Hello!

It has been a while since I have posted to the blog. The big news is that my Witches Tarot is now an app for your iPhone and iPad! This became available a few weeks ago by The Fool's Dog Company and they have informed me recently that they are very pleased with the sales so far. Here is a link so you can check it out! http://www.foolsdog.com/Witches/

Also the Witches Tarot in the works for an android version app to be available early next year!  (We've had lots of requests for an android version- so sit tight! It's on the way!) THIS JUST IN! You asked for it you got it! The Witches Tarot is now ALSO available for Android users as well as iPhones
Here is the link in the Google store! https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.foolsdog.witches

Here at home we had 2 weddings to attend in October, I taught classes in St. Louis, and tour season has just come to a close. Lately it seems that every time I turn around someone wants an interview or for me to guest blog. Which is exciting but adds to my list of things to do. Between my own family's annual party, travel, and so forth things have been pleasantly though insanely busy.

We ended up holding our party a week earlier than usual to accommodate my daughter's fall break at grad school and my author event at Turn The Page Bookstore on the 26th of October.

At our 4th Annual Halloween bash this year a couple of my friends and I decided to come as The Three Witches of Oz. Evanora, Glinda and Theodora. Here we are on the right. That's me as Evanora, Ember Grant as Glinda and Heather as Theodora. We all had a great time!Also I flew in one of my best witch-friends from Connecticut to stay with us for the party weekend. It was so much fun with Jen being here!

The night of the party was very cold. Temperatures hovered in the low 40's, and everyone stayed around the fire pits to stay warm or squeezed inside the coffin in the garage for a photo shoot. (See bottom of the page) Here is a photo from the party of my husband dressed as a gravedigger, and he was taking his job pretty seriously! (LOL)

I have only been home from the Washington DC area and the event at Turn the Page Bookstore for a couple of day. As usual it was a fabulous time! I love doing events there and its great to see Nora Roberts again, and the staff at the store always does an incredible job. This year with Nora's new book "Dark Witch" and it being so close to Halloween all of the staff were dressed like Witches! It was so cute!



Here is a group photo of all of the authors from the event at Turn The Page
Pictured are Nora Roberts, Tess Whitehurst, Victoria Dahl, Caroilyn Turgeon, and me up at the top.(There were a few Maryland local authors in the photo too.) I wish I could remember their names! I'm claiming a middle age moment.

Finally the trees in the neighborhood have started to push out their fall colors. It's colder and rainy and now it feels like Samhain. As the temps have fallen well below freezing and all of the tender annuals in my garden took a major hit and have blackened from the frost..

That's okay I will leave them alone- It adds to the creepy effect when the Trick or Treaters come a calling.
Now I need to go set up all of the Jack o'lanterns and finish the  food prep for my family as they always come over for supper and to hang out and visit on Halloween.Pumpkin pies to bake, table to set...

I wish you and yours a Happy Halloween and a Blessed Samhain! Happy Witches New Year!

Blessed be, Ellen

Coffin Photo Shoot Halloween Party 2013 Heather, Ember, Ellen, Jen, Sarah and Ken

Good Morning,
Hooray! September is here! Tour season is kicking off and the Pagan Dream Cruise is days away. A summer heatwave is blazing away at the moment but autumn is just around the corner. I am really looking forward to this autumn and my upcoming author events. I have been prepping for all of the classes I will be teaching on the Cruise, as well as while I am on tour and here at home in St. Louis.
Here is the list of where and when I will be touring and teaching this autumn.

SEPTEMBER TOUR DATES 2013

Second Annual Pagan Dream Cruise 
Dates September 9 - September 14
Place: Bahamas!
Ellen will be doing tarot readings by appointment and will be teaching four different classes while on the cruise.

Luna Sol Esoterica (FLORIDA)
Date: Sunday, September 15, 2013
Address: 311 S. Park Avenue
Sandford, Florida.
Class Topic: "Magickal Herbalism"
Class Time 1:00- 3:00pm (Book signing to follow)
Class Fee: $25.00
Store Phone: 321-363-4883

Join award winning author and Master Gardener Ellen Dugan, at Luna Sol Esoterica for a lecture on Magickal Herbalism. Ellen will discuss the fundamentals of the natural path, and the tools of the magickal herbalist’s trade- which may surprise you.
Discover the magick of plants, trees, flowers and herbs that can be easily incorporated into your own style of witchery, in practical and profound ways. This class will inspire, and motivate you to take your magick to the next level.
After the class Ellen will be on hand to sign her titles and to visit. Looking forward to seeing you there!
For more information, and to sign up for the class please contact the store at 312-363-4883


A Four Part Series of Classes at the Mystic Valley Store During September & October
Class dates- Sunday- September 22, 28 & October 6 and 13th
Time: 2:00- 4:00pm
Place: Mystic Valley Store
7241 Manchester Road
Maplewood, MO. 63143
Ages 18 and up are welcome
Classes are $40.00 each --or attend all four classes for $140.00 and save! (Payment for all four classes is due in full at the time of the first class.)
Store Phone: 314-645-3336
www.mysticvalleyonline.com
Elemental Witchery- Sunday September 22nd (at Mystic Valley)
Earth, air, fire and water… not just for the 101 student. Dare to take a deeper more advanced look into the four natural elements that we draw upon in our magick. What element do you favor? Which do you have trouble with? By taking a deeper look at these questions you begin to see what your magickal strengths and weakness are. We are all a mixture of the four natural elements. Learn how to restore and balance your personal power, making your magick more effective and powerful

Psychic Ability and Witchery. Class Date- Sunday, September 29 (at Mystic Valley)
In this second class we learn how the various types of psychic abilities, (and YES everyone has them) affect and enhance your Craft. We will learn about three types of psychic abilities and will work together with energy exercises in class. You will discover if you are a visionary, an intuitive or an empath. There will also be a demonstration of building energy and passing it to another, and chance for all of the students to try out their intuitive skills for themselves.

