There’s a saying that I’ve heard quite a lot in my life. “Every day is a new beginning”, or “You are born anew every day”, and so on. Similar versions abound, but the idea is the same, and being the Gothic soul I am, I couldn’t help but think about the other side of this statement: “Every night is a new ending/death”. This year has been plagued with it, and not only in the physical sense but also emotionally, mentally,... Read more
Although this year has been a very difficult one for all of us and every situation is different, mine has left me some teachings that are helping me in my path as a Witch and a human being. It’s easy to forget about the good things during hard times, but the pandemic hasn’t been as negative as I initially thought. Going with the Thanksgiving spirit, there a few things I am thankful for. 1. A clearer vision: I’ve seen many... Read more
One of the first things you learn when you discover Witchcraft is about the four elements (five, if we include spirit, aether, spirit, energy, quintessence, or any other name you wish to use), their attributes, and get some basic ideas of how to work with them. Reading Water Magic, by Lilith Dorsey, the first book in the Elements of Witchcraft series, lead me to better understand this element, although not as I expected. Thanks to the publisher for sending me a... Read more
Fox News should have done a better job, should have gone a bit deeper, should have given us Witches a good image on the small screen, but that they gave their public the information about our Craft becoming popular and that it is also an option as a spiritual path is a good start. Read more
We all grew up knowing the stories of Aladdin, Ali Baba, and Sinbad, we know there is a certain Scheherazade who told a different tale every single night to an Arabic king, but how many of us have actually read these folk tales? Read more
I’ve been mentioning this title over and over and it is even part of my column’s name, but what is a sha’ir? What does it mean to be one? What was the role implied in the title? While the origin of the name is unknown, according to Warner et al (1917), the function is crystal clear, and I see it as an important role to play in the modern world. The short answer Kuiper (2010, pp: 58-59) gives a very... Read more
There are books that make you think, some because they present you with ideas you never found before, and others because they give the same ideas under a different point of view. The Spiritual Poems of Rumi, translated by Nader Khalili and edited by Wellfleet Press, was part of that second group. It made me rethink some subjects I thought I was adamant about, mostly about spiritual development and connection. Thank a lot to the publisher for sending me a... Read more
A couple of nights ago I felt the need to call Hubal. Similarly to what I did with Tawusê Melek, we had a short conversation of sorts. Near to the end of it, He said the Tawny owl is his bird, and I got an image very close to what this bird looks like. Turns out He's a God of poetry, divination and revenge. Read more
As we go nearer to the final harvest of the year, it’s impossible not to look at the bonds we’ve formed, the ones we strengthen, and those which had to be cut. Friendship is one of the associations I make with October, so reading The Friendship Poems of Rumi, translated by Nader Khalili and edited by Wellfleet Press, was a good idea to get into the spirit of this month. Thank a lot to the publisher for sending me a... Read more
There has been something happening quite lately when I do my meditations and devotions with my ancestors. Although the protocol hasn’t changed so much compared to how I usually do it, more and more often I feel the need not to say a single word and just listen, just stay a bit, empty my mind and let them dictate how I should practice. Recently, I’ve noticed something when I heal: black sand. Black Sand in Syria The cities my family... Read more
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