Praise for Pagan Curiouser
“Pagan Curiouser is written by someone who remembers what it feels like to start from the beginning; to feel curious, unsure, and eager to find connection. Debra DeAngelo offers structure that’s clear and supportive. Her voice is calm, steady, and grounded in real experience.”
—Mat Auryn, author of Psychic Witch, Mastering Magick, and The Psychic Art of Tarot
“Pagan Curiouser is full of deep wisdom and simple practical advice, shared in a down-to-earth tone. The exercises are sensible and easy to do. … If you only buy one magical book this year, make it this one. And then buy one for a friend!”
—Deborah Blake, author of The Eclectic Witch’s Book of Shadows and Everyday Witchcraft
“Pagan Curiouser will take you beyond the garden gate and into places that will enlighten your world. … It’s obvious that Debra writes from not only her brain but her heart.”
—Marla Brooks, author of Magick for All Seasons
“A comprehensive, foundational book that is a must-have resource for the beginner and teacher alike. It is packed with instruction, rituals, meditations, spells, and even magic for the self.”
—Cat Gina Cole, author of Psychic Skills for Magic and Witchcraft
“This book is a sacred conversation. … Debra fills the pages with sprinkles of humor, the warmth of a hearth keeper, and the discernment of a seasoned practitioner. Debra offers grounded advice, weaving her lifelong experience and wisdom like a humble sage.”
—Rahjeena Drabarni, author and occultist, The EQ Polymath Alchemist™
“Reading Pagan Curiouser is positively captivating—like a cozy vacation at a favorite auntie’s mystical cottage. … Profoundly magickal and yet entirely accessible, Debra’s joyful, genuine, and caring nature shines brightly through each page.”
—Jesamyn Angelica, author of Llewellyn’s Complete Book of the Moon and founder of Sisterhood of the Moon
“Sharing from her years of personal curiosity, searching, learning, and wisdom, Debra brings a cornucopia of rituals and practices embracing magic in body, mind, spirit, and nature.”
—Victor Fuhrman, author of Circles and Rings and producer and host of Destination Unlimited
“DeAngelo serves as a warm, witty, and wonderfully pragmatic guide, taking you by the hand and leading you from basic knowledge into a deeper, more personal practice.”
—Terri Ann Heiman, spiritual mentor, The Empowered Spirit Show
“An engaging book that answers a common question: how do I do this Pagan stuff? With detailed exercises, DeAngelo connects with the reader through her wisdom, experience, and creativity to answer that question again and again.”
—Irisanya Moon, author of Pagan Portals: Aphrodite, Practically Pagan, Pantheon: The Greeks, and many more
“With warmth, wit, and a trove of practical spells, rituals, and self-care delights, Debra shows you how to nourish the trifecta of your body, mind, and spirit on your terms.”
—Katrina Rasbold, Pagan elder and author of Uncrossing
“Pagan Curiouser truly is the Swiss Army Knife for approaching a growing Pagan life without self-intimidation or overwhelm.”
—Mathew Skurat, Salem witch, psychic medium, occult educator; author of When I Turn Conceptually Human
“DeAngelo has not only packed these pages with clear, specific ideas on how to practice, but also links them to activities of mundane living, such as following a recipe and organizing clutter around the home. Anyone who is ready to get their hands dirty in the soil of our sacred earth needs this book.”
—Terence Ward, author of Empty Cauldrons
“Pagan Curiouser is a book about magic and nature, and at its core, it’s a book about kindness. Debra has forged a path that leads to treating yourself with love.”
—Kimberlee Bethany Bonura, PhD, MFA, E-RYT, CYT, author of How to Stay Fit as You Age
“DeAngelo takes a step beyond what Paganism is and helps put it into action. Answer your inner curiosities of how you can express your wonderful Pagan self and what that looks like in practice for you.”
—Angela A. Wix, author of The Secret Psychic
A Jo yful Path of Na tu re , Magic & Spiritualit y
Pagan Curiouser: A Joyful Path of Nature, Magic & Spirituality Copyright © 2026 by Debra DeAngelo. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever, including internet usage, without written permission from Llewellyn Worldwide Ltd., except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner for the purpose of training artificial intelligence technologies or systems.
First Edition
First Printing, 2026
Book design by Christine Ha
Cover design by Kevin R. Brown
Interior illustrations by the Llewellyn Art Department
The Charge of the Goddess by Doreen Valiente is used with permission from the Doreen Valiente Foundation.
Llewellyn Publications is a registered trademark of Llewellyn Worldwide Ltd.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data (Pending)
ISBN: 978-0-7387-7846-4
Llewellyn Worldwide Ltd. does not participate in, endorse, or have any authority or responsibility concerning private business transactions between our authors and the public.
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Printed in the United States of America
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Other Books by
Debra DeAngelo
Pagan Curious: A Beginner’s Guide to Nature, Magic & Spirituality
Sacred Massage: The Magic and Ritual of Soothing Touch
The Elements of Horse Spirit: The Magical Bond Between Humans and Horses
Dedication
This book is dedicated to my wonderful, brilliant editor, Heather Greene, who suggested I write it and was patient with me throughout the lengthy polishing process. Also to my friend Rhonda Noel Thornburrow, who suggested what to write in it and provided my aha! moment. My most sincere appreciation and gratitude to you both for sparking direction and inspiration. You made this book happen. Thank you. Most especially, this book is dedicated to everyone who read Pagan Curious and wanted more.
