Empathy: It may be the most common of all psychic experiences—so common that it often seems perfectly ordinary. Have you ever “caught” a bad mood from a coworker as if it were a cold? Have you ever been swept up in the excitement of a sporting event, yelling and cheering, even though you didn’t really […]
Haste makes waste. Garbage in, garbage out. In witchcraft, as in life, taking too many shortcuts often leads to underwhelming results. However, fast magick doesn’t necessarily have to be sloppy magick. Few of us have time for hours-long rituals, but we can still find ways to fit spiritual practice into our busy lives. Here are […]
Thinking about deepening your witchcraft studies by attending school? Welcome to the future—it’s pretty amazing here! One of the blessings of the information age is that it is easier than ever to connect with a teacher, especially in arcane subject matter that was once available only to a select few. Most witchcraft schools exist primarily […]
Welcome to the world of woods! As a wand-maker (or wand purchaser), you may wish to know more about the different woods that lend their character to your magickal tools. This list is alphabetical and includes many of the most common wand woods. The woods on this list are drawn from three broad categories: The […]
Of the many laws of magick, there’s a few that you’ll never see on a T-shirt or affirmation board. Here, we’ll cover some of the tough stuff: The harsh, the unsettling, the ambiguous facts of living an enchanted life. This article was inspired by some recent discussions of false positivity—that is, the habitual repetition of […]
Working magick can transform your life, but the last time you felt its full power was…well, a while ago. Burnout happens. No matter how experienced you are, or how dedicated you are to your Craft, sooner or later you will find yourself stuck in a rut. You may feel uninspired or disconnected from what drew […]
I sense…there’s something you’re searching for. It’s becoming clearer… I’ve got it! You’re curious about getting a psychic reading! The topic of psychic readings is one that is shrouded in mystery and misunderstanding. In this article, we’ll delve into what goes on behind that lacy dragonfly curtain at your local witchy emporium. We’ll take a […]
“I don’t really believe in it, but I’ll do it just in case.” That’s the definition of a superstition. Even though such practices seem quaint or illogical, some part of you feels that you should heed them…just in case. Superstitions are remnants of old occult beliefs preserved in folklore for the rational age. If you […]
Energy play is the voluntary exchange of subtle energy between two or more people. It is usually—but not always—accomplished through physical contact. Energy play is quite common within magickal groups. I personally began actively seeking out partners for energy play sometimes in my mid-20s, and have had many interesting conversations on the topic. (The best […]
The Fiery Wall of Protection is a folk magick ritual to stop someone from bothering you. Like most spells that have been passed down through oral traditions, it has countless variations. A Fiery Wall can be constructed with just a few household items—and of course, your properly focused will. Here is a very simple recipe […]
If magick worked like in the movies, we’d wave a wand, sparks would fly, and everything would fall perfectly into place. But real magick is much less predictable. Every Witch has wondered—at least once—when a spell is going to work, if it worked, or why it didn’t work. Magick is as individual as the magician. […]
A chakra stone set is a small collection of gemstones, in which each stone corresponds to one of the body’s subtle energy centers. You’ve probably seen them for sale in metaphysical shops and online. Chakra stones are used in energy healing and meditation. Witches and Pagans may also use them for spellwork or divination. To […]
Magick workers talk a lot about something called intention. As in, “focus on your intention,” or “write your intention on a slip of paper.” Most of us would agree that formulating the right intention is one of the major—if not the major—prerequisites for successful spellcasting. After you’ve settled on the direction of the working, the […]
“I’m a white Witch. He practices black magick.” If you spend enough time in witchy company, you’re sure to come across some discussion of shades and tints of magick. But what do these terms really mean? What beliefs and ideas do they encompass? And, more to the point, is there really a distinction between white […]
Divination is one of the most-practiced branches of magick. Even non-magickal folks will sometimes flip a coin to make a decision, or crack open a fortune cookie with more than idle curiosity. As a student of the magickal arts, it’s likely that you dabbled in divination as one of your first forays into the Mysteries. […]
One of the most important Witch’s helpers is the athame, or ritual knife. The athame is the elemental tool of Air or of Fire, depending on your tradition. It is generally not used to cut physical objects, but to direct energy and draw boundaries. Most closely associated with Wiccan practice, the word “athame” is of […]
Group singing can truly elevate a public ritual—raising energy, setting the mood, and bringing people together in a profound way. But it can also be a major pitfall. Most people get nervous about singing in public, and a bad musical number can wreck an otherwise well-planned ritual. The decision to include music in your Pagan […]
A sachet of leaves tucked under a pillow, a handful of berries strewn across a doorway: Herbal charms and remedies are one of the most familiar forms of magick. Herbal (“green”) witches keep elaborate pantries of herbal ingredients, each with a different power to enlighten or heal, bother or protect. (To be clear, we’re talking […]
If you’ve done even basic energetic or ritual work, you’re probably familiar with the practice of grounding. Grounding allows excess psychic energy to be released and re-establishes contact with the physical body. It’s especially important after energy transfers, trance work, and group rituals. While beginners often disdain grounding practices as un-magickal, experienced workers know that […]
Magickal partnerships are as diverse and complicated as any other human relationship. Just for fun, here’s a list of five ways that Witches and occultists can pair up. If you work magick with another person, try seeing which category (or categories) your partnership fits into! Read the full article here.
_nvisibility is one of the classic folkloric powers of the Witch. Along with riding on broomsticks and eating little children, the Witches of legend are able to become invisible at will. They can travel unseen and make all kinds of mischief under the cloak of magick. In the Middle Ages, invisibility potions and powders began […]
A pendulum is a powerful tool for accessing intuition. Pendulums and dowsing have been used by humans for thousands of years, and it would be difficult to name a magical tool that is more compact and versatile. Pendulums, which work from involuntary muscle movements, allow you to bypass your conscious mind and go directly to […]
Michelle Gruben 