Tag Archives: witchcraft

A Confluence of Witches, edited by Casey Zabala

A Confluence of Witches: Celebrating Our Lunar Roots, Decolonizing the Craft, and Reenchanting Our World, edited by Casey Zabala
Weiser Books, 1578638453, 224 pages, October 2024

Witchcraft is not a one-size-fits-all practice. There’s no single, universal “witchcraft” that everyone follows. Different witches may have varying beliefs, rituals, and traditions, influenced by their individual experiences, cultural backgrounds, and personal paths. This diversity is what makes witchcraft such a rich and fascinating exploration.

A Confluence of Witches: Celebrating our Lunar Roots, Decolonizing the Craft, and Reenchanting Our World, edited by Casey Zabala, brings together a diverse array of voices within the contemporary witchcraft community. Through a rich tapestry of essays, rituals, and personal narratives, this anthology shines a light on the multifaceted nature of witchcraft in the modern world to explore “the authentic intersection of magic, spirituality, personal development, and social justice.”¹

“Modern Witchcraft is not a disavowal of our Pagan, animist, lunar roots. Rather, Modern Witchcraft is an evolution of our responsibilities as practicing witches. These responsibilities have historically been to praise the divinity of the Earth and cosmos, to provide healing remedy and support to the community, and to offer a spiritual framework for the oppressed. To be a modern witch we must straddle both our ancient origins and our futurist dreams.”²

This anthology covers a broad range of topics that will appeal to both seasoned practitioners and those new to the craft. The seven chapters each focus on a certain aspect of witchcraft: the Moon, the blending of traditional magic with modern technology, the decolonization of witchcraft, connection with the spirit world, connection to our bodies and Earth, pathways of healing, and the power of covens. Within the chapter there’s three essays related to the topic.

The essays in A Confluence of Witches are thought-provoking and deeply personal. Each contributor shares their unique journey and insights, making the anthology both informative and intimate. Some of my favorites are “Reclamining Resources: Money Magic in This Time of Capitalism” Jessie Susannah Karnatz, “Loving What Is: Quantum Witchcraft” by Sanyu Estelle, “Flower Animism: A Floral Spell” by Liz Migliorelli, and “There is Sustenance in the Roots by Star Feliz.

Zabala’s editorial hand is evident in the seamless flow of the book. At the start of each chapter, she writes an introduction for the topic, creating a cohesive overview of the essays that follow. I also felt like the arrangement of the chapters was very intuitive, though there’s truly no need to read them all in order.

One of this anthology’s greatest strengths is its inclusivity. Zabala has curated contributions from witches of various backgrounds, practices, and traditions, ensuring that readers are exposed to a wide spectrum of perspectives. This diversity not only enriches the reader’s understanding of witchcraft but also challenges any preconceived notions they might have. The essays all give a little glimpse inside the world of the writers, so readers can then pursue exploring more work of the writers they especially resonate with.

There are so many leads I want to follow now that I’ve read this book! I am truly enamored with the insights from the writers who contributed. At the end, Zabala has included biographies for all the contributors. Here readers can discover new podcasts, YouTube channels, books, organizations and groups, and more. The community Zabala created in 2018 is called Modern Witches, which aims “to heal and honor the collective’s relationship to the witch.”³

Reading through this book prompted a lot of reflection for me, and I began to see my practice connected to a much wider group of people. Oftentimes, especially when feeling isolated or marginalized, I think witches forget the community resources available to them. But there are so many others out there shaping Modern Witchcraft. I learned about so many other amazing witches and their work when reading this book that I would have never known about otherwise, and I’m really excited to further brand out and explore some new groups I learned about from the book.

It felt very expansive to see just how vast the world of Modern Witchcraft is right now and to take the time to think about the impact of technology, political systems, and social structures on witchcraft right now. With each chapter, I felt a shimmering web of energy growing between me and these other witches; even though our practices might look very different, we all walk the same path at this current time.

Overall, A Confluence of Witches is an essential read for anyone interested in the Modern Witchcraft movement. Within the variety of voices, the book maintains a narrative that guides the reader through the complexities of Modern Witchcraft that is expansive, inclusive, and thought-provoking. Whether one is new to the craft or a seasoned practitioner, this book gives voice to where Modern Witchcraft is at right now, contextualizing the greater community of witches beyond one’s daily scope.

We all possess our own sacred blend of spirituality, shaped by our experiences, beliefs, and connections to the world around us. By embracing the diversity of witchcraft and honoring the unique practices of others, we can create a more inclusive and supportive community that celebrates the richness of human spirituality.

Alanna Kali

Alanna Kali is an astrologer, numerologist, and pioneer spirit that loves to explore life through the lens of depth psychology. She has a passion for studying the humanities and social trends. Her academic work is centered upon reuniting body, mind, and spirit through eco-psychology. She loves reading, spending time in nature, and travel.

www.travelingtarotxo.com

Witches, by Judika Illes

Witches: A Compendium, by Judika Illes
Weiser Books, 1578638577, 240 pages, October 2024

Autumn has arrived, and I think we can all agree.. It’s officially the season of the witch! For those who are feeling drawn to witches, whether through fictional tales or their own witchcraft practice, Judika Illes’ latest book Witches: A Compendium offers a fascinating exploration of the subject, from ancient times to modern day. This comprehensive guide covers a range of witchcraft topics, from famous witches to the best witch-travel destinations.

“The world of witches is filled with passion, magic, high spirits, and joy. It is a world where the sacred is ever-present, a world in which even the most mundane objects possess deep spiritual significance. The world of witches is a world of wonder in which every color, incident, creature, sight, or sound has some sort of magical import.”¹

Illes does an excellent job of presenting a diverse range of perspectives on witchcraft. Chapters are dedicated to types of witches, witchcraft tools, animal familiars, various well-known witches (famous ones, fictional ones, divination witches, and those who have been persecuted for their practice). She includes stories and practices from different cultures, highlighting the universal appeal and varied interpretations of witchcraft around the world. This inclusivity is a refreshing aspect of the book, as it acknowledges and respects the wide array of traditions and beliefs associated with witchcraft.

For each topic in the compendium, there’s anywhere from one paragraph to two pages dedicated to the subject. Illes’ writing style is engaging and accessible. She excels in writing insightful profiles that bring these individuals to life, offering readers a glimpse into their lives and the culture during the time they lived. Some of my favorites covered include Tamoamo-no-Mae, Hulda, and Kybele. I also loved the focus on fictional witches, such as Agatha Harkness, whose new TV show I just started watching on Disney+; Illes writing is so up-to-date that it mentions this new Marvel show, along with the recent WandaVision.

I was also pleasantly surprised to see that Illes included quite a few men in this compendium. Of course, there’s the male founders of certain traditions, such as Alexandrian Wicca and The Clan of Tubal Cain, who were influential in the spread of modern witchcraft. But she also looks to famous magicians and sorcerers of the past too, such as Abei no Seimei, Franz Bardon, Count Alessandro di Cagliostro, and Dr. Leo Martello. This inclusion gives a very balanced perspective on witchcraft, offering a full picture that counters stereotypes of witches always being old hags or devious young women.

The chapters on the tools, crafts, and animals associated with witchcraft are especially beneficial for readers to learn more about different practices. Illes covers tools like dolls, mirrors, runes, and wands, along with crafts of the trade such as dowsing, scrying, and astrology. The chapter “Animal Witches and Witches’ Animals” is loaded with information about the roles various animals have in witchcraft practices worldwide. I was fascinated to learn:

“European itches were accused of riding wolves or bates; African witches ride galloping hyenas, the animal most closely identified with witches throughout Africa.”²

And, if after making it through most of this book you are wondering if you’re a witch, Illes’ final chapter helps to answer this question. She includes lore that indicates being a witch, such as being the seventh-born son or daughter, as well as having a witch-mark or disliking salt. She also notes personality traits like “you have an affinity for wild nature, a love for the world’s wild, untamed places”³ and “you possess an independent streak: you don’t like being told what you can’t do, can’t learn, can’t known, can’t read, or where you can’t go.”⁴

Finally, the visual aspect of the book is also worth mentioning. Witches is beautifully illustrated, with images that complement the text and enhance the reader’s experience. The illustrations add an extra layer of enchantment to the book, making it not only informative but also a pleasure to look at.

Overall, Witches: A Compendium is a great read for anyone interested in the world of witchcraft. It is comprehensive, well-researched, and beautifully presented. Whether you are a seasoned practitioner or a curious newcomer, this book offers valuable insights and practical knowledge that will deepen your understanding of witchcraft and its enduring allure.

