Have you told your friends and family about your spiritual path yet? How did the experience go? Share your thoughts below in the comments!

Here's my 5 tips for making the process a bit easier:

1: You Don’t Need (or Should) Tell Everyone

For me personally, I only tell people who are close friends and family about my spiritual beliefs. I would avoid telling people like your boss or landlord about your spiritual path because it’s not usually relevant and it could negatively affect your life.

Now this is of course easier said than done for some people. If you’re living with parents that are extremely religious, you have two options: you can practice your spiritual beliefs in secret until you're old enough to move out or you can tell them.

I personally chose to keep my practice a secret until I became an adult and moved out but you should do whatever your intuition is guiding you towards. So before choosing to tell someone, make sure it feels right and that it makes sense to tell them.

2: Be Prepared for Questions

If you do decide to tell someone, be prepared for some of the questions they might ask even if the questions appear silly or insulting. I actually recently did a video on how you can respond to some of these common questions so I’ll link it here if you’d like to check it out.

It might also help to have some resources prepared so if they want more information you can direct them to your favorite book, article, or video about your beliefs.

3: Phrasing is Important

Let’s compare two ways of telling people about your beliefs. Imagine you’ve decided to tell your parents and you say “I’ve decided to be a witch so I’m no longer going to go to church with you or celebrate any Christian holidays like Christmas.”

Something that antagonistic is probably not going to go over well.

I would begin with a statement like “I’ve discovered a new spiritual system is really fulfilling and makes me feel more connected to the divine. I know you might have different feelings or perceptions towards Paganism so I’d like to answer any questions you may have about this belief system.”

This way you're setting up more of a two way conversation. Instead of just telling people about your path, you’re listening to their concerns and have an opportunity to assuage any fears they may have about your spirituality.

4: Don’t Let the Haters Get to You

As a pagan that has an online presence I definitely get a lot of haters. Sharing your beliefs and putting yourself out there means you’ll need a bit of a thick skin.

It’s unfortunate, but there are many religious people out there who will automatically assume you worship the devil or say that you are going to hell. For the most part, their negativity about witchcraft and paganism has been ingrained in their head from an early age and it’s unlikely you will be able to change their mind. Ultimately, haters gonna hate, so just try your best to ignore these hate comments and not allow that negativity into your life.

5: Don’t Thrust your Beliefs on Others

One of the best things about this spiritual path is we don’t proselytize. While spreading the word and converting others is a core tenet of Christianity, Pagans on the other hand don’t feel the need or desire to convert others.

We know this spiritual path is not for everyone trying to force others to accept or conform to our beliefs goes against our ideas about free will. So if you’re talking to a casual acquaintance at a party and the topic of religion comes up. You don’t need to lie - go ahead and tell them about your beliefs if you feel comfortable doing so. But there's no need to push those beliefs on others.

There’s a fine line between ‘coming out of the broom closet’ and insisting that your path is the best and that others should follow it as well. Paganism and witchcraft is not for everyone - and that’s ok. We’re kind of a small group when you compare us to other religious groups but in my view that can be a good thing.

You, me, and other followers of this path - we’re part of an amazing community. So if you’re ever feeling down about all the haters or worried about feeling accepted, remember that there is a whole group of like minded people out there to give you support and help you along this path!

Recently I’ve been obsessed with The Witcher series on Netflix. While this show is based in a fantasy universe, it is largely inspired by Slavic mythology. In the show we see several fascinating creatures from the Slavic mythos, such as the Striga and the Kikimora.

This show has made me realize how little I know about Slavic Paganism and has really inspired me to seek more knowledge about this topic. So, I've done some research and in my video linked below you'll find some introduction information about Slavic Paganism.

Early Slavic paganism has been a challenge for historians to study. Unlike Greek & Roman paganism there is no existing original source material because the early Slavs left no records of their gods, prayers, or rituals. The only texts we have is through secondary sources, which were mostly written by monks during the period when the Slavic states were Christianized. However, The Slavic peasants were not Christianized to the extent that other areas of Europe were so a lot of the religious customs from Slavic Paganism were preserved as Folk traditions.

