SAY WHAT?
Who's binding what?
by: Faerie GodsmotherV
O
HIDING IN THE SHADOWS THE HIDDEN CHAPTER
by Lily MayaCOACH, BIGFOOT AND THE GREAT BEYOND by
Faerie GodsmotherTHE POWER OF COMMUNITY: WHY SOLITARY WITCHES NEED SUPPORTIVE GROUPS
by Lady Shay Bygul
Letter from the Owner
Wisdom from the Faerie Godsmother: Coach, Bigfoot and The Great Beyond
The Witches' Corner: The Power of Community: Why Solitary Witches Need Supportive Groups
The Devil's Advocate: ‘A Crown of Antlers’: A
Review of ‘True Detective: season 1
Pagan Group Listings
Sharing My "Witchy Side" with the World Letter From the Editor HIDING IN THE SHADOWS: The Hidden Chapter Say What?
Magick is a complicated thing, and no results are guaranteed. No medical or income claims are made in this publication. This publication may contain adult language and situations. There is a wide array of views expressed in this publication. Read at your own risk. Perform any spells or rituals at your own risk.
If you open some creepy portal or summon an uncooperative demon, it's not our fault.
Since founding this magazine in January od 2022, we’ve published monthly. I have loved seeing all of the stories that come to me through these pages, sent in by such talented writers!
But, for now, we will be shifting to a quarterly publication schedule: January, April, July, and October. Life events have come into play, so it’s time to slow down a bit. We may go back to a monthly schedule in the future - who knows? Stay tuned!
Thank you for continuing on this journey with us.
It means the world to me.
I wish you Peace, Long Life, & Joy --
Lady Shay BygulP.S. If you are enjoying this magazine, would you consider buying me a coffee? It's just $3, but it would help a lot and be very much appreciated. https://ko-fi.com/ladyshay
WRITTEN BY: LADY SHAY BYGUL
Solitary witches (like myself), those who practice their craft alone, often find deep meaning and independence in their solitary practice. However, the path of the solitary witch can sometimes be a challenging one. In this article, we'll explore the importance of finding a group of supportive witches, even if you primarily practice alone, and how such a community can enhance your spiritual journey.
One of the most significant benefits of being part of a supportive witchcraft community is the opportunity to learn and grow. While solitary practitioners have the freedom to explore their path independently, they may miss out on the shared wisdom and experiences that come from practicing with others. In a group, you can exchange knowledge, learn new techniques, and gain insights that you might not discover on your own.
Witchcraft is a deeply personal and transformative journey. When you belong to a community of like-minded individuals, you have a safe space to share your experiences, challenges, and triumphs Others can relate to your spiritual journey and offer guidance, support, and validation. Sharing your path with others helps you feel connected and less isolated in your practice.
(continued on the next page)
Witchcraft often involves rituals, ceremonies, and celebrations that are more powerful when performed in a group. The collective energy of a supportive witch community can enhance the effectiveness of spells and rituals Celebrating the Wheel of the Year, conducting group spellwork, and participating in magical ceremonies can be deeply enriching experiences that strengthen your connection to your craft.
The journey of a witch can be emotionally challenging at times. There may be moments of doubt, uncertainty, or personal struggles. Having a supportive witch community provides a network of emotional support. Fellow witches can offer guidance, lend a listening ear, or provide comfort during difficult times, helping you navigate the ups and downs of your spiritual path.
Joining a witchcraft group can also help you stay accountable and motivated in your practice Knowing that others are on a similar path can inspire you to maintain a regular practice, explore new areas of witchcraft, and set and achieve spiritual goals. It can be a source of motivation to deepen your craft and commitment.
(continued on the next page)
In a diverse witchcraft community, you're exposed to a wide range of perspectives, traditions, and beliefs. This diversity can challenge your assumptions, broaden your understanding, and encourage you to explore different aspects of witchcraft. It fosters an environment of acceptance and inclusivity, promoting personal growth and spiritual enrichment.
While solitary witchcraft has its merits, the value of a supportive witch community cannot be underestimated. Finding a group of like-minded individuals can enhance your learning, provide emotional support, and enrich your practice in ways that solitary work may not offer.