My deepest gratitude to my special goddesses, who provided wisdom, inspiration, and creativity throughout this process: Athena, Aradia, Artemis, Bastet, Brigid, Cerridwen, Danu, Eiocha, Gaia, Hathor, Hekate, Hygeia, Iris, Isis, Kuan Yin, Sekhmet, and White Tara. Thank you for the honor of being your channel.
Disclaimer
The publisher and the author assume no liability for any injuries caused to the reader that may result from the reader's use of content contained in this publication and recommend common sense when contemplating the practices described in the work.
Contents
List of Activities xix
Foreword xxiii
Introduction 1
Section One: Magical Triquetra: Body, Mind, Spirit
Chapter 1: Your Magical Body 7
Chapter 2: Your Magical Mind 35
Chapter 3: Your Magical Spirit 61
Section Two: Magical Surroundings: Home, Planet, and Beyond
Chapter 4: Your Magical Home 77
Chapter 5: Your Magical Garden 95
Chapter 6: Your Magical Mother 111
Chapter 7: Magical Cycles, Circles, Routines, and Rhythms 131
Chapter 8: Magically Divine 155
Section Three: Magically Pagan
Chapter 9: Magical Mindfulness 173
Chapter 10: Magic and How It Moves 185
Chapter 11: Types of Magic 199
Chapter 12: Magical Tools, Concepts, and Practices 213
Chapter 13: Ritual and Spells 235
Chapter 14: Preparing to Do Magic 249
Chapter 15: Your Magical Reference Guide 259
Conclusion 279
Bibliography 281
Body Acceptance Ritual 9
Magical Moment 13 Future You, Meet Present You 15
Elemental Body Ritual 20
Make a Sistrum 25 Create an Altar for Bastet 26
Magical Products 28
What Stresses You? 38
Stop, Drop, and Roll 39
Smiling Meditation 42
Find Your Rhythm 48
Bedtime Ritual 49
Make a Sleep Sachet 53
Crafting Affirmations 55
Spirit Meditation 63
Spiritual Self-Blessing 67
Spirit Prism 69
Drawing the Triquetra Symbol 72
Greatest Hits 78
Unburdening or Decluttering Ritual 82
Finishing Ritual 83
Dedication Ritual 90
Magical Greetings 98
Elemental Ritual to Claim Your Space 103
Find Your Plant Familiar 124
Find Your Positive Abundance Animal 127
Draw the Rhythms 152
Divine Exploration 164
Divine Relationship 167
Willful Choices 174
Bat. Swish. Gone. Meditation 178
Visualization Practice 189
Feeling Intuition 191
Banishing Negative Energy 201
Using Color with Intention 203
Manifesting Intentions 204
Clear Quartz Magic 205
Magical Knots 206
Make a Magical Smoothie 207
Plant Magic 208
Setting Wards 209
Chaos Magic 211
Make a Magical Pouch 220
Make Moon-Blessed Water 221
Tarot Spotlight 224
Draw a Sigil 229
Cook Up a Ritual 237
A New Year’s Ritual 241
Love Repair Ritual 243
Ritual for Binding 244
Grief and Healing Ritual 246
Magical Concerns 250
Prepare Yourself 254
Self-Initiation Ritual 255
Foreword
Welcome to Pagan Curiouser: A Joyful Path of Nature, Magic & Spirituality by Debra DeAngelo—a vibrant work designed for seekers eager to explore the enchanting world of Paganism and magical practices. Building on the foundation laid in her previous work, Pagan Curious, this book invites readers on a transformative journey through three captivating sections written in a practical, informal, and humorous style. Debra’s delightful personality shines through every page, making the journey fun and educational.
In the first section, “Magical Triquetra,” DeAngelo delves into the interconnectedness of body, mind, and spirit, offering empowering rituals and insights to cultivate self-acceptance, enhance mental clarity, and deepen spiritual connections. Readers will find guidance on nurturing their magical bodies, fostering mindfulness, and embracing their inner spirit, laying the groundwork for a rich, magical life.
The second section, “Magical Surroundings,” shifts focus to our environment—both the sacred space we inhabit and the earth we cherish. DeAngelo provides practical tools for creating a magical home and garden while encouraging a deep reverence for nature and its cycles. This section not only emphasizes the importance of environmental stewardship but also offers ways to honor the divine elements and the energy of our surroundings.
Finally, in “Magically Pagan,” DeAngelo invites readers to engage with the art of magic itself, exploring diverse practices and tools that can bring personal empowerment and transformation. From understanding the intricacies of intention to the hands-on application of various magical techniques,
readers are equipped to craft their own unique paths within any spiritual tradition.
At its core, Pagan Curiouser is more than just a guide—the work blossoms into a celebration of self-discovery and the sacred connections we share with nature, spirit, and community. As you embark on this journey, may you embrace your own magical potential with joy, curiosity, and a spirit of experimentation. Whether you are a novice or an experienced practitioner, student, or teacher, this book offers delightful companionship as you explore a vibrant, nature-centered spiritual life and can serve as a strong, foundational guide on your personal journey. Let your adventure begin!
