Last Market Outing For 2021

 As this year draws to a close, it has been a busy year with respect to markets.  I have attended a staggering 16 of them showcasing not only my handcrafted crystal bracelets and handknotted mala and devotional beads through LunaNoire Creations, but also incense and ritual products, imported leather journals as well as having copies of my own books available.

My last market outing for the year will be at the Queen of Wands Psychic Fair at Port Noarlunga this Sunday, 19 December, that will be open from 10am to 4pm.

One of my latest handknotted malas is this beautiful piece made from unakite and gold sunstone AA+ graded 8mm crystals that is highlighted with gold toned spacers and finished off with an unakite pendant.

Consisting of 108 beads, this piece can be used as a traditional mala (with the pendant as the guru/mountain bead), or it can be simply worn as a long necklace.

Unakite is the crystal of vision that balances emotions with spirituality. It facilitates rebirthing, gently releasing conditions that inhibit spiritual and psychological growth. Gold Sunstone is linked to luck and good fortune. It clears and energises all the chakras, instills good nature, heightens intuition and allows the real self to shine through happily. 

I will also have copies of my books at the Port Noarlunga market - from my earlier works including Dancing the Sacred Wheel and In Her Sacred Names, through to my latest books released this year: Encountering the Dark Goddess: A Journey into the Shadow Realms, Contemporary Witchcraft: Foundational Practices for a Magical Life and A Little Book of Moon Magick.

My LunaNoire Creations etsy store will be open over the summer break for online ordering. 

Online Goddess Circles Commencing February 2022

The Goddess House invites you to come and sit in the Circle of Sisterhood.

Each month we will gather online to explore an aspect of the divine feminine, through the telling of her sacred myths and discovery of her symbols before undertaking a powerful meditation in order to connect with her sacred energy.

Standing in her presence, we will learn how to utilise her sacred symbols as keys to unlock and (re)awaken gifts with ourselves.

Through learning her sacred myths, we gain a deeper insight into how we can embody her energy in our own lives.

February Goddess Circle - Aphrodite of the Seas

We will look at relationships, especially with our own selves, focus on healing our heart centre (anahata), and undertake the internal sacred marriage, the Hieros Gamos.

Time: 7.30pm to 9.30pm ACST**

Held online. Zoom link will be provided upon registration.

Book your place by registering here.

**If you are not able to attend the live zoom call, it will be recorded to sent to everyone who has registered.

New Year Encountering the Dark Goddess Sadhana

 

Many of us have found ourselves going through a number of changes over the last few years, and for much of 2021, the astrological energies seem to be encouraging us to release of things that no longer serve us or are in alignment with our soul's path.  However, finding the courage, or even the necessary tools, to undertake such change can be rather daunting.

Commencing just after the January full moon, and working in alignment with the moon, I am delighted to announce that I will be offering a month long online sadhana (spiritual exploration), into your deep shadow self through the connection with various "darker" aspects of the divine feminine in order to commence positive change at the deepest level.

Encountering the Dark Goddess will commence on Wednesday, 19 January 2022 with a group zoom call before we commence our descent as the moon starts to wane into the Great Below together.  Just prior to the dark moon at the end of January we will undertake a soul freeing release ritual.  Then we will begin our ascent as the moon waxes and increases its energy before ending our journey together just prior to the February full moon, on Tuesday, 15 February 2022.

December Full Moon Meditation

To mark the last full moon for 2021, I have decided to lead a beachside meditation at Grange Beach on Saturday, 18 December 2021.

Gathering at the northern end of the grassed area in front of the Grange Hotel around 7.45pm, we will journey to the foreshore around 8pm to connect with the rising Full Moon. While the actual timing of the full moon here is Adelaide will be the following afternoon, 19 December at 3:05pm ACST, I prefer to perform my full moon rituals and meditations just prior to this timing to ensure that I maximise the energy as much as possible.

The December full moon will be in the astrological sign of Gemini where the mind merges with emotions, making it a perfect opportunity to get things off of our chest, say what needs to be said, and communicate more authentically.

