Witch Wednesdays

By Witch WednesdaysReligion & Spirituality Spirituality

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Witch Wednesdays episodes

October 09, 2024 Episode 240 - Becoming Baba Yaga with Kris Spisak
Today I'm joined by author Kris Spisak to chat all about her newest (and fifth!) book, Becoming Baba Yaga.
Becoming Baba Yaga (https://redwheelweiser.com/book/becoming-baba-yaga-9781642970517/) is an in depth look at the Baba Yaga mythos and history through Slavic folklore. The book is filled with historical and cultural context and analyses, and is a comprehensive resource for anyone hoping to learn more about this ambiguous character and how her multifaceted presence still ripples through the present day.
Spisak explores Baba Yaga’s connection to nature as an Earth goddess and as an herbalist. She also delves into the Shadow Self and Baba Yaga’s aspect as a trickster and places her in a modern context as not merely a witch of the woods but also as an archetype and force for finding your own path.

Find Kris:
https://kris-spisak.com/
https://kris-spisak.com/becoming-baba-yaga/
https://www.instagram.com/kris.spisak/
https://www.facebook.com/KSWriting
Kris Spisak earned her bachelor’s degree in English from the College of William and Mary, her master of liberal arts from the University of Richmond, and did further graduate work in fiction through the University of Iowa. She taught college writing courses at schools including Virginia Commonwealth University before stepping away from the classroom to pursue her own writing work. Kris has been spotlighted in Writer’s Digest and HuffPost for her work as an editor and author dedicated to helping other writers. She is the author of The Baba Yaga Mask (a novel) and Get a Grip on Your Grammar. Kris fully believes that well-written words and well-told stories have always changed the world and that they will continue to. She can’t wait to tell you her next story.
38 min
October 02, 2024 Episode 239 - Modern Magic with Michelle Tea
I'm joined today by author and witch Michelle Tea to chat about her newest book, Modern Magic. We talk all about growing up as a goth witch in the 80s, finding your own ritual groove in your practice, playfulness in witchcraft, and more!

Find the Book:
⁠Modern Magic⁠
An enchanted sibling to the cult classic Modern Tarot, Modern Magic: Stories, Rituals, and Spells for Contemporary Witches, by professional tarot reader and feminist Icon, Michelle Tea provides a fascinating, magical history of spiritual traditions from around the world—giving all the tools, spells, and rituals to navigate our stressed-out lives.
Witty, down-to-earth, and wise, Tea bewitches us with personal tales about crafting her magical practice and coming into her own. She pairs enchanting stories from her days as a goth teen in Massachusetts with insights from her experiences as an adult to share her observations about the world as well as her vision for what it could be. Modern Magic gives us the tools to tap into a stronger, distinctive magic that lies within us, one that incorporates queer, feminist, anti-racist, intersectional values.
About Michelle:
⁠Website⁠
⁠Instagram⁠
⁠X⁠
Michelle Tea is the author of over a dozen books, including the cult-classic Valencia, the essay collection Against Memoir, and the speculative memoir Black Wave. She is the recipient of awards from the Guggenheim, Lambda Literary, and Rona Jaffe Foundations, PEN/America, and other institutions. Knocking Myself Up is her latest memoir.
Tea’s cultural interventions include brainstorming the international phenomenon Drag Queen Story Hour, co-creating the Sister Spit queer literary performance tours, and occupying the role of Founding Editor at DOPAMINE Books, a Los Angeles-based, non-profit press that publishes work by edgy, emerging queer writers. In addition to helming the imprints Sister Spit Books at City Lights Publishers, and Amethyst Editions at The Feminist Press, Tea produced and hosted the popular Your Magic podcast, wherein she read tarot cards for Roxane Gay, Alexander Chee, Phoebe Bridgers and other artists, as well as the live tarot show Ask the Tarot on Spotify Greenroom and Instagram.
37 min
September 25, 2024Episode 238 - The Magic of October
All about the energies and magic of October plus a few October holidays to highlight.
Correspondences:
Crystals: Opal, tourmaline

Animals: bat, rat, crow, raven, dove

Flower: calendula

Deities: Athena, Hephaestus, Venus, Shiva, Cernunnos

The sun is in Libra until October 23. Libra is a cardinal air sign.