And if you enjoy this book, Illes has quite a few other informative books published, including Encyclopedia of 5,000 Spells, Encyclopedia of Spirits, The Element Encyclopedia of Witchcraft, and Encyclopedia of Mystics, Saints, & Sages, along with The Weiser Field Guide to Witches and The Weiser Field Guide to the Paranormal.

Alanna Kali

www.travelingtarotxo.com

Witchcraft, by Raven Grimassi

Witchcraft: A Mystery Tradition, by Raven Grimassi
Crossed Crow Books, 978-1-959883-59-3, 270 pages, July 2024

Neo-Pagan scholar and witch Raven Grimassi (1951-2019) was the prolific author of several books on the Old Religion. Initiated into Wicca in 1970, he founded the Aridian tradition a decade later, which blended Wicca and Italian witchcraft. In 2006, he established the Ash, Birch and Willow tradition with his wife Stephanie, which emphasizes the primal roots of European witchcraft.

Crossed Crow Books, dedicated to preserving Grimassi’s legacy by republishing his out-of-print works, has rereleased Witchcraft: A Mystery Tradition. In this comprehensive work, Grimassi explores the myths and universal deity archetypes at the core of the Mysteries, which he says are “applicable to any system or tradition of Witchcraft.”¹. This book was inspired by the Goddess of the Mysteries, Ceres, who Grimassi honored as his patroness because he was born on her festival day, April 12th. Before writing each chapter, Grimassi asked Ceres for her guidance.

For me, witchcraft is an ecstatic religious experience rooted in ancient practices, and Grimassi’s writings support that school of thought with meticulous research.

“It is my personal belief and experience that Witchcraft is a religion that has evolved over countless centuries (as opposed to a modern construction),”² Grimassi says. “Historians and archaeologists spend a great deal of time and energy trying to separate magick and sorcery from Witchcraft as well as other things that the Witch as a practitioner knows to be inseparable.”³

Grimassi’s traditional perspective is so validating and refreshing to read, and I wholeheartedly agree with him. It’s become trendy for witches on social media to deny that witchcraft is a religion, and I can’t help but feel that they are serving their egos instead of the Goddess and the God.

Grimassi provides supporting historical evidence of Wiccan concepts and practices that have supposedly been debunked by historians like Ronald Hutton as modern inventions. He traces the ancient origins of ritual nudity, also known as being “skyclad,”⁴ citing seventeenth-century woodcuts and classical works, such as Ovid’s Fasti, as proof. He also validates the threefold nature of the goddess of witches, who is mentioned in classical sources like Lucan’s Pharsalia and Ovid’s Metamorphoses, as well as in “the ancient concept of the Three Fates,” in which “we see the classic Maiden, Mother, and Crone vision.”⁵

One of the greatest strengths of this book is that Grimassi helps readers see the Mystery Tradition from the perspective of our prehistoric ancestors. For example, he suggests that the ancient belief in an afterlife may have stemmed from the observation that sleeping people resemble the dead and visit the spirit realm in dreams. He also notes that “the Sun and Moon appeared to arise from beneath the ground and return each day or night,”⁶ suggesting the presence of an Underworld beneath the earth.

“It is the work of a Witch, as a practitioner of Earth Religion, to be a steward of nature,”⁷ Grimassi says.

Witches align with nature through the seasonal rites of the Sabbats, which Grimassi explores in detail. He explains how the waxing and waning halves of the years are personified by the Holly King and Oak King, whose animal forms are the stag and the wolf, and he analyzes the symbolism associated with the myths and legends of each Sabbat.

“The Mystery Teachings are designed to bring humankind back to its original relationship with nature,”⁸ Grimassi says. By studying these teachings, he believes we can reactivate dormant ancestral knowledge, which he refers to as “memory-chain associations.”⁹ Memory-chain associations are energetic currents that Grimassi likens to quantum threads in a spider’s web of non-linear time, weaving together the simultaneously existing past, present, and future.

By aligning with a “core concept” that is received upon initiation into the Mysteries, “one can interface with the memory-chain associations.”¹⁰ Once the memory-chain has been activated, the initiate can draw from the Underworld cauldron of ancestral memory hidden within the labyrinthine tangle of roots beneath the Tree of Knowledge. The wisdom that lies therein is meant to be shared, for the enlightenment of humanity, and “the cauldron will not offer its essence to those who serve only themselves.”¹¹

I believe Grimassi wrote this book in such a way that it activates those memory chains in the reader, stimulating initiatory insights, and this book is such a wellspring of information that it would take multiple readings to fully integrate what it has to offer. By shifting my mindset to the primal perspective of this work, I had a profound epiphany that deepened my understanding of the Horned God and my personal relationship with him.

I took the holy sacrament of psilocybin cubensis for the first time while reading Chapter Three, “The God of the Witches,” and it was a truly initiatory experience. Although Grimassi does not mention the use of psychedelic sacraments in this book, I felt guided to do so by my guardian spirits because the mushroom, with its phallic shape and ecstatic properties, is a sacred plant medicine of the Horned God. It was a fortuitous synchronicity that I received the sacrament from a church the day after I started reading this book. I was also given signs to take it by the presence of two large mushroom fairy rings at the local park.

After waiting several hours for something to happen, I was disappointed because I thought the sacrament wasn’t working. I gave up and watched an episode of the X-Files, in which Agent Scully was kidnapped and almost lobotomized by a serial killer who wanted to trepan out her demons. Before Mulder rescued her, I had an intense craving for Doritos. That’s when the magic mushrooms finally started to kick in.

I heard a spirit voice tell me that I was protected and it was safe for me to let my guard down and surrender to the experience. She told me I have a very strong mind, like barbed wire, and it took a long time for me to feel the effects of the sacrament because of my psychic barriers. I realized she was right. I was curious to see what would happen, but I was also afraid of being mind-raped by the mushroom, so I had a lot of subconscious resistance. Up until that point, I had been worried that I wasn’t feeling anything because I didn’t take enough, but she told me that the Universe had provided me with the exact dosage that was right for me to consume at that time. Left to my own devices, I could easily have overdosed and become Madame Psychosis. My guardian spirits know me all too well.

At the peak of my trip, Dionysos appeared to me in the form of a serpent crawling along the tiles of my floor. The serpent told me he knows me better than I know myself, and gave me a lot of insight into my own behavior. He revealed to me that he is like a chameleon, and if I try too hard to see him, I won’t find him at all. “Surprise!” he said. I am the Mushroom King. He was very playful and teased me for overlooking him when he’s all around me, giving me obvious signs of his presence.

On the eve of Lughnassadh, a few days prior to me consuming the sacrament, a catalpa tree fell in the backyard during a thunderstorm. Thankfully, no one was injured and there was minimal damage, but it was a really startling encroachment of nature. A forked stang was gifted to me from that fallen tree, and I learned from an internet search that catalpa wood encourages creative self-expression, embracing one’s uniqueness, and facilitates communication with spirits, including angels, fairies, and ancestors.

The garden has also been strangely wild and overgrown with monstrous weeds this summer, despite all my diligent efforts to tame them. The corn was mysteriously knocked over by some unseen force, which was a frustrating disappointment, but the berry bushes have been thriving. All of this excessive weedy vegetation has been the Horned God’s way of trying to get my attention. He confirmed that I am a maenad by giving me a vision of myself with green skin and wearing a flower crown, which aligned with me being born in May and the emerald being my birthstone. I reveled in this Dionysian ecstasy without worrying about whether or not these insights were real or a form of spiritual psychosis, and once it was over, I felt heightened creativity and wrote down everything I could remember and transformed my experience into a poem.

Dionysos taking the form of a serpent in my vision was significant because Grimassi writes that, according to Plutarch, during the waning half of the year, “Dionysos is lord of Delphi,”¹² while Apollo reigns during the waxing year. He likens Apollo and Dionysos to the Oak and Holly Kings of the waxing and waning and waning year who annually battle for regency. After re-reading this passage, I realized I had seen Dionysos in the form of the sacred python of the Delphic Oracle. This information was important for me to integrate because I’ve been wanting to incorporate Apollo into my practice as a complement to Dionysos, and seeing him as the king of the waxing year adds more depth to how I perceive his relationship with the Dionysian shadow.

I now see Apollo as the rational conscious mind, the Luciferian prince of dawn who wakes us in the morning and helps us remember and interpret the dreams and visions gifted to us in the Dionysian underworld of the subconscious mind. Light-bringing Apollo helps us make sense of it all and gives our visions deeper meaning by translating them into poetry, music, and other art forms. Apollo, the embodiment of reason, bestows the gift of discernment, enabling the mind to parse out delusions and fantasies from genuine prophecies and mystical experiences.

