One of the things that makes the Druid Journal 2008 Almanac unique is the section on weather magic — theory and practice. I am no weather magician myself; I got my information from Esmerelda, a witch who has had great success with it. In fact, she sometimes finds that she can’t avoid affecting the weather! Esmerelda contributed a large section of the introduction, as well as weather maps and average temperatures and precipitation for the US throughout the year, all of it essential for the responsible practice of weather magic.

This is the first of a two-part interview with Esmerelda. In this part, she discusses what weather magic is, how you know you might have a talent for it, and the limits of its influence. In the second part, she’ll go over her personal history with it, its ethical considerations (which are very important, as you can imagine), including its potential to influence global warming, and other tips on effective practice.

What is Weather Witchcraft?

In general, weather witching is the practice of changing the weather for a specific place and time. Once you are good at it, the only limit you have is your own imagination. It’s a lot like what Yoda said about the Force: “Size matters not.” Making a strengthening hurricane 1000 miles away fall apart is no more difficult than making the local temperature drop 3 degrees.

If I am relaxed and centered, and make a positive, well-formed request, I generally see results within 48 hours. How do I reach my relaxed state? Rolling my shoulders and closing my eyes, then taking a deep breath, can work just about anywhere. But more effective for me is a nice hot shower (with more shoulder-rolling and deep breathing). Or a candle and a cup of herbal tea.

Let me give an example. Read the rest of this entry »

I’ve been thinking a lot about the nature of truth this holiday season. My oldest daughter is nine, and she still believes in Santa, bless her heart. The question is, do I?

I mean, think about it. I’m a pagan. I believe in, and have personal experience with, Apollo, Athena, Belanus, Cernunnos, Bridget, and various lesser spirit guides. Why not Santa?

Well, one reason is that I know quite well who puts those presents under the Solstice tree; our credit cards have the scars to prove it. On the other hand, where does the magic of the season come from — the magic in the children’s hearts and in our own — if not from Spirit? And why not call that Spirit Santa Claus? (Have any mediums out there tried to contact him? I’m asking this seriously!)

Take another example: my second daughter, who is 7, believes quite firmly that Thor causes lightning. (I’m not sure what my 9-year-old thinks — she may be agnostic on the point.) I personally believe in Thor. But as for whether he’s out there with his hammer when lightning strikes — well, I’ve never seen him, and there seems to be quite a bit of meteorological evidence that it has something to do with charged particles in the ground and the atmosphere.

Nastier questions arise when you start mixing up pantheons like I have (e.g., do I believe in Zeus? If so, who’s really in charge of lightning here?). Then there’s the issue of angelic visitations, “aspects” of the God and Goddess of Wicca, Christians with powerful religious experiences, and all that. I mean, it can’t all be true, can it?? How do you decide? Read the rest of this entry »

What does a druid do on the winter solstice? That depends on the druid.

If you’re a Reconstructionist, you don’t do much. There isn’t a whole lot of evidence that the ancient druids did anything to celebrate the two solstices and equinoxes; their high holy days were the four cross-quarter holidays (Imbolc, Beltane, Lughnasadh, and Samhain). The solstices and equinoxes aren’t even marked in the Coligny calendar, for example, while there is evidence there for Samhain, Lughnasadh, and Beltane.

If you’re a Revivalist, you celebrate Alban Arthuan, the festival to honor King Arthur and the return of the light. Druids commonly gather in a sacred space and watch for the sun to rise, greeting it with the powerful “Awen” chant, and honoring it with ceremony. However, the Revivalists are not dogmatic, and traditions vary widely among them.

I have called myself Reconstructionist on this site several times, but honestly I’m not quite sure about that. Read the rest of this entry »