There are numerous deities in Slavic Paganism, many of whom have dual aspects. The deity Rod, is a creator God and considered a father god to many other figures in Slavic mythology, such as Perun, a god of thunder and the sky. His opposite is Veles, who is associated with wild animals, the Underworld, and magic.

The best known Slavic deity here in America is probably Czernobog who was the incarnation of darkness. In Slavic lore, Czernobog decided he wanted to control the world and universe, so he turned into a great black serpent. Svarog, The God of Celestial Fire, knew that Czernobog was up to no good, so he took up his hammer and forge and created additional gods to help him stop Czernobog. When Svarog finally called for aid, the other gods joined him to defeat Czernobog before he could take over the universe.

In the Slavic creation stories there began with only darkness, inhabited by Rod, and an egg that contained Svarog. The egg cracked open, and Svarog climbed out; the dust from the eggshell formed a sacred tree which rose to separate the heavens from the sea and the land. Svarog then used gold powder from the underworld to create a world full of life, and then he created the sun and the moon. The debris from the bottom of the egg was gathered and formed to create humans and animals.

While there are many variations of this creation story, they almost always include two deities, one dark and one light, representing the underworld and the heavens.

One very popular figure from Slavic Folklore is of course the Baba Yaga. Baba Yaga is a supernatural being who appears as a deformed or ferocious-looking old woman. In Russian fairy tales, Baba Yaga flies around in a small cauldron, and dwells deep in the forest in a hut usually described as standing on chicken legs.

Like other Pagan religions, Slavic rituals were based on agricultural celebrations and the movement of the Sun and the Moon. One important celebration is Velja Noc, which falls in March and is considered the Slavic New Year’s Eve since the Pagan Slavs followed the Lunar calendar. On this day shamans wear elaborate masks and coats of sheep wool and roam around the villages to welcome the spirits of the ancestors so that they may celebrate the new year with their living relatives.

Today there is a strong resurgence of interest in Slavic Paganism and I’m excited to see that Slavic folklore & deities are still remembered and honored across Eastern Europe and beyond.

I hope you enjoyed this short introduction to Slavic Paganism. Share your favorite Slavic deity in the comments. 👇

Pagan altars come all shapes and sizes and I have several in my home. I use my fireplace mantle as an ever changing altar space that I rotate with the seasons. For Yule this year I’ve decorated my mantel with several different items that I connect with this particular season and holiday.

For me the best altars are ones that incorporate a lot of nature and don’t take much money to create. So for this year I used mostly items I already had around my apartment and items I could source from nature. I have a list below of the items I’m using for my Yule Altar but keep in mind that your altar may look very different and that you should include items that you spiritually resonate with & aspects of nature that best reflect where you live.

Yule Altar Items

Altar Cloth: This year I used an old scarf with a pine tree motif as my altar cloth.

Local Greenery: As the solstice represents the darkest time of year I like to bring in as much greenery as possible as a reminder that the earth is always fertile, even in the darkest of winters. For my altar I harvested some pine & holly branches and several pinecones.

Candles: I love adding as many candles as possible to my altars. Here for Yule, the candle light reminds us that the Solstice also represents the rebirth of the Sun.

Deity Representations: Many of the Yule traditions derive from older pagan celebrations connected to the Norse God, Odin, so I have a few statues representing him on my altar this year. There are several deities associated with Yule & the Solstice so feel free to incorporate the deities you connect with most.

Tarot Cards: I picked 2 tarot cards (The Hermit & The Sun) and 2 Oracle cards to feature on my altar this year. Each of the cards I’ve picked connect with a certain aspect of Yule tradition and lore.

You can watch my Yule Altar Video below to see the full altar all put together. Do you have a Yule Altar this year, what items are you using for your altar? Share below in the comments.

For this Yule season I’d like to tackle where the symbolism of Santa originates and the possible Pagan origins behind his appearance. The name Santa Claus has its roots in the informal Dutch name for St. Nicholas, Sinterklaas.  Sinterklaas was a historic 4th-century Greek saint. However, St. Nicholas looks nothing like the jolly St. Nick we’re familiar with, so where does the symbolism of Santa come from? 

