By Katrina Rasbold
Chrysocolla is found in copper mines and varies from light green to deep blue and forms from the oxidized copper deposits around it. It was once called “green turquoise” rather than considered as its own stone as it is now.
By Katrina Rasbold
Foxglove is a remarkably beautiful plant with brightly colored, long bell-shaped flowers. It is long associated with the ability to communicate with fairies and the other little ones of other realms in the garden area. It is an herb of the Underworld and is sometimes used in necromancy rituals.
By Katrina Rasbold
Goldenseal is a guardian herb that protects the wearer or holder from all forms of evil or danger.
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
By Katrina Rasbold
One of the more unique attributes of mullein is that it is work to keep wild animals away from the wearer on hikes. It instills courage and opens the heart to love.
By Katrina Rasbold
Cinnamon come from the bark of several different trees from the cinnamomum genus. It is one of the most stimulating herbs in common use and its versatility in bark and oil form makes it a fantastic and invigorating addition to incenses, teas, potions, and spellwork.
by Katrina Rasbold
Are you seeing unexpected and undesired results from your spellwork? Did you change your mind after doing rage spells? Did new information come to light after you did your spellwork? If you need to uncast a spell, here is the video manual for it.
Continue reading Ask a Witch: Can You Undo a Spell Once It Is Cast?
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?
By Tatiara
Don’t worry! Autumn is on the way! These amazing cookies bring to mind those cozy, autumn vibes, curled up by the fire, reading a good book, misty moonlight and crisp air. And you haven’t even tasted them yet! Soft, spicy, packed with ginger (I call them ginger “bends”) and lovely spices, it’s the blackstrap molasses that really makes their texture so wonderful, and they taste almost chocolate-y. They are so much more than “pumpkin spice,” but they are that, too.
Continue reading Magickal Food: Harvest Moon Cookies Prosperity Spell
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
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
By Katrina Rasbold
When we think of magical stones, lava might be the last thing on your mind. This refers not to the flowing lava from a volcano but the extrusive igneous rock that forms after magma cools and solidifies. Continue reading Stone Magic: Lava
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
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
By Katrina Rasbold
Do all Witches follow the rule of “As it harms none, do what you will?” Is there any code of ethics? Human sacrifice, dogs and cats living together… MASS HYSTERIA! Continue reading Ask a Witch: Do Witches Have to Adhere to Doing No Harm?
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
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
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