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Herbalism For Your Day: Hibiscus

By Katrina Rasbold

The next several Herbalism For Your Day posts look like a walk through my tea cabinet and that is purely by coincidence, but here we go.

Hibiscus looks like it should be a poisonous plant with its brightly colored flowers and extremely proud and vital stamen and it is poisonous to cats.

Its power as an aphrodesiac is so intense that in some countries, women are forbidden from drinking the tea because certainly, we would not want a bunch of horned up women roaming the streets all hepped up on hibiscus tea. Continue reading Herbalism For Your Day: Hibiscus

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The Essynian Mysteries – Part Five

Conveyed by Brahn th Blessed

Part Five:  The Mind is a Universe Unto Itself, Boundless and Filled With Wonders

Look inside.  How do you do that?  What is this ‘inside’ into which we must look?  The ‘inside’ is a misnomer, for it is not inside at all; it is otherwhere.  It is instead that part of us that exists in time, but not in space.  More clearly, it is that aspect of our being that exists only in time, only in the astral plane where there is no space, and having no space, it has no size or shape, no location or motion, no multiplicity.  The hidden Realm of the Mind is real, but it is so different from our physical existence in the material plane that we can’t begin easily to conceive it.  When you remove space, you remove outside and inside (as they apply to space); you remove direction and location (as they apply to space), you remove size and shape (as they apply to space), you remove location and motion (as they apply to space).  But the absence of purely physical qualities makes the mind not less real, but only more primitive, older than its physical counterpart, the brain. Continue reading The Essynian Mysteries – Part Five

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Protect Your Peace – Banish Them!

By Lady Saoirse

Bright Blessings,

Quite often, we talk about banishing negativity and bringing in positive energy to our lives but we don’t always talk about banishing negative people. Sometimes, your family, your best friend, or even your significant other is just being downright negative. The thought of being without these people temporarily, let alone permanently, might be unbearable. However, sometimes if you want to live a peaceful existence, people give you no choice. Continue reading Protect Your Peace – Banish Them!

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Herbalism For Your Day: Anise, Star & Otherwise

by Katrina Rasbold

Anise and star anises are two different herbs from two different plants, but they share the same scent profile because of anethole, an essential oil produced by both plants. The flavor is slightly different with star anise being more bitter. Continue reading Herbalism For Your Day: Anise, Star & Otherwise

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Witch At The Crossroads: Container Magic

By Katrina Rasbold

There are two things that almost universally Pagans, and especially those who also identify as Witches, love to do: Burn stuff and put smaller things into bigger things. All seventh-grade tittering aside, you can summon a Witch by leaving a box of various sized jars on the side of the road with a “free” sign on them. Oh yes. We will stop. Continue reading Witch At The Crossroads: Container Magic

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Summer Solstice Splendor

By Tatiara

Happy Midsummer!! Litha is a time to revel in the fullness of life, honor the natural world, and prepare for the season of harvest. Embrace the magic of the Summer Solstice and let its vibrant energy illuminate your heart and spirit. Continue reading Summer Solstice Splendor

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Witch At The Crossroads: Purge, Protect, & Burn Stuff at Midsummer

By Katrina Rasbold

Of all of the holidays, it can be argued that most cultures at some time or another celebrated Midsummer. The Sun reigns at its full power and dominates the sky for the longest day of the year on Litha. It is commonly believed that the Faeries are most active during this time; an idea perpetuated by William Shakespeare’s famous play, A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The power of herbs and plants is said to be strongest at this time, so many of the summer herbs are harvested on this day. Continue reading Witch At The Crossroads: Purge, Protect, & Burn Stuff at Midsummer

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Herbalism For Your Day: Lemon Balm

By Katrina Rasbold

Lemon balm is one of the most common herbs we have covered so far, known for its aromatic citrus smell. It is related to the mint family and the leaves are very similar, even if the scent is not. Its fancy name is “Melissa” and it flourishes in any warm or temperate area worldwide. Continue reading Herbalism For Your Day: Lemon Balm

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Practical Magic With Saoirse: Making Yourself At Home

By Lady Saoirse

Bright Blessings,

I don’t know about you, but I have moved around a lot. I do mean a lot. It seems like every year, Mom had us somewhere new and some years, she had us live more than one place. People ask, “Were you a military brat?” I tell them, ‘No, Mama had the wanderlust.” So is it any wonder why I always heard people’s stories about their love for their hometowns and I wished for what they had? At almost age 50, I am still wishing for that. I could lament my fate, but I’d rather explain how you can feel at home when no PLACE is really home. Because if you practice magic, it can be done. Continue reading Practical Magic With Saoirse: Making Yourself At Home

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Stone Magic: Serpentine

By Katrina Rasbold

In ancient Assyria, people called seals made of serpentine to amplify the blessings of the gods and goddesses. It got its name from its ability to protect the owner from poisonous snakes, spiders, scorpions, bees, wasps, and other creatures. Continue reading Stone Magic: Serpentine

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Witch At The Crossroads: When Bad Stuff Happens

By Katrina Rasbold

We spend a lot of time talking and thinking about why bad stuff happens, especially to people who we consider “good” and undeserving of strife and particularly when it comes in what feels like a disproportionate avalanche. We become deeply angry and philosophical when we try to understand why bad things happen to innocents like children and animals. Often, we become so mired in our determination to understand why something happens that we fail to effectively manage the situation at all. The assignment of blame is one of the greatest time eaters and malice fertilizers ever and is usually the focus of tremendous attention. Continue reading Witch At The Crossroads: When Bad Stuff Happens

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Ask a Witch: Do Witches Sacrifice Animals In Their Rituals? People?

By Katrina Rasbold

What do Witches sacrifice other than their time? Animals? People? Their sanity? In this video, Katrina discusses the use of sacrifice in rituals. Continue reading Ask a Witch: Do Witches Sacrifice Animals In Their Rituals? People?

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Herbalism For Your Day: Cascara Sagrada

By Katrina Rasbold

Cascara sagrada grows in the Pacific Northwest and is an extract from the bark of the buckthorn tree. You will noticed that we previously covered the wonderful effects of buckthorn in an earlier column. Interestingly, like buckthorn, cascara sagrada was one of the first magical herbs I used in my practice. Continue reading Herbalism For Your Day: Cascara Sagrada

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Herbalism For Your Day: Job’s Tears

By Katrina Rasbold

Like kava kava, Job’s tears are a foreign plant to everyone who does not live in Asia, which is where the plant almost exclusively grows. As mentioned in the article on kava kava, we always achieve a higher energy impact on our shellwork when we use herbs and stones native to our geographical area. Continue reading Herbalism For Your Day: Job’s Tears

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Witch At The Crossroads: Magic & High Emotions

By Katrina Rasbold

Emotion magical practice because spell work begins with what you want to have happen. If you cannot feel, then you cannot want and feeling is emotion. All intense emotion is high energy and you can, with rational thought and careful planning, direct all the intensity of that energy toward your goal. Passion will spike energy right off the meter, whether that passion comes from lust, anger, fear, or exultation. High emotion of all kinds: love, fear, sadness, anger, frustration, etc, can fuel your magical energy like a stoked furnace. But should you? Continue reading Witch At The Crossroads: Magic & High Emotions