We have a bittersweet announcement today. Tatjana has gotten a new job which is wonderful, however that means, at the very least, we will be on hiatus, at the worst this may be our last episode. I want to thank you all for listening and sticking with us through this curiosity provoking and magical journey. Hopefully we’ve provided some entertainment and useful information. Thanks!

Mabon is one of the eight celebrated Wiccan holidays and is pagan in its nature. It is the equal time between the dark and light portions of the year and is therefore considered an equinox; it is the autumnal equinox. This year, 2023, it will fall on the 23rd of September according to my sources. Here Wiccans celebrate not only the balance of the year but also the dying of the sun and thus the God. Many believe Mabon is the end of the harvest season or the second harvest after Lughnasadh, when the chasing of the sun god and harvest season begins. On a side note the third harvest is Samhain which I would consider to be the harvesting of souls passed. Mabon is also  what we consider to be our Thanksgiving. We celebrate our harvest that will tide us over until the return of spring and new crops. Some believe this is a Celtic holiday but there may be evidence that the name Mabon originated in the 1970’s. Either way the name Mabon seems to be from the Welsh God or hero known as Modron and is the son of the Earth Mother Goddess.

To celebrate this holiday apples are a common staple on the altar along with grapes, gourds, and other seasonal harvests. Colors are autumnal in nature and feasting, like with other rituals, is common. Herbs are rosemary, sage, rosehips, yarrow and mugwort. Stones would be amber, citrine, jasper, aventurine. Dried flowers are common but some are sunflowers, thistle and marigolds. Animals to think of might be the owl, stag, bear, and possibly the boar. A common symbol is the “horn of plenty” aka the cornucopia.

I thought I'd share a poem that evokes this season it’s called:

An excerpt from The Old Apple Tree by Paul Laurence Dunbar

There's a memory keeps a-runnin'

    Through my weary head to-night,

    An' I see a picture dancin'

    In the fire-flames' ruddy light;

    'Tis the picture of an orchard

    Wrapped in autumn's purple haze,

    With the tender light about it

    That I loved in other days.

    An' a-standin' in a corner

    Once again I seem to see

    The verdant leaves an' branches

    Of an old apple-tree.

    You perhaps would call it ugly,

    An' I don't know but it's so,

    When you look the tree all over

    Unadorned by memory's glow;

    For its boughs are gnarled an' crooked,

    An' its leaves are gettin' thin,

    An' the apples of its bearin'

    Would n't fill so large a bin

    As they used to. But I tell you,

    When it comes to pleasin' me,

    It's the dearest in the orchard,--

    Is that old apple-tree.

    I would hide within its shelter,

    Settlin' in some cosy nook,

    Where no calls nor threats could stir me

    From the pages o' my book.

    Oh, that quiet, sweet seclusion

    In its fulness passeth words!

    It was deeper than the deepest

    That my sanctum now affords.

    Why, the jaybirds an' the robins,

    They was hand in glove with me,

    As they winked at me an' warbled

    In that old apple-tree.

Although I don’t have a specific memory of them, the Friendsgiving celebrations that my friend would have for me and other friends of hers are always thought of fondly. They were always small affairs and everyone pitched in. Never grand or ostentatious, just simply enjoying one another’s company and being thankful for each other.

Mabon was always the darkest time of the year for me. It's when my matron Goddess was/is always at her strongest. Freya was at her fullest power in my life. If I had a boyfriend at the time and things weren’t going well this would be the time of year that things would always end. It was pretty much without fail. It had become a running joke.

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https://www.bpl.org/blogs/post/the-origins-and-practices-of-mabon/#:~:text=Mabon%20is%20a%20pagan%20holiday,will%20be%20the%20autumnal%20equinox.

https://www.mabonhouse.co/mabon

What is an egg cleanse?

It’s when you use an egg to scan over a person's body, kinda like using a handheld metal detector. And then crack the egg open and pour the yolk and white into a glass of water. Depending on what the egg looks like in the water you’re supposed to be able to tell if there’s the evil eye, a curse, or some other malefic thing happening.

Is table salt ok to use for cleansing/charging crystals?

Yes. Common table salt is just as good as any specialty salt in my opinion. As for using it on crystals specifically I think that it is the most commonly used form of crystal cleansing that I can think of. That said, however, I would check on whether the stone is one that can sit in salt without damaging it. Much like submerging a crystal or stone you want to be sure it doesn’t change the makeup of the stone. Now the benefit of using something like salt is that you don’t have to sit it directly in the salt. You can place a circle around it and still have it be effective.

Yes of course! ‘Table’ or regular salt was at one time the only option for salt people had. There was no pink Himalayan salt, this black salt, etc. Unless you lived in that particular place. Witches have had to be resourceful over the centuries, we can still be resourceful now.

Do crystals still work if they’re not touching your skin?

I’m not as familiar with using crystals or stones in this manner but I do believe I’ve heard of people using them without them touching the body. It would depend on the type of magic you are doing. If you are doing physical energy work then maybe it is better when it is physically placed on the body. But if you are doing a spell then it absolutely does not have to be on the physical being.

Depending on what you’re going for, yeah it can work without touching the body. Like Tatjana said if it’s a spell it doesn’t have to touch the skin. If you’re looking to use the energy of the stone or stones power grid is one option for not keeping them close. Otherwise it’s generally a good idea to keep them close. The stone doesn’t have to be touching skin though.

Do you share your work?

Yes. I have shared my work for years especially under the circumstance of teaching. When I studied we shared our work so we could learn from each other. It was the same when I taught my students. How else would we all learn?

Depends on what you’re asking. Is it sharing the religion in general or sharing a spell specifically? If it's sharing about the religion, sure, no problem with that. Though you may get push back from people of other faiths. If it’s sharing about a spell, unless you’re doing the spell with someone, it’s generally a good idea to keep it quiet. Talking about the spell redirects some of the energy away from the spell.

How many spells can you cast at one time?

I’ve never considered this question before. I guess I’ve never had the need to do more than one at a time. That said I’d think it would be best to keep it at one spell at a time, that way your energy is more focused while doing it. Splitting your energy in too many directions would take away from the potency of it/them, in my humble opinion.

I think it is a good idea to focus on one spell at a time, because if you work on more at one time the energy will be split many different ways which will reduce the effectiveness of the spells.

Is it normal to feel drained or tired after doing spell or ritual work?

This is very common and I even warn my students about it, ESPECIALLY when doing a calling down of the God or Goddess. I believe the level of exhaustion is directly equal to the amount of energy you put into the magic that you are doing. Can this be avoided? In some instances such as spell work I think it can be just by doing a protection circle but it’s different when you are calling in an entity because you can only protect yourself to a certain degree due to the very fact that you are inviting in another energy form. Which is why you typically only do this with training and with clarity of what you are focusing on.

Yes! I think Tatjana explained it very well.

How long do you usually wait before recasting a spell or deciding it’s a dud?

