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9 episodes with drawing down
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3 episodes with drawing down
2 episodes with drawing down
2 episodes with drawing down
2 episodes with drawing down
2 episodes with drawing down
2 episodes with drawing down
Let's Talk About Myths, Baby! Greek & Roman Mythology Retold
Happy Halloween! On today's Hermes Historia Michaela tells Liv all about the ancient practices of divination and speaking with the dead... Sign up for a new newsletter to stay in the loop about the upcoming ad-free subscriptions where future Hermes' Historia episodes will live! Submit your questions to the quarterly Q&A episodes! CW/TW: far too many Greek myths involve assault. Given it's fiction, and typically involves gods and/or monsters, I'm not as deferential as I would be were I referencing the real thing. Sources: Herodotus' The Histories, translated by Robin Waterfield; Radcliffe G. Edmonds III. Drawing Down the Moon: Magic in the ancient greco-roman world; Sarah Iles Johnston. Ancient Greek Divination; Sarah Iles Johnston. “Charming Children: The Use of the Child in Ancient Divination”. Attributions and licensing information for music used in the podcast can be found here: mythsbaby.com/sources-attributions.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Canadian Grain Commission has announced a new plan for using a large portion of the nine-figure surplus it built between 2013 and 2017 from fees for grain inspection and weighing that were ultimately passed down to farmers. To stop the accumulation, the federal grain industry regulator lowered its fees several times between 2017 and... Read More
In today's episode Dev interviews Vince Scully, touching on:
In this episode of "The Workers Cauldron," we delve into the intersection of feminist paganism and direct action through the lens of Starhawk and her cohorts' activism against nuclear power in the 1980s.We navigate the rich history and dynamic landscape of the feminist pagan movement, exploring how spiritual practices intertwined with feminist ideals fuelled a potent form of activism. Drawing on the writings of Starhawk, a prominent figure in both feminist and pagan circles, the episode unpacks the significance of reclaiming feminine power in the face of environmental destruction and patriarchal oppression. Bonus features: Anarcha-Feminism, EcoFeminism, Spiritual Feminism, Socialist Feminism, all the feminisms.Sources:Barbara Epstein, Political Protest and Cultural Revolution: Nonviolent Direct Action in the 1970s and 1980sStarhawk, Dreaming the Dark: Magic, Sex, and Politics The Spiral Dance: a Rebirth of the Ancient Religion of the Great Goddess Cynthia Eller: Living in the Lap of the Goddess: The Feminist Spirituality Movement in AmericaMargot Adler, Drawing Down the Moon: Witches, Druids, Goddess-Worshippers, and Other Pagans in America TodayMerlin Stone: When God Was a WomanCarol Christ and Judith Plaskow (ed): Womanspirit Rising: A Feminist Reader in ReligionSusan Griffin, Woman and Nature: The Roaring Inside HerPeggy Kornegger: Anarchism: The Feminist ConnectionFrançoise d'Eaubonne, Le Féminisme ou la MortYnestra King: The Ecology of Feminism and the Feminism of EcologySupport the show
On this episode of The Workers Cauldron, we discuss the schism between radical and cultural feminists in the 1970s. We focus on the life and works of Z Budapest, who founded the Susan B. Anthony Coven no. 1 in 1970, the first of many covens devoted to what she termed “Dianic Wicca.” This reformulation of Wicca was staunchly feminist and believed men could only be initiated into the craft when true gender equality was won. Sources:Cynthia Eller, Living in the Lap of the Goddess: The Feminist Spirituality Movement in AmericaAlice Echols, Daring to Be Bad: Radical Feminism in America 1967-1975Margot Adler, Drawing Down the Moon: Witches, Druids, Goddess-Worshippers, and Other Pagans in America Today Kristy S. Coleman, Re-riting Woman: Dianic Wicca and the Feminine DivineJulia Kubula, Teaching “Bad Feminism”: Mary Daly and the Legacy of '70s Lesbian-FeminismShai Feraro, “The Goddess is Alive. Magic is Afoot.”: Radical and Cultural Feminist Influences on Z Budapest's Dianic Witchcraft During the 1970s–1980sZsuzsanna E. Budapest, My Dark Sordid Past As A Heterosexual: First DestinyDeborah Netburn, This feminist witch introduced California to Goddess worship Roz Kaveney, Why won't pagans accept trans women?Support the show
Rav Pinson speaking on the Yesod /foundation of the Teachings of the Holy Arizal. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ravpinsonpodcast/support
Welcome to the Solarium! Join hosts Chelle and Laylla in their enchanting herbal haven, brimming with aromatic teas, mystical smoking blends, beloved books, crystals, divination tools, and much more. In this episode, they delve into the realm of classic witchcraft literature, focusing on four influential books published before 1990. So, grab your coziest mug of tea, grab a joint or some calming incense, and step into The Solarium!First off the witches brew a mug of tea from Black Cat Curiosity Shoppe, one of Chelle's favorite places to grab hand crafted tea blends in Salem. And they both roll up a little cannabis and a soothing blend of herbs to make sure their hangout sesh has a relaxing vibe. Once the cares of the world melt away, Chelle opens up about Scott Cunningham's "Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs", and why its a publication she deems essential for every herb witch's collection. She explains why Laurie Cabot's "The Power of the Witch," is the one she always recommends to new witchlings and why she will always keep a copy in her library.Meanwhile, Laylla revisits the magical archives with Margot Adler's "Drawing Down the Moon" and Starhawk's "The Spiral Dance." The duo discusses how these pioneering works have sculpted the landscape of modern witchcraft, noting that despite some initial shortcomings in research and cultural sensitivity, the authors have attempted to fix these problems with later editions. Despite the original issues, these books still contain valuable history and information that would benefit today's witches. Laylla and Chelle are also excited to announce their participation in the upcoming Sacred Space Conference, where they'll be conducting workshops alongside esteemed figures in the witchcraft and pagan spheres. Discover the fantastic lineup of workshops and learn how to register at the Sacred Space Foundation.We can't wait to share our thoughts on these magical reads and our upcoming adventures with you! Tune in for a blend of herbal enjoyment, literary discussion, and a sprinkle of excitement for the upcoming pagan festival season!Interested in contributing to The Solarium? Whether it's a letter, some quirky trinkets, or if you're a small business eager to showcase your products, we'd love to hear from you! We feature unboxings and reviews in our Solarium episodes, giving your items a spotlight in our magical space.Send to:Back on the BroomstickLaylla & Chelle1029 Lyell Ave Box 420Rochester NY 14606Email: backonthebroomstick@gmail.com
On this episode I'm joined by Reverend Angie Buchanan, Founder and Spiritual Director of Earth Traditions, a Pagan church, and of Gaia's Womb, an interfaith spirituality group that has been producing spiritual retreats for women since 1998. Angie is a life-long pagan, an animist, and has been an experienced magical worker and ritualist for over 40 years. She served on the Board of Trustees for the Parliament of World Religions from 2002 – 2010, offering programs internationally at convenings in Barcelona, Melbourne, and Toronto, and nationally in Salt Lake City and Chicago. Rev. Buchanan is currently a Spiritual Advisor for Pagan students at the University of Chicago, Campus Ministry, and a Certified Death Midwife.During this episode we discussed:Angie's experience growing up in a pagan, animistic household, and how it gave her a grounding in the Sacred Feminine from an early ageHow she relates to the Sacred Feminine via archetypes as opposed to through specific deitiesWhy she views birth and death as the two most important human rites of passage, as well as the similarities between them and how the Divine Feminine intertwines with bothAngie's own practices for honoring the deadWhy she feels strongly that the “veils” between the living and dead are thinner at certain times of year, such as Samhain and BeltaineShow Notes If you'd like to know whose ancestral tribal lands you currently reside on, you can look up your address here: https://native-land.ca/You can also visit the Coalition of Natives and Allies for more helpful educational resources about Indigenous rights and history.Please check out my latest course offering! Returning to the Well: Sacred Feminine Wisdom for Your Motherhood Journey, begins Sunday, October 29! This 5-week online course explores the divine journey of motherhood and what it means to parent in partnership with the Sacred Feminine, and is offered via Home to Her Academy, a school dedicated to seekers of Sacred Feminine wisdom! Learn more and register here: https://www.hometoheracademy.com/course/returning-to-the-well. And while you're there, don't forget to sign up for my newsletter to stay up to date with upcoming classes.My book, “Home to Her: Walking the Transformative Path of the Sacred Feminine,” is available from Womancraft Publishing! To learn more, read endorsements and purchase, please visit https://womancraftpublishing.com/product/home-to-her/. It is also available for sale via Amazon, Bookshop.org, and you can order it from your favorite local bookstore, too.Please – if you love this podcast and/or have read my book, please consider leaving me a review! For the podcast, reviews on iTunes are extremely helpful, and for the book, reviews on Amazon and Goodreads are equally helpful. Thank you for supporting my work!You can watch this and other podcast episodes at the Home to Her YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@hometoherGot feedback about this episode or others you've heard? Please reach out on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/hometoher/ ), Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/hometoher)You can learn more about Angie and her work at the following websites: www.giaswomb.com; www.earthtraditions.org and www.deathmidwife.orgAngie mentioned Margot Adler, a Wiccan priestess and NPR correspondent. This obituary provides more details about her life: Margot Adler was a Wiccan priestess and author of Drawing Down the Moon; more info here: https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2014/07/28/336081618/margot-adler-an-npr-journalist-for-three-decades-diesYou can learn more about the Mountain Valley pipeline, which I mentioned, here: Mountain Valley Pipeline information: https://appvoices.org/pipelines/mountain-valley-pipeline/You can also learn more about the concept of providing legal rights to rivers here: https://www.equationcampaign.org/dispatches/the-river-is-my-kinfolk-it-deserves-more-rights-than-dirty-pipelinesAngie mentioned India guaranteeing rights to dolphins; more details here: https://www.dw.com/en/dolphins-gain-unprecedented-protection-in-india/a-16834519More info on the dumb supper, or silent supper, here: https://www.crowsbone.com/blogarchive/the-silent-supper
We are joined by Jason Mankey to discuss the history of Samhain and Halloween, activities and ceremonies that can be performed throughout “Samhain Season”, and the practice of Drawing Down the Moon (in which a practitioner is temporarily inhabited by the consciousness of a deity)! Jason is a prolific author, podcast host, and witch. He has published nine books over the last eight years with Llewellyn. Jason is a third degree Gardnerian High Priest who, along with his wife Ari, operates two covens in the San Francisco Bay Area. Jason is a noted speaker at Pagan events across North American and Great Britain. ----- Note: The views and opinions expressed by guests on the Spirit World Center Podcast do not necessarily represent those of the Spirit World Center or its staff. --------- GUEST LINKS --------- Instagram: @the_silicon_valley_witch --------- Website: https://linktr.ee/jasonmankey --------- SPIRIT WORLD CENTER LINKS --------- Website: https://www.spiritworldcenter.com/ --------- Instagram @spirit_world_center --------- Twitter @SWC_Updates --------- Facebook @thespiritworldcenter --------- --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/spiritworld/message
On today's episode I am talking with Lisa Ayers, the founder of the Drawing Down the Moon system of Reiki. This system is the foundation of Lisa's book and oracle deck "Healing with Ki" We all know that I just love a great deck ... that is why I am so very excited to introduce you all to Lisa today. Lisa designed this metaphysical tool to shed light on issues that need your attention, and to guide you in connecting with the correct frequencies to balance those imbalances. It brings together worldwide knowledge that Lisa has collected and curated throughout her years of teaching and practicing both Paganism and Reiki. Each card offers an exercise, meditation, or ritual to help you heal your inner and outer worlds. And .... Lisa has offered a special offer for anyone in the earbud coven who purchases Healing with Ki before Oct 31 Just mention that you heard about her here on "The Witching Half Hour or so…" and you will receive a FREE Obsidian pendant with Blue Lotus Oil inside until October 31 @ 11:59pm. Full show notes can be found on my webpage you can purchase Healing with Ki here
Are we wise enough to prevent an escalation of firepower that might quickly spiral into an apocalyptic World War III?
Short inspirational insights into the weekly Torah portion and Jewish festivals.
Margot Adler's Drawing Down the Moon is a snapshot of four different decades of the neopagan and witchcraft movement in the United States. Phoenix LeFae joins me to talk about the influence, legacy, and possible futures of this classic work of WitchLit. You can find Phoenix at her website or at the witchy business she owns, Milk and Honey. And on Instagram and Twitter. Please support Black, indigenous, queer, trans, women-owned, and local, independent bookstores. Transcripts of all episodes are available at witchlitpod.com Buy us a coffee (and support our work) on Ko-fi Follow WitchLit on InstagramFind Victoria at https://readvictoria.com and https://1000voltpress.com and on Instagram and Substack
References in this episode:Margot Adler, Drawing Down the MoonDawkins, God DelusionAll Acts of Love and PleasureJohn Beckett, https://undertheancientoaks.com/https://www.patheos.com/blogs/quakerpagan/http://quakerpagan.blogspot.com/https://rowman.com/ISBN/9780759105232/Researching-Paganisms
How do we limit the damage of the greatest terrestrial environmental disaster ever, climate change? By drawing down carbon. How we do that, and the most effective ways possible, form the base of this conversation with Eric Toensmeier, as he shares his ongoing research about the impacts of agriculture and how we can use agroforestry to increase productivity and sequester carbon. Find out more about Eric at perennialsolutions.org, and The Carbon Farming Solution at ChelseaGreen.com. Resources The Carbon Farming Solution Project Drawdown Perennial Solutions The Center for Agroforestry at the University of Missouri Agroforestry at Virginia Tech IPCC - Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Trees on Farms by RJ Zomer, et al. (PDF) Savanna Institute Steve Solomon - Gardening When It Counts John Jeavons - Grow Biointensive Legal Pathways to Carbon_Neutral Agriculture by Peter Lehner and Nathan Rosenberg (PDF) Diet for a Small Planet Related Interviews Dr. Laura Jackson - Modern Agricultural Systems Keefe Keeley - The Savanna Institute Jean-Martin Fortier - The Market Gardener Dave and Lee O'Neill - Radical Roots Farm Jerome Osentowski - The Forest Garden Greenhouse
Drawing Down Blessings
Halloween doesn't have to end on October 31st! Today we celebrate Samhain and enter a period during which the veil between worlds is thin! In my own experience, this period lasts until mid-November. I am joined by Jason Mankey. He is a prolific author, podcast host, and witch. He has published nine books over the last eight years with Llewellyn. Jason is a third degree Gardnerian High Priest who, along with his wife Ari, operates two covens in the San Francisco Bay Area. Jason is a noted speaker at Pagan events across North American and Great Britain. We discuss the history of Samhain and Halloween, activities and ceremonies that can be performed throughout “Samhain Season”, and the practice of Drawing Down the Moon (in which a practitioner is temporarily inhabited by the consciousness of a deity)! Instagram: @the_silicon_valley_witch https://linktr.ee/jasonmankey #samhain #halloween @llewellynbooks --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/spiritworld/message
Welcome to our second episode of season 2! In this episode we finally talk about books!... Well, actually we've been doing that all along, haven't we? In any event, this is an attempt at giving a more organized list. We discuss recommended reading lists for Seekers, our coven members, and from what we're enjoying now. Before you listen you may want to be ready to make a list for your library or favorite bookstore! List of books we mentioned: On Alexandrian Wicca and/or Alex Sanders A Coin for the Ferryman by Jimahl di Fiosa A Witches' Bible: The Complete Witches' Handbook by Janet & Stewart Farrar Eight Sabbats for Witches by Janet & Stewart Farrar King of the Witches: The World of Alex Sanders - by June Johns What Witches Do by Janet & Stewart Farrar On BTW High Magic's Aid - Gerald Gardner Principles of Wicca - Vivianne Crowley Traditional Wicca: A Seeker's Guide - Thorn Mooney Wicca for Beginners: Fundamentals of Philosophy & Practice - Thea Sabin Wicca. The Old Religion in the New Millennnium by Vivianne Crowley On History Blood and Mistletoe: The History of the Druids in Britain by Ronald Hutton Circle of Fire - David Rankine & Sorita D'Este Fifty Years Of Wicca by Frederic Lamond In Search of the New Forest Coven - Philip Heselton Wicca Magickal Beginnings: A Study of the Possible Origins of the Rituals and Practices Found in this Modern Tradition of Pagan Witchcraft and Magick - David Rankine & Sorita D'Este Trials of the Moon: Reopening the Case for Historical Witchcraft. A critique of Ronald Hutton's The Triumph of the Moon: A History of Modern Pagan Witchcraft by Ben Whitmore The Triumph of the Moon: A History of Modern Pagan Witchcraft by Ronald Hutton On Coven Work Coven Craft by Amber K A Teaching Handbook for Wiccans and Pagans: Practical Guidance for Sharing Your Path by Thea Sabin Wicca Covens by Judy Harrow On Life & Supporting Others As the Last Leaf Falls - Kristoffer Hughes Do I Have to Wear Black - Mortellus Pagan Book of Living and Dying by Starhawk Skills & New Practices Crafting a Daily Practice: Revised - T. Thorn Coyle Keys to Perception by Ivo Dominguez Jr. Consorting with Spirits Your Guide to Working with Invisible Allies - Jason Miller Lifting the Veil: A Witches' Guide to Trance-Prophesy, Drawing Down the Moon, and Ecstatic Ritual by Janet Farrar and Gavin Bone Magical Power For Beginners: How to Raise & Send Energy for Spells That Work by Deborah Lipp Seventy-Eight Degrees of Wisdom: A Tarot Journey to Self-Awareness by Rachel Pollack Tarot for Real Life: Use the Cards to Find Answers to Everyday Questions by Jack Chanek The Poison Path Herbal: Baneful Herbs, Medicinal Nightshades, and Ritual Entheogens - Coby Michael Trance-Portation: Learning to Navigate the Inner World by Diana L. Paxson Qabalah (The) Mystical Qabalah by Dion Fortune Qabalah for Wiccans: Ceremonial Magic on the Pagan Path by Jack Chanek On Ritual Practices Elements of Ritual - Deb Lipp All Acts of Love and Pleasure: Inclusive Wicca by Yvonne Aburrow Inner Mysteries: Progressive Witchcraft and Connection to the Divine by Janet Farrar and Gavin Bone The Witch Compass: Working with the Winds in Traditional Witchcraft by Ian Chambers and Griffin Ced Other Loki and Sigyn: Lessons on Chaos, Laughter & Loyalty from the Norse Gods by Lea Svendsen Merry Meet Again: Lessons, Life & Love on the Path of a Wiccan High Priestess – by Deborah Lipp The Tao of Pooh by Benjamin Hoff Wicca for Beginners by Thea Sabin Fiction Hogfather by Terry Pratchett Illusions: The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah Mass Market Paperback by Richard Bach The Orphan's Tales: In the Night Garden by Catherynne M. Valente The Saxon tales by Bernard Cornwell The Tiffany Aching discworld books by Terry Pratchett The Witches discworld books by Terry Pratchett Library Apps Libby App Hoopla App
Are you trying to increase your food storage? In this episode, we talk about how we stock our pantries, how we decide what to stock with, and how we know when to restock. Learn more from us at www.chapelhillforge.com and www.homesteadingroots.com. Follow us at www.facebook.com/chapelhillforge and instagram.com/chapelhillforge - and facebook.com/homesteadingroots and instagram.com/homesteadingroots22.
