Winter 2021

The Prosperity Issue

+ RENEW, RESTORE, REVIVE+
+ ASTROLOGY, PRACTICE, LIFESTYLE+
LETTER FROM THE
TEAM...
W
elcome to the PROSPERITY issue, this Winter 2021! The
Northern Hemisphere is prparing for the restoration and
healing brought by the winter solstice. All the while, those in
the Southern Hemisphere are feeling the power of the energetic climax
of the year: the summer solstice.
Whether you’re in the North or South, feeling the energy start anew, or
revelling in an abundance of energy, we invite you to take stock of all
that you have, and all that you have achieved.

Blessed be,
The Witchology Team

EDITORIAL
Operations Director: Louisa Dean
@thewitchesstone
Creative Director: Christie O’Regan
@thejournalsupreme
Editor-in-Chief: Sarah Justice
@tinycauldron
Marketing Director: Meg Rosenbriar
@witchoftheshoreline
Founder: Ambrosia Hawthorn
@wildgoddessmagick
ART & PHOTOS
Cover Photographer: Che Correa
@calypsofirewitch
All other photos and images are from free stock sources,
or from contributors.

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02 | LETTER FROM THE TEAM

CONTENTS
Letter from the Team ............................................................ 02
Transit Forecast ..................................................................... 04
There Lies a Seed .................................................................. 07
Tea Magick and Ritual .......................................................... 08
Recycle, Reuse: Ancestral Artefacts ..................................... 11
Yule Tarot Spread ............................................................ 12
The Somnia Tarot ............................................................ 13
Dear Madam Adam ............................................................ 14
Coven Market ....................................................................... 16
Community Spotlight: Mhara Starling ................................ 18
Recipe: Tantalised Chocolates .............................................. 22
Working with the Land .......................................................... 24
Featured Books ........................................................................ 26
Cerridwen: Inside the Mind of the Crone ........................... 28
Winter Prosperity Syrup and Cocktail .......................... 30
The Kitchen Witches’ Hedgerow and Garden in Winter.... 32
The World of Cartomancy .............................................. 35
5 Steps for Potent Magickal Work ...................................... 37
Forging the Witch ................................................................. 40
Carromancy: the Sacred Art of Reading Candle Wax .... 43
Slavic Money Secrets ............................................................. 46
Aunt Carla’s New Year’s Eve Ritual .................................... 48
The Knitter’s Oracle ............................................................. 50
Challenging the Christmas Witch .................................... 51
End of Year Letting Go Ritual .................................... 55
Veneficium: The Cunning ................................................... 56
Fatal Attraction ................................................................... 58
Forged from Steel: Custom Ritual Tools by Ceremonia .. 61
Planetary Magick ................................................................ 62

Copyright © 2021 Witchology Ltd.

All rights reserved. This magazine or any portion thereof may not
be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the
express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief
quotations in a book review. Magazine is intended for ages 18 and up.

The opinions expressed in our published works are those of the

authors and do not reflect the opinions of Witchology Magazine.
Witchology Magazine assumes no liability or
responsibility for any inaccurate, delayed or incomplete information,
nor for any actions taken in reliance thereon.

So please note, we cannot guarantee any outcomes from the content

of this magazine, but please don’t give up on the magick within you!
TRANSIT
FORECAST
T
he past year has been an exceptionally telling part of a
story that continues to unfold before us. As this chapter
comes to a close, a new one begins and December paints
a picture of an exciting adventure ahead; a stage is being set for a
particularly thrilling climax.
December Transits
Neptune Stations Direct in Pisces (12/1) & New Moon Eclipse in
Sagittarius (12/4)
December begins with Neptune ending its long retrograde and
ends with Jupiter finally re-entering the mutable water sign—a
future conjunction between these two planets imminent in the
coming year during Aries season. Before we have a chance to
get very far into December, the last eclipse moon of the Gemini-
Sagittarius axis occurs on December 4th, a New Moon Eclipse in
Sagittarius that ends a chapter that began in June 2020. Lessons
we learned during this past eclipse’s story of communication and
exploration finish unfolding, and a new clarity is reached.
Mercury Enters Capricorn & Mars Enters Sagittarius (12/13)
On the 13th of December, Mars shifts into Sagittarius and Mercury
enters Capricorn. With the Sun and Mars in Sagittarius, and
Mercury and Venus in Capricorn, the drying out from a watery
Scorpio season is complete; we enter a territory of scorched
earth. While the planets of values (Venus) and communication
(Mercury) transit the cardinal earth sign, we are invited to initiate
deep thinking, strong speaking, and protecting our values and
boundaries fiercely. The Sun and Mars are in the mutable fire sign,
setting passionate fire to that which makes us feel free. Under the
mix of this energy, we may feel emboldened and dedicated to our
growth at all costs—a perfect mindset ahead of a new year.
Venus Stations Retrograde in Capricorn (12/19-1/29)
Venus stations retrograde on December 19th, but not without first
forming a conjunction to the planet of transformation (Pluto) on
December 11th. This won’t be the only time this aspect is made,
as Venus’s normally shorter transit becomes an extended stay in
04 | ASTROLOGY
by JENI OVERTON
the sign of Capricorn. So as Venus and Pluto meet in the sky, this
merging shakes the very foundations our truths are built on, asking
us to observe how our values have changed, how our priorities
have shifted, and where we still seek security to find self-worth.
They quickly meet again on the 25th, during the now-retrograde-
motion of Venus, but they don’t see each other again until March.
Whatever challenges or revelations we find during these days in
December, expect to see them pop up again in March.
Capricorn Season Begins (12/21) & Jupiter Enters Pisces (12/28)
The Sun’s shift into Capricorn on December 21st occurs between
those two Venus-Pluto conjunctions, allowing us the opportunity
to stand more confidently on solid ground, fully embodying our
boundaries and finding commitment to self and purpose.
Jupiter, the planet of good fortune, expansion, and growth entered
its home of Pisces in May of 2021. This auspicious planet is the
traditional ruler of the spiritual dual-bodied fish that swim in
opposite directions—one toward reality and the other toward
fantasy. This homecoming, however, was short-lived, as Jupiter
stationed retrograde shortly afterwards in June, causing the planet
to shift back into the sign of Aquarius in July. After stationing
direct and resuming forward motion in October, the excitement
for Jupiter to re-enter Pisces began to build. Under the energy of
this transit, the collective continues their spiritual expansion and
quest for knowledge.
So as Jupiter re-enters Pisces on the 28th, the ball drops at midnight
on the 31st, and a new year begins, December’s fairytale ending of
standing in our power and beginning our search for higher truth
ends like a soft wind carrying snow across the landscape in a flurry,
as the pace quickens in January.
January Transits
Mercury in Aquarius (1/2) & Mercury Retrograde in Aquarius (1/14-
2/3)
Mercury’s journey through Capricorn briefly ends when it enters
Aquarius on January 2nd, but this isn’t the last we see of Mercury
in the diligent earth sign. On January 14th, Mercury stations
retrograde, striking fear into the hearts of every well-meaning
astrology enthusiast. But Mercury retrogrades 3-4 times a year,
so it’s a transit I highly encourage people to stop fearing and start
endearing. is a time to recalibrate, reset, revisit, reassess, relearn,
and all the other re’s you can think of. These retrogrades typically
occur across an element, but 2022 brings a plot twist. In 2021, we
saw Mercury retrograde through Aquarius, Gemini, and Libra,
asking us to reinvestigate, research, and realign in our groups,
perception, and relationships. Did we learn the lesson? It’s possible,
but maybe we didn’t quite learn how to stabilize and build in the
wake of them. In 2022, three of the four Mercury retrogrades start
in an air sign, but end in an earth sign, a steady call to finish what
we started so that we can finally build a structured foundation.
Uranus Stations Direct in Taurus (1/18) & Aquarius Season Begins
(1/19)
Shortly after, Uranus ends its retrograde motion on January 18th,
and the Sun enters Aquarius on the 19th. As communication and
thinking experience some slight delays under Mercury’s retrograde,
the forward motion of Uranus is appreciated, though we know its
position in Taurus will continue to bring unexpected challenges to
fixed placements, specifically aspects it makes in the new eclipse
story across the Taurus-Scorpio axis.
Mars Enters Capricorn (1/24), Mercury Enters Capricorn (1/25), &
Venus Stations Direct in Capricorn (1/29)
Mars joins its cosmic lover Venus in Capricorn on the 24th, and
then the day afterwards, Mercury in its retrograde motion retreats
back into the earth sign as well. With the Sun in Aquarius, but Mars,
Venus, and Mercury all in Capricorn, the Saturnian energy might
run a bit high. On January 29th, Venus stations direct, though the
planet will stay in Capricorn until early March.
February Transits
New Moon in Aquarius (2/1) & Mercury Stations Direct in Capricorn
(2/3)
February begins with an interesting New Moon in Aquarius on
February 1st. As the traditional ruler of Aquarius, Saturn will
lead this lunation, and its close proximity to the Sun and Moon
promises beginnings of new lessons. Uranus in Taurus will be in
a loose separating square, so plan for the unexpected, especially
since this disruptive planet will also be forming a trine to Venus in
Capricorn. Remember those values and that growth you’ve been
working on? See challenges here as a growth opportunity that you
can overcome and better yourself from.
Not too long after, Mercury ends its retrograde, but in the sign
of Capricorn, on February 3rd. It doesn’t re-enter Aquarius until
February 14th. Between the beginning of the new year and early
March, Mercury and Venus both experience three conjunctions to
Pluto, the Great Transformer, during their time in Capricorn. The
first meeting occurs before they station retrograde, once during
their time of backward momentum, and once again after they
station direct. They also both experience three repeating sextiles
due to their retrogrades. Venus sextiles Neptune and Mercury
sextiles Chiron three times, both of them interestingly completing
those aspects on February 24th. Two themes are happening here.
In a way, we’re seeing the planet of communication (Mercury)
revisit our wounds (Chiron) through a lens of rationality rather
than emotion, with a powerful transformation of the underlying
structure of how we communicate. Meanwhile, the planet of
values and beauty (Venus) is challenged by its sextile to the planet
of dreams and the subconscious (Neptune). Its influence can
inspire rose-colored-glasses syndrome and create confusion. The
conjunctions to Pluto amidst these aspects will force us to confront
how we handle delusion and fantasy, and test us to see if we can
remain grounded.
Full Moon in Leo (2/17) & Pisces Season Begins (2/18)
As February comes to a close, things may start to get a bit peculiar
after the Full Moon in Leo on the 17th. Venus and Mars meet
in Capricorn that day, a cosmic merger that doesn’t happen too
often. Yet, the two met once in 2021, and will meet twice in 2022.
Afterwards, the Sun enters Pisces on the 18th, just a few days before
a week to watch out for.
ASTROLOGY | 05
 United States Pluto Return Perfection 1 of 3 (2/20)
Pluto has been the topic of conversation for quite awhile now as
we look to America’s first Pluto Return. It takes around 247 years
for Pluto to make its way through the zodiac, coincidentally about
the same amount of times most empires see their first major fall.
With the Internet experiencing its Saturn Return, Jupiter entering
Pisces, and America’s first Pluto Return in February, 2022 brings
with it a promise to question our current structures from a place of
higher knowing. Because of retrograde, transit Pluto will perfectly
conjunct America’s natal Pluto again on July 11th and December
28th. We’ve been in the shadow of Pluto’s Return for quite some
time; tensions are building, and demands for transformation of
government and authority are so necessary for our society’s future.

The climax of this upcoming story will be more than just one
chapter. It may be less of a fairytale and more of an adventure. What
is unfolding before us holds great potential, and it is one of those
adventures that many revisit the past to inform our future. The
challenge, should we choose to accept it, is to take the lessons of the
last year and build the foundations we need to enact meaningful
change in our own lives, and as a collective.

Jeni Overton is a creator, a consumer, a lifelong student––but mostly, she

is simply Jeni. She’s a social media strategist by business card, but a do-
it-all’er by the other hours. From graphic design to photography, content
creation to copy writing/editing, podcasting, and more, she finds peace
in expansion and learning. A green-haired shapeshifter that lives in the
swamp of the United States known as Florida with her partner and
3 familiars, she practices magick of many varieties, but may identify
mostly as an eclectic witch with a focus on planetary magick. She’s one
half of the duo behind “It’s Just A Transit” Podcast, bringing weekly
transit forecasts to the collective in a digestible and enjoyable manner.
From lunar transits to planetary vibe checks, they’re here to remind
you... it’s just a transit. You can find curated playlists, cool graphics, and
more on their Instagram (@itsjustatransit) or head over to the Patreon
for more exclusive content (patreon.com/itsjustatransitpodcast).

IG: @jenidear, @itsjustatransit

Patreon: patreon.com/itsjustatransitpodcast)

06 | ASTROLOGY
 THERE LIES A SEED
In the half-light of a murkily misty, glimmering, glistening and
listening as it languorously undulates through an ancient sacred
grove, there lies nestled within a shadowy shallowish seam between
gnarled knobby interlacings of the Mother Tree’s ever-reaching,
always seeking roots, a seed.
So still, so silent.
So somnolent.
The glimmering slippery-slides its wet silkiness into the soil,
lingering, fingering its way under the leaf litter, the branchlets and
twiglets scrimming serene Gaia’s soft shoulders like a spangled
netting liquid with promise. Expand, whispers the glimmering,
come, dance with me and live deliciously.
The seed, cocooned in its hard shell, surrounded by all it needs
to sustain itself in stasis, seems oblivious to the pulsing warm
unctuousness coalescing around it. For now, there is only the
self, no kineticism, mere potential, amorphous possibility. Blurry
contentment in drifting along in the safety of the status quo,
unaware.
Yet even immured, even in the comfort of the utter predictability
of self-incarceration just under the surface of the seed’s protective
armor, there are fizzle-pop sparkles of energy twizzling, sizzling,
wriggling like worms seeking to leave their outgrown casings
behind, for energy is never perpetually latent, never endlessly
restrained. The ground, as frigid and unforgiving as granite, cannot
forever constrain what is straining to expand, to grow, to glow. For
the seed changes everything it touches, and everything it touches
changes.
And you, my darling, you are the seed.
How long have you been lingering deep within your soul, cocooned
in the hard shell of your self-incarceration? Immersed in all you
need to sustain yourself, oblivious to your invitation to dance even
as you know to your core that some other existence, some calling,
is uniquely yours to discover and fulfill? The resting times, they are
needful, necessary to our well-being as witches, but they are not an
energetic status quo in which we seek to remain indefinitely. We cast
by MARTHA KIRBY CAPO
our spells of containment, of magical boundaries, of protection, yet
what happens when we dare to say yes! to that invitation? When
we discover that our energetic vibrations have begun to expand,
straining to break through a mystical sheathing we once believed
we could not pierce? Do we choose to retreat further within? (No!
our seed-self screams, shrinking away from the liminal edges of
what we know is safe, Danger!) What is your tipping point, when
yearning becomes learning, when I can’t yet becomes I can now?
Energy expands, and so do you. Energy transmutes, rediscovering
and redefining its form as it cascades through its iterations, and
so do you. So, too, does your magic. The latency of the seed as its
casing cracks becomes the kineticism of the radicle as it unfurls
into a root seeking richer, deeper nourishment in what lies beyond.
That root, sipping and sucking the sustenance from the soil,
broadens, thickens, becomes engorged, spawning rippling rootlets
with which to guzzle ever more nutrients.
And is that not, too, what the making of magic is? The kineticism
of the radical? Crackle-snap, you rupture your boundaries, your
metaphysical roots rhythmically furling and unfurling to stretch
into and grab at all the energetic succulence, cramming it into
your essence and braiding your etheric signature into the weave of
All That Is. You change everything you touch, and everything you
touch changes.
Tend to your seed time as part of the sacred cycle of Self, yet linger
no longer than you must. Succumb, yield to the delicious urge to
plunge your roots into the rich pulsing currents of energy swirling
around you. Invite the tingling ticklings to effervesce through your
bloodstream, flinging all that you are and could be and will be into
ecstatic release as spores of your magic explode into Yes! Now! So
Mote It Be!
Grow, go, glow little seed; release yourself from your imprisonment
and work your magic upon a world waiting for you to say Yes! to
the dance. Ever-reaching, always seeking, spangled and liquid with
promise.
Martha Kirby Capo works with Hekate, Cernunnos, and Pan. She
has been extensively anthologized through Skinner House books, and is
currently under contract with Llewellyn Publishing.
ASTROLOGY | 07
 TEA
MAGICK
AND
RITUAL
by VANESSA GOODWIN

M
agick can be found in the simplest of places in our everyday lives.
From garden spells and bath rituals to kitchen witchery and the
brewing of a humble pot of tea. But the simplicity and beauty of tea
magick is so often lost, and with it, the act of slowing down, being present and
ingesting with purpose and intent. Many people forget that tea magick is so readily
available to us, but only if we have the state of mind to be present.

Tea has been around for many centuries and in many cultures, it was a revered
and sacred commodity. But aside from its high value, tea has been synonymous
with ritual. Ancient Chinese and Japanese tea ceremonies focused on creating a
practice of patience, intent, and mindfulness. Centuries later, tea was brought to
England where it was so highly valued that it was kept under lock and key. The
English created their own ritual of taking tea, a process that included using their
finest chinaware and enjoying their brew with guests.

It is easy to see that the magick of tea originates from ritual. Stopping what you are
doing to put the kettle on, taking care to measure out the tea for your cup or pot,
gently pouring the hot water, and savouring each sip. It’s about mindfulness, and it’s
this simple practice that can be consciously used and harnessed each and every day.
Besides the magick of the ritual of tea, we can also look to the tea leaf for its own
magickal benefits. Black tea can be used for grounding, strength, courage, money,
and energy. Green tea is used for love, passion, cleansing, and healing. Oolong
represents balance, reflection, divination, and love. White teas can be used for
beauty, clarity, cleansing, and spiritual communication. If you wish to create a more
purposeful or direct act of tea magick, try a variation of the following ritual:

08 | TEA MAGIC
 1. Collect your ingredients and utensils. Use your favourite teacup or one in a
colour that you feel corresponds with your intended spell. Cast a circle, and as with
any spellwork, cleanse your workspace and ingredients.

2. As you add tea to your pot or create your blend, ask each of the herbs to bestow
the brew with their properties. For example, black tea to ground, cloves to bring
abundance, and rose to attract love. Be grateful for the clean water as you pour it
over your ingredients in the pot. While it brews, carefully hold your hands over
your teapot, being mindful not to burn yourself and focus on your intent for the
spell. Allow the tea to brew for the required length of time, no more.

3. When you are ready to pour, spin your teapot deosil three times to bring about
your creation and manifestations. Pour your tea into your cup, sit back and inhale
the aroma. If you wish to add some honey or sugar at this point, be sure to also
stir this in your deosil direction, further stirring in your intent and attracting your
manifestation. Take this moment to be completely present and focused on your
motive. All your herbs, words and desires have been steeping together and as you
imbibe your magickal brew, acknowledge that you are taking that energy into
yourself. Visualise your spell coming to fruition and think about how you would
feel to see your manifestation come to life. Take this time for yourself, be present,
and focus on your desire as you enjoy your tea to the very last sip. Give thanks to
the earth/universe/goddess/whomever you dedicate your practice to, for providing
all the elements and ingredients you have utilised in your ritual.

Depending on the type of tea or blend you have used, you can top up your pot with
hot water and continue to drink your magickal brew throughout the day. Be sure to
always come back to focusing on your intent as you sip on your spell. When you are
finished, tip your tea leaves into the garden or a potted plant as an offering of thanks
back to the earth, completing the spell.