My spells usually have a two week turn around time. I believe you need to know your own magical parameters and that is usually found out by having done more than one spell. Over time you get an average of sorts. Once this period has passed you may then start contemplating if it’s a dud or not. Some larger spells take longer and smaller ones not so long but that’s not a steadfast rule. I would rely on your intuition in part while also being open to  broad possibilities of what the outcome of a spell can be before recasting a spell. If you do recast you most definitely want to start from scratch and maybe change a few elements of the original spell. You may even go so far as to rephrase the original purpose, question or request of said spell.

I usually wait a week or two myself, but like Tatjana said it depends on the spell and who’s casting it. If I feel a spell is a dud I will first review what the intention was, go through all the spell ingredients, and look at what the chant said. If all of them still seem in line then I will redo the spell. If I find something is off then I will redo that particular element and recast the spell.

My spell was moved…

If my spell were moved and the placement was an integral part of the magic at hand then I would deconstruct the spell and start over. At which point I would probably move the placement of it if I could do so without disturbing the premise of it and add an extra protection spell around it.

I have nothing to add.

Terminology when talking with non-believers

This is a tough one for me. I typically don’t speak to too many non-believers since I have concerns about offending them or feeling like I’d need to defend myself. I just accept where people are at in their beliefs. BUT if I had to, then I generally stick to non- in - your- face words. Such as, “I believe in working with nature and energy” “I believe in the possibility of many different ways of practicing one’s path.” “My beliefs are based largely on harming none as a foundation of my practice.” Etc…

Talking with non-witches I find that talking about my belief in broad terms is best. Unless they ask questions and show interest I keep the talk about my faith to a bare minimum. I often describe myself to others as “honoring nature and the energy within the world.” 

Gifting witchcraft items?

Often it is believed that most tools should be gifted not bought. This I think can be tricky but a wonderful gesture. If you do gift someone an item then make sure of its origin and cleanse the crap out of it before gifting it!

Gifting items is a beautiful way to affirm another witch’s faith. I agree with Tatjana, make sure you know the origins or cleanse like there’s no tomorrow. I don’t agree with the thought that items need to be gifted, because there are so many of us that don’t have a witchy support system to facilitate those gifts. But if you can gift, it’ll be appreciated, I’m sure.

Gift ideas for a practicing witch

Basic tools such as:

Athame, Broom, incense stand or censor, chalice, wand, Pentagram or Crystal representing North

Other great gifts are things from the natural world:

Stones, sticks/branches, feathers, shells, clay (to represent fire perhaps), things like acorns, gauls from wasps, water from different bodies of water or rain, bones

The list can be very long!

Other things you can get from a store:

Incense, pendants or jewelry, pendulums, tarot or other divination tools, herbs, candles, glass jars, oils, statues of preferred Gods and/or Goddesses, bells, rattles, singing bowls, music, journals

Review of Part I Pendle Witches

Last episode Tatjana talked about the feud between the Demdikes and Chattoxs and the beginning of the resulting trial in 1612. The matriarchs were Elizabeth Southerns( Demdikes) and Anne Whittle(Chattoxes). It started with Elizabeth Southern’s granddaughter, Alizon, and John Law( a Chattox), with Alizon trying to purchase something from him. Things are not clear as to whether Alizon begged or John refused, but there was a quarrel. And as he was walking away he possibly had a stroke which Alizon saw. At this point there was not any claim of witchcraft. Later Law’s son went to  Alizon. He thought she may have caused whatever happened to his father and she confessed to witchcraft. There was a meeting between families and it did not go well. The quarrel was deeper than just the one incident.

This is when the matriarchs were brought in before the law, Nowell, and they told on each other, claiming the other had done witchcraft.

Part II

The Malkin Tower Meeting

The Malkin Tower Meeting, at the home of Demdikes, was orchestrated by Elizabeth Device on April 10, 1612 Good Friday. Friends and sympathizers of the family attended. Upon hearing of this meeting Roger Nowell decided to find out what the meeting’s purpose was with the help of a fellow magistrate, Nicholas Bannister. This led to the arrest of eight more people: Elizabeth Device, James Device, Katherine Hewitt, John Bulcock, Jane Bulcock, Jennet Preston (from Yorkshire), Alice Nutter and Alice Grey. Jennet Preston was sent to trial at the York Inquests, everyone else was sent to Lancaster Goal thus joining the others already imprisoned there. Interestingly some of the imprisoned actually believed in their guilt while others vehemently protested their guilt. 

The York Inquest July 27,1612 is where, as mentioned before, Jennet Preston was tried for and found guilty of the death of Thomas Lister of Westby Hall, a local landowner. She professed her innocence to the end. She had a history of the accusation of murder previously to this event though. In 1611 she appeared before Bromley for the death of a child through the use of witchcraft but had been found not guilty. She is connected to the Malkin Tower meeting for seeking to enlist the help of the others to murder Thomas Lister. She was hanged July 29,1612.

The Lancaster Inquests…

Now a key player in the deaths of these people was a nine year old girl by the name of Jennet Device. She identified those that were at the Malkin Tower meeting including her mother, brother and sister. It was unusual to allow someone so young to be part of the trial in the 17th century but due to King James’ book, Daemonologie it was permitted for this purpose. Nine of the accused were found guilty and hanged on August 20, 1612 at Gallows Hill Lancaster. One, Elizabeth Southerns, died awaiting trial and Alice Grey was the only one found not guilty.

More in depth… 

August 18th

Anne Whittle (a.k.a. Chattox) pleaded not guilty to the charge of murder of Robert Nutter. James Robinson, a tenant of the Chattox family 20 years previous, recalled that Nutter had said Chattox had been turning his beer sour and that it was commonly believed she was a witch. I believe in order to attempt to save her daughter Anne Redferne, she succumbed to the charges against her. She asked for mercy for her daughter in the end.

James Robinson and John Robinsons’ deaths were placed at the feet of Elizabeth Device. She along with Alice Nutter were accused of the murder of Henry Mitton. Now it is unfortunate that Elizabeth had a facial deformity which worked against her in the eyes of the court and when her daughter was brought out to accuse her she was forcibly removed from the courtroom due to her cursing and screaming at her daughter, Jennet, who was the nine year old I spoke of earlier. Jennet explained how her mother had a familiar, a dog named Ball with whom she contrived to carry out various murders and how she had seen her mother making a clay figure of John Robinson whom she was accused of murdering. Elizabeth was found guilty.

James Device was accused of having murdered John Duckworth and Anne Townley using witchcraft. His earlier confession to Nowell being used against him in court and that of his sister Jennet’s statement of him conjuring a black dog to help him kill Townley was sufficient evidence. He was found guilty. 

August 19th

Anne Redferne’s first appearance in court proved to be lucky in that she was acquitted of the charge against her, the murder of Robert Nutter due to “unsatisfactory” evidence. However, the next day did not prove the same. The charge of murdering Christopher Nutter, Robert’s father, was brought against her. She declared herself not guilty. A statement made to Nowell by Demdike declaring that Anne was seen making clay figures was admitted into the hearing. Many claimed her “more dangerous than her mother” as a witch but she stood fast as to her being not guilty. She never gave in and she never offered up any other names in court. She was found guilty.

