Author: Katrina Rasbold

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The Mystic Witch’s Journey: Feeling Vexed? Before you Hex, Do X

By Tatiara

Is hexing ever appropriate, or is it simply a misuse of power? With great power comes great responsibility. One important responsibility is self-development. This includes character development. Ultimately a person’s character is revealed by how they exercise the power they possess. Hexing once meant witchery in general, as in the adage, “a witch who can’t hex can’t heal.” Now it implies causing unpleasant, unlucky, or harmful things to happen to people, often as an act of revenge. However, hexing and healing are two sides of the same coin. A healing misapplied could bring evil consequences. A hex for the right reason could be used for good. This is very tricky territory, though. Continue reading The Mystic Witch’s Journey: Feeling Vexed? Before you Hex, Do X

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Witch At The Crossroads: Ceremonial Interruptus

By Katrina Rasbold

It can happen to all of us, although thankfully, not usually to the degree we see in the graphic above. Rituals fail. It is easy to raise one knowing eyebrow and say that it failed because it was intended to fail and all things are exactly as they should be and blah, blah, blah, but there is a huge difference in knowing that rituals sometimes do not go as planned versus understanding why rituals sometimes go in the ditch and how to manage that inevitability. Continue reading Witch At The Crossroads: Ceremonial Interruptus

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Stone Power: Opals

By Katrina Rasbold

Opal is a popular semi-precious stone and fire opals are especially known for their magical strength.  A legend says that after emerging victorious from war, the god Zeus wept tears which turned to beautiful opals when they hit the ground. Continue reading Stone Power: Opals

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Herbalism For Your Day: Witch Hazel

By Katrina Rasbold

Those of us who are of a particular age remember using witch hazel as a facial astringent back in “the day.” I am sure few of us realized the intense magical influence we were dabbing all over our pretty faces. Intention is everything, but the inherent powers of this plant shine through on their own. I’m sure our parents were pleased with the results it gave to us. (wink) Continue reading Herbalism For Your Day: Witch Hazel

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Practical Magic with Saoirse: Somebody Put a Curse on Me! (No, They Didn’t)

By Lady Saoirse

Bright Blessings,

There are a lot of things I love about being a Tarot reader. I get to go spend time with my magical family at the shop where I read, and I get to help people. I remember many times when I was a baby witch that various readers helped me on my path, and I’ll bet they didn’t even know they were helping. To follow their example is a great honor, and I hope that I’m able to help people like Tarot readers have helped me. Continue reading Practical Magic with Saoirse: Somebody Put a Curse on Me! (No, They Didn’t)

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Ask a Witch: What’s With the Flying Ointment & Unbaptized Babies?

By Katrina Rasbold

In this line of work, you do get asked some fascinating questions, like “Do Witches use flying ointment? Did they ever? Is the rendered fat of an unbaptized baby one of the ingredients in flying ointment? Time to break these questions down. Continue reading Ask a Witch: What’s With the Flying Ointment & Unbaptized Babies?

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Herbalism For Your Day: Slippery Elm

By Katrina Rasbold

What we loosely call “herbs” when we talk about magical herbalism is an inclusive label that also includes flowers, roots, barks, and in this case, trees. Where most people think of small green things growing in pretty pots when they talk about herbs, Witches and other magical folks basically mean, “botany” and we are voracious about studying the energy of all parts of pretty much any plant. Continue reading Herbalism For Your Day: Slippery Elm

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Witch At The Crossroads: Third Eye Sight

By Katrina Rasbold

The “third eye” is a concept embraced by many cultures. This uniquely empowered area of the physical body is associated with the brow chakra and with the color indigo. Friar Richard Rohr speculates that “First Eye” is what we perceive with the five physical senses. The “Second Eye” is our reasoning and reflection. The “Third Eye” goes further still and is, as Rohr puts it, “Having the mind of Christ.” It is a coming together of sacredness that puts one in a very holy and receptive state of mind. Many paths of yogic study use the third eye for inner focus. Continue reading Witch At The Crossroads: Third Eye Sight

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Stone Magic: Precious vs Semi-precious Stones

By Katrina Rasbold

As magical people, we love our stones and crystals and there are a lot of terms that surround that fun and energetic topic. What is a gemstone? What makes one precious or semi-precious? Continue reading Stone Magic: Precious vs Semi-precious Stones

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Herbalism For Your Day: Buckthorn

By Katrina Rasbold

Buckthorn was one of the first magical herbs I learned about back in the 1980s. I was in Scorpio Herbs (no longer in operation) in Texas and one of the folks working in the shop told me that buckthorn “brings the magic together.” She went on to explain that if you include herbs in your spell work, you should also throw in some buckthorn because it encourages the other herbs to work together more cohesively toward your goal.

Continue reading Herbalism For Your Day: Buckthorn

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Practical Magic with Saoirse: Beltane Memories

By Lady Saoirse

Bright Blessings,

I write this on Beltane Eve, and my online memories have been showing me photos from years past. For many years, we used to gather at Beltane. We would rent a group campsite or Metro Park shelter and be there from the time the park opened until it closed. We had rituals, potlucks, talks, and for some years we camped. Continue reading Practical Magic with Saoirse: Beltane Memories

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The Essynian Mysteries – Part Four

Conveyed by Brahn th Blessed

Some things follow upon others. When you consider a proposition thoroughly, it leads to further conclusions, so some things follow upon others. The Essynian Mysteries express a pervasive view of reality, that it follows a course of Natural Process. Natural process is how and why everything occurs in time, from the first instant of time when consciousness awakens from deep-sleeping existence and gives birth to time until the final instant of time when consciousness closes its eyes and falls off again into the timeless sleep of existence. Time is change and all change follows the course of natural process. Each instant of time is brought about by a change from the previous instant of time, and the change that occurs is the change made most inevitable by the existing conditions of that previous instant; the change that occurs is the change that must occur owing to those conditions, which include a certain temporal momentum. Continue reading The Essynian Mysteries – Part Four

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Stone Magic: Bloodstone

By Katrina Rasbold

Christian legend says that bloodstone (heliotrope) got its name because it formed as the blood of Christ dripped onto the green earth during the crucifixion. There is, however, documented use of bloodstone for magical purposes going back over seven thousand years to 5000 BC. Continue reading Stone Magic: Bloodstone

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Herbalism For Your Day: Elecampane

By Katrina Rasbold

Legend says Elecampane (Inula helenium) as named for Helen of Troy and grew in the places where her tears fell. Related to the sunflower, this plant is quite tall, up to sixty inches or so. It has a rigid stem with leaves that are green on the top and white on the bottom. It has vibrant yellow blooms that smell a bit like sweet camphor. Continue reading Herbalism For Your Day: Elecampane