In Service, Silver RavenWolf, Author
Introduction
A friend of mine told me she just loved my book, Pagan Curious: A Beginner’s Guide to Nature, Magic & Spirituality, but …
There’s always a but.
“I know what everything is now. I just don’t know what to do with it,” she said.
And so, Pagan Curiouser was born, picking up where Pagan Curious left off. The first book was Pagan preschool, where we learned our Pagan ABCs and 123s. Now we’re ready for Big Kid school.
In this book, I’ll share my own Pagan and magical perspectives. We’ll be looking at Paganism through Debra-colored glasses. Mine isn’t the only approach, but it’s the approach I know, and it’s what works for me—and maybe you too. I’ll offer the tools, practices, and perspectives I found satisfying and successful.
There’s no one agreed-upon approach to Paganism or magic. Ask ten Pagans how to do something and you’ll get fifteen answers and three arguments. There’s no right way to be Pagan. The Pagan community is wonderfully diverse with many approaches and practices. Particular approaches are called traditions. There’s no best tradition—they’re merely different. In the Pagan community, no one’s in charge and everyone’s in charge. You decide for yourself how you want to live your Pagan life.
Myself, I am spiritually promiscuous. I’ve respectfully cherry-picked from many traditions over the years. You can do the same—choose what appeals to you, reshape it for yourself, and take a pass on the rest. This isn’t an all-ornothing gig. There’s no exam at the end. Everyone passes this class.
How to Pagan
Pagan isn’t something you do; it’s something you are. I practice magic, but I don’t practice being Pagan. I am Pagan. Sure, I do lots of Pagan things, such as celebrating sabbats, aligning with the phases of the moon, and doing spells and rituals. However, your real Pagan life is between those times—the moments, hours, and days when you’re not doing anything special. Special activities and practices are meaningful embellishments, but they aren’t your life. All the other time is your life. Your Pagan life.
Some folks think Pagan means dancing half-naked around bonfires at night in the woods, wild hair flying, and drumming throbbing the air. What Pagans really do is—surprise—the same stuff everyone else does. We go to work, pay the bills, make dinner, do the laundry, raise families, mow our lawns, and walk our dogs. However, I believe Pagans have a more colorful time doing it, because we layer meaning and magic onto anything and everything.
So, how do you become a Pagan? Simple: Decide you’re Pagan. That’s it. Unless you join a group or a coven, you are the sole authority over how you express your Pagan self and practices. Period. Nobody’s going to come yank your Pagan card for doing things idiosyncratically. In fact, you can decide right now if you want to be Pagan. Say, “I am Pagan.” Done. Easy peasy.
A Little About Me
I discovered the Pagan community after wandering into a Pagan harvest festival. Having extracted myself from a stifling stint in Christianity years earlier, I was longing for somewhere, searching for something, but I didn’t know where or what it was. I was homesick for somewhere I’d never been. And I couldn’t stop searching for it at Renaissance fairs, psychic festivals, and earth festivals. I would catch wisps of what I sought, waving at me from my peripheral vision and vanishing as soon as I turned to look. Always close, but never there. I found my there at that Pagan harvest festival—a whirling kaleidoscope of people and activities, strange symbols and words, dancing, music, conversations. Just like that, I knew I’d come home. I’d found my tribe.
I met some real, live witches at that festival, and they were nothing like Hollywood’s version. Just average, ordinary gals in flowy dresses and brightly colored shawls, and a little mystery sparkling in their eyes. They knew
something I didn’t, and I had to find out what it was. They pointed me toward the Pagan path. I stepped upon it and never looked back.
I explored many Pagan traditions, but I’ve never much cared for following other people’s rules, routines, and schedules. I do better on my own— nobody to hold me back or hurry me along. I create the pace, and I can linger wherever I wish. Individual Paganism and magical practice outside a group or a coven is called being solitary. It’s not as lonely as it sounds. I can attend all the Pagan festivals and workshops I want, but I’m my own High Priestess. Nobody gets to be the boss of me. Nobody wags their finger at me, trying to shame or correct me for doing things the wrong way. I choose what’s right for me. Hard stop.
So, what do I call myself? Pagan? Witch? Mystic? Magical practitioner? One, some, or all, depending on my mood. I’m not fond of labels because they’re confining, and I’m more of a don’t fence me in kinda gal. If pressed for a label, plain old eclectic, garden-variety Pagan works for me.
Participation Is Mandatory
A Pagan mindset is a shifting stream of awareness and energy with magic as its rudder. You can flow with the stream and let it carry you, or you can pick up the oars and row where you want to go. Learning to live a magical Pagan life isn’t a spectator sport. You must participate. Whenever you see Activity in this book, that’s your cue to participate. Yes, you need to actually do these things!
It’s like learning a new recipe. You don’t master the dish by reading the recipe; you master it by making it. And, whether it turns out scrumptious, inedible, or somewhere in between, it’s all good. Very few people make a soufflé perfectly on the first try. The flops are the best teachers of all. Tweak the ingredients or techniques, try again, and with experience—voilá! Trés magnifique! Just reading about the activities won’t help you develop spiritually or magically any more than reading cookbooks will transform you into an excellent chef. You won’t learn to cook until you actually try.
