Hex Rated

SURPRISE!  It's a twofer weekend.  The witches have a lot of thoughts about the sun and how to possibly direct not only the healing energy, but also how to wield the destructive elements in our practice toward all the terrifying events that we currently face.  There are many lanes to choose from, but witches have an extra path to take along with those of the mundane - to aim our energy where we want, we have to start somewhere.  What's better than starting at the ultimate beginning?  The sun and its deities are a powerful force if we can only tap into this magic.  Listen with your witch friends as they discuss their ideas for a new ritual!  

Happy Summer Solstice, all!  Blackbird got a new microphone and she could not wait to test it - what better way than to put out a shorty about what day it is1  She's got some tips and fun activities to do for the weekend, and spoiler alert, it's kind of all about interacting with the natural world around you!  You are sure to get at least one good idea or activity from this little episode - if you make friends with a crow, a squirrel, or a chipmunk, how awesome would that be!?  Grab a cool drink and relax in the shade with this fun tiny bit of joy for the LONGEST of days! 

On this episode, your favorite witch friends catch up on Scarlet's many adventures - to Vegas this time, where she had some very deep thoughts about Vegas!! - and both witches share their feelings and techniques on their various sports superstitions and yes, their MAGIC when it comes to their favorite hockey team, the one and only Dallas Stars (sad trombone as they did not make the Cup this year.  Or last year.  Or the year before.)  Despite the team's losses, overall they are still an elite organization, and Scarlet and Blackbird do feel like they invoke power while they are holding their hockey rituals!  Join in for a fun conversation that your ladies have been anticipating, because this is also the first time they are discussing this with each other!  (Can't talk about it DURING the playoffs - it might be bad luck!)  

This week, your witch friends are taking you on adventures of sight!  Of sound!  Of SMELL!  That's right, Scarlet and Blackbird unbox a sampler of goth-themed fragrances, and Scarlet tells all about a cyberpunk themed weekend in the desert.  So much to discuss - plus creating religions, Blackbird's cat's birthday, and a chile relleno burrito.  STOP IT.  But wait!  Do not stop it!  Press play!!

Your witch friends are bringing this series to a close with a wrap-up of their final morning at the conference, where they participated in a Sekhmet ritual, then it was back to the wilds of New Jersey to do some goth sightseeing and of course, stop at Sonic for tots.  The witches have had a blast recapping this conference for you, so enjoy this last installment while you bask in the delight of what is hopefully not yet a cruel, cruel summer!

Lots to cover on this third full day of activities the witches took part in at Sacred Space this year!  Learn about Mayan rituals, Welsh language, Saturn, Hoodoo, AND MORE!  Bringing you fun, frivolity, and SNAKES, the witches are so excited to share what they've learned throughout this conference with you.  Get cozy on the couch and pop those headphones on...join your besties on their spiritual journey in Baltimore!  

This week, your witch friends are bringing you a veritable plethora of witch info, as they attended a full day of rituals and lectures at Sacred Space 2025 that took place in late March!  We are talking bears, moons, jars, death, AND SO MUCH MORE.  The witches had so much fun recapping each day with each other, and are so happy to share it with you!  Spoiler alert, this episode is good for long commutes and crafting evenings!  

Witches, they have done it again!  Your besties have gone to Sacred Space 2025, and they are ready to report back on all the awesomeness that transpired.  On this first night, Blackbird and Scarlet talk about a ritual with The Fool, a ritual with CHAOS!!!, and a ritual with Hecate herself (as aspected/channeled by Laura Tempest Zakroff!)  The witches cannot wait to tell you all about it, so pop in those earbuds and get ready for the rundown of Night One!  

Listen as Blackbird discusses with Scarlet her super amazing trip to a cute little spot in New Jersey near the Delaware (Dela-here!) River, where she spent a fun afternoon with her tarot heroine, Laetitia Barbier!  Ms. Barbier is a tarot and art history scholar, and the witches have spoken of her fantastic book, Tarot and Divination Cards:  A Visual Archive.  She presented several classes and workshops over the weekend of March 8th, and Blackbird shares what she learned!  Please check out Laetitia's Patreon, Instagram, and Substack - well worth looking at all of these, her studies and insights are truly inspiring.  Spring is spronging, but stay out of the crazy weather and enjoy this one with a fizzy water laced with Mio (Blackbird is hooked but also convinced her insides are dyed red now).  Enjoy!!