You can enhance your ritual by using crystals, sigils, or candles on your altar or tea
space, but try to use unscented candles where possible so that you will be able to
fully immerse yourself in the aroma of your brew.

When you are planning your tea magick ritual, or even if you just wish to be more
present with every cup of tea you make throughout a day, there are a few things you
can consider. First and foremost is the quality of the tea and herbs you use. Where
possible, try to source tea, herbs, and blends from smaller or reputable companies
that trade in high quality ingredients, which may be ethically sourced or organically
grown. Investing in quality tea usually results in fresher ingredients and a tastier
brew. The production process may also be on a smaller scale, meaning more care
and mindfulness is often taken along the whole journey, from the picking of the leaf
to brewing in your cup.

Image: VANESSA GOODWIN The second thing to consider is the different brewing requirements for teas and

TEA MAGIC| 09
herbs. As a general rule of thumb, we use one teaspoon of tea per
cup. So, if you were brewing into a larger four-cup pot, place four
teaspoons of tea into the pot. Black tea, rooibos and herbal blends
require boiling water and can be brewed for three to five minutes.
Green and white tea, as well as green oolongs, can be brewed at
about 80C/176F for about two to three minutes. If your tea is bitter,
it’s usually a result of brewing too long or because the water is too
hot (for green tea and oolongs), so adjust accordingly. Leaving tea
for a longer, stronger brew, may sound good in theory to fortify
your tea magick, but there’s no point in creating something that
becomes unpalatable. Your magickal blend, like all spellwork,
should be enjoyed, not endured!

Finally, know your herbs. Many of us have some knowledge of

commonly used herbs, but make sure you do some research before
adding any lesser-known herbs into the pot, as they may cause
problems with existing medications, conditions, or pregnancy.
Please remember that just because something is natural, it
doesn’t always mean it is safe to use. Toxins occur naturally too.
If in doubt, consider using pre-blended brews from bespoke tea
companies rather than mixing something yourself. They will often
have many of the ingredients you may be looking for that are
already blended up to create a tasty tipple. Always check with a
medical professional if you have any concerns.

Whether you prefer to create a more purposeful practice of tea

magick, or if you would like to bring a simple act of ritual with
every cup you brew, just remember to be present in even the
smallest of these daily tasks. Because magick truly is everywhere.
Pinkies up!

Vanessa is the founder of Kohli Tea Emporium. Her

passion for tea inspires her to create her exclusive tea
blends, combining magick and ritual with a good old
cuppa. Kohli Tea Emporium sells premium loose-leaf tea,
a range of tea accessories, as well as occult books, crystals,
tarot, and oracle decks. She hand blends her tea creations
on the south coast of New South Wales, Australia. You can
find her shop at kohlitea.com.au or connect with her at @
kohlitea on Instagram and Facebook.

10 | TEA MAGIC
 RECYCLE, REUSE:
HOW TO TAKE WORN ANCESTRAL
ARTIFACTS AND MAKE THEM NEW
AGAIN
The past is one of those things that’s hard to leave behind.
We talk about the transformative power of magick, and changing a
path or moving on from a family, faith tradition, or even ancestral
magickal framework can almost uproot our lives, clearing the
brambles and leaving a new road open for us to explore as we
reshape ourselves and our practice. Sometimes that road is clear.
Other times, it’s riddled with artifacts of family trauma, religious
trauma, post-traumatic stress, or bad memories.
Even if we pass those artifacts by, there might be others sitting
partially buried under the trodden dirt. Things that, well…we
can’t help but dig out and put into our satchels and carry with us
as we keep walking.
It could be something simple, like an old habit or a favorite piece
of glassware from a beloved relative. For ancestral witches, it
could be an old family ritual that might not have much place in
your current practice, but it’s hard to let it go.
We collect all these artifacts of our past, mismatched and
awkward, that don’t really fit with the life we’re trying to build for
ourselves. They’re just sitting there, collecting dust on our shelves,
looking out of place, and clashing with the room decor.
Sometimes we just throw these things out, because even if we feel
attached, they don’t flow with our practice or ourselves. Maybe
they trigger bad memories or inadvertently bring back trauma.
And that’s perfectly okay to to throw them out. Do what feels right
for you and your practice.
But what do you do when you want to keep these things, even if
they might not really fit with your practice or lifestyle?
Well…you make them fit.
Making it Fit
“Making it fit” isn’t necessarily a forceful thing; it’s not a case of
taking a square peg and shoving it in a round hole, or recutting
the hole to make the peg fit. Instead, think of it as gently shaving
the corners of a square peg to fit the round hole.
For the sake of argument, say you have an old teacup that belonged
to your grandmother. You don’t get along with the rest of your
family very well, but you two were close, and this is all you have
left. As a way of honoring her, you set up a small altar and use the
cup as a chalice for liquid offerings like tea, water, or coffee.
Heirlooms and other personal family trinkets are great for
decorating ancestral altars, even if you only offer to “the ancestors”
in a general sense. Religious items like rosaries or prayer beads
can be used to decorate the space during rituals if you’re offering
to an ancestor who followed the Gods or paths they’re associated
with. You can use handed-down glassware as chalices, old candle
holders to hold your votive offerings or candle spells, and cloths
or doilies to keep the altar from getting dirty.
But what about things that are more than objects? Families don’t
just pass down glassware, angel statues, or hand-me-down Bibles;
there are recipes, traditions, old practices, and even spells to
contend with.
by SURIN DARKLIGHT
How do you shave those down to make them fit?
For recipes, you can implement kitchen magick. Say your family
has a stew recipe that’s passed down in the family, and while you
like it, it’s usually associated with a religious holiday that you don’t
follow or a family tradition that you don’t really sit with anymore.
Use it on one of the sabbats or on a religious holiday for your
personal path instead! Look at the recipe and see if any of the
spices have magickal properties, or switch spices around for those
that do.
Here’s a more practical example: According to Cunningham’s
Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs, Marjoram is used to strengthen
love and bonds between people when placed in food. Maybe your
family recipe uses oregano, and you want to give this recipe a bit
of a magickal punch. Replace the oregano with marjoram and
cook it on a day that would celebrate love or togetherness, like
Friday. Change the associations to something that resonates with
you, since it’s your practice and your life.
For old prayers or spells, you might have to do a little finagling
to get it to work. You might need to rewrite it only slightly for it
to honor your patron (if you have one, anyway; if not, you can
always honor the earth, energy, or the elements), or rework the
ritual entirely if it doesn’t fit. A good example is reworking a
Christian warding spell that uses crosses and holy water on all
the doors of the home and replacing the crosses with runes or
personal sigils, and the holy water with moon or storm water.
For old traditions, it’s important to think about context. Why did
your family do it? What was its purpose? Think about that and
rework aspects of it to match you and your practice. Even if it’s not
the same as it once was, it’s the same in spirit, with a new, fresh
coat of paint.
Recycle, Reuse, Move Forward
Of course, it’s important to know that sometimes you can’t make
things fit. And that’s okay.
Sometimes your situation is complicated, and there might not be
a hard and fast rule to make these things fit. That is also okay.
Our paths are all different, and we walk them in different ways.
Taking these old things and making them new again isn’t an
obligation, or something we have to do; it’s a way for us to blend
the old and the new, to put our pasts into new contexts to help us
grow, transform, and heal.
Sometimes we heal by cutting out the roots of the past. Sometimes
we heal by taking a bud from that past and placing it in a wreath
or paperweight.
In the end, every witch walks their own path, and shapes their
own future.
Surin Darklight is a Texas-based Heathen storm witch and
runeworker with a passion for learning, experimentation, and his
wife of seven years. You can find more of his writing on itshiero.io, and
he’ll sometimes be on twitter @surindarklight.
HERITAGE | 05
 TAROT
SPREAD:
YULE
By JOSH VANDEN BUSCH

Y
ule marks the return to the lighter half of the year. As the
sun re-emerges to bring light back into the world in the
form of longer days, we too can emerge from this period
of darkness more luminous and radiant than before. The darker
half of the year is a period of reflection, one where we become
more intentional about what we welcome into our lives. Once we
connect with what matters, we can truly lean into our purpose.
And this is where we truly shine.

For this spread, we use The Hermit as our anchor, as it reflects

the search for our inner guide and the call to help light the path
for others.

Directions:
Shuffle your deck (three times does the charm, but always do what
feels right for you).
Next, find The Hermit.
The four cards following The Hermit answer the prompts in the
spread.
Note: If The Hermit is followed by less than four cards in the pile,
pull the cards that remain then draw the rest from the top of the
deck.

The Prompts:
Card One: What is the biggest lesson I am to learn from the darker
half of the year?
Card Two: How will this help me connect to my purpose?
Card Three: How can I use this lesson to aid others?
Card Four: What energy can I carry with me into the lighter half
of the year?

Josh Vanden Busch is the quintessential AstroNerd! They are an

Astrologer, Tarot Reader, and Ru Paul’s Drag Race aficionado.
Josh was adopted and their father, a former priest, and mother,
an educator, shaped the knowledge and worldview that they have
today. Their interest in astrology and tarot started very young. As
a child, their parents would take them to the library at least once a
week and they would immediately run to the Occult/Supernatural
section, becoming enamored with mythology, witchcraft, and
all forms of divination. Over the past six years, they’ve studied
under numerous practitioners to have finally come to living their
purpose of helping others unlock their potential.

Website: www.theastronerd.com
Instagram: @theastronerd_
YouTube: The TarotNerd
TikTok: @thetarotnerd

12 | TAROT SPREAD
 THE SOMNIA
TAROT
Creator: NICOLAS BRUNO
Can you tell us about your journey with tarot?
I was first exposed to tarot during childhood while exploring
the storage room of my grandmother’s basement. She collected
amazing trinkets, antique model trains, and other items that
belonged to my great grandmother, Yia-Yia. I discovered Yia-Yia’s
tarot deck upon a high shelf, and I was immediately drawn to the
cards. Because of superstition, my grandmother took them and
hid them away, but this only increased my curiosity. This memory
stuck with me until adulthood, where I would experience tarot in
a new way.
When did you know you wanted to create a tarot deck?
The imagery within the tarot always resonated with me, and I
often pondered recreating one or two of the images through my
photography. I kept a few sketchbook entries over the years, but
it was only until the COVID-19 pandemic that I began to explore
the ideas in depth. The world paused for the pandemic, leaving
me with an uncertain perspective for the future. I decided to dive
into the creation of The Somnia Tarot as a means to continue
creating and keep my spirits high. I used each day of lockdown
to study history, create concepts, build props and costumes, and
photograph each of the images. I started photographing the series
in March of 2021, and I finished the final image before the end
of 2021.
What influenced this deck?
I explored the depths of my dream journals to tell the tale of the
tarot. I have suffered from sleep paralysis for my entire life, and I
manage this condition by transforming each dream journal entry
into surreal photography. In each card, I wove dream symbolism
and recurring sleep paralysis characters. Many other themes were
explored in this collection, such as experiences with superstition,
managing mental health, and exploring a world beyond sleep.
I also introduced personal interests of mine, such as classical
fencing, treasure hunting, and nods to the style of the Romantic
painting movement.
Can you share your background with photography,
sculpture, and costume design?
I grew up loving tales of past adventures and knights with shining
swords. My childhood consisted of making wooden swords and
table cloth capes with the children in my neighborhood, where
we would fight imaginary monsters in the woods. I also fell in love
with photography during childhood after watching my mother
photograph these adventures. She would buy me disposable
cameras and develop the images for me. Later on in my teens,
photography became a major part of my life as I used it as a
therapy for my sleep disorder. My camera was my escape from the
world, and it allowed me to speak about my terrifying dreams in
a new way. By creating self-portraits about sleep paralysis, I was
able to create a therapy for myself, while also impacting the lives
of people with sleep disorders around the world.
How did you reference the Rider Waite and Jungian
archetypes in the work?
To find a traditional structure for The Somnia Tarot, I studied the
Rider Waite Tarot and its relationship with Jungian Archetypes.
This helped me identify the foundations for each card’s symbolism
and characters. I was then able to analyze my dream journals
to build upon the framework from my studies. For example, a
character such as “The Fool” may resonate with being a dreamer
that embarks on a journey into the unknown. I chose to depict
The Fool through self-portraiture, where I sever the ties from my
sleep paralysis and drift out my bedroom window with a dream
journal in hand.
What was your favorite part about creating a tarot deck?
I greatly enjoyed developing a body of work that explores a breadth
of life’s experiences, whether they are interpersonal, internal, or
divine. This collection of imagery allowed me to explore the lives
of each character, such as hanging upside down for “The Hanged
Man”, swimming at twilight for “The Moon” or riding the pale
white horse within “Death”. I found myself able to explore themes
that I otherwise would not touch upon in my main method of
creation. The most rewarding part of creating The Somnia Tarot
is the impact the imagery will have for those in the world of art
therapy and divination.
What was the most challenging?
I ran into many challenges while creating this series. I worked
alone for the majority of the project, and I had a limited budget
to complete it. Thankfully, I was able to repurpose many props
and costumes from my Sleep Paralysis body of work, which
saved a lot of expense and time. Each scene was created on
location, sometimes miles into the marshlands or down the
coasts of Long Island. It was physically and mentally taxing to
manage the creation of all 78 images, but I found this challenge
to be overwhelmingly exciting to complete. The most difficult
part of creating The Somnia Tarot was making interconnecting
symbolism between cards, both in the Major and Minor Arcana
suits. I wrote a book that will detail the connections between each
card, and I will be releasing it within the next few months.
The Somnia Tarot Deck by Nicolas Bruno can be purchased at
www.somniatarot.com
FEATURED TAROT DECK | 13
DEAR
MADAM
ADAM...
Name/Alias: Natalia
Question: Should I go back with my kids’ Dad or should
I stay in the relationship that I am in?
Natalia,
The Queen of Pentacles calls you to reality. She is earthy and
grounded. With a Knight of Swords, your logic gives you
confidence. Passionately, the Ten of Cups is present. Consider
what you’re teaching those around you, kids included, about
following their heart, sticking to their truths, communication,
boundaries, etc. Essentially, when you give a shit, you’re happy.
When you’re happy, the people around you are happy. If you’re
passionate, it works. Your emotions give you opportunity with
the Ace of Pentacles. You can make anything new again if your
heart’s in it. So realistically, with the Eight of Pentacles inverted,
do you have the patience to make this work? Because it’s gonna
take just that: work. A lot of it. Nothing happens overnight. Be
wary of hasty decision making. But if you know where your
heart lies, don’t be afraid to say so.
Name/Alias: Rachel P
Question: Dear Madam Adam, over the past year that
I have been practicing witchcraft I seem to always stay
in the anxiety ridden ideations instead of letting the
universe take its course for the magic I do. Any advice ?
Rachel,
The spread I pulled for you is direct and simple. It’s time to
get out of your comfort zone and break the cycle. The Devil
inverted suggests that you are ready to lift the chains from
around your neck, and do this the right albeit harder way. As
the Queen of Wands, you must know the universe, your guides
and deities, all have your back. Allow them to cast protection
on you so your decisions and passionate moves can unfold
as they will. Justice or karma, represented by both Venus and
Saturn, calls for acceptance and truth. Consider what you can
do in the moment and how it can affect the future overall. The
Tower inverted implies that you are responsible for your own
liberation. One warning: An inverted Three of Cups may have
disingenuous relationships around you. Are you being filled
with truths that are not yours? Is the doubt you feel your own?
Try to find moments throughout your day for reflection and
gratitude for your magic. Set an alarm if you have to.
14 | ADVICE
Name/Alias: Joyce
Question: What is the best path to true love, if any,
in my life?
Joyce,
For you, the action of patience. The King of Pentacles is
inverted. This is a success that is accumulated over time, out
of self work, connection, and gracious spirit. The figure on
the Two of Swords sits blindfolded as if torn by decisions
that aren’t theirs to make. You can only control the choices
you make; whether or not someone chooses you is beyond
your control. An inverted Six of Pentacles warns of playing
too many games. Don’t buy into deceitful dating. Don’t play
cat and mouse. Let truth be your greatest weapon and most
vulnerable tactic. The Tower in a position of passion in your
spread suggests that you’ve had to learn love’s lessons the
hard way. Justice is inverted in your past. Stop telling old
stories as if they are relevant today. No one deserves to pay
for the sins of someone else’s past. This is self sabotage. This
is manifesting your own negativity. As cliché as it sounds:
Be yourself. The right person will come to you when you
are tending your own garden, minding your own business.
Worry less about choosing someone, and more about making
yourself someone you would choose. If there is a lack of love
in your life, consider first where it’s lacking in you.
Name/Alias: Beautifulwitch*57
Question: Does my husband think of the woman he
had an affair with?
Beautifulwitch*57,
Oh honey, The Nine of Pentacles inverted is calling you out.
Your insecurities are showing. Whether or not your husband
is thinking of the woman he had an affair with, you sure as
hell are. An inverted Ace of Swords cuts deep into the truth
of the past. You’re not talking about this either. The King of
Wands is inverted as well, and being passive aggressive isn’t it
right now. Lighting fires isn’t going to do anything but burn
things to the ground. The Two of Cups, also inverted, is in
a position of passion for you. Healing is needed as well as
communication on an emotional level. But with your Queen
of Cups inverted as well, you have to be the one to start this
conversation. You need to act on how you feel. Love is about
honesty, communication, and choice. All of those things you
can control. Come from an emotionally truthful place and
be bold with those feelings. Your whole spread is inverted;
your perspective is messed up because of this situation. But
there are Kings and Queens in your cards, so the strength is
in you to move past it.
Name/Alias: Annik
Question: Will good fortune come my way?
Annik,
The Page of Swords swings fast into the wind. Speak it into
existence. You have to say what you want out loud. You have
to mean it and believe it. The Nine of Pentacles inverted
suggests you might not quite believe in your own ability to
get what you want. Don’t cut corners and over-rely on others.
Hard work is needed, as the Eight of Pentacles implies, but
with sensitivity to avoid burnout. An inverted Knight of
Wands warns of stumbles along the way. Be mindful of
trying to do too much, too fast. You know what you want
won’t grow overnight. The Queen of Swords is inverted in
a place of emotion for you. Remember your self-worth, and
don’t be afraid to speak clearly about your goals. Your idea
of fortune is different from someone else’s. Speak your truth
into existence, but follow through.
Name/Alias: Chelle
Question: Dear Madam Adam, my partner I are
pretty certain we’re ready to leave the city we
currently live in, but we haven’t quite settled on
where to go next. We’re considering both another city
and a smaller, more rural area to slow things down a
bit. Any advice would be most welcome!
Chelle,
I never thought such a simple question would yield such a
deep spread. The Tower is presented as a centerfold. This
might be a decision that is made for you. Perhaps this is
something that needs to be truly liberating and completely
out of the comfort zone. An inverted Knight of Wands
suggests that this transition may be cumbersome if we’re
viewing this as escape rather than simply emotionally
fulfilling. Logically, as the inverted Queen of Cups suggests,
it’s time to act authoritatively on how we feel. The trouble
is in the idea of loss. The Five of Swords suggests there is
passionate conflict. These swords often don’t belong to
you; they are other people‘s ideas and perspectives of you
that you may still believe. Perhaps we’re putting too much
merit in what other people think that we should be doing.
Somewhere there is debate. But deep down you know better.
The Wheel of Fortune, in a place of emotion for you, is loud
and strong. Follow your heart. That’s the logical thing to do.
Wrap your head around the truth of what your heart wants
and make it so. If you get shoved out of your Tower, you are
already on your way.
Name/Alias: Chloe
Question: Should I continue with my small business?
Chloe,
As Queen of Pentacles, you should be very proud of your
journey. Your generous nature has got you where you are.
But now you’re stuck. The Nine of Wands inverted has
created a wall of indecision. Delays have stunted your
passion. But the beacon of The Hermit’s light is strong. He
is highly underestimated. His six-pointed star comprises the
alchemist symbols for creation: fire and water. This is his light
in the darkness. You must find your own way. His power,
like yours, is uniquely his own. The Ace of Cups inverted
is in a passionate place for you. We’ve begun to take these
things personally. Vulnerability comes easy when your heart
is attached to the work. With the Four of Wands inverted,
it’s important to you that you feel you belong. You have to
balance yourself first. Consider the logic in how you feel, and
the reality of what you can accomplish. Build it and they will
come. Your skills and magic are unique. Discouragement
comes and goes. Look how far you’ve come.
Madam Adam is a self-taught tarot reader and has been honing
his own unique style of tough love tarot for more than 18
years. He currently lives in Orlando, Florida, with his
husband. Find him at @officialmadamadam on TikTok
and Instagram.
ADVICE | 15
Witch Coin from Owl Circle
This Witch Coin is custom made & is only available on Esty or at a local
witch shop in NJ. It is a limited product.
It weights a little over an ounce, is made of Copper Brass and Bronze. The
coins fits perfectly into the
small front pocket of jeans.
Comes with plastic cover.
Via Etsy.
Spell Bottles from
Katherine Cullen a variety of
bottles and jars. Pictured: protective salt,
and a bottle for enhancing divinatory
abilities mix which is made with a
combination of different herbs and
flowers. When used together, one may
protect themselves and others from
negative energies while practicing
their preferred form of divination.
$12 each or two for $20,
Availablee directly from the
creator @leafsofferm
16 | COVEN MARKET
Brewbat Enamel Pin from Collectibats Brewbat
the batty cauldron pin is back, and this
time she’s brewing up some Yuletide
magic! Featuring a bubbling
potion and gold style plating,
this special edition pin is by
Switzerland-based artist Bats
from Collectibats. Makes for a
sweet gift or a magical accent for
your favorite bag, cloak or jacket.
Via Etsy.
Custom Handmade Cailleach
Dolls from Scottish Cunning
Ways The Cailleach (kay-yock) is
told in legends and folktales through
the Scottish Highlands and Islands as a
great ancestress who created the hills,
lochs and Glen’s, a spirit connected to
a certain place or simply the wise Auld
women of your community. Custom
dolls handmade on a commission.
Price varies depending on
customisation. Via etsy.
 Totally Naked Hemp Lotion from Jessica Betty Unscented/Fragrance Free
Our Natural Body Lotion which is a highly penetrating, skin rejuvenating lotion that
comprises of Hemp seed oil, Grape seed oil, butters & vitamin E that function to
condition and replenish the skin natural moisture barrier. easy pump application.
Benefits: Skin Hydration, Conditioning; Rejuvenation , Can help with Psoriasis &
Eczema.
Non Greasy Non Sticky. For best results, apply immediately after shower.
$16 Cad . Via www.jessicabetty.com/shop
4-in-1 Rose Infused Oil from Jessica Betty
Our herbal infused oils are widely applicable to your everyday needs from
giving your skin a healthy glow to revitalising damaged hair, this versatile
product is essential to anyone’s beauty routine. You can add it to your
daily moisturizer, apply it to split ends, or add a few drops to a hot
bath for a relaxing experience.
33$ Cad. Via www.jessicabetty.com/shop

