In your hands are the keys to bringing the gifts of the ancient magic-weavers, the storytellers, into your life. The Bards of old wove magic with their words. Through myth and legend, history and inspiration, they shaped the world around them. Just like them, you can connect with the magic of storytelling to create powerful change. Join professional performer, ritualist, bard, and witch Halo Quin, and discover how to use your voice in magic, how to unravel the secrets of stories, how to craft your own rituals to bring the power of myths and folk tales into your life, and how to find, learn, and tell stories to enchant the world inside and outside the circle.Storytelling for Magic: https://haloquin.net/book-storytelling-for-magic/Website: https://www.haloquin.net The Enchanted Academy: https://the-enchanted-academy.mn.co/Author BioDr Halo Quin is a practicing witch, storyteller, author, philosopher, and a lifelong lover of magic. She is a devotee of the Faery Queen, a lover of the Welsh gods and myths, and sensual witch exploring the divine erotic and sacred nature of pleasure and beauty, and working to (re)enchant the world. She lives in Aberystwyth, UK.

Witch Blood Rising is a celebration of the ways that witchcraft has stubbornly kept itself alive in Western culture—and a call to action for all seekers who yearn for a witch’s life.Growing up in an endless sea of California suburbs, where sacred groves and wise women only existed in movies, Asa West spent her childhood chasing visions she didn’t understand. When she found a guide to witchcraft in a tiny bookshop, she knew she’d found her calling—despite a patriarchal society’s efforts to keep her away from a life of mysticism.But it’s not easy to awaken your witch blood in a culture that laughs at magic and renders women powerless. Although the market abounds with practical guides to witchcraft, it’s harder to find books that chronicle the art of living a witch’s life. Asa West uses her almost thirty years of magical practice to bring warmth, humor, and insight to a spiritual path that's at once immeasurably ancient and continually reborn. She explores all the ways that witchcraft rises up from the blood of its devotees and through subjects like the online herbalism industry, Marvel movies, witch-hunting manuals, bee priestesses, and tarot.Witch Blood Rising is a celebration of the ways that witchcraft has stubbornly kept itself alive in Western culture—and a call to action for all seekers who yearn for a witch’s life.Asa West is the author of The Witch’s Kin and Five Principles of Green Witchcraft, and her work has appeared in The Offing, Joyland, Gods&Radicals, and other publications. She holds an MFA from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop and has been covering feminism and media since 2007 under the name Julia Glassman. As a journalist for The Mary Sue and other outlets, she covers everything from Marvel movies to folk horror—and, of course, all things witchy. You can find her online at www.asawestauthor.com  and The Red Tail Witch (https://linktr.ee/theredtailwitch).

Today I'm chatting with author and master astrologer Laurie Farrington to cover birth charts! Understanding the basics of signs, planets, houses, and aspects is the first step for anyone interested in this topic. How to Read and Interpret a Birth Chart will walk you through the next steps: how to determine what is most important and how to merge the many astrological patterns into a coherent whole. Laurie Farrington provides a unique perspective, gathered over years of practical service. How to Read and Interpret a Birth Chart provides sixteen guideposts designed to deepen understanding and will help readers to grasp what is most important in the chart. The reader will be able to understand any birth chart with confidence.   About the Author Laurie Farrington, the founder of Astrolore, began her professional practice more than thirty years ago. Laurie is a master astrologer, consultant, writer, teacher, and mentor. With a focus on empowerment, self-care, and personal growth, she has worked with thousands of clients over the years. Find the Book and Laurie: Book: https://amzn.to/4jNPOIb Website: https://lauriefarrington.com/ Astrolore Astrology: https://astroloreastrology.substack.com/ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/LaurieFarrington YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@AstroPath8

