Category Archives: Witchcraft

Magic/Magick, Witchcraft

Creating Magical Space

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Jarred wearing a ritual robe and casting a circle as part of creating magical space.

As I think back on my video about casting a circle, I find myself wondering if I fully answered Catz’s question. You see, I focused specifically on the part of marking out the circle and cutting it away from “ordinary” space. I’ve found that some people also consider calling the quarters as well. I see them as separate acts that are part of a single cumulative process: creating magical space. Some witches I know also call this “constructing the temple.”

To me, this is what the whole opening phase (and I’ll get into the phases of ritual in a future video) of a rite is all about.

  1. We cleanse the space with incense, saltwater, sound, and other methods to make sure it’s cleared of negativity and chaotic energies.
  2. We then mark out the magical space and separate it. As I said in the video, this is what casting the circle is all about.
  3. We then fill that space. By calling the elements in. We ask the Divine to join us. In my work, I also invite the ancestors and land-wights (nature spirits) in.

A well-planned rite or liturgical structure works to make sure that each of those steps work together. It keeps the themes going and offers a sense of cohesiveness. It draws us into our time with the Divine and the work we will do in that magical space.

For those who missed it, here’s my video on casting a circle.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvQ42z40hk8]

I’m not sure whether I’ll do a video about the other components of creating magical space. Let me know if that’s something you’d find useful.

Meta-Blogging, Videos, Witchcraft

New Witchy YouTube Channel

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Image of the YouTube Banner for the channel.

Hello, readers! I’m back from a lengthy hiatus and I have a great announcement. I have decided to start a witchy YouTube channel.

Why I’m doing this

I originally considered starting a YouTube channel back when I started The Bed and the Blade podcast last summer. At the time, I felt like it would take too much time and effort.

But after looking at other witchy YouTube channels like Chaotic Witch Aunt and Hearth Witch, I decided I had too much to say on witchcraft and Pagan spirituality not to start a channel. Hence, A Wyrd-Worker’s Wisdom was conceived and, as of Sunday, born.

About the channel name

I chose the title, because in the Norse traditions, I see witchcraft as a sort of act of altering and laying out wyrd, and I felt that the use of the word “wyrd-working” would both uniquely identify me and pay homage to the primary context in which in which I work magic. I could’ve used “seithman” instead, but I liked the alliteration better.

How the new channel fits into my overall online presence

For any fans of the podcast, rest assured that I plan to bring that back as well and hope to work some sort of synergy between blog, podcast, and YouTube channel. The podcast will resume at it’s original pace of one episode a month, though I hope to do a YouTube video each week. In some ways, I’m finding it easier to produce videos than podcasts. Though I’m also finding that getting into video production is a (potentially) more expensive endeavor than a podcast, go figure.

Introducing the first video

Currently, I only have one video up. It’s about casting a circle. Check it out below.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvQ42z40hk8]

As you might notice, I need to work on the video quality. I’m still learning how to properly use my lighting equipment (plus I have more lights coming) and I need to position things better so I can refer to my script without looking like I’m gazing off into nowhere. But the information itself is solid, I think. Let me know what you think!

Planning ahead

I’m still trying to work out a schedule for everything. Tentatively, I plan on having podcast episodes continue to come out the last Saturday of the month and releasing a new video every Tuesday. As for blog posts, I may scale them back and/or change what days I schedule them for.

Keep checking for more details as they are become available!

Witchcraft

Witchy Questions: What is your favorite witchy tool?

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This post was inspired by Question #43 from this list.

A nice magical blade.

I’ve always had a thing for blades. The picture, which might be familiar to anyone who has listened to my podcast, is of my personal blade. Many people might be inclined to call it an athame, as it has most of the qualities associated with that tool. I don’t, however, as I don’t really feel that term belongs to the traditions that I personally focus on.

I’ve worked with a number of groups that seem almost reluctant to work with blades. They prefer wands. While i respect others’ right to practice as they see fit, I’ve never been comfortable with that approach. A blade is a weapon for cutting, piercing, and dissecting. These are essential practices in the Craft as I understand it. I have to be able to slice through unwanted bonds and connections and separate things. And to be frank, if you’re dealing with something truly negative, being able to threaten it at knife-point is a powerfully useful act.

Witchcraft

Witchy Questions: What is your favourite type of candle to use?

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This post was inspired by Question #42 from this list.

I’m a huge fan of these small candles, which I’ve found you can find in just about any witch or New Age shop. Also, note that I have no relationship to the seller who I linked to. I am not recommending you buy from them (nor am I discouraging you from doing so) nor do I get anything if you buy from them. Sometimes, a link is just a link. In this case, it’s a link to a convenient picture.

But I like those candles because they tend to burn down completely in an hour or two. Very convenient for the witch on the go who doesn’t want to spend days extinguishing and re-lighting a candle that lasts for hours.

For ritual purposes — such as quarter candles, deity candles, or similar candles that you want to re-use from ritual to ritual — I’m a huge fan of pillar candles in glass jars. I like that they’re self-contained and not dripping wax all over everything. And as long as you can keep the wick exposed, when they cool, the melted was becomes a part of the burnable candle again.

Witchcraft

Witchy Questions: What’s the craziest witchcraft-related thing that’s happened to you?