We continue our journey into the intersections of gay liberation and the neopagan movements with a discussion o fEddie Buczynski a young witch, brought under the wing of famed gay witch Leo Martello, who founded the Minoan Brotherhood--combining what he believed to be ancient goddess worship with a new mystery cult for gay men. We then discuss the pagan turn of Arthur Evans, formerly the strategist for the Gay Activist Alliance, with the 1978 publication of Witchcraft and the Gay Counterculture. Finally, we dive into the Radical Faeries, organized by gay rights pioneer Harry Hay, who sought to create a new, gay spirituality. We also our joined by Lisa Grimm of the Beer Ladies Podcast to talk about Margaret Murray and the witch cult hypothesis.SourcesMargot Adler, Drawing Down the MoonMichael Lloyd, Bull of Heaven: The Mythic Life of Eddie Buczynski & the Rise of the New York PaganArthur Evans, Witchcraft and the Gay CounterculturePeter Hennen, Faeries, Bears, and Leathermen: Men in Community Queering the MasculineStuart Timmons, The Trouble With Harry Hay: Founder of the Modern Gay MovementSupport the show
And so the Wheel has spun full circle! Welcome to our last episode of Season 1, folks! For the next turn of the Wheel, we're concentrating on magic and witchcraft that can be performed around each of the Sabbats. For this episode, we concentrate on Samhain (with a smidge of Bel-tân (and all the other spellings of that Sabbat
Halloween doesn't have to end on October 31st! Today we celebrate Samhain and enter a period during which the veil between worlds is thin! In my own experience, this period lasts until mid-November. I am joined by Jason Mankey. He is a prolific author, podcast host, and witch. He has published nine books over the last eight years with Llewellyn. Jason is a third degree Gardnerian High Priest who, along with his wife Ari, operates two covens in the San Francisco Bay Area. Jason is a noted speaker at Pagan events across North American and Great Britain. We discuss the history of Samhain and Halloween, activities and ceremonies that can be performed throughout “Samhain Season”, and the practice of Drawing Down the Moon (in which a practitioner is temporarily inhabited by the consciousness of a deity)! Instagram: @the_silicon_valley_witch https://linktr.ee/jasonmankey #samhain #halloween @llewellynbooks --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/spiritworld/message
We are back and in time for Halloween we are discussing, among other things, the first pagan pride “Witch-In” in New York's Central Park on October 31, 1970. The organizer of the event, an eccentric Sicilian-American named Leo Martello, used his experience in the gay liberation movement to craft a (somewhat problematic) political identity for the emerging Wiccan religion. We discuss his life, influences, and how he related to the gay liberation movement after the Stonewall uprising.Bonus: Cian Gill of the Wide Atlantic Weird Podcast joins us to discuss how 19th century folklorist “discovered” The Gospel of the Witches, which would later form the foundation of Martello's stregheriaSources:Margot Adler, Drawing Down the MoonRonald Hutton, The Triumph of the MoonEthan Doyle White, Wicca: history, belief, and community in modern pagan witchcraftMIchael Bronksi, A Queer History of the United StatesLeo Martello, Weird Ways of Witchcraft, and Witchcraft: The Old ReligionOff the Grid, Out of the Broom Closet: Gay Activist & Village Wiccan Leo MartelloRosemary Ellen Guiley, The Encyclopedia of Witches, Witchcraft and WiccaGay Liberation Front Platform Statement, December 2, 1970Harry Hay, “Statement of Purpose—Gay Liberation Front, Los Angeles, California”Support the show
If you'd like to know whose ancestral tribal lands you currently reside on, you can look up your address here: https://native-land.ca/My new book, “Home to Her: Walking the Transformative Path of the Sacred Feminine,” will be available beginning October 14 from Womancraft Publishing! To learn more, read endorsements and purchase, please visit www.womancraftpublishing.com. You can watch this and other podcast episodes at the Home to Her YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCK6xtUV6K7ayV30iz1ECigwYou can listen to all past episodes of the “Make Matriarchy Great Again” podcast here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/34-circe-salon-make-matriarchy-great-again-disrupting/id1515852327You can also become a supporter of their work via Patreon: http://patreon.com/34CirceAnd, you can learn more about Vicki, including her upcoming online course exploring the work of Marija Gimbutas, here: https://www.vickinoble.com/.We discussed a number of books and resources during this episode! Here are a few you can explore on your own:“The First Sex,” by Elizabeth Gould Davis, was brought up here, and has also been mentioned by other guests in the pastOctavia Butler was a fantastic science fiction writer whose books were extremely prescient and relevant to the times we're living in. You can learn more about her and work here: https://www.octaviabutler.com/Dawn also mentioned the books “Sexual Politics”, by Kate Millett, and “Drawing Down the Moon”, by Margot AdlerWe also discussed the classic book “When God Was a Woman”, by Merlin StoneKaitlin Shetler is a fantastic ex-evangelical poet who shares her work on social media. You can read her poems here: https://www.facebook.com/kaitlinhardyshetler/https://www.hagia.de/home/ is the home of the Hagia, International Academy for Modern Matriarchal Studies, founded by Heide Goettner-AbendrothDawn also discussed her experience with the teachings of Eagle Man (Ed McGaa), a member of the Oglala Sioux tribe.The following prior podcast episodes are also relevant to this conversation:The Legacy of Marija Gimbutas with Joan Marler: https://hometoher.simplecast.com/episodes/the-legacy-of-marija-gimbutas-with-joan-marlerReclaiming Women's Histories with Max Dashu: https://hometoher.simplecast.com/episodes/reclaiming-womens-histories-with-max-dashuThe Maternal Gift Economy with Genevieve Vaughan: https://hometoher.simplecast.com/episodes/the-maternal-gift-economy-with-genevieve-vaughan
Interested in learning more about Witch history? This epsisode of the podcast is a great place to start! Join host Jason Mankey as he teams up with Ash the Gardnerian Librarian to discuss titles such as Triumph of the Moon, Drawing Down the Moon, Witchfather, The Rebirth of Witchcraft and many more. This is a subject both Ash and Jason are deeply passionate about, and many of their absolute favorite Witch-related books are a part of the history genre.
A disc of light, an object of worship, a portal in the vault of night. The moon has always opened up infinite fields of perception, and in a new Hammer Museum exhibition, Drawing Down the Moon, curator and scholar Allegra Pesenti enters those many realms. In our wide-ranging conversation with Pesenti, she traces lunar iconography from across centuries and cultures, expressing the moon's many aspects: mythical, magical, theological, scientific. Through her scholarship, we encounter Thessalian witches and modern Wiccans, Victor Hugo and 19th century astronomy, and discuss the work of “making the invisible visible.”
The wonderful Britta Ager comes by to talk about her new book, The Scent of Ancient Magic. We get into many uses for scent in magic and religious practice, and the importance of this undervalued sense. For the full conversation (and other bonus content) pop over to patreon.com/witchhassle The book is available here: https://www.press.umich.edu/10082698/scent_of_ancient_magic And you can learn more about Professor Ager here: https://twitter.com/BrittaAger https://asu.academia.edu/BrittaAger https://hcommons.org/members/brittaager/ She recommends: Radcliffe G. Edmonds III, Drawing Down the Moon Lindsay C. Watson, Magic in Ancient Greece and Rome Daniel Ogden, Magic, Witchcraft, and Ghosts in the Greek and Roman Worlds: A Sourcebook Hans Dieter Betz, ed. The Greek Magical Papyri in Translation John Gager, ed. Curse Tablets and Binding Spells from the Ancient World Also check out Abortion Action Front: https://www.aafront.org/ and those panels I mentioned: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvLjjxQn5PcnyFHW0Ac7OPE1DTg9F91an
Friday the 13 was followed by a Saturday shooting in Buffalo, NY, involving 13 people. The media then broke down the victims into groups of three, those injured and those killed in the parking lot, and also mentioned that the supermarket was 3 miles from downtown. A series of shootings on Sunday also resulted in 13 people being shot in St. Louis City; there was a third shooting in Orange County. Criminologists are also reporting “13% of shooters are motivated by racial hatred.” On Sunday night the moon went into an eclipse, turning blood red or 'scarlet'. Three days, three symbolic energy vortexes. Obviously, a 'blood moon' relates to sacrifice, but astrologers called this eclipse the 'corn moon'. Corn has recently been on our minds from the dark sigil in Ukraine, and subsequent symbols extracted from the latter which included a spirit of voodoo with the name 'cornes'. The base of that symbol was the signature of Jupiter/Zeus, and the word 'zein' painted below is the 'sword', the number seven or the head, and the main protein in corn. Add it all up and you get the decapitation of the grain god following Walpurgis/Beltane - the burning season in April, culminating in food manufacturers going up in flames. We also eat a lot of popped corn in the movie theatre, and right now millions are doing so as they watch Dr. Strange with the Scarlet Witch chasing a child through the multiverse in a dream-like state, much like Lilith, the blood-thirsty demon of dreams. It is all part of the drawing down of the scarlet or corn moon and the inverted 'king kill' ritual wherein the king is killed in spring instead of fall. His number, interestingly, is also 13 - that of regeneration.
Drawing Down Refrigerant Emissions - E92Great to chat with Louis Potok, Founder and CEO of Recoolit! Recoolit mitigates climate change by preventing refrigerant emissions! We discussed why refrigerants are the worst greenhouse gases, why southeast asia is the epicenter for refrigerant emissions, carbon offsets and more!If interested in talking to Louis, please contact him at Louis@recoolit.com https://carbotnic.com/recoolit
In this class, we begin by exploring the concept of grace as it appears in the Eastern traditions. We transition into a discussion of a kabbalistic view of grace and how the saddik is called upon to be a bridge to the spirit world.
Stanley Kubrick, "Dr. Strangelove," "2001: A Space Odyssey," "Eyes Wide Shut," "The Shinning," Vivian Kubrick, Tom Cruise, Scientology, Saturn's gate, Saturn in Antiquity/Gnosticism/Hellenism, theurgy, astral magick, contemporary Saturnine currents, Kenneth Grant, synchronicity, predictive modeling, behavioral science, Simulmatics, micro-targeting in a US presidential election, JFK, Eugene Burdick, "Fail Safe," "The 480," Project Camelot, ARPA, ARPANET, IBM, viral outbreak, UFO Disclosure, Saturn in fiction, black cubes in fiction, obelisks, Saturn as chaos, cyclical vs linear time, deep sleep, The Abyss, the moon, Drawing Down the Moon, True Detective season 1, nagualism, Aztecan gods, behavior modification, role of CIA vs US Military, MK-ULTRA, ARTICHOKE, Project Cambridge, Project Pandora,
Bracha Goetz (Getz) is the Harvard-educated author of 40 books that help children's souls shine. She also wrote Searching for G-d in the Garbage, a memoir for adults about overcoming food addictions and becoming observant. Her books can be found on the Bracha Goetz Amazon author page and on her website: goetzbookshop.com.Gems:Share your own sense of wonder.Make Torah come alive.G-d is about infinite love, infinite wisdom, and infinite goodness.We want our children to experience the greatest pleasure in life and that's also what Hashem wants.When our soul shines, we allow other souls to shine.Education is when we draw down the spiritual light.Find what you appreciate about your children/students.Set the tone from the beginning.Establish clear rules.Show the value of Judaism.By being healthy, we can better serve Hashem.Books: Let's Stay HealthyAmazon We receive a small commission for any items purchased through my Amazon link.Buzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched! Start for FREEDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/JewishEducationExperiencePodcast)
Today I spoke to Fawna about her journey with witchcraft. Make sure to subscribe so you know when our next episode drops and rate and review if you like what we are doing. Socials Find Fawna on Instagram (@catsteaandwitchcraft), Twitter (@catsteaandwitch) and her podcast. Find Sam's Socials on this link: https://linktr.ee/samuelobrien Find the Podcast's Socials on this link: http://linktr.ee/contentncapable Plugs and Mentions Plug: Sam plugged Luca on Disney+. Fawna plugged Thorn Mooney's books, Drawing Down the Moon by Margot Adler and Jason Menkie's books. Check out the other shows on the Movie Night Crew Network!
Keith is joined by Conor Murphy of Foxing to discuss the band's latest album ‘Drawing Down the Moon', and their shared love of gaming. Follow Keith on Twitter: @keithlaw Follow Conor on Twitter: @TokeEverlasting Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Ep 212 - Drawing Down the Moon: Awakening to your Lunar Self with Jessica of Luna Soul Astrology • Find Jessica at lunasoulastrology.com • Find Diana at thesensitivesage.com • --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app
What if creating miracles turns out to be something anybody can do? What if the current worldview of what is possible and impossible isn't really true? What if there are no boundaries and no limits to what you can do in your life? Welcome to Words Of Power “A rare gem. One of the only magical self-help books that is beautiful, moral, and wise. Marion's methods of working have greatly influenced my life.” —Margot Adler, author of Drawing Down the Moon This is a review of one of the most amazing chapters I have read. This will tell you everything you need to know to create magic and transform your life using affirmations and visualization. This gives a very powerful to create your own words of power and it works. This may be my favorite work on the technique of reality creation. Using these techniques you will gain the control of the invisible realm and manifest anything you want as form. This gives the principles and techniques for positive and powerful change that is for the good of everyone. Marion Weinstein (1939–2009) was an author, teacher, media personality, and proud New York "city witch." Known as "The Ethics Witch," she is one of the founders of the modern witchcraft movement. She was the first to coin the phrase and define Positive Magic, and clearly delineate its use. Her radio show, Marion's Cauldron, was the first regularly scheduled Wiccan and psychic programming on record, and was a New York phenomenon for fourteen years. Alternate Universe Reality Activation get full access to new meditations, new lectures, recordings from the reality con and the 90 day AURA meditation schedulehttps://realityrevolutionlive.com/aura45338118 BUY MY BOOK! https://www.amazon.com/Reality-Revolution-Mind-Blowing-Movement-Hack/dp/154450618X/ Listen my book on audible https://www.audible.com/pd/The-Reality-Revolution-Audiobook/B087LV1R5V Music By Mettaverseinner worldssolsticetravel lightdream flowfield of onenessthe language of lightlove the universal constantlight quotientinto the omniversenocturnesea of samsarajourney through the multiversewhen all else fades ➤ Listen on Soundcloud: http://bit.ly/2KjGlLI ➤ Follow them on Instagram: http://bit.ly/2JW8BU2 ➤ Subscribe to their channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyvjffON2NoUvX5q_TgvVkw All My Anthony Norvell Episodes - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKv1KCSKwOo_XHLvIXgYWWKbweUfzocyZ All My Neville Goddard Videos In One Playlist - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKv1KCSKwOo8kBZsJpp3xvkRwhbXuhg0M All my videos about Dr. Joseph Murphy - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKv1KCSKwOo_OtBhXg2s85UuZBT-OihF_ For all episodes of the Reality Revolution – https://www.therealityrevolution.com Like us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/The-Reality-Revolution-Podcast-Hosted-By-Brian-Scott-102555575116999 Join our facebook group The Reality Revolution https://www.facebook.com/groups/523814491927119 Subscribe to my Youtube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOgXHr5S3oF0qetPfqxJfSw Contact us at media@advancedsuccessinsitute.com #affirmation #lawofattraction #imagination #totalhumanoptimization
As Senior Director of new initiative Drawdown Communities, Crystal Chissell leads efforts to produce informational programming and guides to support local, collective climate action. These efforts will focus on scaling adoption of Project Drawdown solutions in a way that values the well-being of all people and nature. Project Drawdown has done a global analysis of the potential of these solutions over a thirty year period. That doesn't always translate exactly into “here's what you should do in your community.” So that's where we have to rely on the expertise of communities around the world. Tune in for Crystal's vision for the future and the amazing energy and optimism she brings to this work!Resources:Website - www.drawdown.org (Includes the helpful Climate Solutions 101 video series. All the videos together add up to 90 minutes, but are broken up into small manageable chunks)The book - www.drawdown.org/the-booInstagram - www.instagram.com/projectdrawdownTwitter - https://twitter.com/ProjectDrawdownLinkedin - www.linkedin.com/company/project-drawdownFacebook - www.facebook.com/projectdrawdown
My guest in this show, dubbed a ‘respected literary catalyst', or, as I myself call him, the 'art director of occultism', Mogg Morgan, is not only CEO of publishing house Mandrake of Oxford and a prolific author of quite a few books on Egyptian and especially Setian magick but also the founder of The Oxford Golden Dawn Occult Society. Mogg's interest in the occult started fairly early as actually the idea of being religious/spiritual seemed to be ever-present from childhood on. His mother loved to borrow books from the local library so he followed her example and this particular library happened to have a nice collection of Blavatsky, Crowley and the usual suspects. Mogg went on to work with Crowley's writings and at some point joined a branch of the British OTO that was part of the Typhonian current where he experienced a lot of theory but lacked practical insights. Eventually he decided to leave and build his magical knowledge and practice in a way practitioners from forgotten times might have done in order to assemble a bricolage of magic that would be able to offer a working system which he eventually did very successfully. Being the CEO of Mandrake of Oxford Mogg views the publishing process itself as a part of magic. We talk about his beginnings with Mandrake and look at the role of publishing houses as gatekeepers for certain types of magic often enough restricting valuable information. Mogg's own approach as part of Mandrake and as author as well is a different one. He doesn't only dive into subjects that might cause raised eyebrows here and there but also offers practical outlines and details instead of switching to cryptic comments or Latin as many others do. Find this book on the website of Mandrake of Oxford, by clicking here Want to read Mogg's Blog? Go here! As a lot of Mogg's work focuses on Egypt we talk about his most recent one, ‘Egyptian Magick: A Spirited Guide' and what the opening poem, ‘Drawing Down the Plough' means in terms of initiation and how it is linked to Egyptian magic. This book offers a bold attempt of going back to the most ancient magical sources in Egypt and opening up those gates for everyone. In this context we have a highly fascinating discussion about the Egyptian current in general and its relevance for the 21st century as well as its shamanic aspects. The subject of the god Set comes up pretty soon as a central blueprint for ‘Evil' in societies all over the world. We explore his ambiguous nature, his role as a scapegoat and his difficult tasks which basically no one else wants to deal with such as staring into the heart of the Abyss. We question how Set can play a role in healing whole societies in our days and what he demands of us in order to contribute to that process. Finally, Mogg will tell us about upcoming future book projects on Egyptian folk magic traditions and more. This is the poem that opens Mogg Morgan's book "Egyptian Magick", which I read in the intro to the interview and which Mogg will give us his interpretation of in the beginning fo the interview DRAWING DOWN THE PLOUGH Whenever I have need of youI draw down the ploughStanding under the night stars,The canopy clear above meSearching the heavens for your sign,An ox moving withershins,Tethered to a mast of flintIn the northern part of the sky First I rouse your mateWho lies sleeping in the earth beneathStamping the groundSi Bat for Bata will awakeTremors below rising through meA conduit for the seething cauldronAs the power rises to my bellyMy arms upwards piercing the barrierSeparating I and thou And down it flowsthat thinginto me,or my cupor via me to my companionDizzy now with the elixirI follow your movements backwardsto the nameless aeonwhen none ruled but I Music played in this episode
Gwenyfar Rohler, owner of Old Books on Front Street, discusses some esoteric books she recommends including The Only Astrology Book You'll Ever Need, Drawing Down the Moon, books on magic, mysticism and more. For more information, check her out online at oldbooksonfrontstreet.com. We hope this show inspires you to get started on your summer reading and to support your local book stores. We wish you a very happy week filled with peace, joy, health and love and great books! Be the Light!