Secrets of the Cauldron Planner Your Magical Guide to the Waxing Year is a witches’
planner, diary and book of shadows. Follow a guided six-month journey through the waxing
year, seasons, sabbats, lunar, and solar cycles. Also includes unique spells and deep-dive
exercises to help you develop and enhance your witchcraft practice. Available from www.
secretsofthecauldron.co.uk

Mushroom Illustration from

Kore’s Hollow 13x19 inch Mushroom
Poster featuring fly agaric, death
cap, indigo milk cap and chanterelle
mushrooms. Printed in-house on quality
ultra premium matte paper. Illustrated
and designed by Julia Delgado (Kore’s
Hollow.) $20. (Poster hanger not
included) via Etsy.

The Gaia Luxury Candle from Maya’s

Lighthouse Handmade with Rose petals,
Dandelion root, Basil, and Baby’s Breath-
herbs corresponding with Goddess Gaia and
the Earth to help each individual honor and
invoke their inner earth goddess within. Hand-
poured into a reusable luxury vessel using 100%
natural soy wax, featuring a fragrance blend of
mahogany teakwood, vanilla, and rose.
$33.33 via mayaslighthouse.etsy.com

Witches Hoodie from Lunapparel Design soft, inner-

fleece ‘Witches, We Know Things’ hoodie with our popular
divination print is perfect for snuggle season spellwork.
Our sizes range from XS-6XL and are unisex. Printed by
hand with high-quality vinyl, you can witch in comfort
and cute designs like these from Lunapparel Design.
Price is £30 (exc postage - varies on location)
via Etsy.
COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT:
MHARA STARLING

M
hara Starling is a rare sort of witch, the sort that
you might only encounter once in a lifetime.
A font of Welsh knowledge, Mhara manages
to inspire, educate, and entertain all at once on her many
social media platforms, and we, for one, are obsessed!
A Welsh folk witch and Celtic polytheist, Mhara is
originally from Ynys Môn, North Wales, and is passionate
about sharing the lore and magic of the land in which she
was raised. We caught up with her to find out more about
her fascinating journey, her connection with her homeland,
and her new book.
Can you tell us about how your journey with witchcraft
first began?
Growing up on the Isle of Anglesey, a rural part of North Wales,
magic seemed to follow me wherever I went. I attended a
primary school with less than thirty students in total, and I was
known as “yr un sy’n hoff o Tylwyth Teg, Môr-Forwynion, a
Gwrachod” (The one who likes fairies, mermaids and witches).
My childhood was spent learning about local folklore, exploring
the natural wonders and ancient monuments on the island, and
making up fantastical tales of my own. My grandmother also
had a magical sensibility, being known for her tea leaf readings
and enigmatic personality.
Despite the magic and whimsy that permeated my life, I was
also a very lonely child, bullied, misunderstood, and left out by
my peers. At the age of twelve, I discovered a book of spells in
a local second-hand shop, and that little book of spells changed
my life. I began practising the spells it outlined and connecting
to the very spirits of my landscape. It was not long until I
was spending all my time digging up anything I could about
witchcraft and magic. Any morsel of information I could find
fuelled my spirit. The magic I tapped into helped me to make
friends, to grow in confidence, and helped me to feel as though
I had some control over my own life. It wouldn’t be an over-
exaggeration to say that magic well and truly saved my life.
When my mother learnt that I had an interest in witchcraft,
she was very supportive! She would purchase all my tools and
help me set up an altar in my bedroom and such. One day, I
voiced to my mother that I wish I knew other witches, and this
is when she revealed to me that one of my old primary school
teachers was a witch too! Julie was a visiting art teacher who
used to come into school and her lessons were always the most
fantastical. I made my way up the winding road that led out
of the village and met up with Julie again, and my mother was
right; she was indeed a witch. She became a mentor to me and
taught me the importance of connecting deeply to the land.
Julie made me aware of the Anglesey Druid Order, an order
of Druids whose traditions were deeply rooted in the magic of
Wales. Through meeting their chief druid, Kristoffer Hughes,
I was introduced to a stream of magic that was firmly rooted
in my own culture and landscape. All this led me to who I am
today: a Welsh folk witch and a Celtic polytheist.
What does your day-to-day practice look like?
The foundation of my practice is a connection to the spirits of
my locale, serving my community, and continual study and
learning. My daily practices consist of devotional prayers and
communion with the deities I venerate, leaving offerings for the
familiar spirits I work in tandem with, and weaving magic.
Every day when I wake up, I light a candle on my shrine
to Cerridwen, the Welsh Goddess of inspiration and
transformation, and I say a little prayer to her. As a writer
and an artist, Cerridwen aids me in tapping into pure, divine
inspiration which flows into all of my work. After that, I tend
to have a chat with Cadwaladr, my familiar spirit. Cadwaladr is
a rather mischievous spirit whom I have forged a connection
with, and he is anchored to a physical object: a goat’s skull
which sits in my living room. I leave offerings to the spirits of
my household, and I will often then go for a walk which enables
me to connect to the spirits of my region.
The rest of my day is usually community focused. I organise
local events, gatherings and classes for seekers of a magical
lifestyle or for those exploring their faith. I also provide spells
and magical advice to local people who ask for it. Beyond all
this, reading, studying, and reflecting on my beliefs is a key
element to my day-to-day practice.
Your book, Welsh Witchcraft, is due to be released in
February 2022. What inspired you to write this book
and what was the writing process like?
Wales is a land that is packed to the brim with magic, and I
wanted to share that with the world. The best piece of advice
many writers will ever tell you they received is “write the
book you wish you had.” I spent many years wishing there
was a book written about the magical history, mythology, old
traditions, and folklore of Wales and how these things could be
incorporated into a modern Witches’ practice.
Eventually, with a rather blunt nudge from some friends and
loved ones, I decided I would attempt to write it. You see, the
little written work there is out there about Welsh folk magic
and witchcraft is either written in Welsh, usually in the 19th
or early 20th century, or is an academic history book. Neither
of these formats are very accessible, nor are they written by a
witch for witches. As a native Welsh speaker, I was privileged to
COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT | 19
be able to find quite a lot of information about Welsh magical hurting myself. All of this stems from my past as a performer.

traditions and customs. My aim was to make this knowledge I understand how to draw people in and make them listen

more accessible for those seeking a practice rooted in their to something, and this ties in not only with my past as a

landscape and ancestry, or for those simply wanting to learn performer, but also into the cultural traditions of storytellers

more about Wales. and bards which stem from Wales. We are a nation of bards,

The writing process was strange! I somehow managed to write poets, performers, and artists. It is only natural that I would use

the entire book in three months. However, the book is the end my love for performing, for creating art, to educate people on

result of years of study and practice. I am very proud of it. the things that I am passionate about. Being a good performer

The biggest hurdle has been the wait! The publishing process is also vital, I believe, when you are leading open rituals and

is quite slow, and I am such an impatient person. I finished community events. I use my experience as a performer to keep

writing the book in August or September of 2020. I likely won’t people entertained and engaged during our events. And it must

see a physical copy in my hands until a few weeks away from work because our events are often completely sold out!

the release date. It doesn’t quite feel real yet. There is so much I may not look like much of a dancer these days (I enjoy a good

I am kicking myself for not including in the book, and re- slice of cake or two!) but I like to challenge why it is we have

reading it back now, there are many things I don’t really agree created these ideas in our heads of what a dancer “should”

with anymore. But that leaves room for future books! Authors look like. I’m a plus-size girl, but dance is an inherent aspect

are real people who grow and change over time, and I want to of my life. I have hurdles to overcome in that area of life, as

keep writing. My main wish in all that I do is to inspire people, I am still occasionally afraid to mention that I studied dance

to inspire them to grow and learn something new every single professionally, due to the fact I don’t fit the standard mould

day. I hope that this book invokes the Awen (the spirit of pure people perceive a dancer should fit into. I believe we are all

inspiration) within all that read it. dancers at heart, and many of us could find a deeper connection
to our practice by exploring movement and our presence in

As well as an accomplished author, you’re also a dancer. space. There is no greater feeling than dancing ecstatically

How do you integrate your creativity into your craft? around a fire in the dark of night, summoning those primal

Dance is such a strange part of my life. I studied dance quite and archaic forces within us all into your body and just being at

extensively as a teenager, starting out with very rigid and one with the spirits of place.

organised forms of dance such as Ballet, modern and Jazz,

which I continued to study in college. I left home in 2015 to Have there been any extraordinary moments in your

study dance at university, and the style of dance I tapped into journey as a witch?

during my studies changed my relationship with my mind, The most extraordinary aspect of my journey has been the

body and spirit. I studied a somatic form of dance, and my connections I have made along the way. Through my work

final year dissertations and projects surrounded themes of and faith, I have made the most amazing of friends. I have

connecting to space and the divine via movement, ritual dance met influential and inspiring individuals, and I have gained

and devotional practices which incorporated movement, and experiences I could never have imagined.

also meditation via dance. All of these studies led me to look One moment that stands out to me is a very dear memory I

at the world differently, and to form a deeper connection with have of a rite myself and a few local witches performed on a

my body and how my body moves through space. Dance and beach on Anglesey called Porth Trecastell. There were five

movement play a rather prominent role in how I connect to my of us in total, and we all arrived on the beach in the dead of

ancestors, the spirits of place, and the spirits of nature. night. Up on the cliffs above the beach is a monument called

Beyond all this, I am at heart a performer, and this has helped Barclodiad y Gawres, an ancient burial chamber. This place was

tremendously both in my work as a content creator and as a a place of ancestral wisdom, and I feel deeply connected with

facilitator of community-based events and gatherings. I often the landscape there as it is the land of my ancestors. We lit a fire

receive comments on my TikTok videos asking how I manage on the beach, we called to the spirits of the sky, the land, the sea,

to jump to the floor, roll around, and leap over walls without and to the flame that burns brightly within us as witches. We

20 | COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT
danced, we sang, and we performed powerful, transformative
magic.
But none of that is really what stuck in my mind. I will always
remember the afterwards of it all. How we sat on that beach,
underneath the stars, listening to the sound of the waves and
the crackling fire, and we just existed together. We spoke
of things we had never revealed to anyone, we laughed and
cried together. We were as one. To me, that is the very basis
of who we are as humans. We crave community, support, to
be understood, seen, held, and loved. It was a beautiful night,
one that I will never forget. Sat with us on the beach that night
was Julie, the mentor I mentioned earlier. I will never forget
how happy and energetic she looked that night. Julie passed
away earlier this month, and now the memory of that night
and the many beautiful moments I shared with her are playing
on repeat in my mind. That is how I will always remember her,
a laughing, mischievous witch, sat on a beach in the dark of
night, putting the world to rights.
Magic can do such remarkable things, and that includes
bringing us together and making us aware of what is truly
important.
You have a clear connection with your home land. Do
you have any advice for witches looking to create a
connection with their own region?
Find your local folklore, superstitions, and old customs! These
things are not only found in dusty old books, but also in the
minds of our elders. Go visit your grandparents and elders and
ask them about local folk tales, ghost stories, and old forgotten
traditions. I have learnt a lot about my region by simply talking
to people and exploring. I adore books on folklore, but it was
not a book that taught me all I know. Learn about your local
flora and fauna. Look back to your childhood and think of all
the silly little things you used to believe about your region.
Allow the land to inform you of its nature. Find a middle
ground between studying and reading about your region, and
actually going out there to explore it and to get to know the
community.
Can you tell us about the TV shows you have appeared
on?
Television is such a strange experience, as I am always deeply
terrified whenever I take part in anything of that sort. I first
appeared on television back in 2018 in a docu-series titled
Young, Welsh and Pretty Religious, which aired on BBC. It
was a very thoughtful and considerate exploration into various
faiths and religions operating in Wales, and I was the pagan
representation in the show. It was lovely, but the producers of
the show found me very late into the production of it and so
they couldn’t do much with me and alas, I didn’t have much
time to go into much depth on it either. I also had short
appearances on other shows such as the Channel 4 comedy
series Trip Hazard, which was just a lot of fun, and an Amazon
documentary series about the paranormal.
Lately I have been focusing more intently on Welsh television.
I just took part in a documentary about Calan Gaeaf – the
Welsh equivalent of Halloween or Samhain. It was absolutely
fantastic! I completely loved taking part and the end result was
beautiful and informative. This is what I long to be doing if I
continue working with Television. I want to take part in deeply
important explorations into my culture, and the forgotten
aspects of it.
I have also just finished filming another comedy series with the
Welsh television network S4C, and that will air in January. This
one was just a bit of fun as well. The show is called Am Dro!
(out for a walk) and in it I was invited to join three other Welsh
people on a hike around their favourite parts of Wales, and I got
to show off the village I grew up in as well as my magical nature
on my hike. Such fun!
In a few words, what is the best advice you can give to
a new witch?
Find what sets your soul ablaze, and never ever allow that flame
to diminish. Allow the Awen to guide you on your journey.
Where can we find you online?
You can find me on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook
and Twitter! Across all platforms I am Mhara Starling (@
mhara_starling on some!). Come follow me if you would like
to learn more about Welsh mythology, folk magic, Witchcraft
and folklore!
Mhara Starling’s book Welsh Witchcraft is due to be released in
February 2022 through Llewelyn Books.
COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT | 21
TANTALISED
CHOCOLATE
by Imana Grashuis
These bonbons are bountiful and rich spiced
chocolates, blessed with Aphrodite’s love petals,
tangy lemon and enliven with cardamom. These
generous mouthfuls will enchant your palate,
leaving you lusting for more.

MAGICAL EQUIPMENT
chocolate mould 2x | palette knife | marble cutting
board or surface | spatula

Makes 30 Bonbons

MAGICAL INGREDIENTS

White chocolate bonbons:

300 g vegan white chocolate, good quality
4 g ground cardamom
zest of 1 lemon
pinch of sea salt

Optional: 2 drops rosewater

Garnish: 8 g dried rose petals

Dark chocolate bonbons:

300 g dark chocolate, 76% - good quality
40 g peanut brittle
4 g ground cinnamon
pinch of sea salt

Optional: 2 drops orange blossom water

Garnish: edible golden glitter

MAGICAL METHOD

1. Grab two medium-sized saucepans with two

fitting mixing bowls. This recipe requires the
double boiler method.
2. Fill both pans with water. The mixing bowl
should not touch the water in the pan.
3. Heat the pans up to medium heat.
4. Cut the chocolate into smaller chunks, keep 6

22 | RECIPE
 squares from one dark and one white choco-
late bar and add to the corresponding mixing
bowls, one with the dark chocolate and one
with the white chocolate.
5. Stir occasionally with a rubber spatula to melt
down.
6. When both chocolate mixtures are melted,
sift in the spices in both bowls. Stir until com-
bined.
7. Add in the white chocolate, zest of a lemon,
sea salt and rosewater.
8. Mix until combined.
9. Add in the dark chocolate, a pinch of salt and
orange blossom water.
10. Mix until combined.
11. Add the remaining chocolate pieces to each
chocolate bowl.
12. Stir until melted.
13. Pour the white melted chocolate onto the
marble surface and guide the melted chocolate
over the cold marble with a palette knife.
14. Repeat this with the dark chocolate mixture.
15. Pour the tempered chocolate back into the
mixing bowl when the chocolate is incredibly
shiny and beautiful.
16. Grab a little teaspoon and add a drop of dark
chocolate into the mould.
17. Grab a fitting piece of peanut brittle in the
middle and add more dark chocolate to cover.
18. Repeat until all the chocolate is finished.
19. Grab a tablespoon and spoon in the white
chocolate in another chocolate mould.
20. Fill up every mould and sprinkle over the rose
petals onto the white chocolate bonbons.
21. Refrigerate both chocolate moulds for 15 min-
utes.
22. After setting, turn the moulds upside down
and they will be released easily.
23. Spray on edible gold onto the dark chocolate
bonbons and serve with a magnificent cup of
lavender tea.
.

ENJOY THE MAGIC!

Imana Grashuis is a Head Kitchen Witch, creating

magical recipes and vegan food alchemy from her Magical
Food Department. She can be found at
@magicalfooddepartment on Instagram and TikTok or on
her website www.magicalfooddepartment.com.

