Category: Commentary

Informative and thoughtful articles authored by select contributors

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Doing What Makes You Happy: How That is the Best Magic

By Lady Saoirse

Bright Blessings,

I got a lesson in happiness at Alpha Book Center in Phoenix, Arizona way back in the Spring of 2005. The man who ran the Center was named Dr. John Rodgers, and he was a force of power.  I had gone in for a tarot reading during a time when I felt like my life was off the rails. After he did my reading, he asked if I was staying for the Metaphysical class, and I asked who was coming. He said, “You’re it,” and with that, the class began. Continue reading Doing What Makes You Happy: How That is the Best Magic

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Palms and the Soles of the Feet: More Chakras Helpful in Magick and Energy Work

By Tatiara

The importance of the chakras in our hands and feet is often understated. We hear so much about the seven main chakras, or energy centers, placed at various points along the spine. These are known as major or primary chakras. The hands and feet are termed minor, or secondary chakras. There are said to be 21 secondary chakras throughout the body, as well as 86 micro-chakras.

Continue reading Palms and the Soles of the Feet: More Chakras Helpful in Magick and Energy Work

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The Practice of Discord in Civil Society: A Guide for the Industrious Beginner

by His Most Pompous Holiness, Elezar the Apostate

The second law of thermodynamics states, in so many words, that all fires burn their available reserves of fuel and die; and the universe is afire.  The Wiccan Rede states the same thing in these words:  “The Sun is but a Mortal Light Surrounded by Immortal Night.”  And in these words:  “Ashes to Ashes and Dust to Dust; If Born You Were, then Die You Must.”

“But those are physical laws, laws that apply exclusively to the material plane,” Michael argued with pathetic determination against Zoey’s resolute obstinance. Continue reading The Practice of Discord in Civil Society: A Guide for the Industrious Beginner

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Why Isn’t the Magic Working?

By Lady Saoirse

Bright Blessings,

When I was a kid, my favorite movie was one called Little Big Man, starring Chief Dan George as Grandfather. At the end of the movie Grandfather sang a beautiful death song and told his god that he was ready to die. He lay down to die, but instead of dying, a beautiful rain swept the landscape. He sat up and asked his grandson if he was on the other side and his grandson told him no. Grandfather he said, “Sometimes the magic works and sometimes it doesn’t.” Continue reading Why Isn’t the Magic Working?

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How Flexible Should I Be?

By Lady Saoirse

Bright Blessings,

Last week I was reminded not to be too inflexible- but not to be SO flexible I’m a doormat.

That’s a tough one for me, folks. I’m a fist hipped woman and I have my own way of doing things. I never followed any crowd and even within my own faith community, I’m an individual. Continue reading How Flexible Should I Be?

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Life is Like a Rose

By Lady Saoirse

Bright Blessings,

My little patio garden is thriving in the July heat. I have two lavender plants and two roses, one regular sized, complete with bristling thorns, and one dainty, thornless miniature rose. The thorned rose has been nibbled on by June bugs and the mini rose was munched on by rabbits. So far at this new location we moved to a couple of months ago, there have been no spider mites or aphids which were plentifully at our other apartment. Before that, we lived by the woods and while no rabbits or deer got my roses, the June bugs were mad about them. Continue reading Life is Like a Rose

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Ask a Witch: Do Witches Worship the Devil?

By Katrina Rasbold

All through the media and even history, we keep bumping up against this idea that Witches are in league with Satan (Santa maybe, but Satan??), so where does that idea come from and is it true at all? Continue reading Ask a Witch: Do Witches Worship the Devil?

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Witch At The Crossroads: The Power of Words

By Katrina Rasbold

Humans often consider the power of speech and written word to be the defining quality that sets us apart from the rest of the animal world. With the exception of some animals specially trained to communicate, Koko the Gorilla, for instance, humans alone possess the demonstrated ability for the ongoing use of language. There is little denying the power of words. Continue reading Witch At The Crossroads: The Power of Words

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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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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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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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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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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

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Practical Magic with Saoirse – The Magical Importance of Education

Bright Blessings.

I think it’s fair to say people hating on their degrees is an internet trend right now. It seems like every day I read an article where someone laments that they feel their degree is “worthless.”

No, it isn’t, and I will tell you why. Continue reading Practical Magic with Saoirse – The Magical Importance of Education

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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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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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Practical Magic With Saoirse: A Safe Place for Our LGBTQIA+ Kids

By Lady Saoirse

Bright Blessings,
A school is being sued. A child could not come out trans to their parents, but they felt safe coming out at school. When the parents found this out at, this lead to the child attempting suicide, so the parents are suing the school accusing the school of forcing their child to identify as trans. The minute I found out about this I got on the telephone and called the school. I thanked them for being a safe place for kids. They really appreciated hearing from somebody that supported that. I gave them my contact information as a Priestess and I told them to let me know if they needed anything at all. I just might hear back from them. Know why? Allies need help in making a safe place for our kids. Continue reading Practical Magic With Saoirse: A Safe Place for Our LGBTQIA+ Kids

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Witch At The Crossroads: Managing Psychic Attack

By Katrina Rasbold

In last week’s Witch At The Crossroads blog, we talked about symptoms of psychic attack and these may come from intentional malice or inadvertent ill will (like pouting and wallowing in anger). In this post, we discuss how to effectively manage psychic attack once it occurs or we suspect it has occurred. Continue reading Witch At The Crossroads: Managing Psychic Attack