BELTANE 2001

Many of you have said you didn't know what was inside the article, until you visited each and every page. Following is an index of articles, hyperlinked, and which page you can find them on. Just click on the index item itself to read the articles:

HOLIDAY LORE
Beltane and Samhain - Opposite and Connected By Ahneke Greystone
Planetary Ritual for Beltane - Sarolta DeFaltay-Bell
Beltane Word Search - Isha ArrowHawk
Beltane - The Embrace - Ahneke Greystone
Beltane Recipes - Gathered by Isha ArrowHawk
Once Upon A Beltane Eve - Review by Midnight Grey Wolfpup

FAMILY ISSUES
Promoting Pagan Family Values - Selene Silverwind
Gathering of The Tribes 2001 - Reported by Brenna Fey D'Amaurot
3rd Pagan Internet Conference - Reported by Umbria, PIC Admin
First National Pagan Summit - Reported by Brenna Fey D'Amaurot
Unity And Religious Tolerance - Reported by Candie Arnold: Society of Independent Pagans

STORY TIME
Interview with Elen Hawke, Author of In The Circle; Crafting The Witches Path (Llewellyn) - Interviewed by ~ G. Rain
Maire's May Day - LunaWillowsong
Abby - Mystickally
Mystic Moon - ~Rain
Michael and Beth Chronicles - Selene SilverWind
Cast The Circle - DreamDancer
Springtime Awakening - Seanachai
Toddler Witch Kit - Review by Luna Willowsong
The Kundalini - Storm Raven
Isis Magic by M. Isidora Forrest - Reviewed by ~ G. Rain
Meagan and The Hospital Visits - Kathryn Dyer
Raven's Rants - ~Raven
A Whisper In The Darkness - Antigone
Should Psychics Be "Charmed?" - Rev. Gina M. Pace
Mewsings: What Is A Familiar? - Mystickally
The Owl - Alwyn
Witch : A Magickal Journey by Fiona Horne - Reviewed by ~Rain
Forest Thoughts - Alwyn

In Celtic tradition, the two great festivals are Beltane and Samhain - the beginning of Summer and Winter. To the Celts the year had two seasons, not the four (and later eight) that came to be. The roots of these ancient holidays go back to a time when humanity was not settled and raising crops. Rather, we were following the seasonal migration of animals and beginning to take the first steps in animal husbandry. As time went by and society settled geographically and began to focus additionally on agriculture, the festivals of Imbolc and Lughnasadh became important, with their aspects of planting and harvesting.

Thus begins the Beltane issue of Cauldrons and Broomsticks, with the informative words of Ahneke Greystone in her beautiful work Beltane and Samhain - Opposite and Connected. From that beginning, a beautiful flower opens before you as you share the thoughts and talents of the staff and many fellow readers. There are craft ideas, our wonderful word search by Isha ArrowHawk, complete with a planetary ritual for the holiday. What a wonderful, thought inspiring issue this is. What talent to be shared with friends, neighbors, brothers and sisters worldwide. We have announcements of gatherings, summits, the 3rd Pagan Internet Conference that may include this editor as a guest speaker including a chance to ask questions, and a call for unity and religious tolerance that this Ezine fully backs. There are many paths, and many truths.

We have our first Q&A with the author Elen Hawke, author of In The Circle; Crafting The Witches Path thanks to our sweet Rain. Isis Magic, written by Isidora Forrest is reviewed also by Rain, as is Fiona Horne's Witch: A Magickal Journey. Our little Rain was an avid reader for this issue. :) Speaking of reviews, you have got to check out what Luna Willowsong found. Far and wide was the uproar with the Teen Witch Kit; well Luna actually topped that and found a Toddlers Witch Kit. :) This will sure make your day! :) What is this world coming to??

Speaking of Luna Willowsong, I want to formally welcome her as our newest contributing staff author! Luna has gone above and beyond fulfilling her duties as my right hand person on the staff, putting up with my bitching and moaning, and has decided to take up the quill with Maire's May Day! :) She joins the growing list of regular writers and articles that everyone looks so forward to in each issue: Abby and Mewsings by Mystickally, Mystic Moon by Rain, the wonderful Meagan series by Kathryn Dyer, A Whisper In The Darkness by Antigone, and the spellbinding Michael and Beth Chronicles by Selene SilverWind. Which reminds me of another review. I was contacted by Spilled Candy Publications to review a book that I had been waiting for. The book was Once Upon A Beltane Eve by Selene SilverWind. For our longtime readers, it's the entire Fiona and Julian series put into one book!! With new additions as only Selene can include. Yeah, I reviewed it, and you can also order it already! See my review for information included only days ago by Selene herself, including information about book signings. We're mighty proud of our latest published staff member. :)

Mixed in the issue are wonderful submissions from several readers such as Storm Raven, my friend Wyld Wytch, Alwyn, my sister Seanachai, and my dear brother DreamDancer. And by the way, in front of over 7,000 subscribers and the thousands visiting the web site ... Happy Birthday Dream Bro .... That's all I'll say. (giggle) Embarrassed enough yet? (LOL!)

I think you'll enjoy this issue as much as I enjoyed putting it together for you. It's full of fun, ideas, tears and joy. Join me as I salute our contributors. People sure don't read this newsletter to hear my opening words. (LOL)

Blessings, warmth and love ....
Midnight Grey Wolfpup
"The Wolfpup"
Editor/Publisher/Owner
Cauldrons and Broomsticks Ezine
http://www.cauldrons-broomsticks.net/