Whether you're a solitary practitioner seeking occasional group interaction or someone looking to regularly practice with others, joining a supportive witchcraft community can be a transformative and empowering experience on your spiritual journey. Remember, you don't have to choose between solitude and community; both can coexist to help you become a stronger and more enlightened witch.
For me, personally, I didn’t find a group to belong to. I created two of them. One of them is the online community, PurrfectlyPagan.com. and the other is my local Pagan/Witch group, which has grown to over 200 members in less than two years.
Go forth and find your people They are waiting for you
Blessed Be.
Lady Shay embodies a rich spectrum of spiritual beliefs as a devoted Unitarian Universalist Pagan and an eclectic witch Deeply attuned to the interconnectedness of all beings and the beauty of nature, she finds solace and inspiration in the diverse traditions and practices that encompass her spiritual path. Driven by a profound sense of purpose, Shay has dedicated herself to uplifting the Pagan community and creating a platform where individuals can freely share their wisdom, experiences, and perspectives
In January of 2022, fueled by her passion for fostering community and promoting spiritual growth, Shay embarked on a remarkable journey by founding Purrfectly Pagan Magazine
Recognizing the need for a publication that caters specifically to Pagans and their unique spiritual needs, she set out to create a sanctuary within the pages of her magazine a space where fellow Pagans could come together, celebrate their traditions, and explore the depths of their faith.
Through Purrfectly Pagan Magazine, Shay not only imparts wisdom but also provides a platform for individuals within the Pagan community to share their unique voices and perspectives She believes that everyone has a story to tell, and by amplifying these diverse voices, she empowers her readers to forge deeper connections and foster a sense of belonging within the broader Pagan community.
Driven by a genuine desire to make a difference, Shay goes beyond the pages of her magazine to actively support and engage with the Pagan community. She organizes events, workshops, and gatherings that bring together like-minded individuals, creating opportunities for collaboration, learning, and personal growth. By fostering a sense of unity and camaraderie, Shay weaves a vibrant tapestry of shared experiences and collective wisdom that helps propel the Pagan community forward.
At a funeral a long time ago someone told me that no one truly dies until everyone that knew them, loved them, or remembers them for good or bad reasons is dead So, I suppose, if you want to be immortal you would need to do something so legendary that it’s in history books, songs, movies, TV shows and shared from country to country. Or maybe immortality isn’t the goal.
Maybe just touching one life, or a handful of lives is enough. Maybe just being yourself and genuinely caring for your friends and family is enough. Maybe those memories are there to comfort and teach those that we leave behind, and maybe that’s enough.
Sometimes we touch people’s lives more profoundly than we realize. Sometimes, one comment, one tip, one vote of confidence, one piece of advice, or one joke is enough to help a person turn their day, their week, their month, or even their whole life around.
As I write this, I have one person in mind, my father. My dad has impacted so many people’s lives and I’m not sure that he really knew to what degree. I have three siblings and growing up, each of us played sports. My brother played football, basketball, and baseball. Football ended up being the ticket for a scholarship program to a great school, but it all started with my dad. My sisters played basketball, softball and soccer. I did Taekwondo, basketball, and softball. As an adult I taught Shaolin Ch’uan Fa for 10 years. My father was a coach for all of it except for soccer and the martial arts. But he did go to soccer games and practices and took the Taekwondo class with me.
My father signed up to coach the different sports we were in so that he could be with us, get to know our friends and teammates, and make memories. He told me recently that he didn’t know anything about some of the sports he coached until after he signed up to do it He said that he rented videos from the local library to learn about the various sports and how to coach them. He learned drills and coaching techniques, so that he could teach us. I’ve had a lot of coaches, teachers, advisors and senseis and each one of them has taught me something, but only one had that kind of love and dedication.
Throughout the years, old teammates have shared with me words of wisdom that they learned from my dad or shared memories with me about how he helped them in one way or another. When sharing what my old teammates said with my dad he would always say something like, “Oh yeah?! How are they doing? I’m surprised they even remember me. They were only on my team for one year.” And then he would go on to say what year it was and how he remembered them to be This leads me to believe that he had no real idea of how his actions affected others and shows me just how he cared for each of the kids he coached.
I’ve learned so many lessons from my father. He is where my curiosity comes from. I’ve got my mom’s creativity, propensity for deep talks and self-exploration but I get my curiosity from my dad.