Jane Bulcock and her son John were said to have been seen at the Malkin Tower meeting wherein a sheep had been stolen from a neighbor. They denied being there but Jennet Device once again stood in court and claimed their presence and that John had been turning the sheep on the spit. They were also accused of the use of witchcraft in the murder of Jennet Deane. They were found guilty.

Alice Grey and Katherine Hewitt were both accused of the murder of Anne Foulds. Both were pointed to as having been at the Malkin Tower meeting and to have said they had killed the child Anne Foulds.  Alice Grey was not found guilty but by all accounts of the history of hangings, Katherine Hewitt was.

Alice Nutter was charged with murdering Henry Mitton with the use of witchcraft. She was different from the rest in that she was “comparatively wealthy” and a widow. She entered the plea of not guilty but said nothing else at her trial. She was said to have joined with Demdike and Elizabeth Device to kill him after he refused to give Demdike a penny she had begged for. James Device testified that Demdike had told him of the murder. Once again Jennet Device pointed out that she had been at the infamous Tower meeting. It is thought that Alice may have been on her way to a secret service when she got roped into the meeting and said nothing in her defense since this secret religious meeting would’ve been illegal. Much of her family were Catholics and two of her family members who were Jesuit priests had been put to death for it. She was found guilty.

Alizon Device, the one who had the encounter with John Law (you remember him right?) that was the incident which brought this all on, was accused of witchcraft which she had previously already admitted to. What was uncommon was that he was present at the trial and confronted her in court. She was found guilty.

Roman Magic

Ancient Roman magic is the topic today. Actually much of it was illegal, drawing a fine line between religious practices and what was called magic. Originally thought to have come from Persia and Zoroastrianism, by the Romans of the time. It was held in low regard by at least a few high ranking intellectuals because of the rivalry that was had with Persia.  It was thought to be widely used by the Roman lower classes as a way to get free of anxiety and get a sense of revenge. It came in much the same forms as Greek magic; amulets, curse tablets, incantations, and enchantments. Poisons were included under the magical umbrella in Roman times.

Magic was seen as an antisocial act and was thus deemed illegal by those in power. Antisocial here is taken to mean someone who is able but not willing to perform their social duties. It was thought that some of the big brouhaha around magic was for control purposes as just about anybody could have been accused of practicing magic. This antisocial view of magic was pervasive around the Twelve Tables period or around 450 BCE to Christian Rome, 380 CE when Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire. 

One of the known intellectuals that looked down upon magic was Pliny the Elder. He wrote Natural History, a series of books on general Roman thought and knowledge at the time consisting of 37 books split into 10 volumes. He was the one who wrote down that magic came from Persia theory. Pliny did not believe in incantations, personally thinking magic was a Persian scam.

Regardless of the fact that it was illegal and some of those in power questioned its efficacy, magic still remained popular. It gave people a sense of control when they felt that otherwise they had none. It was reassurance that people would get their just desserts, especially in the case of unsolved thefts or other unsolved things. Knowing the future through astrology was also a big draw. It was also mostly perpetrated by men as opposed to the common thought of the time that women were the primary practitioners. 

The only new form of magic from Greece is poisoning. Poisoning was seen as magic because of its unpredictability as well as its ability to be hidden. It could be colorless, or tasteless, or very potent, etc. It was also associated with women; seen as the only way a woman could physically overpower a man.

The Ancient Romans had a rich magic tradition despite the illegality of it. It was and still is a powerful tool in the arsenal of the human psyche and the material world and that is why it appealed to so many, then as now. Many people still look down on it, however I am glad that magic is no longer illegal and that we can practice freely. Despite what others may think it helps.

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https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pendle_witches

https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2211&context=honorstheses

Is it bad luck to bury your pets in your backyard? (Death, dying)

I do not believe that it is bad luck. I did it all of my young life when I had yards to do it in. I felt it was a way to keep the spirit close but mostly it’s just how I was raised. I do think doing a sacred burial ceremony and grave preparation is something that would ensure a positive experience both for you and the dearly departed spirit.

When I was younger, still at home with my parents, this is what we did. I do not think it’s bad luck, any more than living life is bad luck. Death is simply a part of life, a way for things to make room for new life. Like Tatjana said though, preparing the grave and having a ceremony is a good way to say goodbye.

What are some situations that your ethics might shift to make one decision or another?

My ethics don’t shift, but the situation does. I believe everyone has free will and should keep that free will. Some people harm others and I think there are both natural repercussions and man made repercussions. And the person who has done harm should have to suffer that backlash. So you have free will, but you can also suffer for your choices.

My ethics are also steadfast and unwavering; they are the morals that I try to live by. I think ethics are a foundation and if the foundation is strong then you want to stick to them. If however, you find that they aren’t working for you or are expanding in a good way then you might shift your perspective and re-evaluate what they should look like. But don’t shift them to meet someone else’s ideas, keep to what feels right for you.

Do you find you do things the same way all the time or do you do things and try to change it up?

I do a mix. Some things I like to keep as traditional as possible like HOW you put together a ritual or some spells but I like changing how the magic is done. I keep the moon cycles and holidays in a traditional light as well, others rituals may be more creative. Spells are open for full on creativity in my book with a few BASIC structures as their foundation.

I do not do things the same way because things always change. A need for money may be different each time. Needing a new job, wanting a raise, and etc. So the main components might be the same but other things change. Like a candle spell vs. a water spell, but both using cloves for money

What are your feelings about experimenting now that you are more settled in your practice?

I tend to stick with what works for me, but when I am out of my depth I am more than willing to go out and research. I do not know all, so experimenting is part of my practice.

Experimentation is how we grow but it must be done carefully. We have basic ideas of what tools and ingredients can mean and if we go by that we can get very creative with how we put things together. But once you get something that works well make sure to have a record of it so you can easily go back to it. I’ll admit I learned by experimentation in the beginning. I used some basic research knowledge and then added in my own personal twists. This comes back to doing what feels right to you. Your own personal magic is the most powerful after all. 

What do you think about freewill (are there times where you will perform magic on someone without consent?)

We have covered this one A LOT!!!!! I stand by not doing magic on or for someone without their express consent. We should always respect free will in each other.

I believe that you should not impinge on a person's free will above all. I would be ok with a clause in the magic for someone that doesn’t know that if they would refuse then the magic is null and void.

Are there times you won’t cast/readings for someone or cast something other than what they ask for?

If I get a bad feeling about a person I can choose to not cast for them. As for what their question might be and casting something different I wouldn’t do. That doesn’t mean that the cards/oracles will answer the question the person is asking. It happens that sometimes the tarot/oracle answers the question the person is not asking.

I will not do readings for certain questions perhaps, if I get a feeling of negativity or that the person is under 18 or for legal purposes. As for the type of reading I usually do what is within my means and requested. I won’t switch it up without the consent of the questioner. The divination device being used will do what it will do but that is how a reading or casting works.

What does the key represent on my charm bells?

