Blessed Turning of the Wheel!
MJTM 2025
Across the Northern Hemisphere, many modern Pagans, polytheists, and Heathens are honoring the sacred festival of Lughnasadh. The feast is also known as Lammas, Lughnasa, Lúnasa, or Harvest Home. Celebrated on or around August 1, this seasonal rite marks the first of three traditional harvest festivals, followed by Mabon and Samhain.
Rooted in Gaelic tradition, Lughnasadh commemorates the beginning of the grain harvest. Its name derives from the Irish god Lugh, a radiant figure of light and master of many arts—craftsmanship, warfare, healing, and poetry among them. The festival also honors Tailtiu, Lugh’s foster mother, who is said to have cleared the land for agriculture before dying of exhaustion. The sacrifice reminds us of the toil behind every loaf of bread.
In the Norse tradition, this season is celebrated as Freyfaxi, named in honor of Freyr, the god of fertility, abundance, and peace. Freyr ensures the land’s prosperity and is closely associated with fruitful fields and golden harvests. Like Lughnasadh, Freyfaxi is a time for feasting, games, songs, gratitude, and the offering of first fruits.
While these celebrations are ancient, their heart still beats strong. As Literata beautifully put it:
“Having enough food is a good thing to celebrate, and it’s downright fun. Having enough to get through the next season and be able to make both beer and bread is even better, and definitely deserves a party. But in this day and age few of us harvest any kind of food with our own hands… I think one result is that we tend to focus on the mystical meanings of bread and life while ignoring the seemingly mundane but fundamentally necessary part of the harvest: work.”
Indeed, Lughnasadh invites us not only to reflect on abundance but to recognize the labor, sacrifice, and community effort that sustains us.
This cross-quarter fire festival holds a liminal space between the Summer Solstice and the Autumn Equinox, a threshold time to express thanks for what has ripened in our lives and prepare for what’s yet to come. Loaves of fresh bread are often offered in ritual as symbols of gratitude and transformation—grain that was once alive, cut down, and reborn through fire into nourishment.
Meanwhile, in the Southern Hemisphere, the Wheel of the Year turns toward Imbolc, as winter begins to release its grip and the first whispers of spring awaken in the land.
Wherever you are on the Wheel, may your harvests be rich, physical, magical, and spiritual. May your heart light as the grain that sways in the summer wind.
Blessed Lughnasadh!
The Aquarian Tabernacle Church Expands Presence with New Partnership at Everett Community Center
Everett, Wash. – The Aquarian Tabernacle Church (ATC), a leading international Wiccan fellowship, is excited to announce it has entered a partnership with the VOA Carl Gipson Center in Everett, Washington. This collaboration represents a major milestone in ATC’s mission to nurture spiritual growth, build community connections, and promote religious freedom for Wiccans and Pagans across the Pacific Northwest and beyond.
The Everett location has already been home to ‘The Metaphysical Market,’ a vibrant metaphysical gathering hosted twice monthly by the ATC. The new contract sets the stage for the market to flourish, transforming into a welcoming spiritual hub for seekers of all backgrounds, whether solitary practitioners or members of the many groups in Western Washington. The expanded offerings will include public rituals, community workshops, youth and family programs such as SpiralScouts, and educational opportunities through the acclaimed Woolston-Steen Theological Seminary.”
Additionally, the Pagan community will now have greater access to daily devotionals, seasonal festivals, and a robust support network of clergy and volunteers, all designed to foster connection and spiritual enrichment.
“We are thrilled to open our doors in Everett and share the ATC’s message of inclusivity, balance, and spiritual empowerment,” said Belladonna LaVeau, Archpriestess and CEO of the ATC. “This new location will be a place where individuals and families can deepen their spiritual practice, find community, and celebrate the cycles of nature together.”
Founded in 1979, the Aquarian Tabernacle Church is dedicated to advancing spiritual growth, religious tolerance, and community engagement. Through education, ministry, and advocacy, the ATC supports Wiccans and Pagans of all traditions while championing civil rights and interfaith cooperation. With public rituals, festivals, and outreach programs, the ATC continues to provide a safe and welcoming space for seekers and practitioners worldwide.
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Events and Announcements
Lughnasadh with New Moon in the Valley
New Moon in the Valley invites you to join us for a family-friendly Lughnasadh ritual!
This is the first of 3 harvest festivals observed by many Eurocentric traditions, often celebrated with Bardic competitions and feats of strength. As such, we will be enjoying some outdoor games together (corn hole, horseshoes) after a harvest-themed ritual. We invite all attendees to bring seasonally appropriate items for our altar and any drums if they would like to provide some percussion for the games. More information on our Events page.