The image of a jolly, chubby, grandfatherly face of Santa was largely popularized by two individuals from the 19th century: the political cartoonist Thomas Nast, and the book Twas the Night Before Christmas by Clement Clarke Moore.  Book these works helped define much of the appearance & symbolism we associate with Santa today.  My curiosity comes from trying to understand what religious and cultural traditions inspired Thomas Nast & Clement Moore to create our contemporary image of Santa.

There are many Pagan origins that may have inspired our modern day Santa Claus and I’d like to present just two possible ideas: Odin & Siberian Shamanism 

ODIN

Odin, one of the major gods in Norse paganism, shares many physical characteristics with the image of Santa Claus. The winter solstice, or Yule, was a time when Odin led a hunting party, known as the Wild Hunt, in the sky with his eight-legged horse named Sleipnir. 

The 13th century Poetic Edda said the mythical horse could leap great distances -- a trait reindeer possess. Children would leave their boots by the chimney filled with carrots and hay to feed Sleipnir and legend has it that whenever Odin flew by he would leave gifts by their boots.

After Christianity took hold, this practice of gift giving was later adopted in relation to St. Nicholas. Children would leave their shoes on the windowsill or bedroom door for the Saint to reward them with nuts, fruits and sweets.   With all these similar symbolic and physical traits it’s very likely that the tales of Odin inspired many of the characteristics we associated with our stories of Santa.    

SIBERIAN SHAMANISM 

The classic red & white color scheme of Santa possibly derives from a much older Slavic deity known as Father Winter.  This red and white color scheme was chosen because it’s colors match a historically significant hallucinogenic mushroom, known as Amanita Muscaria.  

This mushroom was integral to not just early Pagan civilizations, but also to early Christianity.  I recommend the book The Sacred Mushroom & The Cross if you’re interested in learning more about the influence on this mushroom in early Christian society. 

These mushrooms played a large role in Siberian village life, especially during the winter solstice festivities.  During mid winter, the local shaman would collect enough mushrooms for everyone in the community. They would collect them in a large sack and deliver them to each house in the village.  In Siberia, the snow would be really high at midwinter, making it unlikely that the Shaman would enter through the door. Instead, the Shaman would probably have to climb through the smoke hole of the hut and this may be the origin of the concept of Santa entering through the chimney. 

The villagers would put the mushrooms in a sock and then hang them by the fireplace so that they would dry out.  After they were dried the family would consume the mushrooms on the winter solstice, which would induce an altered state. 

This specific mushroom also happens to grow beneath pine trees, the very same trees we decorate with today for Christmas & Yule.  These mushrooms are also regularly consumed by reindeer in Siberia. So many reindeer at this time of year are ‘flying high’ if you get the idea.  

Still today Siberian shamans wear red and white in a pattern reminiscent of the Amanita Muscara mushroom.  Perhaps this red and white color scheme associated with Siberian shamanism and the Slavic deity Father Winter inspired the classic fur trimmed outfit of Santa.  

It seems that the jolly old Santa stories we grow up with in fact tie back all the way to our Pagan roots.  Indeed much of modern Christmas has Pagan origins and I really enjoy peeling back the layers of history to uncover Pagan tales full of holiday cheer. 

What are your thoughts on my theories about the influence of Odin and Siberian shamanism?  Share your ideas in the comments.

I’ve always loved the martian landscape of the Southwest. The big empty sky and cactus studded land brings a sense of otherworldliness and stark beauty. As someone who grew up surrounded by the lush trees and farmland of upstate NY, I don’t think I could ever feel comfortable living in this region, though I’m more than happy to travel here from time to time. This has been a particular tough winter for me and my skin was definitely begging for some vitamin D. So, as I was considering a long weekend trip, I happily decided on Joshua Tree for the destination.