23 | RECIPE
WORKING WITH
THE LAND by JOANA ROSARIO
M
agick, in its various forms, has been practised
worldwide throughout history. I would even go as far
as to say that magick was the stepping stone that laid
the foundations for ancient man to form civilised society. Before
science and organised religion we had magick.
In today’s modern world, there are many reasons why people may
turn to magick or hear the call to walk its transcendental path, but
for ancient man, its practices were largely based on instinct and
survival. We worshipped the sun for its light, we gave venerations
to bodies of water for our crops and we worked the land in
harmony with the seasons and the phases of the moon.
Before mass farming, harvesting equipment, transportation,
factories and all of today’s convenient technologies, we were
dependent on the land for survival. If crops failed or clean water
became unavailable, this could signal death for local communities.
Our ancestors understood this and accordingly developed
working relationships with the land they inhabited. The same can
be said about the wise women, cunning folk, conjurers, diviners,
priests and priestesses from days gone by. They all honoured and
respected the land they lived on. Though magick has evolved
since the times of our ancestors, the power of working with the
land has never changed.
When we talk about working with the land, often we imagine
a deeply rooted connection based on a life-time of living and
working in the same region. This may have been true for the
ancients, but it’s just not practical in today’s industrial world,
24 | PRACTICE
28 | PRACTICE
where many modern witches and magicians live in urban
environments, completely cut off from their ancestral roots, and
have to move homes numerous times throughout their lives.
For those of you unfamiliar with the magickal power of the land,
the best way I can describe it is as an energetic force embedded
deep within the land and its landscape. Living in Cornwall in the
UK, I’ve often heard traditional witches refer to this land energy as
“the red serpent” and “the red thread.” When I talk about working
with the land from a magickal perspective, I am referring to the
spirits and the inherent energy or power which can be found in
all land.
Land doesn’t stop being land just because it’s built over and paved.
Cities, villages, forests, woodland and towns all have their own
unique spirits and energies that encompass the spirit-presence
of the plants, animals, people, stones, rivers, and all beings that
inhabit it. As soon as we enter an environment, we become a part
of it.
From an animist perspective, the land spirits are those resident
in a place, often referred to as “spirit of place” by practitioners
who magickally work with the land. Spirit of place is exactly
what the name describes: a spirit or energy that resides within
a particular place. Every object has a unique spirit and every
place is occupied by an energy or spirit. While spirit of place was
originally associated with the sacred character of places, these
types of spirits are rooted in our belief that each living being has
a soul or spirit that lives on long after their physical body has left.
The concept of a spirit of place is something that many cultures
throughout time have honoured and worked with. The ancient
Romans believed in the existence of genius loci (Latin for spirit or
guardian deity of a place) which were protective spirits associated
with specific locations. In Norse mythology, the Landvættir are
spirits, or wights, directly associated with the land itself (there
is debate about whether or not these are the spirits of those
who previously occupied the land). In some cultures, a form of
animism is practised in which all things have a soul or spirit,
including trees, flowers, and natural formations such as rocks,
mountains, and streams.
So how do you work with the land and spirit of place?
When working with the spirits of the land, it’s important to keep
a couple of things in mind. First is the concept of appropriate
worship. Take some time to get to know the spirits of place around
you. You can do this by researching where you live: its history,
geology and location geographically. Just because you think
the way you’re honouring a spirit of place is nice, that doesn’t
necessarily mean the spirit agrees.
Second, a little acknowledgement goes a long way. Is there
something you want from the spirits of place? Tell them! Do you
want the spirits of place to offer guidance? Ask them to! Do you
need them to protect you and your family, then request this of
them, and thank them periodically. Thanks can be given in the
form of offerings, prayers, adorations, songs, or simply saying
thank you.
Third, solitude is key and forms an integral part of working with
the land. The reason for this is simple. When we are in a group, we
are more easily distracted by people’s social interactions, which
can make it harder for us to detect subtle presences. In addition
to this, our experiences are filtered through people’s reactions,
creating a disconnect between us and the land. Therefore, solitude
is key.
The simple act of being alone with the land is in itself a deeply
magical experience. If you don’t have access to wild nature or live
in a city, being alone in any given place will give you a greater
awareness of the energies and spirits around you. This is the
cornerstone to all land-based practice. By doing this, you may
even find that the spirits will reach out to develop a relationship
with you on their own.
Finally, never make assumptions. Take the time and make the
effort to form a connection and bond with the land, and whatever
else may be populating it. Inhabiting a particular place doesn’t
make it spiritually yours. Just because you practice magick and
claim to cause no harm to a particular place, that doesn’t mean
the spirits that reside there are going to see you as anything other
than another greedy land-despoiling human. You need to gain
their trust and demonstrate how your actions match up with your
words. Returning regularly to the same place, helps establish a
connection, especially if you go alone and give yourself time to
fully immerse yourself in the landscape.
Spirit of place is concerned with the sacred character of
particular places. It’s about far more than the component parts
of a place or our feelings about it; it is an invisible constant that
manifests an influence on that place, an inherent complexity
that materially affects everything therein, including our magick.
It’s a phenomenon with the potential to inspire. It’s no wonder
artists and writers are particularly roused by certain places, from
Gauguin’s Tahiti to James Joyce’s Dubliners, artists are moved by
the land and the spirits it contains.
Joana (Ra) Rosario (@love_is_the_law__) is an eclectic witch,
writer, occult teacher and founder of @pagan.parenting. She
is well known for her accessible, easy-to-understand style of
explaining magickal concepts.
PRACTICE | 25
PRACTICE | 29
 FEATURED
On Needles and Pins
by Kamden S. Cornell

On Needles and Pins is an in-depth discussion on the creation and use of poppets, spirit dolls,
and magical figures, particularly as they pertain to witchcraft. The author goes over the whole
process in detail and splits the book into two parts. The first is on the creation of magical
dolls and all that entails, while the second part is a collection of over 20 poppet charms the
practitioner can put to use. There is also a detailed appendix on the proper use and placement
of pins for both beneficium and maleficium. If you are interested in the use of dolls and
magical figures, this book will be invaluable to your work!

The Wheel
by Jennifer Lane

Do you ever find that the earth stills and you suddenly feel acutely alive? Have you ever
looked into an animal’s eyes and felt the pull of a more primal world? Do you sometimes
feel panic rise, or isolation sink upon you, or simply feel out of kilter with the modern
world?
The Wheel is an immersive, engaging read, exploring the life-long draw of witchcraft and
our vulnerability to toxic working environments and digital demands. In her year-long
journey, Jennifer explores ancient festivals and rituals, and visits fellow pagans and wild
landscapes, in search of wisdom and peace.
For those who are sick at heart of noise, anger and disconnection, The Wheel is full of
wise words, crackling rituals and natural beauty. This is a quest to discover how to live
fully connected to the natural world while firmly in the twenty-first century.

Welsh Witchcraft
by Mhara Starling

The history of magic and witchcraft in Wales will inspire any modern-day witch. Written by
a Welsh practitioner, this book shares the magical traditions of the land of the red dragon,
exploring deities, fairies, folklore, charms, plants, and magic with dozens of exercises for
hands-on practice. Explore the history and terminology of Welsh magic and methods for
honouring the land. Learn to connect with Cerridwen, Rhiannon, and other deities, as
well as fairies and mystical creatures. Discover how you can incorporate traditional Welsh
folk magic into your modern witchcraft practice, with exercises for honoring those who
came before, connecting with the spirit of your home, protecting against adversity and
malignant spirits, changing the weather, and much more.

Releasing February 2022, available to pre-order now where books are sold.

26 | BOOKS
 BOOKS
The Witch at the Forest’s Edge
by Christine Grace

An invitation to animists, ancestor worshipers, magic seekers, and the wild at heart, this
book is an in-depth course of study into Modern Traditional Witchcraft. Structured as
thirteen chapters or lessons, it calls the reader down a path of deeply local, personal en-
chantment rooted in a modern manifestation of old magic. Topics covered include creating
ritual, magical ethics, divination, hedge riding, and cultivating spirit senses.

Written from an animistic perspective and without pushing any specific deities, this book
offers a framework for furthering each witch’s personal practice and theology. Christine
Grace addresses readers in the practical, caring way of an experienced teacher.

Witchcraft
from The Library of Esoterica

From the goddess mythologies of ancient cultures to the contemporary embrace of the
craft by modern artists and activists, this expansive tome conjures up a breathtaking
overview of an age-old tradition. Rooted in legend, folklore, and myth, the archetype
of the witch has evolved from the tales of Odysseus and Circe, the Celtic seductress
Cerridwen, and the myth of Hecate, fierce ruler of the moonlit night. In Witchcraft we
survey her many incarnations since, as she shape-shifts through the centuries, alternately
transforming into mother, nymph, and croneseductress and destroyer.
Edited by Jessica Hundley, and co-edited by author, scholar, and practitioner Pam
Grossman, this enthralling visual chronicle is the first of its kind, a deep dive into the
complex symbologies behind witchcraft traditions, as explored through the history of
art itself.
Featuring enlightening essays by modern practitioners like Kristen J. Sollée and Judika
Illes, as well interviews with authors and scholars such as Madeline Miller and Juliet Diaz, Witchcraft includes a vast
range of cultural traditions that embrace magick as spiritual exploration and creative catharsis.

What Maketh the Witch?

by Elisa M. Gray

An extensively researched and beautifully written analysis of witchcraft and magic

and how these phenomena have developed over millennia. Ancient man was seen
to barter for the use of magic from the gods, while later during the European witch
trials, magic was seen as the work of the Devil. As time went on, the notion of man-
ifestation gave power back to the witch, with intent developing into modern day
practice. This book is concerned with the development of magical practice, and how
it has been viewed over time. It also takes a close look at the witch, who truly has that
power, a power as intense today as it was in ancient times.

BOOKS | 27
CERRIDWEN:
INSIDE THE MIND
OF THE CRONE
by JENNIFER LANE
T
he hag stirring her cauldron in the forest is a memorable,
sometimes frightening archetype. Author Jennifer Lane
explores the goddess Cerridwen and how we can work with
the power of the crone during the darkest season.
Cerridwen is beloved by many practitioners but, at first glance,
it might seem hard to see why. Those who work with her report
that she is a tricky goddess – sly, cunning, and perhaps the
closest thing you can get to the witch from Hansel and Gretel
as it’s possible to be. One of her alternative names is the ‘White
Crafty One’ after all. But with this bundle of traits under her belt,
and with a reputation as a ‘dark goddess,’ why do so many people
choose to work with her?
Who is Cerridwen?
The Celtic goddess Cerridwen is the old witch of the woods. In
other cultures, we can see her reflected in Baba Yaga of Russia
and Hecate of Greek mythology. Within Neopaganism, she is
viewed as a vital part of the Triple Goddess, rounding off the
trilogy of maiden, mother and crone. She might have long white
hair and a walking cane, but she is certainly no fluffy grandma.
Cerridwen is the overseer of the colder months of the year, a
time when the short days and blacker than black nights make us
stay indoors, turn inwards and reflect on our experiences of the
past year. She is also the ruler of transformation, creativity and
inspiration, processes that can germinate from the darkest of
places. Her name itself derives from the Welsh word for poetry
and song, conjuring up images of nights around the campfire
with many voices, young and old, joining together to ward off the
frosts and keep in good spirits while the world is at its bleakest.
28 | DEITIES
Celtic myths and legends
In Celtic mythology, Cerridwen is a goddess of the underworld,
swirling her cauldron of hidden knowledge from this world and
the next. Her cauldron holds the mysteries of life, death and
rebirth – the ultimate transformation. This cauldron was central
to many legends and one tale tells us that Cerridwen had two
children: a daughter who was beautiful and bright, and a son
who was ugly and rude. Wanting to look out for her children,
the goddess began to brew a difficult potion in her cauldron
that would make her son graceful and powerful. Her plans were
scuppered, however, when a servant boy that Cerridwen had left
in charge of stirring the potion accidentally drank it and became
beautiful and filled with magic. Cerridwen, in her fury, chased
the servant boy all over the land, both of them using magic
to transform into different animals – a greyhound, a salmon,
an otter and a hawk – to become faster than the other. The
servant boy used his newfound powers to shapeshift into a seed
and planted himself in Cerridwen’s womb so that she became
pregnant. She vowed to kill the stowaway baby as soon as he was
born but when she saw him she fell in love and could not do it.
The boy grew up to become the greatest poet that Wales had
ever known.
The cauldron is her main emblem and represents cycles and
the passage of time. If we take a look at the Wheel of the Year,
Cerridwen takes over from the Celtic mother figure of Rhiannon
at Mabon after the pregnant goddess gives birth to this year’s
harvest. Cerridwen rules the barren cornfields and the leafless
forests until the first light of spring at Imbolc when Brigit (or
Brigid) resumes her reign.

She does not have the shining lively energy of the maiden
goddess, but she does have wit and cunning. Cerridwen has a
lifetime’s worth of experience and she knows when to bite and
bargain to get the best outcome. Her association with darkness,
solitude and reflection often mean that she can be shunned,
as she often focuses us on uncomfortable truths and facts that
we may not want to face up to. But shadow work is such an
important part of a witch’s journey and we can all play our part
in welcoming Cerridwen’s transformative and introspective
energy into our lives in the wintertime.
The crone is a valuable part of any journey and there is so much
wisdom to be gained from Cerridwen’s shimmering cauldron.
By harnessing the power of this goddess over the winter months,
we can all lead the way for positive change and transformation
in our lives once spring begins to bloom again.
Ways to commune with Cerridwen
Leave an offering
Honour Cerridwen’s sacred cauldron by placing an offering
to her in your own cauldron or another form of cooking pot.
Cerridwen is a goddess who is likely to tell you what she wants
as an offering, never shying away from a wise quip or making her
wishes known. Whether you choose to interact with Cerridwen
in a ritual circle or in your daily life, feel deep into her energy
and ask her to tell you what gift will please her best.
Strike a bargain
Be careful what you wish for! While Cerridwen has great magical
ability and can bring intense power to your own rituals, she may
ask for a favour. Always ask her if she would like anything in
return for her services. After all, she will be doing your bidding!
Her requirements might be as simple as an offering, lighting
a candle every day for a month, providing a slightly lengthier
ritual or maybe something else. However, never feel obligated to
step out of your comfort zone if you don’t want to.
Use your cauldron as a dark mirror
Seek the answers you need for your own transformation by the
use of divination. Fill your cauldron with water and look into
the black surface of the water as a scrying mirror. Ask the water
a specific question, looking to Cerridwen for her guidance and
wisdom.
Welcome inspiration!
Get your creative juices flowing. If you’re struggling to find
inspiration for your latest piece of art, writing or spellwork,
ask Cerridwen to send you some inspiration. You might want
to meditate with a cauldron in mind, imagining it filling to the
brim with new ideas and sparks of wisdom.
Cerridwen might represent the darker aspects of life and make
us shift in our seats, but we have much to learn from her and
we should take the time to listen. Now that we are in the coldest
depths of the year, see if you can find her in the shadows and
read the words that appear from the steam of her potions.
Jennifer Lane is an author and green witch based in the north of
England. She has written for Vogue, BBC and RSPB, and her book,
The Wheel: A Witch’s Path Back to the Ancient Self about her own
witchcraft and mental health journey, is out now with September
Publishing. Find her on Instagram @thegreenwitchwriter or visit
jenniferlanewrites.com.
DEITIES | 29
 WINTER
PROSPERITY
SYRUP AND
COCKTAIL

Rain down the riches and

celebrate abundance with
this bright cinnamon, clove,
and apple concoction. With a
luscious abundance syrup you can
use in any drink, and a corresponding
mocktail and cocktail, your glass will be filled
with luck, love, prosperity, and a tasty treat!
As the chilling winter breeze rolls in and the light wanes
to the darkness, many cultures across the world turn their
focus to warmth, strength, and sustaining abundance to
get through this most barren time of year. Celebrate the
strength and abundance themes of the winter moons,
and call in prosperity to grow with the rebirth
of the solstice sun, by leaning on winter
spices like clove and cinnamon, and
even calming herbs like chamomile.
Combined in this succulent syrup
and brightening beverage, the magic
of these ingredients come together
to create your very own prosperity
potion! Craft and energetically
charge up the syrup to add a pinch
of abundance to your daily coffee
or tea, or sip in the surplus with this
money-focused cocktail!
 Succulent Spiced Sugar Syrup 1 thin ginger slice

A symbol of wealth through the ages, and often used to attract 1 oz Succulent Spiced Sugar Syrup or simple syrup

clients in modern money magic (especially when paired with 1 pinch ground nutmeg

cinnamon), sugar makes the perfect sweetener for our syrup! 1 oz fresh lime juice

With soothing and abundant chamomile, prosperous clove, and 1.5 oz bourbon or apple juice

manifestive cinnamon, this succulent, spiced syrup is a great Cinnamon-drizzled apple slice and cinnamon stick, for garnish

addition to anything from hot and iced tea, to even your daily
morning coffee for calling in the cash. Directions:
In a cocktail shaker, add in apple slices, ginger, and syrup. Sprinkle

Ingredients: in nutmeg, imagining abundance raining down upon you as it

1 tbsp dried chamomile flowers sprinkles into the drink.

1/4 tsp ground clove Using a muddler or wooden spoon, muddle these ingredients

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon together to break down the flavors and energy of the apple and

1/2 c hot water ginger with the spices and sweetness. Visualize more wealth

1/2 c sugar working its way into your life as you do so.

Alternative Ingredients: If you don’t have these ingredients, or Add in hex-breaking lime to cleanse away any blockages or

want a simpler recipe to use for your cocktail, you can simply financial issues, then pour in abundant bourbon or apple juice.

mix equal parts sugar and water. Additionally, you can also use Add ice to the shaker, then shake and strain into a coupe glass

chamomile tea to get your dried chamomile for this recipe! or other stemmed glass. Garnish with a cinnamon-drizzled apple
slice for a delectable treat.

Directions:
1. Set water to boil. Added Magic

2. In a jar, gather chamomile, clove, and cinnamon. As you wait ake the magic of this concoction beyond the cup by matching up

for the water to boil, hold your hands on either side of the jar correspondences. Super charge your syrup by charging it under the

and visualize abundance coming in, how that might look and full moon in the middle of a pyrite crystal grid, or drop in a (non-

feel like for you. Feel and imagine the ingredients resonating toxic) intention-packed quartz or citrine for a superabundant

and lighting up with this intention. syrup you can add to any beverage day after day! Or, mix together

3. When ready, pour hot water over the spices, visualizing the any leftover sugar, cinnamon, clove, chamomile, and nutmeg to

abundance pouring in, and allow to steep for 5-10 minutes. use as a candle dressing or in a money jar to keep the abundance

4. Stir in sugar to sweeten up money to come your way, and let coming. Alternatively, you can also choose to meditate and work

cool! Strain before use. with nutmeg, and carry it around in your pocket for added luck
and money. There are many ways you can layer on the magic by

Luscious Luck Libation corresponding ingredients for a full-on spell.

Energetic Alignment: Luck, Love, Money, Success,

Abundance Through imbibing magical mixes and potent potions and crafting

Sip in the prosperity and manifest money with this spiced nutmeg, aligned spells, you can revel in the magic on both the inside

cinnamon, and apple bountiful beverage. Made from a mash of and outside. Remember, taste preferences are as unique as one’s

various grains, whiskey makes the perfect spirit for this concoction magical practices, so make adjustments where needed to make

for prosperity and grounding. Or, replace the whiskey with the these recipes work for you.

ample abundance and magic of apple through apple juice. Either

way, in both its non-alcoholic and alcoholic forms, this luscious Author of WitchCraft Cocktails and her newest book

libation combines the prosperous power of ginger, nutmeg, and Moon, Magic, Mixology, Julia Halina Hadas combines

hastening cinnamon so that your cup is filled with luck in both her experience of having worked at a distillery and as

money and love! a craft cocktail bartender with her witchcraft practice
through crafting aligned, magically delicious mixes. You

Ingredients: can learn more at WitchcraftCocktails.com, or connect

2 thin apple slices on instagram with @WitchCraftCocktail.

