Purrfectly Pagan Magazine - October 2022

In

Letter from the Editor

Dear Reader

I feel the Universe is smiling on me. I have had the incredible opportunity to meet so many amazing people recently, and I have such talented writers who contribute to this magazine.

I want this magazine to make you think, make you smile, and (sometimes) make you uncomfortable There are many Paths and views represented in this magazine, something I am quite proud of.

Some are sunshine and light. Some are not. Others are shades in between.

Some views expressed in this magazine I agree with. Others I do not. Others are shades in between. I'm quite okay with this. Why? Because my Path is not the only one to walk. I feel it's my responsibility and privilege to show many views. (I do have some limits, of course, but no one has crossed them yet.)

I hope you enjoy this issue as much as I enjoy bringing it to you.

Purrfectly Pagan Magazine had a booth at the New Hampshire Pagan Faire on October 8th & 9th, 2022!

Lots of fun and we met a lot of new people!

Plus, we had two of our writers - Holly Broderick (The Faerie Godsmother) and John Shaden (The Devil's Advocate) come and help with the booth!

A Day of Fun and Friendship at the New Hampshire Pagan Faire!

Purrfectly Pagan

The grounds of the Black Swan Inn in Tilton, NH, was a little chilly, but the weather was gorgeous, with plenty of sunshine and a cool breeze.

We were surrounded by beautiful splashes of yellows, reds, and orange.

A Day of Fun and Friendship at the New Hampshire Pagan Faire!

A Day of Fun and Friendship at the New Hampshire Pagan Faire!

A Day of Fun and Friendship at the New Hampshire Pagan Faire!

A Day of Fun and Friendship at the New Hampshire Pagan Faire!

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THE WITCHES' CORNER

Being a Witch Is Always Political

WRITTEN BY: LADY SHAY

I spent the past weekend surrounded by wonderful fellow Pagans, enjoying the company of kindred spirits, rejoicing in the positive energy that was in the air. It was truly an enchanted weekend, and I am so thankful to be a part of it.

On days such as these, it's easy to think that politics don't matter, that the world is full of love, flowers, and sunshine.

And the world is full of those things, but there are also people who are hostile to the Pagans and Witches of the world. There are those who hate our way of life and would love nothing more than to see our ways vanish.

Or worse: for those of us who walk the Pagan Path to go back into the shadows, hiding in the "broom closet," afraid to show the world who we truly are.

You might say, "I don't get involved in politics," but decisions are made by those who show up.

THE WITCHES' CORNER

Being a Witch Is Always Political

WRITTEN BY: LADY SHAY (Continued)

Right now, there are groups who want to persecute you. They are fine with the Bible being in schools but not a Book of Shadows. There are groups looking for ways to hound you, to disrupt Pagan gatherings and festivals. To shout over us in person and online.

There are people who sow seeds of fear and distrust, those who spread lies and hate.

We must not be silent Silence only benefits the oppressor Silence implies agreement and acceptance. So what can we do?

Vote. Seriously. Vote. I know some feel it's a futile gesture, but decisions are made by those who show up.

Speak up. Make your views known. Make your voice heard. Speak out. Don't ignore it when you see injustice or persecution happen. Be safe. I know some places are more hostile than others. I understand. I want to encourage you to speak up and speak out, but don't put yourself in harm's way

Together, we can change the world.

AboutLadyShay

Lady Shay is a Unitarian

Universalist Pagan and an eclectic witch. She feels her purpose is to serve the Pagan community.

Shay is the owner and Editor-InChief of Purrfectly Pagan Magazine. She started the magazine in January of 2022 to help her fellow Pagans.

Shay is a Mindful Paganism coach and practitioner. Mindful Paganism is the practice of connecting Mind, Body, & Spirit in order to relieve stress, find our purpose, and rediscover Joy.

Shay can be reached via email at ladyshay@mindfulpaganism.com

Please help spread the

Wisdom from the Faerie Godsmother

Shove It Up Your Pumpkin

WRITTEN BY : FAERIE GODSMOTHER

As I sit here enjoying my basic witch juice (pumpkin spice latte), I’m thinking about all the dark loveliness that is Samhain. I love pumpkin spice everything, with my apple cider doughnuts and maybe even a hard cider here and again. I love the apple picking, pumpkin picking, pumpkin carving, and overall spooky fun of the season as the veil is at its thinnest. Also, if you have never had maple syrup candy followed by hot apple cider, you have no idea what goodness you are missing. I love seeing what costumes people wear and seeing kids Trick Or Treat and the way their faces light up when they get candy. I only ever gave out the good stuff.

Now I live across the street from a cemetery and in between two stores, so we have no trick-or-treaters. We have no sweet little faces at the door asking for candy. We only have real spirits across the street, coyotes, rabbits, tons of birds, and the occasional fox that visit our yard.

I always loved seeing people get excited about Samhain. Except, they call it Halloween. I loved hearing about what party they were attending, and what costume they would wear. Gods know, I’ve been to many costume parties myself. For many years, I went to costume parties as myself, a witch or Faerie Godsmother. I had the perfect dresses, and accessories. I hoped others knew the significance of the day and were celebrating with me, in their own way. In a way I guess they are. But mostly they are just celebrating a highly bastardized version of a sacred day.