Moon Phases
October 2: new moon in Libra

October 10: second quarter moon in Capricorn

October 17: full moon in Aries

October 24: fourth quarter moon in Leo

October Holidays:
Winter Nights (Vetrnaetr): an ancient Norse festival that marked the beginning of winter. It typically took place in late October or early November.

Feast of Pomona (Late October): The Feast of Pomona was dedicated to Pomona, the Roman goddess of fruit, trees, and orchards. Although not exclusively tied to October, it was often celebrated in late autumn as the harvest came to an end.

The Festival of Cailleach: The Cailleach, or the Old Hag, is a figure in Celtic mythology associated with winter, storms, and the land. Some traditions marked the transition to winter by honoring the Cailleach in late October.

Thesmophoria: an ancient Greek festival held in October in honor of Demeter and Persephone, goddesses associated with agriculture, fertility, and the cycle of life and death.

The Rites of Eleusis (Eleusinian Mysteries): secret religious rites held annually in honor of Demeter and Persephone, primarily in September but extending into early October. These rites were part of the broader context of harvest and fertility.

October 8 - Canadian Thanksgiving: celebrated on the second Monday of October. It’s a day for giving thanks for the harvest and blessings of the past year. The holiday is similar to the American Thanksgiving but occurs earlier due to Canada’s earlier harvest season.

October 11-12 - Yom Kippur: the Day of Atonement, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar. It typically falls in October, depending on the Hebrew calendar.

October 31 - Halloween: has roots in the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, which marked the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter. Halloween is associated with costumes, trick-or-treating, carving pumpkins (jack-o'-lanterns), haunted houses, and themes of the supernatural.

October 31-November1 - Samhain: an ancient Celtic festival that marks the end of the harvest and the beginning of winter, traditionally celebrated from the evening of October 31st to the evening of November 1st. It is considered one of the four major Gaelic seasonal festivals and is often regarded as the Celtic New Year.

October 31 - Diwali: also known as the Festival of Lights, is one of the most important Hindu festivals. The date of Diwali varies each year based on the lunar calendar, but it often falls in late October or early November. This year the 5 day fest starts on October 29, but Diwali itself is October 31 to November 1.
18 min
September 18, 2024Episode 237 - The Secrets of Santa Muerte with Dr. Cressida Stone
Today I'm chatting with Dr. Cressida Stone about her book, The Secrets of Santa Muerte. I learned so much about this Mexican folk saint from the book but also just from this talk, so I know you will too!

The Secrets of Santa Muerte is a practical handbook on how to connect with the mysterious Mexican folk saint. Drawing from authentic Mexican sources and traditions, it details secret, esoteric knowledge that will foster a deep connection with the Saint of Death. The book covers the fascinating history of this revered folk saint as well as practical tips on how to:
Create an altar to Santa Muerte and keep it cleansed of negative energies and free of demons.

Interpret the acceptance of offerings and signs from Santa Muerte.

Use the moon’s power to heighten your work with her.

Work with her saint through candles and statues.

Use color combinations in your spell work to achieve your desires.

Find Cressida Stone:
⁠Instagram⁠

Find The Secrets of Santa Muerte:
⁠Amazon⁠
⁠Red Wheel/Weiser⁠

Cressida Stone, author of Secrets of Santa Muerte, is an English writer. The author leads a double life as a British doctor of anthropology trained in classic methods at the University of Oxford, while also moving in occult circles as Cressida Stone, publishing grimoires on Santa Muerte, practicing witchcraft, and reading tarot cards for the wealthy elite, the disenfranchised, and sicarios alike. She has apprenticed in Mexico with brujos (witches) and shamans of Santa Muerte at temples to the Saint of Death, learning their ways of working with the folk saint. She embraces a non-dualistic philosophy of life and death.

