Honey and Twilight

Our weather is starting to turn toward autumn. There is so much to do in the garden to begin putting it to bed – I just cut down the husks of the front yard sunflowers, and I have been attempting to return to weeding and tidying in the backyard. The butterfly bush has become overgrown, but shouldn’t be trimmed back until the Spring. I have already moved most of the indoor plants, well, back…

They weren’t kidding when they called it life-changing.

No matter how many times I am told that a practice is going to change my ways, my perspective, my life, I am always a little surprised at how it actually, you know, happens. I have been doing Vedic meditation for almost two months now, and it is changing my way of relating to most everything, and in really wonderful ways. And…it is making me really think critically about how much time I have,…

In my work with Mary Magdalene, I have been developing a Magdalene Prayer to use with my rosary: Hail Magdalene, full of Grace,The Good is with thee.Blessed art thou amongst womenAnd blessed is the fruit of thy Love, Wisdom.Holy Mary, Eye of the Heart,Pray for us sinners,Walk with us now and through death,Amen. It’s not 100% where I would like it to be, but it’s getting there.

in the eye of the heart

It’s time for a new look, a new feel, for these pages and what is housed here. I am going through a profound…what? A minimalizing? A winnowing? A distillation? I don’t know. I don’t have words for it, really. I just know things have to shift, adjust, change, be both less and more than they once were. Less perfect, more present. I want to write more about what actually matters to me. My family.…

Witchy as Fuck (WAF). When I envision WAF, what comes to mind is:

Incense. Candles. Music. Special magical clothing. Chanting. Moonlight.

And honestly? Most of my life is not lived in this way at the moment. As a new mom, I am lucky if I can light the tea lights on my altar as I pass by them in the morning before work, saying thank you to the spirits and deities I work with for overlooking the…

Bridget Bishop. Elizabeth Howe. Susannah Martin. Sarah Good. Rebecca Nurse. Sarah Wildes. Rev. George Burroughs. Martha Carrier. John Willard. George Jacobs Sr. John Proctor. Martha Corey. Ann Pudeator. Alice Parker. Mary Parker. Mary Easty. Margaret Scott. Wilmot Rudd. Samuel Wardwell.

What is remembered, lives.

I’m back, witches!

It has been a looooong time since I last posted. I had a major life change (BABY) in November of 2018, and while it is tempting to say something deep and soulful like “I just let myself dive deep into motherhood” or “I sank into the bliss that was my postpartum experience” the truth is, I haven’t written any blog posts because I am EXHAUSTED. Having a new baby is a hard miracle, y’all. Worth it…

I am pregnant – just a touch into my second trimester – and my tendency is to be quiet, to listen. I am spending a lot of time in my ritual room, in a comfy chair with my feet propped up, looking out on my backyard.

We just moved into this house last October, so I am not yet familiar with all of the plants and animals that share space with me. I am finding columbine, mayapple, honeysuckle, and lily of the valley along with the hostas, tulips, and daffodils. Our bird feeder has been visited by cardinals, blackbirds, sparrows, finches, and blue jays, and I can hear baby birds crying out for food and attention. Chipmunks and squirrels abound, and we have one rabbit that is also a frequent visitor.

This spring feels full to bursting with activity and life and abundance. And, for once, I am in the sweet spot of being able to relax into it, to observe and notice and breathe. I don’t usually allow myself these luxuries.

I think I have entered into an apprenticeship with slowness without realizing it.

Reclaiming Pittsburgh Spring Ritual

Reclaiming Pittsburgh’s Spring Ritual Saturday, May 12th, 2018 6:30PM – 9PM 2011 Noble Street Swissvale, PA 15218

Ritual Intention: “Like flowers, we unfold and nourish community.”

Please bring: – Flowers for the altar – A water bottle – A snack for sharing (no peanut products or shellfish, please)

More information is available in our Facebook event

Today is the three year anniversary of my mother’s death. Yesterday was the vernal equinox, and last night the snow began in earnest, falling down steadily all day today, inches and inches. Winter has decided to upstage Spring with a bold, jazz-hands-fueled dance number. I made it out of the house today, through the drifts and in to the office, and I was able to function in a reasonably normal…

The Tree: An Earth Memoir — Amoret BriarRose

  Image: Cottonwood by Jon Hurd. Some rights reserved. The cottonwood tree’s roots are numerous, and its branches are wide, stretching over the expanse of our yard. The combination of root and branch are such that our backyard is never very sunny, nor does it grow much grass. The tree is the largest in our Chicago… Read more at The Tree: An Earth Memoir — Amoret BriarRose  

October 20, 2017: Witch-Crafting – Tiny Altars Everywhere

Witch-Crafting: Tiny Altars Everywhere Date: October 20, 2017 Time: 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Location: 2011 Noble Street Pittsburgh, PA 15218 Join Briarheart for a night of crafting portable altars to carry the work of building community at the Reclaiming Pittsburgh Back to the Hive Community Meeting. If you eat Altoids or other palm-sized tinned candies, please bring your own box. We’ll have some…

An Evening of Galdr

In Old Norse, galdr originally meant “incantation”. Join me for an evening of Norse magic, creating oral runic spells in community. My space can accommodate 10 people. Please RSVP to [email protected] to reserve a space at the event. Recommended donation: $5 – $10 per person For more information, visit the Facebook event.

Looking back over the first half of 2017, I have taught at two Reclaiming Witchcamps (California and SpiralHeart – getting to teach Elements of Magic at both camps with Phoenix LeFae) and facilitated an online Elements of Magic class for artists through witcharts, a collaboration with Laurie Dietrich.  Busy busy! Up next:  I will be facilitating galdr sessions once a month, and will be…