Looking Deeper- Becoming an Adept. Class date, Sunday, October 6th (at Mystic Valley )
How does one become an adept? This third class in the series addresses this issue. With an honest look at the topic and some straight-up information that any Witch struggling to go beyond the “Beginner” phase of their training needs to know. In this class the students will get up and put what they have learned into practice. This class focuses on individuality, and how our own personal magickal style makes each of us more powerful and spiritual.

Tending to Your Spirituality. Class Date- Sunday, October 13th ( at Mystic Valley)
Spirituality, what does it truly mean to us as Witches? In this final class of the series we talk about “Living the magickal life.” How does one live and conduct themselves as a person of power? This class explores finding the sacred in what others perceive as ordinary. The mystery tradition of the Craft, and just why this “Mystery” is so darned mystifying anyway…. This is a deeper look at the fifth element of magick, that of Spirit.

OCTOBER TOUR DATES

Turn The Page Books - Author Appearance and Book Signing (MARYLAND)
Date: October 26, 2013
Time: Noon- 2:00pm
Place: Turn The Page Books
18 N Main Street
Boonsboro, MD 21713
Store phone: 301-432-4588

Ellen has been invited back to Turn The Page Books to sign her Witches Tarot deck, Seasons of Witchery, and the 10th Anniversary Edition of Garden Witchery, with Nora Roberts this fall. This will be an enchanting event with Halloween just around the corner!
Authors Carolyn Turgeon and Tess Whitehurst will also be there, and Nora will be signing copies of her newest release "Dark Witch".
http://www.ttpbooks.com/

Blessed be, Ellen

Hello,

I have been working away at finishing up book #15, and I also had a little writing assignment to work on for a surprise book project that is supposed to be released in autumn of 2013. (Or so the folks at Llewellyn tell me). I turned in that assignment on Friday. Now it's down to the final chapter of book 15 and the big push is on! Anywho, its been a crazy couple of weeks.

I am still working out hard 6 days a week and I got a little over zealous on the treadmill on Friday and apparently strained my back. Who knew? I texted my trainer and checked in with him and he grounded me from the gym for a day and the treadmills for a few days. Then he sent me motivational quotes on my cell phone. Aww bless his heart. That was so sweet... and then I turned around and sent him a silly and slightly snarky training quote back- and he laughed so hard that now he wants to send it to other clients. I told him to feel free.

Today I am allowed to go in and do the weight machine circuit he has set up for me. I was pushing myself really hard as weigh in/ measurements are this week. Its the one month mark since I started with the gym and I am curious to see if I have lost any weight and how much. I have started to see a change in my body. At the waist, my jawline, neck, and weirdly the shape of my hands. I'm nervous as hell to see what the "official" measurements say this week.

Last summer and fall I worked out on my own and dieted hard and lost only one freaking pound in 6 weeks. I had been told it would be an uphill battle due to menopause and hormone fluctuations. But seriously? It was very discouraging results for all of that work, and that's when I started plotting and searching for a local and affordable gym. I also decided to shake things up and go ahead and hire a trainer. Someone who would keep me motivated and also keep me on my toes. I can honestly say I have never been as sore in my life since I started working with a trainer, but its a good sore- the kind that tells you- you are working hard and starting a personal transformation.

The Magician -Witches Tarot

Speaking of transformation....
Here is one of my favorite cards in the tarot deck "The Magician" To the left you see The Magician from my Witches Tarot deck http://www.witchestarot.com/  
This major arcana card is all about working with the four natural elements of earth, air, fire and water, and then adding your own personal power to achieve transformation and to bring about the manifestation of your goals and dreams.

If you look closely you will see four faeries in the card, one for each element and the tools of the magician on the table also aligned to the four elements. The pentacle for earth, the sword for air, the hawthorn wand for fire, and the cup for water. The illuminated lemniscate above the Magicians head is an infinity symbol and it is a way for the Magician to focus his intention and reminds us that everything we think is in fact, creating our own future.

In my Witches Tarot Companion Book- these are the "Key Words" that I have to help readers quickly remember the core meaning of this Major Arcana card. "Key Words: As above, so below. Skill, determination, connection and confidence. Strength of will, and working magick with the four elements and the elemental spirits. The Hermetic principle of correspondence,  elemental magick, and personal power."- Ellen Dugan

When this particular card appears in a reading,  it is a message to tap into your own witchery to find the answers you seek. Work in balance with the elements and the powers of nature to create your magick and to bring about a positive change.   Remember- As above so below, as within so without.
No matter what your challenge, no matter what type of personal or magickal goal you have, you CAN achieve it. Add in your personal power, some hard work and magickal energy and nothing can stop you. 

Blessed be, Ellen

PS: My Online Class sale ends February 20th!  Take advantage of the sale prices while you can. To check out all of the affordable and work-at-your-own-pace online classes that I offer, visit my website and the online class page. Here is a direct link. http://www.ellendugan.com/10.html

Oh and if you were wondering just what I sent to my trainer... here it is.