Join me Rowan Oaken, the Bob Ross of Hocus Pocus, in this week's bonus episode of Season of the Witch with Rowan Oaken. In this bonus episode, I will be talking you through a solitary ritual from Llewellyn's Sabbat Essentials on drawing down the sun to harness its positive energies for your own craft workings or personal productivity. This ritual is best done during the Summer Solstice; however, you could complete this at any other time to charge/recharge. Rowan x --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/sotwwithrowan/message
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The perfected version of you already exists. Not only that, but we're taught that we can draw down that light into ourselves during these days. How do we do it? Have a listen. Lots of super cool ideas to think about on this episode. The post Drawing Down the Great Light of Our Own Perfection first appeared on Spiritual Tools for an Outrageous World.
I wanted to post this conversation between myself and two of my favorite witches, Moondancer and Enku from our Wild Witches Year and a Day class as a bit of lagniappe for y'all listeners. In this discussion we talk about several topics around witchcraft traditions discussed in the book Drawing Down the Moon by Margot Adler and go on to discuss other topics such as witchcraft traditions, and even talk about QAnon and the Tarot is a closed practice debacle. If you have any thoughts, comments or questions about this or want to let me know your listening out there, free free to email me at questions@sciencewitchpodcast.com Show Notes Wild Witches Year and a Day Community. MW Margaret Murray: What Science Calls Nature and Religion Calls God Isobel Gowdie Raven Grimassi No Tarot is not a closed practice TikTok Witches Hexing the moon The SOS in my Halloween Decorations A Thread on the Wild Witches Year and a Day community that links all the traditions and groups discussed in the book and where they are today
Karagan e Lucius falam sobre a sua experiência na Wicca Traditional sobre a incorporação ou possessão e no rito mais conhecido e tradicional “Drawing Down the Moon”.
This week, we have a double feature of pulpy historical horror. First up, Desmond and Duane have a lot of fun with Wax Mask. Then, Desmond and Tom duns very little fun with the werewolf Western Blood Moon. And there are tunes: "Dead Skin Mask" by Die Like Gentlemen, "Wax" by 45 Grave, "Drawing Down the Moon" by Blood Ceremony, and "Dead Limbs" by Killer Be Killed. Send feedback to: dreadmediapodcast@gmail.com. Follow @DevilDinosaurJr and @dreadmedia on Twitter! Join the Facebook group! Support the show at www.patreon.com/dreadmedia. Visit www.desmondreddick.com, www.stayscary.wordpress.com, www.dreadmedia.bandcamp.com, and www.kccinephile.com.
This week, we have a double feature of pulpy historical horror. First up, Desmond and Duane have a lot of fun with Wax Mask. Then, Desmond and Tom duns very little fun with the werewolf Western Blood Moon. And there are tunes: "Dead Skin Mask" by Die Like Gentlemen, "Wax" by 45 Grave, "Drawing Down the Moon" by Blood Ceremony, and "Dead Limbs" by Killer Be Killed. Send feedback to: dreadmediapodcast@gmail.com. Follow @DevilDinosaurJr and @dreadmedia on Twitter! Join the Facebook group! Support the show at www.patreon.com/dreadmedia. Visit www.desmondreddick.com, www.stayscary.wordpress.com, www.dreadmedia.bandcamp.com, and www.kccinephile.com.
The 2nd part of the 2 part series on Moon Magick. In this episode, I'll touch on Drawing Down the Moon, Lunar Eclipse Magick, using Moon Energy to cleanse, neutralize and charge broken pieces of mirror to use for protection. I'll also go over a few things you can do to celebrate the full moon aside from full moon rituals. Moon Cookies Recipe 1 1/4 cups of All Purpose Flour (can substitute 1 cup for almond flour, coconut flour, chickpea flour, oat flour, etc.) 1 cup of finely ground almonds, walnuts, macadamia nuts or another tree nut OR 1 cup of finely ground Club Crackers or other butter flavored crackers if not using nuts. 1/4 cup soft butter 1 egg 1/4 cup confectioner's/powdered sugar, plus more for garnish 1/2 tsp salt Combine flour, sugar and tree nuts or cracker crumbs. Beat butter and egg until smooth and well blended. Blend in the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients until well combined. Chill in fridge for at least 1 hour. Preheat oven to 325º or 160c. Roll out cookie dough to 1/8 - 1/4 inch Using a glass or a round biscuit cutter, cut out rounds and set on a greased or lined baking sheet. Use a smaller glass or biscuit cutter to create crescent moon shapes from the large rounds. Bake for 15-20 minutes until just golden. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack. When completely cool, dust with remaining powdered sugar. Find me on Facebook, Instagram & Twitter --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/molly-dyer/message
Michael and David discuss the best strategies for drawing down assets during retirement, especially given the COVID-19 crisis.
I read passages from the book “Drawing Down the Spirits” by Kenaz Filan and Raven Kaldera, adding my own perspective as well.
Episode Description: In this long overdo episode of FG2TO, I cover a topic I had been teasing since the middle of season 1 - Invocation! We will discuss this in the context of a few different traditions while also covering the importance of protection, banishing, and similar work. Remember, this is not the type of thing to play around with, nor is it something that should be attempted by a novice practitioner. Please use the information you find here wisely. ----- Thank you for listening to Fool's Guide to the Occult! If you'd like to hear more content, head over to our Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/FG2TO I’m currently doing a book club, talking about magick and pop culture and some other fun stuff! I’m constantly working to improve the offerings there, and you can get access to all of it for $1/month minimum (though I will obviously take whatever you'd like to give)! And to those of you who are already supporting, THANK YOU!!! It is much appreciated! Works Cited Witchipedia, www.witchipedia.com/def:drawing-down-the-moon. Carroll, Peter J. Liber Null & Psychonaut. S. Weiser, 1987. Chapman, Alan. Advanced Magick for Beginners. Aeon. 2008. Hine, Phil, and Peter J. Carroll. Condensed Chaos: an Introduction to Chaos Magic. Original Falcon Press, 2010. Kraig, Donald Michael. Modern Magick: Eleven Lessons in the High Magickal Arts. Llewellyn Publications, 2006. Magic, and Magic. “Drawing Down the Moon: Witchcraft - Pagan, Wiccan, Occult and MAgic.” Witcheslore, 12 Sept. 2018, witcheslore.com/bookofshadows/rituals-spell-casting/drawing-down-the-moon/4689/. Mankey, Jason. “Drawing Down the Moon: Deity in the Circle.” Raise the Horns, Patheos Explore the World's Faith through Different Perspectives on Religion and Spirituality! Patheos Has the Views of the Prevalent Religions and Spiritualities of the World., 13 Nov. 2012, www.patheos.com/blogs/panmankey/2012/11/drawing-down-the-moon-part-two/. Mankey, Jason. “Drawing Down the Moon: Personal Reflections.” Raise the Horns, Patheos Explore the World's Faith through Different Perspectives on Religion and Spirituality! Patheos Has the Views of the Prevalent Religions and Spiritualities of the World., 13 Nov. 2012, www.patheos.com/blogs/panmankey/2012/11/drawing-down-the-moon-part-one/. Painter, Sally. “Understanding Voodoo Possession.” LoveToKnow, LoveToKnow Corp, paranormal.lovetoknow.com/about-paranormal/understanding-voodoo-possession. Ancient Egyption Divination & Magic by Elenore L Harris
We have the ability to change what is destined for us with the power and focus of prayer. Tune in for more!
Happy Launch Day! In this episode I will introduce myself and go into a very brief introduction of Witchcraft and a little bit about Wicca. Recommended Readings Below, along with some interesting articles from History Channel. Drawing Down the Moon - Book by Margot Adler Living Wicca - Book by Scott Cunningham The Modern Guide to Witchcraft: Your Complete Guide to Witches, Covens, and Spells - Book by Skye Alexander https://www.history.com/topics/folklore/history-of-witches https://www.history.com/topics/colonial-america/salem-witch-trials --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/witchyzen/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/witchyzen/support
TODAY’S TOPICS: The China vs India… a fight with rocks, steel rods and people being thrown off cliffs? Germany has been freeloading off NATO and the American taxpayer for decades — does anybody care if the United States pulls more troops out of Germany? Race in military justice — the panel’s personal experience relative to […]
In this episode of the Hoof & Horn Podcast, we add to our Witches in the Trenches series by speaking with Jasmyne Ambrosia of 3rd Eye Fortunes. We discussed the classes she teaches through 3rd Eye and we get a Witch Tip on the 3 C's... Keeping in Clean, keeping it Cleansed and keeping it Consecrated! *** Later T and Braxis discuss Trance work, Seidth and Drawing Down the Moon. *** Music in this episode by Damh the Bard and then MetalHorse, live from Indy Pagan Pride Day 2019. *** Please follow and share! *** Find Jasmyne on Facebook at 3rd Eye Fortunes and on YouTube at Jasmyne Ambrosia. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/hoof-and-horn/support
Banks and some local authorities are preventing people in receipt of the State’s Covid-19 wage subsidy from drawing down their mortgages. Ciara hears from listeners and chats to Eoin McGee, MD of Prosperous Financial and author of How To Be Good with Money. Photo: Sam Boal/Rollingnews.ie Listen and subscribe to Lunchtime Live on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and Spotify. Download, listen and subscribe on the Newstalk App. You can also listen to Newstalk live on newstalk.com or on Alexa, by adding the Newstalk skill and asking: 'Alexa, play Newstalk'.
Israeli intelligence shows that Iran, under serious economic and political pressure, is drawing down its presence in Syria—a move that could directly fulfill a biblical prophecy. Germany’s Constitutional Court overruled the European Court of Justice and effectively set itself up as the highest authority in Europe. Undermining this institution could provoke a real crisis in the eurozone. President Donald Trump is looking for ways to seek damages from China for spreading coronavirus, even considering defaulting on America’s $1.1 trillion debt to China. Even the threat of this could have dramatic effects on the global economy. We also talk about the EU using coronavirus as a pretext to try to delay Brexit negotiations, growing trade between China and Europe, America looking to pull out of Egypt and the Sinai Peninsula, and the exposure of a tragic and provocative shooting of a black man in Georgia. Links [01:30] Iran Leaving Syria (12 minutes) “How the Syrian Crisis Will End” The King of the South [13:16] Trumpet Daily Radio Show V-E Day Episode (2 minutes) "The History We Should Be Celebrating This V-E Day" [15:51] German Court Power Move (11 minutes) “Will Coronavirus Wreck the EU?” “Coronavirus and the Holy Roman Empire” [26:33] China and America Schism (6 minutes) “Our Financial 9/11 Was Prophesied!” from He Was Right [32:32] Georgia Shooting (6 minutes) “Where America’s Race Riots Are Leading” from Great Again [39:54] EU Delays Brexit (7 minutes) TRENDS: “Why the Trumpet Watches the UK’s Break From Europe” [46:51] China Boosts Trade With Europe (3 minutes) “Blocking the U.S. Out of World Trade” Isaiah’s End-Time Vision [50:13] U.S. Pulls Out of Egypt (2 minutes) “America Is Back … ing Out” [52:05] Politics and Lies (2 minutes) “A Dangerous New Age of ‘Worshiping the Will’”
What's up everyone?! I hope you're all staying well in this time of crisis and chaos. To switch things up a bit, I decided to have Night Shayde on the show. He is the host of Flatline 2 Beatline, a podcast dedicated to showing support to all manner of creators in the pagan and witchcraft sphere. Make sure you subscribe and listen to his show and give all his guests some love! I make every attempt to be inclusive and accessible to everyone. If you would prefer to download a PDF copy of this transcript, click here: http://www.roundthecauldron.com/download/round-the-cauldron-ep-60-transcript/ MENTIONED: o Flatline 2 Beatline on Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/flatline-2-beatline o Night Shayde on Twitter: https://twitter.com/F2BPodcast CURRENTLY READING: o Drawing Down the Moon by Margot Adler o Get it on Paperback: https://amzn.to/34wM1XT o Get it on Audible: https://amzn.to/2S2NH8V FIND ME ONLINE! Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/roundthecauldron Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/roundthecauldron Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/rounthecauldron Patreon: http://patreon.com/roundthecauldron Website: http://www.roundthecauldron.com Shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/roundthecauldron --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/round-the-cauldron/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/round-the-cauldron/support
We have a Friday the 13th approaching, so let's talk about some different superstitions around the world! I make every attempt to be inclusive and accessible to everyone. If you would prefer to download a PDF copy of this transcript, click here. MENTIONED: o Friday, the 13th by Thomas Lawson (free on Kindle): https://amzn.to/3cFjoNm o LauraWhitePoplar: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpLS2ZXjTDOuhymb0qoOAkA o Cat Sidhe image courtesy of: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat_s%C3%ACth o "Dramatic Organ" beginning sound by InspectorJ (www.jshaw.co.uk) of Freesound.org SOURCES o https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat_s%C3%ACth o https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_cat o https://web.archive.org/web/20111030004010/http://www.petside.com/article/black-cat-myths o https://www.history.com/news/why-do-people-knock-on-wood-for-luck o https://creativecultureint.com/touch-iron-to-avoid-tempting-fate-in-italy/ o https://people.howstuffworks.com/why-is-walking-under-ladder-unlucky.htm o https://www.livescience.com/33507-origins-of-superstitions.html o http://wendygyoung.com/feng-shui-purse-floor-money-door/ o https://www.fengshuiweb.co.uk/fengshuipurse o http://www.icysedgwick.com/willow-folklore/ CURRENTLY READING: o Drawing Down the Moon by Margot Adler o Get it on Paperback: https://amzn.to/34wM1XT o Get it on Audible: https://amzn.to/2S2NH8V FIND ME ONLINE! Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/roundthecauldron Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/roundthecauldron Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/rounthecauldron Patreon: http://patreon.com/roundthecauldron Website: http://www.roundthecauldron.com Shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/roundthecauldron Don't forget to subscribe and give this video a big thumbs up! DISCLAIMER: Links in the description may be affiliate links. If you purchase a product using these links, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/round-the-cauldron/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/round-the-cauldron/support
I feel like we don't hear enough about safety within witchcraft, so I'm here to talk about it. This is not just about physical safety, either. Come explore the physical, mental, and spiritual safety concepts that I feel are important in practicing witchcraft! These include fire, crystals, herbs, mental health, and working with higher entities. MENTIONED: o Rose @ Wiccan Homestead: https://www.wiccanhomestead.com o Tarot Readings on Sale: https://www.roundthecauldron.com/shop o Patreon Membership Drive: https://www.patreon.com/roundthecauldron o Get my Merch: https://roundtcauldron.redbubble.com/ SOURCES o St. John's Wort Information: https://www.drugs.com/mtm/st-john-s-wort.html o Chamomile Information: https://www.drugs.com/npp/chamomile.html o Crystal Toxicity: http://www.gemsociety.org/article/gemstone-toxicity-table o Mohs Hardness Scale: https://geology.com/minerals/mohs-hardness-scale.shtml o The Spoon Theory: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spoon_theory CURRENTLY READING: o Drawing Down the Moon by Margot Adler o Get it on Paperback: https://amzn.to/34wM1XT o Get it on Audible: https://amzn.to/2S2NH8V FIND ME ONLINE! Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/roundthecauldron Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/roundthecauldron Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/rounthecauldron Patreon: http://patreon.com/roundthecauldron Website: http://www.roundthecauldron.com Shop: http://www.roundthecauldron.com/shop DISCLAIMER: Links in the description may be affiliate links. If you purchase a product using these links, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/round-the-cauldron/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/round-the-cauldron/support
Moving past 101 content can be a huge task if you don't know what to do, where to go, and what to study. So, why should you move past 101 content and how do you do it? I use Wicca as a basis for this episode, but this applies to all paths, traditions, and religions. MENTIONED: o Shadow Work Episode: https://youtu.be/O1_UKy1gox4 o Night Shayde w/Flatline2Beatline: https://tunein.com/podcasts/Religion--Spirituality-Podcasts/Flatline-2-Beatline-p1250191/ o The Craft - A Witch's Book of Shadows by Dorothy Morrison: https://amzn.to/2S6aL54 o Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner by Scott Cunningham: https://amzn.to/2OgW3qJ o Lisa Chamberlain Books: https://amzn.to/2UedKuP CURRENTLY READING: o Drawing Down the Moon by Margot Adler o Get it on Paperback: https://amzn.to/34wM1XT o Get it on Audible: https://amzn.to/2S2NH8V FIND ME ONLINE! Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/roundthecauldron Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/roundthecauldron Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/rounthecauldron Patreon: http://patreon.com/roundthecauldron Website: http://www.roundthecauldron.com Shop: http://www.roundthecauldron.com/shop DISCLAIMER: Links in the description may be affiliate links. If you purchase a product using these links, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/round-the-cauldron/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/round-the-cauldron/support
Imbolc Video Imbolg (or Imbolc) is a time of celebration for the coming of Spring. Imbolg is one of the original Celtic Fire Festivals and holds a special place in the hearts of many. With the sacred fires, planting of seeds, and honoring of Brigid, Imbolg is a time of growth and new beginnings. MENTIONED: o Irish Gods: https://loraobrien.ie/irish-gods-pagan-celtic-mythology/ o Irish Pagan Holidays: https://loraobrien.ie/irish-pagan-holidays/ o Smooring the Fire: https://sacred-texts.com/neu/celt/cg1/cg1092.htm o Legend of Brigid's Mantle: https://www.yourirish.com/folklore/magic-cloak-st-brigid o Johns Hopkins Sjogren's Syndrom Center: https://www.hopkinssjogrens.org/ o Donation Receipts: http://www.roundthecauldron.com/donations/ o Support me on Anchor! https://anchor.fm/round-the-cauldron o Lora O'Brien - Irish Pagan Priestess: https://www.loraobrien.ie o How to Make a Brigid's Cross: https://irisharoundtheworld.com/st-brigids-cross/ CURRENTLY READING: o Drawing Down the Moon by Margot Adler o Get it on Paperback: https://amzn.to/34wM1XT o Get it on Audible: https://amzn.to/2S2NH8V FIND ME ONLINE! Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/roundthecauldron Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/roundthecauldron Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/rounthecauldron Patreon: http://patreon.com/roundthecauldron Website: http://www.roundthecauldron.com Shop: http://www.roundthecauldron.com/shop DISCLAIMER: Links in the description may be affiliate links. If you purchase a product using these links, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/round-the-cauldron/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/round-the-cauldron/support
This week's topic is one that was requested through Instagram. I want to talk about environmentalism, the green-living movement, and how we can help those suffering in Australia. To get a transcript of this episode, click here: http://www.roundthecauldron.com/download/episode-50-transcript-environmentalism-and-green-living/ All the places taking donations to help the firefighters, displaced people, injured and the dead, animals, etc. Please share and donate!! FIRES o The NSW Rural Fire Service: https://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/volunteer/support-your-local-brigade o The Country Fire Authority in Victoria: https://www.cfa.vic.gov.au/about/supporting-cfa o The Country Fire Service in South Australia: https://cfsfoundation.org.au/donate DISASTER RELIEF o Australia's Red Cross: https://www.redcross.org.au/campaigns/disaster-relief-and-recovery-new-years-eve#donate o Vinnies disaster appeal: https://donate.vinnies.org.au/appeals-nsw/vinnies-nsw-bushfire-appeal-nsw o The Community Enterprise Foundation, a collaboration between the Salvation Army and Bendigo Bank disaster appeal: https://www.communityenterprisefoundation.com.au/make-a-donation/bushfire-disaster-appeal/ o Foodbank helps get relief for communities cut off from power and food.: https://www.foodbank.org.au/support-us/make-a-donation/donate-funds/?state=nsw-act o Givit accepts donations of items or money: http://www.givit.org.au/ WILDLIFE o The RSPCA bushfire appeal is used to protect the pets, livestock, and wildlife affected by bushfires, helping evacuate animals from disaster zones: https://www.rspcansw.org.au/bushfire-appeal/ o The World Wildlife Fund provides emergency care during bushfires, particularly to koalas: https://donate.wwf.org.au/donate/2019-trees-appeal-koala-crisis#gs.pw3oq8 o The Port Macquarie Koala Hospital searches for and protects the koalas in the region: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-thirsty-koalas-devastated-by-recent-fires o WIRES is an Australia wildlife rescue organization: https://www.wires.org.au/donate/ways-to-help If you can’t donate please help and raise awareness. MENTIONED o Shelby @ Shelbizzle: https://www.youtube.com/user/Shelbizleee WEB SOURCES o https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/01/world/australia/fires.html o https://www.unaa.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/UNAA-Climate-Change-Position-Paper-2019-1-1.pdf o https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/nov/22/australia-bushfires-factcheck-are-this-years-fires-unprecedented o https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/dec/25/factcheck-why-australias-monster-2019-bushfires-are-unprecedented o https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/nov/11/what-are-the-links-between-climate-change-and-bushfires-explainer o https://www.greenamerica.org/green-living o https://climate.nasa.gov/causes/ o https://www.ipcc.ch/site/assets/uploads/2018/02/ipcc_wg3_ar5_summary-for-policymakers.pdf o https://phys.org/news/2018-04-science-amount-straws-plastic-pollution.html CURRENTLY READING: o Drawing Down the Moon by Margot Adler o Get it on Paperback: https://amzn.to/34wM1XT o Get it on Audible: https://amzn.to/2S2NH8V FIND ME ONLINE! o Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/roundthecauldron o Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/roundthecauldron o Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/rounthecauldron o Patreon: http://patreon.com/roundthecauldron o Website: http://www.roundthecauldron.com o Shop: http://www.roundthecauldron.com/shop Don't forget to subscribe and give this video a big thumbs up! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/round-the-cauldron/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/round-the-cauldron/support
Part of my depth year goals is to do some shadow work and work on myself. Come along with me and let's discuss what shadow work is, how you do it, and the benefits. o Want a transcript of this episode? Find it here: http://www.roundthecauldron.com/download/episode-49-transcript/ MENTIONED o Rose - Patreon Supporter: https://www.wiccanhomestead.com/ o Flatline2Beatline Podcast w/Night Shayde: https://tunein.com/podcasts/Religion--Spirituality-Podcasts/Flatline-2-Beatline-p1250191/ WEB SOURCES o https://www.carl-jung.net/shadow.html o https://highexistence.com/carl-jung-shadow-guide-unconscious/ o https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shadow_(psychology) CURRENTLY READING: o Drawing Down the Moon by Margot Adler o Get it on Paperback: https://amzn.to/34wM1XT o Get it on Audible: https://amzn.to/2S2NH8V FIND ME ONLINE! Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/roundthecauldron Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/roundthecauldron Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/rounthecauldron Patreon: http://patreon.com/roundthecauldron Website: http://www.roundthecauldron.com Shop: http://www.roundthecauldron.com/shop DISCLAIMER: Links in the description may be affiliate links. If you purchase a product using these links, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/round-the-cauldron/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/round-the-cauldron/support