According to Grimassi, when the conscious mind attempts to digest illogical dream symbolism, “it discards what cannot be understood and retains what can be deciphered through logic and rational reasoning.”¹³ “The discarded information falls back into the subconscious mind where it later reappears in another dream state,”¹⁴ Grimassi says. This subconscious stew of dreams is symbolized in mythology as a magical cauldron, and as I read Grimassi’s words, I had a sudden epiphany that these dream fragments are reflected in the myth of the dismemberment of Dionysos, who was cooked in a cauldron and eaten by the Titans.

“The mystical theme of consuming is at the core of the Mystery Teaching associated with the Sacred King or Slain God,” Grimassi says. “The seed must go into the earth and the God must go into the soul. In essence, burial takes place in the soil and the stomach.”¹⁵ Grimassi also points out that the hearth was seen “as an entrance to the Underworld.”¹⁶ “The cauldron,” he says, “is not only a cooking pot but also a womb symbol from which metaphorical children are born.”¹⁷

Taking the sacrament while reading this chapter gave me a whole new perspective of the Horned God’s manifestation as the sacred serpent. The correlation between the Horned God and digestion got me thinking about how the human digestive tract is just one long snake.

“The serpent is a very old symbol of the forces of the Underworld and of transformation itself,”¹⁸ Grimassi says.

Part of the Biblical serpent’s wisdom must have been instinctual discernment of what is safe and not safe to eat. Practicing Grimassi’s prehistoric way of thinking, I imagined the process of trial and error for hunters and gatherers learning which plants were safe for consumption and which ones were poisonous. To consume the sacrament is to metabolize plant wisdom. Perhaps being cursed to crawl on one’s belly metaphorically means that the will to survive is driven by the pangs of hunger. In order to stay alive, we are slaves to the dietary needs of our bodies.

Perhaps this is why so many Christian ascetics used fasting as a method of resisting the Devil. I have come to the conclusion that the Tree of Knowledge is the human body, and the serpent is the digestive system. The serpent rules the literal bowels of the Underworld, the digestive system that alchemizes food into energy. By honoring the wisdom of the serpent, we treat all food as sacred and become more mindful of what we consume.

Witchcraft: A Mystery Tradition has blessed me with initiatory revelations and I can’t praise this book enough. I came to this work seeking to know the God of Witches better, but of course, Grimassi devotes the same amount of attention to the Triple Goddess. In the past, my practice has been primarily goddess-centric, so this book initiated me into an aspect of the Horned God’s mysteries because that’s what I needed most for my personal spiritual journey. I have no doubt that multiple readings will take me in new directions, and every reader’s initiatory experience will be different, depending on where they are on their spiritual path.

Rachel McConnell

Rachel Christina McConnell is a witch, tarot reader, intuitive astrologer, and writing spider. She holds an MFA in Fiction from Columbia University in the City of New York. Her short stories have appeared in Dark Moon Lilith Press and Minerva Rising Press’s The Keeping Room. Links to her publications are available here: https://rachelchristinamcconnell.wordpress.com

Seasons of the Witch: Imbolc Oracle, by Lorraine Anderson and Juliet Diaz

Seasons of the Witch: Imbolc Oracle, by Lorraine Anderson and Juliet Diaz
Rockpool Publishing, 1922579785, 112 pages, 44 cards, November 2023

In the darkness of winter, Imbolc is a time of fresh starts, hope, and renewal, as we begin to see signs of the spring returning. While others rush to make their new year’s resolution in January, I’ve always known the potent magic in waiting until Imbolc to start crafting my intentions. And this year I’m really excited to have Seasons of the Witch: Imbolc Oracle by Lorraine Anderson and Juliet Diaz to turn to for guidance as I map out my intentions for the upcoming months.

The Seasons of the Witch oracle series has already moved through Yule, Samhain, and Mabon, and with this deck Anderson and Diaz turn their focus to encapsulating the energy of Imbolc into the next deck in the series. Anderson and Diaz describe how they find Imbolc “to be the most suited for solitary work, a time when you turn inward and focus on your hopes and dreams.”¹

“Each card was brought to light with the hope that it would stimulate self-awareness rather than focusing on other people.”²

To better acquaint myself with the deck, I decided to flip through the guidebook before delving into a reading. Following the author’s introductions, there is a list of themes and areas of focus for Imbolc, an overview of how to use the cards, and card spreads. I really liked the authors’ idea of pulling a monthly guiding-light card, photocopying it, and placing it in areas you’ll see throughout the day to remind you of the energy. Anderson and Diaz also describe how after reader feedback from other decks, they decided to shift from invocations to mini messages that give a glimpse of the card’s meaning.

The cards themselves have a calm, tranquil energy. I instantly feel at ease when I’m holding the deck. They shimmer with their navy-blue gilded edges, and the image on the back of the moon with candles surrounding it brings a soft, gentle illumination. The cards’ imagery remind me of the concept of hygge, bringing warming feelings of contentment or well-being. Some card names are Cinnamon Rolls, Casserole, Greenhouse, Amethyst, Snowflakes, Groundhog, Dawn, and Aquarius.

The coloring is a perfect mixture of healing darkness with soft light, reminding readers of the bliss that comes in the quiet stillness of the deep winter, but also honoring the winter blues. In the mix there are plenty of cards that invite the reader to delve into their grief and longing and create a sacred space for healing and transformation to occur. It is only through having the courage to face the dark that we can find the light within again; with this deck, we are safely held to explore our inner realms and wash away the old to pave way for the new.

My first time using this deck I did a one-card pull and got Arts and Crafts. It instantly felt very aligned, as I have been longing to create space in my schedule to do some crafting projects. Recently, I’ve been longing to create a winter vision board, bake and build a gingerbread house, and make my own witch’s ball and/or spell jar. The card felt like an intuitive nudge to follow this whim.

Then reading the message for Arts and Crafts hit home even more. It reads:

“The Arts and Crafts card comes to you when you are trying to manifest your vision using other people’s means and methods instead of creating something for yourself. . . Don’t cut yourself short thinking you don’t have the skill to bring your ideas and visions to life, because skills can be learned and mastered.”³

Recently, I have been relying on other people, hoping their dreams pan out and I fit in somewhere, rather than pursuing my own visions. This card was a gentle reminder of my creativity, from the daily crafts I will start to build to the greater vision of my life that I am now feeling ready to begin tending again.

My next time using this deck was to gain insight into how I could heal an important relationship in my life. I chose the Rosemary bread spread (yum, right?) that the authors warn “is not for the faint of heart”⁴ as it will reveal honestly if the relationship is better mended or if it has reached its natural conclusion and it’s time to part ways. The positioning of four main cards gives insight into whether or not the relationship should continue, and the cards five-a and five-b are to be read depending on if the answer is “yes” to mend the relationship or “no” to heal and move on.

When I read the first four cards in the spread, I was honestly shocked by the accuracy. It was as though the deck tapped into the situation perfectly and laid before me the truth that I had been unintentionally shielding myself from. The essence of the message was that my partner and I were not in alignment with our higher purpose; I am being non-committal, while he is lacking focus. The fourth card, Peppermint, revealed it was time for a clearing of toxic patterns. (Sidenote: It was interesting that Peppermint came up for me too because it’s an herb I’ve been feeling really called to work with recently!)

From the spread, I determined the message was to mend, and so I read the follow-up card that pretty much pointed to us needing to do some shadow work to overcome these recurring issues. Sharing this information with my partner led to a much-needed discussion about our future, and afterwards we felt more connected than we had in a while. I definitely felt the author’s intention for this deck to help readers focusing on their own inner work rather than other people’s expectations of you helped to restore balance in my relationship.

So far, I think this is my favorite Season of the Witch deck yet. Just like the others, it perfectly captures the essence of the sabbat. But I think Imbolc is often overlooked, as it has a quiet energy compared to some of the other more bold sabbats, such as Samhain and Yule. These cards are a perfect way to attune yourself to the gentle unfolding of Imbolc during the winter. Though, I feel there’s plenty of insight to gain from using them as one feels called throughout the year as well.

Overall, I highly recommend Seasons of the Witch: Imbolc Oracle. Anderson and Diaz are doing a wonderful job of distilling the essence of the sabbats into these decks. The cards for Imbolc perfectly capture the energy of this season; they are warm and cozy with unexpected depth. This deck will help you to delve into the hidden emotions to reconnect with yourself and determine what’s of true value in your life and worth pursuing as a new beginning.

Alanna Kali

www.travelingtarotxo.com

Alive with Spirits, by Althaea Sebastiani

Alive with Spirits: The Path and Practice of Animistic Witchcraft, by Althaea Sebastiani
Weiser Books, 1578638259, 240 pages, May 2024

Many pursue the path of witchcraft hoping to influence the world around them, yet it’s important to also honor the energy exchanges consistently taking place and defining our relationships with the world we inhabit. How else can we manifest our desires, heal our wounds, and cultivate a practice without a connection to the Land, spirits, and energetics surrounding us?