 Gotta love Pinterest! Follow me at! http://pinterest.com/ellendugan/

Hello,
I thought for something fun I would highlight the Major Arcana cards from my Witches Tarot over the next few months... I figured it would be best to start with the beginning so we begin with "The Fool" card. The following text is copyrighted material and comes from my Witches Tarot Companion Book

The sequence of the twenty two cards in the Major Arcana tell us the story of The Fool’s journey. With the first card number 0 we see the Fool begin his quest, young, carefree, happy and open to the experiences of his spiritual passage. By the time the Fool works his way through to the final Major Arcana card, numbered twenty-one, The World, our traveler is older, wiser and has embraced the mysteries of his path. 

This Major Arcana card is all about the daring leap of faith, Sure it is possible that you might make a mistake, or fall down, but hey! You can always get right back up again. Sometimes that is the best way to learn, by following your dreams and daring to do. The Fool encourages you to be open to new prospects and ideas. he dares you to step outside of the box. Live on the edge- be confident and bold. There is a whole wide magickal world out there... go explore it!

 Key Words: 
Follow your bliss. Adventure, fresh starts, exploration, a journey. 
New ideas, take a chance and chase your dreams. The beginning of a spiritual quest, exploring a new magickal path or tradition. The leap of faith.-Ellen Dugan, Witches Tarot Companion

The Fool card opens your personal chapter on new adventures, and a spiritual journey. This card is perfect to work with when you are starting a new job, or beginning a course of magickal studies. Embrace the spiritual lesson of the Fool, and see what wonders he has to show you and look forward to what great adventures you will have. 

It takes a courageous person to listen to their heart, and to follow their bliss. There is a sacred wisdom to the Fool. Pay attention and see where he leads you.   www.witchestarot.com
Blessed be,
Ellen

Good Morning,

The online class sale that began last week is bouncing along. It will be running for the next little while, so go sign up for an online class of mine while the sale prices are available! Four out of the five classes are reduced five dollars each. So the current online class prices are- Herb Magick-$25.00. Psychic Protection & The Paranormal-$25.00. The Elements of Witchcraft- $35.00 and Advanced Natural Magick-$35.00. 

The Full Moon Magick Class has been recently updated to include, a grand total of 15 lunar spells, the lunar eclipse information for 2013, and supplemental information on "Black Moons" as there will be two Black Moons in 2014. The price for the Full Moon Magick Class remains- $22.00 as always. In my mind, online classes should be kept affordable- that-a-way more folks can enjoy them!Here is the link that will take you directly to my online class page on my website. http://www.ellendugan.com/10.html

In other news, recently I was able to get an advance look at my witch-friend Tess Whitehurst's upcoming book, The Magic of Flowers. Her newest book will be released in June this year and you are in for a treat. I was delighted to give Tess a blurb for this new book and its wonderful. Here is the cover art and the publisher's description.

The Magic of Flower- Tess Whitehurst- June 2013

Publishers description:
"From African daisy to ylang-ylang and 76 others in between, Tess Whitehurst’s The Magic of Flowers introduces you to the holistic and healing benefits of the most magical flowers, flower essences, floral essential oils, and more. This one-of-a-kind, comprehensive, and convenient guide explores the subtle and whimsical realm of flower magic.
As a manifestation of divine beauty and wisdom, each flower offers you unique magical and spiritual ways to connect with it. Enjoy healing, spiritual growth, and the life conditions you desire by using flowers for aromatherapy, charms and rituals, herbal potions, divine alignment, and more. If you’ve always wanted to commune with flowers in holistic ways, this is the book for you."

I sat and worked my way through her 500 page manuscript and it is just like Tess herself, lovely, comforting, and filled with gentle wisdom. This nice chunky book will be available through Llewellyn Worldwide in June of 2013.For more information about Tess and all of her charming books, and Feng Shui practice, please visit her website at www.tesswhitehurst.com

Next, is my friend and coven-sister, Ember Grant's second book. I was able to get a look at this book when I helped her put together the list of terms for the index. She fed me lunch and wine "may" have been involved, but we had a great time doing the index- why not make a several hour long chore- into something fun? I started doing that years ago when it came time to do the index in my own books. (Call in my coven sisters- make margaritas and have them help me pull the index together on the book.) And so I was delighted to help a friend do the same.

Ember has an affinity with crystals and magick that has always inspired me, and made me a bit envious. She is like a walking encyclopedia when it comes to crystals and stones. I remember after her first book Magical Candle Crafting was released I looked at her and said. "Well what are you going to write for your second book? Chop, chop, girlfiend let's go!"  Obviously my challenge was accepted. This magickal book will also be released in June of 2013 by Llewellyn Worldwide. Here is her cover art and the publisher's description.

The Book of Crystal Spells- By Ember Grant -June 2013

"Take your magical work with crystals to a new level with this hands-on guide packed with spells, rituals, and methods for using stones in creative ways.
Wiccan author Ember Grant explores crystal magic in depth in this practical manual. Learn about the types of crystals, rocks, and gemstones, and get tips on purchasing, cleansing, charging, and storing them. Explore methods of magic such as crystal grids and numerology, quartz points and clusters, metals and alchemy, glass and sand magic, magical jewelry, elixirs, personal power stones, meditation, and divination.
Find dozens of spells that you can use for home and garden, health, love, problem solving, dreams, astral travel, and much more. Practice the exercises to expand your knowledge, and copy the grids to create your own layouts. Extensive appendices of correspondences and a glossary make this guide useful for beginners as well."