Sometimes this means we get into bouts with others, but it's usually something that has to come out.

Having throat issues? This could be that you are not speaking your Truth - or that the words you are speaking hold little purpose. Breathe and bring your awareness to Vishudda, your throat chakra. What Truth is waiting there to be brought into manifestation?

If you are interested in joining me o the 18 December, then more details can be found here.

Elements of Witchcraft - Ritual

The third Elements of Witchcraft gathering for 2021 will be taking place on Sunday, 28 November 2021 upstairs at Carpe Diem with Remi (158 Commercial Road, Port Adelaide).  The theme for this month is "ritual".

The following excerpt is from my latest book, Contemporary Witchcraft: Foundational Practices for a Magical Life:

Within magical circles, a ritual is described as being “an act of worship or magick that employs a specific series of stages using symbolism and ceremony to create a sacred space and state of consciousness whereby participants are put in touch with forces outside themselves (i.e., the Gods)” according to British author and witch Anna Franklin. Therefore, when we perform any kind of ritual, it is important to remember that what we are going is creating a link and cultivating a dialogue between the microcosm (our “little world”) and the macrocosm (the “great world”).

There are many ways of creating ritual, both as a solitary as well as within a group format. Join us as we not only explore these, but also discuss the different techniques that can be used depending on what the ritual is for.

In magick, ritual can be perceived as a tool which can be used to focus the mind and energies. Although there are many differing types of magical rites and rituals, they all have their own specific and predetermined purpose.

Elements of Witchcraft offers the opportunity for the seeker, the novice or the solitary to meet like-minded people who are interested in gaining practical insight into the world of contemporary witchcraft through sharing ritual and informed discussions.

Bookings are essential as there are limited places available. Book your place here.

Free Talk on Witchcraft - 21 November

On Sunday, 21 November 2021 I will be at the Adelaide Wellness Fair that will be held at the Burragh Recreation Centre, Kelly Road, Modbury from 10am to 3pm.

You will be able to find me at the LunaNoire Creations stall where I will have a number of items from my etsy stall including copies of my books.

I will also be offering a free talk on The Magick of Witchcraft and how to start your own practice at 11am.

Witchcraft is like baking a cake. You need to know what ingredients you need, how to mix them, and how to bake them. Whether you cast spells or not, perform reactionary or protective magick, there are a number of simple, yet effective, foundational techniques that will aid your magick and enhance your life and wellbeing.

With much of the information about witchcraft based in the Northern Hemisphere, join witchcraft initiate and author, Frances Billinghurst, as she discusses how to commence your own practice of witchcraft that aligns to the Southern Hemisphere.

Register your free place here at the Adelaide Wellness Fair if you would like to join me.

Review of Encountering the Dark Goddess by Musing Mystical

The following is part of a review by Sarrah October Young from Musing Mystical.  Please visit their web site to read to review in its entirety.

" .... One of the most fascinating elements of human psychology is the penchant we have for self-reflection. In some form or another, we often delve deep within ourselves to try and find answers that we know lie deep within us. In her book Encountering the Dark Goddess: A Journey Into Shadow Realms, Frances Billinghurst has carved a path for us to tread in our personal search for the answers we need in order to evolve and become better versions of ourselves.

An experienced writer on this topic, Billinghurst is an initiated witch, ritualist and healer, and runs workshops on metaphysics, mythology, and the occult. Billinghurst thoughtfully divides the book into three parts which make perfect sense if you are new to the idea of Shadow Work and the Dark Goddess Herself. Bundling information together in this way is extremely helpful if you are familiar with the work and want to jump past the background information.

Personally, no matter the topic, I almost always read the intro sections provided because I feel they form the basis or foundation of what the writer is actually trying to get across. Knowing where Billinghurst sits in terms of who she feels the Dark Goddess is and how she perceives Her is valuable information to me and helps me to expand my own knowledge. No matter your knowledge level, I highly recommend reading the introduction section to ensure you gain the same insight. ...