He would drop nuggets of thought provoking information on us. They were little bombs of intel that came out of left field and you never know when one was coming. Boom! “Our dollar bill has a lot of ancient symbols on it, and no one ever thinks about that.” Boom! “Did you know that Americans didn’t really want to fight in WWII? We were sending ammo, guns and other supplies over, but didn’t really want to fight.” I cannot tell you how many long, fascinating conversations were filled with intel bombs like that. I did more research to keep up with my dad and his intel bombs than I ever did for school. I was lightyears ahead of other kids when we had to learn how to write research papers. They were still learning how to look things up in reference books and I already knew how to do that because of my dad and his intel bombs.
I also get my love of the fringe from my dad. Now, I don’t mean the material that hangs off of clothing or the edges of blankets. When I say the fringe, I mean things that people don’t often talk about The things that are considered outside of the norm Things like Bigfoot, aliens, paranormal phenomenon, ancient religions and the occult. Let’s just say he’s read a lot of Dan Brown, Stephen King, and Tom Clancy novels, and watched a lot of documentaries about Bigfoot and various other cryptids. Some of it he believed, some of it he didn’t but he was always fascinated by the tales that people told. Conspiracy theories and the idea of large humanoid beings living just out of our sight fascinated my father to no end.
He loved learning different theories about how ancient beings moved and shaped huge stones to make the pyramids, Stonehenge and the Maoi Statues on Easter Island. Between that and my mom’s interest in Reiki, and hypnosis, it’s no wonder I fell in love with the occult and learned energy healing.
Contrary to what you may think after reading this, I do not have my father on a pedestal. I see him clearly with, “warts and all.” I see him with his occasional grumpiness, his occasionally interrupting people, his wonderfully wicked sense of humor that occasionally got him in trouble, any bad habits that he may have had But all of his flaws are far outshined by his heart, his loyalty, protectiveness, his willingness to accept the mistakes he made (if he could see that he made a mistake he owned it), his undying love of my mom, his undying love of his children and grandchildren, and his love of dogs. I hope he is happy and his soul is cared for with grace as he travels on.
There are many beliefs about the afterlife. Catholics/Christians believe in Heaven, Hell, Purgatory, judgment day and all of that. Jewish people believe in an afterlife but are far less cut and dry about their beliefs. Hindus and Buddhism teach about reincarnation. Druids believed that when we die here, we are born in the other world and continue a cycle of learning forever. Norse pagans have Valhalla and Hel (Hel is for regular folks, Valhalla is for warriors). Ancient Greeks had the river styx, and the underworld. Whereas others think once we are gone, that’s it.
As for me, I think that our souls pass the veil, connect to everyone we knew and loved that passed before us, review what we learned, and eventually go back to Earth when we are ready to and learn more. I feel like we do this over and over again, until we have learned all we can and become what some call an angel, others say deity, and some say a God/Goddess or the universe. Whenever I ask spirit what happens after we pass on, I never get a straight answer, so I surmise that it’s not for us to know until we get there.
So, Dad, many blessings to you weary traveler. May your soul be mended and your heart be full. May your glass be forever filled with Diet Coke, your plate be full of meat and potatoes, and your dogs come running when you call
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."
To learn more, please reach out to Holly: 475-329-8997
Hollybhealthy@gmail.com
Are you one of those people who only work when the light comes through?
Are you hiding behind the easy moments?
Or I just skip the poem and ask directly...
Do you make your way through the shadows?!
We often use the light as an excuse. You've probably heard this: 'If it's not easy, it's not for me'.
Yes, I agree. And disagree.
Moments of struggle are not easy. But they are here to teach us Boundaries. They are here to solidify our Strength
They are here to show us a different, new way out.
They must be here, so we can experience ease.
The energy we pursue our shadows with is the energy of ease or struggle. That is something we choose.
I struggled with nightmares. For years. It was my pain that I couldn't resolve. Until I did. Until I stopped to look at it as a pain and started to look for the solution, for the 'What else I can do about it?!' That changed everything.
Seeing your shadows dancing in front of you feels like distortion. Because it does disturb our frequency. But we can learn to bring it back to balance, hold that shadow by the hand, and dance together!
