Articles

A candle snuffer is a tool made of a hinged bell attached to a handle.  Its purpose is to neatly put out burning candles, without the danger or mess of spattering wax. Candle snuffers are usually made of brass, pewter, or iron, though some are made of heat-resistant resin. The candle snuffer is a quaint implement, which harkens back to pre-industrial days when many, many candles would have been needed to adequately light a room.  Blowing them all out certainly would have required a lot of breath!  Also, candles in the past were often made out of animal tallow, which...

Magickal books often assign herbs and plants to one or more of the four classical elements. But have you ever wondered why herbs are attributed to one element or another? Water herbs revolve around healing, sensuality, and psychism. They tend to be useful for many types of workings. In case your herbal almanac is not close by, here are some common attributes of Watery plants.  Not all herbs of Water will have all of these traits, of course--but the more boxes you can check, the more likely the plant corresponds to Water.  (This article is the second in a four-part...

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! The Teacher and Student (Merlin and Nimue) In this type of partnership, the experienced practitioner passes on knowledge to the eager neophyte.  They may be conveying a specific skill, like reading the runes, or an actual initiatory current.  It is generally expected for the student to offer something in exchange--dutiful attention, at least. Since initiation...

Invisibility 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 to be recorded in magickal grimoires. Many of these concoctions involved complicated rituals and toxic ingredients.  Other recipes, like soaking poppy seeds in wine, probably didn't have much effect besides making the magician feel really good! Because spirits were believed to move about unseen, many...

What types of plants are attributed to Air? Once you read this article, you won't need an almanac to find the Airy herbs in your garden or spice cabinet. Elemental correspondences are a factor in a lot of herbal magick. The assignment of plants and herbs to Earth, Air, Water, Fire (or a combination of these elements) can be traced back to medieval medicine. In pre-modern times, diseases were thought to be due to an imbalance in the four humours, ruled by the four elements. By ingesting or applying plants related to the proper element, herbal healers could attempt to...