I am so excited to add Ember's new crystal book to my collection! It's about time for a new book on crystal spells and magick.  For more information about Ember, and her books, writing and photography please visit her website at www.embergrant.com .

Oh and YES you may pre-order BOTH of these books on amazon.com or through Llewellyn's website at www.llewellyn.com Both of the books will be available of Kindle as well this summer.

Well, that's it from here. I need to get back to work on my own book. Book #15 is rolling along and I hope to (nope, I WILL)  finish up another chapter this week. My own deadline is getting closer and with Convocation just a month and a half away I need to be about finished before I head up to Detroit.

I am a "Guest of Honor"  this year, and will be giving four lectures and doing an author meet and greet. Here is a link to the speaking schedule for Convocation 2013. Convocation 2013 Class Schedule 
The theme for this year's Convocation is "The Sun" card and "Illumination". So just for fun here is the divine Sun Child and "The Sun" card from my deck Witches Tarot.
Have a great day and blessed be,
Ellen

"The Sun" card from Witches Tarot by Ellen Dugan & Mark Evans

Good Morning,

The Witchery Store- Galveston Island, Texas

This week I head to Galveston Island, Texas to "The Witchery" store for my final author event of the year. Here is a link to their website.
http://witcheryonline.com/
I am really looking forward to this event, and as I have never been to Galveston, I am excited to see this part of Texas. This is a big author event and a three day long one at that. Here is a picture of the storefront.
Just below is all of the information about the events.

WEEKEND LONG AUTHOR EVENT- IN GALVESTON ISLAND, TEXAS!

Dates- Friday, November 9th, Saturday, November 10th and Sunday, November 12th.
Place: The Witchery
2116 Postoffice Street
Galveston Island, Texas 77550
409-515-0669

Author Meet and Greet
Date: Friday, November 9th
Time: 4:00 to 7:00pm
Place: The Witchery
Come meet award-winning author Ellen Dugan and have your books signed. Ellen will be at The Witchery on Friday night for a free book signing and chat. Looking forward to seeing you there! Ellen will be at The Witchery on Saturday and Sunday as well. Doing tarot readings with her new Witches Tarot deck, and teaching three classes.

Tarot Readings by Ellen Dugan
Date Saturday, November 10th
Place: The Witchery
2116 Postoffice Street
Galveston Island Texas
Time: Tarot Readings from 11:00am to 5:00pm: By Appointment Only- (Call the store to schedule your time.)
Tarot Reading Price: $30.00 for a15 minute reading.


Ellen Dugan offers Three Magickal Classes at The Witchery
Class Dates: Saturday and Sunday November 10th & 11th, 2012
Time for Classes: See below with each class description
Classes Offered: Magick of the Witches Tarot , Herbs for the Seasons, and Practical Protection Magick
Class fees: $40.00 per class
Class Descriptions:

Saturday Evening Class- (7:00 - 9:00 pm) Magick of the Witches Tarot- Join award winning author Ellen Dugan for this two hour class as she explains the symbolism and magick behind her new deck, Witches Tarot. Learn about the archetypes and magick behind the symbolism, as well as discovering more information about the new card spreads that she created specifically for this deck. The Major and Minor Arcana will be discussed. This class also features tips and trick for working magick with your Witches Tarot deck. Bring your Witches Tarot deck along and we look forward to seeing you there! Class fee- $40.00. Call store to reserve your spot in class.

Sunday Afternoon Class- (2:00 to 4:00pm) Herbs for the Seasons: Herb magick is available to us through every enchanting season. Join award winning author Ellen Dugan for a lecture on the Herbs for the Seasons and learn new ways to incorporate practical herb magick into your Witchery all year long. In this lecture Ellen discusses her new book Seasons of Witchery, practical plant magick, herbal folklore and of course ways to personalize your Craft all year long. Looking forward to seeing you there! Class fee- $40.00. Call store to reserve your spot in class.


Sunday Evening Class- (6:00 - 8:00pm) Practical Protection Magick:  As a special treat Ellen is teaching her very popular workshop on Practical Protection Magick This class will cover your psychic strengths and weaknesses, explain how to diagnose a magickal problem, and discuss the difference between a hex and a crossed condition. This live class has been popular across the country and Ellen is delighted to offer it for the first time in Texas. This class will explore real-life psychic self-defense, and it gives practical advice on dealing with emotional and uninvited psychic vampires. Several techniques of protective spell-work will be discussed, and you will also discover what the phrase “Magick follows the least path of resistance”, truly means. Class fee -$40.00. Call store to reserve your spot in class.

I had to stop and reconsider what clothes I would wear to these author events as the climate on the Island is drastically different than what we have here in Missouri at the moment. Thank you Weather Channel.com-- But I broke out all of my pretty Capri pants and my lighter, and dressy sleeveless tops. I also pulled my dressy sandals out of the closet. So I think I am all set.

I will also bring some of my Garden Witch Charm Bracelets to sell, and for fun I am bringing along a mug and three car charms with the art from my Witches Tarot for give-a-ways at each separate event at The Witchery store.
I hope to see many of you there! This is gonna be a blast!
Blessed be, Ellen

Hello,
On Sunday, September 9th, I start a new set of classes on my Witches Tarot. This is going to be a fun couple of classes and I am looking forward to teaching the students more about the magick of tarot and of my deck.