The concept of Maiden, Mother, and Crone makes me uncomfortable - and here's why. I know this might be an unpopular opinion, but I felt like I needed to give my perspective on this concept because I know I'm not alone. FULL DISCLOSURE - This is my own opinion ONLY. I know that the MMC concept works for many, many people - and that's okay! Here are some links that I used for my research and information o https://www.patheos.com/blogs/teaaddictedwitch/2018/07/maiden-mother-crone-model/ o http://www.mother-god.com/triple-goddess.html o https://acelebrationofwomen.org/2013/12/the-three-women-maiden-mother-crone/ o http://themotherhouseofthegoddess.com/2017/05/11/maiden-mother-crone-ancient-tradition-or-new-creative-synthesis-by-carol-p-christ/ o https://www.learnreligions.com/maiden-mother-and-crone-2562881 o https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triple_Goddess_%28Neopaganism%29 o https://www.patheos.com/blogs/allergicpagan/2014/11/19/13-things-you-dont-need-to-know-about-the-triple-goddess-but-are-kind-of-interesting/ o https://www.patheos.com/blogs/allergicpagan/2014/11/15/the-secret-history-of-the-triple-goddess-part-3-will-the-real-triple-goddess-please-stand-up/ o Get my meditation journal here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1652393447 OR o Here: http://bit.ly/2MHb7Nl o You can download a transcript of this episode here: http://bit.ly/2QLRAg4 CURRENTLY READING: o Drawing Down the Moon by Margot Adler o Get it on Paperback: https://amzn.to/34wM1XT o Get it on Audible: https://amzn.to/2S2NH8V FIND ME ONLINE! Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/roundthecauldron Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/roundthecauldron Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/rounthecauldron Patreon: http://patreon.com/roundthecauldron Website: http://www.roundthecauldron.com Shop: http://www.roundthecauldron.com/shop Don't forget you can watch a live stream of the podcast every Wednesday on YouTube! o https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3CbjUikpPyqwi38AF8HfdA/ DISCLAIMER: Links in the description may be affiliate links. If you purchase a product using these links, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/round-the-cauldron/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/round-the-cauldron/support
Ring in the new year like the true witch you are! Say goodbye to 2019 and step into 2020 in true magickal fashion! Don't forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel and take part in the LIVE recording of the podcast every Wednesday at 11am PST! MENTIONED: o New Year Prosperity Spell: https://wp.me/pawqtP-1Jm o Affirmation Journal Printable: https://wp.me/pawqtP-1o6 o Burn it Away Spell: https://wp.me/pawqtP-1JA o New Year Tarot Spread: https://wp.me/pawqtP-1JI CURRENTLY READING: o Drawing Down the Moon by Margot Adler o Get it on Paperback: https://amzn.to/34wM1XT o Get it on Audible: https://amzn.to/2S2NH8V Don't forget to follow me on social media and subscribe to my newsletter. You can also help support the show at Patreon! Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube | Patreon DISCLAIMER: Links in the show notes may be affiliate links. If you purchase a product using these links, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/round-the-cauldron/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/round-the-cauldron/support
Recently, Jessa attended a fascinating exhibition of mysticism and art at the IMMA in Dublin called “As Above, So Below: Portals, Visions, Spirits & Mystics.” Pádraic E Moore, writer/curator/art historian from Ireland based in Brussels, was a curatorial advisor for the exhibition. He joins Jessa via Skype to discuss the secret history of the occult and modernism and the role it played in art, writing, and revolution. Pádraic E. Moore (b. 1982) is a writer, curator, and art historian. He holds a BA in History of Art and English Literature from University College Dublin (2004), an MA in Visual Art Practices from IADT, Dublin (2007), and completed CuratorLab, the postgraduate programme at Konstfack University, Stockholm (2010). Moore's practice is shaped by the belief that visual art enables alternative modes of interaction in a world increasingly led by technological rationality. Moore's curatorial methodology is meticulous but subjective, and is informed by an acute awareness of the artist's individual position. Moore's research interests focus on the influence of esoteric philosophies upon the literary and visual arts. Recent study considers how occult organisations, such as the Theosophical Society, offered a vital catalyst for change in late 19th and early 20th century art. Moore's projects often explore how contemporary culture has embraced aesthetics and ideals informed by such esoteric traditions; chronicling the work of artists who refer to or follow in this tradition is an integral aspect of his practice. Recent projects include: Drawing Down the Moon at the Irish Museum of Modern Art (2017); I Went to the Woods: The Artist as Wanderer, Glucksman Gallery, Cork (2016) Music for Chameleons, a project for Parcours: Art Basel, (2016); Now is forever lasting constant in the mind, a project for Van Abbemuseum, Eindhoven, (2016); Ψ (Psi), a project for Fokidos, Athens. “As Above, So Below: Portals, Visions, Spirits, & Mystics” IMMA page: http://www.imma.ie/en/page_237202.htm SUBSCRIBE to the #PublicIntellectual #Patreon page to access bonus content, merch, and more: https://www.patreon.com/publicintellectual
Modern Witchcraft & Earth Magic Wisdom with Riyana Rose Amaya is flying solo for this episode, on assignment in the San Francisco Bay Area a place for all things mystical, magical and witchy. She interviews Riyana Rose a modern day witch, herbalist, coach, and writer who has been practicing witchcraft in her tradition called Reclaiming for over 20 years. In this episode, Riyana demystifies the term “witch”, by taking it off the flying broomstick and bringing it back down to earth. She shares wisdom about our connection to our indigenous roots, our bodies, what we put into our bodies, how we move through the world, and how we tend to and interact with our innate wisdom, which has been lost through a long history of oppression and violence towards women, indigenous cultures, and the earth. She helps explain how and why we have been affected by the witch burnings of our past, and gives advice about how to heal from this ancestral trauma. She encourages anyone interested in learning more about their inner witch and this earth magic wisdom to start with a personal study of their heritage and the folk traditions of their past, to read books like Spiral Dance by Starhawk, Drawing Down the Moon by Margot Adler, and most importantly, to “go take a walk in the moonlight”.... To find more information about Riyana, her Reclaiming witchcraft tradition, workshops, and coaching program, reach out to her at www.budblossomhip.com
When you successfully asked somebody out on a date? How do you make the process a good adventure rather than a cataclysmic catastrophe? In this episode of Serial Stress Killer Podcast, Chris chats with Mary Balfour, a top dating guru in the UK, about acing your first date. First dates are a make or break for every single pair out there looking for some chemistry. Learn how to mitigate stress before, during, and after your first date. Mary promises that the strategies she shares will improve your dating game. If you ask why your Mr Maybe or Ms Maybe haven’t contacted you yet for a second date, then make sure to listen in since Mary discusses the top no-no’s – that we hope you haven’t done – during first dates. There will also be tips for first-timers, especially flirting, one of the most essential skills in dating. The dating world can be challenging to get into so now’s the time to observe, listen, and learn from the expert. KEY TAKEAWAYS Even people who claim they know all about love and dating or who are confident about their conversational skills can break into pieces when he goes on a first date with someone. Stress might come in when we worry too much of the outcome of the first date. Mary has worked with tens of thousands of people regarding dating. She has seen ever since what and whatnots of the dating world. It’s easy for her now to see the outcome of a person’s dating move. Tips when you plan the first date. Set the stage for the ultimate performance. Choose a beautiful place where you can talk and hear each other. This is to make sure you don’t get stressed by the environment during your first date. Texting is the best way of arranging a date. In this way, you reserve all possible small talks when you meet. Your first date has to be short. It becomes disastrous when it gets too long. Finish it a little earlier than expected. Keep them on their toes leaving them to be more curious about you. Another thing that might bring stress is when you talk about yourself or listen to someone talk about himself. As much as possible, there should be balance, truthfulness, and no expectations during an exchange of stories, ideas, and opinions. Flirting is normal if you want to build chemistry. It’s all about you and another person feeling good about themselves. Use flattery, playfulness, and curiosity. Flirting needs practice. You can even learn it through flirting courses. Everyone is capable of flirting. According to Mary, one thing that changed everything is not technology, it’s contraception. Multiple dating became a thing. She also notices that people have set their eyes on completing their checklist of what makes their perfect partner. That is why most dates don’t reach second dates. Valentine’s Day may not be the most romantic day for everyone. It’s also a very commercialised day. Though, it’s a good reminder of love, affection, and friendship. BEST MOMENTS “The stress level or problem perhaps to behave inappropriately or in a way that might sabotage the date – this can happen often.” “Dating is actually stressful because of your first date particularly is like an exam. You know you’re on show. Their expectations which can be very high are nothing quite realistic on both sides… which can get in the way of people behaving and interacting naturally.” “Once people start talking about problems on a date, it does spell disaster. You’ve got to keep the first date really light-hearted and a bit flirty; small talk, not big talk.” “When people fall in love, it’s when they’re really relaxed.” VALUABLE RESOURCES Marriages Are Made in Bond Street: True Stories from a 1940s Marriage Bureau by Penrose Halson The 4-Hour Workweek by Tim Ferriss Serial Stress Killer on iTunes ABOUT THE GUEST Mary Balfour is one of the most experienced dating gurus’ in the UK, running her multi-award-winning, London-based matchmaking agency Drawing Down the Moon for over 30 years. Author of Smart Dating: how to find your man (shortly out in its third edition) Mary also shares her field-tested dating strategies and tips via her YouTube Dating Success Channel. As a seasoned guest of TV and radio, Mary talks with passion about the wider issues of relationships and the dating industry. Official Website: marybalfour.com drawingdownthemoon.co.uk Smart Dating: How to Find Your Man by Mary Balfour ABOUT THE HOST After many years of dealing (badly) with personal stress for over 20 years, Chris Hackett is on a mission to help people understand and overcome stress and anxiety by tackling the problem head-on. CONTACT METHOD Contact the show: https://serialstresskiller.com https://www.facebook.com/groups/serialstresskiller https://www.instagram.com/serialstresskiller Support the show - https://www.patreon.com/serialstresskiller What’s been your favourite episode so far? Connect with Chris to let him know - admin@serialstresskiller.com.
Ian Allan is a psychic and intuitive Witch living in Johnson City, TN. He owns and operates Appalachian Witchery, where he teaches classes on Appalachian Folk Lore and Magic, he offers tarot and psychic readings, as well as magical consultations and spell creation. WE TALK ABOUT: unique Appalachian spiritual culture divination, water witching, dowsing, folk magic, ancestor veneration, books of shadows the definition of real magic the difference between magic and manifesting MENTIONED ON THE SHOW Rumours - Fleetwood Mac Drawing Down the Moon by Margot Adler The Spiral Dance by Starhawk Talking Appalachian by Amy Clark Power of the Witch by Laurie Cabot with Tom Cowan LaurieCabot.com Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner by Scott Cunningham The Witches' Voice GUEST LINK - IAN ALLAN Appalachian Witchery HOST LINKS - SLADE ROBERSON Slade's Books & Courses Get an intuitive reading with Slade Automatic Intuition BECOME A PATRON https://www.patreon.com/shiftyourspirits Edit your pledge on Patreon TRANSCRIPT Ian: My name is Ian Allan. I live in Johnson City, Tennessee, was originally raised in a small coal-mining town in southwest Virginia. Not West Virginia, but Virginia, the southwest corner called Wise. Grew up in a kind of traditional Appalachian family. Became more knowledgeable, I guess would be the world I would use about dreams that I was having and feelings I would be getting about people I would meet at churches or in public atmospheres that would start becoming true. And so I became pretty obsessed with occult sort of ideas from a very young age and it just kind of started developing from there, around the age of 13, is probably when I really started working on developing certain gifts or abilities, if you want to use that word. And it just kind of went on from there. I became a public tarot reader in which I, about 11 years ago, I have been doing all of that for over 20 years at this point now, but really stepped in to the public sphere about 11 years ago and started reading for the public and offering classes on different topics relating to witchcraft as well as, specifically, Appalachian folk magic. Slade: Okay, so I'm just curious when you meet someone for the first time in real life and they ask you what you do, what do you say? Ian: Um, well, previous to March, I would pretty much say I teach Appalachian folk lore and magic. I also read tarot cards. It's not something I've ever really been shy about telling people. Slade: Okay. Ian: I... Just last October, had an interview with the local newspaper and my picture's in it and it's titled Appalacian Witchery. So if people have read the paper, they saw my face, they read an article about me. It's not something I've ever really hidden. It does, obviously, get a lot of weird looks or eye rolls sometimes, but that just kind of comes with that whole idea of being a witch. People don't want to think that we exist sometimes or that we're just crazy people. So it's something I've gotten used to. I've gotten a thicker skin over the years. Slade: One of the reasons I ask that question, and I've started asking it of a lot of the people that I interview is because so many of the people who listen to this show and the people that I work with in particular, are in some kind of process of sort of coming out of the broom closet, or coming out of the psychic closet. Coming out of some kind of closet, right? It's helpful to hear other people's stories and also hear sometimes that we don't all just walk around, you know, like carrying a sign, you know? Ian: Oh yeah! Slade: You know, there's a very, varied nuances to how we answer that question and how we go about in the public. And you've been confronted with the very real reality of having the local newspaper feature you, whereas I'm kind of anonymous locally but yet more globally visible, you know what I mean? So it must be a little bit different being like, but you're the town witch, you know! Everyone's gotta have one, right? Ian: Exactly. Exactly. Historically, yeah. Every village had a witch or shaman who could do herbalism, who would also do magic on the side. So yeah, every village, every town, usually had someone that they would go to, and I'm okay with being that. And I'm not the only one here in Johnson City. Believe me. There are plenty of witches here. I guess I am probably one of the more outspoken ones who hasn't hid himself away, or herself away. So with that does a certain lack of anonymity within the public locally. And I'm okay with that. I like taking care of my community. People who you wouldn't suspect would come to me for readings, for discussion of spell creation and that sort of thing. People who are, you know, ministers' wives, ministers themselves, but, that's days... kind of like, I always view it as a... almost like a psychologist sort of thing where, if you come to me, you come to me and it doesn't leave this room. No one's going to know your name, no one's going to know what we talked about. Slade: Right. Ian: It's definitely helped word of mouth, I guess, for my business, if you want to look at it that way, but it's more of a, I like taking care of my local community. Not that I don't care about my global community, I do care about them but, growing up in the 90s, there was that whole 'think locally'.. 'think globally, act locally', adage, so I've always kind of tried to live by that adage. If I can affect my small town in some way, then they'll start affecting the world at a larger rate than I could by myself. Slade: Yeah, well listen, there are people who listen to this show from all over the world. I mean, Australia, Singapore (I have a lot of fans in Singapore for some reason - hey guys!), Europe... You know, places where, even maybe there's people in Canada who don't really know about the Appalachian region and culture that we're talking about. You are from a city called Johnson City, which is in northeast Tennessee, kind of in the corner with North Carolina and Virginia. So if you would, just kind of explain for everybody a little bit about what Appalachian magic and folk lore is, as, you know, how you would sum it up. Ian: Okay, well, the first thing that I always do in my classes is discuss the word that you're pronouncing. You're saying, Appa-LAY-chia, I pronounce it Appa-LATCH-a. Slade: Mmhmm. Ian: And there's a reason for that. There's kind of an imaginary line, like the Mason/Dixon line, about the pronunciation of the word of the mountains that we live in. And below this imaginary line, so probably somewhere below Washington DC, northern Virginia, sort of area, you're going to hear it pronounced Appalachia. Above that they're going to say Appalachia. And part of that is, you know, it's just dialect. But it was a way for people back in the 1800s into the early 1900s to know who was an outsider and who could be trusted. Because the carpet baggers who would come down to the south, into the Appalachian mountains, or the coal miners or the coal companies who would send in people from the north, they would say Appalachia and we learned they weren't fully to be trusted because were exploiting us. They were stealing our land, they were stealing our property. Stealing our coal, taking our trees and then leaving us in poverty. And so, words, first off, have a lot of power. They have a lot of meaning, so... and it's not wrong to say Appalachia, because the people in the Appalachian mountains into Pennslyvania, Vermont and Maine, they DO pronounce it Appalachia. So their pronunciation is right for them, but when you're talking southern Appalachia, it's more proper to use that pronunciation of Appalachia. Slade: So I sound like a carpet bagger! What the hell. I'm from Tennessee! Actually, you know what would be funny is if I wasn't looking at that word written down and I was surrounded by my family (because my dialect changes depending on who I'm speaking with) I wonder which way I would say it if I wasn't thinking about it. I'm going to be listening for it now and like, how my family says it. Anyway. I didn't mean to interrupt. But go ahead. Ian: Oh no, that's perfectly fine because what you just talked about is like, if you were hanging out with your family, how would you say it? That's what we call code switching. We all have different ways of talking and different words that we use, depending on who we're talking to and what event's going on. There's a great book by a great professor of mine who I, from the University of Virginia's college at Wise. Her name's Amy Clark. She wrote, or she edited a book called Talking Appalachia, and it's a book of collected essays about, or people from around the Appalachian region who wrote about code switching, basically, how they talk and why they talked the way they did. It's a fascinating thing if you're into linguistics. Slade: I was a linguistics major originally in college, yeah! Yes I am interested in that! Ian: Yeah, so, that's a good thing and I've totally rambled off of your first question. So, your question was more about Appalachian magic and folk lore, correct? Slade: Yeah, yeah. Well, I mean, a lot of people... So we've identified a little bit of the area physically, geographically, that we're talking about. Why don't you tell us where the magic part comes from, or maybe what's unique about Appalachian magic? Where did this fusion of stuff come from? Ian: Okay. So Appalachian folk magic is really kind of a conglomeration of Scot beliefs, Irish beliefs, English beliefs, German, and a little bit of Turkey, practices, as within this area because it was pretty isolated and even to this day, they consider the Appalachians isolated, from the rest of the larger United States. But, these groups of people started settling here in these mountains and they would share some of their beliefs with one another and they kind of just created a mixing pot, a nice mix in a cauldron, if you want to keep good doing the witch stuff, beliefs and culture and created something that was more unique. I think it's probably the most American of practices. Because I mean, you do have folk magic in New England, but it was very much colonial English practices that they continued because that was who settled there. In the mountains, you had more, more people who came from sort of the lower echelons of society, so to speak, come in to the mountains because they said, 'Oh! No one settled here. There's plenty of land. Let's move here and create our own wealth, not realizing how rocky and sandy the mountains were, not really fit for a lot of farming. So then their life, the hard scrabble life, created different myths, different practices, different folk lores... Things like the wampus cat are definitely Appalachian in origin. That's sort of how all this came about was. Different people from different, but similar backgrounds, coming together to live and then just having to share with one another because of how isolated the area actually was at the time. Slade: Hmm... Okay, okay. So you mentioned the wampus cat. What are some of the topics that you teach classes about when you teach Appalachian folk lore? Just kind of tell us, what are some of the topics? Ian: The first one that I always like to teach, and I usually teach it maybe twice a year, once in the spring and once in the fall, as just kind of an introduction to Appalachian folk lore and magic, and that just covers a broad series of topics, such as who settled the area, where do we get it, some folk remedies. I discuss some of the legends like the wampus cat or, as he's now become named, the Wood Booger, which is not the most flattering of a name for a creature in Appalachia, but, you know, whatever. Call it whatever you want. It's a big hairy man, kind of like a big foot running around in our woods. And then we talk about divination techniques and in some of the other classes I do a class just on divination techniques that are unique here to this area, which, of course, are also similar to other things that people do in the broader world, like dowsing is a big thing within the mountains, especially what they call water witching, and that's where a person has a special ability to find water would take a specific type of wood, and the wood varied, depending on the family. My grandfather used peach tree wood to dowse for water to dig a well. Whereas other families I've known, they use ash or even elder to dowse with. But then of course, water witching is, has been done all over the world and also pendulum, using things like a wedding band on the woman's... taking a piece of hair from the woman's head and dangling her wedding band over her pregnant belly would indicate male or female. I teach a class on just specifically Appalachian techniques. I also teach classes on how to read playing cards as a divination tool and tarot cards. I teach some modern witchcraft classes. Slade: Well, let me take you back into the past a little bit and come back