Lately I’ve been thinking more about our National Parks. With America as divided as it is, sometimes it helps to revisit our best idea as a country, which in my view is our national parks system. So far I’ve visited Yosemite, Grand Canyon, and The Smoky Mountains, so I still have quite a long list of national parks to visit. My trip to Joshua Tree came at an odd moment. During the government shut down the park was closed briefly from the damage that was being done to the park so I wasn’t even sure this trip would end up happening. Luckily the shutdown did end and park reopened in time for my visit.

Joshua Tree is one of the many areas of the Southwest known as a vortex or a region for healing energy. I’m always a bit skeptical when it comes to energetic vortices, though I can say that I definitely felt a strong scenes of peace and calm throughout the park. It’s hard to know if that comes from an innate energetic force in the region or just the pleasant contrast in my own experience from leaving the hustle & bustle of Chicago and entering a uniquely different space.

Each day in the park began with a hike among the many trails available. As someone who spends most their working days in front of a computer, it was refreshing to spend full days outside experiencing nature. Despite being a dessert, the plant life was lush, with multitudes of different cacti and trees dotted along the mountain ridges and valleys. Us pagans often talk a big game when it comes to celebrating nature, but how many of us honestly put our words into action. This trip reminded me of the necessity to immerse myself in our natural world with more regularity. It is in these places that I truly feel connected to the divine spirit and the power within nature. It’s one of my goals this year to get outside the city more and remember that being Pagan means to actively celebrate spirituality though nature in its many forms.

As a Pagan I often feel pressure to build my collection of spiritual items so that I can create a more cohesive ritual or spell using all the proper correspondences of herbs, incense, candles and ritual items. And while building my collection has certainly been an enjoyable process, I find that often my best rituals are the ones that embrace simplicity. This is why I’ve been on a quest to minimize many of my spiritual items so that I can better connect with the foundational energy that is at the heart of any spiritual endeavor. Going through this decluttering process has revealed many items that I’ve realized I can happily live without. Here’s 5 items you can consider downsizing to refresh your own spiritual path.

BOOKS YOU HOPE TO READ SOMEDAY

My bookshelves house many spiritual books that I’ve been meaning to read but just haven't gotten around to it yet. Every time I look at my bookshelf I feel a twinge of guilt that I’ve let so many books go unread. Instead of leaving these books to collect dust, pick them up and quickly scan them to see if there is any information that you think would be valuable for your spiritual practice. If so, copy this information down into a journal or a Book of Shadows then pass the book on or donate it to your local library.

CRYSTALS YOU DON’T FIND USEFUL OR BEAUTIFUL

Over the years I’ve developed a sizable collection of crystals, minerals, and tumbled stones. However, when I think back to which ones I actively use in rituals & meditation I find that I keep gravitating to only a few. In my case, I regularly only use amethyst, rose quartz, and clear quartz. Consider which crystals or stones you connect with and allow yourself to pass on any unloved or unused specimens to fellow friends.

CANDLES IN DIFFERENT COLORS

While corresponding the color of your candles to a specific ritual or spell can certainly be fun it’s not necessary in order to achieve a positive result. Simple white candles are multipurpose and can work for any type of ritual you may have in mind. Sticking with simple white candles can also save you a fair bit of money. Even better - make your own candles to enhance the overall experience.

TAROT DECKS YOU DON’T USE

As a tarot reviewer and blogger I often get decks sent to me from publishers and deck creators. While some decks I immediately love, a lot of them I don’t end up using very often. If you are a tarot enthusiast like me take some time going through your collection and picking out the decks that you no longer feel connected to and pass them on to someone else.

GIFTS THAT DON’T SPARK JOY

Over the years I’ve received many witchy jewelry & decor items. While I’m of course pleased to receive these items some that are not really my style just end up in my closet. This year I’m giving myself permission to pass on these items on to someone who will enjoy them more.

You can view my corresponding video on this topic below. What items have you been decluttering lately? Share below in the comments.

I came across a video this morning that seemed distinctly Pagan in someway.  It’s about a woman who is the caretaker of an old hotel each winter in New England. During that time she is the sole person on the island and she talks about how this isolation has caused her to appreciate the beauty of winter in a profound way.  She talks of being inspired by the harshness of the sea, the grey horizon, and the quiet of these cold months.  