Today I get to chat with Jana Stern, a gifted psychic, astrologer, and spiritual activator. We attempted to focus on chakra wellness techniques, but we really covered so much more! (TW: We have a frank (but gentle) chat about some tough topics, such as mental health, depression (at the beginning of Jana’s story), cancer (at 14:50), and health/healing with energy work. Please take care if you’re sensitive to these topics and we’ll see you in the next episode!)  Chakra wellness offers a simple yet effective way to address physical, emotional, and energetic imbalances. Jana explains how the chakra system acts as an “energetic map” of the body, with each center tied to specific emotions, experiences, and physical health. By integrating these techniques, you can access tools for clarity, stability, and personal growth. Find Jana: Jana Stern is a psychic, astrologer, and spiritual activator with over 15 years of expertise and a lifelong connection to her psychic lineage. Founder of The Resilience Revolution and host of "I’m Really Into 'That Stuff” podcast, she empowers clients through tailored spiritual practices. A certified Life Activation™ practitioner, Jana blends metaphysical knowledge with practical tools for transformation. Her mission: to integrate spirituality with mental health to create profound societal change. Website: https://www.janastern.com/ Instagram: https://instagram.com/janasternhealer X: https://x.com/janasternhealer Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JanaSternHealing/ Linked In: https://linkedin.com/in/janastern TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@janasternhealer YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1mQgC0ejYxl2mrGxp-yXRA Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/im-really-into-that-stuff/id1548227201

I'm joined today by author Angelica Merritt to chat about her upcoming book Womb Witch: Herbal Magick for Reproductive Health. Find Angelica and Womb Witch: Website: https://www.angelicamerritt.com/ Book: https://amzn.to/3PhtxnV Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dandeliondazed/ About the Book: Liberate your uterus - Herbal remedies and wise perspectives to help make your cycle less of a rollercoaster. Ever felt like your uterus is out to get you? Or experienced dismay at the politicians out to get your uterus? This book will speak straight to your soul. Get to know your body with this inclusive guide to herbal, holistic self-care for every womb, at every stage of life—from puberty to post-menopause and everything in between. Herbalist and pregnancy loss doula Angelica Merritt offers a wealth of anatomical science, plant medicine, and nutritional and herbal strategies to support body literacy, a regular menstrual cycle, and your reproductive goals. If you're dealing with irregular menstruation, PCOS, infertility, pregnancy loss or release, perimenopause, or any other reproductive health issue, look to these pages for remedies that bridge the scientific and the spiritual. Inside you'll find guidance in holistic modalities such as castor oil packs, breath work, breast and womb massage, baths, and infused oils, along with rituals and journal prompts. You'll learn about the connections between the womb, the moon cycle, and the archetypes of Maiden, Mother, and Crone. Transform your self-care through the magick of the womb within! Angelica Merritt is a Community Herbalist, Full-Spectrum Pregnancy Loss Doula, Postpartum Caretaker, and Author of Womb Witch: Herbal Magick for Reproductive Health. She has over 8 years of formal training in herbalism, holistic energy work, functional nutrition, birthwork, and a B.S. in Journalism from Ohio University’s E.W. Scripps School of Journalism. Her work aims to assist others in "awakening the wild within" through herbalism, storytelling, nature immersion, and practices that invoke intuitive guidance. Find more of Angelica’s work and teachings through her project Dandelion Dazed, where she encourages others to frolic in nature, gather wild foods and medicines, and contemplate life through the esoteric lens.

I'm chatting today with author and chaotic wellness witch, Mandi Em, about her newest book, Shadow Work for Hot Messes. Mandi Em's book, Shadow Work for Hot Messes, is the ultimate guide to self-awareness and healing, even if you're a certified hot mess. Mandi condenses the complex concept of shadow work into a three-step process: Perceive, Investigate, and Integrate. By delving into core wounds, inner child work, and feelings of shame and fear, readers are prompted to confront their inner shadows, leading to a more empowered and fulfilled self.  With prompts, activities, and fill-in-the-blank exercises, this book encourages readers to reconnect with themselves and pursue their personal healing journeys. It’s the next evolution of shadow work as only Mandi Em can deliver it. With introspective exercises and relatable guidance, this one-of-a-kind book helps you do the work to become a happier, healthier, and more empowered hot mess. Take yourself from hot mess to a happier, more empowered hot mess who is in touch with their shadow self with this powerful new book from Mandi Em, the unhinged author behind Witchcraft Therapy, Happy Witch, and Feral Self-Care. This book is intended to provide fun and sassy direction to folks looking to reconnect with themselves and pursue their own healing journey for maximum wellness. The tone of this book is like having a BFF right by your side, helping you swerve around the BS and yanking you back to your core to connect with your own inner shadow to find healing and live your best life. Find Mandi: The Book: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Shadow-Work-for-Hot-Messes/Mandi-Em/9781507222997 Website: https://healingforhotmesses.com Instagram: instagram.com/healingforhotmesses Facebook: facebook.com/healthylivingforhotmesses YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HealingforHotMesses TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@healingforhotmesses Mandi Em is a humorist, author, and chaotic wellness witch. She’s the author of Witchcraft Therapy, and she shares funny, approachable self-help guidance on her blog and social channels for Healing for Hot Messes and resources for nonreligious witches over at The Secular Witch. Her writing has been featured in The New York Times, HuffPost, SheKnows, Refinery29, McSweeneys, and more. She and her husband are born-again hippies raising their three children in beautiful Vernon, BC, in Canada.