Southern California Divination Conference Returns for 2025: A Gathering of Mystics, Practitioners, Spiritual Healers, and Seekers in the Heart of Southern California
LOS ANGELES – The Southern California Divination Conference is proud to announce its return for a third magical year! The 2025 Southern California Divination Conference (SCDC) will be held on Saturday, August 23, 2025, at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, 3131 Bristol St. in Costa Mesa, California. The conference is returning with mystical insights, spiritual connections, and healing arts from across the region for a day of insight, connection, and transformation.
The 2025 conference builds on the success of its previous years, to include new workshops, vendors, and more opportunities to explore the art and practice of spiritual connections in all its forms—from Tarot and astrology to Qigong, augury, and practical applications of these skills.
“This is more than a conference—it’s a community experience,” says Lilith , one of the founders of the Southern California Divination Conference. “We’re creating a sacred space where people from all backgrounds can gather to learn, grow, and share their gifts.”
Event Highlights Include:
- Hands-On Workshops with experienced practitioners
- Inspirational Panel featuring thought leaders in spiritual and metaphysical fields
- An Expansive Marketplace of metaphysical tools, books, handmade goods, and mystical services
- Live Readings and demonstrations
- Community-building rituals and opportunities to network
This event welcomes everyone—from the divination-curious to seasoned readers. Attendees can expect a rich day of learning and connection in an atmosphere grounded in respect, inclusivity, and magical exploration.
Tickets and Sponsorship Opportunities
Early bird registration and sponsorship packages are now available. Visit https://www.socaldivcon.com to learn more, secure your spot, and get involved as a presenter, vendor, or sponsor.
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About the Southern California Divination Conference
The Southern California Divination Conference was founded to provide an inclusive, educational, and empowering gathering place for the metaphysical and spiritual community. With a focus on personal growth and intuitive practices, the event aims to uplift and celebrate the ancient arts of divination and spiritual exploration.
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Tarot of the Week by Star Bustamonte
Deck: Zodiac Tarot, by Cecilia Lattari, artwork by Ana Chávez, published by U.S. Games Systems, Inc.
Card: Eight (8) of Cups – Saturn in Pisces, First Decan
This week is likely to place a focus on endings, and what comes next—new beginnings. In essence, the emotional expansion of Pisces energy collides with limits and time as imposed by Saturn. There is likely to be a strong drive towards abandoning situations that have become emotionally stagnant and are rooted in old or outmoded behaviors. What comes next is liable to have an element of the unknown and may feel like traversing into the wilderness.
In contrast, the temptation to continue on with anything that, on an emotional level, no longer supports wellbeing in hopes that things will somehow magically improve is unlikely to yield a positive outcome. Employing elements of escapism, while distracting, is less likely to improve the situation and only prolong the end of a cycle that is overdue in coming.
New Species of “Fairy Shrimp” Discovered
FAIR WARNING: It Looks More Like Cthulhu
In a shallow roadside pond on the basaltic plateau of Jawahar, Maharashtra, scientists have uncovered a surprising new species: Streptocephalus warliae, a tiny, translucent crustacean in the whimsically named “fairy shrimp” family. The new species was described in a study published July 24 in the journal Zoosystematics and Evolution.
Barely three-quarters of an inch long, S. warliae is the seventh known species of Streptocephalus on the Indian subcontinent—and only the second from the biologically rich Northern Western Ghats. Named for the Indigenous Warli people, whose distinctive rice-paste and red-soil paintings reflect a deep connection to the land, the shrimp mirrors its namesake’s intimacy with nature’s cycles.
The new fairy shrimp species that is believed to exist only in a single roadside pond in western India. Photo by Katke PM, Padhye SM, Vanjare AI (2025)
Fairy shrimp are known for swimming upside down, living in rain-fed ephemeral pools, and looking just a bit otherworldly. S. warliae is no exception. Found in a seasonal pond just three feet deep—frequented by cattle, tadpoles, aquatic beetles, and roadside tourists—the shrimp might go unnoticed at first glance. But this humble pool is now known as the species’ only documented habitat.
Males of the species sport a striking triangular projection on their second antennae, while females feature a deep apical notch—morphological traits that help distinguish them from other Streptocephalus species in South and Southeast Asia. One captured female carried dozens of eggs, suggesting the population is actively reproducing.
The discovery highlights how much remains unknown about India’s freshwater biodiversity. Researchers Prashant Manohar Katke, Sameer M. Padhye, and Avinash Isaac Vanjare urge that S. warliae be considered for red list status, given the mounting pressure of urban development in the region.
Unassuming but remarkable, Streptocephalus warliae is a tiny ambassador of fragile ecosystems—and a reminder that even roadside puddles may shelter ancient, alien beauty.
Cthulhu ftagn!
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