Stone's book Secrets of Santa Muerte has been praised by Jason Miller, author of Consorting with Spirits, as "the most complete workbook I have found in English on the subject". Stone also received endorsements from numerous famous Mexican Santa Muerte witches and leaders, including Yuri Mendez, Bruja of the Three Virtues, who attests that "Cressida Stone has deep knowledge of the spirituality of Santa Muerte. She has traveled across Mexico where the roots of devotion to the Saint of Death truly originate. She honors our faith and shares the teachings of Santa Muerte clearly, aiding people to respectfully venerate and learn correctly about Santisima Muerte. This is because Cressida has been to those special places where devotion to Holy Death is deep and true.”
45 min
September 11, 2024 Episode 236 - Including Kids in Magic with Sara Aranel
Sara is back for the part 2 we promised! She answers some follow up questions about the energy of the sabbats and then we dive into the topic of including children in celebrating the natural cycles and teaching them the magic of the world around them.

Find Sara:
⁠https://www.instagram.com/aranelsara/⁠
⁠https://www.facebook.com/sara.aranel.7
40 min
September 04, 2024 Episode 235 - Sacred Plant Magic with Amy Blackthorn
It's such a joy to be joined today by author Amy Blackthorn! We're chatting about her history in witchcraft and her new book, Sacred Plant Magic. But I couldn't help myself, as an avid reader of all of Amy's books, to ask about some of her other works as well. You'll definitely learn a lot in this very fun episode.

Buy the Book: ⁠https://redwheelweiser.com/book/blackthorns-book-of-sacred-plant-magic-9781578638307/⁠
Renowned herbalist Amy Blackthorn shows readers how to bring plant spirits into their daily spiritual practice with therapeutic access, subconscious learning, and divining skills that help them understand plant spirits on a deeper level.
Blackthorn’s Botanical Magic showed a new generation of witches how scent affects people, whether they understand it or not. In Blackthorn’s Book of Sacred Plant Magic, we travel even deeper into the magical garden of scent. We know that a walk down a summer street can bring back the smell of childhood summers with friends, riding bikes and swimming. Spring breezes carry with them the clean soapy smell of your second-grade teacher. We experience scents not only in the here and now but also filtered through the lens of our past. Using the power of scent, we can create a sense of the sacred in our daily lives. Part reference guide, part recipe book, and part ritual journey, Blackthorn’s Book of Sacred Plant Magic offers readers an in-depth exploration of the vital connection between scents and magical practice.

Amy Blackthorn is a professional intuitive and the bestselling author of several books on botanical magic, including Blackthorn’s Botanical Magic, Blackthorn’s Botanical Brews, and Blackthorn’s Botanical Wellness. The founder of Blackthorn’s Botanicals, she has a certification in aromatherapy and was ordained by the Order of the Golden Gryphon. Amy lives in Delaware. Keep up with Amy’s book news at ⁠amyblackthorn.com⁠ and view her tea shop ⁠blackthornsbotanicals.com⁠
42 min
August 28, 2024Episode 234 - The Magic of September
All about the energies and magic of September plus a few September holidays to highlight.
Correspondences:
Crystals: sapphire, zircon, sardonyx

Animals: bear, stag, fox

Flowers: aster, morning glory

Deites: Frigg, Hestia, Persephone, Odin

The sun is in Virgo until September 22. Virgo is a mutable earth sign.

Moon Phases
September 2: new moon in Virgo

September 11: second quarter moon in Sagittarius

September 17: full moon in Pisces

September 24: fourth quarter moon in Cancer

Septemer Holidays:
Labor Day (U.S. and Canada): The first Monday in September celebrates the contributions of workers. In the U.S., it marks the unofficial end of summer.

Patriot Day (U.S.): September 11th is a day of remembrance for the victims of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

International Day of Peace: Observed on September 21st, this day is dedicated to promoting world peace and ending violence and war.