That is the Magical Moment!
That is the experience of relief and joy. Of pride. Of ourselves.
Because in that moment we KNOW that there's nothing that can stop us on our way, wherever we desire to go Our core is concrete Our core energy is the driver through the manifestation process. We are in POWER!
Ask yourself again...
Is there any chapter of your book that you are afraid to look at?
Your book of Life.
Your book of Desires.
Your book of Love.
Is there any shadow peaking and scaring you to death?
Face it.
Just face it.
WRITTEN BY: LILY MAYA
Let it dance its dance, right there, in front of you. Let it out. And hold on. Because it will be gone soon. If the light is out, light a candle.
If the storm is coming, build a shelter.
If the road gets rocky, make wings and learn to fly. There's always a way, if you're willing to make peace with the shadow. Unite the dawn with the dark and watch them shine together.
Open the hidden chapters and look for The MAGIC
Wishing you Calm & Magic
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.
When I first began my full time mental health private practice, I was so concerned about my professional image. Being in this business, one of the most important qualities a therapist can have is to grow and nurture a rapport of respect and trust between client and counselor. The client, especially ones who have experienced trauma (and who here among us hasn’t in some way, shape or form), needs to be able to share their deepest, darkest stories and thoughts unfiltered to the mental health professional in order for the healing process to begin. If the client does not trust the counselor, they will be guarded and selective in what they decide to provide, which leaves the counselor with important missing details.
“What would clients and colleagues think if they found out I was a practicing witch? Would they be fearful of it? Think I was weird and strange? Believe that I was crazy and delusional? Would they tell all their friends, family and clients not to come see me?” It was a door that I was uneasy about walking into, as I was the main breadwinner in my family, and needed the business to thrive. I also loved being a therapist, and started to tell myself stories someone would report me to the state licensing board.
As it turns out, my Christian past was getting in the way of my Pagan present. The more clients I was able to obtain, the braver I became. I worked hard on pushing through my fears and began revealing my practice to clients who identified as witches themselves. Turns out that they had sought me out due to my holistic title and were excited to find out I was also a witch like them. Then I pushed myself further, and started to become transparent with my spiritual clients, even the ones that identified as Christian. No one was upset or fearful. Instead, they were intrigued, and wanted to learn how to do self-love spells and how to properly clear their homes from negative energy.
That’s when I took the big leap. Telling non-spiritual clients who I was. At first, I was petrified. Will they judge me? Say that I am a fake? With the exception of two individuals who identified as atheist, everyone accepted me for who I was, and still does. They didn’t see it as a big deal. It was me who was telling myself it was.
Today, I am proud to service the witches that come to me. I am proud to serve the non-witches that are fascinated with what I do and want to try witchcraft for themselves. I am also proud to provide therapy to the spiritual folks who don’t care about my rituals, and the clients who just want to be heard and validated with no spiritual focus.
By showing the professional world who I really am, I have attracted more clientele than ever before, and have multiple tools in my toolbox to utilize, using conventional and nonconventional practices to fit the client’s needs.
By just being me, my practice is better than ever. You could say that’s magical in itself. Or you could say I finally came out of the broom closet in my professional life. Either way, it's a win win.
Don’t be afraid to challenge the professional boundaries in your life. You might be surprised at the result.
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.
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
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!
Contact Shay for info:
https://www.purrfectlypagan.com/contact.html
WARNING: ADULT LANGUAGE
“Ithinkhumanconsciousnesswasatragicmisstepinevolution.Webecametooself-aware, naturecreatedanaspectofnatureseparatefromitself;wearecreatureswhoshouldnotexist bynaturallaw.Wearethingsthatlaborundertheillusionofhavingaself;anaccretionof sensory,experienceandfeeling,programmedwithtotalassurancethatweareeachsomebody, wheninfacteverybodyisnobody.Maybethehonorablethingforourspeciestodoistodeny ourprogramming….Stopreproducing.Walkhandinhandintoextinction,onelastmidnightbrothersandsistersoptingoutofarawdeal.”