...

Free Talk on Witchcraft at the Blackwood Psychic Fair

On Sunday, 10 October 2021 I will be at the Queen of Wands Psychic Fair - Blackwood that will be held at the Blackwood Memorial Hall.

You will be able to find me at the LunaNoire Creations stall where I will have a number of items from my etsy stall including copies of my books.

I will also be offering a free talk on witchcraft from a Southern Hemispheric perspective at 1pm.

Witchcraft. A spiritual practice that weaves magick with the ebbing tides of the moon, and seeks the mysticism found within the seasonal cycles.

With much of the information about witchcraft based in the Northern Hemisphere, join witchcraft initiate and author, Frances Billinghurst, as she discusses how to follow witchcraft in the Southern Hemisphere.

Register your place here at the Queen of Wands Psychic Fair - Blackwood if you would like to join me.

A Devotional for Athena and Minerva

It has been a long time coming but finally the devotional anthology to Athena and Minerva was released by Bibliotheca Alexandrina. Shield of Wisdom: A Devotional for Athena and Minerva is a huge book of over 400 pages and consisting of invocations, prayers, offerings, mythology interpretations, photographs and artwork all dedicated to and depicting these goddesses. I also have an essay - The Wrath of a Goddess included in this anthology.

Known to the Greeks as Athena, and to the Romans as Minerva, the Goddess leapt fully grown from the skull of the Lord of Thunder. Frighteningly intelligent, quick-witted and fiercely loyal, she is a Goddess who watches over heroes, warriors, and artisans alike. A Goddess of the mind, she admires and rewards cleverness and creativity. 

And, while she inspires intense devotion in ancient and modern polytheists, she also inspires passionate debate. 

:: Is she a friend to women, or does she always favor the father?

:: When she transformed Medusa into a gorgon and Arachne into a spider, was she motivated by compassion or something else? 

:: And what of her relationships with her fellow deities, such as Hephaistos, Ares, and Aphrodite? Are they adversarial, antithetical, or complementary?

Within these pages, you will find poems of praise and rites in her honor. You will also find essays and personal reflections that question the Goddess, that challenge her, that analyze the myths around her and what they mean to us, and what they reveal about the Goddess herself. All of these are offered to her with an open heart, and a sincere questioning mind — which we hope she will find as pleasing as any reverent hymn.

You can order your copy of Shield of Wisdom: A Devotional for Athena and Minerva here. 

Spring Equinox: The Time of Balance

The word equinox comes from the Latin meaning “equal night”, and are the two times of the year when the hours of light and dark are said to be equal as the run rises due east and sets due west. As it is also one of the few days when the earth’s axis is straight as a door post and suggests to us a time of balance has arrived (or almost).

At the spring equinox, the sun crosses the celestial equator from the northern to the southern sky. This will take place on 23 September at 5:21am here in Adelaide and is considered to be the first day of the “astronomical spring” as from this point onwards, the hours of daylight will increase as the hours of darkness decrease as the sun rises and sets further north each day. The warmth of the sun will also increase as we head towards the summer, occurs.

Nature echoes the increasing warmth as blossoms burst forth and new growth makes its presence felt. As the sun’s strength increases, so do the visible signs of activity upon the earth’s surface. It is as if, were you to close your eyes for a moment, you would miss the experience of another aspect of creation being reborn all over again.

As the sun moves into the sign of Libra, and in the skies above us, a lot is happening. Firstly, Virgo,the Maiden is very low in the western sky. This is the second largest constellation and one of the two in which the ecliptic and celestial equator cross. Scorpius is high in the western sky, and in Greek mythology, the scorpion plays a role in many stories, however it is best known for its pursuit of Orion through the night sky. 

Beyond the Light: Embracing the Wisdom of the Dark Goddess

It is hard to believe that we are over half way through September already, that spring has well and truly arrived and that the end of calendar year is drawing increasingly closer.  Am I alone in feeling as if I appear to have missed a couple of months?