You’ll Need a Journal
Many activities include writing in a journal. I personally would much prefer zipping along on a keyboard. However, writing by hand slows whirlwind
thoughts down and gives you time and space to savor and consider your words. It’s like the difference between flying and a road trip. Instead of everything whizzing below from 30,000 feet, you can see the details of the terrain slowly rolling past. You notice wildflowers, jackrabbits, and waterfalls you’d never see from the sky. Writing by hand is like that—ideas and words appear that wouldn’t have while zipping along on a computer. Make journaling fun by treating yourself to a new notebook or journal and brightly colored pens for recording all your bright ideas. Pick something that inspires you or makes you smile. Make it special. Make it joyful. That will set the tone for our journey together.
What's Inside
Section 1 is all about you: body, mind, and spirit. We’ll turn inward and clear and create magical space in each of those realms to prepare you for your Pagan journey. Feeling comfortable within your own skin and mind is where your Pagan journey begins.
In Section 2, we’ll examine your surroundings, indoor and out, and refresh your spaces for facilitating the flow of magical energy. Next, we’ll go beyond the garden gate, out into nature, the cosmos, and the divine realm.
In Section 3, we’ll explore the metaphysical realm and magical concepts, practices, tools, and items. This section, and book, concludes with a magical reference guide, where everything you need for magical work is in one handy spot. You won’t need to go hunting for what you need. It’ll all be right there at your fingertips.
Let's Get Going!
May our journey together be joyful. May it refresh and rejuvenate your relationship with yourself, our planet, the cosmos, and beyond. May your true Pagan core emerge and blossom. May you discover and embrace your own magical energy and claim sovereignty over the entirety of your life.
Your Magical Body
Your body is the first part of your magical triquetra. It’s your foundation— quite literally. Just like the foundation of your house, if it’s weak, everything built upon it collapses. A weak, sick, or exhausted body won’t support your mind and spirit. We’ll explore strategies for making your body a comfortable place to be in, which liberates energy for joyful living rather than diverting it to addressing physical challenges.
Your body isn’t just pretty packaging, it’s the temple in which you reside, allowing you to fully experience life, from your first breath to your last.
Beauty Versus Function
Before we talk about how to care for our bodies, let’s talk about how we feel about them, because that impacts our choices. How do you feel about your body? Can you look at yourself naked in the mirror without flinching or finding flaws? If not, consider that you didn’t start out that way. When you were small, you thought your naked little self was perfectly glorious. What changed? Advertising, that’s what.
Big Beauty (BB) and its evil twin, the cosmetic surgery industry, need you to hate your body. Your self-loathing is their cash cow. They offer the beauty carrot on the stick and then flog us with it when we can’t grab it. They don’t want you to grab it, because if you do, you won’t buy their stuff. Those exquisitely perfect Photoshopped images in beauty magazines and on social media don’t exist in nature. You can’t look like that, and they know it. However, they manipulate you into believing you can because that’s BB’s bread and butter. It’s an industry, and it survives on commerce—not compassion.
Sadly, BB has so many assistants—parents, aunties, grandmas, friends, and coworkers. They’ve swallowed Big Beauty’s poison and often spit it at us: Your face is so pretty—if only you lost a few pounds … Some Botox would fix those lines … Wow, you have a lot of gray … Sound familiar?
Toxic Body Shame
Big Beauty wants you to dedicate yourself to making your body acceptable to other people. We’ll starve ourselves to squeeze into skintight dresses, cram our feet into flashy high-heeled torture devices, spray ourselves with toxins, and then wonder how we developed eating disorders, plantar fasciitis, and asthma. Some call it fashion. I call it self-abuse. Its core? Toxic body shame.
Early in our lives, we absorb the notion that whatever our shape, weight, or appearance, it’s unacceptable. BB to the rescue! It’ll fix whatever’s wrong with us. Unless you were born beautiful, you’re saturated in toxic body shame before you make it through elementary school. Fatty, fatty, two by four, can’t get through the kitchen door. Yup, I still remember it, and it still stings.
If you manage to survive childhood without toxic body shame, here comes puberty to slap it on. Puberty reshapes our bodies completely without our permission. Your body becomes a hormonally fueled roller coaster, and you’re just along for the ride.
The pressure to look perfect bites hard, and social media has big teeth. Today’s teens compare themselves to perfect, pretty people, and they are distraught by the chasmic disparity, which can trigger depression and even suicide.1 According to the National Organization for Women website, by age 13, 53 percent of American girls are “unhappy with their bodies.” This jumps to 78 percent at age 17! The numbers improve in our sixties, when only about 62 percent of women are unhappy with their bodies.2 The majority of women live their whole lives feeling miserable about their bodies. How nutty is that?
1. Carol Vidal, Tenzin Lhaisampa, Leslie Miller, and Rheanna Platt, “Social Media Use and Depression in Adolescents: A Scoping Review,” Int Rev Psychiatry vol. 32, 3 (2020): 235–253, https://doi:10.1080/09540261.2020.1720623/.
2. National Organization for Women, “Get the Facts,” accessed April 9, 2024, https://now.org/now-foundation/love-your-body/love-your-body-whats-it -all-about/get-the-facts/.