I'm chatting today with Lalania Simone about Lalania's newest deck, Tarot of the Cosmic Seed. In an effort to decolonize the tarot, remove outdated ideas of hierarchy, and shift ingrained gender norms, Lalania, founder of Alchemy Ritual Goods, has created a lush and vibrant deck with unique imagery and symbolism and an array of people and cultures. Having renamed the royalty cards—including the Hierophant, Emperor, Empress, and the court cards—Lalania has expanded their interpretation into energy signatures rather than personality types. The result is a deeply diverse spiritual tool, a bridge to the mysterious and the esoteric, as well as a guide to the everyday. Using the Rider-Waite-Smith tradition as a foundation, this deck offers a twist: there is a twenty-third card added to the Major Arcana—The Cosmic Seed, a representative of us all as infinite, cosmic spirits, enmeshed in sacred flesh for a time on this Earth. Find Lalania: Buy Tarot of the Cosmic Seed: https://amzn.to/3VkQb2j Instagram: @the.cosmicseed www.lalaniasimone.com Lalania is an artist and entrepreneur on a path of personal expansion and collective liberation. Their work here on earth is to awaken to the fullness of my divine presence, and to experience the pure divine potential in every person and thing that surrounds them. Lalania is the author of Urban Soul Warrior: Self Mastery in the Midst of the Metropolis, the creatix of Tarot of the Cosmic Seed, and co-owner of a magical BIWOC owned metaphysical shop called Alchemy Ritual Goods.

Today I'm joined by author Coby Michael to chat about poison plants and their potential use within your witchcraft practice. Examining the art and science of working with noxious and malefic plants and fungi, Coby Michael discusses the occult properties of poison and how poison plants can be used in spell work and other magical operations. He looks at the plants of Fate and the divination practices they support, love magic with poison plants, shadow work, the devil’s garden, and the use of nightshades as power plants for medicine and magic. Presenting a detailed formulary, he shares rituals, magical correspondences, and recipes for working with specific poison plant allies and other baneful herbs of occult herbalism.Exploring the path of dark herbalism, the author explains how it encompasses not only veneficium—poisonous plants and fungi—but all plants that humanity has tried to forget, from “invasive” plants and those we can’t domesticate to those that have been regulated arbitrarily or simply feared as “toxic” or “poison.” He shows how the dark herbalist seeks out plants that are adversarial or taboo because the qualities we consider “dark” are really the plant’s spiritual medicine and can offer powerful wisdom and healing. Examining poison history, lore, and occult toxicology, he explains how the aim of using these plants is not to cause physical death, but rather death of the ego. He shows how “poison” in this sense is an alchemical force that allows the practitioner to become a vessel for the forbidden fruit of knowledge and how the transmutation of our personal poisons can lead to powerful self-transformation. Find the Book and Conference: Poison Path Grimoire: https://www.innertraditions.com/the-poison-path-grimoire Botanica Obscura: https://www.botanicaobscuraconference.com/ Find Coby: Website: thepoisonersapothecary.com Facebook and Instagram: @poisonersapothecary Patreon: patreon.com/poisonersapothecary COBY MICHAEL is the author of The Poison Path Herbal & The Poison Path Grimoire, and co author of Leo Witch and is a prolific writer. He is an occult herbalist and Poison Path practitioner and founded The Poisoner’s Apothecary in 2016. Coby has studied religion, history and herbalism and is well read in a variety of occult sciences and is practitioner of “traditional” witchcraft and folk magic. He has been lecturing and facilitating workshops since 2016 and has appeared at events around the world. Coby is founder and co-host of Botanica Obscura Conference and online plant spirit practitioner gathering held annually every march.

