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
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
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
By Katrina Rasbold
Fossils (such as ammonites) and petrified wood share a similar energy in that they are a part of the past preserved into stone. Petrified wood was actually once wood and forms when the woody stems of plants become buried in wet sediments saturated with dissolved minerals. The lack of oxygen slows decay of the wood, allowing minerals to replace cell walls and to fill void spaces in the wood. Continue reading Stone Magic: Petrified Wood
By Katrina Rasbold
What does someone mean when they talk about black magic and white magic, black witches and white witches? In this video, Katrina discusses the whole color spectrum of Witches. Continue reading Ask a Witch: What is the Difference in Black Magic and White Magic?
By Katrina Rasbold
Of course, the operative question is do *I* personally work Naked and have 0rg!e$? or do *Witches* work naked and have 0rg!e$? and how does all of that come together? Spoiler: the answer to one of these questions is “Yes!” Continue reading Ask a Witch: Do You Work Naked and Have 0rg!e$?
By Katrina Rasbold
Kava kava is an interesting plant in that all seeds it produces are sterile. This means that the only way to propagate the plant is through cuttings. It is high needs, so you will not likely be able to grow it in a pot or even in a greenhouse. Continue reading Herbalism For Your Day: Kava Kava
By Katrina Rasbold
When stones are blue, they are marvelously blue such as lapis lazuli, peacock, sodalite, and celestite. Azurite lives up to its name with deep and beautiful blue facets. Continue reading Stone Magic: Azurite
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
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
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
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)
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?
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
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.
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
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
By Katrina Rasbold
What is the difference between “baneful” and “coercive” magic? Continue reading Ask a Witch: Baneful vs Coercive Magic
By Katrina Rasbold
Tourmaline is one of the stones, like peacock ore, that seems like it should not exist in nature. Its luminous beauty is one of Earth’s beautiful miracles and to make it even more amazing, its magical attributes are off the charts. Continue reading Stone Magic: Tourmaline
By Katrina Rasbold
Lovely, fragrant lavender is a favorite herb of Green Witches, appreciated for its peaceful, calming influence, this herb is frequently infused into oils and included in perfumes, soaps, and incenses.