up to where your knowledge is now, but... So for a long time I've really been wanting to talk to someone on the show about witchcraft and magic because I come to all of this new age stuff from an identification as a witch at a really young age and so my family is very much Appalachian and I've got some Appalachian witchery, you know, a few steps back, like grandparents, but I very much grew up in suburbia. So for the most part, I grew up in Knoxville, Tennessee, so, you know, a decent sized city suburbia, so my identification as a witch (I have to tell you this story because i haven't told it to other people), but I was probably about 8 or 9 years old because I actually looked it up to see when the Fleetwood Mac album Rumours came, because that was 1977. I loved that album. I remember, it must have been soon after that because my family was going on a car trip somewhere, like maybe to Florida or something long like that and I think my mom had told me that I could buy a magazine at the grocery store. So I got her to buy me a Rolling Stone magazine which she was kind of like, Why do you want a Rolling Stone magazine, you know, you're 8! But it was because there was a feature on Stevie Nicks, and in that magazine, I got it because it was just HER and it was cool pictures of her and I was like, Oh, Stevie! Ian: Oh yeah! Slade: So I'm in the back of the car driving through Georgia in 1970-something and I'm reading Stevie Nicks talking about white witchcraft and how, you know, she's a white witch and all this stuff. And I had this total epiphany of like, Ohmygod, I'm a white witch, that's what I am! From that point on, I was always interested in wicca as a teenager and in college, I kind of discovered... I did a Women's Studies certificate in college, just because it was like you could take these more interesting cool kind of classes that were feminists but they were within different things, like some kind of feminist history or something like that and... After you took so many of them, they actually will give you a certificate in Women's Studies and sometimes I was the only guy in these classes but I just liked the topics. I would the syllabus, or the class listed in the roster and be like, Oh that sounds amazing! So anyway, I got turned on through this Irish women's studies teacher of mine to all this really modern feminist paganism, right? So I was reading, one of my favorite books is, there was an NPR reported named Margot Adler who wrote a book called Drawing Down the Moon. It's kind of a collection of all the various different types of modern witchcraft in America, or modern neopaganism. And then probably the big one for me, a big game changer was The Spiral Dance by Starhawk. That was when I kind of connected the whole feminine principle of the goddess, you know, like the lifeforce in the Universe as being a feminine thing, which was instinctively true for me and she kind of made that intellectual connection for me, in a way. So anyway, I'm wondering, what is your version of that? What were your... How did you come to this? Were there other people in your family or did you just.. you know, were you encouraged? Discouraged? What was your story of how you discovered this part of yourself? Ian: Oh yeah! I guess the easiest way to explain it, I have to go back to the 80s, when I was first... Because I was only born in '83, so... It was a weird time, being born in '83 or the late 80s in the area of the Appalachians that I grew up in. Because I grew up, like I said, in Wise, Virginia, and that is on the very tail end of Virginia. It's about 20 minute drive to Kentucky. Coal had started to fail. It was no longer king in the area, and so people were starting to lose jobs. Mines were closing down. The world there was trying to figure out what to do next. Sadly, they still haven't figured it out. But that's a whole other podcast... Slade: Yeah, right. Ian: ...to talk about the devastation of coal companies on the people within Appalachia. That area was very stuck, trying to figure out, how do we move in to a sort of modern mindset when we don't want to? We still want to be very old-fashioned, very traditional, in our community, and I kind of got swept up in that as I was coming of age, thinking, there's nothing here for me. Watching MTV and thinking, Oh, I'm going to be on Real World or Road Rules and that's how I'm going to see the world. Trying to get away from it but very deeply still wanting to connect with where I was being born. And the word 'witch' was never used in my family as far as describing my aunts, or my great aunts, or my great uncles, or any of that. Because they were very Christian, and that's also something I try to stress in my classes is, I use the word 'witch' because I think it's the most apt word, and witchcraft is the most apt word for describing the practices people did here. But they were very staunchly Christian. And so, everything they did came through the power of prayer to Jesus or to God. They weren't real hip on the Catholics either. Slade: Right. Ian: There are many a sermon I sat through connecting Catholicism basically to Satanism. So growing up, they weren't real hip on Catholics, even though my dad is from, well, he's an army brat but his family ended up settling in the Fairfax area and they ARE Catholic, so half of my family is Catholic and the other half is very traditional southern and Free Will Baptists in the mountains. But everyone in my family still did things. They would interpret dreams, they would talk about ghost stories. The professor I mentioned earlier, Amy Clark, in her English composition class, I think it was Composition 102, she made us do an oral history report and I went and interviewed my great aunt Fern, and collected all sorts of folk lore and stories about the road I grew up on. Because growing up, it was mostly all my family that lived on this road. She shared a story about how my grandmother and her cousin Ione used to go stay with this lady out on this back road called Red Wine. And everyone thought she was a witch. Things would move in her house without her touching them, and my aunt Fern didn't really know a whole lot because she was never invited to go sleepover there, so she just got second-handed stories.. There were definitely stories growing up that I would hear and then there were also the herbal remedies that my grandmother would make, or other people in the family would make for people being sick. I started having dreams from a very young age, where I was like, Oh, this is actually real. This is happening. And they were more literal dreams. They weren't the ones I would have to go interpret like, Oh, there were three cows in my dream. What does that mean? It was like, Oh, I'm walking into a church and here's someone that hasn't been in church sitting there and they're getting ready to give a testimony about how they've been sick and then that Sunday we'd go to church and that would happen. And I was like, Oh, this is interesting. And I also just really loved stories about witches, about vampires, about the monsters... That was where my interest as a very young child was at. Like, I remember specifically in second grade, my best friend Ashley had wore her mother's winter cloak to school and we went to library. I took her cloak and put it on like a cape and was running around like I was a vampire. I very specifically remember that because I got in trouble for that. Because it was a library and I was not supposed to be running around having all this fun. While everyone else was there checking out the Hardy Boys books, I was in the weird section checking out the children's versions of Frankenstein or Dracula, those sorts of books. So I would try to watch anything on TV that my mother would allow me to watch about witchcraft or whatever and I became... obsessed is probably the best word for it. Kind of became obsessed with it, especially the Salem Witch Trials. Halloween is still my favorite holiday to this day so I always looked forward to the fall and specifically, October, because then, you know, when Discovery channel and the History channel were actually about science and history, they would show specials about the history of witchcraft, or the history of vampirism. Even if they repeated the same thing ten times that month, I would watch it every time it came on. Slade: Yeah. Ian: And then when I was 13, we took a trip to... It was a whole big family trip. We drove with the entire family, some uncles, some aunts, up to Gettysburg to see the re-enactment, probably on 4th of July, around the 4th of July because I think that's when they do all their re-enactments. So we went there and then we were following my mom's brother on up to Connecticut where him and his wife had moved to, and I realized that Connecticut was very close to Massachusetts. I convinced my family to take a day trip to Salem. So one day we all piled in the car, drove I think 5 - 6 hours to Salem. And I was... I guess awestruck is probably the best word for it. Because I was like, Wow they're talking about witchcraft like it's something that anyone can do. That it's actually real and tangible and I remember seeing this woman walking down the street in long black robes with her staff and black hair flowing. And then I discovered who that was, and it's a woman named Laurie Cabot, the official witch of Salem. I was like, Wow, witches are real! I bought my first deck of tarot cards when I was there and then we came home and I just started reading tarot cards with the little white book that came with it, for friends and family. That slowly started to develop more and more, and then I purchased a couple of books on wicca and witchcraft, one being Laurie Cabot's book, The Power of the Witch. And then a book by Scott Cunningham, I think it was Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner. And then I discovered, Oh! There's a shop in Kingsport called Dilly's Curiosity Shop. And they had books and herbs and candles. It wasn't JUST a witch shop. They had tons of stuff on the New Age movement, on Hinduism. It was just kind of a hippie, new age sort of store, and once I became old enough to drive, you could usually find me there every weekend or every other weekend, spending my hard-saved allowance on books and candles and things that I needed. So it really started from there, was when I really discovered, Oh wow... So about 13. Wow, witchcraft is real and, you know, this is what my family's been doing and what I've been doing naturally for years. Starting to study it from there just kind of helped develop it more into something that wasn't just an occasional, Oh I'm having a dream, or I'm getting a sensation from meeting this person, or I feel like I need to leave some food outside for whatever gunk might be creeping around outside to protect the house. That sort of thing. It wasn't just something that I did spontaneously anymore. It became more of a honed practice. Slade: Yeah... Yeah I was going to ask you, actually, let's see, I'm going to come back to that and ask you a little bit about your personal practice but... I'm interested in, first of all, all those books were taking me back. I used to work in one of those stores, like your're talking about. It was called The New Moon. I basically was the person who chose the books for the magic section. All the people who worked there, we all kind of had our different area of expertise. There was somebody who did all the crystals and stones. There was a guy who was a Druid and he did all of that. There was a guy who was into Buddhism, so all that section of the store, he would advise the owner what to buy. My thing was goddess spirituality, wicca, this whole thing. So the books that you're naming off, I'm like, Yeah, yeah we had that book, we had that book. I'm interested, you know, when I was talking about Starhawk. Starhawk always defined magic, which she took from someone named Dion Fortune, as the art of changing consciousness at will. So I kind of wonder, what's your definition of magic? What is that, to you? How does it work? Ian: Yeah. It's a question that, you know, most people want to know a definition too. And as I said, I've studied and practiced for 20-something years, so I've read all the definitions, Dion Fortune, Starhawk, Aleister Crowley, and I think, yes, they're all pretty accurate. The art of changing consciousness at will - I like to take it a little step further and it's more than just changing your consciousness. It's also... Because changing your consciousness is one thing. But being able to change physical reality is a whole other, and I know they... As you get deeper into the magic conversations and topics, we talk about micro and macrocosms and how if you change your consciousness and you are changing physical reality but being able to literally change your physical reality is part of my definition of magic. So it would be more like the art of changing physical reality and your consciousness at will, in alignment with natural forces. Because I don't believe that there is anything really supernatural about anything that witches do. We are using natural energies and natural forces. We're just using it in a way that most people aren't aware of the ability of how to manipulate those energies to effect the change we want to see. Slade: She goes on in her definition, she talks about the art part as using sensory imagery and symbols that evoke emotions and then the will is kind of directed energy and intention, and together, those things sort of mix and shift, because we're kind of swimming around in this emotional-thought-energy soup, or whatever. You know what's interesting to me, see, is that sounds like people talking about Law of Attraction and talking about manifesting. I started blogging 12 or 13 years ago and the vocabulary that was popularized by The Secret sort of eclipsed some of what we call magic. It was like, no longer fashionable to use the word 'magic', now it's 'manifesting'. Do you have any observations about the relationship between those things? Is that something that you notice as well? Ian: Okay. So yeah. I definitely believe that there is validity in the Law of Attraction in its relation to magic. I am definitely not going to be your love and light person when it comes to this conversation because I think most of what we get with Law of Attraction is bullshit for the most part. When it comes down to - you have cancer because you wanted cancer - you wanted to be sick, I think it's especially (and I don't want to name names because I don't want to start any internet wars with anyone), but there are people who purport this Law of Attraction and about being in alignment with it, or stepping out of it, and you have to step out of it to know when you're in alignment with your Law of Attraction. It's very victim-blaming to me. Slade: Yeah. Ian: The way that they discuss it sometimes. And it's not helpful. And it's not been official, for the people who were in crisis mode, because then they think, Oh well I did this to myself. And yes, there is a part of it that I believe we do to ourselves. We make choices, whether they're conscious or subconscious choices, we make them, that create our realities. I mean, that's true. If I choose not to do something, I'm going to have the consequences of that action. But the manifestation of magic is definitely, you do certain things to attract what you're trying to get in your life. If I'm trying to get a job, I'm going to put my energy into my resume of attracting the job I want. And as a witch, I will take it a step further and anoint the edge of my resume with an oil blend I've made to attract a good job for me. Or the best job for my highest good. I'm going to do that and send the resume in and I guess now, most things are electronic. I know some witches who, electronically, they have a very faint... what's the word that I'm looking for... it's on the back of paper that you put on... a watermark! A very faint watermark of a sigil that they created. And, a sigil, you know, is just an image that you create and you imbue with a certain energy. So they would create a job sigil and put that onto the back of their resume before they emailed it out. And so, for me, that's more how the Law of Attraction works. It kind of goes back to the ideas that I grew up with. Being raised in a Christian home, but a magical Christian home. You know. God helps those who help themselves. So if you're acting in alignment with something that you want, then the Universe is going to provide that. But you have to do it in the accurate way. And so, for me, I don't like using the term Law of Attraction just because of all of that baggage that I feel comes with it. And how simplified things like The Secret made it. It's not just, Ooo I'm going to sit in my house and make a pretty dream board and hang it up and it's going to manifest. At least in my experience, it's been, You can do that, but if you don't put in the work to try to manifest it, the Universe isn't going to give it to you. I think the Law of Attraction has been simplified and that it has... Because the new age movement has a lot of money behind it, especially when you're being published by people like Harper Collins or the bigger publishing companies. They can definitely get you more exposure than Llewellyn could get you. I don't think you'll see many Llewellyn books on the best seller's list the way that you will, you know, Penguin or Harper Collins. Those sorts of publishing companies. So definitely if it's going to feed the capitalist society, then they're going to pounce on it. And so, yeah, I guess that's my answer for your question on Law of Attraction! Slade: That's cool! I'm very happy to hear your take on all that because it does... I think it always sort of... I feel the contrast in it and I'm always aware, kind of, of the intersection of that terminology, so... I'm one of those people who I use other people's vocabulary in order to reach them. Like you were saying, for instance, there are a lot of really Christian people who use Christian vocabulary to talk about magic, so if I'm going to talk about magic to them, I'm going to use their vocabulary because otherwise you shut them down if you start coming at them with, you know, like calling it the 'goddess'. If you're talking to a 90-year old woman about folk lore and she's talking about Jesus, just call it Jesus. You know what I mean? Ian: Exactly. Slade: Just keep on going. So, to me, it's always a language thing. It's interesting. Your whole thing about the word 'Appalachia', I did not know that specifically, so that was a huge epiphany for me to hear that about the idea of how it identified someone from being somewhere else. I was a linguistics major and I'm always interested in language and, to me, as a writer, magic and spell-crafting is very much, sort of rooted in a lot of language and when I do assessments of my mentoring students, I actually listen for the way in which they speak about these things. And that doesn't mean the obvious stuff like the symbolism and the archetypes and the buzzwords. I actually am listening for the actual words that they use, like, are they using passive language, are they using a lot of visual language, do they speak emotionally, those kind of things sometimes tell you a lot. It's subtext. Ian: Yes. Slade: To shorten the story. So I'm interested... you touched on a couple of things. The whole thing about the resume was interesting. What other kind of... not the things you necessarily do for your clients that you teach, but just in your own personal life, what kind of rituals do you observe? Or what kinds of magic do you do every day, kind of household magic? Ian: Okay, yeah. So household magic. That's always been kind of a big part of most folk magic. I always like calling it 'folk' magic instead of calling it 'low' magic because it makes it seem like it's something less worthy, because by definition, 'high magic' is like super occulty sort of things where you have to have a special robe and special pentograms painted on the floor. And then, I don't know who popularized the terms 'high' and 'low' magic but low magic was what the common folk did, and you know what? I'm a common folk. I like being a common folk. I don't want all the responsibility of being John Dee and deciphering things for Queen Elizabeth. That's not my interest area. I don't want to go and sit in the White House, especially this White House, and manifest messages for any political figure, especially what we have now. So my daily practice, there is, and this is something that people from almost all backgrounds, culturally, they have, if they dig deep enough, is ancestor veneration. Ancestors play a big part in my practice, and in the practice of the Appalachian people, as well as other cultures as well. I'm not forgetting them. It's big in hoodoo and voodoo as well, in African American and African traditions. But it's also big in European traditions. And so I definitely try to make sure I light a candle for my ancestor's altar every day and just kind of say hello to them. Let them know that I'm still thinking of them and, thanks for being who you were because then I can't be who I am if it wasn't for you. And that's not to say that all my ancestors were great people because they weren't. We all have those rotten branches and the rotten fruit on our family trees, and so, in classes, I do teach ways to kind of, you know, you don't want to invite all of your entire ancestry into your home because you might have a child molester or murderer or serial rapist in your family and that's definitely not what you want to invite into your home. So I teach ways to kind of try to helpfully, try to hopefully help them along on the other side to get to where they need to be. In my practice, I try to light a candle for them every day, just saying thank you, because sometimes, my magic is just me going to the alter and saying, I really need your help. This is the situation. And I'll bring them food. I'll cook them a special meal of whatever it is that they specifically like. Usually it's cornbread or something very southern. Cornbread, soup beans, pork chops, really salty country ham that I can't try to eat because it's too salty, but I will set it at their alter and light the candles and kind of say a prayer to them. It's sort of like the idea of Catholics asking saints for help. That's how a lot of witches use ancestors, and sometimes that's all you need to do to get help. You might get answers in your dreams from one of your ancestors. And it might be even someone that you don't know is your ancestor. A random person will pop up in your dream and give you the answer. Or things just start magically happening in your life, like I was really needing help to get this job and then suddenly you get 4 job offers. That sort of thing. I try to bless my food before I eat it. I do a lot of garden work. So I definitely try to take care of the plant spirits. In my belief structure, every ... I'm what you would consider an animist, so I definitely believe that every plant has its own very specific spirit, the dirt has it's own spirit, so I try to get to know that spirit, talk to it, learn about it. I am the crazy person in my condos that's seen outside mumbling to themselves and I think that's where the idea of witches, you know, muttering to themselves came from, is that we talk to everything. Things that no one else would see, we would be talking to the trees, to the plants, to the birds that were up in the trees, and also muttering spells under our breath for, usually for the good. Not all witches do things for the good of all, but I mean, that's usually my general practice. I don't a daily spell. I'm not... mostly because my life doesn't dictate that I need it. My life isn't that hectic that, I have to put it back together, always! Slade: Right. Ian: I do magically craft things. I make what's now commonly referred to as Books of Shadows, you know, spell books. I tea-stain pages with special herbs for special meanings, like keeping secrets and keeping power in the book and I'll bind them and add in special pictures and I try to sell them. Sometimes I just give them as gifts. I do magical crafts pretty much on the regular, making witches' cords, which is kind of a braided cord with special items like oak leaves or tarot cards, feathers, generally I have a very specific purpose in mind for each of them. I will make one for protection of the house, one to get a job, one to be enchanting, to have enchantments over people to make you feel... kind of like a glamour.. make yourself look more appealing and you just kind of really hang these in your home or your office for whatever purpose it is that you.. I would create it for you and, just looking at it, kind of helps imbue you with that energy because all the energy is there and kind of just drips down, like a rain cord.. And so, that's pretty much basically my daily practice. Like I said, I don't do spells every day just because my life doesn't dictate it, that I need to do a spell every day. But I do sit in