Tell me a story. Divulge a secret. Voice a hidden wish.

Comments screened. Be anonymous if you like.

Since I am leaving tomorrow for a weekend in Gettysburg, I am just gonna wrap this up today.

27. A spell you’ve done.

I've had two occasions to do the magical equivalent of cease and desist. One, years ago, was a freeze-bottle spell filled with hot peppers, etc. Basically, the idea was that if the person even so much thought of harassing me again, they would find themselves unable to, with a nasty sting to boot. It worked, suffice it to say. Another was a mix of self-shielding (ie, you will not even think about me, in any capacity) combined with a candle spell to get the other person to stop spreading untruths. I carved a black candle, anointed it in a TAL oil, rolled it in appropriate herbs. I ringed that candle in salt, then surrounded that candle in small white chime candles for protection/shielding and to draw positive energy. There was lots of visualization, as well as a very precise statement of intent. The idea for both was never to cause harm, but to dissuade the other party from continuing to do damage. And, to my knowledge, so far, so good.

28. A description of your Book of Shadows (and pictures, if you're comfortable with that).

My BOS is a lovely leatherbound book with a front illustration by joannabarnum, who I hope to commission similar illustrations for the section headers. Basically, the front part has basic stuff-- Sabbat readings, lists of commonly used stones, herbs, symbols. The other parts are a list of workings that can be adapted. I actually keep a second book that's more of a magical diary-- some people would actually call that a BOS, but I think of them sort of as companion books.



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29. A magical dream you've had.

Hmm, There was that one time I had three dreams on the topic of liminality in one night, including a visit from Hecate & Jim Henson. It was weird, but it stayed with me.

30. Music you might play while working a spell.

Loreena McKennitt, Faith & The Muse, classical music, and the Medieval Baebes around Yule. Plus the Carmina Burana is a mainstay around Beltane.

31. Witch’s choice!

Dear fellow witches & Pagans. I have two things to say to you.

Thing one: Learn to tell the goddamn difference between "alter" and "altar," OMG.

Thing two: When it comes to "what will other people think?!" it is time to stop giving a shit. Really. I understand not bringing up religion etc. at work. Ideally, no one should, but I'm not going to pretend that we don't live in a world where it's perfectly acceptable for Christians to talk about their beliefs while everybody else gets shat on. Yes, that happens, and it sucks.

But everybody else? And I mean this as kindly as I can: Fuck 'em.

There will always be people who look down on what you believe, be they smug atheists or zealous born-agains or people with equally whacky beliefs who feel the need to pick on someone else for a change. Doesn't matter. Your beliefs are a culmination of your own personal experiences. Your experiences are valid. They cannot take that from you, and their even trying to diminish you speaks more to a lack in their own life than one in yours.

One of the coolest things about Paganism is that we define our own relationship with the Divine. The fact that we don't have a single go-to holy text to outline for us how we should interact with the Gods enables us all to find our own way by intuition, by listening to the subtle ways the Divine speaks to us. We find and light our own paths. This is not unique to Paganism, of course, but it tends to be frowned upon in our Evangelically-dominated society, a society that constantly tells us what God thinks or wants or has decreed, whether it be about morality, sexuality, bodily autonomy, or gender roles. There are others in our society that are bound to envy our freedom, our ability to question and revise our beliefs as we go along and have different experiences. That's their problem, not yours. Do as thou wilt.

Provided you are not one of those Pagans who constantly embellishes their own experience in order to ~appear spooky~... (ie, don't be Christian Day) whatever. Do your own thing. Fuck the haters.

25. A picture of something magical in your kitchen.

Hmm, not a ton that I would consider magical, outside of my Market Spice tea, which is AMAZEBALLS. But the closest you'd come is probably this:



26. Your altar, if you have one!

The current altar, dressed for Autumn.

23. Something that I think people who don’t know much about paganism/witchcraft should know.

There are lots of different kinds of Pagans and witches. "Wiccan," "witch," and "Pagan" are not synonymous. There is overlap, to be sure, but they are not interchangeable. "Pagan" is an umbrella term for lots of different kinds of beliefs, most of which are Earth-centered, but not all. Most paths incorporate some kind of belief in magic. Really, the only thing that they all have in common is that they are not Judeo-Christian. (And even then, I know a few Jewish ladies who have incorporated aspects of witchcraft into their beliefs & practice.)