A key opens the way through a locked door. What that door is would depend on the symbology used on the key. If a heart, then love or friendship is opened, if an anvil, maybe work. It all depends.

Keys are opening and closing doors and portals. You can let something in or lock something out depending on the type of magic you want or need to do. I think specifically on a charm bell it might act like a guard to be gotten through. However, that said, I have not ever used charm bells.

Questions about using a pendulum: Pendulum takes information from the subconscious mind? What can it be used for? Is it dangerous to use?

Some think pendulums use information from the subconscious, others believe it is from their ancestors and still others from their Spirit Guides.I used to think it was subconscious but today I’m not so sure. I now ask my God/Godesses to assist me in answering my questions. I feel that works well for me. 

Asking questions from a pendulum can be for pretty much anything. Anywhere from ‘Yes’/’No’ to highly specific questions. I used it to help me choose my daughter’s name before she was born. I simply drew my hand on a piece of paper, wrote down the various name choices on each finger and then asked the pendulum which one suited her best. That helped a great deal I feel.

I do not see any reason why using a pendulum would be dangerous but I think that is up to each individual to figure out for themselves.

What crystal(s) will return my energy to me throughout the day?

I could not find ones that specifically return energy, however, I did find that Citrine is great for increasing energy, creativity, and wealth. And Obsidian, and even more specifically Mahogany Obsidian is good for protecting your energy and also fighting off negativity.

Advice for cleansing thrifted object

I probably would bring it home and either place salt around it to sit in or on it for 7 days (just a magical number for me and that gives it a week’s time to settle), use sage in the same manner (there are many different types nowadays the most common being white sage), and you might do a cleansing ritual for it or just sage the shit out of it. Incense works as well, like sandlewood, dragonsblood, lavender, cinnamon, and frankincense.

What is the biggest misconception about the occult? What is occultism to you?

I think the most obvious is that it’s considered to be evil or satanic. For me it is magic of any sort along with things of supernatural power or existence.

Like Tatjana said, that it all has to do with Satan or evil. Occult according to Oxford Languages is: supernatural, mystical, or magical beliefs, practices, or phenomena. That covers a wide ground. Does that include studies of satanic or evil things? Yes, but that is a very small part of a very large category.

2023 Lughnasadh/Lammas

This is an Irish Gaelic festival and is by Wiccans considered the start of the harvest season. It is generally held on July 31st - August 1st OR approximately halfway between Summer Solstice and the Autumn Equinox. This seasonal festival was named after the Celtic God Lugh. (It was renamed to Lammas by the early Christians). In Wiccan tradition it is the time when the God is waning. There are many different beliefs of what this festival actually celebrates. Some say it is Lugh’s wedding celebrated with the first grain, others say it was begun by Lugh as a funeral feast. Historically athletic competitions were held, handfasting occurred, trading was done and early fruits were offered for the feasting. Like Imbolc and Beltain, it was also customary at Lughnasadh to visit holy wells. They would pray for health while walking clockwise around the well as a part of the honorings of the season. It is briefly mentioned that the introduction of loafs of bread were brought in by the early Christians. However, in the Scottish Highlands special cakes were made and given to the men and women and were possibly offerings to the gods. 

My memories are of writing a Poem of Invocation and reading it at Faery Worlds. It was pretty amazing! I can’t say that I have any other memories that really stand out when it comes to this particular holiday. This year we went to a small gathering of vendors and we will also be celebrating by going to a park to take in the drying grasses and hot sun while we honor the chasing of the sun god. We will be doing a little divination as well. It’s not all firmed up yet. Just to offer an idea of an easy way to celebrate the Turning of the Wheel.

Tarot

Princess of Cups/Page of Cups (reversed)

We are beginning to enter the harvest season and there may be some doubts in your mind that have crept in concerning the intention you’ve set for the year. This is natural especially at this stage. Now is when we see some success and most likely some failure stemming from creative blocks. We might begin to wonder if we’ve gotten it all wrong and if we’ve picked the wrong road. I’m here to say that you haven’t but this is the season to weed out what isn’t working. Maybe reshape your outlook and don’t let your negative emotions overtake the progress you have made. Just remember this is a normal stage of the process and it allows us to reflect and release. Focus on what has been working and how you can better support it. 

On a side note, we noticed that in season one of PBM we somehow overlooked doing an episode for Lughnasadh. We will be rectifying that sometime soon. Even if it isn’t timely to the season. Our apologies.

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https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Lughnasadh#Historic_customs

Greek Magic

Ancient Greece is considered to have been from around 1200 B.C. to about 600 A.D. Theories and thoughts developed in Ancient Greece have been a cornerstone of Western culture and thought. It was also a cornerstone for a lot of Western magic. Magic was definitely an important part of society then even though the practice of it was a more private affair. It wasn’t exactly an encouraged practice, but neither was it illegal, at least the lighter parts of magic. Being caught casting a malefic spell or making a curse was illegal. 

Some of the earliest magic, at least that we have physical evidence for, was in the 6th century B.C. and were curse tablets. These were most often small lead sheets inscribed with the curse and buried in a grave, body of water, or well. As those were seen to be passages to the Underworld. Most often the God/esses were involved (though that goes for any magic of this period). Specifically Hecate, Hermes, and Persephone as these were all associated with the Underworld. The point of the spells was to speed the cursed person to the other side hence the associations with death.

The other popular kinds of spells were talismans, for good luck, and phylacteries, for protection. Phylacteries and talismans are also known as amulets today.

One such amulet, in specific, is very special. On it is a beseeching of Apollo to help protect from something. We don’t know what that something is unfortunately, only so much of the text could be translated due to dialect and, I imagine, a penchant for getting creative with words. What is special about it in the archaeological world is that it was made out of gold and it was also stamped with a stamp, not carved into the metal with a stylus. This might suggest that there were many of them made at the time.

Talismans were also popular, I mean since when is good luck not popular? One of the good luck charms made its way from Egypt to Ancient Greece. The scarab or as we know it, the dung beetle, was a symbol of good luck for the Egyptians, but also of life, death, rebirth and the gods. For the Greeks it was a much simpler good luck talisman. The fashioned images or small carvings could be worn as pendants, rings, and bracelets.

Necromancy was also performed in ancient Greece. This was considered an illegal practice though it was performed in the Necromanteion, a temple to the God and Goddess of the underworld Hades and Persephone. Necromancy was the art of talking to the dead, the reason for doing so is that it was thought that after death the spirit was able to see the future.

Love spells were also a sought after item. What we know now as poppets were used. They would make the doll out of wax, mud, or lead and then be pierced with needles in the eyes, mouth, and sex organs. This was thought to arouse the person targeted. There were also potions made from things such as a lizard’s dick or a lizard's tail, this was thought to confer virility. 

Last but not least I should mention the Delphic Oracles. These were women over 50 that lived away from their husbands, and dressed in maidens clothing. They were given the name Pythia. The priestess would go to the cave and sit on a stool that sat near vents from which gasses would escape. There were other priests and priestesses that would attend to and interpret the incomprehensible words that the priestess would say. Making the oracular statement understandable to the one who asked the question that the Oracle was answering.

