Author Archives: David Taliesin

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About David Taliesin

My name is David Taliesin. I'm an writer, teacher and retreat leader who explores the connections between Christian and Pagan Spirituality. E-mail me with any personal comments you'd like to share and I will do my best to answer them. You can also contact me through my Facebook page www.facebook.com/davidtaliesinauthor

Trump 7 – The Chariot

Posted on July 20, 2015 by David Taliesin

Then Saul said, “O LORD God of Israel, why have you not answered your servant today? If this guilt is in me or in my son Jonathan, O LORD God of Israel, give Urim; but if this guilt is in … Continue reading →

Posted in Tarot | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Learning to Love Yourself

Posted on July 17, 2015 by David Taliesin

“How can anyone be compassionate toward her neighbor who is not compassionate toward herself?  This is why Jesus says ‘Be compassionate!’  He wants our compassion to begin at home, he wants us to be compassionate toward our own body and … Continue reading →

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Casting the Circle: A Christian Magician’s Perspective

Posted on July 13, 2015 by David Taliesin

According to Scott Cunningham in his book Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner, the magic circle can be thought of as “a well-defined though non-physical temple.”  The practice of casting protective circles is very ancient and has been used … Continue reading →

Posted in Incense, Magic, Meditation, Prayer | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Copal: Central American Frankincense

Posted on July 9, 2015 by David Taliesin

If the Wise Men (The original Greek word is magos which means “magician”) had lived in North America instead of the Middle East, they would have probably offered a gift of Copal to baby Jesus instead of Frankincense.  Copal is … Continue reading →

Posted in Herbology, Incense, Magic | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Unethical Magic

Posted on July 9, 2015 by David Taliesin

Originally posted on Cauldron and Brew: A Witch's Blog:
Magic isn’t black and white or light and dark.  In fact, I get irritated when practitioners grandstand about the merits of being aligned exclusively with either side of the craft. …

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Trump 6 – The Lovers

Posted on July 2, 2015 by David Taliesin

“The LORD God called to the man, and said to him, “Where are you?” He said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.” He said, “Who … Continue reading →

Posted in Tarot | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Hoodoo Candle Magic

Posted on June 18, 2015 by David Taliesin

The last two books I’ve read dealt with the history and philosophy of candle magic in the African-American Spiritualist tradition. This particular approach to candle magic originated in the South, especially New Orleans.  It’s a mixture of African-American folk magic … Continue reading →

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Jesus and His Wand in Christian Art

Posted on June 15, 2015 by David Taliesin

While in seminary, I took a wonderful class in Christian art and architecture.  One of the most interesting things I learned is that early Christians thought it was idolatrous to depict physical images of Jesus in their art.  Therefore, they … Continue reading →

Posted in Jesus, Magic, Spirituality | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

6th Century Christian Charm

Posted on June 8, 2015 by David Taliesin

You never know what you’re going to find tucked away in the archives of a university library!  Such is the case of a fascinating discovery that was made by Dr. Roberta Mazza in 2014 at the University of Manchester’s John … Continue reading →

Posted in Magic | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Coming Out of the Broom Closet

Posted on June 6, 2015 by David Taliesin

Yesterday I attended a seminar on “traditional witchcraft” that was quite interesting.  In some ways, it was a reinforcement of what my Wiccan teachers have taught me.  In other ways, it was different.  In the midst of the presentation I … Continue reading →

Posted in Magic, Spirituality | Tagged , , , | 13 Comments