As I am catching up on news, I am absolutely delighted to announce that my interview with the wonderful Lucy Cavendish was released on The Witchcast With Lucy Cavendish on 26 August 2021 and is now available for your listening pleasure.  Having been recorded back in April, my chat with Lucy occurred just after my Encountering the Dark Goddess: A Journey into the Shadow Realms had been released.

I was very humbled to chat with Lucy as she was the initial driving force behind the Australian Witchcraft magazine back in the early 1990s and since that time has gone on to write a number of books as well as producing a endless collection of oracle cards.  I have had a great pleasure of circling with her at an Australian Goddess conference as well as attending one of her workshops when she journeyed to Adelaide.  I also contributed to her 2012 anthology Witchy Magic that she co-edited with the wonderful Serene Conneeley.

In my chat with Lucy we discuss the darker aspects of not only the Goddess but also ourselves, delving into the shadow realms, sharing our passion for mythology and the sacred, as well as stories of the Goddesses that are often misunderstood, feared and even avoided.  Yet, when we truly become aware of these Goddesses, when we take the time to get to know them, we discover that within their sacred stories are great tools and teachings, and most of all, true wisdom - the kind of wisdom that can bring to light to these current times of much chaos and yoyoing uncertainty.

You can listen to Lucy's witch cast here.

Extract from "Contemporary Witchcraft: Foundational Practices for a Magical Life"

The following is an extract that I prepared for A Bad Witch's Blog that appeared back in July 2021

It was in the early 1990s that I took my first steps into the world of contemporary witchcraft (then generally mispronouncing the Anglo-Saxon word as “Wicca”).  Back then, the neophyte (beginner) was expected to learn how to render the “veils” between this world and the mystical one by applying themselves to the work in order to understand these mysteries. My initial instruction not only focused on the practical application of ritual and magick, but also the “behind the scenes” information, providing an insight into the psychological changes, as well as what is actually happening on the astral level, the inner planes. It was this understanding that enabled me to gain a stronger belief in the magical work that I was undertaking – a belief that also proved to be most beneficial during dark nights of the soul, the times of doubt when the logical mind saw me questioning what I had been dedicating much of my adult life to. 

These days Wicca has almost become a generalised term for a religious form of neo-paganism, which often also includes an assortment of New Age practices, as opposed to focusing on the initiatory teachings that stem from the vision that the man who instigated the revival of witchcraft, Gerald Gardner, and later, Alex Sanders, had. There are also internet platforms that if you mention that you are a “religious witch”, ie believing in a God and a Goddess as both Gardner and Sanders did, it won’t take long before someone asserts that you are not.  “Real” witchcraft today seems to include a fetish for skulls, jar candles and moon water, none of these things were mentioned to me back in the 1990s, and without any hint of worshipping “the Other”.

The Faces of the Goddess

I have been a bit quiet on the blogging front as I have been working on finalising the manuscript for my next book.  I am delighted to announce that it is "mission accomplished" as  it is now with the proofreader.

Now I can focus on other things like getting back into blogging.

This morning I received notification that I have an article in The Faces of the Goddess ezine, that was produced as a companion to the Scottish Goddess Conference.

While I missed out on presenting at this conference which was held last weekend (10 to 12 September) as I was away undertaking a charity trek in the Flinders Ranges, north of Adelaide, I had submitted an article on the Dark Goddess.  My article can be found on pages 86 to 90 of this huge 123 paged ezine.

You can download you free copy of this magazine here.

With any luck, I am hoping to be able to present at this wonderful sounding conference at a later date.

Book Launch Sunday Evening

My online book launch of Contemporary Witchcraft: Foundational Practices for a Magical Life will be taking place on my Facebook author's page tomorrow evening, Sunday, 1 August 2921, at 7pm (ACST).  This book is my second to published by Moon Books, my earlier one was Encountering the Dark Goddess: A Journey into the Shadow Realms.