I’m sure there was more magic that intertwined the lives of the Ancient Greeks, but I’ve covered what I could. The Greeks were no more or less magical than present or other cultures of other times. They did what many of us do, reached for the power of that which was within and without to affect change in their world.

Pendle Witches of 1612 Part I

In this story 12 Witches were accused and were from Pendle Hill in Lancashire. They were accused of murdering a total of ten people by using means of witchcraft. Ten of the twelve were tried at the Lancaster Assizes/Inquests on August 18-19, 1612. They were tried alongside others who were known as the Samlesbury witches (we will touch on them in another episode most likely). One of the “witches” died in prison before the trials and another was tried in the York Assizes/Inquests on July 27,1612. There were nine women and two men who were tried, ten of which were found guilty and hung. There was one survivor who was found incredibly not guilty. This was one of the largest group hangings in England between the 15th and 18th centuries. This accounted for a grand 2% of the 500 witches which were tried in this period in England.

Such a large outbreak might suggest that there was an abundance, maybe an over abundance of healers who had skills in using talismans, herbal remedies and charms. This perchance led to an unhealthy sense of competitiveness in the community pitting one against another. One such case might have been between Elizabeth Southerns (a.k.a. Demdike’s) family and Anne Whittle’s (a.k.a. Chattox) family. Demdike’s family consisted of her daughter Elizabeth Device, and grandchildren James and Alison Device. With Chattox it was her and her daughter Anne Redferne. Each of these families' eldest women were the heads of the family and in their eighties making them at high risk to be predisposed to being accused as witches.  Among others that were accused were Jane and her son John Bulcock, Alice Nutter, Alice Grey, Jennet Preston and Katherine Hewitt. 

Historically, as we know, the churches of England were in constant turmoil between Protestant and Catholic beliefs. These changes came upon the heels of each new ruler. James I being strongly influenced by Scotland’s separation from the Catholic Church became strongly interested/swayed by the Protestant Church. Protestant theology on witchcraft particularly spiked his interest. In the 1590’s he believed he was being plotted against by witches and in 1597 he wrote a book, Daemonology pronouncing followers had to denounce and prosecute anybody practicing or supporting witchcraft. Although he instituted the death penalty on any witches proven guilty of causing death or exhuming bodies in the name of the craft he also would personally expose discrepancies in given testimonies at witch trials that might prove incorrect.

In the unruly countryside of Lancashire in early 1612 all justices of the peace were directed to list anyone who refused to attend and/or take communion in the church. This was a criminal offense. A Roger Nowell, Justice of the Peace for Pendle was made to investigate an alleged offense of witchcraft committed against one John Law, a pedlar who claimed the act of witchcraft had injured him. This shows the climate of the times in and around the area.

Now coming back around. Demdike had been a known healer/witch in the area for over fifty years. What brought these trials about seems to have stemmed from an event occurring on March 21,1612. 

Demdike’s granddaughter crossed paths with John Law, from Halifax, on her way to Trawden Forest. It’s unclear as to whether Alizon was begging or whether John strait refused but a quarrel came over some expensive straight pins that Alizon was trying to procure, most likely for the use of magic. Shortly after the interaction John Law may have suffered what we know as a stroke today witnessed by Alizon. He made it to safety and initially made no claim as to witchcraft as having been a part of it. Later, however, Abraham Law (John Law’s son) approached Alizon and, being convinced of her powers, Alison admitted to the crime and asked for forgiveness.

On March 30,1612 Alizon and James Device and her mother Elizabeth were to appear before Roger Nowell. Alizon confessed to lame John Law via the power of the Devil to whom she had sold her soul. Her brother added that she bewitched a local child. Elizabeth reservedly admitted that her mother, Demdike, had a mark on her body that may have been from the Devil.

When Alizon had been questioned about Anne Whittle (a.k.a. Chattox) she saw perhaps an opportunity to exact revenge on Anne Whittle and seized the moment. There had been bad blood between the families as early back as possibly 1601. It is claimed by Alizon that 

Old Chattox was to blame for the death of four men by witchcraft and her father John Device who died in 1601. John Device was so afraid of Chattox in his life that he made payments of 8lbs of oatmeal to Chattox annually except the year before his death. It was his claim that Chattox caused his illness due to not having made the annual installment. Then there was the claim that a member of the Chattox family broke into the home of the Devices and stole items nearing the worth of £1 which today (2024) in the U.S. would be approximately $290.

By the time the two Matriarchs were summoned before Nowell on April 2,1612 they were both in their eighties and blind AND given “damning confessions” (en.m.wikipedia.org) to Nowell that they were affiliated with the Devil in one manner or another.

Based on a woman and witness by the name of Margaret Crooke, Anne Redferne (Chattox’s daughter) was accused of making clay figures as well as being the cause of Margaret’s brother’s death. Nowell sent them to Lancaster Goal to be tried for maleficium, ‘causing harm via witchcraft or sorcery’. Things could’ve ended here with these four women but it didn’t…

This is where we’ll pause and wait for part II of the story.

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https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pendle_witches

S2 E25 Q & A Magical Minutia Volume 9

Are emotions beneficial to spell work? If so, when and why?

They can be very useful and add power to your working. However, do not do magic in the heat of the moment (anger, disappointment, frustration). It can affect your magic in unpredictable ways. It is also good to think about your intention and get it to exactly what you want, that takes time and is hard to do in the moment.

Being a Leo moon I would find it very hard to separate my emotions out from doing spellwork, although it might be better if I could. Maybe I do and I don’t realize it when I do this. It’s important to be in a balanced place when doing spell work so doing it while angry is a bad idea because there’s a good chance you’re not as focused as you should be and will likely bring in negative energy to the work at hand. It's probably a positive thing if you are in a good mindset. But we can’t always be happy. Often we are doing spells because we aren’t happy with something. So I guess my answer is the middle of the road. Be balanced.

Is it ok to call upon the elements?

Yes definitely. The elements help our workings and are a part of the world. The problem can come when you do workings with no particular or a fuzzy intention. The energy can go almost anywhere from there.

I feel that calling upon the elements is a vital and traditional part of doing magic when called with specific intention such as doing ritual or spell crafting for example. Calling on the elements because you want to see the weather change is questionable in my book. There’s too much of a chance for it to be more harmful than beneficial because you don’t know what series of chain reactions may be set off that may not be for the greater good.

Is there a difference between an intersubjective fiction and an egregore?

It depends on where you sit on the existence of beings. If you believe they exist then an egregore is a living being related to but not exactly an intersubjective fiction. If you don’t believe in beings, then there is little difference at all.

Is spellcasting for or on someone else without them knowing an acceptable practice?

We have covered this several times before but it serves repeating in my opinion. I often see this question or similar presented on different occult and witchery forums. Doing magic upon request is acceptable in my book but should not be done without express permission by that person. We never know what is good for the other person even when we think we do. That is our judgment, not specific truth. We just can’t know that. 

When doing a spell for someone should the requester be involved in the magic?

