The Real History of the Summer Solstice

Spoiler: It’s not good news. The modern 8 High Days of the Pagan calendar (or wheel of the year) comes from early Wicca, which based much of its traditions from Celtic and occult sources. Over nearly a century, we’ve become better at understanding the practices and beliefs of our pagan fore-bearers, but we can’t simply

How to Make Pagan Offerings: Reciprocity and the Cosmos

Pagan ritual is not Christian ritual. And it’s not like any other Abrahamic rituals. To understand why we do what we do in ritual, we need to understand the larger context behind why we do ritual and how to think of ritual. This article will deal with some theoretical concepts. Not every Pagan will agree

How Can a New Pagan Celebrate the Winter Solstice?

These are the darkest days of the year. Insofar as we today — and polytheists of the past — felt that it is important to celebrate the return of the sun, we have celebrated, feasted, and made offerings around this time. The word solstice comes from the Latin words meaning “sun” and “to stand still”

Pagan Celebrations for the Ancestors: Beyond Samhain

Most pagans know the term “Samhain.” In fact, you probably learned about it in your very first year of being a pagan. However, there are many pagans who are not Wiccan or Irish Celtic Recons, and who do not want to celebrate this specific holiday. What do we do at this time of year? This