone complaining that no one had contacted...

February 2021

February 23, 2021

Interpreting Dreams, and Why I (Probably) Can’t Do It For You

While I do my best to answer spiritual questions, I rarely have much to offer...

February 21, 2021

Setting Expectations for Spiritual Experiences

I’m thankful for stories of otherworldly experiences. When we tell our stories we give other...