Now if you do have permission I’d just like to say that I highly advise that that person is actively a part of the work being done. This can be done by them actually doing the spell you’ve put together, supplying the ingredients, creating the chant or, and this is the MOST important piece regardless, is to create the intention and be very specific about it’s details.

When being conscientious about gardening, is there more I can do other than just tending to it and being respectful of it? 

I believe it’s important to say thanks to the plants for all that they do and offer, such as joy and sustenance. Also it’s important to do harvesting for example because that moves the natural world along in its normal natural rhythm and I feel it is necessary to be a part of that. It’s great if you can do appropriately with the moon cycle and harvesting period. We are a part of that balance but we must be aware that it is bounty and to be grateful for it. Another thought is that you need to be very in tune with your plants. Not just in the asking of using them but also when you are planting them. Listen to see what their conversations are between them. Some plants distinctly DO NOT like to be near one another (this has been proven scientifically as well) and others do. You can hear this on a magical level if you are paying close attention. Their conversations can be very enjoyable or even funny. One way to tell if you are picking up on their lingo is based on your own mood. If you were in a good mood when you started and then you are suddenly finding yourself in a bad mood, you may want to check in with what you’ve been working with in the garden (specifically while planting or weeding). This also works the other way around too. Talk with your garden.

When coming into magical power and being noticed for it how do I reign it in so I’m not a beacon?

Shielding and glamours. Shielding is usually a visual of a sphere around yourself that you create for yourself that keeps out things or keeps in things as you desire. A glamor is a seeming. The word is usually used in conjunction with fairies and their magic that affects appearance specifically. A glamor is much like a shield in that you usually visualize it, but this is to affect your outward appearance or how you seem to be to other people. So shields are for energetic purposes and glamours are for physical purposes. 

The best way I can think of is to learn how to harness your energy so that it’s not all over the place for starters. Then a little glamor can work wonders if you’re really trying to not be seen. That is to say a form of cloaking or a spell that you can easily put in place in a flash just by thinking of it when you need it. Now you could do an actual spell and create a chant to go with it for example and then say that chant when needed while out and about.

How do mirrors work within magic?

I have always felt like mirrors were magical and portals to other places. They can be mirrors to the soul (self-reflection) as well as used for scrying and opening portals to other places. 

I see mirrors as being potential portals and used with that in mind. They can open doorways and you want to be clear as to what kind of doorway you want to open if you in fact want to do that. It’s a delicate matter. They can also be reflective in use by looking deeper into the self. For example, if you need to do some scrying to get deeper insight into something they are very useful.

What is meditation, are there different kinds and what part does focus play in meditation?

First off focus is paramount. Meditation is focusing either on emptying your mind or on a specific element. Being a person with ADHD I find meditation very challenging. The reason being is that much of meditation is pretty low key in the energy department and my brain interprets that as ‘boring’. So I have to use meditations that actively use attention, like focusing on breaths, watching a candle flame, meditating on the meaning of something. 

Meditation is a sort of contemplation. There is what we all think of with meditation which is sitting quietly and allowing visions to come and go leaving us with information to be considered afterwards. That is the type where your mind is more open and less focused. Then there is focused meditation which is, for example, where one is taken on a guided journey to a destination and told that a specific message will be received and then led back out of the meditation. As you can see there are focused and less focused methods.

Is there a way to use magic to help with focus?

I guess this is a more practical way of helping with focus, but you basically train yourself to associate focus with a particular movement or saying so that when that associated thing is performed your brain goes “Oh it’s focus time”. An example would be if you meditated (multiple times over several weeks) and focused on a candle flame and said a specific phrase like “Hocus pocus focus”, then when you say “hocus pocus focus” then your brain would pop into the focus mode.

There are two ways that I can think of. One would be to use candle scrying as a practice to learn how to focus. I say this because there is random movement but you are still focusing on just the one item and letting your mind meditate while doing so. The other requires another person. That is using dowsing rods to learn how to literally focus your energy. That is extremely helpful and important in doing magic and useful in the world at large. Magic in and of itself is a focus and the more you do it the more I think it can rub off on other aspects of your life. Will it replace meds if you need them, I don’t think so (so stay in touch with your doctor) but I think it can be very helpful to use magic as a way of learning to train your mind for better focus.

Is there another way to do visualization when you have aphantasia? (Aphantasia is the inability to form mental images of objects that aren’t present. Oxford Languages)

So there are a few things you can do. Unfortunately many people with aphantasia also have trouble imagining sounds and feelings. So that brings us to images that are outside of the person. So tarot cards are rich in imagery and meaning and can be one way to empower your magic without having internal visualizations. And if you have the ability, you can create your own art.  Another thing is to have a chant that includes your intentions in it, that is a powerful way to evoke the feelings without having the ability to visualize. So an example might be if you want a simple shield spell, to bring out the World card from the tarot and feel that circle, that world around you. It is the protector of many, including yourself, from the cold and radiation of space.

Witches Tools - Incense

Incense is a powerful and easy to use tool in the witches arsenal. It comes in several varieties; loose, resin, sticks, and cones. There are also endless varieties of ingredients for an amazing array of smells. This makes it fairly easy to find an incense that supports your current spell or intention. The only real caveat is that some people are allergic to smoke ( as well as some pets), in which case you could use essential oils in candles ( which you also have to be careful with if you have pets). 

Incense is used in the east part of the altar for air. It can be used for cleansing, powering your spell, putting you in the magical mindset, or simply for making your house smell good. 

Incense itself may have been around since 6000 B.C., somewhere around ancient Sumer. It was used in ancient Egypt as well as China.  Incense is often made from the resins of trees and herbs. Sandalwood is a very common and popular incense from a tree and can be used for purifying, sanctifying, and creating a sacred space.

I personally love incense, the variety and ease of use is so wonderful to me.

The Warboys Witches & the Throckmorton Children

This tale takes place in the town of Warboys in the Fens of England. The trials took place in Warboys Huntingdonshire. The story of Alice Samuel and her family is an odd one. Once you hear of it you may come to see why in that time period the act of witchery seemed very real. Not all of these events are sure to be accurate but I’ve done the best I could to weed through what I found. 

It all began with two families, the Samuels and the Throckmortons who had recently moved to the area September 29,1588. The first pointing of the fingers occurred in 1589. The Throckmortons had a large family and were of a wealthy class as best as I can tell. Which automatically COULD point to political motivations in this story like all others but it isn’t proven. Robert Throckmorton, father of Jane Throckmorton (the first child to take ill only one month after they moved to town) was good friends of Sir Henry Cromwell “one of the wealthiest commoners in England” (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Witches_of_Warboys). 

Out of good neighborliness 76 year old Alice Samuels on Sunday November 12, 1589 visited the Throckmortons to express wishes of good health for the child and a visit with the family. Not long after Alice’s arrival the child (9 year old Jane) seemed to take more ill and yelled out ‘Look where the old witch sits. Did you ever see one more like a witch than she is?’(The Witches of Warboys sig.A.3.r). Now initially this was dismissed as that of the child being ill and under duress until later when four of the other sisters and some of the household servants also showed signs of the same symptoms. The servants were sent away and replaced but those servants became similarly afflicted. When Alice was brought before the children they seemed to worsen and claimed to want to scratch her. 