The photography she takes while on the island captures these moments of winter stillness.  It reminds me of one of my favorite artists, Andrew Wyeth, who also portrayed the beauty and starkness of winter.

During winter I live a life much different from the woman in this video.  Living in Chicago I experience daily contrasting vignettes that showcase a distinctly midwestern winter.  The smog of chimneys and the roar or the El Train make up a large part of my winter scene. And yet, I still find a beauty in this contrast.  When I walk along the lake shore path I can see the monolithic skyscrapers that jut up again the shore.  These great titans of human progress still seem small and fragile when up against the roaring icy waves of the lake.  Even here in the city I feel myself beholden to the mercy of the winter wind.  And for me part of connecting with winter means embracing these feelings of fragility and striving to uncover its inherent beauty.

What is winter like where you live?  How do you seek out the beauty of these months?  Share below in the comments.

Upon rising each morning I pull the curtains back from my bedroom window and let the morning light stream into my Chicago apartment.  I reach my hands high above my head and try to stretch myself into wakefulness.  Once I get up I put the kettle on gather some herbs for my morning tea ritual.  This little ritual I perform each morning helps to get me in the right mindset for day.  It gives me the time and space to set my intentions and bring in positivity and vitality into my body.  

I first learned of tea ritual when I was studying abroad in Japan. Soon after I began my classes at Kansai Gaidai University I noticed a humble little tea room towards the back of campus.  It was a small structure with sliding doors and a simple brazier in the floor where the tea would be made.  Upon realizing that I could sign up to receive a tea ceremony session I immediately did without much understanding of what tea ceremony actually was or what I could expect.  

When it came time for the ceremony I entered the structure and sat down upon the tatami floor.  After several minutes all the other guests had arrived and finally the women who would be performing our ritual entered.  Instead of closing the pocket door behind her, she opened it wider to fully expose the scene of nature around us.  It was autumn at the time and the hills beyond the campus were a riot of flaming colors as the maples turned to umber and burgundy.  The walls and roof of the tea room seemed to create a frame around this natural scene causing the illusion that we were looking at a painting or artwork instead of the nature around us.

It became clear to me that all sensory details were meant to be part of the experience: the sounds of the birds outside, the single birch branch carefully arranged in the corner, and the beautiful silk kimono she wore patterned with the vibrant ocher and red hues of autumn.  All were meant to evoke both a meditative atmosphere and an appreciation for the present moment.  As she began the ceremony the movement of her hands and body were like a dance; each motion deliberate and carefully thought out to maximize beauty and sensation.  

When I received my cup of tea and took my first sip the warmth spread through my body and seemed to flow all the way to my toes.  I was filled with a sense of gratitude.  Gratitude for the woman that made the tea, gratitude for this beautiful moment in time, and gratitude to the nearby tea fields that provided the nourishing drink that flowed through my body.  

Paul Coelho, author of The Alchemist, wrote “Tea Ceremony is a way of worshipping the beautiful and the simple.  All one’s efforts are concentrated on trying to achieve perfection through the imperfect gestures of daily life.  It’s beauty consists in the respect with which it performed.  If a mere cup of tea can bring us closer to God, we should watch out for all the other dozen opportunities that each ordinary day offers.”  I can see so many parallels between tea ceremony and many of the witchcraft practices I perform for I too create connection with the God, Goddess and other spirits through my own ritual practices. In my own witchcraft practice I aim to notice the spiritual throughout my daily life with the understanding that even the simplest task, such as making tea, is an opportunity to connect with the divine.

Of course with our own busy schedules it is not realistic for us to regularly participate in an elaborate tea ceremony.  My solution is the distill the essence of tea ceremony into a simple ritual you can perform each morning before you start your day.  I’ve also adapted components of the ritual to fit in more succinctly with my own witchcraft practice.  In my version I still use the time to focus on mindfulness and gratitude.  However, the components of my ‘tea’ are also of great importance as I use herbs that I’ve either grown or foraged.  In this way, I am able to literally drink in the inherent power of my local environment. 