communication with the spirit world almost every day. Whether that's plant spirits or my ancestor spirits or both. Slade: You are like me, you're like a like-minded soul in that you want this to be normal and part of your every day life. Like, it doesn't have to be some high ritual, like there's something almost off-putting about that, to me. Whereas something that I can incorporate into my daily existence, I'm a big sweeper. I sweep a lot. Ian: Oh yeah. Slade: You were talking about, that's where the images of witches outside, you know, crazy people muttering spells to themselves, I'm outside sweeping all the time. I'm that weird little old person who's like, I'm practicing for when I'm a little old man out there sweeping the sidewalk. So you've talked a little bit about these magical crafts. Now how does that play into, you do professional magical consultations and you create spells for people. So is there something similar in what you do for your clients? Ian: Yeah. Definitely. Just to get back to the brooms, I'm obsessed with brooms. I have... I don't know how many brooms I have hanging in the house, but I love brooms. I love the magic of sweeping. I have a specific broom for sweeping my front lawn, and then I have a specific broom that I use if I go to a client's house to clean out energy or angry ghosts or that sort of thing, that I only use for that specific purpose. Magical consultations might involve my broom, depends on what they come to me for. A client will, you know, usually contact me on my Facebook page or my number is on my Facebook page too, or they'll call me. And they will set up an appointment time. Sometimes I know beforehand because they want to share a little bit over phone about, this is why I need to come meet you. I'm having a hard time in my marriage, or I'm having a hard time finding a job. In the meeting, I take a lot of notes. I know that's off-putting for some clients. Like, why are you writing this down? And I'll write it down because, while I will remember most of things, I don't remember everything when I go back home, and start creating a spell or ritual for the person. And so, they'll bring me their issue, or their troubles, or what they're trying to magically create in their life. And, the consultation usually involves a reading of some sort. I'll get my cards out and see if there's some, if there is a block to what you're trying to do. Because sometimes we do create blocks for ourselves. Or there are people in our life that are blocks. Like if you're trying to save your marriage but your partner is not wanting to save your marriage and they're completely over that marriage, you don't want to try to force a marriage with someone who's really trying to escape it. And so, it's important for me to do these readings that I'm doing, consultations, because I don't want to trap someone into a marriage that will eventually make both people completely miserable. Or, the job that they're trying to get, we will look at that specific job and kind of look at the future and be like, Oh, you will be happy here so I'll craft something to help you be more enchanting in your interviews, or just draw the energy to you specifically for this job. Or if it's the other way, this job is going to be a terrible fit for you. You will like it for a bit but then it's going to be super draining. I would do something more like a road opener, so to speak, to make them more open to more offers of jobs, to a bigger spectrum of jobs, where they might need to take that job initially, but continuing to be open and going out and try to attract the job that's going to be most beneficial for them. So I will sit down and talk with the person, do a reading, and then I usually try to bring so many different herbs and things with me, so I can create little baths the person can take if they need a cleansing bath, or a bath to make them have more self-esteem, that sort of thing. I can create that on the spot and give it to them. But if it's something that requires more work, like if I have to go purchase certain items that I don't have on hand, then we set up another time to meet. If it's something that I need them to do, because for me, magic is most potent if the person that needs the magic is involved in it in some physical way. Whereas if I'm just at my house, doing a spell for you, I'm not going to have as much emotion in it as you are going to be able to manifest for yourself. Because it's affecting you more than it is me. I can pull up as much emotion as I possibly can, and I do, and I send it out. Not every spell is going to work. It's kind of a 70, 80% chance that it's going to manifest the way you want it to. Because... I'm a big advocate when I talk about magic is, magic is going to take the path of least resistance. So you need to be specific and general at the same time in what you're trying to manifest. I know that sounds like a contradiction, to be general and specific, but if you're just, Oh, I need money, and we do a money spell, you might get an inheritance but your mother might die. And that's not what you're trying to manifest. So you want money, but what do you want that money for? So you want that money because you want to go on vacation. So let's do a spell for that vacation instead of just money. Slade: Interesting, yes. Ian: And that's where the consultation come in handy instead of someone just sending me a message saying, hey I need a spell for this, and me sitting down, okay cool. I'll just write you the spell and do all the stuff in the instructions and you do it. Because it might manifest in a way they aren't expecting or wanting. And so, getting... And that's why I take so many notes. Getting down to the nitty gritty, exactly what the person is trying to create with their lives, dictates exactly what type of spell or magical ritual, if I feel it needs to get to that point would dictate. Slade: Is this something that you always have to do in person or can you do it over the phone and send people things? Ian: I can do it over the phone and then mail all the stuff out. Sometimes there are things that I will do on my end. And then I'll just send pictures of my work as I'm going along so they know I'm actually doing it. Slade: Okay. Ian: Instead of, you know, there are crooks out there who, I would do a spell for you, send me $400! Slade: Right. Ian: And then they sit at home and eat popcorn and watch Netflix. And then send you a message, I've done it! You should see it happening. I try to keep things on the up and up as much as possible. So I will send people pictures as much as I can. I do think sometimes taking pictures and documenting it can sometimes zap a bit of the energy out of it because... that's my own personal belief. I'm kind of going back to the idea of electronics pulling energy, but... Slade: Huh... Well, I think that, well one thing that electronics does do is it allows us to reach people that aren't here. It takes away the distance somewhat, so that you can, you know, speak to somebody that's on the other side of the country. But I would think that, the fact that there is this sort of physical object that you often create, you know, like the cords or a little grimoire or something like that, there's something, you know, the reason I can never be a Buddhist is because I like attaching energy and emotion to things. I find objects that have been imbued with power and emotion and association and intention to be extremely delicious and I want them sitting around on my shelves and stuff, you know? I think that's one of the ways in which magic really differs, but I would think that there would be something to that sort of crafted item that is uniquely special, to the way that you do readings and healings. In working with people who do different kinds of readings or healings, I usually talk to them about the idea that there's a diagnostic part of their session and there's a healing active part of the session. For me, it's all language. It's all words. It's basically, I'm an enabler and I can give you a big pep talk and that is the way that I heal. For other people, it might be something like, doing reiki, or like you said, it might be going clearing spirits or it might be crafting this item, spell, and then you use the intuitive part as a kind of diagnosis. Like, what's really going on here before I go messing with it? What's underneath the layers? I think that your practice is really kind of cool and unique and the reason why I asked about if you could do it at a distance because I know that there are a lot of people listening who are going to want you to now, and you know, gonna contact you and say, Wait a minute! Can you do this over the phone because I really want one. Let me... Before we talk about how people can get in touch with you, I just want to ask you a couple of questions. One is... Are we doing okay on time for you? Ian: Oh yeah. Slade: Okay cool. I'm loving this conversation. I could talk to you all day. You can come back once a month. So what do you most hope to contribute to the sort of greater conversation about spirituality and new age stuff? You touched on the idea that, of course, being published by a major publisher can sometimes falsely put those ideas forward. I'm very much a proud indie author, podcaster, and... If you can put your work out there into the world, what is something that you kind of hope to maybe change about everybody's perception about magic. Ian: Well, I guess it's two-fold. My main goal, when I started Appalachian Witchery, was to try to preserve Appalachian culture, at least an aspect of Appalachian culture that has kind of been pushed into the dark corners. Even people who do Appalachian studies, they don't really, or at least in my experience, because I haven't read every Appalachian studies paper or book known to man, but they don't really discuss a lot of the witch folklore, or the magic that they would do. So I was very worried that it was a part that was kind of being lost in the conversation when we were talking about Appalachia. And so, I kind of wanted to bring that to the forefront because I'm very proud of where I'm from. I'm not ashamed to say I was born in a very small town. I think we had 2000 people in it, and I think the county may have had 6000 people altogether. And then when it comes to witchcraft and magic, just that, I want to de-myst... not really demystify it, because there is power in it being kind of a sacred, hidden spooky sort of thing, but that it is something that... I can sit down and craft you this spell but you are going to be the one that... I need you to actually do part of it for me. So that everyone can kind of understand that everybody has the ability. Everyone has the ability to tap in to these natural forces and kind of take charge of their own life in the process. Because, I mean, we live in the quick-fix prescription society where, I have a problem. Give me a pill. Let's fix it. And I think that kind of correlates into the occult world, the new age world at large. People come to healers and workers and think that we can fix them in one session. And they don't have to go home and do any work on their own. And that's sadly not the case. If you go and get reiki, yeah you're going to feel better. But when you go home, you need to take some of the things that you've learned in your session and start applying them to your life. If you're not applying them, then you're not actually doing the work and you'll start making those decisions again and ending up in the same place. So it kind of goes back to that whole, idea of power of attraction. If you're not willing to make the changes, then you just keep attracting the same thing that you've been doing. And so, for me, when I do the consultations or I do the readings, I really try to embed that idea that, it's good that you're coming to me for getting an outsider's perspective. Because you're getting some advice, some knowledge that you wouldn't have had otherwise, but ultimately the work lies with you in order to make those changes. I can assist you and I can help you at that, but it is mostly personal responsibility. And I guess that's really what I try to stress most. Is preservation of a culture and personal responsibility for your life. Slade: If someone's listening to this and realizing for the first time that they might be a witch because of our conversation, which will happen. What would you advise them to do first? Like, if they feel this real flush of like, Ohmygod, this is amazing, this is the thing for me. Where would a new person go to kind of begin learning about this? Do you have any particular resources or books or things that you would recommend? Ian: The first thing I would say is, if you're kind of acknowledging, Oh wow, I might be a witch, is not to go running through the streets announcing that to everyone. Because that... And we do that sometimes when we discover something new that we're very passionate about. We're like, Oh this is what I am, this is who I am. Slade: Yeah... Ian: And it's off-putting, especially when you're, if we're talking, I might be a witch, is, you will encounter a lot of those people that are going to try to extinguish that light. Tell you you're crazy, it doesn't work, it's just nonsense, so that's my first advice is, don't run out telling everyone what you think unless they're someone you can really trust. And so, finding those people is the next step. And there are resources like The Witch's Voice online, I think it's www.WitchVox.com Slade: Okay. Ian: And they have a dropdown menu on one of the, either the right or left hand side, I haven't been to the website in awhile, and you can select your state or your country of where you're living, and then narrow it down. People post group meetups there, they post kind of personals. Years ago I had one on there myself. Trying just to meet like-minded people to talk and discuss... Facebook is a great resource. I'm a member of a lot of groups, like Pagans of the Northeast, which is all situated north-east Tennessee. There's Friends of TC, which is Friends of the Tri-City, which is what we call the area I live in. Johnson City, Bristol, Kingsport, is a Tri-City area. And then anyone who is any sort of pagan or witch, can post their events, can post meetups there. So finding those people, and you can just go into like, Facebook and type in "San Diego witchcraft" and you're going probably going to find a ton of options, groups, that sort of thing there. Books-wise, I always like to start people out with the basics. One being, I am a Cabot Witch. I've trained with Laurie Cabot and I'm actually going for my second degree in two weeks. Slade: I forgot to ask you about that - yes take a second and explain what that is. The Cabot Tradition. Ian: Okay. Yeah! So the Cabot Tradition is created by Laurie Cabot. It's known as the Cabot Kent Tradition and Laurie Cabot is just a fascinating woman. She was one of the first to be a public witch in America in the early '70s. And she had been initiated and trained by some witches in Boston, I believe, back when she was, I think, 15. They came from Kent, England. When she started teaching publicly, she titled her tradition the Cabot Kent Tradition because she had added some of her own flavour into things, which is always so important to me, when people are trying to teach witchcraft, I'm like, you need to have done it long enough, for one, to teach it, and two, to have your own, sort of ideas and structure and traditions that you've created to teach. Because witchcraft is a very personal thing, and that's something that Laurie brought to it, was that she had spent all these years crafting herself as a witch and had all these years of knowledge. So she started teaching in Salem in the mid-70s and I think by the late 70s, Dukakis, Governer Dukakis I think he was at the time, gave her the official title of Official Witch of Salem. Since then, she has been on Oprah, a bunch of other talk shows, teaching about witchcraft and her tradition. And she, to this day, she's 85 now, and she's still teaching the classes and being present at the rituals, the 8 Sabbats that they follow. The 8 high holidays for her tradition, and for kind of witchcraft at large. We have 8 holidays that we usually follow. Some traditions are a little different than others and they don't do all 8, but... About 2 years ago, I had the availability, the time and the money to go and study in her Witchcraft 1 class and got my first degree in the Cabot Kent tradition, which, when I was 13, that is who I saw walking down the streets of Salem. I was like, Oh! Slade: Ohmygosh. Ian: And so, as I studied more from the time I was 13 on, I realized who that had been who I had seen. I was like, I have to study with this woman. And then 20 years later, it manifested! Slade: Wow... Ian: I had put it out into the Universe all those years ago. And sometimes that's how magic works. I would love magic to be like Bewitched, and we could wiggle our nose and it manifests on the spot, but sometimes magic takes a long time to actually manifest into your life. So I studied with her back in 2016, and then coming up, July 15th I'm going back up to Salem for my second degree in her tradition. So yup, that's a fascinating little very rough history of her that I gave you. Slade: No, that's cool. I intended to ask you about it earlier. It was something that, because the whole tradition thing is an avenue that a lot of people explore. There are different lines of witchcraft, different types of traditions... I'm really speaking from kind of a lone practitioner, eclectic sort of person, which you also do, kind of in your every day life. But I think one of the takeaways for me for someone if they're new is to... like you said, well good on Facebook. There are some things that Facebook does really, really well, and that could be one of them. Is to connect with people locally. There is a lot about, when I go back to my interests in these subjects and where they came from, a lot of what I learned was physically in a certain location, or, you know, was a certain kind of shop, like you talked about. Most cities have that cool little store where there are people working there who are a resource, there are people putting flyers up for events. It is kind of, there is something about the power of where it takes place, you know what I mean? Like, different parts of the world, different parts of the country, have different energy, have different... Because this is so connected to nature. Even though you can use the internet as a tool to kind of find some resources, if you can ground that in people where you are, I think that would be my advice based on your advice, you know? Ian: Oh yeah, yeah. That's perfect advice because, like you said, the way that someone's going to connect to their place is going to be different depending on where they're at. Someone in Singapore is definitely going to have a different sort of, probably even different definition of witchcraft, and practice of witchcraft in Singapore, as compared to me, sitting here in Johnson City, Tennessee. We're probably going to go about it 2 different ways. So yes, if you can find a local spot, then definitely capitalize on that. Read the flyers. Talk to the store owners. Talk to the people that are working there. Because I did, as well, work at a sort of a metaphysical shop for about 8 years when I moved out here to Johnson City. And people definitely talk to the shop workers about what they're doing, what they're looking for, any sort of meet-up or ritual, gathering, that's going on. So they are a plethora of information. But you have to talk to them. You have to ask them. Slade: They're like metaphysical librarians. Ian: Yeah. Slade: But you're right. A lot of people who work in those stores are not just retail employees. They're there because they have knowledge about herbalism or knowledge about crystals or they're specifically involved in the community in something like a local circle or coven, something like that. That's where you'll find them, if you want to meet them. And, you know, they're often identified by their jewellry. Ian: Yeah, yeah. We witches love our very large pieces of jewellry. Slade: Statement necklaces. Listen, I know it always kind of puts you on the spot a little bit when somebody asks you to recommend books or something in the middle of a conversation, so I'm thinking, after we have this conversation, you're probably going to think of things like, Oh! I should have mentioned this book or this website, or whatever. So you can send those to me if they come to you and you think of something you want me to put in the show notes. Because I'll put all the stuff that we've talked about in the show notes and links to different books and sites and stuff so if you want to add to that, we'll have some time here from the time we're recording 'til it goes out. Ian: Okay. Slade: I'll be working on that and you can... It's also interesting that you'll be going on your trip to study with Laurie again probably around the same time that everyone is listening to this. Ian: Oh, wow! Okay! Slade: Yeah, that same week! So yeah, there's going to be a lot of energy behind you. A lot of people are going to be thinking about you and what you're doing up there. And then when you get back, they're probably going to want to contact you. It's been really fantastic capturing this conversation with you. I feel like I'm kind of running long on time. We'll have to have you come back at some point and go down some specific rabbit holes. Because this is a... You're the FIRST witch to be on this show and given the fact that I identify with that word as well, it's kind of like, Dang, why haven't I talked about this? So you're representing for a big canopy of topics here and I appreciate what a good job that you did in making it kind of specific, and unique to you and your practice. But also introducing the topic at large to a lot of different people. This is a big, big topic. There used to be statistics out there about neopaganism and sort of the growth of that spiritual tradition statistically, in this country. And there's a lot of people interested in this and wanting to learn more about it. Tell everyone the best place they can go to find you online. What's your Facebook page? Ian: The best place is going to be my Facebook page. It is just titled Appalachian Witchery and there is a picture of the Blue Ridge mountains, so the mountains are going to look kind of blue and it's going to say 'Appalachian Witchery' in red font. I used to have a website but that is a whole other story about that, that I'm not going to get into, because it was cancelled by the people that owned Square. Slade: Ooo interesting! Ian: Yeah. There's a whole thing about occult business and how they don't support them. And they cancelled my website... Slade: Oh, wow! Ian: That's basically the story. I made them quite a bit of money. Slade: Wow... Ian: And then they decided to delete me and a bunch of other people, based on the content of their website, which was really just me selling my crafts and my classes. You could buy a seat to my class on that website, which made it so much easier for me, because I could say, I can seat 30 people and put 30 tickets up on the website and then they would sell and I wouldn't have to worry about trying to send out emails letting people know that I'd gotten their money and the seat had been saved, which is what I've had to go back to, at this point. Slade: So everybody can definitely see what you're doing on your Facebook page, because I saw where you'd posted some stuff talking about the upcoming class that you're going to do with Laurie and so, I mean, it can do a lot of things for you, and it's good enough for people to go and check out what you're doing. Like you said, you have your number there, so they can email you and call you and set up a consultation. And of course, I'll link to it. It'll be easy to find. This was really great, Ian. I've wanted to talk to you for awhile. I've enjoyed following you on Facebook for so many reasons. I really want to thank you for coming on the show. Ian: Thank you for inviting me. I've enjoyed being able to talk about my practice and things. So definitely, I'm very much interested in coming back and talking more about things. Because I'm not JUST a solitary practitioner. I actually have a group here in the mountains and we've kind of crafted our own tradition here that I would love to talk about. Slade: Okay, cool! Ian: About what we do and how we've kind of crafted this tradition. Slade: Yeah! Maybe we can time it with one of the holidays or something, and put some intention around some of those traditional witch points in the year, you know what I mean, like... Ian: Oh yeah! Slade: That would be really cool to do some content around some of those. Or maybe we'll have you come back for Halloween, since that's your favorite. We'll do some stuff around that. Ian: The witches' busiest month. October. Slade: Yeah. Ian: Yeah! Definitely. Slade: That would be great! Ian: I very much look forward to it.
