Tuesday 30 July 2013

Book Review: The Last Observer


The Last Observer
by Dr G Michael Vasey

A story of magic...dark and light...one of intrigue, murder and suspense.  The author weaves real magic and mystery into this page turning mystery.  A very good read.

The official blurb:

A compelling tale of magic, alternative realities, murder and conflict. It is, in itself, both a gripping novel and a fascinating study of the nature of reality and the role we all play in co-creating it.
An ordinary man is abruptly dragged into the middle of a violent struggle between black and white magicians who both seek to use his extraordinary powers of imagination and observation. He soon learns that reality is not at all what it seems before being called upon to play a decisive role in determining whose reality will prevail.

Author: Dr. G. Michael Vasey writes about the nature of reality and our ability to shape that reality from an occultists point of view

Monday 29 July 2013

the changing face of witchcraft...

This is probably going to be one of those 'random, who knows where it is going to lead to? kind of blog entries...'.

I have seen several facebook comments recently saying that witchcraft is 'changing' that the traditions of the witch are becoming more 'new age'.   Which got me thinking...is it?  I wonder?

If we compare a lot of the Craft today to that of say, Crowley's time then yes it probably has changed quite a lot for some people. Even looking at Janet Farrar & Stewart Farrar's Witchcraft Bible compared to their more recent Progressive Magick book (albeit this one was written by Janet Farrar and Gavin Bone) you can see the change from ceremonial to more 'nature/hedge witchcraft' ideas.

I wonder if we aren't just expanding?  There are more witches, more pagans and more new age people than there ever was, do we just have a broader base to work from? 

I use some new age ideas within my Craft but I also use Wicca, Hedge Witchcraft, Shamanism and Hoodoo (amongst other things), I take the bits I like and the ideas that resonate and make them work for my own personal path.

I probably would be frowned upon in a Traditional Witchcraft coven or even a strict Wiccan one because of some of my ideas, but I don't belong to either so it's not a concern for  me.  My witchcraft is personal to ME. (Not that I am knocking ANY coven, tradition or group at all, I would never judge another,  if it works for you then that is fantastic).

Should we worry even if the Craft is becoming more 'new agey'...I'm not sure.  My personal feelings are to go with what works for you, whatever 'label' it has.  Each human being is an individual and what works for one isn't necessarily going to work for another.

I think we should just rejoice that paganism in whatever form, seems to be more widespread and dare I say it even sneaking into mainstream...but then we hit the argument that Witchcraft should be about mystery and kept secret...but that's a whole other kettle of fish LOL

Right I'm off to sit in front of my cauldron and chant some ohms...;-)

Sunday 28 July 2013

what's on, what's free?

I get regular questions about what is 'on' within the pagan world in our local area (Portsmouth, Hampshire, UK) and what is free...so here is a little round up...(apologies if I have missed any local groups!)

Kitchen Witch Coven Open Rituals held regularly at the Queen Elizabeth Country Park - FREE, just bring yourself along and a drum if you have one, in the summer months we often have a picnic afterwards as well.
Ritual details https://www.facebook.com/groups/kitchenwitchuk/

Kitchen Witch School forum - although there is a charge for our lessons (a very reasonable one) there is also a FREE forum - it costs nothing to register and the forum is packed full of information and also has a section for you to ask questions and interact with other members.
Kitchen Witch forum www.kitchenwitchhearth.com

Tarot Share - my local spiritual coffee shop (Chi Coffee) holds a FREE tarot share every Friday, 10am to 2pm - everyone welcome, come along and join us for a chat, bring along your tarot/oracle cards and join the fun.  www.facebook.com/Chicoffeeshop

Healing Sharing - Chi Coffee also holds FREE healing sharing days on a Thursday, 10am to 2.30pm - everyone welcome, come along and join us.  www.facebook.com/Chicoffeeshop

Social Evening - Chi Coffee will be starting a Chi Spirit Social evening, first Thursday of every month beginning 5th September. 7.30pm to 10.00pm.  Different themes and talks each month.  FREE entry.  www.facebook.com/Chicoffeeshop

The Dolmen Portsmouth also hold monthly moots at The Salisbury pub in Cosham.
Details www.facebook.com/groups/295557253799288/

The Genesis Order of Druids also hold monthly moots at The Barley Mow pub in Southsea.
Details https://www.facebook.com/MootAtTheMow and rituals at Hilsea Lines.