Although women bear the greater burden, toxic body shame isn’t just for vagina holders. According to the National Library of Medicine, 70 percent of male college students participating in university studies reported body dissatisfaction.3 Nobody existing in our society escapes toxic body shame, regardless of which set of chromosomes you have.
Toxic body shame erodes your self-esteem. At your most deeply personal, intimate level—your own body—you’re filled with shame. That’s a huge energetic drain. Eliminating toxic body shame is simple: just stop. Stop purchasing BB’s garbage (figuratively and literally), unfollow BB accounts on social media, and block the beauty influencers. Weed the body-shamers from your life.
People who shame you are not on your side. Ever. Shaming is abuse. Treat it as such. Shrug off that heavy, suffocating shroud of shame. It’s crushing your spirit. It’s so much mental energy wasted on superficial folderol that could be funneled into enjoying the experience of living your life in your unique, wonderful, precious body. If you like wearing pretty makeup and fixing your hair because it makes you happy, or you want to lose a few pounds to feel better, go for it. But do it because you want it—not because some corporate jackass thinks you should.
Paganism isn’t appearance obsessed. Normal, natural bodies are accepted. Nature is our role model for beauty. Nature doesn’t fuss about fitting into skinny jeans. It revels in the joy of simply being. You’re already beautiful, just the way you are. Just ask the Goddess.
Activity: Body Acceptance Ritual
This ritual guides you to embrace and celebrate your own naturally beautiful body, just as you’d celebrate beautiful nature—because you are beautiful nature. Let’s wash toxic body shame down the drain.
What You'll Need
Soap (preferably rose scented or pink)
A pushpin
3. Larkin Lamarche, Brianne Ozimok, Kimberly L. Gammage, and Cameron Muir, “Men Respond Too: The Effects of a Social-Evaluative Body Image Threat on Shame and Cortisol in University Men,” American Journal of Men’s Health, vol. 11, 6 (2017): 1791–1803, https://doi:10.1177/1557988317723406.
Bathtub or shower
1 cup Epsom salts
A small kitchen strainer
A pink chime candle
Matches
A handful of pink rose petals (dried or fresh)
A mirror
A small dish of natural oil (olive, sesame, avocado, or coconut— about 1/2 cup)
Directions
Set aside some me time. Scratch the first letter of your name into your soap with a pushpin, then scratch a heart around it. Let that symbol represent love and compassion for yourself.
As your bathtub fills, stir in the Epsom salts while saying, “My body is a precious gift. I will love and care for it.” Place the strainer within reach. Breathe your body-love phrase into the candle, light it, and set it nearby. Sprinkle the rose petals over the water while repeating your special phrase. Rose (Rosa) is magically associated with love and tenderness.
Slide into the water, relax your mind, and soak in all that love. Enjoy the warm, soothing water. Wash your body lovingly and luxuriously with the soap.
Close your eyes and focus on your breathing. Inhale positivity and self-love; exhale negativity and self-criticism. Be one with your effortless breathing and your warm, relaxed body. Dip your head under the water, completely submersing yourself. As you come back up, imagine all toxic, negative thoughts rinsing away into the water. Wrap your arms around yourself in a gentle, nurturing hug. Say “I love you” to your body. Appreciate it for carrying you through your life. Commit to being grateful for it and never denigrating it again. Feel all the feels.
When you’re ready, place the sieve over the drain to catch the rose petals, and drain the tub.
Stay within that cocoon of loving self-acceptance as you dry off. Stand in front of the mirror and look at your naked body. Ignore all the “flaws,” reject any negative thoughts that intrude, and see this natural, normal human body, perfectly fine just the way it is.
Dip a finger into the oil and trace a heart over your heart with the oil. Anoint your body with the oil from the ground up, thanking each part: “Thank you, feet, for carrying me around … thank you, legs, for supporting me …” and so on, all the way to the top of your head, including your arms and hands.
Finish with a warm, grateful embrace. Say it again: “My body is a precious gift. I will love and care for it.”
Afterward, nurture and nourish your body with healthy, natural food such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and nuts. Imagine it replenishing your beautiful, amazing body. Eat healthy for the rest of the day, and drink plenty of fresh, clean water. Experience the joy of caring for your body, and how it feels to be inside it.
Magical Body Care
We often take our bodies for granted—they’re just there, doing their jobs, chugging along, mostly without protest, until we push too far for too long. Then they give us little pokes: Hey, I need attention. If we ignore those pokes, they become punches, and if we ignore those too, our bodies can smack us down with a whole array of injuries, issues, and ailments. Our bodies were telling us they were struggling—we’re just really bad listeners.
A Pagan perspective on caring for your body mirrors caring for our mother’s body: Mother Earth. If we don’t stop damaging them and denying them what they need, they can’t support and sustain us. Our lives literally depend on taking good care of both those bodies.
I don’t need to do the drill for you: Eat right, get exercise, stretch, tone your muscles, improve your balance, get enough sleep. You already know what you need to do to take care of your body, but whether you actually do those things, well, that’s another story. I’m no different. I need to lose a few pounds, I need more exercise, and sometimes I eat ice cream too. However, each day is an opportunity to do better. We don’t have to be perfect. We just
have to do better. Taking care of our bodies is an ongoing process, and taking better care of them now vastly increases our chances of living longer, healthier, more magical lives.