Wicca is currently the most well-known religion under the Pagan umbrella. Old-school Wiccans like Gardnerians & Alexandrians practice only in covens and have a very strict hierarchy/structure. New school (well, um, as new as you can be with a faith under a century old) Wiccans tend to be much more eclectic in the pantheons they deal with, and there are lots of solitary new school Wiccans. Some Wiccans don't even consider themselves witches, as they do not practice magic, only adhering to the worship aspects.

There are reconstructionists, who aim to re-create practices of cultures past (Egyptian, Greek, etc). There are people who incorporate shamanistic paths from various cultures. There are the Asatru, who deal only with the Norse pantheon and traditions. There are ceremonial witches, and Reclaiming witches, and kitchen witches (basically, your wise woman who knows herbs), and Feri witches. There are lots of traditions I'm not naming here, out of sheer lack of space and time. There are lots of us who don't adhere to a particular tradition at all.

Most traditions don't even acknowledge the existence of a (Christian) devil, let alone worship him. They all have different takes on Sabbats & holidays, different theology, and different sets of values. "Pagan" and "witch" are very broad terms, and they mean different things to each person who uses them.

I also really loved sugarmaplelife's response to this, so I'mma quote it here.

Witchcraft and magick aren't just about talking to the Purple Pillar of Peace and dancing in raindrops and waiting for the Universe to shower you with glitter and patchouli and an easy, playful life in the land of woo-woo. A good witch, I believe, has a foot in both worlds. A good witch can spin a prosperity charm *and* balance her checkbook. A good witch can meet the needs of the mundane and the magickal, sends light and love *and* casseroles. I think that newcomers to witchcraft and/or paganism can get swept away in the novelty, insight, and otherness of the other worlds and lose their anchor, awareness, and functionality in *this* world. I believe the role of a witch is as a bridge, an intermediary, as an interpreter between these worlds and that they are equally important to have solid footing in both.

24. A famous pagan/witch you admire.

Hmm, a toughie. I only know most through their writings. So I tend to admire individual works more than people, lest I find myself saying "I admire z budapest" before I find out that she's basically transphobic pestilence in human form. Yasmine Galenorn seems like a cool lady, based on what I've read. I've had the good fortune to meet Janet Farrar on a couple of occasions, and she commands respect, and is full of stories and history. I enjoyed meeting her. And I admire everything I've read by T. Thorn Coyle. I am not a follower of Feri, so I don't always precisely "get it" on an emotional level the way that other Feri initiates might, but she seems really compassionate and intelligent. Plus I have close friends who are students of hers that speak very highly of her. I look forward to meeting her in the future when I am actually free for one of her workshops.

21. A favourite pagan/witchy movie.

As cliche as it is, Practical Magic. I mean, it's a romcom deep at its core, but has several things going for it: Sandra Bullock (I've always liked her), Nicole Kidman's hair, midnight margaritas, "there's no devil in the craft," and the prettiest BOS I've ever seen. Movie effects & Hollywood exaggerations aside, it's at least kinda accurate about the craft. And I do love the relationship between the sisters. It's very realistic, and when it came down to it, it was the strongest bond in the film, romcom be damned.

22. Favorite tarot card/rune/ogham stave/oracle card that carries a deeper meaning for you.

I have three personal runes. They are carved into my athame, and I consider them closest to my heart. I didn't necessarily choose them for myself so much as they just kept showing up, so I adopted them. In some cases, I didn't even realize why they were meant for me until years later.

Nauthiz - the need-fire. Essentially, trials & tribulations lead to strength. They are the fire in which steel is formed.

Perthro - the dice cup. That which is unknowable, the mystery. The ability to shape fate. The ability to see the hidden.

Dagaz - the sign of transformation. The walker between worlds. The liminal. The balance between two opposites. Dawn after a long night. Hope.

19. A favorite witchy podcast.

I'm not really a podcast person. I would listen to ones that got good recommendations, though. Recs?

20. A picture of a witchy I-Want-It-Now!

You know, there's not a whole lot I want right now. I bought a buncha stuff earlier this Autumn, which I intend to review shortly.

Instead, I will give you a list of my favorite witchy retailers, with some things I've had my eye on in them.

Luna Enchantments / Magickal Cupboard: Best pillar candles I've tried, hands-down. They ALWAYS smell amazing, and are beautiful and long-burning. The TAT for candles can be a pain (2 weeks, usually), but the customer service is excellent and they usually have a 15% - 20% coupon code running, so that more than makes up for it. I currently have about three of their candles in my cupboard waiting for use, and so far I have loooooved their Moonlit Harvest & Fruits of Bounty pillars. These are my default altar pillars, and I always have one burning when I'm working. Also, the custom pillar they did for me smells amazing, piney and awesome.

