Witchcraft Off the Beaten Path

So, what happens when SJ Tucker calls and says "I'm gonna be traveling through Amarillo in a couple of months... would you mind if I stayed with you while I'm there on my way to a gig in Arizona?" ? 

You plan a parking lot concert at Aunt Eek's Books & Curiosities. And a podcast episode from the sofa of your living room. And of course, it's no ordinary episode. It's Witches in Jammies with Snacks. (Digressing)

This is the raw audio. It is unedited! It's like when sitcoms from the 90s would do a live recording... anything can happen! Not much happened, but I sniffled a few times, my dog had a loud, and I burped once. 

Season 3 Episode 3 is a radical departure from Season 3 Episoe 2. This time it's actually about witchcraft, if you can even imagine... 

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It's been a while. Some shit went down. But I'm back. And I'm mad as hell. #HexThePatriarchy

So when you put a couple of Aries broads on a Zoom call with microphones, shit goes down. This was such a fun interview. Natalie and I talked about the MANY tarot and oracle decks she has created and is still creating - namely the Tarot Mood deck. It's my new favorite deck and we'll tell you why in this episode. Be warned - tons of fuckwords in this episode! More than usual. 

There's never a boring second when Mortellus joins me for an episode. We talked about the most random shit, from cracking walnuts, luscious theydy titties, mental health, Milky Way, crunchy snacks, drunken naked tent camping, of course necromancy, and there's even some witchcraft stuff in there as well. And there's a big ol' bonus at the end of the podcast, all about Walter's Balls. 

For the first episode of the new year, I had a super juicy conversation with my favorite WitchTok content creator, Ophelia Omega. She's an Appalachian Folk Magick practitioner, and we talked about a variety of topics from biscuits and gravy to folk wart removal spells and everything in between. 

With Yuletide and the Winter Solstice right around the corner, it's important to do what you can to lessen the inherent stress that accompanies the holidays. Practice a little self care, and work a little manifestation magick for yourself! 

Visit Aunt Eek's online

Halloween was on October 31st, but Samhain - Astrologically - isn't until November 6th at 10:50pm Central US time this year. It's a Cross-quarter day (between the equinoxes and solstices) so it happens when the sun is in 15º Scorpio. It's coming! Here are a few things you can do to celebrate astrological Samhain including Ancestor Altars to venerate your ancestors, baking Soul Cakes, and scrying when the veil is its absolute thinnest.

Here's the Soul Cakes Recipe from this episode:

1 stick of unsalted butter, softened
4 TBS sugar
1 1/2 Cups flour
¼ tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350º. Cream together the butter and sugar. Sift flour and salt into the bowl, and mix until it's smooth. Divide the dough into two parts, and shape each half into a flat circle about half an inch thick. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet and, using the tines of a fork, press perforations into the disc from one side to the other in the spokes of a wheel, like a pie. Make 8 wedges on each disc. This will make it easier to break apart once it's baked and cooled. Bake for 25 minutes or until light brown.

Mortellus joins me for a chat about ghosts, but it might not be what you think it is. More mind blowing revelations about ghosts, imposter syndrome, luscious lady titties and accessory nipples, cheeky t-shirts, cute girls with clipboards, haunting our sofas, butt stuff, cenotaphs, bedazzling corpses and several other topics that may or may not be relevant to this episode. A good time was had by all. 

Do you have memories of events that you've never experienced in this lifetime? Have you ever tried to explore your past lives? I have, and I have a couple of stories to tell you. 

Day after tomorrow is OCTOBER! The Autumn is here and she brings with her the bounty of cooler weather crops like collards, turnips, rutabegas, squash, and apples! Apples are not only in season, they're filled with magickal possibilities. They're not just for pie! Apples can be used in ritual and magickally for everything from divination to protection to love spells and helping to break addictions and obsessions. 

Not everybody can swing spending hundreds of dollars for boutique, chi-chi frou-frou altar items and spell components... sometimes, you just need some candles, and you don't have time to wait for the cute little chime candles to arrive from 13 Moons... there is a wealth of Witchy stuff, and stuff that can be converted into Witchy stuff at the dollar store! 

