An Inspirational Blog Posting

Anna Trollvind, a member on my Witchy Living forum, recently posted the following in her blog there. I was blown away by her insight, totally inspired, and just had to share this particular piece of writing with my readers. Enjoy!

I have walked the solitary witch's path for about 16 years now, along with the shamanic, and many times these two paths have come together, other times the trail has separated into two just to be bound together again later. It is an exciting, evolving, sometimes difficult and lonely road, but also a road full of rewards, wonderful surprises and laughter and above all new friends where you least expected them.

For me, witchcraft is a way of life. I strive every day to live in harmony with creation, as much as I can according to the knowledge I have today. My knowledge is growing all the time, because it is part of my wichiness, to constantly learn more and develop my understanding of everything. So tomorrow, I will know a little more and I can be even more in harmony with everything.

Being a witch, to me, is choosing how my life should be. I am not separate from the Divine, but I am a part of it while I am also a co-creator. I live close to Mother Earth, I learn from her how life works. My body is a mirror of Mother Earth. I too have an internal Moon clock governing my cycles and an internal Sun keeping my creativity burning. I have inner stars who are my inspiration and my clear-sightedness. And I have Seasons. By following the outer lunar cycles and the Seasons I harmonize my physical and spiritual health and my understanding of the spiritual side to everything grows stronger day by day.

Through my relationship with Mother Earth, I am also aware and reminded of how everything is linked to everything else. So working on my own development, means I also contribute to the development of all things. Hence when I behave badly towards myself, that means I am also behaving badly towards everything else.

As a witch, I work a lot with energy, with healing, fortune telling and magic. But none of this is of any use unless I am constantly working on my personal growth and learn from my life lessons and clear my blockages. Magic, as I have found it, works best when I myself is functioning on my best. There is little power in chants and rituals on their own. I am the source and the director of my magical power, not the words or ritual alone, but together. If I then want to create something with magic, I must begin with myself.

As an eclectic witch, I have many methods and the ability to change things that don't work in my life. I'm not helpless, and I am never a victim. I am ever aware of my own responsibility for creating my life and what that means.

The world we live in everyday is just a small part of the enormous reality that is out there. The more I learn the more there is to learn, a paradox.

For me, God is a duality, which houses both the male and female, in balance and in a harmonious blend. From their union was created everything. So I consider both the God and Goddess and honor them by living as much as I can in harmony with creation, and by sharing the good I have in life. I still don't consider myself a religious person, but a spritual one. I don't worship any specific gods or goddesses but live alongside the divine, since I see them in everything, including me and you.

Knowledge, love and tolerance are extremely important to me. I judge no one and see no obstacle in the fact that there are so many different religions. For me, every religion carries a fragment of ultimate truth and I think (hope) one day that these fragments will come to be assembled into a whole.

You can find more of Anna Trollvind at www.trollvind.com. 

Cast Out!

It's official. I have been Facebook-disowned by my husband's family.

What brought this about? Well, I suppose it started during the presidential election, when I raised a stink about the barrage of racist emails and texts and Facebook posts from those loved ones who seemed to have forgotten that a) I actively work NOT to judge people by outer appearance, i.e. skin color, and b) I have a niece who is biracial - the same mix as our president, to be precise. It hurt, you know? That they would be so thoughtless of MY family? Still, I mostly let it go in the name of family peace and love.

Over the last few months, there's been an overload of crapola posted and sent about health care reform, about how the godless Obama is working to pave the way for Satan to walk the earth, about how health care is not a basic human right, about how "we" don't want to pay for "them." Again, I eye-rolled and chalked it up to ignorance and being misinformed, and again, moved on in the name of family peace and love.

Perhaps I was PMSing, or maybe it's the fact that I've weaned myself off of Prozac so that I can FEEL again, but a few days ago, I finally got irritated with all of the stupid shit I was reading about health care reform on my sister-in-law's (husband's sister's) page - comments made by her friends, not her - and I made the mistake of commenting about backing slowly away from the ignorance... and commented about Jesus and how he probably didn't have a pre-existing condition clause. Well... judging by the response I got, you'd think that I'd just ass-raped a goat and set it on fire. Actually, that probably would've gone over better.