Why hoarding your RRSP's until the end may not be the best plan Guest: Jonathan Chevreau is founder of the Financial Independence Hub and co-author of Victory Lap
Donate to The Permaculture Podcast Online: via PayPal Venmo: @permaculturepodcast How do we limit the damage of the greatest terrestrial environmental disaster ever, climate change? By drawing down carbon. How we do that, and the most effective ways possible, form the base of this conversation with Eric Toensmeier, as he shares his ongoing research about the impacts of agriculture and how we can use agroforestry to increase productivity and sequester carbon. As an overview of the global state of carbon farming, Eric also discusses the reality of what we can do, through dietary practices and engaging in our own food production, to create change. For those of you inclined towards policy and top-down approaches, you'll hear plenty of possibilities of how you can move the conversation in your community and with your legislators. Find out more about him at perennialsolutions.org, and The Carbon Farming Solution at ChelseaGreen.com. Visit our partner: Food Forest Card Game Given the range of topics touched on regarding climate change, the resources below include not only those that Eric mentioned, but also a number of previous interviews with Dr. Laura Jackson, Keefe Keeley of The Savanna Institute, small-scale farmers Lee and Dave O'Neill at Radical Roots, and the market farmer Jean-Martin Fortier, as well as Jerome Osentowski of Central Rocky Mountain Permaculture. In the conversation with Jerome, he even touches on the impacts he's seeing of climate change after his many years in the high altitude environment of Colorado where CRMPI calls home, and the focus of his decades of work on greenhouses. As I put together the notes for this show, I'm left thinking about how to move forward in a meat-reduced world and have questions I need to answer. How viable is meat on leftovers? What systems do we need to implement to capture food waste so it gets to animals instead of the refuse bin? I should have expected to be left with more questions after speaking with Eric, so am going to keep digging into this and will share more as I find it. I would like to have Eric back sometime to continue the conversation about permaculture and food production on marginal land. If you have questions about this or anything else we covered in today's conversation, leave a comment in the show notes below, or get in touch. Email: Or you can send me a letter if you prefer something analog: The Permaculture Podcast The Permaculture Podcast From here, the next conversation is from guest host David Bilbrey, who sat down with John Seed to talk about Saving the Los Cedros Biological Reserve. Until then, spend each day creating the world you want to live in by taking care of Earth, yourself, and your community by capturing carbon wherever you can. Resources The Carbon Farming Solution Project Drawdown Perennial Solutions The Center for Agroforestry at the University of Missouri Agroforestry at Virginia Tech IPCC - Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Trees on Farms by RJ Zomer, et al. (PDF) Savanna Institute Steve Solomon - Gardening When It Counts John Jeavons - Grow Biointensive Legal Pathways to Carbon_Neutral Agriculture by Peter Lehner and Nathan Rosenberg (PDF) Diet for a Small Planet Interviews for More Information Modern Agricultural Systems with Dr. Laura Jackson The Savanna Institute with Keefe Keeley The Market Gardener with Jean-Martin Fortier Radical Roots Farm with Dave and Lee O'Neill The Forest Garden Greenhouse (Jerome Osentowski)
Recently, Jessa attended a fascinating exhibition of mysticism and art at the IMMA in Dublin called As Above, So Below: Portals, Visions, Spirits & Mystics. Pdraic E Moore, writer/curator/art historian from Ireland based in Brussels, was a curatorial advisor for the exhibition. He joins Jessa via Skype to discuss the secret history of the occult and modernism and the role it played in art, writing, and revolution. Pdraic E. Moore (b. 1982) is a writer, curator, and art historian. He holds a BA in History of Art and English Literature from University College Dublin (2004), an MA in Visual Art Practices from IADT, Dublin (2007), and completed CuratorLab, the postgraduate programme at Konstfack University, Stockholm (2010). Moores practice is shaped by the belief that visual art enables alternative modes of interaction in a world increasingly led by technological rationality. Moores curatorial methodology is meticulous but subjective, and is informed by an acute awareness of the artists individual position. Moores research interests focus on the influence of esoteric philosophies upon the literary and visual arts. Recent study considers how occult organisations, such as the Theosophical Society, offered a vital catalyst for change in late 19th and early 20th century art. Moores projects often explore how contemporary culture has embraced aesthetics and ideals informed by such esoteric traditions; chronicling the work of artists who refer to or follow in this tradition is an integral aspect of his practice. Recent projects include: Drawing Down the Moon at the Irish Museum of Modern Art (2017); I Went to the Woods: The Artist as Wanderer, Glucksman Gallery, Cork (2016) Music for Chameleons, a project for Parcours: Art Basel, (2016); Now is forever lasting constant in the mind, a project for Van Abbemuseum, Eindhoven, (2016); (Psi), a project for Fokidos, Athens. As Above, So Below: Portals, Visions, Spirits, & Mystics IMMA page: http://www.imma.ie/en/page_237202.htm SUBSCRIBE to the #PublicIntellectual #Patreon page to access bonus content, merch, and more:https://www.patreon.com/publicintellectualPLEASE SUBSCRIBE AND RATE US on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. PUBLIC INTELLECTUAL IS A FOREVER DOG PODCASThttp://foreverdogproductions.com/fdpn/podcasts/public-intellectual/
Every Friday at 9 PM Central you can join Host Rev Donald Lewis and Rev. Lori B for the Correllian Family Hour as we explore the exciting world on Correllian Wicca. News and views, interviews, and information on the Correllian Lifestyle. Join Rev Don, Rev Lori B, and guests as the Correllians on PTRN offer a ritual for Lughnasadh/Imbolc Three years ago today the Pagan world lost one of it's most powerful voices. Margot Adler not only guided many over the varied aspects of Paganism with her book, "Drawing Down the Moon," she was a trusted voice on NPR and very influential with weaving Paganism into the UU church with CUUPS. As a special tribute to her life and work, we here at Pagans Tonight invite you to enjoy this episode from the archives which originally ran on 9/19/2010 with Host, Zaracon and co-Host Rev Don. Here is the description from 2010: ?With your Host Zaracon, along with the Pagan Tonight Team. Tonights Special Guest is Margot Adler. Adler authored Drawing Down the Moon,[4] a 1979 book about Neopaganism which was revised in 2006.[5] The book is considered a watershed in American Neopagan circles, as it provided the first comprehensive look at modern nature-based religions in the US. For many years it was the only introductory work about the American Neopagan communities. Her second book, Heretic's Heart: A Journey Through Spirit and Revolution, was published by Beacon Press in 1997. Adler is a Wicca n priestess in the Gardnerian tradition, an elder in the Covenant of the Goddess, and she also participates in the Unitarian Universalist faith community (source Wikipedia)
The noted Foremother and Pagan Elder, Margot Adler, author of "Drawing Down the Moon" considered a watershed in American Neopagan circles, as it provided the first comprehensive look at modern nature-based religions in the US. A journalist, lecturer, Wiccan priestess, radio journalist and correspondent for National Public Radio will discuss her work in the world and her insights into what's ahead for Goddess Advocates and Pagans, how things have changed in the last 15 years, the good and bad of the movement going more mainstream, feminist spirituality and closing of feminist bookstores and the passing of Pagan elders. We'll also go off-topic and discuss the spirit of the times, the interest in vampires. What do powerful Bill Compton and Stefan in the Vampire Diaries have in common and the feminist the environmental thrust in the vampire phenomena.
This week I had the privilege to interview Janet Farrar and Gavin Bone, who I consider elders of my own witchcraft tradition. In this extended episode we talk about the evolution of witchcraft from its roots with Gerald Gardner to modern times. We also talk about why secrecy isn’t necessarily a good thing, the differences between witchcraft in the US and Europe, how to do syncretism responsibly, why lineage doesn’t matter, why gendered polarity isn’t necessary, and what it means to be a priest of any tradition. Janet Farrar: Janet was initiated by Alex and Maxine Sanders in 1970. Janet Owen (later Farrar) became involved in the Craft after a friend started regularly visiting the Sander’s. Janet, being from a Christian background, went along to dissuade her friend from becoming involved, but was impressed by the moral structure that Wicca had and joined the Sander’s Coven. It is here she met her husband to be and co-author, Stewart Farrar, who initially became involved around Alex Sanders as a reporter for the Reveille, and was then asked to write What Witches Do. With her late husband she has written over a dozen books on the Craft to date. Titles which include Eight Sabbats For Witches’, The Witches’ Way (one of the first books to suggest the southern hemisphere turn for festivals in Australia), The Witches’ Goddess, The Witches God, Spells and How They Work. Janet has also had one book published jointly with Virginia Russel, The Magical History of the Horse, and with her current partner Gavin Bone, three books; The Pagan Path, The Healing Craft, The Dictionary of European Gods and Goddesses, and their latest work The Inner Mysteries. Their books have become some of the most influential in Witchcraft and have set the mould for modern Craft writers worldwide. Since her initial introduction to the Alexandrian Craft with Stewart, she, with Gavin Bone has developed her own unique brand of Witchcraft and have been honorary initiations into several other traditions, including traditional Italian Strega. She prefers just to be called witch rather than be considered of any specific tradition. In 1999 she became ordained as third level Clergy with The Aquarian Tabernacle Church. Gavin Bone: Born in Portsmouth, Gavin Bone was originally initiated into Seax-Wicca in 1986. He trained as a Registered Nurse, is a practising Spiritual (naturally empathic) Healer and a trained Reflexologist. He met Janet and Stewart Farrar in 1989 at the Pagan Link conference in Leicester and moved to Ireland in 1992 after accompanying them on a tour of the United States. He co-authored The Pagan Path, The Healing Craft and The Complete Dictionary of European Gods and Goddesses with Janet and Stewart.In the UK he was both a Pagan Link and Pagan Federation contact in early ‘90’s and this led him after his move to Ireland to set up the Pagan Information Network; a contact network for pagans in the Republic and the North of Ireland. Like Janet, he is an honorary member of the Strega tradition, and ordained third Level Clergy with the Aquarian Tabernacle Church. Both Janet and Gavin tour regularly doing intensive workshops in the United States and Europe, as well as past tours in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. They have study groups in the US and Italy. They believe strongly in the idea of Wicca being both progressive and dynamic in nature, while remaining a clergy of those dedicated to serving the Gods and Goddesses. Their book The Inner Mysteries is their most radical work to date emphasizing the non-dogmatic creativity of Wicca, and was re-released as a second edition in 2012. This has now been eclipsed by their newest work, Lifting the Veil: A Witches' Guide to Trance-Prophesy, Drawing Down the Moon and Ecstatic Ritual which focuses on their 20 years of work in promoting, and teaching deity connection, Trance-Prophesy and possession. They are responsible for creating The Alliance of Progressive Covens (APeCs) a network of like-minded covens with groups in the US, Uk, Ireland, Netherlands, Belgium, and Italy. Links: Janet and Gavin’s Website Janet and Gavin’s Facebook Pagan Spirit Gathering Books: Fifty Years Of Wicca by Frederic Lamond Books by Doreen Valiente Lifting the Veil: A Witches' Guide to Trance-Prophesy, Drawing Down the Moon, and Ecstatic Ritual (May 2015) A Witches' Bible: The Complete Witches' Handbook The Healing Craft: Healing Practices for Witches and Pagans Progressive Witchcraft Other books by Janet and Gavin can be found here.
Drawing Down Holiness
At this year's Pantheacon in San Jose, Ca Devin hosted a panel on Politics, Sexual discrimination, and Conflict management. The Panelists include: Jason Pitzl-Waters of The Wild Hunt, A Darker Shade of Pagan, and PNC, Yeshe Rabbit of CAYA coven and Way of the Rabbit Blog, Margot Adler - author of several books including Drawing Down the Moon and of NPR , and Storm Faerywolf of Witch-eye.Special thanks to Sparrow of The Wigglian Way Podcast for recording the audio for us!
At this year's Pantheacon in San Jose, Ca Devin hosted a panel on Politics, Sexual discrimination, and Conflict management. The Panelists include: Jason Pitzl-Waters of The Wild Hunt, A Darker Shade of Pagan, and PNC, Yeshe Rabbit of CAYA coven and Way of the Rabbit Blog, Margot Adler - author of several books including Drawing Down the Moon and of NPR , and Storm Faerywolf of Witch-eye. Special thanks to Sparrow of The Wigglian Way Podcast for recording the audio for us!
Vic Davis rides back into town to talk about Six Gun Saga, his new solitaire card-based strategy game. Julian is mighty fond of it, but wants to play with the rest of his posse. Rob is curious how Vic's Armageddon Empires and Solium Infernum fans have greeted this unusual game, and where Vic is headed next.
Drawing down light
With your Host Zaracon, along with the Pagan Tonight Team. Tonights Special Guest is Margot Adler. Adler authored Drawing Down the Moon,[4] a 1979 book about Neopaganism which was revised in 2006.[5] The book is considered a watershed in American Neopagan circles, as it provided the first comprehensive look at modern nature-based religions in the US. For many years it was the only introductory work about the American Neopagan communities. Her second book, Heretic's Heart: A Journey Through Spirit and Revolution, was published by Beacon Press in 1997. Adler is a Wicca n priestess in the Gardnerian tradition, an elder in the Covenant of the Goddess, and she also participates in the Unitarian Universalist faith community (source Wikipedia)
The noted Foremother and Pagan Elder, Margot Adler, author of "Drawing Down the Moon" considered a watershed in American Neopagan circles, as it provided the first comprehensive look at modern nature-based religions in the US. A journalist, lecturer, Wiccan priestess, radio journalist and correspondent for National Public Radio will discuss her work in the world and her insights into what's ahead for Goddess Advocates and Pagans, how things have changed in the last 15 years, the good and bad of the movement going more mainstream, feminist spirituality and closing of feminist bookstores and the passing of Pagan elders. We'll also go off-topic and discuss the spirit of the times, the interest in vampires. What do powerful Bill Compton and Stefan in the Vampire Diaries have in common and the feminist the environmental thrust in the vampire phenomena.
Greetings Wigglians! Guess who's back?! You got that right, Sparrow is back! Only tears of joy this time from Mojo... Thank you so much for downloading the show and your continued support through our absence. The love of the Wigglian Nation never ceases to amaze.... Podkin Love! On tonight's show, we have a couple of guest join us in the studio, Eco-Priestess and Manly Mann Mannerson and we talk about conflict, specifically, conflict in covens. It does happen and it can sound a death knell for your coven if not handled properly! We also feature an interview that Sparrow did with SM Stirling, author of many books including The Emberverse Series, which begins with Dies the Fire. Tonight's feature album is the 2004 release from Gaia Consort, Evolve. From Evolve we hear Drawing Down the Moon and Change the Way We Are. We end the show with Peace Now. During SM's interview he requested songs about wolves and we always aim to please so please enjoy Wolves by Kan'Nal and Wolven One from Heather Alexander. New shows that we mention, give them a listen: Pennies in the Well with Saturn Darkhope Pagan Flavoured Popsicle with Amber Pheonix Thank you again for downloading the show, the votes at podcast alley, the emails and comments at Facebook. You, dear listeners, are filled with Awesome Sauce! It's all about the Love!