Alive with Spirits: The Path and Practice of Animistic Witchcraft by Althaea Sebastiani is a profound exploration into the world of animistic witchcraft, offering readers a comprehensive guide to understanding and practicing this ancient spiritual path from the scope of modern witchcraft.

“Within the context of contemporary witchcraft, animism is the definitive influence behind a land-based approach. It provides structure for practice that is rooted in deep relationship with physicality, both of the land and of ourselves. It affords us a sense of connection to something larger than ourselves that is gained through understanding of community that includes the individual spirits as much as it includes other humans.”¹

The most prominent standout feature of this book is its emphasis on direct experience and personal connection with the natural world. Sebastiani encourages readers to cultivate relationships with the spirits of the land, animals, and plants around them, fostering a sense of reverence and intimacy with the environment.

This approach to witchcraft is refreshing in a world often disconnected from nature, and it serves as a reminder of the sacredness in everyday life. The practical exercises provided are thoughtful and varied, allowing readers to experiment and find what resonates most with their unique spiritual journey. For every chapter, there are new exercises related to the information just shared, along with on-going exercises to keep practicing what was already spoken about previously in the book, yielding a steady build up of skills.

Most of these exercises are focused on energy work, and readers who engage with Sebastiani’s exercises will find themselves learning to fine-tune their psychic sensitivities. There’s layers and layers of energy to be explored through this animistic approach, and she ensures that readers are grounded, knowledgeable, and prepared to take the next step in their journey.

Towards the beginning of the book, Sebastiani explains, “As witches, our work with energy takes two forms: sensing energy and manipulating energy.”² She goes on to explain the general forms of manipulating energy are pushing (projecting), pulling (attracting), and holding (containing).³ This foundation understanding of energy is then expanded to assist readers in connecting with the Land, their body, and other living and non-living beings.

My greatest takeaway from this book was the new awareness of the more subtle, overlooked energies both within myself and in the Land surrounding me. The section titled “Layered: Together and One” was particularly eye-opening for me. Sebastiani describes:

“When we think of the land and nature, we have a tendency to think of the things that fill nature. We think of plants, trees, animals. Rarely do we consider the “empty spaces”–the dirt, the rocks, the wind–except in relation to those other living, animated things. . .Being able to be within a location and to hold the awareness of it as unique–appreciating the differences that are an intrinsic part of its beauty, personality, identity, and basic nature–is essential in order to grow your awareness of the spiritual qualities of that place.”⁴

These animistic teachings have greatly expanded my perception of place, and recently, I’ve been focusing on creating a connection with the empty space in the same way I do with the living things around me to be more rooted in my local landscape.

Another defining aspect of Alive with Spirits is how Sebastiani delves into the ethical considerations of animistic witchcraft, addressing the importance of respect, consent, and reciprocity in interactions with the spirit world. Her insights into the interconnectedness of all beings and the responsibility that comes with spiritual work are particularly poignant, offering a grounded and conscientious perspective. She writes:

“If a relationship is the inherent connection that exists between us and all other beings within the world, right relationship is the actions we take that are congruent with the awareness of that relationship and the awareness of inarguable autonomy of each being. It is acting in such a way so as to minimize negative impact upon the beings closest to us, and to encourage and work towards mutual benefit for all, as much as is possible.”⁵

Overall, in Alive with Spirit, Sebastiani skillfully intertwines personal anecdotes, practical exercises, and theoretical knowledge, creating a holistic approach to animism that is both engaging and educational. Her writing is both accessible and deeply insightful, making complex concepts digestible for both beginners and seasoned practitioners alike.

This book is a valuable resource for anyone interested in deepening their understanding of animism and integrating its practices into their magical practice. This book is also testament to Sebastiani’s expertise and passion for the subject, making it a must-read for those drawn to the path of animistic witchcraft.

For those interested in learning more about Sebastiani’s work, you can follow her on Instagram or check out her website. She offers community events and custom courses to strengthen one’s witchcraft foundation, such as Feral Witchcraft, Spiritual Self-Care, A Witch’s Guide to Necromancy, and more. She’s by far one of the most real-deal witches I follow!

Alanna Kali

www.travelingtarotxo.com

Energy Magick, by Mark NeCamp Jr.

Energy Magick: A Basic and Advanced Guide for Witches & Pagans, by Mark NeCamp Jr.
Moon Books, 978- 1803414546, 264 pages, April 2024

“Energy magick is a way of practicing magick without physical tools by directly manipulating the energy that connects all things, and it is the basis for reality. The aim of this book is to work directly with the sources of magickal and psychic energy with our hands, minds, and will to affect reality directly.”¹

Energy Magick: A Basic and Advanced Guide for Witches & Pagans, by Mark NeCamp Jr. is a book that lives up to its title of being both a primer for the novice as well as having enough meat for the more advanced practitioner. It is also specific to witches and pagan semantics and fundamental uses without having to interpret and adapt the more traditional uses in an Eastern practice. The book is organized into three parts and thirteen chapters, plus a “Final Note” and who’s who in the bibliography.

The introduction gives an overview of sourcing used for the contents and the fusion and adapting of Western, New Age, Tibetan, and Mexican Folk Sorcery to name a few. Additionally, NeCamp advises the reader that the only tool of use for these practices is you. The intention is one of the reader recognizing the innate magickal power contained within self. Description of the contents of the organizational style used and a note to the reader of the way in which NeCamp is hoping to connect with readers, making the book feel more like a conversation than lecture.

“Part 1 – Chapter 1: Basic Energy Work” is replete with the core practices that every magickal worker should be familiar with or have mastered. These begin appropriately with grounding, centering, and cycling practices. Each topic has a specific exercise related to its mastery and a variety of cross references and connecting pieces to make it usable at first try. I especially enjoyed the pages in this chapter about cycling your energy:

“Most writings on centering and rounding end there and only refer to the relationship between the practitioner and the Earth. My training in energy healing has taught me that cycling your personal energy is just as important…. When we cycle energy, we are merely paying attention to the dynamic process that is happening all the time. The only difference is that we do it consciously.²

“Chapter 2: Aura and Energetic Bodies” takes the reader through the “tools” of the energetic self that support energetic workings. This chapter gives a thorough overview of the energetic anatomy, common connections, and uses and the traditional as well as hermetic assignments of chakras, subtle bodies, and more. “Chapter 3: Fundamentals of Energy Work” incorporate the basics of the five alchemical elements and their relationship to energy magick. A nice addition to this chapter was an explanation of the four stages of alchemy and their application to manipulating and creating from your energetic magick.

“Chapter 4: Meditation and Trance States” reminds the reader that control over one’s self begins with a calm and well-disciplined space of mind and capacity to focus and pay attention. The contemplative nature of energy work is easily grasped as the reader progresses through exercises of breath, hand positions (mudras) and more. This awakening of a new point of focus flows nicely into the work of “Chapters 5: Sigils” and “Chapter 6: Sacred and Ceremonial Space”. Each of these chapters draws the reader into a space of the visual and its impact as we create sacred symbols and do the work of celebrating our magick. Exercises to practice Banishment by Word or Tone (#41), Energetic Waste Disposal (#44), and energetically Creating the Zodiac Wheel (#46) provide the reader with active tools of self-creation to bolster and enhance the potency of the desired energetic outcome.

“Part 2- Chapter 7: Advanced Energy Healing” provides the reader with lots of food for thought around the practice of energy healing, the ethics of energy work, and the amount of self-knowledge and expertise is required.

“I view energy healing very seriously. Manipulating your own energy is one thing but working with someone else’s energy is a different matter. I think the best metaphor for energy work on another person is to think of it like going into an operating room. Everything needs to be sterile energetically-everything from the space you are in, to your personal energy, to the energy of any tools you may use.”³

I appreciated that NeCamp begins with this admonition that serves as a reminder that although the energy work may be well-intended, care, caution, and ethics are foremost in the equation of energy healing. He offers examples of the steps/protocols he engages to prepare his personal energy and the why’s behind:

“1. Meditation
2. Purification
3. Condense aura
4. Put on an energetic suit of armor to protect”⁴

All sound and necessary strategies and none of which should be skipped. Several energetic healing modalities are addressed in this chapter including chakra healing, sound healing, psychic surgery, distance healing, boosting the energetic immune system, and physical healing.

“Chapters 8: Cord Cutting” and “Chapter 9: Advanced Protection Magick” expand on the foundations of energy healing and offer the specifics of some of the more challenging forms of energetic dis-ease. This emphasizes the need for regular maintenance of self and energetic streams and what can encroach upon them and cause damage throughout the subtle as well as physical bodies. “Chapter 9: Advanced Protection Magick” builds on previous practices offered in creating shields and expands the basics to more complex constructs of shielding practice. Advanced warding constructs, portals, banishings, and thoughtforms are woven into the pages of training, their uses, and the how-to.