Alright, the witches are wrapping it up with discussing Orlok's mesmerizing seal, his wicked ways, Lily Rose Depp's incredible performance and lore around her character, some super weird stuff at the end, and MORE!  Blackbird and Scarlet could probably do yet another episode, but there's something to be said for too much of a good (or goth) thing.  Hex Rated is here for you IN EXCESS!  Rip open your bodice, become apoplectic, and use your one precious and glorious mortal life to listen!

In this section of breaking down Eggers' immediate magnum opus, Scarlet delves deep into some of the magic, the research, and the overall gorgeous imagery and symbolism in the film.  There is so much to talk about that your favorite witches had to split this up into three episodes, but they want to bring them to you all at once!  Crawl out of your coffin (or back into it) and enjoy this very thorough and intense discussion of the film!

Your witches have a LOT OF INFO and takes on Robert Eggers' recent masterpiece, Nosferatu!  If you have not seen it, you might want to before listening to this epic three (plus) hour tour, of which this is the first!  Do you like vampires?  Do you like attention to detail?  Do you like old scary haunted-looking stuff?  Welcome to the beautiful and terrifying world that Eggers has gone to great lengths to deliver.  Scarlet has a criminal amount of knowledge re: Gawth Literature Timez, and has done a vast amount of research for this cinematic tour de force of the classic retelling of the most famous of the vampire tales.  Don't be "plagued" (ha!) by your desire for more knowledge and hot takes - give this 3-parter a listen!  

This week, Scarlet and Blackbird discuss what each of them did for Imbolc - hope you're hungry, because you definitely will be after listening to their cooking tales!  Plus, some awesome connecting with ancestors and folklore by Scarlet, some journeying, Krafty Korners (with a K) and what perfumes should smell like.  It's gonna be spring soon, but hey, winter has one or two last gasps - stay safe if you are travelling, but definitely travel with the witches.  

The witches are back discussing the upcoming sabbat of Imbolc - what they have done in the past, what some traditional celebrations are, and what is generally on their witchy minds at this time of year.  Imbolc is an in-between of sorts, but it's also a time to look forward with new hope.  Blackbird and Scarlet agree that we could all use a little of that right now, so pop in those ear buds and enjoy!  

Hellllo friends, your witches are over their hiatuses. their minor illnesses, and ya know, recovering as best they can from our increasingly apocalyptic terrorscape and can't wait to share their goings-on with you!  We are talking land rituals, scary movies, New Year's tarot, and MOAR!!!  Don your fuzzy socks and grab a hot tea or chocolate or whatever is your fancy and enjoy this episode!

Join the witches this week where they are here to help you out with your gift-giving!  They both have great ideas for thrifting and gifting, whether it is for that special witch in your life, or if that special witch is YOU!  (Hnt:  It is.  Always.)  The other half of the episode will be sharing more fantastical Yuletide tales and lore, and this year, Blackbird talks about Belsnickel and his switch.  Scarlet goes deep into gingerbread, why it is fashioned into men, houses, and so many other things.  This one is extra fun, so grab some mulled wine or hot apple cider and get festive!!  Happy holidays, y'all!

We know you need a distraction from the actual news, so we are here as your esoteric journalists instead!  Join us as we discuss our ritual we did together for All Hallows' Eve on Ye Olde Mobile Phone, where we invoked sacred spirits, sang to the Dark Moon and wrote a bunch of cool wordz about stars.  We also did a fun sort-of-mirror tarot exercise that hopefully will inspire you!  Turn off your news and turn on your witch powers!  Or do both - just join us.  

A happy happy All Hallows Eve to you, witchlings!  The ladies are back (just in time, mind you) to wrap up this series of court cards - finally, the kings!  Learn about these watchful, regal mentors in your life (or within yourself!) and embark on your journey of deeper understanding of what the energy of a "king" really can embody.  Sweep off your porches and enjoy what is probably too balmy of a Halloween - never mind though, because the spirit of autumn, looking through the veil, and cool, foggy nights are always in the witch's heart.  Enjoy and eat your candy for breakfast today (and every day?  WHY NOT!)

This week, Scarlet and Blackbird continue the series on tarot court cards with the dynamic queens of the deck!  Join the witches in their dive into what each suit's characteristics are, how they read queens in a spread, and whether or not they each have a favorite or are represented commonly by any of the queens.  Grab your chalice of ginger ale, your scepters of chopsticks, and your glorious crown of a turbie twist towel and take a listen! 

In this episode, the witches hold to their very loose promise (?) of talking about the court cards IN ORDER, lookout!  Scarlet breaks down what knights are all about, how the horses on the cards have meaning due to their positions, and both witches discuss how they read knights in their tarot practices.  Also a roundup of Trader Joe's fall offerings, off the rails Spotify daylists and chapter titles, and Blackbird is eluded by space (how does it even work.)  Join your favorite witches in this fun journey they are having through the court cards - is it time yet for mulled cider?  Get some, don those airpods or headphones, and enjoy listening!