COCKTAILS | 31
 THE KITCHEN WITCHS’
HEDGEROW AND GARDEN IN WINTER

14 | LIFESTYLE
 Notes on the Witches Hedgerow and Garden: Part of the joy of foraging or observing your local hedgerows is tuning
into the rhythm and seasons of your particular area; if you live in the luscious far south of the British Isles or Europe, you may
enjoy fruits sooner in the year, and if you are of the beautiful north of the country you may need to wait a little longer for your
hedgerow bounty, and appreciate it all the more. All manner of variables will have an effect. But if you take regular visits into
nature, you will find you can begin to connect and predict the ripening of certain fruits and berries. Some may call you a witch
for that; but it’s just our glorious connection to nature, mindful attention, and our own intuition.

Notes on Celebration: Like the hedgerow, the best advice is to go outside in your local region and see what’s happening.
If you are able, seek out the local customs in your area, the ones that date back so far no one can quite remember why they
are done perhaps (though many a local will have some stories to tell). These are traditions kept alive with joy and merriment
through the UK: the flaming tar barrels, cheese rolling, Jack in the green and the chimney sweeps parade, the Mari Lwyd
horses of Wales, Hobby horses prancing through Cornwall, and the many blessings of ploughs, fleets, and fishing nets.

starving and freezing. Although survival is less of the question

The Kitchen Witches’ Hedgerow and Garden – Yule
now, there are still challenges of getting up in the dark, battling
At first glance, there may seem little to be found in the hedgerow
inclement weather, and the low light levels that can cause a lack
at this time of year except evergreen plants, the red berries of
of vitamin D, seasonal depression, and SAD.
holly and the white of mistletoe. Trees have shed their leaves
and frost sparkles on dawn grasses. Morning hazes hang heavy
Much of folklore sees winter and the dark nights with a sense
over the valleys, taking longer to dissipate on cold mornings.
of apprehension, something to be approached mindfully. And
But food can still be found. Winter flavours are rich, dark and
with this energy of mindfulness, we have an invitation to
earthy, like the flavors of chestnuts, mushrooms, and winter
explore.
squashes. Amongst the frosted hedgerows, the glow of tiny
crimson hawthorn berries might still be seen, and we can seek
What does the dark of winter bring up for you? Where can you
fungi, including oyster mushrooms and winter chanterelles, in
shine light in the darkness? What could you let fall away like
woodlands. You may also find in the British Isles the snowy
the dry winter leaves from a tree? And how might you rest and
waxcap and scarlet elf cup. Whilst looking on the woodland
create coziness in celebration of the long, dark nights? This is
floor, keep a keen eye for sweet chestnuts, a treat when roasted
a wonderful time to light candles and use warming incense or
to bring out their sweet nutty taste. They are continually
essential oils (I’m looking at you cinnamon and clove!) as you
popular as a Christmas food, especially at Christmas markets
wrap up warm on a windy, rainy night with music and a book,
and outdoor festive events. You can smell the roasted nuts
or enjoy games with friends, or sit in a circle and tell stories to
warming on little carts. Look out for their spiny casings on the
loved ones. We can, in our own way, enjoy and embrace a little
ground amongst the leaves of the winter woodland floor, since
hibernation in winter.
you can roast them at home and eat warm. If you have any left,
they are a treat as part of Christmas stuffing.
And when the weather is cold and clear, remember that the
crisp nights are often the sharpest with which to see the moon
Kitchen Witch Celebrations for Yule
and the stars.
In the past, the winter dark would have held some trepidation
and anxiety, since a multitude of unknowns could leave people

KITCHEN WITCHERY | 33
 Celebrating Today
• So many ideas for baking! You might be inspired to try
mince pies, saffron buns, stargazy pie, Christmas cake or
pudding, or a gingerbread house.
• Make a chocolate Yule log, and if you have a fireplace or
wood-burning stove, light a Yule log on that.
• Gather evergreen winter plants like holly, ivy, eucalyptus,
and spruce to make a wreath or garland for your door, or
to decorate your home.
• Brew up a mulled wine or juice and celebrate the season
with friends.
• Discard guilt about seeking soothing, nourishing foods,
like warm stews, baked breads, butter, honey, rice
puddings, hot buns, and hot coffee. They fuel and warm
you in more ways than one. Enjoy this food for heart and
soul.
The Kitchen Witches’ Hedgerow and Garden -
Imbolc
The quickening of the year brings the first beautiful blooms in
soft milk tones of whites, yellows and creams from snowdrops,
primroses and daffodils. Sometimes they must make their way
bravely through snow drifts to bloom. The flowers of primrose,
Primula Vulgaris, can be eaten raw, but the leaves are better
cooked as they can be tough.
Root vegetables and brassicas may still be in the vegetable
garden. Look for leeks, cabbages, kale, and sprouts and herbs of
rosemary and bay. And one may enjoy looking forward to the
year ahead by sowing seeds indoors.
This is the time to enjoy pancakes with cream, milk and butter,
particularly delicious on cold February days. Enjoy with
stewed apples and primrose flowers, golden treats that can be
counteract the grey skies we may see in February. Or try Dorset
apple cake, a personal favourite of mine. It’s made with apple,
cinnamon, and brown sugar. If you stored or preserved apples
over winter, you may just have a few left to top your sweet
treats; if not, seek your local farm shop or grocer.
34 | KITCHEN WITCHERY
Kitchen Witch Celebrations for Imbolc
You may wish to plant both seeds and intentions at Imbolc.
February is still winter, often cold and grey, but within this
time is a stirring, like seeds in the deep dark earth, a distant
glimmer, a spark on the horizon. We can plant a seed at Imbolc.
We can make our plans for the coming year, and with a little
care and tending, these seeds will grow through the growing
light, warmth to ripen in the summer.
So think perhaps about intentions as you prepare to cross the
threshold into a new burst of life in this year. How can you
nurture and nourish the journey? What seeds are you planting
in your own life for the year ahead?
Celebrating Today
• Plant or tend snowdrops in your garden (or bring them in a
pot into your kitchen). Often the first flowers of spring, their
generic name, Galanthus, is from the Greek words “gala” (milk)
and “anthos” (flower).
• Light a white candle with a small food offering, and perhaps
weave a Brigid’s Cross, an offering and invitation for Brigid to
bless your home.
o Make colcannon or bannock cakes, perhaps with your own
homemade butter (simply overwhip cream until the fats
solidify and separate from the buttermilk.)
o Make pancakes for breakfast or dinner on Shrove Tuesday.
• To the Anglo Saxons, this month was Solmonath – Cake
Moon or Cake Month. Bake your favourite cake and enjoy it
with loved ones.
Sarah Robinson is an Author and Yoga Teacher based in Bath,
UK. This article is drawn from her new book Kitchen Witch:
food, folklore and fairy tale which launches March 21st 2022,
available for pre-order now on Amazon Kindle and in paperback
from womancraftpublishing.com. Her two previous books: Yoga for
Witches, and Yin Magic; How to Be Still. Are also published by
Womancraft Publishing. You can see more of what Sarah is up to at
www.sentiayoga.com and on instagram @yogaforwitches.
 Why do so many of us love cards as a divination tool? As far as

THE WORLD OF CARTOMANCY

divination systems go, cartomancy (meaning divination or fortune
telling with cards) is relatively new compared to other forms of
divination, like palm reading from India, the iChing and bone reading
from China, or the use of Cowrie shells or Obi (kola nuts) from west

by HEX TAROT
Africa, all of which stretch back thousands of years.

Cartomancy is only around 600 years old, at least in the form we

understand and use today. European playing cards used for card
games like poker, the classic decks with the four suits of hearts, clubs,
diamonds and spades and the red-white-yellow-black palette, were
developed in the 1370s, in the southern Mediterranean region of
Europe, likely Italy or Spain. The invention of cards for divination and
gaming occured around 60 years before the invention of the printing
press in Europe, which was invented in 1436 by German goldsmith
Johannes Gutenberg. Before this time in Europe, playing cards, art and
books were an exclusive luxury for the wealthy or the clergy and were
hand drawn and illustrated.

Tarot was thought to have originated in Italy in the 14th century.

There is a story of a wealthy Italian prince who was said to have
commissioned 21 playing cards to celebrate his marriage and this is
where the major arcana of tarot was believed to have been born. The
images on the cards could have been adapted from the illuminated
gospels and ornately detailed lavish Books Of Hours used as daily
prayer books, which depicted scenes from the Bible and everyday life.
These 22 cards were added to the already existing 52 playing cards and
an additional four jack or prince cards came later, completing the deck
of 78 cards we now use in tarot. Tarot in particular has everything a
person could need to move forward on their occult journey without
ever reading any occult manuscripts. The tarot is not an easy system to
decipher; it can be a lifetime’s work, and it often is.

Take the 22 major arcana, for instance., It is said that only by

experiencing each card through real life lessons alongside occult study
can the true wisdom and understanding of the tarot be realised. For
those of us who choose to become initiates of the tTarot onto an esoteric
occult level, we must walk through all 22 arcana in this way. This path
takes us on a journey of learning through our material existence to
attain higher levels of spiritual development. The journey starts at
zero, with the Fool, who is both completely innocent and unworldly,
yet because of these things is also the only truly whole and complete

CARTOMANCY | 35
MUSIC | 22
archetype in the entire deck. The fool is the ideal student and
represents both our beginning and end. We then embark on a
journey to master each archetype we learn about the world and
become drawn down in dogma, only to return to break free
at the end of this journey, becoming once again whole. So we
return to The Fool, but this time out of choice, not ignorance.
Lenormand is a lesser known system of cartomancy, and it is
completely different from tarot. Lenormand came about in the
late 1700s and was brought to life by prominent French psychic
Marie Anna Adelaide Lenormand, who developed a system of
using cards showing many simple literal images to form her
readings. Her original beck consisted of 54 playing cards and
is now known as the grand Lenormand. Later, the Lenormand
deck was simplified into the mini Lenormand, which is a 36-
card system based on the Game Of Hope, which was developed
by German occultist JK Hechtel in 1709.
Oracle decks have no fixed origins, as such cards were used in
the Middle East and Egypt way before the use of playing cards
in Europe. What makes oracle cards unique in cartomancy is
they follow no real structure or symbolism in any particular
occult study. They can be created to fit the user’s objective,
which could be why some tarot readers and occultists may
enjoy oracle cards privately but rarely give them much
attention or reverence. In recent years, oracle decks seem more
of a money-making tool of publishers, with many decks lacking
any esoteric substance at all. Oracle decks that do maintain
occult reverence are those created by practitioners of magick or
occultists, or that follow aspects adapted from the traditional
Lenormand or the 22 major arcana for the tarot.
Cartomancy is so popular because it offers us as users all we
require as a tool of divination. Simply put, it is a tool of the
occult beyond just divination, which appeals to all levels of our
existence and experience. Cards feed our material desires and
egos by enabling us to own art that has purpose and expresses
our individuality. Cartomancy encourages us to strive in our
occult studies so we may fully decode the imagery on the cards;
teaches us to develop our intuition and our occult knowledge;
and helps us program our subconscious and conscious minds.
Cards can be used for self development, meditation and healing
36 | CARTOMANCY
of the self and others. They offer a deep meaning and a wider,
more fluid interpretation of symbols when divining, compared
to bone or shell readings, which tend to give yes or no answers.
Luckily for those of us living in the 21st century, the tools of
cartomancy are more readily available than ever. Due entirely
to affordable technology, creative digital software, affordable
printing, crowdfunding and the internet, cartomancy has
exploded into popular culture. When I first started reading
tarot in the 1990s at age of 14, I didn’t know anyone else who
owned a tarot deck or oracle deck. Even when I became a
professional reader 10 years ago, none of my friends owned
a deck of any kind or really understood what the tarot was
beyond the popular cultural references. Nowadays, it’s hard to
find a household that doesn’t own a deck of divination cards.
Even those who have zero interest in the occult or spirituality
may be drawn to owning a deck because of its alluring art
work. There are religious decks available too, depicting quotes
or archypes from a variety of religious doctrines for those who
don’t want to use cards for divination.
I have recently produced my own 36 card Lenormand deck
called the Magickal Folklore Lenormand, using all the
aforementioned technological, wonderful illustrator Roma may
designs and crowdfunding to launch my deck. It was a tense
and stressful but incredibly exciting experience. Creating my
own deck was very similar to the process of learning the tarot
or any form of cartomancy. Remember the journey through the
22 major arcana? In my experience, that cycle of going from
The Fool, through the 22 archetypes and back to The Fool again
has been true, both in creating my own Lenormand deck and
through my ongoing and experienced work with the tarot and
other cards as a professional reader and practitioner of magick.
Whatever system of cards you favour and wherever you are on
your occult journey, it is clear that cartomancy is here to stay.
Hex_tarot is a professional card, tarot and palm reader working
in Yorkshire, UK. She provides readings and courses via her
instagram @hex_tarot and website. She also writes published
articles on witchcraft, magick and the occult.
5 STEPS FOR
POTENT
MAGICKAL
WORK
by SUSAN ILKA TUTTLE

Any time we engage in a magickal activity through spellwork or the art of divination,
it’s important to properly prepare ourselves and our magickal working space
beforehand to enhance the potency and effectiveness of our sacred work, and
it’s equally important to take measures afterwards to ensure we transition back to
a grounded and balanced state. Preparing will allow us to more fully tap into our
personal power and the power of the energies around us needed to carry out our
magickal workings optimally, as well as keep our personal energy and the energy of
our sacred working space clean and safe during our spiritual work. Regrounding after
our magickal work allows us to transition from the higher vibrational state back to
the weight of our earthly bodies and to a headspace that aligns with functioning on
the earthly plane.

As a spirit medium and as a witch who performs spells, I go through a series of prep
and closure techniques each time I engage in my magickal work. There are basically
five steps you can follow, whether it’s for spellcasting or for your divination practice
of choice (like tarot, scrying, or pendulum work, for example). Feel free to tweak and
apply these basic steps to fit your personal situations and preferences.

These techniques will also serve you well in other circumstances. You can use
them when you give a performance, make a presentation, give a speech, or teach
a live workshop. They can also help keep you in a high energy, protected space for
engagements, and gatherings with conflict and drama.

IMAGE: SUSAN
Image: ANNIE ILKA TUTTLE
SPRATT
 **Steps two and three can take place in other ways, like in the
1. Cleanse the energies of your sacred space
form of a purifying ritual bath, a walk through the forest, or time
and cast a circle of protection
spent in the garden.
When you enter into the sacred space where you’ll be doing your
magickal work, ideally it should be quiet and devoid of distractions.
Cleanse the energies of this space and your energy field (aura). I
4. Perform your magickal activity
Engage in your practice of divination or set intentions in motion
like to use a “sweep” of one of my wildcrafted besoms and I burn
through spellwork. Divination comes from the Latin word
homemade herbal incense. Dried herbs that work well for this
divinare which means “to foresee.” It is an artform used to connect
purpose and are safe to burn include garden sage, juniper berries
with the divine as a means of tapping into collective knowledge
and juniper needles, pine needles, lavender, and mint.
and wisdom that comes from the higher self, the collective
unconscious, and the spirit world through guides, ancestors,
Casting a circle of protection can be done in a number of ways. You
goddesses and gods. These sources are interconnected and a part
can simply use your finger to draw the circle, visualizing energy
of the divine tapestry of life. Examples of divination tools and
coming from your fingertip as you draw it around your sacred
practices include but are not limited to: tarot reading, oracle cards,
space. I prefer using a wand, whether it be one I wildcrafted from a
pendulum work, scrying with reflective surfaces like crystal balls,
found fallen tree branch or an herbal incense wand (I love making
scrying mirrors and bowls, fire scrying with a candle or cauldron,
wands from pleasant-smelling sweetfern). The herbal incense
and divining information with runes and automatic writing.
wand gives you the added mystical aesthetic of seeing the circle
drawn in the air, created by its trail of smoke.
Spellwork is a form of magick that involves setting a specific
intention around a particular situation to bring about
2. Ground yourself through visualization
transformation for a higher good. Magickal intentions are
and gesture
simply human needs and wants. Common themes include love,
Envision yourself as a tree with strong, ancient roots that travel
protection, healing, happiness, luck, money, wishes, and cleansing
down deep into the earth. These roots ground you and and allow
negative energies. Spellwork refers to all that goes into crafting
you to draw up energy from the earth to work with in your magickal
and carrying out your spells, sending them out into the universe
practice. Imagine the upper parts of your tree reaching out into
through a series of steps. It’s also known as spellcasting or simply
the ether. If engaging in spellwork, imagine the intention(s) being
“casting.” Keep in mind that a spell can be an elaborate ritual or it
released through these upper parts. If it is divination you are
can be performed in a much more practical way. I am of the belief
practicing, the upper parts of your body that are connected to the
that spells do not require highly-formalized steps: A simple act
ether will make contact with energies that can provide guidance
fueled by intention is no less powerful than a full-on ritual.
and divine wisdom.

This step can be done solely within your mind, or it can be a

5. Reground and cleanse your energy field
This is an important step of the process that sometimes gets
combination of both envisioning and gesture, where you physically
overlooked. After engaging in your magickal practice, it’s
stand with feet comfortably apart, feeling your weight, and stretch
important to take time to focus on your breath once again and
out your arms and fingertips high above your head.
become fully aware of your surroundings. Crack a window and
feel the breeze on your cheek. Grab a snack. Do something that
3. Raise energy for the magickal act
helps you feel more anchored and present in your physical body.
Get seated and comfortable in your sacred space. Enter into a
It’s also a good time to tidy up your sacred space, cleanse and put
meditative or trance-like state with the help of further visualization,
away your magickal tools (passing them through herbal smoke is
mystical-sounding music, drumming, dance, a tone of a bell,
a good option for cleansing), and whisk a besom across the space
incense, or by holding a crystal—whatever resonates most with
once more to clear and neutralize the energy.
you. This is a good time to focus on your breath and connection to
the natural energies and spirits around you.

38 | PRACTICE
 As you transition back into your “normal state,” it’s important to
integrate your magickal experience into your life. For example,
think about the guiding messages that were given to you through
divination and how you might apply them to your life. Or, once
giving a little distance and time after casting a spell, take time to
reflect on its efficacy. It may be what you expect or it may not. It’s
also an important time to show gratitude for the wisdom received
and for the energies that worked with you to carry out your
magickal activity for the greater good.

Susan Ilka Tuttle is a green hedge witch, herbalist, spirit

medium, and artist from Maine. She is the author of the
new book Green Witch Magick published by Fair Winds
Press. Visit her on Instagram @whisper_in_the_wood,
stop by her botanicals shop www.inthewood botanicals.
com, and learn more about her mediumship offerings at
www.susantuttlespiritmessenger.com.