S2 E33 - In this (very late) 3rd part of my Pagan Death & Dying series, Michelle Belanger is a PROLIFIC author of nonfiction and fiction books - more than 35 books, in fact. They're also a researcher, a teacher, and an occult and paranormal researcher. This was a fun and VERY informative interview about death, and about their books, specifically "Walking the Twilight Path - A Gothic Book of the Dead". 

My friend Amy Blackthorn joins me a second time, this time for Birth Charts! You've probably all seen Astrological Birth or Natal Charts; the big circle with all of the compartments inside of it, the zodiac, the houses (what the fuck do they even mean?!??) and inside all the houses are tiny little symbols and WHO KNOWS what those symbols even mean...  I invited Amy to talk with me to help demystify and unravel some of the information contained within those charts, and she really lays it out, directly to the bone to help us understand what all of it means. And, somehow in the middle of the conversation, I accidentally got my own chart read as an example! Find out what the houses mean, what all of the astrological information, the zodiac, and the planetary alignment information means for you, based on the time, date, and geographical location in which you were born! This was SUPER informative! I hope you're going to love it as much as I did! 

This episode is all about the use of the very empowering word "No."
Rowan walks us through how to tell someone "No." with confidence. The word "no" is absolutely a form of magick! This was a truly mind-blowing episode! Rowan also gives us a guided meditation about empowering yourself with "No." - a meditation she wrote especially for Witchcraft Off the Beaten Path 

Pendulum Dowsing is one of my favorite forms of divination! It's quick, it's easy, it's inexpensive, and you can literally wear your pendulum around your neck every day so you've always got your pendulum with you. This episode is all about how to consecrate, cleanse and dowse with your pendulum, as well as creating your own pendulum out of items you may already have, and how to consecrate your own pendant as a pendulum to wear everywhere you go. 

... continued from Part 1, Megan and I chat more about her spiritual relationship with not only Hera, for whom she is a Priestess, but also Hestia, the Goddess of the Hearth and Home, and about xenia, the spirit of hospitality. We also talked about the Council of Magickal Arts, or CMA, which is near and dear to both our hearts, as well as Tuatha Dea. We're still on the sofa in my living room for this one (It was actually recorded at the same time as Part 1, just after grabbing a snack.) and life was happening all around us, which made for some pretty damn funny outtakes - a part of the 2 bonuses on this episode! You'll just have to listen for the other bonus...

PART 1 OF A 2 PART SERIES: My dear friend Megan Dobson and I sat on my sofa together, drinking coffee and having a chat. The audio was completely borked, and we didn't know it. This episode, while being a total goat rope, was hysterically fun and INCREDIBLY informative. Forget the weird audio, cell phones, and doorbells ringing. There is accidental belching, dogs whining and genera merriment... reverence and mirth. 

Megan talks extensively, and with great knowledge, about the Greek Pantheon, her worship of Hestia, and her walk as a Priestess of Hera. You're not going to want to miss this episode - or its companion episode, next Wednesday. 

Is Discordianism an actual religion, or just a parody religion? Have you ever been interested in Chaos Magick? My interview with Thumper Forge about Discordianism is SUPER interesting. He answers a lot of questions about the Principia Discordia, we talk about the Magick aspect as well as the ritual aspect of Discordianism, The Original Snub, the Golden Apple of DIscord, the Trojan War, some Greek Mythology, and of course, we talk about hot dogs! Hail Dicordia! FNORD! 

Kitchen Witchcraft is a path that most people will walk during their own journey as a witch, even if it's just for a day. Kitchen Witchcraft is a form of witchcraft - like most other witchcraft paths - that is for everyone, regardless of gender or gender identity. 

Rituals! Recipes! SJ Tucker! OH MY!

Summer Solstice is just around the corner (June 20/21) and what's a witch to do? Well, here are a bunch of cool ways to celebrate the longest day and shortest night of the year. I'm even giving you a recipe for a sun-themed Sunflower Shortbread for the "cake" portion of your ritual libations. And to end things, SJ Tucker said "Sure!" when I asked her if I could feature one of her songs at the end of the episode. 