Things I'm eyeing: Autumn Forest candle.


Vermorlian: A seller I've been reliably purchasing from for years. Really fantastic selection of purpose-oriented candles and incenses. We've been using the hell out of their Black Cauldron blend for Samhain. Plus my very favorite stick incense ever, Wytch's Brew, is a Vermorlian product.

Things I'm eyeing: Holly King Herbal Incense.


Twilight Alchemy Lab: BPAL's metaphysical arm. They also have an Etsy for small batch stuff. First of all, these are the best anointing oils I've found yet, and I like the incenses I've tried, as well. I can't wait until they release more prosperity incense, because not only does it come through, but it smells amazeballs, too.


Lodestone & Lady's Mantle: A basic supplies shop with well-crafted, more traditional formulas.


I have not yet tried Spelled With a W, but I appreciate the 'fun' aspect of their kits and supplies. They seem to understand that sometimes a little theatrics can be really helpful to getting energy moving in the right way. Their cauldron splashes look to be things I'd like to try in the future, and the Stonehenge candle is stinkin' cute.

Aside from that, I have bought some really good resin incense from Moonlit Herbals in the past. I am still teetering about Artisan Witchcrafts (formerly the ridiculously hard to remember LiorahLleucu). On one hand, I realize that the person who is accusing her of copyright infringement is a big copycat asshole herself. But on the other hand, I've seen some uncomfortable similarities, both in name choices & content. Shortly after Luna Enchantments started to offer cauldron candles, boom, they were in her shop, too. And I think her Black Swan candles are really pretty, but hey-- copyright infringement. And her turnaround time is ridiculous, frankly. OTOH, she seems to have a good selection of interesting and unique candle blends. IDK, torn.

Oh! There is a witchy I Want It Now sort of thing I want, but I don't have a picture (yet). The cover page to my BOS was illustrated by Joanna Barnum. It is gorgeous. I want 7 sectional illustrations to complete my book, but she's a pro artist, and that could get expensive. I need to get started on commissioning a few, though. My BOS project has been stagnant for the last few months.


Aside from that, Jason is running in Run For Your Lives, a zombie 5k, this weekend, and I will be watching from the stands. Hopefully with some kind of warm, spiked beverage in my hands. Anyone else going?

17. One way you bring your spiritual practice into your everyday life.

I feel like I'm being repetitive. I often light candles with particular intentions. Usually my office altar candle, signifying the creative spark and a start to the day's work.

18. How do your close ones feel about your spiritual path? Do they know? Why or why not?

Everyone knows. Most people were like "cool, whatevs." My Catholic aunt gave me a long lecture about Jesus, but has pretty much laid off. My mother was like "no, I Christened you Episcopalian," but she's since realized that things do change between infancy and adulthood. Shocker! Not that she's at all religious, mind you, making her initial reaction especially hilarious. Jason is supportive. Otherwise, it doesn't come up in day-to-day stuff very much.


I am having a really hard time staying awake today. I just feel completely zapped of energy. I have stuff to do, but I still keep yawning. Caffeine didn't work. I finally cuddled Olive up, because she is the best nap partner, and we napped for a bit together. I got up, lit some candles, had more caffeine & dinner, took a shower... and I still feel tired. My brain just isn't working today. Bah.

15. A scent that invokes a magical atmosphere for you.

Burning dragon's blood resin. The various dragon's blood oils and candles I've tried have all skewed too sweet, but the resin, smoking on charcoal? SO PERFECT. It's like amber, but deeper, and just a touch sweeter. Like synaesthesia velvet. And it helps that dragon's blood is pretty much an all-purpose magical ingredient... I get to use it a lot.

16. Something magical you do all the time, but no one knows it's magical.

Ummm, I'm not really sure. Aside from the fact that I often light candles for intention and not just cosmetic purposes, I can't think of anything.


ETA: From Free Will Astrology.

Virgo: The autocorrect feature sometimes distorts the text messages people send on their smart phones. It tries to fix supposedly misspelled words that aren't really misspelled, thereby creating awkward variations that can cause a ruckus when they're received, like changing "I don't want to leave" to "I don't want to live." Damn You, Autocorrect! is a book documenting some of the most outrageous examples, many NSFW. Be vigilant for metaphorical versions of this wayward autocorrect phenomenon, Virgo. Be sure that in your efforts to make things better, you don't render them worse or weird. Consider the possibility that stuff is fine just the way it is.

It's like he KNOWS ME.