Magical Movement
Each morning, set a doable self-care intention, such as Today, I will choose only healthy snacks or Today, I will use less salt or Today, I will go for a walk. Healthy choices begin with a mindful decision. Deciding to move more is a great start.
Our bodies didn’t evolve sitting still. They evolved by moving us around the world, hunting and gathering, climbing and dancing, strengthening and stretching. It feels good to move, and when it doesn’t, we’ve probably been sedentary or inactive for too long. It can feel uncomfortable to start moving again. Prolonged sitting really damages your body. Sitting is the new smoking. According to the Mayo Clinic, prolonged sitting is linked to obesity, high blood pressure, high blood sugar, excess body fat around the waist, unhealthy cholesterol levels, and over time, an increased risk of death from cardiovascular disease and cancer.4 Multiple studies revealed that sitting for more than eight hours per day with no physical activity is nearly as lethal as obesity and smoking.
Sadly, sitting doesn’t just mean our couch potato time. It’s the cumulative amount of time we spend sitting: commuting, working at a desk, and sadly, even reading and writing. However, the Mayo Clinic also reported that one hour per day of “moderately intense physical activity countered the effects of too much sitting,” and that “for people who are most active, sitting time contributes little to their risk of death.” Whew!
The Mayo Clinic suggests regular “moderately intense physical activity”— taking a standing break every 30 minutes (get up, walk around, stretch), standing or walking around while talking on the phone or watching television, and using a standing desk, high table, or counter for work. They aren’t saying you must go to the gym for an hour. They’re just saying “get up out of
4. Edward R. Laskowski, “What Are the Risks of Sitting Too Much?” accessed April 10, 2024. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/expert-answers /sitting/faq-20058005.
the chair and move around.” The Mayo Clinic emphasized that “the impact of movement—even leisurely movement—can be profound.”
Increased activity will improve your physical and mental well-being. If we move a little every day, we’ll feel a lot better. If you do it magically, it’ll be motivating and fun.
Let’s take a cue from health, fitness, and self-care expert, Dr. Kimberlee Bonura, a professor in the college-level Great Courses series, which offers a cornucopia of education about everything from health to philosophy to quantum mechanics. In Bonura’s course, How to Stay Fit as You Age, she advises evaluating your physical health, considering your obstacles (mental and physical), and creating an enjoyable, sustainable plan for making physical wellness part of your life. No judgment, no rigorous exercise regimen. Just assess your starting point and gently start there. So, we will.
Activity: Magical Moment
Moving your body is easier and more enjoyable when you do it magically. Let’s incorporate magical movement into your day.
What You'll Need:
Walking shoes Directions
Dedicate a time of day to one minute of movement, whether it’s stretching, a walk down the block and back, or just swaying to some music. Pick something ridiculously easy. The only requirement is committing to that activity for one minute, no matter what: your Magical Moment.
Then, just enjoy that minute. That’s it. The goal isn’t time or intensity, it’s to establish a habit—a regular part of your day. If you’re content with your current fitness level or exercise routine, try something new for that moment.
Reinforce your Magical Moment with a motivating phrase, such as “The more I move, the better I’ll feel.” Don’t invite discouragement by attempting too much too soon. Each week, just do a tiny bit more: a extra few stretches or 100 more steps. We’re not training for
a triathlon. We’re incorporating small, consistent shifts that add up over time to something big. Your Magical Moment is daily quality time with your body.
Magical Eating
I’m not going to tell you to go on a diet, cut calories, or lose weight. The concern isn’t about making your body look better, it’s about feeling and functioning better. Your body is like a precious child—you wouldn’t feed it donuts and Pepsi for breakfast every day. You’d provide healthy, fresh, nourishing food. Let’s feed your body like that precious child.
First, become aware of which foods make you feel unwell. For me, too much sugar or refined white flour carbs will make my joints stiff and achy. It doesn’t mean I never eat them, I just avoid routinely overindulging in them. Those things are treats, not sustenance. Your body’s responses to food can be dramatic or very subtle. Check in with yourself and see how you feel after eating certain foods. Eliminate the ones you suspect make you feel sluggish or unwell.
Try a nature-based approach to eating. Choose foods made by nature: plants, fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes, grains, natural oils, and meat or fish. Exercise guru Jack LaLanne once said, “If a man made it, don’t eat it.” That’s a great standard for healthy, natural eating.
Make every facet of feeding yourself magical, from shopping to preparing to consuming. Sprinkle magical intention over soups, salads, and smoothies, or every meal. It can be a simple message to your body: I love you so much! Healthy nutrition generates ample energy for learning, experimenting, and enjoying your Pagan experience. The more energy you have, the more magic you can make.
Magical Aging
Dr. Bonura’s course mentions aging, which might turn you off, because aging’s for old people! However, we’re all aging, right now, no matter how many years we’ve lived. Aging isn’t a destination, it’s a journey. You’ll be doing Future You a huge favor by taking care of your body now, so you get to age. Getting old isn’t a curse, it’s a precious gift, and not everyone gets it.
You’ll enjoy that gift much more if you prepare for it by taking care of your body now, at the age you are now.
Your health and nutrition choices now will shape your physical experience when you’re older. They’ll impact the you that you’ll be ten years from now, twenty years from now, and beyond. The choices—the magic—you make now will define your trajectory.