All about the energies and magic of December plus a few December holidays to highlight. Correspondences: Crystals: turquoise, onyx, bloodstone, blue topaz  Animals: elk, horse, stag, reindeer  Flowers: Narcissis  Deities: Jupiter, Artemis, Rhiannon, Thor The sun is in Sagittarius until December 22. Sagittarius is a mutable fire sign. Moon Phases December 1: new moon in Sagittarius December 8: second quarter moon in Pisces December 15: full moon in Gemini December 22: fourth quarter moon in Libra December 30: new moon in Capricorn December Ancient Holidays: Saturnalia (December 17-23) - a major Roman festival dedicated to Saturn, the god of agriculture and time. Brumalia (December 24 - December 25) - a Roman festival celebrating the winter solstice, overlapping with Saturnalia. The festival honored Bacchus, the god of wine and revelry, and involved feasting and drinking. It was a celebration of the lengthening days and the return of the sun. Sol Invictus (December 25) - Sol Invictus, or the "Unconquered Sun," was a festival dedicated to the sun god Sol. Celebrated on December 25th, this festival marked the rebirth of the sun as the days began to lengthen. It was a significant holiday in the Roman Empire and is thought to have influenced the choice of December 25th for Christmas. Kalikai (December 15 - January 15) - Kalikai was an ancient festival celebrated in the Middle East, including parts of Mesopotamia and Anatolia. The festival was associated with the rebirth of the sun and the end of the darkest period of the year. It involved celebrations, feasting, and offerings to gods and deities associated with the sun and fertility. Feast of the Nativity of Mithras (December 25) - Mithras was a deity from the Persian tradition who was adopted into Roman religion. His birthday was celebrated on December 25. The festival of Mithras celebrated the birth of the god of light and truth. It was part of a broader Mithraic tradition that was influential in the Roman Empire and shared themes with other December festivals. Wild Hunt (December) - In Norse mythology, the Wild Hunt was associated with the Yule season and was believed to be a ghostly procession led by a god or spirit. December Modern Holidays: Yule (December 21) - Yule, or the Winter Solstice, marks the shortest day and longest night of the year. It is a celebration of the rebirth of the sun and the gradual return of longer daylight hours. Dongzhi Festival (December 21 or 22) - The Dongzhi Festival, or Winter Solstice Festival, is celebrated in China and other East Asian countries. Christmas (December 25) - Christmas is one of the most widely celebrated holidays worldwide, commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ. It is observed by Christians and also celebrated by many non-Christians. Hanukkah (Dates Vary) - December 25 - Jan 2 this year - Hanukkah, also known as the Festival of Lights, is an eight-day Jewish holiday that typically falls in December, though its exact dates vary each year according to the Hebrew calendar. Kwanzaa (December 26 - January 1) - Kwanzaa is a week-long celebration of African-American culture and heritage, founded in 1966 by Dr. Maulana Karenga. Omisoka (December 31) - the Japanese New Year’s Eve celebration, marking the end of the old year and the beginning of the new one.  New Year’s Eve (December 31)

I'm joined today by Siri Vincent Pluoff to chat about their newest book, Queering the Runes. Queering the Runes by Siri Vincent Pluoff is a love letter to the runes, the gods, and the people who follow the Nordic path. The author presents an alternative approach to the runes, one that creates a gentle container for those who want to follow this heathen path. Pluoff presents the traditional meanings of the runes, then helps the reader to queer the runes in their own way. Included is the lore associated with each rune, exercises, to apply them to modern life, activities to engage with the rune (layouts, castings, and galdr), and how to use the runes for divination. Queering the Runes seeks to blow open perceptions of the runes. Exploring them as active, living symbols available to all, as well as the inherent connection with ancestral magic that comes with rune work.  Siri Vincent Pluoff has been a practicing witch for nearly twenty years and has been reading tarot and runes professionally for six. They are also the brain behind the radical heathenry podcast, The Heathen's Journey, adapted from their column of the same name at Little Red Tarot. Websites: sirivincentplouff.com; lore-books.com Instagrams: @siri.vincent.plouff, @lore.books.mn TikTok: @SiriVPlouff