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This post was inspired by Question #41 from this list.

I have to admit, readers, that I’m a bit annoyed by this question. And it’s not just because I haven’t had any “weird” experiences. I’m a highly empathic witch with some mediumship ability. I’ve also mentored other people and have had some rather intense experiences while mentoring them, experiences which I will not share without the express permission of those people. So yeah, I could share a few tales here.

But those tales are not the point of my practice. I feel like despite all our talk about how Wicca, other forms of witchcraft, and Paganism being about spirituality and everyday life, we seem to quickly flock to the tales of the extraordinary and “weird.” That just seems self-defeating to me.

The only time I really like to talk about my “weird” experiences is when I’m talking one-on-one with someone who has had their own “weird” experience and needs a little reassurance that they’re not just “crazy.” In that case, it’s helpful to say, “Yeah, this sort of thing happens. Let me share a similar experience I had.” But after that, I think it’s time to explore why they had that experience and what they might want to learn from or otherwise take away from that experience. It’s time to re-apply it to “everyday life.”

Memories, Witchcraft

Witchy Questions: What is the first spell you ever preformed? Successful or not.

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This post was inspired by Question #40 from this list.

The first spell that I clearly remember casting, ironically enough, was a spell to help a friend find a new home. They had been looking for a while. I decided to do a spell using a poppet and a small planter, the kind that you might use to get seedlings started. The planter represented my friend’s perfect home, which I cleansed with incense smoke and then blessed by sprinkling various herbs (I forget which ones) into it. Then I set the poppet, representing my friend, into it, showing her finding and buying the home.

She made an offer on a house and had it accepted about three days later. I don’t generally brag about the magic I do, but I was quite proud of this one. Probably because it was my first real effort at doing magic.

Books, Witchcraft

Witchy Questions: What is your favorite witchy book, both fiction and non-fiction. Why?

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This post was inspired by Question #39 from this list.

I am a huge fan of Terry Pratchett’s books about Tiffany Aching. I listened to The Wee Free Men on audio-book over fifteen years ago. The thing I love about these books is that it actually downplays magic as part of what witches do and explores what it means to be a witch in terms of mindset as well as other ideas, such as the importance and power of stories.

In the realm of non-fiction, I would say that my favorite book is just about anything written by Diana Paxson, who I suspect might not refer to herself as a witch. But whether you’re talking about her tome on runes or her guide to deity possession, she offers a lot of helpful information for many witches (though I admit atheist witches may find her less helpful) can access easily. Paxson tends to be well-researched, has personal experience to offer, and writes in a style that is easy to follow.

Movies, Witchcraft

Witchy Questions: What is your favorite witchy movie?

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This post was inspired by Question #38 from this list.

My favorite movie involving witches is Hocus Pocus, hands down. Some people might challenge whether that can be rightfully called a “witchy movie” because nothing in that move bears any resemblance to actual witchcraft. That’s a true statement and that’s exactly what I love about that movie.

It was a bit of fun that unabashedly played with old Halloween tropes and witch-hunt inspired myths. It also made it clear up front that this is what was happening. No one walked out of the theater thinking that the Bette was representing modern witchcraft practice in the slightest. This freed us up to laugh and enjoy the movie without answering endless questions the next day from people who wanted to know how to get their own book of spells made from the skin of humans.

I enjoy movies like Practical Magic and even The Craft (yes, there’s a real witch who can find a couple nice things to say about that movie), but I also feel there will always be problems with trying to make a movie that resembles “real witchcraft,” but feels they have to go into supernatural stuff to make it interesting. The “real” stuff will always get lost in the sensationalism.

I feel that if anyone ever hopes to make a truly good movie about “real witchcraft,” they’re going to have to get out of the speculative fiction genres and probably work on a drama. Maybe a movie about a couple witches just trying to raise their children in a small town in the South. Or maybe a Druid navigating the loss of a loved one and the grieving process involved. An everyday scenario in which the movie explores how one’s spirituality interprets and helps them navigate it.

Until then, I’ll have fun with my hilariously evil Sanderson Sisters.

Paganism, Spiritual Development, Witchcraft

Witchy Questions: How do you incorporate your spirituality into your daily life?

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This post was inspired by Question #37 from this list.

I think a huge portion of everyday spirituality was covered by my podcast episode on the everyday sacred. Much of working my spirituality into daily life is just doing little things to help me remember that I and everyone and everything around me is sacred. This is reflecting in the fact that the coworker I’m talking to is another part of the Sacred Whole (so maybe I should rethink how I’m treating them). Or taking a moment to check in with my body, thanking it for getting me through the day so far, and asking if there’s anything I can do to keep it going.

Everyday spirituality also comes in those moments when I chant “Hail Freyja! Feed the flames!” and seek to rekindle my passion for and enjoyment of life.

Everyday spirituality is easy when you make spirituality about living and life.

Witchcraft

Witchy Questions: What is your favorite type of magick to preform?

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This post was inspired by Question #36 from this list.

I tend to prefer keeping my magic simple. I’m not the kind of person who comes up with complex rituals with lots of wordy chants, spell components, and complex instructions. Most often, I prefer to just visualize my objective and send that out into into the universe with a few words. Or I might light a candle or two if I feel the need to have something more concrete to focus on or do.