Wisdom from the Faerie Godsmother

Shove It Up Your Pumpkin

WRITTEN BY : FAERIE GODSMOTHER

Matter of fact most people don’t know anything about the history of Halloween. They have no idea that the original holiday is Samhain. Hell, most people don’t even know how to pronounce Samhain. Samhain is pronounced sow win, sow vin, or sow wen depending on whether you are using the Scottish, Whales, or Irish pronunciation All of these are correct, just don’t call it Sam Hane. It is never pronounced Sam Hane. I don’t know who Sam Hane is or why they would have a holiday named after them. Samhain is Gaelic for, “summer’s end.”

Samhain is the beginning of the dark time of year. It’s a dark celebration of the thinning of the veil between the living world and the world of the dead. Food was left out to feed the hungry souls of the dead that crossed the veil. Costumes were worn to keep evil away. Bonfires were lit, stories were told, and no one ventured away from home alone. It was a scary time, but also a sacred time.

It was a time of gratitude, and hope. It was a time of preparation and a time to pray to their Gods and Goddesses so that they may make it through another winter. Things are very different now. Now, in many places, for most people, food is not so scarce. We have electricity, indoor plumbing, various forms of transportation, and modern appliances. We have the internet to tell us all that we need to know. As a result, the world seems smaller, and maybe a little less scary.

Wisdom from the Faerie Godsmother

Shove It Up Your Pumpkin

WRITTEN BY : FAERIE GODSMOTHER

Sadly a lot of the Samhain traditions have been tainted over the years, and have been swallowed up by other religions. Halloween, the Judeo Christian version of Samhain, has swallowed up Samhain almost entirely It is difficult to know exactly what traditions are specific to Samhain and what traditions were added on later because Samhain was popularly celebrated by pagans a thousand years ago or so. You know, before the internet and before history books. The written word was pretty rare back then, so traditions were passed down by word of mouth and recorded later on by christians. The records seem to have been tainted by Christian thoughts and iconography.

I love that so many people love Fall. It’s my favorite time of year too. I love the sound of leaves crunching under my feet, and the crisp air. I love hot chocolate. As I write this I can almost taste butternut squash soup with grilled cheese I love the fun movies and seeing everyone’s spooky outdoor decor. I don’t love when the same people who are putting up spooky decor for the holiday tell me I’m going to Hell because of what I believe in.

I don’t love being told that it’s Halloween, and it’s a kids holiday. I don’t love being made fun of or teased for being a witch. I don’t love being teased for having psychic abilities. As a matter of fact, I hate all of those things, yet I will continue to be unapologetic about who I am. It is more painful to hide who I am than deal with the consequences of being myself.

Wisdom from the Faerie Godsmother

Shove It Up Your Pump[kin

WRITTEN BY : FAERIE GODSMOTHER

I hid my abilities and beliefs for most of my life because I feared my family’s response. Now that I have let them know who I am, and I’ve shown the world who I am, I feel much better. To those who feel the need to berate me for being who I am, shove it up your pumpkin.

So, to those who want to steal all of the holiday traditions from the Pagans, and claim them as your own without giving credence to the origins of said traditions, I say, “Shove it up your pumpkin!”

To those who tell Pagans they’re going to Hell, “Shove It up your pumpkin!”

To all the basic witches with a b, who love Fall, but think that witchcraft is just for fun, and that nothing serious can happen, “Shove it up your pumpkin spice latte!”

And most of all, to those who nearly killed off all the Pagans, and/or forced them to convert, I hope someone shoved it up their pumpkin.

My basic witch juice is done, and my familiar is hungry, so off I go to feed the critter, cast some spells, and shove it up someone’s pumpkin Have a healthy, and happy Samhain. Be well.

AboutFaerieGodsmother

Owner of Holly Be Healing, a business dedicated to energetic and spiritual healing. While the business, Holly Be Healing, is only a few years old, Holly’s dedication to helping people has been a lifelong mission and her talent for intuitively knowing what people are feeling and how to help them heal is as skill that Holly has honed over the years Holly taught Shaolin Chuan Fa for 10 years and Yang Style Tai Chi for 5 years. While doing and teaching the martial arts she discovered her love of energy work and started focusing a lot on meditation. She became a certified Chakra Meditation Specialist and certified health coach in order to help people clear their chakras and heal physically, spiritually and emotionally.

Holly has been reading Oracle Cards, and tarot for 26 years privately and just recently added it to the services that she provides through Holly Be Healing. Holly Be healing offers Chakra Meditation sessions, Moving Meditation sessions, and Oracle Reading sessions to clients of all types. Holly has read for all types of people, schoolteachers, massage therapists, stay at home moms, jewelry designers, and even radio stars. She has lead meditation sessions with black belts, teachers, local artists, IT specialists, world renowned artists, and countless others.