I particularly enjoyed “Chapter 10: Trance Journeying”. This section was filled with practical ways to move beyond meditation/contemplation and arrive in a more active state of engagement of time, place, and intention. A discussion of consciousness and its development and the application of awareness of where the journeying is intended to have a destination serves as fertile ground for experimentation and exploration.

“One should have a purpose to their journeying, even if that purpose is exploration.”⁵

A caveat being the reminder given that even if journeying for the purpose of exploring, safety measures should be set in place such as purification and protection, and having set in place a “map”, which NeCamp describes as “a means to travel and a purpose”⁶. Exercise #71 is focused on finding “guides” to aid as protectors as you journey and perhaps open doorways that you would not otherwise have access to. Having been appropriately prepared, the remainder of this chapter offers exercises and explanation of journeying to the underworld, the astral realm, using the root chakra as destination and an interesting end practice of shape shifting.

“Chapters 11: Evocation and Invocation” and “Chapter 12: Spellwork and Ritual” bring all that has been considered previously into practical application and enhancements that may be used to deepen the energetic experience. Methods of attracting and bringing the energetic signatures of Deity and other magickal forms are suggested as well as the purposes and uses of each. Differentiation between how much of that Deity may be called or embodies are shown in examples, along with the energetic requirements of the individual serving as a conduit. Then NeCamp breaks down how power-filled spellwork can become when infused with the equation of energetic magick that is applied and directed appropriately and effectively. Additionally, the Anatomy of a Ritual drives home the need for intention and planning as well as skill and adeptness in energetic flow.

NeCamp integrates everything provided from the basics to the more advanced uses in “Part III: The Energy Magick Grimoire”. Although it may seem to occupy only a small portion of the book, readers will take from it the degree of understanding that has been carefully tried and tested that is only accomplished in the disciplined approach of allowing new (or old) information to settle in with an approach of patience. This may not have been the intent of NeCamp, but I feel it is a key take-away from this title, and something that is often overlooked in our “hurry to get there” approach to the study of magick.

These pages are filled with ways to use your new found skills. Healing, love, self-empowerment, shadow work, and spiritual evolution are just a few of the topics with accompanying exercises and magickal workings to employ. Each of these draw from some specific component within the book–sigils, cord cutting, warding, and more–and in many cases represent a layered approach since no action/energy is enacted alone.

Would I Recommend?

Energy Magick: A Basic and Advanced Guide for Witches & Pagans is a timely read in providing information that is relevant to every magickal practitioner as we expose ourselves more and more to the chaos of the world. Relying on our innate tools to manage our energetic state of being as well as being able to effectively harness and direct that flow towards the desired goal, is paramount to maintaining healthy boundaries, protection and awareness of our impact on our surroundings, and its impact on us. To this end, there are several very user-friendly styles employed throughout the book. One of these is a summary header for each chapter and its contents. This is a very nice touch in organizing the flow and mental patterns created in doing energy work. Additionally there are 81+ exercises and multiple suggestions of experimentation throughout the chapters, allowing for an active participation in the teachings and opportunities to experience firsthand.

Although the tendency for those readers more familiar with the basics of energy may be to skip ahead to “Part 2: Advanced Energy Work”, I would advise not to. Going back to and strengthening your foundational knowledge is never wasted. Moreover, what often comes to light is that you may not know everything there is to know, or your general understanding of that topic has evolved and changed in scope. I heeded this wisdom long ago, when as a professional ballet dancer, I was eager to go to the more basic classes and refine what I was already adept at. This paid off so that when I stepped onto the stage, heard the first notes of music, and took a breath, movement, energy, and time flowed into one seamless expression of what those notes were expressing. I will be keeping this on my bookshelf as both a resource and reminder that we have all that we need to work powerful magick and change the course of our evolution.

About the Author: Mark NeCamp, Jr.

Mark NeCamp, Jr. is a tarot reader, healer, writer, teacher, spiritual alchemist, modern day practitioner, and forever student of the Art. He teaches classes using magic as a tool for personal growth. He is passionate about how, through the alchemical process, we can turn our spiritual lead into gold as individuals and as a global tribe. He has led many community groups in the Midwest and taught at major Pagan events and festivals around the US and Canada. He lives in Muskegon, MI. Soul School, an online educational community offering classes in personal empowerment, ancestral connection, self-initiation, and ritual practice.

Robin Fennelly

Robin Fennelly is an Elder within the Assembly of the Sacred Wheel Tradition [www.sacredwheel.org]. She is a dancer, teacher, astrologer, author, ritualist and seeker of all things of a spiritual nature. Her writings and classes incorporate a deep understanding of Eastern practice and Western Hermetics and bring a unique perspective towards integration and synthesis of the Divine and Mundane natures of our being. She is a mother of five and lives in Eastern PA with her husband of 45+ years.

www.robinfennelly.com/

Glamour Witch, by Sophie Saint Thomas

Glamour Witch: Conjuring Style & Grace to Get What You Want, by Sophie Saint Thomas
Weiser Books, 978-1-57863-775-1, 210 pages, January 2023

Self-expression through personal style and appearance has the power to make or break a situation. Think of the feeling behind a new haircut or an outfit that looks and feels amazing (and may have pockets!). When we allow ourselves to express who we are, things seem to flow easier and it’s almost as if being in alignment with our spirit opens doors. Weird how that happens.

Sophie Saint Thomas’s book Glamour Witch: Conjuring Style & Grace to Get What You Want, is an exploration into the world of glamour magic and how it can be used on a daily basis to help ease the stress of everyday life. Does that mean there will never again be a bad hair day? No such promises are made; however, it appears there could be fewer of them ahead if Saint Thomas has anything to say about it!

Based in New York City, Saint Thomas is a journalist and author originally from the U.S. Virgin Islands. She is published in a variety of magazines with a focus on sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll as well as the occult and other subcultures. Author of numerous books in the realm of spirituality with a lean towards self-help, she consistently weaves accessibility throughout her work no matter the topic. Her writing is approachable, and I enjoy reading her books as they impart useful information and provoke thoughts around my personal beliefs.

Separated into two distinct sections, “Glamour 101” and “Glamour Grimoire”, the book covers a lot of expected topics plus a few interesting additions. The opening section tells the story of beauty, which some might find off-putting if they picked up the book under different expectations. I am a firm believer in learning the rules before breaking them, so seeing this information contained in one comprehensive section was delightful. It’s also interesting that the author calls out practices that some of us are already doing and calling it glamour magic. She explains, “…you’ll realize that you’re likely already practicing glamour magick, such as taking a lavender-infused bath to unwind.”¹

One thing I love about this book is the inclusivity. Nowhere does the author criticize any specific style, no matter how outrageous. Being seen in an industry that catered to a select few for so long is such a gift and Saint Thomas goes out of her way to include examples of beauty trailblazers of all shapes, sizes, and sexual orientations. About damn time, I think.

The purpose of this book, from what I can see through my own absorption of it, is to provide a foundation of understanding of beauty as it relates through time in order to help the reader decide how to move forward with their own definitions and personal style. I like that so much of the book is this foundational section, as there is so much to learn from previous eras.

Something I found incredibly interesting is the idea that a vanity is an altar. I’ve found that on days when I’m not feeling my best, a quick swipe of mascara and some lip gloss can make me feel better and help me face the world. Saint Thomas expands on this idea, saying:

“As we move through this book, I want you to start thinking of your body as an altar – a beautiful living altar to Venus, the goddess of love, beauty, and abundance. Your shoes, the way you walk, your posture – it can all become a dance of intimidating beauty.”²

Tying color theory and astrology together is intriguing, and completely different from the color matching done in previous eras that was all the rage! This is a more deliberate look at color and how best to use it in a variety of ways depending on the desired outcome. Chapters on clothing, jewelry, perfume, and others give the reader a strong base from which to begin to build their living altar: themselves.

The spells in the grimoire section are easy to follow and produce results. One thing I will say here is that the spell ‘Sacred Pain with Piercing’ was effective and helped me make the appointment to get my septum pierced. I’d wanted it done forever and hadn’t because I thought it would hurt too much and that it could interfere with my corporate life; also, what would people say? I took a deep breath, followed the steps, then made the appointment and got it done. I have never felt more myself: I look amazing and now am planning the next poke.

If you are looking for a quick fix to jumpstart your beauty routine, Glamour Witch might not give you what you want. If you are more interested in curating an experience for yourself each time you get ready to face the world, grab this book. There is a lot of information packed into it and although some topics might not resonate with you, there is enough here that undoubtedly will.