After a few harsh exchanges with my brother-in-law's (husband's brother's) wife and my mother-in-law, which culminated with me telling them all to go fuck themselves (on Facebook, no less *insert shameful emoticon here*), I have since been un-friended by them all, their children, and their spouses. I can only assume that this applies in real life as well.

Now, keep in mind that, over the last 25 years, despite them knowing I am NOT Christian, I have graciously tolerated prayers on my behalf to a God I don't worship and quotes from a bible I don't believe in or read, in the form of emails, cards, texts, and conversations. I actually appreciated the sentiment, thinking that these people were caring in their own way about me, and that their prayers were still good energy that sent love and healing in my direction. What a fool, huh? I didn't want to think that they just didn't give a fuck that I have my own belief system - but after recent events, I guess that's exactly what it was... what it IS.

SO... here I sit, Facebook cast out and former in-law... and I can't tell you how light and airy I feel about it all! The last wall has finally come down - I can now fully be ME without having to censor any part of who I am... and it is wonderful.

Indeed, it IS amazing what one can see by the light of a burning bridge...

Sérums de Sorcières: Maleficae, Sagae, and Veneficae are arriving on Winter Solstice!

Oooooohhh... I am so excited to announce that Witchy Living will be debuting a new oil line, Sérums de Sorcières, on 12-21-09! These wicked oils are going to be powerful, luscious, exquisite, and beautiful to look at, to boot. I've been mulling over an oil line for quite some time - a few years actually - and the idea for this line just kinda popped into my head after my sister witch Arabi turned me on to a really nifty bottle idea that is so totally me, it's crazy. (What can I say - the girl knows me... LOL...)

At any rate, the Maleficae, Sagae, and Veneficae Serums will be making their appearance in Witchy Living's shoppe, Crescent City Apotheca, on Winter Solstice. Witchy Living forum members will be getting a sneak peek, of course...

Get ready to experience some amazing magickal oils!

Make that call!

Dearest family and friends, it is my Samhain wish for you that you are able to make the time to commune with your ancient ones on this hallowed night. Listen for their voices, hear their words of love and wisdom! The veil is thin, the beloved ancestors are near - in other words - the spectral phone lines are OPEN, witches! Make that call!

May you all have a very blessed and happy Samhain!

What's YOUR label?

Sounds almost like that bad ol' pickup line, doesn't it? After reading a recent thread on Witchy Living's discussion forum in which a member discusses her own internal struggle with the "traditional witch" label, my first thought was "Eh, who needs labels? Who wants the encasing limitations of being defined?"

Of course, me being me and also me being in the throes of yet another insomniac fit, I decided to do a bit of googling about labels and once again, DailyOM popped up with an excellent article. Read on...

Turn It Around
Laboring Under A Label

We live in a culture that uses labels as a means of understanding the world and the people living in it. As a result, many of us find ourselves laboring under a label that has a negative connotation. Unless we can find a way to see the good in such a label, we may feel burdened by an idea of ourselves that is not accurate. It is important to remember that almost nothing in this world is all good or all bad, and most everything is a complex mixture of gifts and challenges. In addition, different cultures revere certain qualities over others, but this does not mean that these qualities are inherently good or bad. For example, a culture that elevates outgoing behavior will label an introvert in a negative way, calling them antisocial. In truth, the ability to spend time alone is one that most great artists, mystics, and visionaries share. Owning the positive side of this label can lead us deeper into our gifted visions and fertile imaginations.

When we look into the lives of any of the great people in history, we always find that they had quirks and eccentricities that earned them less than ideal labels from the societies in which they lived. Many famous artists and musicians were considered to be isolated loners or disruptive troublemakers, or sometimes both, yet these people altered history and contributed to the world an original vision or advances in our understanding of the universe. If we can remember this as we examine our own selves and the labels people use to describe us, we find that there is a bright side to any characterization.

If you have been labeled, remember that all you have to do to see the positive side is to turn the label around. For example, you may be considered to be overly emotional, and the fact that you are perceived this way may make you feel out of control. But notice, too, the gifts of being able to feel and express your emotions, even in a world that doesn’t always encourage that. You might begin to see yourself as brave and open-hearted enough to stay alive to your feelings. You may also see that there are certain paths and professions in which this is a necessary ability. As you turn your label around, the light of your true nature shines to guide you on your way.