Holly is also the co-creator of a unique and fun podcast, "Psychics and Swears," where she and her cohost enjoy doing 5 minute fun readings and interviewing our favorite intuitives. Holly and her partner John Shäden are also the creators of the amazing fragrance, "Moon Owl Moon Water."

Purrfectly Pagan Marketplace

My Dear Rosemary:

The Herb of Simple Design and Powerful Impact

WRITTEN BY: LILY MAYA

I live in Central Europe where rosemary is very common. Almost every home grows it, if there's a garden there's rosemary. Which is not the case for us who live in the buildings, we rarely cultivate big or bushy herbs, there's just no space for them. But when I was younger, living several years in a house, we grew it all over the backyard. I was never really a fan of it at all! I didn't like the smell, and since it was so common, it wasn't interesting to me as well. I just like rare stuff. But as years go by, I learned how powerful this herb is. So please don't be like me and dismiss it just like that.

My Dear Rosemary

WRITTEN BY: LILY MAYA (continued)

Many refer to rosemary as thyme, but although they come from the same family, these are not the same herbs. Yes, both were ignited in rituals, in ancient times, to repel evil spirits, but still, what they do to our bodies is different.

Rosemary is native to the Mediterranean. Its name means Dew of the Sea, in Latin. It was later that it spread through Europe and USA, and today you can easily find it almost anywhere. It's primarily used in cooking. I like it with roasted fish and olive oil... Yummy...

Another way to bring this powerful herb into the body is through warm tea. It seriously supports the immune system. A pure herbal remedy that could be your amazing friend, especially during the cold season. Give it a try if you haven't yet. The smell is strong, so not everybody gets used to it easily, but still, try it a little bit at first and see how it goes. And if you desire to cultivate it in your own home, you are lucky! Rosemary survives with a small amount of water for a very long time, which is why it's considered a strong herb. Really easy to grow.

The first time rosemary caught my attention was when I found that it can enhance memory. Brain stuff is just my thing, I love to learn all about how we could improve our brain functions. And then I started digging deeper into this herb. What researchers have discovered is that some chemicals in rosemary prevent the degradation of acetylcholine, an important brain chemical for normal neurotransmission. This can be very useful in preventing, for example, Alzheimer's disease. And it's just one of many so powerful things that one herb can do!

My Dear Rosemary

WRITTEN BY: LILY MAYA (continued)

And now all the Rosemary fun starts...

There's an old saying 'Where rosemary flourished, the woman ruled'.

In the still popular wreaths, spell bottles, or small bouquets that are made with good intentions, you will often find rosemary because it's believed that it encourages happiness in the home and heart. I do believe this. There is some mystical magic behind its scent. No matter how strong it is, it makes you feel lighthearted. Surrender yourself to it. I did, and I became a fan of it. In honor of this herb, here's how you can make a delicious Rosemary tea these October days;

1 teaspoon of dry rosemary 1/2 teaspoon of dry ginger (optional you can add a drop of vanilla aroma)

*Heat the water (8oz) in the kettle (176 194 F). If you don't have a thermometer to measure the specific temperature, just heat the water to the point of just short boiling.

*First, add tea to the cup (all of the ingredients) and then add water.

*Let it steep for 7 min covered with a lid.

*Strain and enjoy your moments!

Wishing you Calm & Magic.

AboutLilyMaya

Lily discovered her desire for writing at an early age. She asked her granny to buy her a notebook and waiting for no teacher, she start waving words on paper, with passion and in awe.

In her 20's she gathered some pieces of her work and publish them, becoming an author of the 'Ruthless Silence' poetry book. She then continues to feed her soul through various art forms.

Today, as a founder of the Black Rabbit Tea brand, she runs a successful soul-led business and mentors others on their way to building this dream for themselves.

Don't Dismiss the Mind-Altering

WRITTEN BY: WIL DARCANGELO

I have done my share of experimentation with mind-altering substances in my life.

Beginning as a teenager moving toward young adulthood, I became highly curious about how these drugs affected people. I felt no compunction against trying them out. Essentially, I wanted to know first-hand what the big deal was. For the most part, I enjoyed them. A few I liked enough to try again, repeatedly.

But I noticed my perspective on the reasoning behind my use was different from others. It was definitely not about partying, even though I did a fair bit of that. My perspective was always about a sense of deeply needing to know what the total experience was like, as well as the micro cultures and rituals that formed around their recreational use I can see now that many of these experiences were inadvertently ceremonial in nature. Does that point to something intrinsic about us?

Not surprisingly, the spirituality of mind-altering substances is at the root of it all for me. For instance, the ceremonial use of the mushrooms containing the psychedelic compound psilocybin predates recorded history. Humans have been using this substance and others like it to alter the terrain of their consciousness, whether temporarily or permanently, since our human beginning.

Repeatedly, users of these substances find that the experience has enhanced their ability to sense a connection with all things, to perceive the oneness of all existence, which proves to be an entirely comforting new mental paradigm for them. It literally changes them from within and alters how they see the world from that point forward.