Talks
I am often asked to talk at local moots and meetings, I always give my time for free, but it is up to the group that invite me as to whether they charge or not, details of talks I am giving can be found on my website www.rachelpatterson.co.uk

Online School
As Kitchen Witch we do have an online school with lovely students from all over the world, yes there is a monthly fee but we have kept it as low as possible, we put a lot of time and effort into our school and are on hand every day for one to one tuition, details on www.kitchenwitchhearth.com

Workshops
We also run workshops on a regular basis, again we keep the costs as low as possible - covering the cost of drinks and lunch for our lovely guests and any materials we have had to purchase (we always send our students away with a detailed booklet from the workshop and a goody bag), details on the Coven website www.kitchenwitchhearth.wix.com/coven

Witchcraft Q&A

We at Kitchen Witch and myself are more than happy to answer any questions that you have on the Craft all you have to do is message us via facebook or send an email, we will help in whatever way we can.
kitchenwitchhearth@yahoo.com
tansyfiredragon@yahoo.co.uk

Wednesday 24 July 2013

Ariadne's Thread: Awakening the Wonders of the Ancient Minoans in our Modern Lives


Ariadne's Thread: Awakening the Wonders of the Ancient Minoans in our Modern Lives 
by Laura Perry



A fascinating book where the author takes us on her own journey with the Minoan spirituality. She brings with her the magic of Crete through it's myths, mysteries and culture.

The official blurb:

The myths of ancient Crete, her people, and their gods twine through our minds like the snakes around the priestess's arms in those ancient temples. They call to us across the millennia, asking us to remember. In answer to that call, Ariadne’s Thread provides a window into the spirituality, culture and daily life of the Minoan people, and commemorates the richness of a world in which women and men worked and worshiped as equals. In these pages, the glory of Crete once again springs to life; the history, the culture, and most of all, the intense spirituality of these fascinating people and their gods can inspire and transform our modern ways of thinking, worshiping and being. The ruined temples and mansions of ancient Crete may crumble along the coastline of this tiny island, but Ariadne’s thread still leads us into the labyrinth and safely back out again.

Tuesday 23 July 2013

past life...in the present...

Yesterday afternoon was spent immersed in 'past life healing'...which turned out to be an interesting experience.

It started a few weeks back when I met Steve Bradshaw at Chi Coffee for the free healing sharing day (he is there every Thursday)...following on from that Steve did a 'Soul Awakening' for me.

I have always had some psychic abilities but they have been intermittent ... Steve scanned and found that a past life had 'attached' itself to me and was blocking my psychic third eye...and cleared it away - I am now working with my gifts in a whole new way, thinking my abilities only covered clairaudience was a mistake...I have a whole host of new skills to work with now that cover all the 'audiences' LOL.  Don't get me wrong I won't be getting up on platform any time soon (or ever) or giving readings to strangers in the middle of a restaurant (which I wouldn't anyway as I think that's just not right) but it has given me new 'old' skills to work into my Craft.

So yesterday I decided to ask Steve to work with past life healing to see what else we could uncover...four past lives in fact, still attached to me in this life - all extremely interesting and all affecting my health, my abilities and the way I think, act and react in this life.

Huge clear out...huge release...slept last night for hours and hours...

Today I am feeling slightly weird...well OK weirder than usual...but processing all that was uncovered and all that was released and am feeling a sense of well being and of wanting to plan and plot and  move forward with new energy and a different outlook on life...

Starting the day with a fantastic review of my new book Pagan Portals Hoodoo on the Telegraph's website, yep the Telegraph no less...am feeling all sorts of grown up LOL

Onwards and upwards as they say...look out world I'm coming to getcha...


Monday 15 July 2013

in the recording studio...but no Iron Maiden ;-)


I spent last Friday in the recording studio...

And then drove everyone mad on facebook by not letting on why I was in there LOL ;-)

Last time I did some recording I was playing the drums in an all girl rock band!

This time however I was in the studio to record some of the meditations taken from my books with the view to putting them out on a CD for people to listen to.

Four hours of me reading and being recorded - wow is it weird listening to yourself speak! Hubby laughed as he said I was using my "posh Surrey voice".   And then another three hours were spent with hubby playing the keyboards to provide some lovely backing music.

We will be back in the studio this week to get it all edited together and make sure I didn't make any line fluffs ;-)

So watch this space for news of the CD being released...


Tuesday 9 July 2013

over flowing with humbleness and love ♥

Well Sunday was AMAZING...the Way of the Witch workshop was full to bursting with wonderful people all with fabulous energy and interesting questions (and cake of course).

I love sharing knowledge and experience but for me a huge part of the reward is learning from the students, it is an enlightening and humbling experience.

Tomorrow evening sees me strike out on my first talk on Kitchen Witchcraft on my own as 'Rachel the Author' as opposed to 'Rachel part of the Kitchen Witch team' and it will be a very surreal experience for me...but a learning one and I am sure that the Portsmouth Dolmen will be very kind to me...*gulp* ;-)

Friday will find me in the recording studio working on a new little side project which is very exciting...more news to follow soon...