This week, Scarlet and Blackbird catch you up on what's new in their lives (s'mores dip!  Ethel Cain!  Yogurt snax!  JD Vance! - wait, no excitement there.) Then the ladies take a dive into the minor arcana, bringing you the first installment about those youthful sprites, the pages!  Discover a little history, what the cards have been and what some new versions are, and let the witches tell you what these cards mean for them when they read.  Grab your almost-fall favorite sweater, some pumpkin spice anything, and pop in those ear buds!  

Witches, it is a round robin of topics comin at ya this week.  Blackbird and Scarlet catch up and commiserate about their summertime illnesses, posit on the cultural happenings of the day (at least regarding the Olympics) and come full circle (all five of them!) with some insights about their relationship with their own intuition and what they use to navigate it.  It's a deep weird dive, but as always, these two are always ready to share what they learn with you!  Find some shade and put those earbuds in.  

This week, Scarlet and Blackbird have a smorgasbord on offer:  Death by banana pudding, the terrible politics of our embroiled nation, and a really fantastic public ritual that Scarlet conducted for her friends entitled "The Coronation of the Bee Queen"!  Learn about Scarlet's process for creating the ritual and how it was received (everyone loved it, duh.)  Get out of your hot and sweaty summertime garb, take a dip in whatever cool body of water is available, and listen while you safely bask in the sun with your 1 million percent sunscreen.  

The witches are back with their hot takes on Oreos!  Gettysburg!  Falconry!  And last but not least, the main topic that has been teased and promised - an entire episode devoted to the wondrous and very historied Moon tarot card.  Learn about how this card transformed (and stayed the same) throughout the ages, and the many elements it possesses.  Blackbird and Scarlet discuss meanings, how they read the card in a spread, and hopefully their discussion will help you develop your abilities or bring about a new perception that you may have not realized before.  Listen under the moonlight and get inspired!

Your two witchfriends are back to talk about disappointing scents, weekend excursions, and their extremely hot (literally!) takes on these two very enigmatic, fiery cards.  Cards of hope and joy are not the normal fare for these lovely creatures of the night, but delve into the light they must at times.  Learn all about these cards and how they have evolved through time, what their symbolism means, and how the witches interpret these when pulled.  Explore the universe within by taking a listen!

The witches are back with their many tales of what they have both been up to!  New Jersey hangin' with a hidden surprise, Dallas eclipse amazingness, The Ultimate Hockey Sads, and many other general updates are coming directly to your earholes in this episode.  Grab a refreshing iced tea or whatever your early summer jam is, put those feet in a pool and catch up with Scarlet and Blackbird!  

Hey everybody!  The witches are back with the final night of their trip to the Land of Baltimore and the Sacred Space Conference.  This was a day full of embodiment for the witches, and Blackbird and Scarlet went to a few amazing rituals and workshops about topics as wide-ranging as plant allies, the body as an ecosystem, and a lot of dancing!  As an added bonus, two of the workshops on this day were hosted by friends of the show, Amy Blackthorn and Laura Tempest Zakroff!  Overall, this conference was a great place to learn some new techniques and gain different perspectives, like we witches are wont to do.  Please enjoy!

Scarlet and Blackbird are back to bring you their impressions of the second day of this magical conference that took place outside of Baltimore at the beginning of the month.  This day was jam-packed:  Messages from Hecate, hare lore, trance dancing, hedge riding, and so much more!  This day was really fun and varied, and the witches were all witched out by the end of the day - but the wrap-up is always a great way for them to process what they've learned.  Grab a cuppa and enjoy!

It's been a crazy time of travel and getting back to real life, but here are your favorite witches FINALLY discussing every bit of the Sacred Space conference that took place outside of Baltimore at the beginning of the month!  The witches recorded every night they were at the conference so that their memories were fresh!  On night one, the witches discuss a Hecate lecture, Blackbird's foray into states of consciousness (in a science-y way), and Scarlet's journey to meet ancestors!  Join the witches for this rundown of their first day.  

This week, Blackbird interviews Scarlet about servitors - what they are, how she creates them, and what a servitor can do for you!  A truly fascinating way to use sigils in a very activated way, Scarlet has been creating these for quite some time and tells Blackbird about some memorable creations and how they have helped her and others.  We hope you learn a few things and try it yourself, so grab a pen and paper - just start anywhere, there are no rules!