Don't Dismiss the Mind-Altering

WRITTEN BY: WIL DARCANGELO

Why is this so? Why do these things exist? what is their purpose? I maintain a spiritual assumption that there is something to be discovered in pulling a thread so long we can’t see the beginning of it. For the faithful who believe that God makes no mistakes, is there room to consider that there might be genuine spiritual purpose to the existence and long standing historic use of these substances?

My journey continues, but so far this curiosity has led me to at least one genuine conclusion. Mindfulness and self-understanding are the key to properly consuming them. That’s not to say that we don’t come to the altar with questions or flaws, or blemishes of the spirit. One can be a hot mess and still mindfully consume. One could argue, that’s the best time to do it. But mindfulness and intention and preparation and guidance all must be in place to fully benefit.

The trick is in being aware that the experience is a conscious and intentional measure you’re taking for the purpose of expanding self-understanding and an enhanced connection with All That Is. Not just to have a good time.

"The trick is in being aware that the experience is a conscious and intentional measure you’re taking for the purpose of expanding selfunderstanding and an enhanced connection with All That Is. Not just to have a good time. "

Of course, I cast not a single judgment against recreational use. But that is a different subject than mindful, ceremonial application of psychedelics, like psilocybin, DMT, LSD, and other intoxicants like THC found in cannabis, to bring about transformation in ourselves.

Don't Dismiss the Mind-Altering

WRITTEN BY: WIL DARCANGELO

There’s a range of things to consider, however, based upon your own current state of emotional wellness regarding their use. The greater the level of our personal emotional crisis, the more we need professional support to take advantage of the benefits of these treatments. Psilocybin mushrooms administered in a medical setting have been found to provide dramatic benefits to those suffering from PTSD, Alzheimer’s, even smoking. The drug ketamine has been found to treat depression, anxiety. and trauma. And for years there has been increasing positive documentation on the use of LSD to help people face their own mortality when receiving a terminal diagnosis. But these are very different things from unsupervised self medicating or recreational use. Always seek professional support when choosing to consume these substances as a aspect of mental health treatment. If your consumption is spiritual nature, particularly with regard to psychedelics, be certain that you are working with an experienced shaman. It is a misuse of their sacredness to harm yourself with them. We all need a guide on our journey.

These words are for those who might find benefit in using mind-altering compounds, but they are also for those who struggle with the issue. Be at ease if family members or people you know seek them. Perhaps even suggest that they do.

It’s a new time. Everything has changed. Consider changing with it and finding new ways to expand yourself Perhaps the ancients knew what they were doing They have handed down to us more legacies than we realized. Thanks be to them.

AboutWilDarcangelo

Wil Darcangelo, M.Div, is the Minister at the First Parish UU Church of Fitchburg and of the First Church of Christ, Unitarian in Lancaster, and producer of The UU Virtual Church of Fitchburg and Lancaster on YouTube.

Email wildarcangelo@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @wildarcangelo. His blog, Hopeful Thinking, can be found at www.hopefulthinkingworld.blogspot.com

Purrfectly Pagan

Witchcraft: Why

Not a Thing

It never fails. Some well-meaning person will find out I am a witch and ask me “Are you a white witch?”. This question always makes me cringe, as it makes me think of “The Wizard of Oz”, when Glinda asks Dorothy “Are you a good witch or a bad witch?”. UGH! Simply put, there is no such thing as a white witch, only a witch!

White Witchcraft: Why It's Not a Thing

WRITTEN BY: MICHELLE PELLIN

But Michelle, you might say, there are witches doing “good” things and witches doing “bad” things Yes, there are. Just like people do. We as humans are way too quick to slap a label onto someone or something as good or bad, successful or a failure, or black or white, including (and especially) ourselves. Every person on this planet, no matter who you are, does good things and bad things.

For example, think about the last time you were at an airport, and the TSA agent treated you with utter disrespect, barking orders at you, making you put your items through the conveyor three times, and opening up your cocktail peanuts (apparently, there are peanut bombers now), and sticking his finger in, then handing them back (gross! And yes, this really happened to my husband recently). Does that make him a “bad” person? Think about your answer, as this may also be the same person that is a Gulf War veteran, dealing with the recent loss of his wife and painful arthritis, while still working to send his only son to college. Do you still believe him to be “bad”?

I have a very heavy metal water bottle that I carry with me just about everywhere. My friends know that I go nowhere without it, even in a restaurant, as I cannot stand city water. On the one hand, I use it to nourish my body and keep myself hydrated at all times. I also love that it's metal because I don’t have to worry about plastic leaking into my spring water. However, the same bottle that can keep me healthy can also be used for me to hit you over the head and possibly kill you. Does that make it a “good” water bottle, or a “bad” one?

White Witchcraft: Why It's Not a Thing

WRITTEN BY: MICHELLE PELLIN

The same point can be used when we talk about nature For example, millions of people flock to the beach (myself being one of them) looking for peace, solitude, and sunshine. I have a really cool sweatshirt from Misquamicut, Rhode Island that says, “Salt heals everything”. Most people love the beach. I myself feel so calm and rejuvenated there. However, the ocean can also be a dangerous place, abundant with sharks, stingrays, and electric eels. Not to mention tidal

waves, tsunamis, and a typical, innocent looking wave that rolls in on a July day that can pull you right in and drown you before you know what hit you.