When I wrote my first book Pagan Portals Kitchen Witchcraft little did I know what was to follow on from that...as it has already sold over 500 copies, Grimoire of a Kitchen Witch is looking like it is heading in the same direction even quicker and Pagan Portals Hoodoo is already on a reprint and it hasn't even hit the stores yet...it's mad...good mad...but mad!

This year so far has been totally AMAZING, I have been put into situations I never expected to be in (good situations) and have taken pathways I never thought I would, along the way I have met some wonderful people and been amazed at the loyalty and support that good friends and even brand new friends can supply...in abundance.

And Thursday this week finds hubby and I celebrating 21 years together (15 married) for which I am beyond words thankful for ♥

I am blessed and I thank the Goddess for all that she has provided for me and look forward to the next part of my journey...

Monday 8 July 2013

Traditional Witchcraft and the Pagan Revival


Traditional Witchcraft and the Pagan Revival by Melusine Draco

"A Magical Anthropology - an historical fact-finding mission to discover when the different aspects o magical influence entered traditional witchcraft."

Another wonderful book from Melusine Draco.  Traditional Witchcraft and the Pagan Revival takes you back to the roots of the old ways through to modern paganism, drawing on archealogical detail and historical evidence, taking apart the various views of paganism and analysing how and why they work or don't.  This book includes huge amounts of research and information on pagan history and on some of Britain's most sacred sites and ancient festivals.

A fascinating read.


Friday 5 July 2013

Maybe the universe just isn't that into you!



I love this book! Although I knew I would, having read one of Colette's previous books Weegie Tarot (available from Amazon).

Maybe the universe just doesn't get you by Colette Brown

Finally some spiritual common sense, absolute truth and guidance (or a slap up the side of the head awakening) to take responsibility for ourselves, our words and our actions.

Colette picks you up by the shoulders...gives you a good shake and sets you firmly on your own two feet, opening up fluffy bunny views of spirituality and bringing in reality...what a relief!

This book made me nod in agreement on every single page and laugh out loud on more than one occasion, it should be required reading for everyone who claims to walk a spiritual path.

The Amazon blurb:

You have read the little books of affirmations, done the daily angel/oracle/astrological inspiration thing? Fine...me too! But it has all gone too far. We now have a great swathe of spiritual people who are giving up personal responsibility for their actions and claiming that simple bad decisions are the work of Spirit/God/Universe. It has to stop. Everything is a 'lesson' or a 'gift'. So here is the book that debunks the usual suspects. It shows up what is simply a lack of strength and character when things go so wrong that 'Spirit told me to do it' is simply an excuse for someone looking to avoid facing the truth in their own life. Yes...it's an angry and non-subtle book. It is needed in an ocean of fluffy-bunny rainbows. It is time for the pendulum to swing the other way.

Colette's website www.coletteclairvoyant.webs.com

Wednesday 3 July 2013

Crashed...burned...slept...back in action again...

I wanted to share this with you so that you know I am a real person and not some kind of superwoman...

The past three weeks have been hectic crazy with classes, learning, teaching, workshops, rituals, talks and book signings and I have absolutely loved every minute of it...but apparently my body decided yesterday that it was time to crash and burn...

Went to development class in the morning, braved a wander around the new Range shop (arrrghhh way too many people!)...got home and literally crashed...felt awful - a combination of being tired, hayfever, headache (which I thankfully rarely suffer from) and polyathralgia (which has been very good lately but hit with a vengeance yesterday).   So I put a film on (Best Exotic Marigold Hotel) and sat down for a bit...which resulted in my falling asleep and not waking up until my husband came in from work (thankfully I didn't have a school run to do!).

Am feeling washed out today but OK...so today will be taken very easy - yes I know I work from home and for all those that give me the 'knowing nod' when I say I work from home it does not involve sitting watching Jeremy Kyle and eating Mars Bars all day, seriously you come and spend a day with me and see how much I get done...

I love that my life is full of wonderful events but sometimes the universe has to intervene and give me time out because I am a bit useless at doing it myself LOL

I shall catch up with paperwork today and look forward to my Angel Reiki treatment tomorrow morning and the Healing Sharing day at Chi Coffee after that.  Friday I will be at the tarot share at Chi Coffee and Sunday is our Kitchen Witch Workshop which I am very much looking forward to so I will be recharged and ready to rock.

Monday 1 July 2013

COMPETITION TIME!!


Time for another little competition...

If you have a copy of my new book Grimoire of a Kitchen Witch it would really help me (and the sales) if you could post a review on Amazon.

So for a chance of winning this beautiful bracelet hand made by The Button Fae all you have to do is ... share the competition photo that you will find on my facebook page www.facebook.com/RachelPattersonbooks 
and write a review on Amazon for the book...simples!

If you want to be in with a chance of two entries in the draw...pop your review on Good Reads too!


Thank you all ♥