Witches Tarot Class
Dates- Sunday- September 9th and 16th
Time: 2:00 to 4:30 pm.
Place: Wellness Center (Chapel of Love & Light)
1600 Boone's Lick Road
St. Charles, MO. 63301
Ages 18 and up are welcome.
Class fee $30.00 per class- or $55.00 for both. (Pay for both classes at once and save)
Supplies Needed: Bring your copy of the Witches Tarot deck to class- You will be putting it to use!
Need more info? For more information, directions to the Wellness Center, or to pre-register for classes, please contact Ellen via email at ellenthegardenwitch@gmail.com

The Major Arcana and the Spreads. Class date - September 9, 2012
In this first class of the two part series, author Ellen Dugan explains the symbolism and magick behind the Major Arcana of her new deck, Witches Tarot. Learn about the archetypes and magick behind the symbolism, as well as discovering more information about the new card spreads that she created specifically for this deck. The Major Arcana offers you a road map to the mysteries of the Craft and to your spiritual life. All you have to do is be willing to open your eyes, embrace the offered wisdom, and start your travels. If you would like to gain a deeper understanding of the magick and mystery of this Tarot deck, please join us. (Remember to bring your Witches Tarot deck and book with you to class!)

The Minor Arcana and Magick with the Deck! Class Date- September 16, 2012
In the second class author, Ellen Dugan delves into the mystery and meaning of the Minor Arcana (the Pip and Court cards) of her new deck, Witches Tarot. In this class you will be introduced to the elemental themes that run throughout the four suits and the symbolism and magick within these cards. the Minor Arcana- both Pip and Court cards- show us the everyday, ordinary situations and personalities that we deal with and face in our lives. The minor arcana cards bring meaning to events, clarity to the challenges we face, and provide illumination to the common questions we ask. This class also features tips and trick for working magick with your Witches Tarot deck. We look forward to seeing you there! (Remember to bring your Witches Tarot deck and book with you to class!)



In other news I have a few more author events for this fall and here they are. Two are in the St. Louis area. Then we have the official launch party for the deck at the Eye of Horus- in Minneapolis.

Finally I will finish out the year with a three day long author event at "The Witchery Store" in Galveston Island, Texas.


Author Event:
Book Signing for Witches Tarot & Seasons of Witchery with a FREE Lecture!

Date: Saturday, September 22nd 2012
Time of Free Lecture: 1:30pm
Lecture Topic: "The Magick of the Witches Tarot"
Time of Book Signing: 2:00 to 4:00pm
Place: Main Street Books
621 South Main
St. Charles, Missouri 63301
636-949-0105
http://mainstreetbooks.net/

Join award winning author, Ellen Dugan on the Sabbat of the Autumn Equinox, in Historic St. Charles, Missouri at her favorite local independent bookstore, Main Street Books.
Ellen will be signing copies of her two newest releases. The "Witches Tarot" and "Seasons of Witchery".
Come down to historic St. Charles, well known for it's haunted sites, and sit in on Ellen's free lecture and then get your books signed. It is sure to be an enchanting afternoon!
____________________________________________________

OCTOBER 2012

The Official Witches Tarot Launch Party!

Official Launch Party for Witches Tarot at Eye of Horus in Minneapolis!

Launch Party & Book Signing- 
Date: Friday, October 5th 2012
Time of Party: Begins at 7:30pm
Place: Eye of Horus
3012 Lyndale Ave. S
Minneapolis, MN. 55408
612-872-1292
www.eyeofhorus.biz

A Class & Tarot Readings at Eye of Horus
Date: Saturday, October 6th 2012
Time for Class: Saturday, October 6th 1:00- 2:30pm
Class: Herbs for the Seasons
Class fee: $25.00


Tarot Readings with Ellen Dugan
Date: Saturday, October 6th
Time for Readings-3:00- 7:00pm (By appointment)
Reading price: $30.00 for a 15 minute reading
Place: Eye of Horus
3012 Lyndale Ave. S.
Minneapolis, MN. 55408
Call the Eye of Horus and schedule your reading now! 612-872-1292

Eye of Horus Class Description: Herb magick is available to us through every enchanting season. Join award winning author Ellen Dugan for a lecture on the Herbs for the Seasons and learn new ways to incorporate practical herb magick into your Witchery all year long. In this lecture Ellen discusses her new book "Seasons of Witchery", practical plant magick, herbal folklore and of course ways to personalize your Craft all year long. Looking forward to seeing you there!
Eye of Horus class schedule

________________________________________________







NOVEMBER 2012

WEEKEND LONG AUTHOR EVENT- IN GALVESTON ISLAND, TEXAS!

Dates- Friday, November 9th, Saturday, November 10th and Sunday, November 12th.
Place: The Witchery
2116 Postoffice Street
Galveston Island, Texas 77550
409-515-0669
witcheryonline.com/calendar.html


Author Meet and Greet
Date: Friday, November 9th
Time: 4:00 to 7:00pm
Place: The Witchery
Come meet award-winning author Ellen Dugan and have your books signed. Ellen will be at The Witchery on Friday night for a free book signing and chat. Looking forward to seeing you there! Ellen will be at The Witchery on Saturday and Sunday as well. Doing tarot readings with her new Witches Tarot deck, and teaching three classes.

Tarot Readings by Ellen Dugan
Date Saturday, November 10th
Place: The Witchery
2116 Postoffice Street
Galveston Island Texas
Time: Tarot Readings from 11:00am to 5:00pm: By Appointment Only- (Call the store to schedule your time.)
Tarot Reading Price: $30.00 for a15 minute reading.