The affliction came in the guise of physical fits where bodily parts would flail each individually, sneezing fits that lasted at times for a half of an hour and other times silently lay like in a coma or trance while the stomach area would heave up and swell but couldn’t be forced back down. Other symptoms that presented were like that of palsy (paralysis, especially that which is accompanied by involuntary tremors. Google dictionary). In some instances the eldest (seen as the strongest) would have fits which would thrust her out of her bed or if sitting in a chair even break the chair in more than one instance. The accounts given have the daughters not being able to recollect hearing, seeing or feeling while in these states nor what they were saying. These ongoing events happened several times per day.

After inquiring with doctor Barrow on three different occasions and after medications were sent for healing, to no avail, the doctor inquired about the potential for sorcery or witchcraft (now urine was sent out as a part of this attempt of diagnosis but it doesn’t say in what manner it was used for). After that this urine was sent to Master Butler, a family acquaintance, and he sent along the same treatment as Doctor Barrow had. “Exactly a month later, on the same day almost to the hour, two more of Master Throckmorton's daughters fell sick to the same illness that was afflicting Jane.”  This lends itself easily to the beginning of believing the possibility of something supernatural at play.   “These daughters, two to three years older than Jane, cried out: "Take her away, look where she standeth here before us in a black thrumbed cap it is she that hath bewitched us and she will kill us if you do not take her away.”  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Witches_of_Warboys  The eldest daughter had even predicted her death and that of the others! 

In March 1590 Lady Cromwell conversed about the accusations against her (Alice Samuels). It is said that a locke of Alice’s hair was taken by Lady Cromwell and given  to Mrs Throckmorton to burn in order to “weaken the witch’s power”. This was a known folk remedy. According to the accounts given, Lady Cromwell experienced nightmares, got sick and died in 1592. After this occurred Alice was convinced, not via any known torture, to confess. The next day she retracted her statement but she had done this on more than one occasion. The reason for that is unknown. She was then presented to the  Bishop of Lincoln and taken to Huntingdon to be imprisoned along with her husband and daughter. They were all tried in the death of Lady Cromwell in April 1593 and her following words from the trial were used against her "Madam, why do you use me thus? I never did you any harm as yet". All three were declared guilty and hanged sometime thereafter.

Please go on to read “The Text, Fact and Fiction” from the Bloomsbury collection for further information about what of this could pertain to political motivations.

Oddly there is no exact date of the hangings that I could find.

https://www.bloomsburycollections.com/book/the-witches-of-warboys-an-extraordinary-story-of-sorcery-sadism-and-satanic-possession/prologue

Celtic History and Magic

Celtic culture was prominent between 1,000 BCE and 0 AD. They actually ranged throughout Europe, tied together by language rather than ethnicity. Unfortunately a lot has been lost to time, Christianisation, and the Celts own penchant for not writing things down. That doesn’t mean, though, that we have nothing, as archaeology has been able to give us info, on top of the often biased records of the Romans. 

The Celts believed in many Gods and Goddesses as well as heroes, I will only list a few here. Anu was the Earth goddess, a goddess of fertility. Cernunnos was a god of nature as well as a god of the underworld. Cerridwen was a moon goddess. Lugh was a sun god. The Morrigan was a war goddess associated with crows. There are many more, some were associated with specific places or landmarks. Often healing deities were associated with water, wells, streams, etc. And it was another popular pattern to see three deities in one or closely associated with each other.

Moving on there is some debate as to whether the Roman reports of human sacrifice by the Celts were true or were propaganda to make the Celts seem barbaric and thus in need of conquering. Animals were sacrificed as well as weapons and jewelry to deities and other ritual contexts. Talking about jewelry, apparently torcs worn around the neck were used as magical talismans. 

According to Caesar, the general belief in death was that there was a reincarnation of sorts. One of the things he talked about was that they would have a funeral at a birth to honor the soul that died in the otherworld so that it could be born in this world. One Roman writer thought that the belief in reincarnation was the reason for the fierceness of the celtic warriors.

In a place of power, in the Celtic culture, were the druids. The druids were advisers, poets, holy men that were secretive with their knowledge. All their knowledge was passed on by mouth. I’ve read that training for one person could take up to 20 years. There were also the Fili which were poets and musicians often thought to have magical powers wrapped up in their abilities to create songs or poems. A satire written about someone could be considered a curse. 

The Ogham was a Celtic script dating back to the 4th century in Ireland. Each ‘letter’ in the script is associated with a tree or plant. While Oghams are currently often used for divination there is only one ancient story in which it is found. It isn’t described how it was done, only that it used yew branches with the oghams written on them.

This was a challenging research topic as there isn’t a ton of info on the ancient Celtic practices, but I hope you enjoyed what I found and maybe look into it farther yourself.

Tarot

The Six of Swords. It’s time to leave disagreements behind and move on. Take the high road as it were but even more than that just let it go altogether. Pack your bags and take those near and dear with you and leave the rest behind, it’s just not worth the effort to try to prove any point you were attempting to make. Find yourself like minded people and even make new connections if the opportunity presents. However, don’t leave the essence of the argument behind because there is always something to be learned from any given interaction. Ask yourself what you can take away from this experience? I believe there are very few black and white situations and therefore it is good to be open minded about what others have to say even if you don’t agree with them. 

In terms of our podcast I think it’s good to know when the time is to leave a bad situation, when it’s no longer advantageous to stand your ground and make your point. Know when to say, “Uncle” especially if the odds are stacked against you. This may just be the excuse to make a change in your life, release and move on.

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Witches_of_Warboys 

https://www.bloomsburycollections.com/book/the-witches-of-warboys-an-extraordinary-story-of-sorcery-sadism-and-satanic-possession/prologue

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Celtic_religion#Votive_offerings

https://www.llewellyn.com/encyclopedia/article/193

https://atlasmythica.com/celtic-magic-spells-rituals-charms/

https://www.theirishroadtrip.com/who-were-the-celts-a-no-bs-guide-to-their-history-and-origin/

https://www.englishmonarchs.co.uk/celts_21.html#:~:text=The%20Celtic%20religion,that%20there%20were%20supernatural%20forces.

https://www.history.com/topics/european-history/celts

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ogham

https://www.carrementbelle.com/blog/en/2019/11/13/origin-incense/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incense

https://bytheriverdesigns.com/blogs/news/the-history-of-incense

https://thewitchessage.com/blogs/news/incense-meanings

The Summer Solstice is the longest day of the year with the longest amount of sun in one day. Solstitium is Latin for (sol) the sun and (stitium) meaning stopped, so the sun is temporarily “still”. 