You can choose to either use fresh herbs or to dry them for later use.  If using fresh herbs tear or crush the leaves to release the essential oils.  Keep in mind that fresh herbs may take longer to infuse into the water than dried herbs.  If using dried herbs first crush them using a mortar and pestle and use one tablespoon of crushed herbs for every 2 cups of water.  Bring your water to a boil, add your ingredients, and simmer for about 5 minutes before straining out the herbs.  

Images via Pinterest

As I make my tea I work to clear my mind and begin to think about what I would like to accomplish for that day.  I usually decide on a particular intention or goal.   I then add honey to my cup and as it drips I move my hand in an invoking pentagram and state what I would like to bring towards me. 

For example, while the honey is dripping in the tea I might say:
“Upon this day I bring in light, positivity, health, and joy”

I drink my tea slowly and try to be present in the moment.  I think about how the herbs taste and envision the power of the earth as a light that flows into my body with each sip.  As the warmth of the teacup travels through my hands I smile with gratitude that I have been given this moment in time to connect with and appreciate the beauty our natural realm.

Do you participate in any daily morning rituals?  Share yours in the comments below. 

Chicago is swimming in Arctic air at the moment.  I cover up in scarves, hats, and mittens yet still the bracing cold seems to find a way to chatter my teeth and send shivers down my spine.  I’m currently seeking refuge in the warmth of a local cafe as I write this.  I choose a seat furthest from the frosty windows and quickly order a steaming mug of hot coffee with hope that my hair will soon defrost from the winter’s chill.  The holiday season is now officially over and for us cold-weather dwellers that means looking towards more months of snow and frost.  Luckily, we can find ways to supersede seasonal depression by using the time ahead for a life reboot.

So as I look ahead to the upcoming year, here are some things that I will be working on to improve my Pagan practice.

Regularly Update (and Clean) My Altar

A couple weeks ago I was adding some Yule touches to my altar and discovered that a few of my statues had not been dusted in a while and there was incense ash in various places on my altar cloth.  I’ll admit that cleaning is not my favorite task.  I know that I should be taking better care of my sacred objects so this year I’m aiming to make sure I clean all my altar tools and objects monthly.  In addition, I will strive to update my altar more often so that it more accurately reflects the seasonal changes.

Go for A Walk Everyday

Yes, this means even when it’s February and the thermostat reads -1 degree.  There’s a Scandinavian saying that roughly translates to ‘there is no such thing as bad weather; there is merely the possibility of not being dressed appropriately.’  So this year I aim to be ready for any type of weather so that I can make connecting with nature a part of my daily routine.

Eat Seasonally

Along with going for walks I would like to incorporate more seasonally appropriate vegetables and fruits in my diet as a way to further connect with our natural world.  In this way I will be celebrating the Wheel of the Year not just through my Sabbat rituals but during each meal.

Find A Community

Being a solitary pagan can be lonely sometimes, especially around the sabbats.  While there are occasional pagan events and rituals in my area, they always seem too far away or I’m too busy to make it.  Though honestly, I could make more of an effort.  So this year I will strive to make room in my schedule to attend Pagan events in my local area and hopefully make some more Pagan friends.  

Attend A Public Festival or Convention

Along with working to connect with my local Pagan groups I would like to meet others in the wider pagan community.  While I have attended Chicago Pagan Pride before I would like to travel this year to one of the larger pagan festivals or conventions in America.  Message in the comments below if you would like to recommend a specific pagan convention or festival.

Master the Runes

As a full time tarot reader most of my day consists of giving readings and continuing to build my knowledge of the cards.  This year I would like to expand my divination experience and learn more about the runes.  While I’ve already begun my education on runes, their meanings, and various Norse myths, this year I would like to further expand my knowledge.  Do you have a favorite book about runes?  Let me know in the comments below and I’ll be sure to add it to my reading list.

What are your Pagan New Year’s Resolutions?  List yours in the comments below.