The Hermetic principles, created around 1300 to 1600 AD, is an ancient esoteric and philosophical tradition that was promoted by well-known leaders such as Issac Newton, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and Sir Thomas Browne in order to help explain the universe and uncover the deeper meanings in life, at a time when these things mattered more. It’s where the popular witch notion of “As above, so below” originates, as that one relates to the principle of correspondence. How does this relate to my original thought of poo pooing the idea of good witch bad witch? The principle of polarity, also from the Kybalion, states that everything is dual, everything has two poles, all truths are but half truths, and like and unlike are the same. In other words, opposites are only different because they are different poles of the same thing. Think of hot water and cold water. They are the same thing, just different degrees of it. Light and dark? Still has the same atmosphere, just different levels of being able to see where we are going. Good or evil? Hopefully, by now, you get the point.

White Witchcraft: Why It's Not a Thing

WRITTEN BY: MICHELLE PELLIN

Next time, someone says to you “Are you a white witch?”, take the time to challenge them respectfully. Most people, including myself just a few years ago, do not take the time to understand this, as it is not taught in our public schools Therefore, I don’t chastise the general public for being clueless. We are swamped in a society riddled with duality (just turn on the evening news). Bottom line is, anyone on this planet that is human is capable of sending energy for the well-being of others, or energy to hurt and terrorize. Remember, everything is not always as we see it to be on the surface. Judgment is a strong, powerful entity utilized way too much on a daily basis. Labels that judge do help us understand the world around us, but they also keep us prisoner in our own minds and hearts

AboutMichellePellin

Michelle began her spiritual journey when she was a child after a family trip at age 6 to Salem, MA. After being introduced to the world of the occult, Michelle became obsessed with witches and ghosts, using tarot and ouija to communicate with the spirit world, performing magic for friends and family, reading endless books about the witch trials and ghost encounters, watching endless hours of “Bewitched” and “Charmed”, and even writing her high school senior thesis on poltergeists. Halloween did not go by without Michelle dressing up as a witch, except for the year she was Casper the friendly ghost!

When Michelle entered college, got married, had a full-time job, had children, did foster care and had multiple pets (and somehow kept her sanity in check through it all), things came to a halt for over 30 years. During this time, Michelle continued to use her gifts of clairsentience and claircognizance without realizing it, as she was often labeled “too sensitive”, and was told “you seem to have someone looking out for you”. In 2014, Michelle gained her professional mental health counseling license, and in 2018, she was led by spirit to a holistic healing center in Durham CT called “The Red Barn in Durham”, where she left her full time social work job to have her own holistic private practice. This led Michelle to have a spiritual “breakdown” of her ego, also known as a spiritual awakening!

Michelle’s world was turned upside down, as she was raised Roman Catholic, as she was taught that they were the one “true” religion. Michelle began to question everything, obsessively research, and challenge herself to let go of the guilt, shame and limiting beliefs that attaches itself to anyone who follows this religious path. Michelle felt terrified and exhilarated all at the same time while she was pulling away from a belief system layered in fear, and at times, thought she might be going crazy…

Michelle then joined a spiritual support group, which helped her connect with others who were going through the same process, and also helped her connect to a community of like minded individuals. Relief was on its way, as Michelle learned that others were having the same experiences as her! Michelle’s first mentors were Stephanie Rosally-Kaplan, Reiki Master/teacher/psychic medium, and Jennifer Gaylord, psychic medium, the leaders of the support group. Stephanie and Jennifer helped Michelle connect with her gifts, her ancestry, and her healing abilities. Within a few months, Michelle became a Reiki Master, and was able to use this ability to help others heal on a physical and emotional level.

In 2019, Michelle then met Paul Rice, psychic ghost worker (NOT hunter-Michelle does not believe in hunting people, or animals for that matter!), who would be her next mentor. Paul was teaching a class on how to tap into your psychic abilities in order to help ghosts move onto the light. Paul believed that there were many reasons why souls didn’t move on, and it was up to us to guide them, facilitate healing, and move them on to their version of heaven. Michelle developed her gifts, and realized that she could add clairvoyance to her spiritual resume! Paul was also teaching Michelle how to psychically protect herself, which is absolutely necessary for this type of work (although Michelle believes that humans are MUCH more scary than ghosts!). In 2021, Paul gave the group a formal name entitled “SHONE-spirit healers of New England” in order to continue his legacy (on FB and IG). When Paul retires and moves out of the country in 2023, Michelle will co lead the group, as her passion for rescue mediumship has soared.

In 2020, the pandemic hit, and doing things online suddenly exploded. Many famous mediums who were inaccessible suddenly were available at the request of a Zoom link. During this time, Michelle connected with mediums all over the world, and started doing practice circles and gallery readings that challenged her abilities (and scared her to death!). Michelle’s next mentor would be Kay Reynolds, an Arthur Findley college trained medium who was previously an elementary school teacher, and can work with others in a gentle and encouraging way (which is what Michelle needed!). Kay taught Michelle to develop her gifts even further, and the gift of clairaudience began to develop. Michelle continues to challenge herself, and will be working with more talented mediums in order to gain professionalism, and to learn how to perform trance mediumship.