-RustCohle,TrueDetective
‘A Crown of Antlers’: A Review of ‘True Detective: season 1
WARNING:
by John Shaden
Those of you who are familiar with my work and my stance on things like police, spirituality, politics, etc may be shocked that I am a huge fan of the character of Rust Cohle ( played by Matthew McConaughey) on the HBO show True Detective, season 1. My fandom should be, if anything, seen as a shimmering thumbs up for the first season (season 2 ain't bad, but it ain't great, I ain't seen season 3 yet). I will be mentioning other characters from the show, but I'm gonna focus on Rust predominantly because his philosophy on life, death and futility semi-mirrors my own. Also, expect some spoilers (SPOILER WARNING!!!!!!), though I will try not to f*ck the narrative up too much. Honestly, if you haven't seen this series yet, stop reading this and go watch the first season. Its phenomenal.
Detective Rust Cohle isn't your average pig. He's a man who is haunted with deep emotional and psychological agonies that would drive most to a Kurt Cobain showstopper (allegedly). But as Cohle says when asked what the point of getting out of bed is in the morning and carrying on in a world of shit and misery,’ I say I’ll bear witness, but obviously it’s my programming; and I lack the constitution for suicide’. Honesty like that is either a cool, refreshing glass of water or a big ol’ swig of piss-warm bum vodka. He has no bedside manner, being referred to with many colorful nicknames and nom de plumes such as ‘the tax-man’ and my personal favorite ‘ the Michael Jordan of being a son-of-a-bitch’. Aint that great?
by John Shaden
(continued)
His character is partnered up with his antithesis, Detective Marty Hart, a Southern good ol’ boy, well liked and respected with a family and other qualities best left unmentioned. Played by the Great Woody Harrelson, he and Rust ‘catch a bad one’ out at a grand Oak Tree in a sugarcane field A young lady was drugged, tortured and murdered and her nude body was posed kneeling at the foot of the tree A blue spiral painted on the center of her back and a crown made of twigs, grass and antlers adorned her head. A blindfold over her eyes and her wrists bound, her hands in prayer. This is how the show starts. The Occult elements of the show are well thought out, well researched and well executed (no pun intended).
Many deities are invoked by this image of a crown of antlers. Cernunnos (pronounced ‘care noon ows’) of celtic mythology, Rohanitsa, and Wotan also come to mind. Pan is another horned God. This historical context and symbolism isn't lost on our misanthropic detective
His knowledge of such things along with his philosophy of nihilism and pessimism is like a jagged shard of stag horn in his partners’ side, and holy sh*t it is funny. The banter back and forth between these two is Dean Martin-Jerry, Lewis level funny….. That is if Dean and Jerry wanted to kick 7 shades of sh*t out of each other These two tough bastards tend to whoop on their suspects much more than each other, though neither one is safe from the other. These two blur the lines while still being good cops, which is kind of scarier than just being corrupt scumbags.
(continued on the next page)
by John Shaden
(continued)
All the while, the story is sliced up and spliced in a non-linear hurricane of past, present, and nothingness. Nietzschean philosophy is also invoked quite a lot, including the idea that time is a flat circle That nothing changes, but is merely recycled All your love, hate, fear, hopes and aspirations are an illusion, ‘a dream you had in a locked room’.
One thing that did annoy me, though, also a part of the brilliant writing, was the constant mentioning of ‘Devil Worship”’ and ritual human sacrifice. Of course, these ignorant swamp folk of Louisiana would assume that these crimes were committed by ‘Satanists’, invoking the ‘Satanic Panic’ of the 1980’s. They do end up uncovering a whole slew of lowlife scumf*cks who should be brutally executed publicly, but these slime are no kin of mine I don't care what you believe, if you hurt children, I'll gladly kill you. Period.
The state of Louisiana is one of the main characters itself. It's a bleak, hurricane scarred and oppressively balmy landscape of misery. Swamps of atavistic darkness surround these islands of nihilism and vice. An archipelago of electric lighted cities which are glorified whorehouses and drug dens, connected by the web strands of a grand spider, moving parts and snaring unlucky fools.
Louisiana is its own planet, ‘someone’s faded memory’.