13. Have you had any paranormal experiences?

Yes indeedy. When I was a kid, I had my first ghost experience. I was about four, maybe. I know that because we weren't yet living in the house on Henry St I spent most of my childhood in, and this happened in an earlier house on Williams St in South Baltimore. Actually, when I think about it, my mom was pregnant with Matt, so four is probably right. Anyway, my aunt worked at a grocery store and brought home for me a big cardboard castle covered in Disney characters that they'd been using as a window display. I was kind of a weird kid. I used to spend a lot of time in closets by myself, with books and a flashlight. My mom & my babysitters just kind of got used to the fact that I'd rather be by myself instead of playing with other kids. (She used to punish me by taking away my books and forcing me to go outside.)

Aaaaanywho, on this particular day, I did have a friend over, coincidentally another little girl named Christina. My mom was friends with her dad, who was a single parent, and so we'd have semi-regular playdates. So, we were playing in the castle, which was dark once you shut its front doors. Basically, we were having a tea party in the dark like little weirdos. Christina 2 left for whatever reason, leaving me in the castle with my flashlight. I don't know exactly what happened-- I was young, and the memory is just bits and flashes. At some point my flashlight beam fell upon a little boy sitting next to me. He had light hair and looked about four, too. And he was wearing one of those sailor-type costumes they make little kids wear in old timey photos. And he looked kind of blue.

I screamed and fell backwards and knocked the entire freaking castle over.

My mom said that I didn't really hang out in closets for a while after that. Probably because of that and probably because the only closet in our new house on Henry St was... creepy. I just didn't like it. And I later had several really fucked up experiences in the bathroom in which the closet was in, which is probably why, to this day, mirrors give me the willies and I *DIVE* for the remote control every time that stupid Paranormal Activity 3 commercial comes on where the little girls decide to chant a certain name into a darkened mirror.

Since then, I feel things more often than I see them. I've told the story about the time I saw a girl during RA training at college. Also the Gettysburg stories. And some of you know of the goings-on at Dixie's house. I'm becoming more attuned in general, I think. But it does help that I haven't seen much of anything in my current apartment. Once or twice, I've seen something that seems totally unaware of me, just passing through. Something likes to fuck with Nox, but I've never seen it and cannot feel anything when he does. But it seems harmless, so meh. There's some kind of spirit or entity that lives along Greenwood Road that Brooke, Ariel & I have had experiences with, but mostly I just don't walk that way after it gets dark, and all is well.

Bottom line, yes, I am a definite believer in ghosts and spirits, in part because I've experienced them myself. I don't believe every story I hear, but yeah, basically.

14. A picture of your chosen divination tool, if you have one.


These are not my runes, but they look a lot like my first set of runes. My current set is a cobalt-blue glazed pottery set that truth be told, I really didn't like at first. They were a Yule gift from Mike, and considering it was the only thing he every bought me that had any kind of spiritual aspect (as he thought my being Pagan was stupid), I used them anyway. I didn't want to be discouraging. And now I'm just used to them. Breaking in a new set of runes is a lot of work. I also have a small wooden set that was a gift in a witchy swap, but I don't use them very often because they are very lightweight, and I prefer a little heft. I have been on the lookout for a new regular set, but I just haven't found *the one* yet.

Anywho, I've been reading runes since I was 16 or so. In my experience, they are uncannily accurate when it comes to getting to the heart of a matter. At acknowledging influences or forces in a situation that often go un-acknowledged. I also like that they are more advice-based, not "this will happen to you". They show you a probability based on your current course of action. Don't like the probability? Change your action.

Though, in general, when I need advice and I don't think I can be objective about casting the runes for myself, I generally ask for tarot readings from friends. :)

11. Thoughts on the afterlife?

Undecided, but leaning towards reincarnation. I figure that in our bodies, there's some essential *spark* that differentiates a living person from a deceased person. That spark-- it's our individuality, our personality, our essence, and some might say our soul. I don't think that just goes poof once our bodies give out. Given some experiences/dreams I've had, and experiences that other people I know have had, it seems possible to me that that spark gets several rides on the merry-go-round before it goes somewhere else. But I don't know for sure. No one does. I'm not going to live my life thinking "hey, it's okay, I'll get another one," or "it'll be better the next place I go," because that totally defeats the purpose.

12. Favorite website(s) related to your spirituality.

You know, I don't really have one. There's Witchvox, which is great for connecting and finding community resources, but there isn't one real website I visit over and again that's tied to my spirituality. All of my bookmarks in my Pagan folder are for retail shops that sell candles, incense, etc.