Pagan Holly

I have mixed feelings about this time of year. On one hand, it betokens the increased obligations and sometimes-draining social interaction of the school year. On the other hand, fall is my favorite season: the leaves are changing color, the weather is getting cooler, and all that social interaction is actually pretty good for my mental health. It seems appropriate to celebrate the autumn equinox and usher in a time of changes both challenging and refreshing. Mabon is the autumn equinox, which is when the sun appears to rise due east and set due west when observed from the equator. On the equinox, the equator is the closest part of Earth to the sun. After the autumn equinox in September, the northern hemisphere starts to tip away from the sun, which results in shorter days and cooler temperatures. The autumn equinox marks the end of summer and the beginning of fall. Although the term “equinox” means “equal night,” we don’t actually have exactly twelve hours of day and twelve hours...

I’ve reached a point in my Paganism where I feel ready to start crafting spells and rituals. In preparing to do so, I learned something surprising. Am I really a new Pagan? Is the premise of this blog a lie? Because as it turns out, I already have a Book of Shadows, and it’s ten years old. While I’m fine with writing drafts of stuff in my all-purpose notebook, I knew I wanted a designated place for final copies of spells, prayers, invocations, and the like. I usually have unused notebooks lying around and I recalled one that would work well: small, unlined, with a handmade black paper cover stamped with gold designs. When I fished it out, I was surprised to realize that it wasn’t unused; in fact, it had already been used for that exact purpose. Ten years ago. In January 2009, I was newly returned to university after winter break and high on the realization that I was an adult alone in a big city where I could go shopping for books on witchcraft if I wanted. I chose Scott Cunn...