New Worlds of Body, Mind & Spirit Since 1901
As an author of books on the folk traditions of the Alps, the buzzword "Traditional Witchcraft" was something I just couldn't ignore. I had to look into that and what I found out pretty soon was that people had quite different opinions as to what that means. There seems to be no widely accepted definition, no one agreement on what tradition in should be. Is it mediaeval European? Vodun, Hoodoo, or Appalachian? Norse Seiðr or Latin American Brujería? Well, it's all of the above and more. Because it is all about the personal choice of the witch, a choice that may be influenced by where they live, who their ancestors were, or to what they feel drawn. And as far as I can tell, ...
For many of us, the holiday known as "The Day of the Dead" brings to mind Día de los Muertos, a vibrant festival of Mexican origin, complete with sugar skulls and paper banners. However, many other cultures also celebrate their ancestors during this time of year. If you have Hungarian heritage—or even if you don't—you might be interested in the holiday known as Halottak napja (HAW-low-tuck NUP-yah), which also translates to "The Day of the Dead." The celebration is officially held on November 2nd, but it begins the evening before, on November 1st. Read on to learn more about how this day was traditionally celebrated and how you can incorporate some of these traditions ...
Navigating chronic illness can be tough, especially for us witches. While I can't offer any cures or magickal solutions to make your illness disappear, there are some ways I've found to better the experience. Living with chronic illness can still be a magickal life. Here are five ways to incorporate magick for chronic illness. 1. Magickal Pill BoxIf you take medication, I encourage you to make your pill box a form of self-expression and imbue it with magick. I used to have a pill box that was one of those generic-looking sterile types often used in medical settings. Every time I looked at it, it upset me, reminding me of being sick. I changed this mindset by switching to a more ...
The thing I love most about Paganism is that it is a path of freedom. I was raised in a highly controlling religion where my freedom was severely restricted, and finding Paganism was a breath of fresh air. The principle of freedom is woven throughout my practice as a Pagan witch today, and I would argue that it is inherent in Paganism as a whole. I wrote my book An Apostate's Guide to Witchcraft in part as a celebration of that freedom. For many people, finding a satisfying spiritual path after being trapped in a high-control religion can seem impossible. The fear of being controlled again overwhelms the desire to explore different paths. That is one reason I believe celebrating the ...