Ellen Dugan offers Three Magickal Classes at The Witchery
Class Dates: Saturday and Sunday November 10th & 11th, 2012
Time for Classes: See below with each class description
Classes Offered: Magick of the Witches Tarot , Herbs for the Seasons, and Practical Protection Magick
Class fees: $40.00 per class
Class Descriptions:

Saturday Evening Class- (7:00 - 9:00 pm) Magick of the Witches Tarot- Join award winning author Ellen Dugan for this two hour class as she explains the symbolism and magick behind her new deck, Witches Tarot. Learn about the archetypes and magick behind the symbolism, as well as discovering more information about the new card spreads that she created specifically for this deck. The Major and Minor Arcana will be discussed. This class also features tips and trick for working magick with your Witches Tarot deck. Bring your Witches Tarot deck along and we look forward to seeing you there! Class fee- $40.00. Call The Witchery store to reserve your spot in class.

Sunday Afternoon Class- (2:00 to 4:00pm) Herbs for the Seasons: Herb magick is available to us through every enchanting season. Join award winning author Ellen Dugan for a lecture on the Herbs for the Seasons and learn new ways to incorporate practical herb magick into your Witchery all year long. In this lecture Ellen discusses her new book Seasons of Witchery, practical plant magick, herbal folklore and of course ways to personalize your Craft all year long. Looking forward to seeing you there! Class fee- $40.00. Call The Witchery store to reserve your spot in class.

Sunday Evening Class- (6:00 - 8:00pm) Practical Protection Magick:  As a special treat Ellen is teaching her very popular workshop on Practical Protection Magick This class will cover your psychic strengths and weaknesses, explain how to diagnose a magickal problem, and discuss the difference between a hex and a crossed condition. This live class has been popular across the country and Ellen is delighted to offer it for the first time in Texas. This class will explore real-life psychic self-defense, and it gives practical advice on dealing with emotional and uninvited psychic vampires. Several techniques of protective spellwork will be discussed, and you will also discover what the phrase “Magick follows the least path of resistance”, truly means. Class fee -$40.00. Call The Witchery  store to reserve your spot in class.

I will have free promotional items to give away at the author events in Minneapolis and in Galveston. It's going to be a busy, busy fall! I hope to see some of you there!
Blessed be, Ellen

PS. From now until October 31st I will include a free bonus "Samhain Spell" with the purchase of any of my online classes. I offer five different classes- you can check them out and order on my website.
Payment is made thru Paypal. Quick easy and secure.
http://www.ellendugan.com/10.html

Good Morning,

Follow this link to read the article I wrote for the Llewellyn Journal about the "story behind the cards". It's informative and funny-- and I think you will all get a big kick out of it. Witches Tarot Llewellyn Journal article by Ellen

In the article I talk about the "Behind the scenes" of the deck art. I include a snippet from the script I wrote and the sketch and finished card that I posed for (The Nine of Pentacles). Here is the finished Nine of Pentacles card.

Nine of Pentacles- Witches Tarot

In other news my oldest son Kraig just bought his first house! He closed yesterday and got his keys- it's official! Today he and I are going paint shopping- as I promised to spring for paint for his kitchen. The house is charming, with a new kitchen and bath. However, at the moment, the kitchen is a ghastly shade of a chalky pale yellow. Not quite the "manly look" a guy is going for. So he has chosen a new earthier shade that compliments the stylish oak cabinets and gorgeous tile...and today we bust out the paint and start painting! For the next week the family is going to help him clean, paint and then the big move will happen in about a week or so.

Knight of Cups- Witches Tarot

Traditionally Knight cards in the tarot symbolize "Movement." How's that for synchronicity? My son Kraig actually posed for the Knight of Cups card and it looks just like him.

I talked my husband and adult kids into each posing for a card too. Want to know who's who? Read the article by clicking on the link above.
When you read my Llewellyn Journal article you will find out the real story behind the cards and why I chose specific relatives and friends to pose for various Court and Minor Arcana cards.

I bet you will enjoy the anecdote behind the Page of Cups and Page of Sword reference photo shoot. All I ask is that we keep the story about my nephew swinging fireplace tongs next to my mother's china cabinet all to ourselves.

Blessed be, Ellen

Good Morning,
As a Virgo, I always have a plan, a schedule, and actually- I work better when I stick to that. But when something  throws off my plans, it sends me in a tail spin. At the moment I have several annual articles that are due- two in a matter of days, I am finishing up teaching one class, and then I decided to offer a new class in September on my Witches Tarot...

Fall tour dates are fast approaching, not to mention various coven gatherings, and planning and preparing for my families big Gothic Halloween party we throw every year. I actually have a -- wait for it-- a list hanging above my desk with all of the classes, author events, article and book deadlines, and coven gatherings from now until March 2013.

Yeah, yeah go ahead and snicker. But I gotta admit, that list helps me stay sane- sort of. If that wasn't enough to keep me hopping.... I just got the contract back all signed, sealed and delivered for magickal book #15. (So now I have a new 6 month deadline looming to finish writing that book.)
Jeez I feel out of breath just listing that all down.
If I had a theme song it would be "Flight of the bumblebee".)

I typically am hard at work writing, so you may be wondering, what's got my knickers in a twist?
Answer: The tarot deck was released a month early. While it was a wonderful surprise, it still caught me off guard- and that sent me scrambling.
While we, (and by we I mean Mark, the artist and I) thought we would have August to get the art prints, and other assorted goodies together and be ready to roll by early September, the early release of the deck pushed everything forward. Its been fun and exciting and the art prints are coming... so I hope that folks will hang in there. Mark is working as fast as he can to get the prints ready. For more information follow this link to see about the prints. www.facebook.com/WitchesTarot

 On a personal level, my master plan included quietly taking the month of August and calmly writing all those articles while teaching my summertime 4 part Practical Magick class.  The plan was that this would give me a month to psych myself up for the craziness that I knew would hit when the deck was released in September.