In Germanic, Slavic and Celtic times bonfires were lit and jumped over for good luck in the growing season and for the coming harvest. These fires were also magical in nature since they were seen as ways of warding off demons and evil spirits. Some believed magic was at its most potent during this Summer Solstice. For the Vikings it was a time to settle and discuss legal matters or resolve arguments. Native American cultures would (some still do) dance a Sundance. The Sioux, for example, would do this around a tree while wearing colors that pertained to the meanings of the dance and time of year. In China the Solstice is seen as a “yin” or feminine energy. In Ancient Greek culture this was the marking of the New Year and the one-month countdown to the Olympic Games. In more modern times with Wicca and Paganism we honor the God at his peak and the marking of the beginning of his descent. The days will now get shorter and his power slowly shifts from the Father he has been into the stages of the Sage to come. Some colors associated with this time are red, gold, bright yellow, orange and green. 

This year I chose to honor Amaterasu the Japanese Goddess, ruler of spirits, sister to the Moon and sun Goddess. Ra was my focus for the God, the falcon is one of his symbols, he is the giver of primal life and the Egyptian Sun God.

We had a ritual on Saturday where we honored the God and the Sun. We honored the three aspects: the Warrior, the Father, and the Sage. We started with a clay face mask, representing the Father, painted our masked faces with body paint, the Warrior, and in the end washed it all off to represent the Sage now coming into power. These three aspects are in everyone of us all of the time but at certain points one may play out more than another. Just like with the Maiden, Mother and Crone.

History.com

Magic Sex Rituals? How are they done & what’s the purpose of them?

It’s generally used for the marriage of the G/Gs together. In some cases it may be used for fertility rites, in others it is used to become a High Priest or Priestess. How they are done is MUCH more complicated. On a simple level it is a ritual like all other rituals, at least in the Wiccan faith. However, the emphasis is placed more on the invoking of the G/Gs than in other rituals AND it will have physical sexual involvement from the person(s) who are trying to invoke the G/Gs into them. For the High Priest or Priestess one it would require another High Priest and/or Priest to facilitate the process. In my experience the sexual engagement is done in a pre-prepared room separate from the rest of the ritual but still within the cast circle.

Is Rosicrucianism related to chaos magic?

Not really. Rosicrucianism is a form of magic created by the Rosicrucians. It is very ritualized, more social, and you learn more the higher up the power structure you go, all in all very ordered. Chaos magic in contrast is often done alone (as it tends to be very personal), with whatever you may want to use, and with a trial and error type of method.

Pop Culture Deities Thoughts - Chaos Magic

I’m not sure what to say here. Myths carry some weight due to the beliefs of many people over broad spans of territory. This was when connecting world wide was often impossible depending on the time period. So I believe it carries more weight to it than our pop culture deities of today and yet it is about a mindset. If the mindset of the majority recognizes the same representation does it make it a deity? Will this change them and have them go down in history as our new myths, legends and deities? Partly it’s a matter of what you think a deity is and if they truly existed at some point as an actual living being. If that is so then probably pop culture deities might belong in a different category than deities.

Pop culture deities are often considered egregores. That is an entity created by the thought energy of many different people, thought energy that agrees on a particular form and character of an entity. My example is Jack Skellington from the Nightmare Before Christmas. Many people have seen the movie and generally agree on his form and personality. This thought energy can breathe life into an idea and also a sort of power. If someone wants to appeal to an egregore or pop culture deity and it works for them, go right ahead.

Can invoking angels be dangerous?

As with deities or entities it is a matter of the intention behind the what and the why of the invoking of them to begin with. Also are you invoking them on your own behalf or for someone else? Generally I think it unwise to invoke on behalf of someone else since connections are personal and magic overall is meant to be done for the self. There are exceptions to that rule naturally. But as for the self, I don’t believe invoking angels is a bad thing (as long as the intention is pure and positive), I mean aren’t they being invoked every time someone prays to them in Christianity?

I think it’s much like invoking other beings. Are you being courteous and respectful or are you being frivolous with their time and misusing them? I think it’s good to keep in mind what the goals and principles of the being are in any invocation. Now there are definitely beings that are more prone to offense than others and angels may very well be more forgiving, but that’s no reason to press them on it.

Is there a proper way to address the fae?

I believe that it’s unlikely that it matters because their language is completely different to ours and there is unlikely to be an accurate translation. It’s the intention with which you use your word or words that makes the difference. With reverence. An insult comes from HOW it is spoken; in other words the intention with which it is spoken not the words themselves. However, I think it unlikely that they would want to be considered in any way associated as being part of the human kind at all. So it’s best to be clear that you understand this when calling upon them. They are NOT our equals. This is not to say they don’t like meddling in our affairs, far from it. Sometimes, however, I do think they appreciate the attention just for fun. That’s why one must be careful when addressing or inviting the Fae into one’s life. Again I say, address them with reverence and humbleness for they may consider themselves as equals to the likes of G/Gs.

How do portals open? What are they?

What is a portal? A portal is a doorway into another realm. I believe it’s a place where energy has come together that is attached to another realm. I feel it is very dense energy that we can tap into if we focus our own energy. By Mirriam-Webster’s account it is a “door or entrance, especially: a grand or imposing one”.

I think it's all wrapped up in energy magic. When you come up to a portal (recognizing it for what it is) is a matter of centering yourself in front of the portal, bringing your energy together and then using your dominant hand to push the energy through it to push the portal door open. That’s how I have done it out in nature.

For ritual it’s a little more complicated and it’s done differently based on what tradition you follow. You cast a circle to create a magic sphere which then becomes or connects you and your magic to another realm. You are then in that realm or in between realms. If you need to create a portal to temporarily exit that place then this is the way I know how to do it… 

Face the perimeter of the circle where you wish to exit, usually in the north, is what I suggest for its association to other realms (through caves, trees, etc…). Then with your dominant hand from left to right, draw part of the letter ‘A’ or top half of a triangle using your energy and then across the bottom of the triangle by drawing a curved line to meet the other two line ends. Next, visualize pushing the door open with your dominant hand. Once you have stepped through the portal door be sure to CLOSE the door behind by doing the process in reverse.

Portals can be opened by doing it on purpose obviously, by human or other entities. Portals can be opened unintentionally, usually by using a lot of power at one time or by calling entities to you. If you open a portal it’s always a good idea to close it after, because you can’t be completely sure what can come through.

Is there a way to defend  against evil entities without being Christian

My answer is a simplistic one. First depending on the tradition you follow would determine if you even need to. For example the Celts didn’t believe in evil, Heaven or Hell. But if you do believe in it you would basically work some sort of protection magic. There are so many forms of this type of magic that I won’t go into them here but we have touched on them in at least one other episode. S2 E15 for example.

Depending on who you are and what you believe there might not even be evil. You might believe that yes there are entities whose goals are a detriment to your own existence, but evil isn’t the word for that. But regardless Christians do not own the market on defense against entities. Here you might do a spell or create a shield to surround yourself. A shield is easy to create just visualize an orb of light surrounding you ( often white light is used). Connect that orb to an energy source either your own energy, a particular feeling, and/or an entity. I personally have a guardian spirit that watches over me and keeps me safe, so my shields tend to be for guarding against excess emotional energy from others.