(continued on next page)
WARNING:
Ambrose Bierce’s work ‘The Inhabitant Of Carcosa’ is referenced in this season as well as Robert W. Chambers’ ‘The King In Yellow’. The cult in the show is a white trash hodge podge of half-baked occult knowledge and Lovecraftian fan fiction mixed up in the psychic blender of a meth head. Imagine if the Cthulhu swamp cult in the Cthulhu mythos were real, but the cult members had never read anything, much less Lovecraft’s work. To do such abhorrent things whilst sailing on an ocean of deep ignorance could only be done by a lunatic on methamphetamine.
For those who don't know, the ‘King In Yellow’s’ real name is Hastur, and he is one of the ‘great old ones’ in Lovecraft’s works and a half-brother to Cthulhu himself. This sh*t is a bit convoluted, I know. You might have to do a little bit of research to grasp the whole thing. It's a lot to take in, but it is worth it.
For whatever few faults it may have, True Detective season 1 blends noir detective storytelling, drama, humor, action and cosmic horror and makes it something unique and exciting. You both feel for the parties involved and simultaneously want to smash their faces with a toolbox. The story in a nutshell is two deeply flawed but honorable men trying to tackle an entity they are not honestly prepared for and going for it anyway, personal safety be damned. The definition of gallantry.
I leave you with this line, words that i live by; ‘The world needs bad men. We keep the other bad men from the door.’
John Schaden 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.
N. R. Grossman asked: Do you think it's possible from someone to bind someone else from practicing Magick, making it ineffective?
Ok. Wow. Where to start? Let's start with the definition of binding. When looking up the word, 'binding,' in the dictionary, you're bound to find several different definitions. (See what I did there? hah!) The word binding can be a noun, verb, or adjective. Out of the 50 or so definitions that I found, only one definition does not say anything about constraints, tethering, tying together, becoming one with, securing, or protection.
In case you're curious, that one definition, that doesn't use those words states that the word binding means constipation. Don't believe me? Look it up: https://www.merriamwebster.com/dictionary/bind
The thing is, constipation is just a good a definition as any of the others to define what happens when you bind someone's magick. Binding someone's magick makes them incapable of using their skills, much like constipation makes a person incapable of using the bathroom.
Here's the thing. Binding someone else's abilities can be dangerous. While it has the potential to protect you and others from the practitioner in question it can be really tricky to do. Practitioners of magick often have layers of protection spells to keep them safe, and it can be difficult to get past all of that. Many practitioners use, "Return To Sender," spells for protection. If the person you're trying to bind has an effective "Return To Sender," set up, you're proverbially screwed because that'll sending the binding spell right back to you.
Not to mention if that practioner feels what you're doing and is more experienced or stronger in their craft, then not only will you likely fail in your quest but you may be starting a war with them. That is not a war you want to start.
(continued on the next page)
WHO'S BINDING WHAT NOW?Yes. Yes it is possible to disable someone else's magick abilities provided you know exactly what you're doing and are better and/or a more powerful practitioner than they are. But I STRONGLY advise against it. Just like constipation backs up excrement in your bowels causing discomfort and an abundance of crap, with an eventual proverbial bombing of the bathroom, binding someone improperly can cause a build up of power behind a magickal firewall leading to an eventual magickal bombing of the everything
The number one reason people think about binding someone else's magick is that they are afraid that the person is doing, or will do horrible things with their craft. If this is the case for you, you are likely better off protecting yourself and your loved ones with a "Return to Sender Spell," or some other protection spell.
Please let us know what you would like to know. If you would like to ask us a question just email us at: ladyshay@purrfectlypagan.com or Hollybhealthy@gmail.com
You can also ask your question on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/purrfectlypaganmagazine
Or on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/purrfectlypagan/
Dear Reader --
What inspires you? Is it love? Money? Fame? Family?
What lights a fire under your butt?
I've been contemplating this a lot. The more connected I am to what inspires me, the more success I have. Recently I've been inspired to do a lot of different things and I'm up late at night working on them, doing the things I love. I'm helping people and creating things I love for people who need my creations.
Motivational speakers call it, 'finding your why,' as they talk about manifestation I wonder if they know that they're promoting magick. I bet that a bunch of them have no idea that they're promoting magick.
I encourage you to think about your why. Think about the things that inspire you. Think about the reasons why you do what you do
P.S. If you are enjoying this magazine, would you consider buying me a coffee? It's just $3, but it would help a lot and be very much appreciated. https://ko-fi.com/ladyshay