Activity: Future You, Meet Present You
Let’s visit with Future You through a meditation. As with all the meditations we’ll do in this book, don’t attempt to read the meditation while doing it. That’s a futile effort, like having one foot on the brake and one on the accelerator and expecting to go somewhere. Memorize as best you can, or record it first, speaking in a slow, soothing voice, pausing for a breath after each sentence, and play it back to yourself. Don’t rush through.
What You'll Need
A pen or a pencil Paper
An envelope Directions
Dedicate some quiet time for going within. Close the doors, turn off the devices. Close your eyes and get comfortable. Yield to Mother Earth’s gravity. Feel her holding you close, safe, and protected. Tell yourself, “I am safe.”
Focus on your breath, rolling in and out effortlessly like ocean waves on the shore. Gradually move your breath and attention down to your navel. Continue inhaling and exhaling from there. Let the waves sweep any intrusive thoughts back into the ocean.
Envision yourself ten years from now. How old will you be? What will you look like? How might you be feeling? Be patient and let this future vision of you emerge.
Reach your hand out across the metaphysical realm and take Future You’s hand. Look into your eyes. Ask Future You what they
need from you now. Don’t force an answer. Don’t rush—just sit with that question until an answer comes. It might be I need you to stretch more or I need you to stop smoking. Promise Future You that you’ll make those changes. Give you a hug, and bid you farewell. Return your focus to your breathing, and when you feel ready, open your eyes, wiggle your fingers and toes, and reinhabit your body. When you feel present and alert, write a letter to Future You. Begin with, Dear Future Me. Assure Future You that you’ll keep your promise, and move and nourish your body so it lasts long enough for Future You to enjoy. Write what you will specifically do to keep your promise: I will walk three times per week. I will drink eight glasses of water every day. I will choose healthy food. Use these promises as magical mantras over the upcoming years. Finish your letter with From me to me, so mote it be.
Put the letter in the envelope and write on it: Don’t open until (ten years from the current date). Seal it, and stash it out of sight, like the back of your sock drawer or closet. Set a calendar reminder on your phone for that date ten years from now to open that letter. Plant a little seed in your subconscious that one day you must open that letter and face how well you kept your promise to yourself. Let that promise motivate you to stay on track. Don’t let Future You down!
Body Elements
Throughout this book, the four earthly elements—earth, air, fire, water—will keep appearing, in a variety of ways—beginning now. Each element is magically associated with certain energies and symbols. In this chapter, we’ll consider how those energies are represented in your body. Usually, earth represents the totality of our bodies in magical practices. However, we’ll place all four elements under the earth umbrella and see how they express themselves in our various physical and physiological structures. The four earthly elements can’t be compartmentalized, in our bodies or on the planet. They must work in concert. When all are flowing and in balance, you feel strong, healthy, and prepared to fully enjoy your magical Pagan life. One of the most beloved and familiar chants in all of Pagandom inspired my imagining of the bodily elements: Earth her body, air her breath, fire her
spirit, water her blood, which we speak to honor the body of the Goddess. For our bodily elements, I tweaked the chant a little: Earth my structure, air my current, fire my blood, water my organs.
Earth
Earth is the element of physical things, magically speaking. Within our bodies, earth is our structure: bones, joints, tendons, muscles, skin, and all the tissue that connects them—our musculoskeletal system. It’s the framework of our physical form. Just like the framework of a house, it holds us up and gives us a shape. Everything else in our body relies upon this structure for support. Without it, we’d be jellyfish.
Our earth structure makes it possible to move around in the world. Your skin, the largest structure in your body, covers the entire surface from head to toe and serves as a physical barrier to protect the body from the environment. It’s the roof and siding on your “house.”
To stay strong, our earth structure requires nutrition, rest, and regular strengthening, stretching, and movement. Ironically, underuse damages it more over time than overuse. Without regular movement and gentle impact, stretching, and toning, our muscles shorten, atrophy, and weaken. They need protein to build and repair themselves and maintain strength and tone. Without enough calcium and regular gentle impact, our bones become thin and brittle. Without moisture, our skin becomes dry and cracked, just like paint, letting germs and parasites invade our body.
Close your eyes and scan your body. Consider its bones, muscle, and skin from head to toe. Say appreciatively, “Earth, my structure.”
Air
Air is magically associated with the mind and communication. Our thoughts can’t be shared until they’re communicated. Without the movement of our thoughts, no communication can happen. Let’s focus on the movement rather than the air itself.
Air is carried on a current, into and out of the lungs, providing oxygen and releasing carbon dioxide. The current is constant. Our blood is never still. If it is, we don’t have many moments left on this earthly plane. Without perpetual movement, the blood itself is useless. Without a constant current of
oxygen-rich blood, we’ll die within minutes. Within our bodies, the element of air isn’t the air itself, but rather its current. The heart and lungs working in union (the cardiopulmonary system) create that current. You breathe oxygen into your lungs, and your pumping heart carries that oxygenated blood throughout your body. Within our bodies, air is the breathing, not the breath.