Now this article doesn't specifically mention self-imposed witchcraft labels, but it's excellent nonetheless and certainly the lesson can apply to ANY label, witch included! We are all going to labor under the weight of our labels whether we like it or not, as it is indeed how society categorizes its members and how we define ourselves as well. My own label probably looks something like this: disabled eclectic dark-ish overweight granny hoodoo-dabbler book-whore nurse witch. Is that me? Well, yeah it could be - but I am also so much more. While society may sticker me with a definition or three, I know too that my own self-imposed labels are subject to change, and how and when they change depends on ME.

My new outlook? Labels don't bother me in the least. Well, not too much... ;-)

Honoring Transition: Beauty of Death

I stumbled upon the below article tonight, oddly enough, after chatting with a friend about his cancer prognosis. Hearing that he does not have much time left made me very, very sad - but he has been planning for the end for some time now, and I found it very comforting that he will more than likely have a good passing - one in the manner of his choosing. Death should be planned.

From Daily Om:

Death is as much a part of life as birth. Most of us are thrilled to witness a newborn's arrival into this world. So too, is it an honor to be with a loved one when they pass on. While there is always sadness in losing someone, if we open our minds to the beauty of death, we can understand that it is as powerful a transition as birth.

Most people do not want to be alone when they die. By being at the bedside of a loved one when they are dying, we can help them have a more peaceful, sacred end to physical life. Often those dying have "unfinished business," desiring to make peace with others, heal old wounds, and make a spiritual connection if they do not already have one. People near death are often more honest and real than at any other time in their life, except for perhaps infancy. Being able to be with someone during that time allows for incredible bonding.

We can help a loved one prepare for their final journey by of course making them as comfortable as possible. If we are fortunate enough to be able to have them at home, we want to make sure, if at all possible, that they aren't in pain and have the proper medical attention they need. After that, we can provide them with such comforts as flowers, music, and a favorite blanket or clothing item. Even if they are hospitalized, we can sit and talk with them, read to them, massage them, rub their feet or just hold their hand.

To help them on their spiritual journey, talk about rituals that they might find comforting. Bring treasured objects that they can reflect on. Recite poems or spiritual verse together. Light candles or incense, if possible. Sing and/or play music. Or, simply sit with them in silence.

Allow yourself to feel blessed to be at someone's deathbed. Know that your being there can bring a sense of peace, reconciliation, and acceptance of death to both you and them. In accepting death hopefully, we will no longer fear it, but be able to see the actual beauty in it.

To my friend: fight the fight - but when it's done - may you be blessed with an easy peaceful passing. My candle will be lit for you.

An Evening with Wendy Rule

A few months ago, I decided to friend Wendy Rule on MySpace. I like her music and wanted to show my support by becoming a member of her page. Shortly thereafter, I received a message from her telling me that she was headed for a brief visit to New Orleans during her tour of the States, and did I know of any venue where she could share her music?

Long story short, I got her set up with a friend of mine, Robert Thompson, who owns FairGrinds Coffee House in MidCity. It's a small, quirky place with a cool vibe and excellent coffee. The date was set - and I penciled it in on my calendar.

A few days ago I got another message from Wendy, wanting to meet up before the show. I asked my friend Mark along (he is a Feri witch, as well as an excellent musician himself). We met up with Wendy, her boyfriend Tim, and their friends Mike and Jen. We all went to dinner at a small Italian restaurant across from FairGrinds, and then dashed back over in the pouring rain for the show.

WOW. All I can say is that Wendy's voice is amazing. It didn't hurt that the acoustics in the coffee shop were wonderful - but this chick would sound good anywhere. She opened her show by casting a circle and calling Quarters - which is not something I do but it was beautiful to listen to nonetheless. The entire show was awesome and being able to listen in a small venue without a huge crowd was exceptionally delightful.

Wendy told me that she'd be returning to New Orleans again soon, as she has fallen in love with the city, as most visitors do. For a witchy traveler, however, it's a given. She's got the bug - she'll be back for sure.