In an era of Instagram influencers with an "anything goes" attitude, Contemporary Witchcraft offers an alternative for the seeker who wishes to gain a deeper understanding of a more traditional approach to the Craft.  It provides the reader with invaluable tools and techniques that will enable them to set a foundation upon which to build their ongoing magical and spiritual practice.  Regardless of whether the seeker is interested in joining a coven or not, this book shows the seeker that through dedication and devotion the greater mysteries will be revealed.

If you would to join me for my book launch whereby you could win yourself am autographed copy, then the link to the Facebook live event is here.

Online Book Launch - 1 August

What better way to mark Imbolc here in the Southern Hemisphere, the festival that marks the return of spring, than to announce the official launch of my seventh book, and second published through Moon Books, Contemporary Witchcraft: Foundational Practices for a Magical Life.

Join me on Sunday, 1 August, from 7.00 pm (Adelaide time) on my Facebook Author Page as I share readings from the book as well as talk about what I mean by "contemporary witchcraft" and why I still consider it relevant in this modern world.

If you would like to win yourself am autographed copy of the book, like this page and tag yourself and a friend in the discussion on the Facebook page to go into the draw.

You can also order yourself a signed copy from my Etsy store, LunaNoire Creations, where you will find copies of my other books, together with my handcrafted beaded bracelets, malas and devotional beads, and other products.

Contemporary Witchcraft Online Book Launch - 1 August

It is over half way through July already and I feel as if I have fallen down a rabbit hole.  I mean, one moment it was June and I was working on finalising my presentations for WitchsFest USA, and now the month of August has almost arrived.

Firstly, I would like to thank Peni Delina Perrault Bedard for suggesting that I participate in this New York based event, as well as to Starr Raven Hawk and her crew for all their hard work in organising not only a physical event, but online as well - so effectively there were two events happening over the weekend.  Just like WitchCon, that I took part in back in March, WitchsFest USA also recorded all of their online workshops so I have slowly been watching these.  No wonder I feel as if I have fallen down a rabbit hole.

Embracing the Dark Goddess during Difficult Times

It is hard to believe that a year has passed since I received pre-release copies of my first book that was to be published by Moon Books, Encountering the Dark Goddess: A Journey into the Shadow Realms.  These pre-release copies arrived some nine months prior to the book's actual release in March 2021.

One of the people who generously agreed to review my book was Nimue Brown.  What I found of interest was her comments that my book assisted her during the initial COVID pandemic in 2020.  This was something that I had not even thought of - considering when I had submitted the manuscript to Moon Books, what became COVID was a mere whisper.

What follows is part of Nimue's review.  Her full review can be found here,

"Dark journeys happen. Dark nights of the soul happen. Sometimes we have no choice but to crawl on bloody hands and knees through some kind of personal Hellscape for a while. Working with Dark Goddesses, or The Dark Goddess as an aspect of the Goddess, is about having the tools for those journeys. Find yourself in the thick of one and you may reach for a book like this for guidance and wisdom. Being prepared won’t save you, but it will help you make sense of things."

Dancing with Kali Ma

I am delighted to be taking part in what is my second USA festival for the year. Thanks to the wonders of modern technology I will be taking part in WITCHFEST USA - A PAGAN FAIRE that will be running from 9 July to 11 July 2021 both in the physical sense in New York city as well as online.

My second workshop will be taking place on the Sunday at 10am (New York time - or 11.30pm ACST) and is entitled Dancing with Kali.

Kali is one of the more mysterious and enigmatic goddesses found within the Hindu pantheon. Her dark and wild appearance conjures up feelings of awesomeness in anyone brave enough to gaze upon her face. Kali symbolizes death and her dancing can cause ultimate destruction; however she also brings about renewal of life. 

As this will be more of a practical workshop, grab yourself a set of mala beads as we will be surrendering our egos to the "Terrible Mother".

You can register to attend the weekend where there will be only 90 events, occult workshops, online performances, presentations, as well as online shopping. Tickets cost $95 (US) however your online tickets enable you to watch all presentations.

Details about how to obtain your ticket can be found here.

