Articles — materials

Thinking about taking up the runes? Mastery of the runes can take many years, but it is not difficult for a beginner to learn the basics. (Much as young children can quickly learn their ABCs.) The first learning tool you’ll need is a rune set of your own, to begin familiarizing yourself with this ancient system of knowledge. First, some background: Runes are archaic European letters used in magick and divination. The best-known runic alphabet is the Elder Futhark, which contains 24 symbols.There are other rune systems, such as the Younger Futhark, Northumbrian runes, and Witches' runes. But most of...

Grown in a Witch’s garden, picked at midnight with a silver sickle, mixed 39 times by hand, and so on. Magickal incenses can be a potent, personal tool with infinite variations. But sometimes you just need an incense that smells good and is in accord with your magickal purposes. An incense that doesn’t require a mortar and pestle, charcoal, or fireproof gloves before you can light up. Sometimes, you’re rushing into the supermarket on the way to a ritual and you need to choose an incense now so you can grab the bean dip and get the hell outta there....

The rich, complex fragrance of amber is a favorite for meditation and love magick. Amber is available as an incense, perfume oil, and solid resin. But what is amber anyway? Is it related to the gemstone of the same name? Read on for all the details on this ancient, mystical perfume. Amber Resin Properly speaking, amber is a solid incense with its roots in the Middle East. Amber is a compound fragrance, meaning it is made up of a mix of ingredients. It is not the same as the semi-precious gem amber (fossilized tree resin) or ambergris (a perfume ingredient...

I have an old photo of my little sister and me at home, playing witches. I’m about six years old in the picture. My sister is wearing a diaper and peering unsteadily into a big black cauldron. I’m hovering over her in a black pointy hat and tattered dress. It must have been Halloween because the costume and cauldron are new and store-bought. I’m about to go trick-or-treating, or maybe having one last game of dress-up before packing it all away for the year. Looking at the picture now, I don’t remember much about that Halloween. I can’t really summon...

Dittany of Crete is a Mediterranean herb closely related to Marjoram and Oregano. But Dittany is not the kind of green stuff you put on roast chicken. Oh no. Its reputation as a magickal ingredient has far outgrown the stature of this unassuming little pot herb. Dittany (the name probably comes from Dicte, the mountain range) grows wild only on the Aegean isle of Crete. Ever since ancient times, it has been prized as an aromatic, medicinal, and culinary herb. Dittany is a small and fuzzy perennial, with beautiful pink flowers that appear in the summer. In Cretan tradition, it...