Articles

When did you come of age as a Witch? Some people can point to the exact day. Maybe it was in front of witnesses, when you took an important degree or initiation. Maybe you were all alone with the gods, when a vision or epiphany changed your life forever. As I look back on my own path, I’m sure that I have stepped over that threshold, from novice to Real Grown-Up Witch. I’m just not sure when, exactly, it happened. I don’t have any certificates or ceremonial cords to show for it. I can’t name the precise moment, though my...

Like any other subculture, Pagans have our own special vocabulary. Many of them just aren't found in Wicca 101 books or infographics. Fortunately, I write down unfamiliar words and Google them later so you don’t have to. This glossary covers some of the more obscure words and phrases in the Pagan lexicon. The ones that might leave you scratching your head if you’d never heard them before (or never before in a Pagan context). This is certainly not an exhaustive list of Pagan and magickal terminology—just a quick rundown of some of the weirdest Pagan words and phrases zipping around...

Seashells are a very special magickal material—a beautiful gift of Earth and Sea. Shells are found in the secret space between these two kingdoms, which is revealed only during the change of tides. They are treasures from an invisible world. Whether plain brown or white, or cascading with a rainbow of colors, each shell brings a message to the person who is fortunate enough to find it. Read on to find out more about the magickal properties of seashells. The amazing seashell Normally, I’d just dive right into the correspondences of shells and their uses in spellwork. But instead, let’s...

Called the “White Lady of the Woods,” Birch is a tree of great strength and beauty. As one of the first plants to sprout new leaves in the spring, Birch has long been associated with renewal. Birch is extremely important in Celtic, European, and Native American folklore. Birch is linked to the Norse rune Berkana and also to Beith, the first letter of the Ogham alphabet The Birch is a medium-sized, straight-grained tree that tends to grow in groups or “stands.” It is slender, graceful, and hardy. Birch trees are found all over the Northern Hemisphere, thriving in all but...

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 for a Fiery Wall of Protection. (The way I learned it from my teachers, with a few personal notes added.) I call it the quick-and-dirty version. Anybody can do this spell and see positive results almost immediately. You can customize this spell to your individual...