Sarrah October Young

Sarrah October Young is a writer and practising witch who wished she could do stand-up comedy. When she isn’t writing or witching, she can be found posting about her cats on IG @therealoctober.

Runes for the Green Witch, by Nicolette Miele

Runes for the Green Witch: An Herbal Grimoire, by Nicolette Miele
Destiny Books, 1644118661, 288 pages, January 2024

Runes embody the cosmic forces that created the universe and their mystical vibrations permeate all of nature. The word rune, derived from the Gothic runa, means “mystery,”¹ and in Nicolette Miele’s debut book Runes for the Green Witch: An Herbal Grimoire, the twenty-four Elder Futhark runes become energetic keys that unlock the secrets of herbal medicine and magic.

Miele is a rune worker and herbalist based in Pennsylvania, and she is also the proprietor of Handfuls of Dust Apothecary. In her online shop, she offers rune readings and handmade products, such as rune sets and ritual oils. Her line of Rune Wisdom ritual fragrance oils supplements this book well, as each blend is infused with runic energy and corresponding crystals and herbs.

“Through runes and plants, which complement each other beautifully, we will honor the wild spirit that resides in each and every one of us,” Miele writes.²

Just as the title suggests, Runes for the Green Witch combines runic mysticism with herbal witchcraft. Like most runic reference books, this work is separated into three parts, dedicated to each Aett, or group of eight runes. There are twenty-four chapters, one for each Elder Futhark rune.

Each chapter begins with an introduction to the individual rune, giving its historical and divinatory context, as well as some of the author’s personal insights into its magical uses, followed by a list of herbal correspondences for the rune, along with their magical and medicinal applications. Miele also provides lists of additional correspondences, including tarot cards, zodiac signs, planets, moon phases, crystals, chakras, and cross-cultural deities that she associates with the runes on an archetypal level.

While I like the idea of having a long list of magical correspondences for each rune, many of the author’s miscellaneous associations did not resonate with me. For example, Miele identifies the zodiac sign of Aries with Uruz, the mighty aurochs, and I feel that Taurus the Bull would be a better fit. I also found the Queen of Swords, traditionally the widow or divorcée in tarot, to be a strange association for Berkana, the mother rune, while the Empress made perfect sense.

The deity associations felt tenuous to me as well. I see gods from different pantheons that share similar characteristics as being part of the same archetypal current, but being unique personalities in their own right, so I am hesitant to conflate them unless there is historical precedence for doing so. In my personal practice, I prefer to just let the runes be runes, whose verdant powers are nourished by the rich soil of their native Norse mythology, without imposing foreign spiritual systems on them or conflating them with tarot, astrology, or chakras. However, I think these correspondences might be useful to someone new to rune work who finds cross-cultural comparisons helpful.

In keeping with the title of this book, the plant correspondences are where Miele’s runic wisdom and wise woman herbalism truly shines. “The subtle communication between humans and plants relies on primal intuition—something many humans today have to work harder to access,” ³ Miele says. She recommends building intimate relationships with individual plant spirits by consuming their essences in teas, soaking in bath water infusions, or burning them as incense, and keeping a journal of the emotional and psychic impressions received. Ansuz, the rune of communication, can help us learn to listen with our hearts to the subtle voices of plants.

Reading this book encouraged me to incorporate runes into my tea-drinking rituals. Miele associates raspberry leaf with Perthro, the rune of the womb, which reminded me of when I found out I was pregnant with my first child. I drank raspberry leaf tea sweetened with honey to strengthen my womb. Perthro is a rune of mystery and initiation, and giving birth for the first time was an intense rite of passage and an initiation into the mysteries of the mother goddess.

Miele praises raspberry leaf as a nurturing and protective plant ally for women and children. “This lunar herb exudes compassion and seeks to comfort those who are working through traumas, especially traumas from childhood,”⁴ Miele says.

Inspired by Miele’s insights, I decided to include both raspberry leaf and the rune Perthro in the ritual honoring my most sacred time of the month. I drank raspberry leaf tea as a tonic to relieve menstrual cramps and infused the brew with the spirit of Perthro. With my index finger, I traced the Perthro rune in the air over my steaming cup of raspberry leaf tea and intoned the name of the rune, then imbibed the gentle, soothing potion.

Rewilding is a common thread that runs throughout Runes for the Green Witch, which Miele defines as “the restoration of land to its natural state.”⁵] The rune Uruz embodies this concept the most, as it is a rune of instinctual urges and primal energy. Uruz represents the aurochs, a species of wild cattle that was hunted into extinction, and the last aurochs bull died in 1621.

So how can rune workers rewild themselves with the atavistic energy of Uruz? On a psychological level, human rewilding involves unraveling our societal conditioning and reconnecting with the nakedness of our authentic selves. As Miele says, Uruz “takes us back to factory settings.”⁶ By meditating on Uruz, taking breaks from technology, and spending more time in nature, we can foster a deeper connection with the green realm and reconnect with our primal instincts. Uruz is also a rune of physical strength and healing, and Miele associates it with medicinal herbs like eucalyptus and echinacea, which support the immune system.

After reading Miele’s chapter on Uruz, I felt guided by this runic spirit to do more research online, and I was astounded to come across an article stating that scientists are working to resurrect the extinct aurochs through rewilding! Since some European cattle breeds are descended from aurochs that were domesticated in ancient times, their genetic coding has survived, and can theoretically be reactivated through back-breeding. By resurrecting the aurochs and other extinct species through rewilding, scientists might be able to restore some of the biodiversity lost through the irresponsible hunting practices that have compromised earth’s precious ecosystems. Rewilding is also less risky than attempting to clone extinct animals, since it involves selective breeding of living populations.

My practice is very animistic, and I love that Miele treats the runes as living spirits to whom offerings should be made. “Offerings are immensely important within magickal practice as it shows we’re not just in it for the taking,”⁷ Miele writes. I wholeheartedly agree with this statement, and I noticed that my connection to the spirit world was enhanced when I committed to a consistent practice of providing offerings on a regular basis. In a shadow work ritual involving the torch rune Kenaz, Miele advises the reader to light a candle as an offering, then “call out to the spirit of Kenaz and request its guidance and protection while you journey to the abandoned depths of your soul.”⁸

Prompted by Miele’s advice regarding offerings, I decided to make offerings to runic spirits when I drew daily runes. The second day of reading this book, I drew Othala reversed, or murkstave, as my daily rune. Reversed, Othala represents “displacement, lack of security, loss of possessions, enduring family trauma, family conflict, or homelessness.”⁹ Estrangement, poverty, alcoholism, and domestic violence have been manifestations of a generational curse that I have experienced, and I asked the spirit of Othala to help me heal my ancestral trauma.

As I lit a candle and made an offering of milk and incense, I felt compelled to sing the rune’s name, which reminded me of the magical Norse practice of galdr, a shamanic form of cantillation. While I meditated on the rune, I felt that the spirit of Othala was telling me not to dwell too much on what has been lost. Instead of concentrating my energy on a legacy of generational trauma, she told me to shift my attention to focusing on breaking ties with that cursed inheritance and creating my own legacy. She asked me, What do you want your legacy to be?

During this meditative conversation, I realized that the spirit of Othala felt distinctly feminine to me. Then I remembered that I was working with an Anglo-Saxon rune set and Othala’s Old English name is Ethel. It dawned on me that Othala is a female spirit named Ethel, which means “ancestral land” and “noble” in Old English. I imagined her to be a noble ancestral spirit, or a faery queen. This may have been a flight of fancy, but I like envisioning Othala as a faery queen named Ethel, and I think I’m going to work with her under that name from now on.

Today, Ethel is a feminine name, but in Old English, it was used as a prefix for both male and female names to indicate noble birth.¹⁰] As a spirit of noble ancestry, I felt that she was communicating to me that ancestry transcends bloodline. The earth is our mother, and we are all related. The seemingly isolated family problems we experience are actually human problems that concern a lot of people in the collective. I feel this rune can help you get in touch with your innate nobility, and your divine birthright. We all have a divine spark within, and Othala/Ethel can help you to recognize your nobility and more authentically embody your Divine Self.

What does it mean to be noble? The Latin word nobilis means “well-known,” so to be noble means you are worthy of being known, recognized and acknowledged for your deeds, and remembered.¹¹ This all ties in with legacy, and being worthy of remembrance is a form of immortality. Reversed, Othala reminds me of a burial mound. It looks like a buried diamond, marked by an X. Othala asks, What do you want to be known for in this life? How do you want to be remembered when you die?