This episode contains a meditation; Please do NOT listen to this episode while driving or operating heavy machinery. 

One of my dearest friends, Maeven Eller-Five joins me for this episode about Meditation. If you are meditationally challenged, like I am, and find it hard to center yourself and clear your mind enough to actually meditate, this episode is for you. If you try to meditate and can't stop thinking about whether or not you turned off the stove, has the mail arrived yet with that check you've been waiting for, or what the hell is the dog licking NOW, Maeven has tips and tricks to help you get where you want to be. The end of this podcast includes Maeven facilitating a guided meditation of her own crafting; a guided meditation she has done for many, many years. Get comfortable, relax, and assume your favorite meditation posture. And enjoy the banter and chat as well. 

Coby Michael is a Poisoner, a practitioner of Folk Witchcraft, and has written a book called The Poison Path Herbal, available for pre-order NOW. We talked about what it means to be on the Poison Path, to be "A Poisoner", what Plant Spirit Familiars are (I didn't know) and of course, we talk about his book. 

Angela Alberto is a Death Midwife, a Witch and a Medium. In this 2nd part of my Death & Dying Series, Angela explains how she is able to use witchcraft and her energy to calm death anxiety, how she is visited by spirits (she needs a "Call Again Tomorrow" sign in her bedroom, and more information about Pagans, witches and dying. 

The first episode of my Pagan Death & Dying series; my interview with the Witch, Priestex, Mortician, Necromancer and author of the newly released "Do I Have to Wear Black? Rituals, Customs & Funerary Etiquette for Modern Pagans". 

This proved to be one of the most eye-opening, and at times mind-blowing interviews I've done so far. I had the pleasure of having a very long, in-depth chat with Mortellus about their witch's viewpoint of death, the funeral industry, spirit, hauntings, ghosts, and necromancy. There were a couple of "I've never shared this with anybody before now" moments as well. You'll just have to listen for the rest of the information!

Also: I used "oxymoron" incorrectly in this podcast and trust me, I am well aware of it. It would have been WAY too much work to go in and edit that part out, So I kept it in. Mon faux pas. 

Admittedly, I know very little about Druidry... So, the Arch-Druid of the ADF, Jean Pagano, agreed to talk with me and answer some questions about modern Druidry, the practices and history of Druidry. 

...wherein I RANT like a mofo. Sort of. Sometimes you just feel like you just need to blow off steam about *things* in the community. I contend that there is too much Gatekeeping in Witchcraft... and a few other things. Sometimes, imitation is NOT the sincerest form of flattery. 

My dear friend Maeven Eller-Five talks with me about the religious discriminations and persecutions she has encountered and endured during her life and tenure as a practicing witch in the US, particularly the southern US. We also talk about the West Memphis Three, and the persecution they endured that landed them in prison - and one of them on death row, for 18 years. 

Every podcast about witchcraft today is probably about the Druids - or "snakes" - that Saint Patrick allegedly murdered, and I'm not going to be a party to it. Today's episode is all about Ostara, and ways you can celebrate. Happy Spring Equinox on March 20th! Happy whatever-you-celebrate today. 

Hey! Thursday, March 11th is the One Year Anniversary of Witchcraft Off the Beaten Path! That means listener emails and voice messages and HOW HAS IT ALREADY BEEN A YEAR? It's been one of the roughest years in any of our lives, but we've managed to make it through... 

Listen, if you've never heard the Wendy Trilogy of songs by SJ Tucker, belt in, because here they come. This is Part 2 of my interview with the incredible SJ Tucker, and Part 2 is all about Wendy and her journey to become the bad ass Red Handed Jill under Captain Hook's tutelage. 

This episode was so packed with incredible stories and amazing music, I had to split it into 2 parts on it's own. This is Part 1 - SJ Tucker, the Pixie Pirate MythPunk Folk Rock artist and songwriter. Sooj and I talked about falling down rabbit holes, the shame of children in border cages in the US,  as well as the story behind several songs before playing them for you. Mirror Self, Wonders, Cheshire Kitten, and a brand new single called Hekate's Blues.