If you are not able to get to Witchfest USA this year, then you might like to get yourself a signed copy of Encountering the Dark Goddess: A  Journey into the Shadow Realms from LunaNoire Creations, my online etsy store.

Reclaiming the Dark Gods at Witchfest USA

I am delighted to be taking part in what is my second USA festival for the year. Thanks to the wonders of modern technology I will be taking part in WITCHFEST USA - A PAGAN FAIRE that will be running from 9 July to 11 July 2021 both in the physical sense in New York city as well as online.

My first workshop will be taking place at 10am (New York time - or 11.30pm ACST) and will be on Reclaiming the Dark Gods.

The Gods of the witches has always been a rather shadowy character, somewhat of an enigma who appears to be both human and animal, divine and demonic. He can be found lurking amongst the shadows, ready to appear in our nightmare, or he rises up from the Underworld, hell bent on causing death and destruction. He is the hard hitting image of masculinity at its most brutal, yet the ever devoted consort of the Goddess.

From Anubis to Zeus, it is time to reclaim the power of the Dark Gods found not only within witchcraft but paganism in general.

You can register to attend the weekend where there will be only 90 events, occult workshops, online performances, presentations, as well as online shopping. Tickets cost $95 (US) however your online tickets enable you to watch all presentations.

Details about how to obtain your ticket can be found here.

If you are not able to get to Witchfest USA this year, then you might like to get yourself a signed copy of Call of the God: An Anthology Exploring the Divine Masculine within Modern Pagan from LunaNoire Creations, my online etsy store.

Working Magic in the Southern Hemisphere

Last week, I took part in Moon Con 21, a two day online event organised by my publisher, Moon Books, where a number of authors shared insight into their personal spiritual practices, thoughts and yes, their books.  

On the Sunday, I was joined by two other Australian based authors, Julie Brett (author of Australian Druidry) and Jane Meredith (author of Journey to the Dark Goddess, Aspecting the Goddess and Aphrodite's Magic).

A recording of our discussion can be found here:

Recordings of all the other interviews and panels can be found on Moon Book's YouTube channel or Facebook page.

Getting Ready for MoonCon

In our current COVID effected world, one positive side is that fact that for the last year a lot of events have moved on line as a substitute, which means that people all around the world are able to access such events.  

I was involved in my first online event in July last year with the wonderful Australian astrologer, Kim for her Witch: Radiant + Rooted podcast.  Since that time I have been involved in a number of international "events" that I probably would not have had the opportunity to attend physically.

Next weekend I will be involved in another online event, this time something that the publisher of my latest two books, Moon Books, are organising - MoonCon21 - that will be involve two days of talks, panels and Q&A live sessions with a whole host of Moon Book authors on Moon Books' own FaceBook page.

Submission Call to Mark the 10th Anniversary

I realised the other day that next year, 2022, will mark the 10th anniversary since I self-published my first book, Dancing the Sacred Wheel: A Journey through the Southern Sabbats.  Only 400 copies were released in the initial printing, all but two copies sold out in only nine months.  In June 2021, after updating and expanding the original manuscript to some 292 pages, I released the second, and a subsequent third edition through print-on-demand platforms.

In preparation for the 10th anniversary  of Dancing the Sacred Wheel next year, I thought it is about time to not only update my continual study with respect to working with the traditional eight sabbats that form the "Wheel of the Year", especially from a Southern Hemispheric perspective, but to offer the opportunity to anyone else who has been working at re-visioning working with the sabbats to contribute.

Having already edited an anthology in the form of Call of the God: An Anthology Exploring the Divine Masculine within Modern Paganism, I am now officially putting out a call for submissions for an anthology focusing around working through the seasonal year that may differ from the traditional wheel with its eight festivals. 

If this is something that you would like to take part in, more information can be found here.  At this stage, submissions will close in November 2021.

Breaking Time Barriers on This Old Witch

Did you know energies flow differently in the southern hemisphere?

Join This Old Witch hosts (E. Massey and Alexander Cabot) along with author Frances Billinghurst (me) as we break time barriers and discuss what it means being a witch in Australia.