So now I'm in a panic trying to get the articles done and keep up with the requests and correspondence generated from the new deck. We won't mention that next book tapping it's foot at me while I scramble to get everything else done- so I can focus solely on that. No, best not to mention that- at all.

Ah well, best laid plans. Last night,I sat down and made up a new schedule of deadlines (including the next book) and typed it all up nice and neat. I printed it out an hung it on the wall. While the sheer size of the list makes me flinch, I am going to cross projects and events off my list one by one.
Hopefully this will keep me from being too overwhelmed and scattered.
There.  All organized.
All is right with my world.
I think.

You know what? I need a minion.

Blessed be, Ellen

Good Morning,
Today, August 13th is the old Pagan festival day of the goddess, Hecate. Hecate is a triple goddess and could appear in any number of guises. Many folks assume that she is just a haggard old Crone. This is simply not the case. Hecate was described as beautiful, glorious and  "she of the shining headband". Hecate could appear as a maiden, a lovely matron or as a silver haired woman who wears her years beautifully. It was this last manifestation that I chose to portray in the Witches Tarot.

Hecate makes an appearance in my new Witches Tarot deck in The Moon card. As you can see all of the classic symbolism associated with Hecate are portrayed in the card. The waning moon, the silver-haired, torch bearing woman. She is standing at the foggy crossroads and is accompanied by three wolves.

"The Moon" card- Witches Tarot

Around Hecate's throat is a Hecate's wheel pendant. At her waist is the pentagram and three skeleton keys. In the background we see two willow trees. The willow is not only associated with the moon and magick, this tree is also associated with Hecate herself. www.witchestarot.com

Here is more information on Hecate. Please Note: The following information on Hecate is from my book, Book of Witchery.  And it is protected under copyright laws.
"Hecate was one of the original Titans. Even after Zeus defeated the Titans, he kept Hecate in power to assist the mortals. Zeus honored Hecate greatly by granting her a share over the earth, the sky and the sea. Originally Hecate was considered a generous and compassionate goddess, it was in later myths that she became associated with darker and more frightening magicks. She developed into the patron of sorcerers and became associated with the underworld, dark mysteries, crossroads and graveyards. Hecate became known as the Queen of the Witches and the guardian of the crossroads.
Today, Hecate is a powerful and protective deity for Witches. If you feel the need to defend yourself, your property or your family, Hecate is the one to call upon."- Book of Witchery

Today we have a Monday (the day associated with the moon), and we are in a waning moon phase. This is a most auspicious time for Hecate's festival.  Remember that Hecate is not to be called lightly. She is a powerhouse, and you can experience many strange things when she is near. Candles may flicker and snap, dogs will howl- as they sense when Hecate is near. The following general invocation can be used when you would like Hecate to assist you or simply to honor her presence in your life. This invocation is copyrighted and also comes from my Book of Witchery.

Book of Witchery- Ellen Dugan

For more information and magick with Hecate check out the, Book of Witchery: Spells, Charms & Correspondences for Every day of the Week.
Happy Hecate's day and Blessed be,
Ellen

Queen of Wands- Witches Tarot

"The Minor Arcana cards show us the everyday, ordinary situations and personalities that we deal with and face in our lives. The minor arcana cards bring meaning to events, clarity to the challenges we face,  and provide illumination to the common questions we ask."- Ellen Dugan, Witches Tarot Companion

Three of Pentacles- Witches Tarot

This next image from our Minor Arcana is one of my personal favorites - the Three of Pentacles.  This card has a kind of sorcerers apprentice vibe to it. 

I love the illuminated trio of stained glass pentacles and the mystical cat with bright emerald eyes, patiently watching over the young apprentice while he carefully works his Craft. Potions bubble, the candles flicker and magick is in the air!

The next card we are previewing is from the suit of Swords.  The Swords suit is classically aligned with the element of air and this card is a fantastic example of the intense images and meanings, the Sword cards convey. 


My script for the Two of Swords called for the herb lavender to be growing alongside of the bench, at twilight with mountains and a calm lake in the background. With faeries flitting around in the lavender. 

Two of Swords- Witches Tarot

The woman is both alert and on guard. I am so delighted with the emotions that Mark's artwork invokes here. This card is one of reflection and expectation. Is the woman protecting herself ... or is she merely waiting calmly?  In this card, the blindfold has only heightened her other senses. This woman is aware of her surroundings in a way most people can only imagine. 

Seven of Cups- Witches Tarot

For our final Minor Arcana card preview I am sharing the Seven of Cups. This card shows a classic wizard, wearing flowing blue robes. The wise one is offering you a choice between seven magickal cups. Each of these cups holds something enchanting, and each has a lesson to teach. The choice is yours, which cup and lessons will you embrace? 




In my 312 page companion book, (Yes, the book and deck are sold TOGETHER. They are a boxed kit.) anyway, the symbolism and meaning of each card is thoroughly explained. Any astrological, elemental, and deity associations are listed. As well as "Keywords" that will help you to learn the definitions of each of the seventy-eight cards quickly and with a minimum of fuss. 


