This morning I got up to see a subscriber email from Druid and author John Beckett. In his newsletter he talked about Seo Helrune’s post about Tweens And The Unseen Not Your Typical Tween Drama —about spirits and your kids. It definitely resonated. Psychic abilities run in both sides of my family, but are stronger on my mom’s side. I’ve always been able to see and hear entities. When I was little, my “imaginary friends” were spirits who often took animal forms, as well as Ancestors. My first goddess was Sister Moon, but my first encounter with a goddess appearing to me was the Greek Hestia when I was really little, somewhere between 8-10. I used to read children’s art books (I think Disney had a series in the 80’s and early 90’s, maybe older, but I remember Mickey Mouse) and read children’s mythology books—reading about Pagans and their Gods and wishing that they were real or still around. Hestia came to me and said that they were. Eventually, I’d get my first Wiccan book when I was ar...

 In the ADF Member Discord, there’s a discussion about the best and worst connections that people have with the Kindreds. Kindred’s being the Ancestors, Nature Spirits, and Deities/Shining Ones. Naturally, it got me thinking about my own connections. When I was a little witch, before I knew that witches and Pagans were real, I was surrounded by spirits that I could see. Imaginary friends, the adults call them. But I knew they were real. My Unseen Friends….unseen by those without certain abilities. Certain abilities that most kids tend to outgrow. Mine outgrew just a tad. I had to work to reawaken them as an adult. When I was a kid, I remember human and animal spirits, and other creatures and beings that had no names. Shoot, one of my earliest pleasant memories was being a baby or toddler and looking up from a bed or a pen in the living room, at people who were slightly glowing and see-through. Ancestors. I’ve long since confirmed this. (I’ve also seen my little ones rea...

Back in 2014, Hestia called me one of Her Hearth Keepers. Basically, my duty was to care for the Hearth—my home, family, and self. A title that I humbly embraced. A few years later, the Vestals began training me to be one of them. Not caring that I wasn’t a virgin and was married with children. I served the Hearth Mothers and cared for my home and family. I also served my community as a Home Cleanser, Astral Nasty Banisher, and a Home Blesser. I had learned over the years, that I was also a Home Healer. We didn’t live in any one place for very long for a little while. While we lived in various places, I was often met by pissed off spirits who also lived in those spaces. As a Spirit Worker and a Hearth Keeper, I worked to soothe those entities, and show them that not all humans are dicks. I also helped the once human spirits, too. I cleansed those homes and helped the spirits understand the residents a little better. I healed and then moved on to the next place. So the Vesta...

If you do prosperity magiks today, here's your reminder! March 1st used to be a pretty significant day on my path. Thanks to Debra Macleod’s New Vesta Tradition, this day used to be the Flamma Vesta (I believe it’s also the Roman New Year). It was a day to honor the Roman Vesta and Her Priestesses, the Vestals. It was a day of purification and renewal of shrines and candles. A rededication of myself as a Vestal. A day of house cleaning and family bonding—immortal and mortal family. But…I already had a day like the Flamma Vesta. Well, days. The Vestalia in June (7th-15th, or sometimes just the 9th, depending on my spoons). The only thing that’s different is the Priestess rededication, which I’ve added to the Vestalia. Every 1st of the month, I also honor Vestia, aka Hestia-Vesta. (Over the course of last year, Their names fused into one, so I didn’t fight it.) And as an ADF Hearth Keeper, I’m already a Flame Keeper for my Hearth Mothers and Spirits. AND in February I joined a Flame ...

 About a week ago, I wrote a post that was supposed to be about my relationship with Dionysus and Ariadne, but turned into Myth Gods and Real Gods . When I was a teen I had a handful of deities: Sister Moon, Hestia, Vesta, Artemis, Hephaestus, and Anubis. Over the years, that number would change, especially as I started working more with animal spirits. Then as I went through a phase of dark depression and rejected being an artist—I listened to what asshole students and teachers of Wright State University’s art department, who said that I was mediocre and talentless and had no place in that major. I pushed Hephaestus away, and the others (although Hestia-Vesta and Sister Moon stayed). (My drawing teacher, Penny, brought me back by saying that I had the potential, but I was standing in my way). In 2014, I started working with the Roman Ceres. During one of my full moon rites with Her, Sister Moon, and the Land Spirits, Dionysus showed up. He stayed…and with Him came a flood of...

