Topic: The Magickal Web

I enjoy acquiring tools and objects as much as the next person but it appears today the focus is being placed more on the tools and the need thereof, than on our connection to the objects we acquire. I'll explain more specifically. My tools may not be the tools you prefer to use in your practices. Frequently people are given lists of tools to acquire for their practices and that's acceptable as long as it's placed in the proper perspective. The Witch may or may not choose to use tools in their practices. Truthfully, sometimes I set the tone and sometimes I just act on the moment without the need or desire to use objects. It really relies upon my mood and instinct at the time.

Buddhist monks, who are bound by faith to nonviolence, are grappling with how to rid a temple of a severe ant infestation without killing the insects.

The £30,000 award, established to reward the achievements of Scotland's creative talent, will help May to realise The Devil's Plantation, an ambitious multi-media project tracing Glasgow's secret geometry. "It's about finding the magic in ordinary places, not grand monuments," says May, "It's a great opportunity for me to explore a different kind of storytelling." Using video, photography, graphics, sound design and animation, The Devil's Plantation will unravel the myths of Glasgow's prehistoric sites to discover ancient and occult patterns in the landscape. The project will be launched as a website in 2008.

Norman Mailer’s first novel in 10 years is a work of such audacity that many readers and, doubtless, not a few critics are likely to be so offended by its method and means that the extent of its achievement will be lost on them.

The religions of old attributed their gods to the stars in the sky. Our planets are even named after the Roman gods (Mercury, the god of communication and swiftness or Mercury, the first planet that travels the quickest around the sun; Pluto, the god of death, darkness and secrecy or Pluto, the farthest planet shrouded in the darkness and secrecy of space.) It was only natural for all religions to be founded upon the stars since they were above us and ultimately untouchable and not truly seen (the universal concept of God being far away and not truly seen but only seen in miniscule levels like the starlight in the night sky.) I conclude that every "star" is a god." Now, the organized religion zealous mind must be reeling back in disgust in response to this "blasphemy" for surely no man can be a "god?" I disagree! "Every man and woman is a star" or every man and woman has the potential to be like a god but we are, in fact, robots living in our narrow reality tunnels unwilling to push the boundaries and venture onto the planes of higher consciousness. Reality is what we make it but not every single person is ultimately aware of that. The human mind has infinite potential and awakening of this "infinity" state (is a god not infinite?) creates "messiahs" or "enlightened" individuals.

Repentance is defined as:

1. The act or process of repenting.
2. Remorse or contrition for past conduct or sin; penitence.

Using herbs, poultices, incense and water from the cave of the dead in Belize, Mayan priests in Guatemala are cleansing the sacred cite where the evil Bush is scheduled to visit. They are also performing a centuries old ritual called paper soaking.

ON A darkened hilltop, against a rolling backdrop of electric storms, a group of Sydney pagans gather to celebrate the full moon.

Should religion be taught in School? Which religion? And who decides? Do we institute a state religion in the U.S.? Somehow I thought this country was founded by dissidents looking for religious freedom. Whatever happened to that idea?

Advocates for Tibet will bring their cause to the attention of Bay Area residents this week in a series of protests and events in Berkeley and San Francisco, culminating with a rally at the Chinese Consulate in San Francisco and a candlelight vigil in the city's Union Square.