In 2021, Michelle decided that the witchcraft had been put on a shelf for much too long! Michelle then began her year and a day training with Stacy Salpietro-Babb, an animist village witch who showed Michelle how to forage, craft spells, create sigils, perform tarot readings, read astrology, create self care items, perform rituals, tap into familiars, honor deities, and more! Most importantly though, Stacy showed Michelle how to be proud of who she was, and how to stand in her own truth. Michelle had finally come full circle!

Today, Michelle spends most of her days running her fully remote holistic telehealth practice from her home, encouraging people to be their true authentic selves. Michelle also runs ghost field trips that are open to the public, attends her mediumship and year and a day training classes, performs tarot and mediumship readings in private and at events, and spends time with her family, friends and her cat Loki. Michelle has her own blog entitled “Ghost and Spiritual Musings” on Facebook, where she shares her extraordinary experiences within the ghost and mediumship world. Michelle has also written for various publishings, such as CWPN (CT wiccan and pagan network), and writes ritual and spellwork for her groups.

Pagan Groups

Pioneer Valley Witches & Pagans - Western Massachusetts

Pioneer Valley Witches and Pagans group is for Pagans and Witches in the Pioneer Valley, Western Mass, and nearby areas to get together, chat, network, and socialize. We have Meetups every two weeks. I'm trying to plan some more interesting outings and activities, set stay tuned! You can find us at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/pioneerwitchesandpagans/?ref=share and for those not on Facebook: https://meetingplace.io/PVW

Fitchburg Pagan Group in Fitchburg, MA

Merry Meet! This group is for Pagans of all types (wiccan, neopagan, Celtic, etc.) in or near Fitchburg, MA, to meet and socialize. It's also a welcoming place for those who are curious about paganism. We have online gatherings for those who are not local. Join here: https://www.meetup.com/fitchburg-pagan-meetup-group

List your Pagan group here for free!

Shay for info:

The

Advocate

WRITTEN BY: JOHN SHADEN

So, last time we spoke, I left y’all in a bit of a cliffhanger scenario. I am so sorry. It simply had to be, my sexy little salamanders. Like the scorpion told that dying frog he just stung as they both sank into the water., ‘ you knew what I was. It’s in my nature. I'm a weird morbid f*ck. It's in my nature to take you, kicking and screaming like a little puss, into the dark side of the magickal experience. If you have a weak stomach or find me morally reprehensible, first off that is absolutely hilarious & second, go p!ss up a rope. You know I'm the bad guy. I am the sonofab!tch who is gonna take you through the blood, guts, and gore and then take you out for ice cream and LSD. I’m not a human trafficker or serial killer (yet) but don't come to me for ‘white hat cowboy B.S’. I am far too exhausted from working and insomnia to care even a little bit about any moral qualms you hippies may or may not have. This is MY kingdom and this is a kingdom of woe. Abandon all hope, ye who enter.

Now, since we got all of that out of the way, we can begin the journey into freakville. Remote viewing is a mixed bag of gags. And when it's the government trying to harness such an incredible skill, things are gonna get weird.

The Devil's Advocate

Bureaucratic Alchemy (part 2): staring into the sunwheel with a head of horrors/ the blind leading the blind to ice cream and LSD

WRITTEN BY: JOHN SHADEN

Project Stargate was a top secret Army unit that was established in 1978 at Fort Meade, Maryland. Under the Defense Intelligence Agency(DIA) and the SRI institute(a California contractor), ‘the man’ studied the potential of weaponizing psychic abilities, most notably, remote viewing, also known as ESP (Extra Sensory Perception). Remote viewing is the process of using one's third eye(or mind's eye) to locate a person, place, or thing in an undisclosed location. I myself have used this ability quite a few times successfully, but nowhere near as deadly accurate as some other remote viewers. So, the government will tell you that nothing ever became of these studies and that it was a gigantic waste of time and money (the program was allegedly shut down in 1995). Well, far be it from me to believe the government is efficient and weary of blowing untold zillions of tax dollars on an absolute snipe hunt. But I find it very fishy that they'd let a program this outside the square cube of bland bureaucracy go 15 goddamn years and it bears little or no fruit? It just makes no sense. Not to mention that the Russians had their own little psychic war party going on Those pinko scumbags had at least a 10 year head start

The Devil's Advocate

Bureaucratic Alchemy (part 2): staring into the sunwheel with a head of horrors/ the blind leading the blind to ice cream and LSD

WRITTEN BY: JOHN SHADEN

So, if this sounds like something out of Stranger Things, you are correct! Project Stargate was one of the biggest inspirations in the writing of the show. As was MK Ultra, and boy is this where shit gets dark, but I'll save that for the next abomination spawned from the labyrinth of my mind. It must make you wonder. I mean, these are the things that have been declassified. Imagine the things that stay buried, burned, locked up tight. Well, imagine for a second being able to read a secure document from a room 6 thousand miles away. Now that's remote viewing. Imagine seeing Elvis playing pinnacle with bigfoot and Martians on a UFO piloted by a giant evil ravioli. That's a heavy psychedelic. Ice cream and LSD, here we come!!! Next stop, MK Ultra