Friends and witches, we all love a good list.  This episode, Scarlet and Blackbird are here to share their wisdom gleaned from many years of going to cons, especially metaphysical ones.  There are some things you'll want to prepare yourself for, and the witches are here to help you with their tips for all things con-related.  Some of these are just great tips for life in general, but especially while going through the emotional and energetic rigors of con life.  Before you pack, give this episode a listen! 

Well, witches, if you felt the shift in the season like Blackbird and Scarlet did, this episode is for you!  The stagnation has been stagnating, but it's time to break free with festivities like Imbolc, Lupercalia, (and dare we mention Mardi Gras?  We do declare.)  Shake off your winter torpor - but slowly, like a sleepytime bear not quite ready to emerge from your cave - and cozy up to the dulcet tones of your favorite witch friends.  

Join your two favorite witches, Scarlet and Blackbird, while they do a really fun round robin of topics:  Blackbird's very precise and sarcastic tarot deck and a very out-of-the-ordinary spread for her, some witchy finds, SNACKS, and a great question - what witchy ambitions do we have for 2024?  Listen in and find out!  Maybe you are also feeling a little in limbo before Imbolc and after Yule - let's all break out of our little silly ruts together!  

Greetings and salutations for the New Year, listeners!  Your favorite witches - whether they are your new favorites or your old favorites - are taking a look back at the episodes that you have loved, and they had fun bringing you!  Whether you are interested in Iceland (episodes 62, 63 and 65) or love comparing and contrasting tarot cards, crystals, or different herbs, weeds and flowers (all the versus episodes) or you want to learn about what a death doula is (episode 29) or how tattooing can be ritualistic and magical (episode 64) - it's all there for you to explore!  This episode might direct you to something you missed, or a subject you are new to and want to learn more about!  Grab your favorite winter beverage and blanket and get cozy with Scarlet and Blackbird!

Well friends, your favorite witches have done it - they have made 100 fine episodes just for you, and they are taking you on a time travel trip to 100 years ago to talk about what witchcraft might have looked like in the Roaring Twenties.  It was a time of prohibition, see?  An era where there was a mix of the ancient and the modern - and the witchcraft was just as varied.  Walk with the witches through a bit of history, and join them in ringing in 2024 by taking you waaaaay back.  Kick up those heels and listen in as Scarlet and Blackbird take you on their hot tub (cauldron) time machine ride to the Roaring Twenties!!  

This Yule, bring stories to the party that won't bore anyone.  Listen to your favorite witches discuss wild tales like the Yule Cat of Iceland, the origins and possible theories behind the Sugar Plum Fairy, a witch who does some cool metal stuff, a log who gives presents in a unique way, and the creation of Scarlet's own new adorable character!  These stories will surely inspire you to possibly do more research and wow your family of choice this season with these incredibly weird tales.  Enjoy and have a bangin' holiday!

Join your favorite witches on a tour through their favorite precious little thangs to give, and to receive!  They have ideas for you for really any budget.  Whether it's thrifting, creating, or patronizing one of your favorite witch or witch-adjacent owned shops, there are so many wonderful and meaningful items that the witches in your life love and need.  Have a wonderful Yule season and have fun with Scarlet and Blackbird's ideas - we bet it will inspire some of your own invention!

Pack a lunch AND a dinner this week, witches!  Scarlet and Blackbird are ready to stop teasing you and bring you the BAD card episode!  The ladies discuss the Death card, the Devil, and the Tower cards in the Major Arcana.  Find out what each card REALLY means, and how the witches interpret these cards when they appear in a spread.  Learn some rad tarot history along the way!  

Join Scarlet and Blackbird as they discuss Blackbird's recent virtual attendance at a death cafe held through Ritualcravt in Denver; another virtual space she has also been involved in called The Human Library; SOIL SCIENCE, Hockey Magic, and so so much more!  The witches are determined to make it to Episode 100 before the end of 2023, so stay tuned and join them for a great conversation that is sure to expand your mind!  

Welcome to your witches trying to catch up on all the many things they have been up to in the last few weeks during this brief hiatus!  Blackbird has a great deal of cooking magic to catch up on, as well as Halloween ritual goodness from both witches and some medical advancement excitement for Blackbird.  Join the ladies for a bit of Fall wonder-time, and random wheel of laughs and witchcraft in everyday activities.  

WELCOME to Halloweentime, witches!  Scarlet and Blackbird are here with the seasonal flicks, and are finally ready to discuss one of their favorites - Argento's cult classic 1977 horror film Suspiria and the remake made in 2018.  Both of these movies have so much to offer, and the witches are ready to break it down.  Join them for a ride into a voluptuously dark tale in which directors give us shockingly magnificent color usage and absolutely creepy music.  Grab that popcorn and a blanket and prepare thyself!