For air to flow, your lungs must be open. Poor posture inhibits the movement and expansion of your lungs and diaphragm. Consider your posture, right at this moment. Are you hunched over your chest, with your shoulders slumped forward? This position inhibits your breathing. Correct it by inhaling deeply and smoothly, and as you exhale, roll both shoulders up and back, as if rolling them over a bar just behind your shoulders. Let your shoulder blades slide down your back and into your back pockets. Imagine an invisible cord attached to your sternum, pulling your chest up. Image another one attached the top of your head, pulling it up to the sky. Now your upper back is straight, your chest is open, and your head and neck are upright.
Breathe deeply. Can you feel the difference? Whenever you feel your upper back and sternum aching because you’re slumping over your chest, repeat those steps. Lift! Breathe! What a relief! Your current of air—and blood—are flowing freely.
Inhale deeply, then let the air flow back out. Imagine your current of blood delivering precious oxygen to every single cell in your body. Say appreciatively, “Air, my current.”
Fire
Fire is the element of courage, fearlessness, and strength; pure energy. Within our bodies, fire is the substance that keeps us alive: blood. Air is the movement of blood. Fire is the blood itself. It holds the nutrients for every living cell in our bodies.
Fire is energy, and blood contains our energy. Associating blood with fire isn’t novel. We call feisty people hot-blooded or say driven people have fire in their blood. We intuitively know that blood is related to heat. And therefore, fire! The color of blood, red, is also the magical color of fire. Your metabolism also correlates to fire: burning fat and burning calories. Calories are actually measures of energy generated by heat and transported in the blood to all your cells for generating energy. Blood flow is the only mode of transportation.
Good nutrition sparks your fire. Your blood can only carry the nutrition that you put into your body. Conversely, it will also carry harmful things to your cells, such as saturated fat, carcinogens, and too much sugar or sodium. Think about it: Your doc monitors your health with a blood test. The evidence of a poor diet is all right there, in the blood. Whatever you put in your body ends up in your blood, and potentially every cell in your body.
You can’t have fire without fuel. Your food is your fuel. Choose and consume it with appreciation, and say, “Fire, my blood.”
Water
Water is magically associated with emotions and creativity. Physically, it is 60 percent of our bodies. Even our hair, dry as it may seem, is 10 to 25 percent water. Water is wet, slippery, and shapeless without something to contain it. Hmmm. What parts of our body are wet, slippery, weirdly shaped? Our organs. Although the heart and lungs are organs, for our body elements purposes they’re aligned with air due to their very special symbiotic job of perpetually circulating blood and oxygen.
Water is all that other ooey, gooey stuff inside your body, including your brain and ever-flowing nervous system. We often equate the brain with the mind, but they’re not the same thing. Your brain is an organ—a complex physical structure with myriad purposes, from experiencing sensation to regulating body temperature and heart rate to moving limbs. The nervous system carries those messages back and forth between the brain and the rest of your body. The brain has physical needs, with oxygen, water, and glucose topping that list. For thinking or learning to happen, your brain must be healthy.
Your organs all need water. Although skin is part of our structure (earth), it’s about 30 percent water when well-hydrated and offers a simple method for monitoring hydration: Pinch the skin on the back of your hand for a moment, then let go. If it snaps back into place, you’re good. If a little pinch of skin remains sticking up, you need more hydration. That pinch is also indicating that your organs may be thirsty. You can’t pinch them to find out, but you can pinch your skin. The color of your urine is also a clue. If it’s nearly clear, you’re good. If it’s very yellow or darker, drink more water.
Your body needs about eight cups of water per day. Not juice, coffee, beer, or soda. Just plain water. Keep a magical hydration tool (a glass) next to the
kitchen sink as a prompt to drink more water. Near the sink? Drink! Or fill a reusable water bottle with eight cups of water, which you must finish by the end of the day. When you take a sip, say appreciatively, “Water, my organs.”
Daily Body Mantra
Care for your body and all its elements every day: Move it, correct your posture, breathe deeply, eat nutritious food, and drink lots of fresh, clean water. These aren’t new ideas. We’ve heard this all our lives. Let’s sprinkle some sparkle on that dull stuff with a simple mantra: Move, breathe, eat, drink. Use this to set your healthy intention for the day.
This happy little mantra is ever so much more inspirational than flogging yourself with Get more exercise, stand up straight, watch your diet, and stop drinking so much soda. Make it magical, and it becomes child’s play.
Activity: Elemental Body Ritual
For connecting your body with its elements, we’ll reach out to Egyptian goddess Isis, goddess of magic and healing. In Egyptian mythology, Isis reconnected her husband’s body after it was torn to pieces by his jealous brother. She revived him too.5 Let’s ask Isis to facilitate the connection of your bodily elements and provide divine rejuvenation.
What You'll Need
Space to lie down
Directions
Take a bath or a shower to cleanse your body and refresh your mind. Choose a place to lie down. Claim and cleanse it with sound by clapping your hands. Create a magical circle by pointing your left index finger north, toward the circle’s perimeter. Envision a stream of white light emanating from your finger to the circle. Cast your magical circle by defining the perimeter with that stream of white light, moving clockwise (deosil). This Gaelic word, roughly pronounced
5. Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum, “Deities in Ancient Egypt: Osiris,” accessed July 2, 2025, https://egyptianmuseum.org/deities-osiris.
"Debra DeAngelo offers structure that's clear and supportive. Her voice is calm, steady, and grounded in real experience."
Mat Auryn, international bestselling author of Psychic Witch
