The Hiding In Plain Sight series of blog posts is designed for those who are not out of the broom closet and want a discrete way to practise their craft. This particular post will focus on how to wear charms and talismans in a way that does not scream ‘witch’. Please note: the companies and products mentioned in this post are listed for information purposes only. PAN does not have commercial agreements with any of these suppliers.
A brief history of Alchemy
Alchemy is an old and secretive practice that is neither magical nor scientific but manages to bridge these two fields. Most often is it described as the forerunner to chemistry which aimed to turn base metals into gold and to discover the secrets of immortality. It was an international pursuit with many different people from different cultures and time periods contributing to its advancement.
Profiling the Gods: Hades
Hades was the Greek god of the Underworld who is sometimes misrepresented as the God of Death. Although he was seen as a fertility god by the ancient Greeks, pop culture references often depict him as an evil or fearsome character. However, readings of ancient Greek texts suggest that he was a more considerate and personable character than we have been led to believe. In this blog post, we will explore Hades’ family tree, dominion, personality and worship.
The history of Ouija Boards
Ouija Boards are a divisive topic and a staple of many slumber parties. While there are some who affirm that they bring nothing but trouble and should only be used by experienced occultists, others think they are little more than an amusement. In this blog post, we will explore the origins of the Ouija Board and how it came to have these two paradoxical reputations.
The origins of Tarot Cards
Tarot cards are arguably the most popular divination tool in the Western World today. Yet despite the numerous tarot decks and instruction manuals available, there are still a number of questions surrounding them as such where did they come from? What came first: playing cards or tarot cards? Where does the word ‘tarot’ come from? This blog post aims to address all three of these questions, so read on to find the answers.
Where does the word ‘pagan’ come from?
This blog post will focus on the etymology and historical usage of the word ‘pagan’. If you would like more information about what constitutes a pagan religion today, please visit the What is Paganism? section of the PAN website.
There is consensus among pagans, scholars and amateur historians that the word pagan comes from the Latin word paganus which means country dweller (Marriam-Webster 2017; Cavendish & Conneeley 2012; Boin 2014; Wikipedia 2017).
A survey of Goddess beliefs and practices in Australia
Dr Patricia Rose and Dr Tricia Szirom are undertaking a study of the Goddess in Australia – how she is expressed, how worshipped, how manifest. They invite you to contribute to their work by completing our online survey.
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Book Release – Ten Years of Triumph of the Moon
Ten Years of Triumph of the Moon, Academic approaches to studying magic and the occult: examining scholarship into witchcraft and paganism, ten years after Ronald Hutton’s The Triumph of the Moon A collection of essays edited by Dave Evans and Dave Green.
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