AboutJohnShraden

John Shaden was born on a leap year in 1988. He is a musician, black magickian, and a chaos gnostic satanist John has had a keen interest in the occult and left hand path since as early as he can remember. He was born and raise Catholic, John found himself spiritually crippled and in his late teens decided to look into the darkness for answers and he found them. Through ritual magick and in communion with the divine, John has been able to sharpen his skills as a psychic and practitioner of the black work.

John founded an occult order known as the, “Order of the Oblivion,” in which he and his fraternal brother work with other occult organizations in forwarding their goals of gnosis, strength, and apotheosis in 2018. Along with his spiritual path, John has been the front man for the black metal band, “CARNIVOROUS STORM,” since 2018.

John has been a writer since he was a young boy, taking inspiration from authors such as Hunter S Thompson, E A Koetting, Michael W Ford, Charles Bukowski, and Sun Tzu. He has been published on many online forums and websites along with publishing his own work on Brilliantbias.com and various other websites over the course of the last 15 years.

Holly Broderick and John Shaden have teamed up to create an amazing psychic duo, in 2022. They call themselves, “Psychics and Swears,” and have helped numerous people with all kinds of issues They have assisted several families get closure in 4 different cases of murder. They work very hard to be sure that their clients know that they are cared for, treat them with dignity and are important to their work all the while using cheeky language and humor.

With the leaves turning, the air growing crisp, the Halloween stores finally open, Samhain is coming. Our traditions, thoughts, and even decor pay homage to the dead We even have feasts to honor our dead, a holiday dedicated to ghouls, goblins, and all creatures of the dark. The veil thins as day by day we come closer to All Hallow’s Eve.

Samhain Reincarnated

WRITTEN BY: MAMA FAYE

Samhain Reincarnated

WRITTEN BY: MAMA FAYE

(continued)

Traditionally, this time of year, we find spells for the seasonal witch, the new witch, and the seasoned witch to connect with past loved ones and ancestors. You’ll see articles and posts about spell jars, cleansing the home, and preparing for winter and the coming new year.

For a witch, Samhain is the end of our year. To speak spiritually, it is to honor the death of one year and to embrace the period of rebirth for the next to come. We bear witness to the reincarnation of nature. Hold space and honor the death of winter that must come in order for new life and a bountiful spring to follow. To me, this seems like the simplest proof of reincarnation.

Something else common to this time of year, especially as we go deeper into winter, is the call for shadow work. What I would like to offer you is a new perspective of Samhain, a new method of shadow work, and perhaps even a new tradition.

Instead of reaching out to ancestors, past loved ones, or Baba Yaga this year, I would like to invite you to try something different as the veil thins This year, I invite you to connect to your own past lives. To connect to the ancestors of your own incarnation.

Do you know there are patterns and wounds that can carry over with us from one life into the next? Sometimes for many lives to come. Literally, these soul wounds can remain with us lifetime after lifetime, often until we can heal them.

Samhain Reincarnated

WRITTEN BY: MAMA FAYE

(continued)

Shadow work empowers us to go deeper into ourselves in order to heal old wounds, patterns, break free from negative programming and even generational or reincarnated curses.

How might your life change if you were able to speak to your former self and learn about the lessons they couldn’t escape in their lifetime? What might you learn from your former self? Shadow reincarnation work is the key to unlock the door of answers that can help you understand your habits, and challenges you have faced throughout your whole life

As the veil thins you can use this period to call up past lives using varied methods of communing with the dead. This can be done one life at a time, like inviting a friend to tea. Or you can host a dumb supper with many of your own past selves.

To help inspire you to create a special ritual for this, I will share with you my own process for reconnecting to my past lives, and channeling their divine knowledge. I certainly encourage you to elaborate and design your own variations.

Samhain Reincarnated

WRITTEN BY: MAMA FAYE

(continued)

To begin, I will prepare a ritual bath to help purify my body and energy. The key to channeling the dead, including your own past lives, is to be relaxed and open to the process and experience. So starting with a bath can make the entire experience more palpable. This is when I will do my breathwork, and most importantly when I will call in my spirit guides to keep me safe and to help support me in my work. Consider your guides as your own personal gurus and fairy godparents. They add juice to your spells, and keep your body and soul safe from attack or harm in your spiritual work. To do this I personally use a sacred prayer that acknowledges and invites all of my support systems of the cosmos. Bless your bath water by kneeling outside of your tub and holding your hands above the water’s surface without touching it. Speak the sacred words of your choosing. I also like to add moon water or some form of holy water to my baths, especially for reincarnation work.

