Outside The Lines

Image by Abraham Gonzalez Fernandez from Getty Images/Canva Reiki comes from two Japanese words which translate to “universal life force.” This universal life force is an energy found within all things—people, animals, plants, rocks, trees… even the earth itself. Someone trained in the use of Reiki channels that life force, allowing the recipient to receive the healing energy. Eastern Methods,…

Image by by Visions of Energy from Getty Images/Canva So you think you’ve found a Pagan group or coven that might be the right group for you. Great! Ideally, a coven will allow you to attend a few open meetings, in which you can observe the goings-on and meet all the members, without intruding upon the secrecy of any oathbound ceremonies or rites. After attending a series of open meetings –…

Image by djedzura from Getty Images/Canva So, this is an article that originally appeared on my old AboutDotCom site, but when everything was migrated over to ThoughtCo and then LearnReligions, it vanished. Since I had a discussion about this very topic with someone not too long ago, I thought I’d resurrect it for you, with a few additions and updates: Although many people in today’s magical…

So a few months ago I announced that I was part of a fun new project – I was invited to co-write The Libra Witch with the amazing Ivo Dominguez Jr., who is one of my favorite people ever, and I’m pleased to say you can now get your hands on a copy! Join me and Ivo as we share the strengths and challenges Libra energy brings to both witchcraft and everyday life. Featuring recipes, exercises,…

Pawpaw image by Liane M by Getty Images via Canva I live in northern Appalachia, and one of my favorite parts of the fall is when the pawpaw trees start blooming. These chubby little fruits taste like a lil’ bit of heaven, sort of like a cross between a mango and a banana. Their gooey, custardy texture isn’t for everyone, but holy cow do I love them. Unfortunately, because they spoil fairly…

Pre-Order Your Copy of The Libra Witch!

So a couple of months ago I mentioned that I had the privilege of co-authoring The Libra Witch with the amazing Ivo Dominguez, Jr., and I’m excited to announce it’s now available for pre-order! The Libra Witch is one of twelve books in the new Llewellyn Sun Sign Series, and will offer some insights and ideas for how you can work with the attributes of your own sun sign to unlock your fullest…

Herb Magic: Bountiful Burdock

When I moved into my little cottage in the woods two years ago, one of the things I fell in love with was the abundance of plant life on the property that was ready for me to forage. While derping around on my hillside, I noticed a lot of prickly little balls (get your minds outta the gutter, you filthy heathens) attaching themselves to my socks, shorts, and the dog. Naturally, I thought to…

The Magic of Purple Deadnettle

Spring be springing down here in my little corner of North Appalachia, and one of my favorite things to see is the purple deadnettle (Lamium purpureum) that’s taking over my yard with reckless abandon. Technically, yeah, it’s a weed – but weeds are just things that grow where people don’t want them to. I’m a big fan of the “use what you got” school of witchcraft, so I always end up harvesting a…

You want to be a witch? Cool! It’s worked for me for over 35 years – if it hadn’t, I wouldn’t be bothering with it. But let’s talk about a few things related to the “I want to be a witch” thing that’s constantly popping up in my magical mailbag. WitchTok A couple of times a week, I get messages from people who tell me some variation of I saw this spell on TikTok and I did it but can you please…

It's Time for the Chocolate Rabbit Ritual!

This is a ritual I created waaaaaay back in 2008 and posted on my About.com page, and since that time it’s been copy/pasted ad nauseum all over the Interwebs, and About/LearnReligions ended up eliminating it altogether, because reasons. I’ve heard about numerous shops and covens and groups doing this as a public ritual over the years, and honestly, it’s pretty much taken on a life of its own at…

A Few Fun Updates...

So it’s been a couple minutes since I blogged – okay, it’s been four months, but in my defense I was busy and left unsupervised. LOTS of stuff going on, but first, let me tell you… this is the time of year when things are fallow for me. I tend to withdraw a bit from social media and the Interwebs in the months between Yule and spring. I get caught up on reading, I make art, I’ve been painting,…

The Witch’s Complete Guide to Tarot, Available 10/11/22

Super exciting news, y’all! My newest book, The Witch’s Complete Guide to Tarot, will be out on October 11! I’m really jazzed about this one for a number of reasons – first of all, it’s downright gorgeous. Also, it’s a hardback, which makes me feel kind of fancy. The interior is just delicious – I’ll be posting preview pics over the coming weeks – and the cover is a snazzy purple, which of course…

Review: The Doodle Tarot

So life has been super busy – obviously, because I haven’t blogged in a few minutes – what with the Day Job, school, summer travel adventures, and all kinds of other stuff. However, back in July, I made my annual pilgrimage to Mystic South, which is always a blast – and one of the things I do love about this particular conference is the amazing vendor room space. It’s chock full of people who…

Join Me at Mystic South Next Weekend!

I’m so excited! After a two-year hiatus, Mystic South is back and better than ever! If you’re going, please be sure to visit with me and check out the workshops I’m hosting. Here’s my schedule for this event: Friday, July 15, 8 am: Household Magic – Using the Mundane to Make the Magical Sorry about the early morning kickoff – I don’t make the schedule – but if you can rouse yourself from your…

Are You a Senior Pagan “Newbie”?

A reader asks, “I have only recently discovered Pagan spirituality, and it’s been a little weird for me because I’m a lot older than most of the people who are “new Pagans.” I’m in my fifties and feel like a total noob, but all the other people who are new to this path are in their late teens and twenties. All the other Pagans my age are Elders who have been part of the Pagan community forever.…

A reader writes in asking, “I read that people can’t connect to a deity of the opposite gender as easily as they can connect to deity of the same gender. Does this mean that one gender can’t be as spiritual as another? Or does it mean that the god and goddess are not equal? I’m not sure where you read this information, but my opinion is that it’s patently false, for a couple of reasons. Actually,…

Today’s the day! The Candle Magic Journal & Handbook is officially released into the wild! It’s been quite a ride, watching this fun little project come together – from coming up with mindful, thoughtful journal prompts to crafting and testing a bunch of new spells for all of you to try. I’m so proud of this one and can’t wait to hear what you think of it! Thanks so much for all of the support…