Breaking the debate of initiated and non initiated Witches.

You can watch the whole interview here. Warning: It does go on for over two hours (just).

Chatting on This Old Witch

 Ever wonder what happens when a country witch crosses paths with a city witch? We did too. This Old Witch is a podcast that brings together a country witch (E. Massey) with a city witch (Alexander Cabot) to share their perspectives on witchcraft, spirituality, and magick.

Guests speakers have included Stephanie Taylor Grimasi (wife of the late Raven Grimasi), Orion Foxwood, Silver Ravenwolf, Ivo Dominguez, Sorita d’Este, Selena Fox amongst others.

I am delighted and extremely humbled to soon be included to this list of guests as I will be making my appearance on the This Old Witch show at 7pm on Saturday, 15 May 2021 (American Eastern Standard Time) – which is around 8.30am Sunday morning (16 May) here in Adelaide.

I first became aware of E. Massey (the country witch of the duo) some five or six years ago when he contributed a piece of his artwork to my anthology, Call of the God: An Anthology Exploring the Divine Masculine within Modern Paganism. It wasn’t until March of this year when our paths crossed again as we both presented at Witchcon. So when E. contacted me and asked if I would like to be a guest on their show, it was an offer I couldn’t refuse.

You can join us live 7pm Saturday night (American EST) or 8.30am Sunday morning (Adelaide time) where our chat will be recorded live on the This Old Witch Facebook page as well as on Spreaker. You can also listen to the previous shows through these links.

PAN, PAGAN Dash Campaign and Me

PAGANdash hopes to better group pagan religions and this may help the Australian Bureau of Statistics to reduce the number of inadequate description responses which is over 137,000 respondents. Pagan Community Project, and specifically MorganAkasha asked Pagan Awareness Network (P.A.N.) to take over the running of the PAGANdash campaign after the 2006 census. In 2011, P.A.N. dedicated much of its early focus to the PAGANdash campaign, providing the website and all free downloads from it for all pagan groups across Australia.

One of the reasons behind specifying an “Other” religion is not necessary to provide a more accurate number of people within Australia who identify as pagan but also so to show the social acceptance of paganism and the gradual removing of any stigmas associated with pagan paths.

On Wednesday, 12 May 2021, at 7.30pm (Sydney time) P.A.N. will be going live on their Facebook page to not only launch this year's PAGANdash campaign, but there will also a line up of speakers, including yours truly who has been invited as the key note speaker.

You can join the Facebook live here.

Turning of the Sacred Wheel

Within modern Paganism, Samhain (a Gaelic word that is pronounced "SAH-win") is a time when the veils between the land of the living and the realm of the dead are at its thinnest. As such, it is a time for remembering our ancestors and our departed loved ones.  It is often considered to be a rather solemn time that is set side for contemplating the mysteries of birth, life, death and even rebirth as is found within the sacred teachings of many spiritual and religious practices.  This cycle is also seen all around us in nature. 

Within the seasonal mythos contained within contemporary witchcraft, the God (the divine masculine) transforms from the Lord of the Wine to the Dreaded Lord of the Shadows, represented in the third and final harvest (that of blood and animals) encouraging us to make final preparations for the coming colder months.

Samhain is a time of introspection, of emptying the false from the mind, heart and soul.  It is a time to heal the source of our deepest wounds, and those we have inflicted upon other people around us, before time fails us.  This inward reflection and contemplation teaches us how to see things more clearly.

Within my tradition of contemporary witchcraft Samhain is supposed to mark the gateway to the colder, winter months.  Last weekend, however, as I hosted an observance on this sabbat, it was a rather summery 26C.  This did not deter us as we honoured those who have passed through the veil in the hope that they will continue to guide us in this life.

Interview of Jo from Avalon by Nature

It is May already and it is hard to believe that it has been almost a month since I sat down with Jo from Avalon by Nature for Jo Avalon's Cuppa Chat where we discussed my recently released book, Encountering the Dark Goddess: A Journey into the Underworld, together with the next book that I have coming up by Moon Books, that being Contemporary Witchcraft: Foundational Practices for a Magical Life. 