For bath tea, I recommend reusable bath size tea bags to prevent floaties and debri from going down the drain, but each to their own

Samhain Reincarnated

WRITTEN BY: MAMA FAYE

(continued)

Herbs for a Samhain Bath: remember with baths to focus on what’s best for your skin and any possible allergies first. When in doubt, leave it out. All herbs from your bath can be kept, dried, and burned for incense. Any herbs you wish to use but are concerned about bathing in or drinking can be burned as incense.

Cedar Mullein (if not familiar with the proper harvesting of this plant, buy it already dried.)

Mugwort

Wormwood

Yew (Don’t burn yew. It will release toxic fumes and potentially kill you. These are not the get you high kind of fumes, these are the actual painful death kind of fumes. It’s the Death Tree because it is poisonous.)

Apple seeds (Apples sliced in half can be added to the bath too)

Star of Anise

Bay Laurel Leaf Chervil

Lavender

Thyme

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Samhain Reincarnated

WRITTEN BY: MAMA FAYE

(continued)

Other natural ingredients ideal for Samhain and connecting to our past lives

Marigold

Asphodel

Birch bark, when traditionally used you write on the bark to petition the dead. You may write questions, or use to create an invitation to your dumb supper or tea.

Unlike with most necromancy work, you do not want to use graveyard dirt or grave mold or moss for this spell as it will invite other spirits in, which is not your intention for incarnation work.

Be sure to add epsom salt and baking soda to your bath water. This will support you in your work, help you with relaxing, and restores your pH balance!

I prefer to use music focused on supporting my connection to my past lives. There are many dedicated recordings and musical pieces for such work that can be found with a simple search. You can play this music for your bath, during free writing, and for whatever ritual you have decided on.

Samhain Reincarnated

WRITTEN BY: MAMA FAYE

(continued)

After your bath, or perhaps in the bath, I strongly recommend free writing. This is a process where you allow intuitive messages to come in There have been people who can allow themselves to channel a spirit or their own past incarnated selves so deeply that they have written lengthy and detailed letters this way, and is a powerful easy ritual to connect to your past lives. This must be done with pencil (or pen or crayon) and paper, not digitally. That means no phone, no tablet, no laptop or computer.

This is the ideal time to invite our past lives to show us moments that are important. Allow your visualization process to guide you without your focused effort. This process may take a very long time, or you may feel yourself going through scenes and experiences quickly. Keep breathing, and allow this process to unfold however it wishes to. Let go of control.

If possible, I strongly encourage you to hold your own version of a Dumb Supper or Death Dinner, this is traditionally a meal held in silence to honor the dead. I never felt that silence honored anyone personally, so when I personally host these meals, they are Death Dinners, as we will honor our dead with stories of their lives and shared memories.

For this intended purpose, your Death Dinner can be an invitation to a specific past life of yours you are focusing on, or several past lives and is now Samhain Reincarnated. It is traditional to fix your favorite foods. Mostly it is believed that we have favorite foods or similar foods life after life. So by honoring the things you love, you are honoring yourself and your past incarnations. Think of foods that make you truly feel good and comfortable. (continued on next page)

Samhain Reincarnated

WRITTEN BY: MAMA FAYE

(continued)

You will set as many empty places at the table as you feel is appropriate. It’s not necessary to place food on each plate, but it is good to fill the table with dishes of food as this invites all your past selves to feast on their own favorites. This is an ideal time to fill the table with your favorite seasonal grim decorum, such as skulls, coffins, black flowers and more. Go all out, this is a formal occasion that you may also wish to dress accordingly for.

Unlike traditional Dumb Suppers this is not generally a meal you invite anyone else living to. It is not a family meal, except in the sense that all of your own selves are invited. It may be ideal to host your Samhain Reincarnated meal after your Dumb Supper or perhaps before. And if a full meal is just not realistic, a tea party is absolutely an ideal substitute.

By invitation or simply by design, you may discover that for a few weeks your dreams are strange, or feel more like memories than dreams. This is natural, and to be expected as you have invited your past incarnations to communicate directly, and so it should be expected for them to do so

Samhain Reincarnated

WRITTEN BY: MAMA FAYE

(continued)

Keep journaling, and free writing as you feel inspired to do so. You will find your intuitive messages coming in louder, and more frequently for a time following this ritual

It is also good to acknowledge your higher self, perhaps holding a place at the head of the table for your higher self. All incarnations and lives have one absolute connection and we call it our higher self. Imagine what all we could learn, what all we could do, how much we could become empowered and how much healing we could experience from a better connection to our higher selves.

Until next, unique souls

Mama Faye

AboutMamaFaye

Seven times published in paranormal fiction and dramatic suspense, Faye is currently in the creation process of her first nonfiction production.

Lifelong artist, Faye has a unique style of blending creating a visual feast of color and texture through her often nature inspired abstracts Her art knows no limits and is most often found coating privately-owned walls across the midwest. Custom requests are all the artist is currently making available for sale at this time.

Mama Faye is a lifelong practitioner of eclectic arts, the extra-ordinary, and the other worldly. Faye uses her gifts and knowledge to benefit her clients and to help guide those ready along their road to healing.

She can be reached via email at themamafaye@gmail.com.

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