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On this groovy, far out Thursday afternoon, we are going to hop into our time machine and take a walk down memory lane – back to the Summer of Love.

The 1960s was a controversial time, but one of the most significant throughout history. The international arena was divided between the allies of the Western World and the communist regimes in Eastern Europe and Asia, and wars were breaking out because of it. The technology that we are dependent upon today was taking its modern shape. Man had gone to space and stepped on the moon. And the music scene was happening.

Specifically in 1967, people that others generally refer to as ‘hippies,’ or ‘flower children’ because of their open-mindedness, alternative cultural preferences, and peaceful ways, were gathering in the Haight-Ashbury neighborhood of San Francisco, in what became known as the Summer of Love. Hundreds of thousands of young individuals joined together, lived communally, and shared their resources and experiences with one another in one of the most harmonious and congruent few months of human history. They simply listened to music, planted seeds in their garden, helped one another out – and took a lot of hallucinogenic drugs.

As we continue our series of horoscope pieces, we come to one of the best known of the Zodiac signs. Gemini is famous for being symbolized by a pair of twins, who look down upon the world from their positions high above. With Taurus to the west and Cancer to the east, they come to prominence just as summer really begins to get underway. For that reason alone, it is often one of the most beloved signs – not to mention that the occurrence of twins during birth was rumoured to be much more likely over this period.

The twin nature of this sign, with two parallel arcs of stars facing each other is very symbolic. Those who are born under the Gemini sign are ones who find peace when in the company of others more often than not. While they may well have a solitary side, there is a certain spark present among them that is easily observable.

On our third quest to revive the knowledge of significant magical creatures, we find ourselves in various regions within the Middle East and Eastern Asia. We will start in Egypt, where we learned about the Great Sphinx, but this time for Heqet, relocate past the Red Sea into Ancient Persia, or modern day Iraq to study the fear-instilling Dahak, and we shall swing by India for some Samosas and Tandoori Chicken, all-the-while enjoying traditions that the mythical Apsaras have transmitted onto us.

Heqet

Historically in ancient Egypt, fertility was associated with the flooding of the Nile River. When there was much water flow, the harvest was prosperous and infants would have more than sufficient food, while when there was a drought, this was not often the case. During Egypt’s second dynasty, there had been many years of drought, and the residents were suffering. One year during this drought, a lone frog had emerged from the Nile River. This was an usual occurrence, as a frog would usually come coinciding with the inundation of the River, but the drought seemed to be worse than ever. The next day, a great flood emerged, one as large as the eldest Egyptian had seen, and soon after fertility rates rose significantly, and there was food for everyone.

This June will make the anniversary of hanging of Bridget Bishop and the Salem Witch Trials.

Who is this lady, and why is she important in the annals of Magick and Witchcraft? She occupies a very important place in the history of the Craft. She was the first of the Salem Martyrs, those people who were wrongfully murdered for supposed practicing witchcraft in Salem, Massachusetts in 1693. Her anniversary is June 10.

Establishing the truth of a case over three centuries old is always difficult. However, we know her death was part of a general backlash against the idea of practicing Witchcraft. She is therefore important in the lore of the Craft, even if she was an innocent simply caught up in a public frenzy.

In this article, we will explore her case, and try to gain a better idea of the concepts that surround the Witch Trials.