For a little something extra, you may choose to purchase a coordinating satin tarot bag from Llewellyn. They retail for $11.95. Here is the link straight to that page.  Witches Moon- Satin Tarot Bag  This 6 X 9 inch satin bag is large enough to hold the entire Witches tarot deck nicely, and it features the bewitching art from "The Moon" tarot card. 

Witches Moon Satin Tarot Bag

 In the meantime I have a new series of "in-person" Practical Magick classes that start next week, August the 5th. I have several articles to write for the Llewellyn annuals, and I just had my 15th book with Llewellyn Worldwide contracted. I have about 6 months to finish that book up. I am going to be a busy witch for a long time. Enjoy the art preview and the deck. Soon Mark will have art prints available for order so keep visiting the Witches tarot website and keep up on all of the news! 
Blessed be, Ellen 

Hello,
I am home again from the Massachusetts "Seasons of Witchery" tour and it went great! My husband Ken, and I took the last day and played tourist and visited Gloucester and Rockport Massachusetts. Yes indeed we had lob-stah rolls for lunch! In a fun restaurant on the water- where we watched the lobster boats coming in with their catch. Here is a picture of us at the beach in Rockport.

I have spent the past few days catching back up on correspondence and paperwork, and things are starting to settle down. I have new orders for Garden Witch Pentacles to fill, and some 2014 Llewellyn annual articles to write. (It keeps me busy while I wait to hear about my latest book proposal to Llewellyn.) Fingers crossed.

Today I posted a snapshot of the Witches Tarot book, the card back and a sampling of the cards on Facebook. here is the picture.The boxed sets just hit the Llewellyn warehouse last week. So they will be all ready to go on September 8th on the official release day!
Recently I saw a post on the Llewellyn blog, from a person complaining that the Witches Tarot deck lacked "diversity" and was nothing but "white people".
This yanked my chain for a couple of reasons. First and foremost because it is simply not the case. So, I took a deep breath and politely responded, informing the post-ee that they were incorrect.

The angel in the Lovers card is in fact- Asian.

Justice Card Witches Tarot

Furthermore, Themis who is portrayed in the Justice Major Arcana card, (Pictured to the right) has gorgeous caramel/ golden colored skin and black curly hair with highlights.

I invited the person to take a closer look at the Witches Tarot Facebook page where they could see a large image of the Page of Pentacles, who is stunning and who is- by the way- a young woman of color.

I also noted that the 3 of Pentacles, the Knight of Pentacles, and the Queen of Pentacles are all beautiful people of color. Actually the 3 of Pentacles is one of my favorite cards in the entire deck! There is a sorcerer's apprentice vibe to this particular card. Just wait until you see him!

Honestly when I designed and scripted the Witches Tarot it only made sense to me to have some diversity in the deck art. The artist Mark, and I had several conversations about this topic.

To my delight I noticed when I came back from touring there was a new post on the Llewellyn blog. Where the person noted that they had gone and looked at the website and the Facebook pages. That they were "super pleased", and  then they added,"Thanks, I am glad I was wrong about that!" 
Awesome.
I am thrilled that they took the time to look again and are happy with what they see. 
Just today I found a lovely comment on the card image of the Page of Pentacles, from a Facebook follower thanking me, "for including brown-skinned Witches in the deck!" That their favorite decks "are the ones that represent people of all ethnicities in them." Which just made my day.

Witches come in all beautiful shapes, sizes, and colors. I hope that with the Witches Tarot deck, everyone will find something to relate to and identify with. So they can make it their own.

May the Mother Goddess smile down on us, reminding us that we are indeed all her children!
Blessed be, Ellen

The Empress card- Witches Tarot

www.witchestarot.com

Good Morning,
This is going to be a brief blog as I am getting ready to catch a flight to Boston. I will be doing a mini-tour in Massachusetts. First stop, Salem, Massachusetts. Witch City USA of course! Here is the tour info.

Author Event -Book signing and Class in Salem! (Pyramid Books)
Date: Wednesday, July 11th, 2012
Time for Book signing Meet and Greet: 6:00-7:00pm
Class: "Herbs of the Sabbats" 7:00- 9:00pm
Class Fee: $35.00
Place:Pyramid Books
214 Derby Street
Salem, Massachusetts  01970
Store Phone: 978-745-7171

Pyramid Books Class Description: Ellen is thrilled to return to her favorite shop in Salem, Massachusetts- Pyramid Books to celebrate the release of her newest book "Seasons of Witchery".
Herb magick is available to us through every season. Join award winning author Ellen Dugan for a lecture on the Herbs of the Sabbats and learn new ways to incorporate practical herb magick into your Witchery all year long. In this lecture Ellen discusses the practical plants that you can grow in your own gardens easily at home and of course, magick throughout the seasons. Come out to Witch City, and have your book signed and stay for the class! Call today and reserve your spot in the class!

Author Event- Book signing and Class in Central-Massachusetts (The Robin's Nest)
Date: Thursday, July 12th, 2012
Time: Book signing Meet and Greet- 5:00- 6:00pm
Class: "Practical Protection Magick" - 7:00- 9:00pm
Class fee:$35.00
Place: The Robin's Nest
799 S. Main Street
Bellingham, MA. 02019
508-244-4881

I am bringing the advance copy of the Witches Tarot with me for folks to get a look at. And I'm bringing some give-aways to lucky class attendees.
I'm also really looking forward to having the chance to visit with some of my Witch and writing friends while I am in Salem, and of course I can't wait to shop at all the fun little stores and boutiques. Okay I have to go get ready and get myself to the airport!

Blessed be, Ellen

Salem Lighthouse