Meanwhile, I have recorded a bit of her music from the show, and we have a date set for an interview on Witchy Living Radio. I will also be carrying her CD's in the shoppe.

Thanks Wendy for a lovely evening. You're beautiful, your voice is amazing, and your music is a gift to the world.

United Earth Assembly 2009

I'm back from UEA and am pleased to report that I had a fabulous time! What a great group of people!

My friend Christine was kind enough to accompany me - she was my driver and my muscle. I've got that pesky hip thing going on and can't drive long distances nor pick up anything more than just a few pounds. We left at around noon on Thursday and had a casual day's drive. It took us about 9 hours, but that did include getting lost in Dallas when we first arrived.

Our hotel, the Radisson DFW South, was great. Check-in was a snap because I did it online a day or so earlier. The room was big and clean, staff was friendly, and it was quiet.

I brought a TON of stuff with me. Seriously. I think I had six suitcases and bins filled with all manner of witchy items because I didn't know what I would need. I brought books, candle lanterns, kid stuff, oils and herbs, hoodoo stuff, my china doll witch to sit and hold my free samples, and more. I do have to say that the table looked mighty nice when we were all done setting it up. :-)

Amber K and Azrael Arynn K were the featured guest speakers at the event, and they also conducted the first night's ritual. It was geared toward saving the bees, and it was a lot of fun to watch. I can't say I've ever been to a Wiccan ritual and I was fascinated. They did a wonderful job and the energy that filled the room was very strong and happy. Amber K has quite the sense of humor.

I did also do my Ancestor Veneration workshop. I kinda disappointed myself because I felt like it was disjointed and I said "Um" too much. I am proud to say that Amber K attended my workshop, though! She sat front and center, and even asked a question. I felt very flattered that she was there. My only regret is that I did not get my pic taken with her.

Saturday night's tea dance was a lot of fun, and Christine and I looked quite witchy in our costumes.

Sunday found us packing up and hitting the road for the long drive home, and it rained the entire trip! Talk about nasty! We had a great book CD, though - so listened to that and stayed entertained.

Overall I am very pleased with my experiences at UEA. The Dallas crowd are wonderful, friendly, welcoming people that made Chris and me feel right at home. On the money side, I met my goal so was happy with that as well. I will definitely be doing this event again and am very glad that I made the trip.

Thanks to Faelind, Rhys, Thorn, Niki, Chaos, Bear, Dream, Pat, Maebh, Amie, and everyone else for your kind welcomes. We will be back!

"Papa Curtis" is going to be a guest on Witchy Living Radio's "Hoodoo Magick" podcasts!!

I am very pleased to announce that "Papa Curtis" will be joining me for the two remaining hoodoo shows on Talk Radio for the Everyday Witch, scheduled for 10/9 and 10/16, at 9p CST/10p EST.

A brief bio:

Papa Curtis has been a gifted intuitive from an early age. He had "invisible friends' as a very young child which turned out to be Spirit Guides later on in life. Both of his familial lines have intuitive and psychic gifts. His Native American ancestors include a medicine woman great grandmother, and one of his French ancestors was a magician known as "Antoine Le Sorcier" in 16th century France. Curtis also possesses a deep natural connection to earth energies and spent much of his childhood playing in the woods of Virginia and connecting with Nature. Curtis trained in the arts of Rootwork, Hoodoo, and Dowsing. He uses this training in combination with his natural talents to perform spell works. Curtis is also a graduate of the Hans Christian King psychic development school. Also available for Geomancy (sand divination), cartomancy, Gypsy Kosh't (stick) divination, dice divination, gemstone consultations, spellwork, and psychometry. Based in Asheville, NC.

I am very excited to be hosting this gifted rootworker on Witchy Living Radio, and encourage readers to listen in! My cohost Suzi and I will thoroughly enjoy doing these shows, and listeners won't be disappointed!

Witchy Living's chat room will be going full-swing while the podcast is live, so if you're not a member there, please consider joining us!

Meet Witchy Living Radio's new cohost!

My dear friend (and witch extraordinaire) Suzi Swank has agreed to be my cohost on Talk Radio for the Everyday Witch!

I am super excited and know that you all will love listening to her. She's a riot and she's going to bring a lot to the show.

Welcome Suzi!