After meditating on Othala/Ethel and channeling these messages, I finished reading the chapter on Othala in Runes for the Green Witch. Miele associates the following plant allies with Othala: “Avens, Babyberry, Blackberry, Coriander, Vervain, Vetiver, Witch Hazel.”¹²

“The plants of Othala represent ancestral connection and the energies that we wish to invite into our homes and families,” Miele says. “These plants aid in magickal workings regarding our heritage, protection of home and family, tradition, and the breaking of generational traumas.”¹³

I planted some berry bushes last year, so I already have blackberries growing in my garden that I can use to work with the spirit of Othala this summer. Witch hazel is an ingredient in one of my face washes, so I’m thinking about possibly incorporating Othala into my skin care routine.

Runes for the Green Witch: An Herbal Grimoire has enlivened the runes for me in ways I never before imagined, and it will help you deepen your connection with the twenty-four runic spirits and their herbal allies too, if you’re willing to get your hands dirty. With spring just around the corner, this book will be a great inspiration for a runic garden theme! I will definitely be referring back to this herbal grimoire while I’m buying seeds and planting intentions.

Rachel McConnell

Witchcraft and the Shamanic Journey, by Kenneth Johnson

Witchcraft and the Shamanic Journey, by Kenneth Johnson
Crossed Crow Books, 979-8985628173, 212 pages, January 2023

From accusations of shapeshifting and spirit flight to keeping the company of bestial familiar spirits, the testimonies recorded during the European witch trials bear an uncanny resemblance to ancient and universal shamanistic practices. In his classic work Witchcraft and the Shamanic Journey, author Kenneth Johnson posits that European witches were indeed practicing a form of shamanism, “the world’s oldest spiritual path.”¹ This view has already been well articulated in Eliade Mircea’s Shamanism: Archaic Techniques of Ecstasy (1951), and the scholarly works of Italian historian Carlo Ginzburg, such as Night Battles: Witchcraft & Agrarian Cults in the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries (1966) and Ecstasies: Deciphering the Witches’ Sabbath (1989), but Johnson builds upon historical evidence for the purpose of reconstructing ancient shamanic practices for modern witches.

Johnson is a professional astrologer and the author of several books, including Mythic Astrology (1993), which he co-authored with Arielle Guttman, and Jaguar Wisdom: An Introduction to the Mayan Calendar (1997). Johnson is originally from California, but currently resides in Mexico. He also spent a decade in Guatemala, where “he was initiated into the indigenous Mayan priesthood as an aj q’ij (keeper of days) in November of 2017.”² Witchcraft and the Shamanic Journey is his personal favorite among his published works.

I read a previous edition of this book, published by Llewellyn under the title of North Star Road (1996), and I didn’t realize this was the same book until I started reading it. It was nonetheless a pleasure to revisit this superb work, as it contains a wealth of information and was one of the most influential texts in my transition from mainstream Wicca to the more shamanic practices of Traditional Witchcraft. This new edition, published by Crossed Crow Books, includes spiritual exercises inspired by Johnson’s tutelage under Russian shamans. It also has a foreword written by Nicholaj de Mattos Frisvold, author of Craft of the Untamed (2014) and Seven Crossroads at Night (2023), and a preface by Robin Artisson, the author of An Carow Gwyn: Sorcery and the Ancient Fayerie Faith (2018) and several other works on Traditional Witchcraft.

Witchcraft and the Shamanic Journey is interspersed with beautifully written fictional vignettes that capture glimpses of shamanic witchcraft practices throughout Europe, such as “Greenland, AD 1000,”³ which features a priestess of the Norse goddess Freya practicing seidr; “Northern Italy, 1600,”⁴ which dramatizes the spirit flight of an Italian benandante, or “good walker,”⁵ who protects the harvest by fending off evil spirits with a fennel stalk; and “Scotland, 1662,”⁶ which glimpses the trial of Scottish witch Isobel Gowdie.

In the introduction, Johnson provides a brief historical survey of the environmental and cultural factors that led to the witchcraft trials, “a holocaust that, we should remember, took place not during the so-called Dark Ages, but during the more ‘enlightened’ age of the Italian Renaissance and the early years of the scientific revolution.”⁷ In the tumultuous 1300s, the Black Death, crop failures, peasant revolts, and the uprising of radical religious movements, such as the Cathars and Waldensians, contributed to a widespread fear of “an epidemic of witchcraft.”⁸ Inquisitors believed heretics were members of a diabolical cult, “formed about 1375, which called upon demons who often bore the names and attributes of old pagan divinities, and which met by night in ceremonies called Sabbats.”⁹

These so-called witches anointed themselves with flying ointments made of hallucinogenic herbs and took flight in spirit, either astride animals or riding broomsticks, riding the night winds to the Sabbat where they danced in orgiastic rites with a horned devil. Johnson suspects that there could have indeed been a witchcraft crisis cult, which arose in response to the drastic decline of medieval society. By returning to traditional shamanic beliefs and blending them with folk Christianity, members of this hypothetical cult may have been attempting to end “aristocratic dominance through magical social revolution.”¹⁰ One of the most fascinating theories Johnson presents is that the medieval dancing plague was the shamanic dance of a crisis cult.¹¹

The ancient spiritual practice of shamanism involves the practitioner entering trance states and traversing the spirit realm, from the heavenly heights of the gods to the Underworld of the dead, in order to bring back knowledge and healing wisdom to the benefit of their community. Although the word “shaman” originated in Siberia, Johnson claims that shamanic practices are the spiritual foundation upon which many world religions were built.

In “Part 1: Otherworlds,” Johnson explores the shamanic view of the cosmos.

“According to the cosmovision of the shaman, the North Star is the axis around which all things revolve,” Johnson says.¹² “When shamans depart upon their spirit journeys, they often take the road to the North Star.”¹³

According to the Buryat people of Siberia, the sky is a great tent punctured with stars, and the North Star is the central pole which holds up the heavens. The stars themselves are a herd of galloping horses tethered to the polestar. In various cultures, the axis mundi, or world axis, is envisioned as the central pillar of the cosmos, embodied in the World Mountain, the World Tree, or even the Maypole. Using this axis, the shaman can navigate the three realms of Heaven, Earth, and Underworld. When depicted as a tree, the branches are imagined to reach up to the abode of the Sky Father, and the souls of unborn children roost in the boughs, as well as an eagle, the primary totem of shamans, and the “Bird of Prey Mother,” who lays the eggs from which shamans are born. The roots of the tree burrow deep into the Underworld, where a great serpent dwells.

Through comparative mythology, Johnson provides compelling evidence of similar shamanic beliefs throughout the world, citing examples of several World Trees, such as Yggdrasil, the World Tree of the Vikings; the great ceiba tree of the Mayans, which grew from the back of a crocodile; the Kabbalistic Tree of Life; and the Underworld cypress tree of the Orphic mysteries. The World Tree even appears in the witch trial of Joan of Arc (1412-1431), as she was accused of dancing around a “fairy tree”¹⁴ when she was a child, suggesting the survival of ancient shamanic practices in early fifteenth century Europe.

Variations of the World Mountain also appear in many cultures, from megalithic monuments, volcanoes, and Mayan pyramids to the abode of the Greek gods on Mt. Olympus. In the witch trials, the World Mountain appears as the home of the witch goddess. In the early 1500s, an Italian peasant accused of witchcraft named Zuan delle Piatte confessed that Venus had whisked him away to the Sabbath upon black horses, and he had visited Herodias in the mount of Venus. In 1630, a German witch confessed to traveling in spirit to visit the goddess Holda in a mountain called the Venusberg.

“All our images of the Goddess in the Mountain or Tree are ultimately metaphors for the kundalini or ‘serpent power,’ a feminine energy both sexual and spiritual that has its origins at the base of the spine and, during spiritual practice, travels up our own internal World Tree or Mountain to the crown of the head—at which point we experience enlightenment,” Johnson says.¹⁵

Just as the shaman’s tent is mobile, so is the center of the universe. The moveable axis mundi, or World Tree, corresponds to the upright spinal column unique to human bipedalism. The skull, which is the spirit house of human consciousness, is elevated to the heavens, and the earth goddess or Fairy Queen slumbering at the base of the spine is the kundalini serpent.¹⁶

According to Buryat mythology, the first shaman was born from the union of an eagle and a human woman, “which, symbolically, tells us that shamanism is ‘born’ from the union of the enlightened consciousness which dwells at the top of our own internal World Tree with the feminine potency that sleeps at its base.” ¹⁷

“Though one may be born to a shamanic vocation, one attains power and mastery only through initiation,”¹⁸ Johnson says. Shamanic initiation may manifest as being called by spirit voices and having a vision of death and dismemberment, followed by a rebirth experienced during a physical illness or a bout of madness, which we would perceive in modern times as a psychotic break. In European mythology, the Norse god Odin is the most obvious shamanic figure, as he was wounded by a spear and sacrificed himself to himself on the World Tree. There are also Welsh legends of Merlin in which he was once a warrior who went mad and lived in the woods like a wild animal after a traumatic experience on the battlefield. The Orphic myth of the death and dismemberment of the Greek god Dionysus is another striking example of shamanic initiation. As a child, the Titans murdered him and cooked him in a cauldron, which echoes the inquisitors’ grotesque fantasies of witches have cannibalistic feasts, involving the boiling of unbaptized babies in cauldrons and the use of their fat in flying ointments.

