A Grove of Ashes and Aspens

  • Samhain: The Cross Quarter and the Root of Halloween

    Now Playing: Seasonspeech by Elvenking Samhain is a particular favourite cross quarter for me. I tend to really enjoy autumn, the changing leaves and cooler temperatures a welcome change from the heat of summer. This particular cross quarter was always just Halloween for me until I came to the pagan path, having been raised Christian…

  • Afterlives and Undeath: Rituals and Offerings in History

    Now Playing: Grandier’s Funeral Pyre by Elvenking Throughout history, burial rituals have existed in basically every culture ever. What these rituals look like will change depending on which region or time period one looks at, but they’ll be there. But what does this mean with paganism? Many pagan practices from before Christianity had their own…

  • Anger in Paganism: Frustration with a Dominant Culture

    Now Playing: Dominhate by Elvenking Anger within a pagan context specifically can be weird. So rarely is my rage directed at any one person, but at the system that caused them to say and do the things they do. It is the unfortunate reality that we live in a society that was built on Christianity…

  • September High Day: The Autumn Equinox

    Now Playing: Dear Fellow Traveller by Sea Wolf The autumn equinox is an interesting time. While it is also the balance of night and day that marks the beginning of autumn and the lead up to winter, it is also a midpoint of harvest season, especially for more northern countries where the onset of cold…

  • Alienation in Paganism: How Group Pressure can Affect the Individual

    Now Playing: The One We Shall Follow by Elvenking Before y’all get on my ass about this, yes, I know I’ve written about loneliness and alienation in paganism before, but bear with me. The throes of melancholy and pagan solitude have been gripping my soul and I want to talk about it. So overall, there…

  • Pagan vs Witch: The Intersection of Aesthetics and Faith

    Now Playing: 3 Ways to Magick by Elvenking Before anyone says anything, no, paganism and witchcraft aren’t the same thing, though there is a lot of overlap between the two, with many pagans practicing witchcraft and many witches also identifying as pagans to some degree, especially where Wicca is concerned. But they are not the…

  • Runic Tattoos and the Potential Pitfalls therein

    Now Playing: The Horned Ghost and the Sorcerer by Elvenking I recently got a tattoo, and I’m very happy with how it turned out. I got it done at a friend’s studio in my home city, and it’s a bindrune that means a lot to me. Now, getting this done brought a thought to my…

  • Lughnasadh: The Pagan Summer Cross Quarter

    Now Playing: Summon the Dawn Light by Elvenking So this is one of the quieter cross pagan holidays for me. It’s right when a lot of people are out of town, it isn’t a major seasonal change, and in general, there isn’t a lot happening. So instead, what is it? According to Wikipedia (I know,…

  • Damna: A Passion that Cannot be Ignored

    Now Playing: Twilight of Magic by Elvenking Damnagoras (aka Davide Moras) has been the singer for Elvenking since their conception, with a brief time away from the band for the recording and release of Wyrd in 2003-2004. (During this time, he was replaced by Kleid, who, while not the perfect fit for a band such…

  • Litha: A Day of Sun and Summer

    Now Playing: The Moon and Magic by Elvenking The seasonal patterns of the year are always interesting, but the solstices are perhaps the most interesting part of the year for me. The settlements in the far north and far south see drastic changes in the hours of daylight they get and will see the midnight…