This book is aimed at providing a solid foundation into the art magical especially for those people who are interested in witchcraft, but also magick, with the slant being on the Southern Hemisphere (readers north of the equator are also very well catered for).  As I mentioned to Jo in this interview, a lot of the techniques and insights that I discuss in the book actually stem from the teachings I initially received back in the 1990s, many of which I still utilise within my own practices today.  

Jo sells copies of both these books as well as some of my earlier titles through her Avalon by Nature online store as well as from her market stalls.

Over 500 Sales Already and Other News

It is April already and I am scratching my head wondering where the time has gone, especially as my last posting here was about the huge WitchCon event - and with over 90 presenters online for three (or four depending on time zones) whole days around the world, yes it was huge.  I still haven't managed to watch more than a handful of presentations myself (one of the joys of the whole weekend being recorded) but I hope so.

From what I have been told, about 40 people tuned in to listen to my presentation live - which I thought wasn't bad considering in my timeslot I was up against the Witch of Salem herself, Laurie Cabot, as well as Taren S talking about crossroads magick, Amy Blackthorn sharing some hexy cocktails, Witchdoctor Utu giving a drumming tutorial and Michel Furie talking about a witch's potion.  So that was a wonderful experience to be a part of.

More importantly, Encountering the Dark Goddess: A Journey into the Shadow Realms was officially released on 26 March 2021.  This means that everyone who has pre-ordered through Amazon as well as their local bookstores, should be receiving their copies very soon, if you haven't not already received them.  This also means that if your local bookstore does not have any copies, that they can hassle their distributors to get some in.

Reviews on Goodreads and Amazon as well as other sites are always much appreciated because in this review driven world, it is things like reviews that set Amazon's logarithms for their "suggested books".

On my publisher's website, there are a list of alternative booksellers for both the paperback edition as well as ebooks.  If physical books are your thing and you are in Adelaide, then try contacting Carpe Diem with Remi at Port Adelaide or The Magical Crystal Forest in Christies Beach and Morphett Vale as they also stock my other books.

And when I got home tonight and logged on to check my emails, there was an email from John Hunt Publishing congratulating me that over 550 copies had been sold already!!  That means that aside from the copies that I had purchased myself, that over 350 copies had been pre-ordered.  Now, to me, that is a lot!!

Much gratitude to everyone who has supported this project, especially Soror Basilisk who did the artwork, Nan Berrett from Word Solutions for the proofreading and of course Trevor and the Moon Books team.

And talking about Moon Books, on the weekend of Saturday, 5 and Sunday, 6 June 2021, Moon Books will be hosting a free Moon Con 21 live event on Facebook that will include talks, panels and live Q&A sessions involving numerous Moon Book authors.  I will be involved on a panel on the Saturday (Sunday in the UK) alongside fellow Australian authors, Julie Brett and Jane Meredith.   I hope to see you there.

Other things that I have been up to is over Easter I sat down with Jo from Avalon by Nature for a chat about the next book that I have coming up by Moon Books, that being Contemporary Witchcraft: Foundational Practices for a Magical Life.  This book is aimed at providing a solid foundation to the art magical especially for those people who are interested in witchcraft, but also magick as a lot of what I discuss in the book stem from the teachings I initially received back in the 1990s, many of which I still utilise today.  Jo has copies of both these books as well as some of my earlier titles.

If you are in Melbourne, then copies of both Encountering the Dark Goddess and Contemporary Witchcraft can be found at Muses of Mystery in The Nicholas Building, 37 Swanston Street in the heart of the city.

Now that Encountering the Dark Goddess has been released, I have started working on an online course that I hope to be able to offer in the near future. I also have a couple more talks lined up and there is the manuscript for my next book that I am getting close to finalising before sending it off to the proofreader.  I always seem to have something on the go :)

Blessings, Frances