IMAGE: SUSAN ILKA TUTTLE

PRACTICE | 39
 FORGING THE
WITCH
A
ny way you look at it, the blacksmith is a magickal
figure who heats up the modern imagination. In the
mass-produced mundane world, the blacksmith
still holds a unique allure. This once practical craft, which was
so essential to the daily operation of society, has now become
an artisanal hobby that fascinates the rich, the eccentric, and
the nostalgic alike.
In myth, the blacksmith can be either mortal or divine, male
or female. When thinking about blacksmithing goddesses,
Brigid comes immediately to mind. Athena is another goddess
with connections to blacksmithing. There are more, but I won’t
ruin your fun in searching them out. For witches, however,
the blacksmith is not just a captivating historical or mythical
figure; he or she is an extremely functional archetype who
reveals several possible avenues to greater success within the
Craft.
In her book The Element Encyclopedia of Witchcraft, Judika
Illes states, “Metalworkers or smiths are the primal magicians,
shamans, and alchemists” (632). For Illes, this claim to magical
status rests mostly on the alchemical process of transmuting
one substance into another through the use of the elemental
powers of fire and water. This is the first avenue to success.
Let’s call this approach The Alchemical Path.
On a basic level, learning to blacksmith teaches witches how
to control fire and water. Whether heating the metal up so that
it becomes pliable enough to shape or quenching that same
piece of metal in a bucket of water to cool it back down in
40 | THE PATH
by CASEY GIOVINCO
order to harden it, blacksmithing brings the full power of both
of these elements to bare in a very real way with even its most
foundational techniques. By witnessing the interaction of fire
and water on the physical plane, practicing witches will have a
better understanding of how to apply their imaginative powers
to controlling these primal elements on the higher planes of
the more subtle realms.
As a witch who explores the “male mysteries” in my own
personal practice, I deeply appreciate another often-
overlooked aspect of the blacksmith as a primal magician.
This is the second avenue to a witch’s greater success in the
Craft, which was previously discussed. Let’s call this one The
Mystery Path. According to Illes, our ancestors considered
menstrual blood to be the most magickally-charged substance
on Earth (632). It wasn’t until the Iron Age that men gained
access to this power, which was previously given exclusively
to women. As the theory goes, our ancestors considered iron
ore to be the menstrual blood of the Earth Mother herself, and
being similar in kind to women’s menstrual blood, it carried
with it all the same powers traditionally associated with
female menstrual magicks. It is through their contact with this
potent substance that men, working as smiths, were able to get
a foothold onto a branch of magick that had once belonged
exclusively to women.
Illes’s theory sparked my own research into the link between
men, especially gay men, and magick, which I wrote about in
my own book Garbed In Green. While doing my research,
I stumbled upon a profound relationship between the
blacksmith and the wounded healer archetype often associated
with shamanistic characters. For example, Hephaestus and
Wayland the Smith share a similar skill-set along with a
physical handicap that speaks to their wounded healer status.
To see the correlation between the blacksmith and the healer,
it helps to know that blacksmiths did not just make horseshoes
or farming tools. They were also the dentists and even the
surgeons for our ancestors. By focusing on the wounded
healer aspect, an even more profound connection between the
blacksmith and the witch came to light.
This leads us to a third avenue towards success in witchcraft.
For the sake of simplicity, let’s label this one The Shamanic
Path. The blacksmith can help witches with their shadow
work. In Garbed In Green, I say, “It is only by embracing the
weakened state, the wound or disfigurement, that we can
become strong and thrive. Rather than see this disfigurement
or dismemberment as a detriment to his strength or power, the
archetype of the shamanic blacksmith teaches us how to turn
what seems like a disadvantage into a source of power” (31).
However, the blacksmith’s contribution to the practice of
witchcraft does not end with these three avenues to success. On
a rather obvious level, we can see the blacksmith’s contribution
in several of the more traditional witch’s tools. The cauldron,
sword, and athame all have their origins in the blacksmith’s
forge. On a less obvious level, though, even the iron flakes that
shed from the blacksmith’s work at the anvil also have their
potential uses for witches.
Those little flakes have been called by many names. Some call
them hammer scale or just scale. Others call them anvil dust,
which is my preference. Still others refer to those little flakes as
blacksmith dirt, but most of us probably know them by a more
common name: lodestone food!
Regardless of what you call it, there are many uses for this
magickal stuff. To see just how magickal this dust can be, let’s
turn to Hoodoo. In this one folk magick tradition alone, anvil
dust can be used for several purposes. It can feed a lodestone. It
is a key ingredient in many goofer dust recipes, but it also can
simply be carried around in a gris gris bag as a lucky charm.
As you can see, anvil dust has both positive and negative
correspondences. There’s practically nothing that it can’t do in
the hands of a cunning witch, and there’s a very good reason
for that. Being connected to the Great Mother, anvil dust has
all of Her power (both light and dark, good and baneful) in it.
Whether witches want to master the elements, explore the
deeper mysteries, heal themselves, or simply connect with
their Goddess on a more intimate level, blacksmithing opens
the road to success.
Casey Giovinco is the author of Magick From The Mat: Using Yoga
to Enhance Your Witchcraft. Casey has been combining yoga and
witchcraft for over twenty years. He has RYT-200 certification
from The Yoga Alliance, teaches yoga, reads tarot, and works as a
witch in residence at a holistic center. He is also the Chief Elder of
the Gala Witchcraft tradition.
THE PATH | 41
Photo: NICOLE PHILLIPS
CARROMANCY:
THE SACRED ART OF READING
CANDLE WAX by NICOLE PHILLIPS
Now, this is in no way an invitation for one to perform candle

W
hen one thinks of divination, the methods
that correspond to that term can vary. Most divination in order to diagnose oneself or others of psychological

minds would go to tarot cards or the swinging or physical illnesses. Keep in mind that witch doctors are widely

chain of a pendulum. Some might think of scrying with crystal accepted as holistic healers and are skilled pagan practitioners

balls or watching the flickering flame of a candle, but what if a who have spent the majority of their lives being trained in

single candlestick could also be used as a divination tool itself? folkloric medicinal practices. However, in modern witchcraft,

While we often use different colored candles in specific spells to one may wish to perform carromancy in order to gain general

carry out our intentions, the wax of a charged candle may also insight about their life, such as the success of their spell work,

be used to provide valuable insights to our lives. It can help us career changes, love interests, and much more.

discover hidden messages that our guides, ancestors, and the

universe may be trying to tell us. All it takes is a bowl of water How to Perform the Divination:

and one candlestick. Carromancy is similar to the art of reading tea leaves. However,
instead of looking for hidden messages formed by leftover tea

Candle Divination in the Philippines leaves at the bottom of a teacup, it is the hardened candle wax

I learned about this divination method from my mother. She formed in a bowl of water that one will interpret.

grew up in a small village located in the eastern province of

the Philippines. Living in a rural area and an underdeveloped For this practice, you will need:

country overall, the villagers had very limited access to A bowl: You may use any bowl you prefer; however, it

healthcare. It was a privilege to consult doctors at a professional may be beneficial to use a lighter colored bowl so that the wax

hospital or medical clinic. Instead, they relied on the village drippings appear more prominently.

Albularyo, a Filipino witch doctor (and sometimes referred Spring water: You may use fresh water if you have it, but

to as a folk healer), to provide them with relief. They not only tap water works too. You can even use full moon water or rain

helped cure the sick, but were also able to uncover underlying water. Anything you have on hand that you define as purifying

causes of family disputes, cleanse homes of spiritual hauntings, will work all the same.

and expel malicious entities believed to be causing harm to the A candlestick: Pure beeswax or paraffin candles work

villagers. My mother learned her ways from her grandfather, best because they harden the quickest. Generally, if you use a

who himself was an Albularyo. However, before a witch doctor light colored bowl, it’s best to use a darker colored candle that

could proceed with healing people and their families, they contrasts nicely to make the interpretations easys. This is just

first needed to diagnose the issue and would always resort to an option, however. Some practitioners may choose a specific

carromancy, or pagtatawas in Tagalog, as their main form of colored candle to reflect a certain aspect of their life that they’re

divination. The folk healer would fill a basin with spring water inquiring about (for example: red or pink to signify love).

and then ask aloud what or who was causing harm to the Something to write with: It’s important to jot down

querent. Then, they took a lit candle and would tilt the tip of it any symbols or initial feelings you get when interpreting candle

towards the water-filled bowl, letting the wax drip slowly onto drippings.

the cool surface. The wax would quickly harden into different A Question: For any form of divination, the basic and

figures and shapes and it would then be up to the witch doctor single most important requirement is having an inquiry you

to decipher those messages and respond accordingly. wish to be answered.

PRACTICE| 43
 The Method
The Aftermath
1. Think about what it is you would like to know more about.
Once you are finished with your analysis, thank the spirits and
Now is the time to meditate for several minutes or journal
guides who have helped you during this time. You may drain
any thoughts that come to mind before assembling your
the water and discard the candle wax in a trash bin. Sometimes,
ritual space.
practitioners put their wax drippings in a small pouch and will
2. Once you have an initial question, fill your bowl with
place it under their pillow for seven days if their symbols are
your water of choice. You may wish to chill your water
good omens. In the Philippines, the witch doctor would take
beforehand to harden your wax quicker when the time
the water and wax outside and discard it to the west, usually in
comes.
the direction of the setting sun.
3. Charge your candle with your intention. You may say an
affirmation such as, “Let the wax from this candle reveal
By performing carromancy, you will hopefully be able to
to me all that I need to see,” or something along those
discover hidden meanings about yourself or gain important
lines. Continue to think about your question and say it out
insight about certain situations in your life. As you use one of the
loud as you hold your candle above the bowl in an upright
world’s most ancient forms of divination, may your questions be
manner. Now, light the candle, but before tilting your
answered with honesty and truth to help you navigate your way
candle down, you should allow a good amount of wax to
through the many wonders and ever fluctuating waves of life.
pool around the wick.
4. Once a sufficient amount of wax has begun to melt, tilt
Nicole (Nikka) Phillips is both a hedge and hereditary witch and is
your candle down and lower the tip an inch away from the
the owner and founder of Crescent & Craft, where she shares daily
surface of the water. Let the hot wax drip into the bowl and
spells, crafts, and inspiration on creating altars and sacred spaces.
watch as it begins to create a picture. Be patient with this!
She believes that magick can be found anywhere at any time and
Depending on the kind of candle wax you have, it may take
has a specific interest in candle magick, dream analysis, baking, and
some time to get the wax dripping consistently to form
herbalism. She currently resides by the cozy beaches of Los Angeles,
symbols within the first few minutes. Do not be tempted
California, and spends her days crafting candles, finding hagstones,
to move your bowl or touch the wax for any reason.
and baking lots and lots of bread.
5. When you feel like you have a significant picture or symbol
You can learn more about her practice at
formed in your bowl, extinguish the candle flame. You may
@crescentandcraft on Instagram, and you can purchase her creations
now begin to interpret your wax drippings. Look for any
at www.etsy.com/shop/CrescentandCraft.
letters, numbers, or other objects that you can see within
the bowl. Again, you should also jot down any feelings
or impressions you receive upon gazing at the wax. The
wax may be hard to read, and symbols always differ from
person to person. It’s like looking at an abstract work of art:
The interpretation is subjective, and while it may be a good
idea to have a symbol dictionary on hand for reference, do
not second-guess yourself. Trust your intuition and allow
this process to guide you through your decoding.

44 | PRACTICE
Common wax symbols and their meanings

Animals: may signify a spirit guide. Refer to animal symbolization for

specific meanings of the animal you see
Letters: may refer to someone’s first or last initial or a location
Lines: a direction or transition in one’s life, note the direction of the lines
(up, down, sideways, etc) for further meaning
Numbers: a specific date, an age, or a length of time (days, weeks,
months, years)

Other symbols and their meanings

Acorn: abundance
Anchor: stabilization
Circle: prosperity or the completion of a cycle
Cloud: danger, take caution
Cross: protection
Dagger/knife: challenges in friendship, break ups
Egg: unbroken: success; broken: failure
Feather: fleeting interest and lack of focus
Ghost: old flames, people from the past will come back into your life
Heart: love, passion, new relationships
Hourglass: time is running out, a decision must be made soon
House: new home, parents, childhood
Leaves: fertility, big changes coming
Moon: success; crescent moons may mean new beginnings or abundance
Pipe: peace, relaxation
Square: hope, the end of a chaotic time
Tree: family, stability
Triangle: good luck

PRACTICE | 49
 SLAVIC
MONEY
MAGIC
SECRETS
by Madame Pamita

W
hile money as we know it today has only been
around since about 600 BCE, prosperity magic
has existed since the most ancient times. Our
prehistoric ancestors may have considered prosperity to be
finding a cache of ripe berries, wild beehives filled with honey,
or herds of aurochs to hunt. The cave paintings on walls give
us just the barest hint of the magic they performed to draw this
abundance to them.
As soon as trading and money came on the scene, spells to open
up more abundance and protect prosperity began appearing as
well. While almost every culture and folk magic system has
their own methods of attracting more money, Slavic magic has
some unique ways of drawing abundance.
In Slavic magic, we do spells to attract money but also use
money to pay the spirits as well. Here are some of my favorite
Slavic magic spells for attracting wealth, abundance, and
prosperous opportunity.

The Ant Hill Prosperity Spell

Ants are known for being industrious and plentiful and so we
can connect with the spirit of the ant to bring prosperity to our
business or career.

What you will need for this spell:

A gold-colored coin
An ant hill

Bring a gold-colored coin, such as a pound coin, Sacagawea

dollar, or a Loonie, with you to a natural setting where there is
an active anthill. If the coin is one that you received in change
PHOTO: CHRIS STROTHER

from a purchase, it will have even more power for attracting

abundance. Stand in front of the anthill, hold the coin in your
closed left hand and envision your wealth and prosperity
flowing.
Place the coin on the anthill and say the incantation, “May my
dollars grow to the number of ants living in this anthill.” Since
the average ant colony has 250,000 or more ants, you will be
attracting quite a sum.

50 | CRYSTALS
Leave the coin overnight on the anthill and return the next day
to retrieve it. Pick up the coin with your left hand, taking care
not to get bit by the ants. As you do, say three times, “I take my
wealth as easily as I take this coin.” The coin is now a charm for
attracting prosperity and should be kept in your pocket, wallet
or coin purse and never spent.
Slavic Knot Magic for Prosperity
Nauzy are magical knots that are used to magically bind
something. A simple knot charm can be made that locks in
our prosperity and keeps our money flowing toward us.
What you will need for this spell:
A piece of red wool yarn about 7”-8” long
Make seven knots in a simple piece of red wool yarn and tie
it to your right wrist to attract money and luck into your life.
As you tie each knot, make a prosperity wish – you can wish
the same wish seven times or make seven different abundance
wishes. When the thread breaks, ritually dispose of it by
burning it or burying it and craft a new one.
Crossroads Spell for Banishing Poverty
The crossroads, or rozdorizhshya, are a place of intense magic
where we can empower our spellwork. When working at the
crossroads, we invite the spirit world to assist us with our
spells. A dirt path rozdorizhshya somewhere in nature is the
most powerful place to do your spell work. There are several
important warnings about working at the crossroads, however.
Only take money out of your pocket that you plan on leaving
as payment to the spirits. Flashing your cash and not leaving it
for the spirits may cause them to drain your prosperity.
Don’t pick up any money or valuables that you find at the
crossroads, no matter how tempting. These are offerings for
the spirits or may have curses attached to them.
Only do crossroads work if your intent is serious and you
have a real need. If you are wealthy and you do a spell to
banish poverty, the spirits may judge you as greedy. They will
probably not be inclined to grant your wish or, if they feel that
you are really out of line, they may take the prosperity you
already have away from you.
What you will need for this spell:
A coin
A button made of wood, shell or other natural material from
some old, worn-out clothing
Walk to the crossroads in silence at midnight when the moon
is waning. When you arrive, turn your back to the crossroads
and your face toward your home and say the following
incantation:
Poverty has overcome me.
I don’t live a day without fear.
Come down from my roof, poverty,
and stay at the crossroads where you will not bother anyone.
Throw the button and the coin over your left shoulder and
head back home. Don’t say a word until you get back to your
house and don’t look back over your shoulder.
Breadcrumb Spell for Abundance
In Ukrainian folk magic, khlib, or bread, is viewed with great
reverence. There is a Ukrainian saying that expresses this
perfectly: “Bread is the head of everything.” Bread is not just
food. It also has rich meaning as a symbol for hospitality,
prosperity, health and happiness. So, throwing out even the
smallest crumb of bread is considered throwing away your
abundance. Instead we use these crumbs to increase our
prosperity.
What you will need for this spell:
Breadcrumbs from your meal or from bread that has gone stale
Collect breadcrumbs from the table and bring them outside to
share with birds and animals or throw them into the air as an
offering to the spirits.
It is believed that if any bit of bread is thrown out, then wealth
and luck will be thrown out too. Never throw your bread into
the trash. If a piece of bread accidentally falls to the ground,
there’s no need to throw it away. Like the “five-second rule,”
you can kiss the bread and lift it up to heaven to be cleansed of
all harm and then eaten.
If you bake your own bread, it is appropriate to ask for a
blessing from the spirits as you make it and never to show
disrespect to the grain by swearing or cursing while making it.
To do so would be to invite poverty and famine.
Slavic Prosperity Magic
When you start to see the connection of all things in the
natural world, you can see the links between prosperity and
energetic flow. Like our ancient ancestors who did spells for a
productive hunt, we can also tap into these energies and attract
abundance with these traditional Slavic folk magic spells.
Madame Pamita is a Ukrainian diaspora witch, teacher, author,
candle maker, spellcaster, and tarot reader. She is the author of The
Book of Candle Magic, Madame Pamita’s Magical Tarot, and Baba
Yaga’s Book of Witchcraft (2022). She is also the proprietress of the
online spiritual apothecary, the Parlour of Wonders and lives in
Santa Monica, California. You can find her at parlourofwonders.
com.
Image: SINJIN THOMAS
PRACTICE | 47
CYSTALS | 51
 AUNT CARLA’S
NEW YEAR’S EVE
RITUAL
The turning of the old year into the new is a perfect time to connect with the divine, and this
New Year’s Eve ritual is a meaningful way to ring in the New Year by yourself, or with others.
What you need:
• White altar candle
• Incense
• 1 Birthday candle
• Small cup or shot glass with uncooked rice,
salt, or sand
• Calendar or journal from the old year
Step One:
Review your calendar from the current year. Depending
on the time you have, you can take an hour up to an
entire week to do this step. Reflect upon the people,
places, and things that were meaningful to you during
the past year, in both positive and negative ways.
Consider your highest and lowest moments.
When you are done evaluating the past year, ask
yourself the million dollar question: What did you
learn? Record your answer in your Book of Shadows
or magickal journal. Aim to complete this step by
December 31st at 11pm.
Step Two:
On December 31st at 11pm, begin the ritual at your
altar by lighting incense and a white candle. Take three
deep cleansing breaths to ground yourself. Set a timer
for 10 minutes. On a blank sheet of paper, write down
all of the things that you want to release from your
life, big and small. These can be bad habits, unhealthy
relationships, or whatever needs to go.
When you’ve completed your “Release List” (or when
10 | KITCHEN WITCHERY
48 | RITUAL
• 1-2 sheets of paper
• Cauldron or fire-proof bowl
(optional)
• Tarot cards
• Book of Shadows or magickal
journal
• Power Song or your music player
the timer goes off), rip the paper up into small pieces.
The sound and action of ripping up the paper can be
quite satisfying! Place the ripped pieces of paper in a
cauldron or in a fire-proof bowl, and burn them (also
quite satisfying)!
Dispose of the ashes using your preferred method,
which includes throwing in the trash, flushing down
the toilet, or burying in the ground. If you aren’t able to
burn things in your home, you can just throw out the
ripped pieces of paper.
Step Three:
Set the timer for another 10 minutes, and write a
gratitude list into your Book of Shadows or magickal
journal. Express gratitude for the basic things that you
might take for granted. Express gratitude for the things
that you enjoy now, that you once really wanted. If this
was a difficult year, express gratitude for the situations
that you were able to escape. Whatever you write about
in gratitude, think about the things that you love, and
that make you smile.
Step Four:
Set the timer for 15-20 minutes. In your Book of
Shadows or magickal journal, write down what you
want to manifest and accomplish in the new year.
Write down your desired outcomes with emotion, as if
they have already happened. Example: “I am so excited
about the success of my magickal business,” or “I am
so happy about my new apartment that is 10 minutes
away from my job!”