Mid-Autumn Festival (China and other East Asian countries): Also known as the Moon Festival, this is celebrated on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month, which often falls in September. It’s a time for family gatherings, moon gazing, and enjoying mooncakes. It falls September 17th this year.

Oktoberfest (Germany): While it starts in late September, Oktoberfest is a world-famous festival celebrating Bavarian culture with beer, food, and entertainment. Starts September 21st this year

Mabon on September 22: Mabon is a pagan festival celebrated as part of the Wheel of the Year, which marks the autumn equinox. It usually falls around September 21st to 23rd in the Northern Hemisphere, when day and night are of equal length. Mabon is a time to honor the second harvest and give thanks for the abundance of the Earth, as well as to acknowledge the coming darker days of winter.
18 min
August 07, 2024 Episode 233 - Celtic Holidays, Earth Energy, Intuition, and More with Sara Aranel
I'm joined today by Sara to chat all about Celtic holidays, including the Lughnasadh season, connecting with the seasons and energies of the Earth, trusting your intuition to find and forge your own path in your witchcraft and spiritual journey, and more!
Be sure to leave your questions for part 2.

Find Sara:
https://www.instagram.com/aranelsara/
https://www.facebook.com/sara.aranel.7
40 min
July 31, 2024Episode 232 - The Magic of August
All about the energies and magic of August plus a few August holidays to highlight.
Zodiac Signs + Correspondences:
Crystals: peridot, carnelian

Animals: crow, owl, sturgeon

Flowers: poppy, gladiolus

Deities: Helios, Ra, Aekhmet, Amaterasu

The sun is in Leo until August 22. Leo is a fixed fire sign.

Lion's Gate Portal (8/8)

Moon Phases
August 4: new moon in Leo

August 13: second quarter moon in Scorpio

August 19: full moon in Aquarius

August 26: fourth quarter moon in Gemini

Ancient August Celebrations:
Portunalia (Roman, August 17)

Vinalia Rustica (Roman, August 19)

Consualia (Roman, August 21 and December 15)

Vulcanalia (Roman, August 23)

Hekatombaion (Greek, late July to early August): The first month of the Attic calendar, which included several festivals such as Panathenaea and Hekatombaia.

Akitu (Ancient Mesopotamia, New Year Festival, date varies): Celebrated in honor of the god Marduk, marking the beginning of the agricultural year. The festival occurred twice a year, with the most significant celebration taking place in the spring, but it also had an autumn counterpart that could fall in late July or early August.

Disablót (Norse, date varies, often held in late summer)

August 1: Lammas / Lughnasadh

August 18: Zhongyuan Festival (Chinese, Ghost Festival, date varies in lunar calendar, often falls in August)
19 min
July 17, 2024 Episode 231 - Music, Mediumship, and Sound Healing with Laura Carbone
Today I'm chatting with musician, medium, and sound healer Laura Carbone. A renowned witchy artist who’s based in Berlin and spends time in LA, Laura's lush and ambitious double concept album, The Cycle, is filled with melodic folk and goth/rock influences, and explores the emotional turmoil, trials and challenges the album’s protagonist faces during the changing seasons of the year. She’s also toured the world with The Jesus & Mary Chain and Dennis Lyxzén of Refused and performed at festivals around the world. Laura is also a sound facilitator and psychic medium. She suppressed her psychic and intuitive gifts until they became undeniable and she had the courage to share them through the company she founded, Cosmic Dreaming.

Find Laura:
⁠http://thecosmicdreaming.com⁠
The Cycle: ⁠https://linktr.ee/lc_thecycle⁠
Newsletter: ⁠https://cosmicdreaming.myflodesk.com/northnode
Instagram: ⁠@lauracarbone_⁠
Patreon: ⁠https://www.patreon.com/lauracarbone⁠
Sound Healing: https://www.thecosmicdreaming.com/cosmic-magazine/what-is-soundhealing
36 min

About Witch Wednesdays

From the publisher's feed

A weekly podcast covering all things witchcraft in the modern world, starting at the beginning, making this podcast a great resource for newbies and veteran practitioners who love to keep learning.