Welp, if you are easily offended by rants and sarcasm, this may not be the episode for you.  Scarlet and Blackbird go on an epic internet journey of all things FALL-O-WEEN (you read that correctly) and check out the latest and greatest in Halloween decor that is for people who cannot or will not participate in the true spirit of Halloween.  It is an irreverent barrel of laughs that the witches fall into, and they want you to join them in the downward spiral that leads only to one place - a church parking lot trunk event, the scariest of all places.  Happy Spooky Season!

Join the witches this week as Scarlet tells Blackbird all about the Headless Rite she performed.  Learn about the great goddess and force of Nuit (Nut) and all of her dominion!  As always, the witches bring their own flavor to rituals they create, and this is no exception.  Inspired by the class both the witches are currently taking through the Blackthorne School, Scarlet wrote this version of the rite that speaks more directly to her own brand of witchcraft.  Join us for all the fantastic surprises that happened during this ritual! 

Darklings, this week your favorite goths are taking a bit of a break - but still remaining adjacent - to their travels in the Hail Hekate series being offered by The Blackthorne School and Jack Grayle.  They've written a ritual to a very powerful hypercosmic goddess together, and Blackbird has written and performed some baneful magic that she can't wait to share with you.  Learn about some ancient Egyptian deities, travel to faraway lands, hear some blood-curdling words of malevolence...this episode has it all!  Grab a sack full of olives and enjoy!

This week, the witches share what they have learned about TRUE NAMES and MAGICAL VOICES!  This part of the lecture series offered by Jack Grayle and the Blackthorne School really has your living room/passenger seat friends thinking deeply about how they present themselves when working magic and how these lessons are relating to their own workings.  Listen and learn!  A surprise visit by Mr. Herman at the end, so stay tuned to hear his very own magical voice!  

Hey witches, your gothest friends are back at it again and are discussing more technologies of ancient sorcery used in late antiquity to compel the gods to do your bidding.  This one is a wide range of topics - we cover birds!  Boston!  90's dance music!  And yes, Hekate.  Learn how to make a strophalos!  Learn about what it does!  Join the witches as they continue their journey of the class given by Jack Grayle, author of The Hekataeon, through the Blackthorne School.  

We are diving deep into sorcerous devotion this week!  Blackbird and Scarlet continue their journey through the course being offered on Hekate by Jack Grayle through The Blackthorne School.  This week, the witches learn more epithets than they knew before, and learn how to prepare for magic working in the context of this series of classes.  It's a fun ride through late antiquity, and the witches are so glad you will join them!  

The witches hope you are on board for this journey into the depths and heights of their' minds as they continue their discussion on the Forked Path Hekate series offered by the Blackthorne School.  In a dizzying display of esoteric shower thoughts, Blackbird reacts to her first taste of this lecture series, while Scarlet shares not only her takeaways but also her poetic interpretation skills.  It's a fun one, and the witches hope you have as much mind-blowing fun as they did!  

Oh ho ho hohohohhho witches, have we got something for you in the coming weeks!  Scarlet and Blackbird are about to get schooled in all things Hekate.  Embark on this epic journey with the ladies as they dive into the excitement of a course offered by the Blackthorne School on Hekate by none other than the author of The Hekataeon, Jack Grayle.  The witches have discussed this book several times, but Scarlet signed up for the course first and wanted Blackbird's hot takes on everything she learned in the first of 13 weeks (spoiler alert - Blackbird signs up for the course immediately after recording this episode!)  Get ready for your mind to be expanded by at least 3 if not 18 times.  

Witches!!  Join Blackbird and Scarlet as they regale you with tales of their dark and witchy communion in The City That Never Sleeps!  They will take you on their journey to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where they spent a great deal of time in the Egyptian Wing.  Also learn about a great restaurant that has a datura theme!  Not on the menu, but very delish.  It was a great time in a great city, if only for a day!  Join in and listen ASAP!  

Witches, the Supreme Court has been a Supreme pain in the last rulings.  We are here to break it down in our own special way, which is really to discuss the bare bones and hurl a lot of expletives.  We are talking about ideas for magic, ideas for practical combat, but fight we must against these laws - or the reversal of such - that are so harmful to so many.  Join us for dissenting dialogue and also, as a bonus, lotion recommendations.  Put on your black robes of justice and pull up a bench, and join us in our righteously vengeful wrath.