Step Five:
Place the birthday candle in a small cup of uncooked
rice, salt, or sand. These materials will support the
candle without getting burned. Choose a song that is
in alignment with your desired outcome, and play it on
your music player.

Light the candle, and visualize your desires for the new
year. The birthday candle will take about 4 minutes to
burn down, so you can use your senses, and imagine
how your desire will look, smell, taste, et cetera. Before
the candle burns out naturally, blow out or snuff the
birthday candle.

With a little luck, blowing out the candle may coincide

with the clock striking midnight of the new year, but
it’s okay if it doesn’t. End the candle ritual with “And so
it is,” “So mote it be,” “Asé” or your preferred “sealing”
phrase.

Step Six:
After midnight, perform a New Year’s Tarot Spread:
Using a tarot deck, choose any card to represent yourself.
Shuffle the deck and place 12 cards counterclockwise
around your center card, to represent the 12 months of
the year. Record the results in your Book of Shadows or
magickal journal.

Step Seven:
Feel free to put out your altar candle, or allow it to burn
down. Dispose of your leftover materials, and enjoy a
magickal New Year!

Aunt Carla (she/her) is a teacher, blogger, and spiritual

practitioner with over 30 years of magickal experience.
She is the High Priestess of the Red Soulflower School of
Magick, which teaches self-actualization through magick,
metaphysics, and psychology. In her Sunday School
Magickal Masterclasses, she has taught over 20 spiritual
topics from Prosperity to Protection to Shadow Work
Magick. She has been featured in WitchWithMe.com,
WitchSwap.com, Basic Witches Podcast, and other witchy
platforms. Learn more at her blog, RedSoulflower.com.
KITCHEN WITCHERY | 11
 FEATURED TAROT DECK:
FEATURED ORACLE DECK:
KNITTER’S
ORACLE DECK
Creator: ALEX TINSLEY
When did you start your artistic journey?
Oh gosh, at 3 with a box of crayons? Haha. “An artist” was
my first answer to “what do you want to be when you grow
up” - I cycled through a lot of other answers over the years,
right up to the degree in Psychology that I got in college,
but I always seem to come back to art.
Where do you take your inspiration from?
I’m one of those people who frantically rotates through
phases of hyper-fascination with different subjects
and ideas. It will be flowers for a while, then bugs, then
embroidery, then houseplants. Each one comes with a
stream of project ideas, not all of them good. I’ve gotten
really diligent about recording them as they arrive, though,
so when it comes time to make art I can look back at my
ridiculous list of concepts and pull out something that I feel
like working on. I’m also notorious for waking up from a
dream and scrawling some arcane note into my phone to
mystify myself with in the morning - “foot pics demon”,
“sex raft”, “hot pink girl without face-shaped shadows.” I
generally have no idea what I was on about, but sometimes
it inspires a new idea.
Can you tell us about the Knitters Oracle Deck?
Absolutely! I first had the idea for a knitting-themed tarot
deck a few years ago, when I was deep into collecting (or
more often, lusting after) independent artist decks and saw
a lot of enthusiasm for cartomancy among the knitters that
I follow on Instagram. Initially I started drawing a tarot
deck, but over time I had started using a Lenormand deck
much more often than my tarot, and decided that it made
more sense to design the sort of deck I actually use. It’s not
exactly Lenormand, though - I really enjoyed the flexibility
of being able to customize and update the cards based on
my own experiences and frustrations with the traditional
50 | FEATURED ORACLE DECK
deck. I put a lot of thought into pairing the imagery with the
meanings - The Dropped Stitch, for example, representing
destruction, deterioration, anxiety and sadness, or The
Knit-Along representing a pledge or commitment.
Which is your favourite card?
Even though it’s not necessarily a happy card to pull, I
have to say The Frog. Partially because I like frogs and it
was a really fun card to draw, haha. But I like its duality
as well - representing a loss or a letting-go, but also the
new potential that comes from releasing an old idea. Once
you’ve frogged the project that isn’t working, you can turn
that yarn into something new.
*Note for non-knitters, to “frog” a project means to unravel
it, or to (pardon the terrible pun) “rip it, rip it”.
What else have you got in the works?
I’ve actually just left my day job to pursue my creative work
full time, so I’m sort of standing on a precipice of “what
the heck am I going to focus on next?” I’ve got a handful of
large project ideas - other decks for other crafts, or perhaps
actually doing a knitting tarot; ideas for a few new product
lines, and working on growing my online shops (plural,
because I perpetually overestimate how many hours are in
a day.) My main bread and butter has been enamel pins for
quite a while, but I’ve been expanding more into apparel,
bags, and other goodies, as well as taking on more freelance
illustration.
Where can people buy your decks and pins?
You can find the decks, and most of my work, at www.
wildhuntdesign.com (IG @wildhuntdesign)
My little online fabric shop is at www.ypsilantidrygoods.
com (IG @ypsilantidrygoods)
aaaand my illustration portfolio is at www.alexandramac.
com (IG @thisisalexandramac)
CHALLENGING
THE
CHRISTMAS
WITCH:
TAKING ON FRAU
PERCHTA AND THE
SHADOW
by Kamden S. Cornell

Who is Perchta?
One of my favorite things about Midwinter is the proliferation
of “Yule Monsters.” Dark, cold, and wild, they are the very
antithesis of what we in the West have come to think of as the
“Spirit of the Season.” In Alpine areas, though, the dark and
ferocious spirits of the long Yuletide nights are part and party
with those spirits of light, compassion, and generosity we love
so well. In many ways, the Christmas monsters are the Shadow
of their cuddly counterparts.

FOLKLORE
THE CRAFT
| 51| 51
Of these nightly terrors, you may be most familiar with
Krampus, who has become the best recognized of the Yuletide
beasties thanks to the influence of Hollywood in recent years.
His whip, chains, enormous bells, and conspicuous basket full
of naughty children has, in some parts of the world, become
as large a part of Christmastime as Santa and his bag of toys.
But I have in mind another spirit, however. It’s one that is
lesser known but equally interesting: Perchta (also Berchta or
Percht), the child-murdering Christmas Witch who governs
over spinning during Yuletide. Perchta, according to Jacob
Grimm, is the more Northern cousin (or possible iteration)
of the goddess Holda, the great goddess of nature, who has
splintered into a multitude of other spirits including Baba
Yaga and Frau Holle. All these descendants of Holda, whether
dark, light, or twilight, have some special connection to winter,
particularly at Christmastime.
In the case of Perchta, her name very likely relates to
Berchentag, the Feast of Epiphany, which is either the day after
or the day of her feast day, depending on where you live. Other
etymologies have arisen, though, implying that her name
possibly has a meaning close to “bright one,” where others
state that her name signifies something more like “hidden”
or “covered.” Both ring true to the essence of this spirit
because Perchta is a being described as both bright and dark,
depending on her mood.
In the lore, Perchta is sometimes a beautiful woman, radiantly
dressed in white robes that shine and shimmer like afternoon
52 | FOLKLORE
sunlight on snow, and sometimes she’s as a crone with tattered
clothing, deep wrinkles, and a penchant for extreme discipline.
In older descriptions, she is said to have one foot larger than
the other, usually shaped like a goose or swan foot, indicating
her ability to shift from human to animal and also giving a
connection to the splayfoot treadle of a spinning wheel. Her
forms are a story of her power, be it joyous or terrifying.
She is said to lead a horde of spirits called Perchten (associated
with the Wild Hunt). Some of these are lovely and beneficial,
bringing boons of good luck (Schönperchten), while others
are hideously ugly (Schiachperchten), scaring off possible
malevolent spirits while also punishing naughty children. A
spirit similar to Perchta and possibly influenced by the same
lore is the beloved Santa Lucia (St. Lucy), whose feast day is
on December 13th. On that night, she is a bringer of light, but
between the 13th and the beginning of Yule, at least in some
parts of Norway, she is a witch called Lussi who leads a Wild
Hunt-type procession of demons called Lussiferda. Santa
Lucia/Lussi, like Perchta, shares connections to the progenitive
goddess Holda.1
Perchta is primarily a spirit related to cultural taboos,
particularly those surrounding the accomplishment of chores
having to do with spinning and with dietary taboos related
to her feast day (i.e. eating anything other than fish and gruel
on Twelfthnight). During the Twelve Nights of Christmas,
Perchta enters the homes of children to assess the work they’ve
done through the year. If the child has performed admirably,
spinning all their flax into linen, then that child will get a
shiny, silver coin in their shoe! If they have not labored well
or have eaten something other than the approved meal on the
night before Epiphany, she will slit open their guts and stuff
them full of straw and rocks.
What About the Shadow?
Perchta’s punishment sounds harsh (like she belongs in the
next installment of Mortal Kombat), but I’m going to ask
that we look at this through a psychoanalytical lens. What do
feelings of guilt and shame feel like if not having straw and
stones filling our guts? And what do we do with personality
traits that we relate to those emotions, especially when we are
1 For more on this, read “Saint Lucifer and the Black Arts”
by Fredrik Eytzinger, found in The Luminous Stone: Lucifer in West-
ern Esotericism, edited by Daniel Schulke and Michael Howard and
available through Three Hands Press.
children? We repress them, of course! We stuff them into the
2
“long bag” that becomes our inevitable Shadow, which in turn
puts on a Perchten mask and horrifies us, making us feel all
those emotions we have a hard time claiming responsibility
for.
Perchta is not only the Shadow of the other Christmas spirits,
but also our own Shadow, built moment by moment and
feelings of guilt in our gut. She comes for us in our moments
of weakness and shame, making us feel wretched so we act out
in one way or another or not at all. This allows us to continue
our cycles of selective and unconscious avoidance, which keep
us mired in the negative patterns of our lives. We fear Perchta’s
punishment, even though we are truly our own Perchta and
have stuffed our own guts with straw and stones. This is not to
disavow Perchta from having true existence, for she is just as
real as any of the other Yule monsters and may well be waiting
in some dark corner to ambush you and stuff you like a fleshy
mattress, but we cannot ignore that there is a powerful parallel
here.
What do we do about it?
It is always useful to give a face to the Shadow, in this case
a Perchten mask. Horned and snarling with yellowed fangs,
shaggy fur stinking and eyes bright with unfathomable doom,
the Schiachperchten is at least something you can stand and
face. Instead of running through the night with your arms
crossed protectively over your soft guts, turn and stand your
ground. This is one of the most difficult things a person can
do, but remember that the Schiachperchten’s job is to scare off
negative spirits. What is it doing in this role as your Shadow
but trying to make you aware of the negative patterns of
consciousness in you that need to be aired out and assessed? Is
it not trying to scare some self-awareness into you?
Something we forget about the Shadow is that it is essential
to us, something we have built up just to survive in a world
that does not always accept us as we are and asks us to shape
ourselves in a way that society tells us is more worthy of love.
The creation of the Shadow is truly a strategy for gaining
acceptance; it is not a monster, but all those things we have
been told are monstrous about our own being. The ugliness of
the Schiachperchten is the ugliness society has unfairly found
2 A concept from Robert Bly, author of the article “The
Long Bag We Drag Behind Us” as found in Meeting the Shadow: The
Hidden Power of the Dark Side of Human Nature, edited by Connie
Zweig and Jeremiah Abrams.
in us.
It has been shown time and time again that when the Shadow
rears its head and we stand to challenge it, then we can handle
it. Its mask may even change from an ugly one to a beautiful
one in the process. It is in grappling with our Shadow that we
can recognize traits that have always been a part of us, but we
have shoved beyond the border of the unconscious where we
can say, “That isn’t me; it never has been.” We believe it will
make us more acceptable to others. We learn what is lovable
and what is not from our parents, other adult influences, and
society at large. They tell us stories about spirits like Perchta
to keep us lovable, just as their parents did to them, making
us cut off chunks of ourselves just to toss into the night of the
Unconscious.
It is possible, though, to reveal the Schiachperchten to be the
Schönperchten, to stop seeing ugliness where there has always
been beauty. The horns and the fangs don’t come off, but we
can begin to perceive them for what they always were: signs of
power and strength. We need not fear the devils in the night,
for we are those devils. I invite you this Yuletide to remind
yourself that a life well-lived isn’t measured in the yards of
flax you’ve spun, whether it be miles or inches of yarn. You
are acceptable and lovable with all your warts and fangs and
stinking fur, so put the straw and stones down; do not stuff
them into your guts. Just relax and let Perchta tell you a dark
and spooky tale by the Twelfthnight fire.
Kamden S. Cornell is an author and educator in the fields of
witchcraft and herbalism and owns a small, occult-oriented
business called Heart & Vine Apothecary. They live in the
Southwestern U.S. with their husband and cats.
Heartandvineapothecary.com
@Heart_n_Vine_Apothecary
FOLKLORE | 53
Model: JUSTIN TOWNES
@justifysjujus
 END OF YEAR
LETTING GO RITUAL
by JOANA ROSARIO

Sometimes no matter how rational we are or how much we try to reason with ourselves, the
actions of others can cause damage and hurt that’s hard to let go of. Sometimes these issues can
be discussed and resolved amicably; other times, there’s just no way of communicating how you
feel without causing further distress. So what do we do to move past these toxic feelings?
This is a simple “letting go” ritual that I have used on numerous occasions with much success
in the result.

myself of toxic energy and wash away my unwanted hurt.

You will need:
• A jar with a lid
• Water
• A Pen
• A small piece of paper
• Access to somewhere
outdoors
• Seeds/bird feed (offering)
1. While thinking about what’s caused your upset, write
down on the paper the name of the person you feel you
can’t communicate with.
2. Place the paperin the jar and put the lid on the jar. This
is symbolic of the person not responding because you
have closed the lid on their voice. This gives you the
opportunity to say everything you need to release without
backlash.
3. With the name in the jar and the lid screwed on tight,
now is your time to let go. Holding the jar and shaking
it, say everything that’s hurting you. Shout! Call them
names, cry, say how things have affected you and declare
what you want. If you run out of things to say but still feel
hurt, just shake the jar and express your emotions until
the feeling dissipates. This is symbolic of releasing your
hurt and vibrating it out of you.
4. When you’re done with releasing all you need to let go
of, open the lid to the jar and pour some water in the jar,
then while holding the jar, say, “With this water, I cleanse
With this water, I clear my unwanted frustration from
the actions of [state person’s name] so that I can move
forward.”
5. Go outside, find somewhere you feel comfortable and say,
“I release myself of these negative feelings; they are not
who I am.” Then, pour the water out, ensuring the piece
of paper goes with it. Say, “I give these unwanted feelings
back to source. May this water purify and bless [name the
person on the paper] so that they too can grow.”
6. Finally say, “With love in my heart and light in my soul,
I am grounding my pain. With harm to none, so mote it
be!” Do not bury the name. Leave it so that nature can
take it away. This isn’t about burying your feelings; it’s
about letting them go.
7. Leave the offering of seeds or bird feed over the name
in gratitude to Gaia, knowing in your heart that she will
help you heal.
8. If for whatever reason you start to feel upset again just
repeat the ritual as many times as you need; Remember
to always seek the support of your loved ones and/or
professionals if these feelings become overwhelming.
Joana (Ra) Rosario (@love_is_the_law__) is an eclectic
witch, writer, occult teacher and founder of @pagan.
parenting. She is well known for her accessible, easy-to-
understand style of explaining magickal concepts.

RITUAL | 55
 VENEFICIUM:
THE CUNNING
by KARLY MORRISON

The Cunning - knowledge is power. Hone your craft.

Those who work with poisonous plants, baneful flora,

veneficium - will follow a varied, winding path through their
own forests, fields, and fjords.
The entryway to this path, however, remains the same for all
of us.
In order to work with poisonous plants as medicine and
incorporate them in ritual, we must take our first steps in
herbalism and accurate plant identification before moving
towards the craft.
It is also wise to cross the path of ongoing education and
learning every so often on this journey.
In due time, each practitioner will find their own branches of
the Poison Path to follow based on their passions, intuition,
sphere of influence, and locale.

Herbal Medicine & Folk Herbalism

The most accessible way to prepare herbal medicines is
through folk herbalism, often learned from family members,
community, and books. Some will also have access to more
formal herbalism and herbal medicine courses. All are equally
valid and useful, so long as the source of information is reliable
and reputable. It is valuable to learn about plant preparations,
uses, extractions, sanitization, tools, and storage. How to
work with plants as medicine in oils, salves, teas, smoking
blends, lozenges, and poultices. This knowledge is always
best practiced with non-poisonous plants until proficiency
is acquired. You will rarely find courses directly referencing
veneficium as active ingredients - that research you will likely
delve into of your own accord.

Before moving on to potentially poisonous herbal preparations,

one should be confident in their ability to make herbal
medicines from a variety of common plants which can do
little to no harm while providing positive benefits to the user.
Gentle, multi purpose plants such as lavender, yarrow, cedar,
plantain, calendula, mullein, Oregon grape, and comfrey are
all excellent plants to begin with, and most folks can easily
access some or all of them. Fresh plant material is best, but if
dried is all that is available to you that is still a great option.