  Happy Equinox, Fall for the Northern Hemisphere and Spring for the Southern Hemisphere!  I just couldn't wait to do my ADF altar up for the new season.   The altar detail, left to right: An oak tree coloring page, container of cornmeal offerings, 9 Pagan Virtue study cards, Dollar Tree pumpkin, lavender cup, kuksa offering cup, and a lil' bottle of silver. Lavender Cup that represent The Well, a block of wood that represents The Tree,  Lil bottle of silver beads.  Garanus (Crane) Ada Spirit , Bee Inkwash Sticker by Vanessa Renee , an acorn a stranger gifted to me last year at the Ren Faire, Hestia ( Windstone Devotion ), a Dollar Tree ceramic pumpkin, an LED tealight to represent The Fire, and an oath ring. In the very front, not in picture is my Maple Wood Elen of the Woods Blade (Elen Blade for short) (hand carved by the Mind Body & Spirit owner's husband) Pumpkin, fox figurine, drinking horn, and my favorite river stone to represent The Mountain. ...

  Family Shrine September 1, 2024 It's September!  20 or so days until it's officially Fall.  I can feel the transitioning this weekend, as it's been very windy, with dying leaves blowing all over, and today the temps were nice.  A lovely day for a cookout on this Labor Day here in the US.  We have the windows all open, letting in the fresh air, and finally giving the A.C. a break.  Here's hoping the weather only get better from here...and not random swings of hell with a jump to winter temps.  I'd like to be able to enjoy fall weather this year. Pictured above is our Family Shrine.  A mix mash of entities, items, and things made by my kids for the Kindreds.  My kids have small satchels for their special spiritual items, such as a stone dog, stone whale, and a stone t-rex.  Let's take a quick look at what else there is, starting with the wall: A framed certificate from ADF stating that the Wren's Nest is an official hearth of the Mother ...

Boo!  I've been sick this Vestalia and haven't been able to do my usual stuff, minus a deep spiritual cleanse of my home and a re-warding.  First I cleansed my home by asking the Norse Solar Goddess Sunna to cleanse my property and vehicle with sunlight.  Then I went inside and opened the windows and curtains for that spring breeze and sunshine.  The weather has actually been pretty nice this Vestalia, with temps in the 60's-75F.  I've been spending a lot of time outside resting, reading, and crocheting. Inside, I lit the sage bundle by saying, " In the names of Hestia-Vesta and the Vestals, I light this sage to cleanse my home of all unwanted energies and entities.  You are not wanted here and must leave! "  I walked my home counterclockwise to banish those unwanted energies.  Then I declared what energies and entities are welcome. I cleansed the home again with energy, to get those pesky nooks and crannies, like under my trailer. Next, I re-ward...

Anetteprs Illustrations' Hestia Hail Hestia! She was one of my first deities, and revealed Herself to me when I was very young. She is one of my Spiritual Mothers and I am one of Her priestesses. And I really love this depiction of Her (I adore this artists' work. Go check out their website !).  So beautiful. If you click on the link and read what the artist wrote about Hestia, she writes a little bit of myth by Robert Graves about Hestia giving up her spot on Mount Olympus for Dionysus.  Personal Opinion Time and no shade is being thrown at the artist, this is a common myth that some accept, some don't.  I don't like Robert Graves. Do I see this myth as a literal thing?  No.  I do not take myths literally; in my experience there are huge differences between real entities and myth entities.  Often time, myth entities are just characters in a story, a piece of fanfiction.  They are stories written by humans with their own agendas: lessons, entertainmen...

The Vestalia is a Roman festival honoring the Hearth and Home Goddess and the Living Flame Vesta; I also honor the Greek Hearth and Home Goddess Hestia and the spirits of the Vestals.  I've been celebrating this holy time for a few years, since learning about it back in the early 2010's, when I was exploring Roman and Greek Paganism.  The festival is from June 7th or 9th to the 15th.  This is one of my most important holy times, especially now as a Priestess of Hestia-Vesta (a Hearth Keeper for Hestia and a Vestal for Vesta--Their words, not mine).  You may notice that I often hyphenate Their names, because sometimes They appear as one goddess and other times as two, purely a personal choice, not a historical one. My Vestalia Shrine. June 9, 2023 Starting in the back, left to right: a statue inherited from my grandmother representing family love, a satchel of my kids' altar stuff, a red protection satchel sitting in a bowl one of my kids' made, a Vestal, Vesta (at He...