“The Old Bone Goddess,”¹⁹ with her cauldron of death and rebirth, is the one who resurrects the shaman. She is the “Bird of Prey Mother”²⁰ of the Siberian Yakut shamans. When the shaman’s magical powers have ripened and are ready to be activated through initiation, she dismembers him and feeds his body parts to demons. Then she reassembles his bones and resuscitates him.

I wonder if modern society’s disassociation from traditional shamanic practices can cause such initiations to manifest through traumatic life experiences, rather than just dream visions. After I performed a formal self-initiation ritual, I had initiatory dreams and visions, but my waking life also catastrophically fell apart, and it coincided with my Saturn Return. I lost everything, from material possessions to family members, and experienced frequent psychic attacks by a shadowy demonic entity that appeared to be attached to an abusive boyfriend. When it finally withdrew, several months after I escaped that toxic relationship, I heard it tell me that it was sorry for what it had put me through, and I never felt its presence again. It wasn’t until I read this book that I realized that the ordeals I experienced were part of an initiatory dismemberment and I came to terms with the fact that the Dark Mother to whom I was devoted had allowed those horrors to happen to me as part of the process.

Wicca, with its sugar-coated love and light Mother Goddess, did not adequately prepare me for the brutality of my shamanic witchcraft initiation, and reading the previous edition of this book, North Star Road, revealed the harsh truths of my spiritual path. I share what happened to me as a cautionary tale, because I initiated myself not fully understanding what I was getting myself into. I thought I was adequately prepared after studying Wicca for over a decade, rather than the customary year and a day, but the witch’s path is riddled with rose thorns, and true wisdom comes through suffering.

Witchcraft and the Shamanic Journey fills in the gaps of knowledge that are missing in mainstream pop culture witchcraft. Johnson elucidates how ancient shamanic practices infuse the folkloric witchcraft of medieval and Renaissance Europe, and are the backbone of witchcraft today. This is an essential text for any serious practitioner who has been called by the spirits and seeks to reclaim their shamanic roots.

Rachel McConnell

Celtic Cauldron, by Nicola McIntosh

Celtic Cauldron: Rituals for Self-Care and Manifestation, by Nicola McIntosh
Rockpool Publishing, 1922785709, 288 pages, May 2024

The images of conjuring done with a cauldron is a well-known magical image. This is most likely because the cauldron is one of the most versatile magic tools, taking all sorts of shapes and sizes throughout history. From teas to stews, anointing oils to potions, there’s all sorts of creations that a cauldron can bring to life. Celtic Cauldron: Rituals for Self-Care and Manifestation by Nicola McIntosh is a beautiful guide to the many possibilities the cauldron holds, teaching readers how to use their cauldron for spells, healing, divination, and more.

McIntosh blends her wisdom as a Western and Chinese herbalist and Celtic shaman together in this book, providing plenty of nature-based methods for manifestation using the cauldron. Her previous publications include Plant Spirit Medicine, Celtic Spirit Oracle, Mushroom Spirit Oracle, Apothecary Flashcards, and Crystal Grids. She dedicates her time to sharing her knowledge to help others look within, raise consciousness, and tend to themselves and the environment with care. Much of her work is centered on connecting to nature, and this book is a lovely example of how the natural and magical world can support you.

The book itself is absolutely collection-worthy. The cover is a soft fabric, and the sturdy binding makes it easy to flip through the pages and open them fully without harming the spine. All throughout the inside, McIntosh infuses the pages with her artwork and photographs, which is a real bonus as a visual aid to the recipes and directions provided. There’s a real earthy feel to the book, and as soon as it is opened, the natural magic begins to whirl around energetically.

“The cauldron is said to contain the Awen or be the cup of Awen, or the Cauldron of Inspiration. The Welsh word ‘Owen’ means ‘inspiration’ or ‘essence’ and is the inspiration of poets and creative artists.”¹

McIntosh begins with a history of cauldrons, sharing famous cauldrons both real and mythological. For instance, there’s the Gundestrup Cauldron “that dates back to approximately the 2nd or 1st century BCE.”². Then there’s also the mythological cauldrons of Cerridwen and Magda.

Once the history is explored, McIntosh moves into the modern applications of cauldrons, specifically from the Celtic and Druid traditions. She covers how to select and care for your cauldron, with plenty of pictures for inspiration, suggesting one spiritually prepare for their new cauldron by creating space for it on your altar and perhaps even a ritual. I was pleasantly surprised by McIntosh’s practicality, as she notes that a simple tempered-glass product, like a Pyrex measuring cup can work as a cauldron.

Then, before delving into all the magical possibilities for one’s cauldron, McIntosh spends an entire chapter on the importance of ritual. She suggests making self-care a ritual, and offers ways to ritualize your intention, including creating an altar, journaling, and working with plants and crystals. She writes:

“Rituals can literally change anything within your life. When we turn our attention inwards, we make big changes in our external environment because we attract what we are. This is the key to manifestation: We must be in alignment with what we wish to draw into our life.”³

The rest of the book is just tons and tons of amazing recipes for all types of cauldron creations. “Plant Magick” is a chapter covering brews, simmers, essence, lotions, and potions. There’s recipes for fortune telling, inspiration, love, cleansing, and more. My favorite are Dandelion Joy Lattes (dandelion root coffee with milk and honey/maple syrup) and strength potion, which is “excellent for times when you feel vulnerable or run down or need inner strength to face something.’⁴

The next chapter, “Anointing Oils, Salves, and Melts” covers infused oils and homemade salves for all types of intentions (meditation and calmness, visionary and divination, protection, cleansing and clarity). The melts are lovely too because you can burn them in your cauldron after you make them in your cauldron—things coming full circle! Many of these involve certain spices, herbs, and essential oils, all of which McIntosh covers in detail. Once again, her understanding that not all readers will have access to all ingredients comes through, showcasing her desire to be inclusive in sharing her knowledge with all.

“Fire Magick” focuses on candles and incense. As mentioned before, there’s ton of pictures, which I found especially helpful for this section. I loved the idea of making a small cauldron into a candle that can be infused with herbs and crystals to add to one’s spellwork. I also loved McIntosh’s directions for making a mullein, or hag torch. For those interested in making their own incense blends, McIntosh provides wonderful step-by-step instructions with plenty of visual aids, along with ways you substitute ingredients if needed.

As a kitchen witch, my absolute favorite chapter was “Magical Meals”. For my birthday recently, my husband and I went to the Melting Pot where we did a bit of three-course cauldron magic. This experience was what inspired me to learn more about using the cauldron in my own craft. And in perfect alignment, McIntosh dedicates a whole section to chocolate cauldrons! Absolutely delicious. The recipes include Chocolate Love Bombs, Chocolate Knowledge Bites, and Chocolate Fondue that can be used as a base for one’s own chocolate crafts. In this chapter, McIntosh also teaches how to use the cauldron to make damper scones, rosemary and salt bread, cinnamon and sultana bread, stew, and mulled wine.

The final chapter “Miscellaneous Magick” covers spell bottles, spirit bottles, medicinal pouches, salts (ritual salts, bathing salts, etc.), and scrying. I definitely plan to make the Refresh Bath Salts, which combines basil, eucalyptus, peppermint, and tea tree.

One of the best parts of this book is the immensely helpful appendices at the end. There’s an herbal reference table that spans nearly 35 pages that covers the associate element, planet, polarity, edibility, spiritual use, medicinal use, cauldron use, and caution for hundreds of plants and herbs. It’s astounding how much information is shared in these pages, and it’s a true marvelous resource. There’s also an appendix on crystals, offering insight into the chakra, color, and element of the crystals. The final appendix is the Ogham tree alphabet.

All in all, Celtic Cauldron is perfect for those looking to incorporate a cauldron into their magical practice. McIntosh provides so many ways one can utilize their cauldron magically, from candles to culinary treats. The quality of this book makes it worth the investment, and readers are sure to turn to it again and again when crafting their next ritual. Those new to working with a cauldron will appreciate all of McIntosh’s advice for getting started, while seasoned practitioners will love the informative tables and recipes that make it quick to decide on ingredients for manifesting their intentions.

Alanna Kali

Tag Archives: witchcraft

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About the Author: Mark NeCamp, Jr.

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