Drawing down Holiness II
Drawing down Holiness II
Drawing down Holiness
On this week's 51%, it's witching hour. We speak with a Massachusetts state senator about a bill to exonerate a woman convicted during the Salem witch trials. Author Kate Laity teaches us about the history of magic, and we also speak with author and podcaster Pam Grossman about modern witchcraft, and why witches are a feminist icon. Guests: Massachusetts State Senator Diana DiZoglio; Rachel Christ-Doane, director of education at the Salem Witch Museum; Kate Laity; Pam Grossman, author of Waking the Witch: Reflections on Women, Magic, and Power 51% is a national production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio. Our producer is Jesse King, our executive producer is Dr. Alan Chartock, and our theme is “Lolita” by the Albany-based artist Girl Blue. Follow Along You're listening to 51%, a WAMC production dedicated to women's issues and stories. Thanks for joining us, I'm Jesse King. The spooky season is upon us, and it's one of my favorite times of the year. It means pumpkins, apple cider, leaf-peeping — and in upstate New York — a nice reprieve from the humidity of summer before diving into what is usually the months-long chill of winter. It also, of course, means Halloween, and growing up my go-to costume was a witch. I was a witch probably four or five times before I switched over to vampires and the occasional Little Red Riding Hood. Either I was ahead of the curve, or things really haven't changed, because despite the popularity of shows like Squid Game and the latest offerings from Marvel, Google's “Frightgeist” still predicts the most popular Halloween costume in 2021 will be the good, old-fashioned witch. So today we're talking about witches: why they're so popular, what modern witchcraft looks like, and how we got here, because the history of witches in the U.S. can certainly be a difficult read. And where else would we start other than the Salem witch trials? Every year, crowds flock to Salem, Massachusetts to learn more about the 1692, hysterical witch hunt and trials that left 20 people dead. More than 300 years later, groups are still trying to clear the names of everyone convicted. Democratic State Senator Diana DiZoglio is behind the latest bill, S.1016, to clear the name of Elizabeth Johnson Jr. "Actually, I heard about Elizabeth Johnson Jr. from a North Andover middle school class. Their teacher, Carrie LaPierre, had reached out to me and said that she and her students had been talking about somebody who was accused during the Salem witch trials," says DiZoglio. "She had never actually had her named cleared, unfortunately, even though all the others had actually had their names cleared. And I decided to file this bill at the request of the North Andover middle school students." Johnson was born around 1670 and lived in a part of Andover that's considered North Andover today. DiZoglio says S. 1016 would officially exonerate Johnson, adding her name to a resolve in Massachusetts general law that acknowledges that, while the Salem witch trials were lawful at the time, the laws by which they operated have long been abandoned. Until then, however, Johnson is technically the last remaining witch from the trials. There's been a lot of speculation about what really caused the Salem witch trials in the first place — whether there were actually "witches," whether the accusers were outright lying, or whether they suffered from a neurological illness called “conversion disorder,” caused by extreme psychological stress. To learn more, I got the chance to speak with Rachel Christ-Doane, the director of education at the Salem Witch Museum. She says a combination of factors had already put the community under a lot of pressure. "It's a pretty chaotic time in Salem Village, and also if we can zoom out, just Massachusetts Bay Colony, generally speaking. Salem Village was in the process of trying to separate from Salem Town in the early 1670s. They had been granted the right to have their own parish, which was a big step towards independence — they could attend to their you know, weekly church meetings a little closer to home. But a factional crisis erupted pretty early on, where half the village likes a ministerial candidate, the other half hates them, and they fight and they fight until they drive that candidate out of town, essentially," Christ-Doane explains. "By this point, they're on their fourth minister whose name is Samuel Paris. And he is kind of, you know, not the best in terms of smoothing over the factional divide. He's a very incendiary figure in and of itself. They're fighting about what his salary should be, he's demanding more. It's basically this kind of mess, you know, in the months leading up to January of 1692. So basically what starts it all is, in the home of Samuel Paris, we see his daughter and his niece become very ill. So their names are Betty Paris, who's 9 years old, and Abigail Williams, she's 11 years old. Betty and Abigail are falling to the ground. They're screaming, they're clutching their heads. They're making animal noises, and nobody can quite figure out what is wrong with the girls. So essentially, they try all the traditional remedies — there's a month of fasting and prayer and things like that. They call in the village doctor, and he looks at the girls and he says, 'I don't have a medical explanation for what's going on here. It looks to me like this is the work of the devil. This is bewitchment.' And that's really what kicks off the witchcraft trials, because now they need to find the witches who are in the community, who are supposedly tormenting these young girls." Christ-Doane says the Salem Witch Trials officially took place between June and September of 1692, and anywhere from 150 to 200 people from Salem and its surrounding communities were accused of witchcraft around this time. She says the accused could be any age, race or gender, but at the beginning, at least, they were mostly people who, for one reason or another, didn't fit in with the rest of society: women who were particularly outspoken, who fought publicly with their husbands, or older "spinsters," thought to be a burden on the community. Johnson was one of 28 people in her family to face accusations, including her mother, multiple aunts, and grandfather. Christ-Doane says the political landscape in Massachusetts only contributed to the frenzy. The colony was rewriting its laws and choosing officials as it worked through a new charter, and with alleged witches filling the jails in Essex County, Governor Sir William Phipps created an emergency court to oversee the trials, called the Court of Oyer and Terminer. "So essentially, they're told, do what you think is best. You know, base your decisions on English common law and English precedent, but do what you think is right, and what the situation demands. And that, unfortunately, leads to devastating consequences," Christ-Doane adds. "In the Court of Oyer and Terminer, you have the afflicted — so the girls who are supposedly being tormented by witchcraft — in the room, screaming, falling to the ground, claiming they're being tormented by the devil. And you as the accused have to defend yourself against this sea of writhing witnesses. And the really destructive decision that's made by the Court of Oyer and Terminer is their choice to accept something called spectral evidence. Spectral evidence is essentially based on the idea that a witch could theoretically project a spectral version of themselves, a ghostly version of themselves, out of their physical body that could go off across large distances and torment. And the victims of a spectral attack were the only ones who could see the specter. And so that means, if you were accused of witchcraft [and] standing before this court, you could have the witnesses pointing up to the rafters saying, 'I see the specter of Rebecca Nurse up on the ceiling. You can't see her, but I can, and that's how I know she's a witch.' And that was being used as enough evidence to convict and warrant executions during the Salem witch trials." Ultimately, 20 people were executed for witchcraft: 19 of them hanged, and another tortured to death. Johnson confessed to being a witch and was sentenced to death in 1963, but by then public opinion on the trials had soured. Christ-Doane says almost everyone in Salem had either spent time in jail, or knew someone in jail, and with his own wife among the accused, Governor Phipps disbanded the Court of Oyer and Terminer in October 1962. Johnson's execution was avoided, and she ultimately died an old woman in 1747, at the age of about 77. Christ-Doane says the Salem witch trials were the largest and harshest witch trials between England and its colonies — but they were far from the first. Ironically, being called a witch was sometimes more hazardous than the feared wrath of a witch. But it wasn't always that way. “Witch history” is hard to pin down, because quite frankly, belief in magic and people with magical abilities has existed for thousands of years, across nearly every culture — and each culture's definition of a witch is constantly evolving. But there was a time when magic was looked at a little more kindly. I got the chance to speak with Kate Laity, an award-winning author of several books spanning a range of genres, including Chastity Flame, Dream Book, How to Be Dull, and more. She also produces two audio programs, and while splitting her time between Hudson, New York, and Scotland, she teaches at the College of Saint Rose in Albany. She particularly specializes in medieval studies and literature. What prompted the start of witch trials in Europe? Well, especially in the Middle Ages, healing charms, for example — that we would see as sort of magic and not science — they would have seen as effective ways to deal with various kinds of health problems or other problems. There are a lot of journey charms, so you don't become injured or lost or imperiled on your journey. And there are of course, charms against having your cattle stolen. Again, if you think in old English, the word for "cattle" is also the word for "wealth." So this is a way of saying, "Don't steal my stuff." This is something that begins to change in the Middle Ages, where you have sort of two strands. There's the sort of folk magic that most people would be familiar with, and which, you know, continued from pre-Christian times into Christian times, because you just adapted it to the new belief. So instead of maybe praying to this or that god, you would just pray to the Christian God, and you would have masses said over — you know, there's a wonderful charm for when a field is not producing enough, where you take a piece of it out, and you do a variety of things to it, but then you take it to the church to be blessed, and you pour milk and honey and all these things into the ground, and then you put it back down. That's a way of restoring the kind of regenerative power that the field should have. But what you also have is a kind of learned magic that is practiced amongst the clergy, which is, you know, the monks who are reading all these books, and many of them during the Crusades, for example, a lot of books were coming up from the middle east through Spain, and a lot of books that were mathematics and more learning kinds of magic that were more about conjuration, about dealing with necromancy and talking to the dead, which was something that was completely alien to the average person. One scholar, Michael Bailey, argues that in the late Middle Ages, these things kind of get overlapped in a way that matters, because people in power were beginning to worry about unorthodox behaviors within the Church. And this is what in the early modern period — not the medieval, in the early modern period — you start to get the witch hunts. How common were witch hunts. I mean, we talked about the Salem witch trials, but worldwide, how common were they? We find this in in many of those occasions where there are sort of pressures on the society that people don't have a way of coping with — instances that, you might just say, are acts of God. But the way that people respond to them is, "Somebody's got to pay. Somebody's got to be to blame for this." So, "Well, she's a witch, or he's a witch." And again, depending on the region — we're accustomed to associating witches with women, but in some areas in European history, in Finland and in Iceland, the greater part of the accusations were against men. And part of that is to do with very long histories of gendered magic in Iceland and Finland, where there's magic practice by men and magic practice by women, and they're quite distinct. How are they different? Especially in Iceland, which I'll talk about as its at the top of my mind, women's magic tends to be focused much more on prognostication. So they can see, they can see what is coming or they can see what has happened. Men and women both are able to read dreams. And one of the interesting aspects of Norse Mythology is that the figure of Odin is one of the few that practices both —what is considered the male magic and the feminine magic. Where does the word "witch" come from? The word witches is a very, very old English word. People will say it has to do with bending, it has nothing to do with bending. That's a completely different word root. And what it has to do with is witchcraft. We have the earliest attestation of it in Old English. I mean, this is in the oldest versions of English, and it comes from an Indo-European root, but it's always meant exactly that. And that's where the word "wicca," which many people will be familiar with, is just the old English word for witch. There's "wicca" with an A and "wicce" with an E. So we have a masculine and feminine version of it, but it's the same word. So obviously, during these times, you've got people being accused of witchcraft. But is it common for people to identify like, "I am a witch?" Well, probably not at the time they were being accused. I mean, you would have women who might be practiced in certain arts, that they're able to heal people. Maybe they have a knowledge of herbs that's been handed down, usually these things are handed down within families or learned from somebody else older. And so they have abilities to do this. And of course, the idea of cursing is something that's always probably been with us too. And if you look at the long history of magic, it's fascinating how many of these tangible forms [exist] — especially when you're angry, a lot of magic is about anger, because it comes from the idea of people who want something to happen, and don't feel they have any power to be able to make it happen. And so if you look in ancient Greek and Roman cultures, we have all these lead tablets with curses written on them. We'll still find somebody being cursed to this day because their tablet has been found, and we don't always know who these people were, but somebody was obviously really mad that day. Do you identify as a witch? Usually, it depends on the mood. But yes, in large part because I've got all this history in my mind, and I see a great power in claiming that name. And also as a way of thinking about how you approach the world. I mean, part of this is tied to to my creative work — not only writing, but also art and music that I do, that it comes from this idea of reenchanting the world and and finding that magic in everyday life. So how did we go from the Salem witch trials, to the top of the rankings on Frightgeist? And beyond costumes and All Hallow's Eve: for years now, if you search for information on witchcraft, you'll find articles signalling its rise. More and more people, of all genders, are actively identifying themselves as witches, with estimates putting the number at around 1.5 million witches in the U.S. Nowadays, you can buy professional witch services online, from tarot readings to rituals. You can have supplies for spells delivered right to your door. Witches are social media influencers, they're authors and podcasters, they're activists and symbols of feminine power. They might don the black hat and carry around a broom when they feel like it - but they're also your coworker, and your neighbor. Pam Grossman has written and contributed to several books on witchcraft, including her 2019 book, Waking the Witch: Reflections on Women, Magic, and Power, and her new release with Jessica Hundley, titled simply, Witchcraft. Since 2017, she's also been the host of the popular podcast, The Witch Wave, for which Vulture dubbed her, “the Terry Gross of witches.” I asked her why witches seem to be having their moment, and she says it's really been hundreds of years in the making. How did the perception of witches change to what we see today? Well, we first start to see a more sympathetic look at witches, really, in the 19th century. There were writers such as a French writer named Jules Michelet, who wrote a book called La Sorciere in the middle of the 19th century, who was following a lot of other scholars who were starting to look back at the witch hunts with a more sympathetic lens. It wasn't an always historically accurate lens, mind you, but you know, people would start to look back at the witch hunt and say, "Hey, wait a second. It was mostly women who were targeted? And what was it about these women that made them such a threat to the Church?" And so, you know, around that time, you'll see writers who talk about witches as these oppressed, but truly powerful, women who had access to these brilliant minds or some kind of supernatural intuition or some kind of magic power. And aren't those women amazing? And they shouldn't have been persecuted, according to those 19th century writers. As we now know, you know, those people who were killed for being witches probably were not actually witches, or probably did not see themselves as witches. However, that sympathetic notion of a witch being this oppressed woman who has access to some divine feminine energy is a very romantic notion, that feminists took up in the 20th century. And so we really start to see people choose to call themselves witches in the 20th century, certainly with second wave feminism, but also with the rise of Wicca, which is a modern religion that was largely founded by a gentleman in England named Gerald Gardner. And the Wiccan movement is a whole very interesting thread to this story, too. In your book, you say that you've used the word "witch" to signify that you're a feminist. Can you go into a little bit about what you mean by that? Well, I think both the word "witch" and the word "feminist" are highly charged words. And they are words that point to having access to some kind of power, or some kind of agency that is connected to the feminine. And so the words are not interchangeable, but for me, and many other witches, they are interrelated. Because witches usually represent an antithesis to the patriarchy. They represent everything that is othered in society — and that can be having a feminine body, or a body of color, or a trans body. It can be having access to some kind of intuitive power or other worldly power that I believe can coexist happily with science and medicine. Certainly not the same as those things, and can be considered an alternative or a supplement or complement to those more mainstream practices. But for me, the two words are very deeply woven together. So what does being a witch look like to you? Because one thing I've learned is that everyone seems to have their own interpretation. Yes. One of the wonderful things about modern witchcraft is that there is no one path and it's decentralized. In other words, there's no pope of witchcraft. There's no one book that one has to read in order to call oneself a witch. And so you're right, for every witch you ask, you are going to have a different answer about why they consider themselves a witch, or how their witchcraft practice works. In my case, I am Pagan. I was raised Jewish, so when I'm being cheeky, I sometimes call myself "Jewwitch." But, you know, being a practicing Pagan essentially means that I am celebrating the different changing of the seasons. I am celebrating different phases of the moon. I have an altar where I connect with what I call capital S Spirit, and that can take the shape of various deities, who symbolize different aspects of that Spirit. And it also means that I do cast spells and engage in rituals that are deeply meaningful and transformative for me. When did you realize you're a witch? Or at least when did you start getting more into it? So I definitely considered myself kind of magical since I was a child. I had these woods in my backyard, and I would play outside like a lot of kids do and, you know, cast spells and commune with different spirits and so on. Or at least I imagined that I was. But it wasn't until I was a teenager and discovered witchcraft books and the occult section of the library in different bookstores and New Age shops, that I really learned that witchcraft was something that you didn't have to pretend that you were engaging in. That there's actually a long history of people who have practiced some form of witchcraft. You'll actually hear that a lot — that the teen years are a time that a lot of people turn towards witchcraft. And I think it's no coincidence, because it's also a time of life when we're coming into our own power, our own identity, and looking for ways to feel like we have more agency in our lives — at a time when we don't, in a lot of ways. We still have to answer to our teachers and parents and peers. And then along comes this practice that says, "You have power right now. You know, you have access to something bigger than yourself, even as a 13-year-old. And for me, learning about witchcraft as a teenager was an incredibly positive thing. For those who might be interested in learning more, where should they start? You mentioned that you started a lot by just reading books. Oh my goodness, there are so many books on witchcraft now, it's a real feast. But it can also be overwhelming for people because they don't know where to start. So you know, there are certainly wonderful books that came out when the second wave of feminism was cresting here in the U.S. that I still think have value. One such book is The Spiral Dance by Starhawk, who really is one of the pioneers of earth-based and Goddess-based witchcraft here in the U.S. And that book still stands the test of time, I think there's a lot of beauty there. And also the same year that that book came out, which is 1979, is a book called Drawing Down the Moon, by actually a radio journalist who was also a Wiccan priestess, named Margot Adler. And this is a wonderful overview just on the history of the witchcraft movement, and all of the different groups that have made up this movement over the years. So those two are really great foundational texts. But then in terms of casting spells, just go to a bookstore and figure out what's calling to you, you know, we've all had that experience of picking up a book and just kind of getting that rush of excitement or, or feeling like it's a homecoming. So whatever book gives you that feeling is the right book to start with. Are there a simpler spells and charms that are good for beginners? Ooh, that's a that's a really lovely question. Certainly, candle magic is a simple way of casting a spell, and it's one of the most accessible. You don't even have to get a fancy special candle at a witchcraft store, you can get any old candle at a grocery store, and as long as you're putting your intentions into it, there's a good chance it's going to be really effective for you. Overall, what do you think people misunderstand about witches? I think one of the most common misconceptions is that if you are a witch, that means you have to reject what other religion of origin you might have been raised with. And that's simply not true. Yes, there are some people who were raised with a religion that they might have found oppressive or even harmful, and so they might reject that religion and turn towards witchcraft. But that is not everyone's story. There are Christian witches and Jewish witches and Buddhist witches and Hindu witches and Muslim witches and so on. So, being a witch can absolutely be complimentary to other spiritual paths that you might be walking. The other most common misconception, which I almost hesitate to bring up, because it's really bad PR, is the notion that witchcraft is somehow affiliated with the Devil and diabolism. And nothing could be further from the truth. Most witches are incredibly loving, kind, nature-worshipping, or at least nature-honoring, people. And the reason that people sometimes associate witchcraft with some kind of evil comes right out of the time of the witch hunts. You know, we're talking the 15th-17th centuries in Europe, and later here in what became the United States. And that is when this idea that witches were devil-worshipping and sexually deviant and murderous, and all of the horrible things and reasons [came about], that they use to rationalize killing innocent people. Unfortunately, those stories and those horrific beliefs are still sometimes with us today. We do see that in discriminatory practices against people who identify as witches, and there are still witch hunts that happen around the world today. Literal witch hunts. It's deeply, deeply damaging and couldn't be further from the truth. Looking back on the Salem witch trials, as Grossman noted, most of those accused probably weren't actually witches. Lying by confessing to witchcraft and turning in other “witches” increased one's odds of avoiding execution. Some of the convicted eventually petitioned for exoneration in the 1700s, and up until the early 2000s, various groups have worked to redeem those who remain. But how did Elizabeth Johnson Jr. get left out? How did we get here? State Senator Diana DiZoglio says, unlike some of the others who were wrongfully convicted, Johnson didn't have any descendants to push for her exoneration. She never married, she had no children, and some historians have suggested that she may have been mentally disabled. DiZoglio says it could still take a while for Bill 1016 to make its way through the Massachusetts Senate, but she's optimistic it'll pass - and it's good for all parties involved. "You know, this is something that's a matter of equality and making sure that justice is served. I commend these students for taking their civic education course to the next level," says DiZoglio. "This is something that demonstrates their ability to speak up and be a voice for the voiceless, and I think that that carries over into all different issues that they're going to be able to advocate for going forward. And I think it demonstrates that, no matter how young [you are], you can make a difference." You've been listening to 51%. 51% is a national production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio. I have so many people to thank for this episode: State Senator Diana DiZoglio, Rachel Christ-Doane with the Salem Witch Museum, Kate Laity, Pam Grossman, our executive producer, Dr. Alan Chartock, and of course you for tuning in. On social media, we're on Twitter and Instagram at @51percentradio. Let us know what you think, and if you have a story you'd like to share as well. Until next week, I'm Jesse King for 51%.
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