It is important to work with a variety of plants which differ in

texture and properties in order to get a full range of experience
with extracting from different plant fibres. This limits the risk
of accidentally destroying the harder to acquire and possibly

PHOTO: KARLY MORRISON

expensive poisonous plants you may wish to work with, as you
will have had trial and error experiences with more accessible
plants already - and will have refined your technique for
successful preparations. It also prevents harm, as in learning
to extract powerful plant medicines one can make errors and
miscalculations. This is best practiced with plants whose
power does not lie in psychotropics or demise.
Important note: the safest way to explore the use of poison
plants is topically such as oils, balms, or salves applied to
the skin. Some poisonous plants may be ingested or smoked
- however you must take great care in researching the plants
you wish to use to ensure that taking them internally would
not result in illness or death.
Plant Identification & Local Usage
It is of vital importance to practice identifying plants and fungi
accurately. It can be very tempting to dive in hastily after
only a cursory glance at the type of plant we are using, but in
order to practice this craft safely and effectively, we must be
certain at all times of the species of plants in use. Spending
time examining plants, using a plant identification guidebook,
and practicing identifying your local plants in their natural
ecosystems is an excellent way to sharpen your skills.
Every ecosystem on earth, no matter where you live, offers
poisonous, magical, medicinal plants to work with. As you get
to know the plant beings around you, you will likely find that
some resonate with you and speak to your core intuition. In
order to maintain a sustainable practice, it is best to use what
is locally available, harvest carefully in the correct season,
never take the first nor the last plant, and give something back
to the environment when we take items for our own use. For
example: clearing trash from the harvesting site, re-sowing
native seeds gathered from the seasons prior, offering fresh
composted soil where erosion is present, and - in the vein of
activism - writing to local levels of government to demand
preservation of natural lands and areas, protecting old growth
forests, and voting for political parties which have proven that
environmental protection is a priority via their policies.
If you are interested in growing your own plants for medicinal
and ritual use (which is highly recommended as a supplement
to, or an alternative to wild harvesting if you have the means
to do so) it is wise to keep in mind some golden rules.
Do not spread invasive plant species - contain non native plants
indoors, in an outdoor greenhouse, or solarium. Impenetrable
garden beds could be another option only if the risk of the
plant propagating itself is low to none. If a plant is known to
be, or likely to be invasive in the area in which you live, avoid
planting it outdoors in any manner. If you are not certain,
do more research or avoid planting invasive species. You will
certainly find that there are native poisonous plants available in
every corner of the world which can be used in your practice.
A native plant garden can provide you with medicinal and
ritualistic herbs, berries, roots, leaves, and more.
If local animals, birds, insects, etc. are not eating your plants,
then your plants are not a part of the native ecosystem.
In fact, harvesting invasive species for use in your medicinal
and ritual rites can be an excellent way to help mitigate
damages to the environment. Over harvesting or complete
removal of invasives is acceptable and can be viewed as a
conservation effort for the preservation and flourishing of
local flora and fauna. It may also help us to connect to our
ancestral lands and ways, as many of us are displaced from
our traditional homelands and are presently colonizers
on Indigenous territories. In my location in the Pacific
NorthWest of North America, some invasive plants that I use
in my practice include plantain (locally referred to as “white
man’s footprints”), Scotch broom, and Digitalis (foxglove). All
of which are native to my ancestral homelands of Scotland,
Ireland, Wales, and France to varying degrees. It brings me
closer to my ancestors’ ways of healing and expanding their
minds, while helping to mitigate the damages they have
caused.
One could also reach out to local Indigenous groups for the
possible purchase of wild harvested plants, or to enquire
whether they offer local plant based educational opportunities
such as a workshop or native plant tour.
If fresh plants - wild harvested or grown yourself - are not
accessible to you at this time then purchasing or trading with
others for dried plant materials is also a perfectly acceptable
avenue for acquiring what you need. Local health food stores
often have bulk dried plant materials available, and I am more
and more frequently seeing dried herbals available at various
esoteric/witchy stores as well.
A Lifetime of Learning
Those of us who follow the Poison Path of Veneficium must
be committed to constantly expanding our knowledge and
learning from reputable, reliable sources. This may include
reading well cited and thoroughly researched books and
texts, taking courses, attending workshops, mentoring under
experienced practitioners if possible, and connecting with
your community.
It serves us well to be open to continuous learning and ongoing
updates to information as it becomes available. The most
dangerous phrase in the human repertoire is “We’ve always
done it this way” - there is absolutely value to traditional
knowledge and much of it holds accurate to this day - however
when modern science and new discoveries are able to deepen
and improve our understanding and knowledge, then we
should strive to incorporate it into our workings. Ongoing
education forever!
Karly Morrison is an ancestral Celtic Druid, using her gifts as a
seer and empath within the realms of veneficium, chaos magic, and
divination on a rain-soaked coastal island in the Pacific NorthWest.
Karly is a master horticulturist, professional photographer, writer,
and art dealer, as well as a practicing certified Death Doula.
You can find more about her & her work at www.
thebloodrootgallery.com & on Instagram @TheBloodrootGallery
POISONS | 57
 FATAL ATT
Disclaimer: Never attempt to work with poisons (or any Popular culture has pushed the idea of poisons being

substances) that you are not familiar or trained with. Herbalists, intrinsically evil, from the poison apple in Snow White to the

toxicologists and pharmacologists train for many years before famous works of Shakespeare, both laced with scandal and

administering or using plants/fungi in practice. poisonous plots, both setting the tone of fear. But poisons
are everywhere in the natural world. Oxygen itself has a toxic

Throughout time, poisons have had a strong influence upon side, as we are all oxidizing constantly, thus aging and rusting.

human existence. Curiosity about these powerful sentient Similarly in the fungi kingdom, the first rule of the Bolete

beings that hang around the fringes of society can be traced right family is that you should avoid anything that turns blue and

back through history. From the famous Hemlock poisoning oxidises too quickly once cut, as it may be toxic.

that ended the life of Socrates to the countless Emperors,

Kings, husbands and spies that have been dispatched this way It is often said that we are born fearing the very thing that

since, the efficacy of poison has been an eternal muse to many killed our ancestors. And we are certainly taught as children,

who study folk magic. Knowledge of poisons, in the natural to not pick or touch things in the woods. This may be a safe

world, is slowly fading from our collective consciousness and ‘blanket’ approach, but lost knowledge on poisons goes

being replaced with a sense of innate fear. Poisons have often hand in hand with the collective loss of knowledge on plant

been lumped in with the misrepresented stereotype of The properties in general. Different plants contain different

Crone: practicing dark magic and using curses and hexes for poisons. And sometimes, different parts of the plants have

evil. But the truth about poisons is much more complex and different compositions too. Water hemlock is full of deadly

often pure in heart. cicutoxin, especially concentrated in its roots. Yew berries
are a well known poison of the woods, but it is actually their

Toxicologists are the modern-day poison folk, working across seed that carries the poison: the flesh of the berry is the only

a broad spectrum of scientific disciplines to try and understand edible part of the tree. Nightshade contains atropine and

the composition and effect of toxic substances on other living scopolamine throughout: within the stems, leaves, berries, and

organisms. But more than simply studying how the impact roots. Another poison, White Snakeroot, is so toxic that it was

of said substances can lead to death, toxicology is also about responsible for the death of Abraham Lincoln’s mother (Nancy

life. The 16th-century physician and alchemist, Paracelsus, Hanks), who was poisoned by simply drinking the milk of a

once said, “All substances are poisons; there is none which cow that had grazed on the plant.

is not a poison. The right dose differentiates a poison and a

remedy.” And thus, poison is in the dose. Before toxicology You cannot have a discussion about poison without

even existed as a discipline, cunny folk, early herbalists and acknowledging its long history across different cultures.

pharmacologists were practicing and experimenting with this Within certain parts of Europe and the British Isles, there is

duality of character - between cure and cause - for it is only a sense of mycophobia (mushroom phobia) that is just not

when we overstep the verge of dosage that the balance tips present in other areas of the world. And this is a cultural

from remedy to toxicity. thing. But moreover, opinions can vary from culture to
culture about the toxicity of the same plant or organism. The

58 | GREEN WITCHERY
RACTION
fly agaric (Amanita muscaria), for example, has been used by
native cultures in shamanic rituals for generations in order to
reach an altered state of consciousness. During ceremonies,
the poison is removed, leaving the hallucinogenic compounds
behind. In the West, however, these mushrooms are generally
left alone.
Often, it can be popular in ‘spiritual circles’ to try and
replicate or incorporate these traditional practices. But this
is somewhat negligent. Within any particular society, there is
a complex meshing of belief systems, gestures, and practices
that the American anthropologist Clifford Geertz would call a
‘web of significance.’ And they are not always tangible things
and thus can easily be misunderstood. For many native or
tribal cultures, the understanding of plants goes way beyond
form and composition. It explores the internal rhythms and
connection to human life, in an ethnobotanic language that
has been lost in many other cultures. But we can all find
a personal connection to the poisons of the natural world
through our study of veneficum. So here is some poisonous
trivia to inspire your journey.
Electric daisies (Acmella oleracea) – a natural analgesic,
or painkiller. When you chew the flower, it creates a numb,
tingling sensation in the mouth, followed by excessive
amounts of saliva, causing you to dribble. It causes poisoning
in excessive amounts or when used continuously over a long
period of time, but relief and remedy in small doses.
Russulas – a wonderful family of many edible mushrooms, but
the first rule is to avoid the red ones. There is an interesting
‘taste test’ that you can do (for the Russula family only) which
indicates their toxicity. If you find a red Russula, break off some
gills and hold them to the tip of your tongue for 10 seconds,
it gives the sensation of heat, the body’s warning system to
by KATIE MACK
say “DO NOT EAT!” Often, physical reactions are used as a
natural defence mechanism to prevent us poisoning ourselves
when our conscious mind might not know.
Chinese lacquer tree (Toxicodendron vernicifluum) – has toxic
sap that contains the allergenic compound urushiol. Urushiol
is also the oil found in poison ivy that causes severe burns on
human skin. However, this same treated sap is often used to
produce an extremely strong natural adhesive, which is used
as a protective lacquer coating on garden furniture. Strange!
Death caps (Amanita phalloides) – It is often recommended
to thoroughly cook mushrooms before eating, to break down
any potential toxic compounds within them. Death caps,
however, have heat-stable amatoxins that will withstand
cooking temperatures and cause fatal damage within the cells
of a human body. The first immediate sign of poisoning will be
similar to food poisoning, causing rapid loss of fluid from the
body and violent stomach aches. But the second, more deadly
poisoning that occurs takes place over a few days or weeks and
causes failure of vital organs, leading to death, much like their
relatives in the Amanita family – the destroying angels.
Zombie fungi (Ophiocordyceps unilateralis) - a popular
gruesome story of the natural world. When cordyceps infect
a carpenter ant, the fungi grows through the insect’s body,
draining it of nutrients and eventually hijacking its mind.
From then, it forces the ant to leave its nest and ascend a
nearby plant stem, in order to provide a more favourable
humid microclimate that will encourage the fungus’s growth.
When the fungus matures and is ready to fruit, the ant is
compelled to dangle itself from the underside of a leaf near
the ground and sink its jaws into a leaf vein on the north side
of a plant, where it becomes a nutrient source for the fungus
to feed on. Once the ant has died, the fungus sends a fruiting
GREEN WITCHERY | 59
 body out through the base of the ant’s head and drops its spores onto the
ground below to infect new ants. Thus, the cycle continues.

Ergotism – the effect of long-term ergot poisoning, a fungus that is

commonly associated with rye crops. Symptoms include tremors,
hallucinations and hysteria. Many people now believe it played a role in the
17th century Salem witch hunt. Some residents of Salem developed similar
behaviour to the symptoms of ergotism and accused other women of being
witches as a result of eating ergot-contaminated food. The debate about
ergotism contributing to the hysteria is still on-going.

Mandrake – popularised by the Harry Potter fantasy films where Mandrakes

are portrayed as being so deadly that even their screams can be fatal. Being
part of the nightshade family, they contain hallucinogens, such as atropine,
scopolamine, and hyoscyamine, which cause delirium. In folk magic,
they have long been associated with spiritual practices, religion and ritual
because the shape of their roots often resembles human figures.

Poison vs poison – Finally (and maybe surprisingly), there are some cases
where one strong poison effectively cancels out another. Whilst we might be
familiar with the concept of using the same venom to make the anti-venom,
it’s strange that two different poisons can make a neutral. For example,
atropine (a toxic compound found in belladonna) can be treated with
physostigmine (the toxic seeds of the Calabar bean); and visa versa. Weird!

Curiosity about poisonous plants is something that comes to all witches

at some point in their life. And rather optimistically, there seems to be
a renaissance on the horizon in the life-long quest for knowledge. So be
encouraged on your own explorative journey and see if you can find a local
practitioner that will guide you along the way.

Katie is a professional gardener and green witch from Yorkshire. Her interests
include mycology, ethnobotany and using astrology to guide her growing. Follow
her on Instagram @katiemackgarden.

60 | GREEN WITCHERY

FORGED FROM STEEL:
CUSTOM RITUAL TOOLS FROM CEREMONIA
L
iz Judkins knew she was an artist at three years old. She was
always creating something. From small wood sculptures
to origami, songs, cooking, and designing clothes, there
was no stopping the creativity from flowing. Liz’s work today is
offering custom hand-crafted ceremonial implements that can be
used to honor any tradition or to create new traditions.
Steel is the medium used for Liz’s creations and usually it may feel
cold and lifeless, but when looking upon the items that Liz creates
for her shop, Ceremonia, they feel nothing like cold steel. Each
creation is full of energy, warmth, and pure magick, a product of
Liz’s love of working with the medium.
“I started metalwork in 2004 and became a bit obsessed with it,”
Liz said. “As soon as I touched the steel, I was hooked. I started
making very rough sculpture but went on to acquire more
technical skills later. I was amazed I was being paid to do this thing
which felt so masculine and punk and exciting.”
But as titillating as it was, the work left something to be desired.
“I worked in high-end architectural fabrication and art fabrication
for years, but found that while the work was beautiful, I was often
left feeling empty,” Liz said. “I longed for deeper meaning in my
work. In my personal work, I found that sculpture had the ability
to transform my life through creating objects related to specific
needs and events. I later came to learn that I was practicing a kind
of magick, which came very naturally to me.”
This magickal component took on a bigger place in her work.
“I first made ceremonial implements for others upon the request
of two Lucumi babalawos,” Liz shared. “They had seen a tool I’d
made for a friend and asked if I would like to make a set of warrior
initiation tools. I jumped at the chance and felt extremely honored
to be asked. I was initiated and approved of by the Orisha in order
to do the work. From there, I opened my shop to make tools for
any practice upon request, as well as my own ideas, which became
the made-to-order or one-off section of the shop.”
by HELEN JR BRUCE
by WHISKEY STEVENS
The inspiration for the tools she creates changes and is more fluid
than having one concrete funnel from which it flows. With tones
at times from Ancient Greece and Art Nouveau, Liz allows the
sparks to fly and new avenues to form. “I incorporate animals and
plants which hold meaning for myself and others,” Liz explained.
“I am also inspired by my clients who come to me for custom
work. They often have interesting ideas which I then have the
opportunity to create in my own voice.”
But, as Liz shares, this voice is one of many flowing through her.
“As an artist, my process is often one of quieting my conscious voice
and allowing ideas to unfold. When I am truly in the zone, it is like
I am watching a piece take shape and just allowing it to happen,”
she said. “I often feel like the work is not mine, but something
that flows through me. Something which is the culmination of the
work of many others who have come before me, conceptually and
literally. I feel I am part of a chain of inspiration and creativity
which flows through the millennia.”
That may sound intimidating, but Liz is used to a challenge.
“Creating and running Ceremonia has been one of the most
intense and challenging experiences of my life and also the most
rewarding,” Liz said. “Each aspect of my character is challenged on
a daily basis, as all the decisions and work fall on me. The hours
are often long, and I have no one to blame but myself when things
go wrong. It’s both humbling and challenging.
But as intense as the job is, the rewards outweigh the stressors for
her.
“I am so grateful for the warm reception I’ve received from clients
and followers on social media, I truly feel so blessed. I’ve also had
many fortunate turns along the way which reinforces that I am on
the right path.”
To see more of Liz’s work you can follow her on social media
@c.e.r.e.m.o.n.i.a
FEATURED SHOP | 61
PLANETARY
MAGICK
WORKING WITH THE PLANETARY POWERS TO
ENHANCE YOUR LIFE by KATH WALLACE
As humans, we are inherently fascinated by the skies and our
place in the cosmos. We experience this overwhelming feeling
of reverence and interconnectedness when standing beneath a
star-filled sky. However, beyond our instinctive connection to
the luminaries, as witches, we can sometimes feel that the power
of the planets is beyond our magickal reach. Alternatively, you
may have researched planetary magick to discover a sometimes
bewildering world of mathematical squares, intricate seals and
complex evocation rites.
Yet, we can find simple and effective ways to work with the
power of the planets in enhancing our magickal and mundane
lives. Unlike some other systems of magick, the planets are
material and tangible, and we can physically see them in the
skies. We also experience them energetically as we feel the
distinct planetary influences through the lens of our natal charts
and their transits.
Our understanding of planetary magick has its foundations
in the principles of Hermeticism and the teachings of Hermes
Trismegistus. However, the influence of planetary magic is
felt over many magickal traditions, cultures and systems,
particularly influencing western occult thought. Denning
and Phillips, in their book, Planetary Magick, define the term
as “the art of evoking, intensifying, experiencing, the forces
which derive from, or are associated, with one or another of the
traditional seven planets” (3). And by the seven classical planets,
we refer to the Moon, Mercury, Venus, Sun, Mars, Jupiter, and
Saturn.
The fundamental principle of planetary magick is that each
of the seven planets has its unique sphere of influence and
therefore ‘rules’ an aspect of our lives and the natural world.
Each planet also has correspondences that align to colours,
herbs, gemstones, numbers, metals, animals, tarot cards and
even musical notes. Through understanding each planet’s
domain, energetic signature and system of correspondences, we
can meaningfully evoke their energy into our lives.
So, how do we work with planetary magick in a practical sense?
Planetary Altars: Creating an altar dedicated to a specific
planet can be one of the most potent ways to experience their
energy in your life. You could decide to work with each of the
classical planets, in turn, to attune to their energy. Alternatively,
you could identify the planet that will support you with a goal
you seek to achieve. For example, if you sought to attract
greater prosperity into your life, consider establishing an altar to
Jupiter, who brings benevolence, expansion and luck. You could
include Jupiterian colours of purple and royal blue, botanicals
62 | PRACTICE
such as sage, borage or nutmeg, and lapis lazuli or amethyst
to represent the mineral kingdom.
Deities and Archetypes: Working with planetary
energy can feel intangible, especially when we first begin.
One way to intensify your connection is to commune
with the respective planetary deities. The classical planets
are named after the Roman pantheon, so you could do a
ritual to dedicate to, pray or evoke the deity signifying your
chosen planet. If you were conducting a ritual to bring
more structure and discipline in your life, you could pray
to Saturn, the Roman god of time and agriculture who
rules these areas. However, if you do not practice deity-
work in your witchery, consider approaching the planets as
archetypal energies that exist within each of us.
Timing: When undertaking spellwork, witches will often
identify the most auspicious timing that aligns to their
intent, like the appropriate time of day, moon phase or
astrological season. However, considering planets in the
timing your spells can support you in connecting to their
energy. First, you can work magick by the days of the week,
which all correspond to a particular planetary energy. So,
you might cast a spell to enhance your intuition on a Monday
ruled by the Moon. You can also work with the system of the
planetary hours, which states that each ‘hour’ is ruled over
by one of the seven planets. You may want to use an online
planetary hour calculator or app to determine the planetary
hours, as it can be a little complex to work out.
Finally, you can also use planetary transits, including those
impacting your own natal chart. The planets are constantly
moving and forming connections with each other, known as
transits, some of which will be particularly beneficial for the
timing of your spellwork. So, a favourable transit between
loving Venus and expansive Jupiter would highly support
love and relationship magick.
Squares and Glyphs: If you find working with symbols,
a powerful way to connect with energy, you may want
to consider working with planetary squares and glyphs.
Although planetary squares appear complicated, they are
relatively easy to use. Consider them magickal sudoku!
Each planet has an individual square infused with the
mathematical energy of that planet. Ancient mathematicians
formulated them, and they consist of a grid of numbers that
adds up to the same number in any direction. So, you can
utilise the relevant planetary square as a correspondence
to draw in the influence of your chosen planet. You could
include the square as a spell component; for example, place
it on your altar or in a charm bag, write your petition on it,
or use it as a basis for creating a sigil.

The planetary glyphs are also a potent method to channel

energy, as they contain the planet’s pure essence. You can
meditate on them, carve them onto candles, use them as a
basis for an amulet or talisman, or even draw them onto your
body.

Planetary correspondences: Each planet has a

wide range of correspondences that we can use to align
with a specific planet’s energy. We can utilise these
correspondences simply in our everyday life. For example,
you can wear yellow to draw in mercurial energy to enhance
our communication. Or you can use them more directly
in your spellwork to imbue your spell with planetary
energy. So, you could craft a protection bottle with Mars
correspondences to call in its assertive and warrior energy to
strengthen your connection to the planet. Another spellcraft
tool to enhance your relationship with the planets is to work
with a charm bag suffused with correspondences of your
identified planet. For example, a yellow charm bag with
solar correspondences such as citrine, sunflower, chamomile
and basil could support you in working with Sun energy for
success or health.

Of course, this is not an exhaustive list of methods to

work with planetary magick. The deeper you explore
this fascinating topic and develop your practice, the more
profound your personal relationship with these celestial
wonders will be. Spend some time experimenting with these
and other techniques to magickally co-create your life with
the power of the planets.

Kath is a practicing witch from the UK with over 23

years of experience in various witchcraft pathways
and traditions. She loves teaching and writing
about witchcraft and is passionate about supporting
new witches to establish their practice. She is the co-
founder of the Secrets of the Cauldron and co-creator
of Your Magical Guide Planners and workshops.
https://www.secretsofthecauldron.co.uk/
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