My journey in witchcraft since I came out of the broom closet has been pretty incredible. I began as a simple country witch and now I know people I would never have imagined I would come to meet. I think the pinnacle of any witches public career is to be recognized by the Buckland Museum of Witchcraft.
Prior to 2019 I “knew of” The Museum and never thought I would end up in attendance at their event at the last pantheacon in the company of Oberon Zell, but there I was.
In February of 2022, my book Psychic Skills for Magic and Witchcraft was released. I was honored to learn it was being sold at the Buckland Museum bookstore.
In August of 2022 Oberon Zel and I were presenting at the Eugene Pagan pride when Ceera Brandt approached us saying she had an entire collection of the Green Egg Magazine (Created by Oberon Zell) and many other pagan periodicals that had been collected by her partner Laura Wood who had recently passed she wanted to donate to us.
There were many boxes and I really enjoyed going through them. I sent the whole collection to the Buckland Museum of Witchcraft, which resulted in my being interviewed by the Museum.
In the interview, I tell the whole story and all the details and even reveal future projects. If you would like to see the video click the link below. Many Blessings!
So of late my name Cat Gina Cole has come up in conversation on social media, so I thought I would share with all of you the story of how that came to be.
When I was little my mom used to call me Kitten now and then, but only when we were alone or doing something special. the most memorable of the times she called me Kitten was on the days I said I wanted to run away. Usually, I was bored or having a bad day and I would kick up a fuss and say I was gonna run away. She would turn away from her sewing machine and say “Okay, I want to run away too can we go together?” I would agree and she would pack us a sack lunch and off we would go.
There was a small man-made lake behind our house and we would trek through the field to the lake, talking and playing along the way. On these days I was always Kitten to her. We would sit by the lake and have a grand time until I was once again bored and it was time to go home. These were the best of days.
Later when I was 21 or so, she agreed to go out to a bar with me, but she got to choose which one. On this occasion, we were at the Eagles club in Medford. She had friends there, and on this particular night, her friend and her son were sitting at a small round table with us having a good time.
Mom had agreed to dance with this rather large man who was there a couple of times. As she returned to the table after such a dance she commented on how rough and handsy he had been with her. As you might imagine this did not sit well with me and I told my mom I would take care of it. She objected to no avail.
I invited the man to come to sit with us. Mom was uncomfortable, to say the least. He sat between mom and I, rocked back on two legs of his chair being all loud and bragging. I looked up at my miserable mom and smiled as I reached down, grabbed the leg of his chair flipping him to the floor. The table and drinks spilled everywhere as I stood and very loudly said, “Don’t you ever touch me like that again!” giving him a bit of a kick. Well, the bouncer had that guy out the door in nothing flat. Once our table and drinks were restored mom turned to me grinning ear to ear and said, “Kitten hell! You’re a full-blown Cat!
I was quite satisfied with myself feeling I had earned the name and it stuck, I have been Cat ever since. That is how my mom gave me the name of Cat.
Greetings one and all! I was so touched to see how many of you came to see me talk at the Eugene pagan Pride on August 7th! You inspired me to add a part two and three to my talk on Empathic skills. In part two I will discuss how to use Empathic Skills in Magic and Witchcraft which will be presented On August 27th, in Eugene at Old Nicks pub. Here is the link for details
And part three of Empathic Skills will be presented on September 24th also at Old Nicks pub in Eugene!
In between those two events, I will be presenting at the Sacramento Pagan Pride on Sept, 10th! Here is the link for that event https://fb.me/e/22hXG0TEc I am so looking forward to being out on the circuit again and getting to see all your shining faces! Many Blessings to all!
Review by Cat Gina Cole, Author of Psychic Skills for Magic and Witchcraft.
I had the distinct pleasure to review this book before its release in August 2022 and the pleasure is all mine!
The Witch Compass is an amazing and comprehensive book on Traditional Witchcraft written by Ian Chambers. In the last paragraph of the forward Ian Chambers says he is an old witch that works by sight and is in constant contact with spirit allies and gods. This statement shows me he is a serious practioner and it piqued my interest even more.
As he writes he demonstrates that the witch compass is a tool for positioning the witch within this world and is a means to travel many worlds much like a portal. The book begins by exploring the historical and cultural usage of the witch compass and introduces you to the 8 winds then gives step-by-step methods to use them via Traditional Witchcraft.
The Witches Compass even touches on the great debate of modern paganism. “Is Wicca and neo-paganism connected to ancient magic?” Ian Chambers gives a focused and historic discourse on magic and how Christianity colored witchcraft that answers that debate eloquently. I really enjoyed his clear history of Gardner and others as he establishes the founding of modern witchcraft. In which he points out the similarities and differences of the Solomaiac, Free Masons, Traditional Witchcraft, and Wiccan practices. That discourse includes an impressive list of resources and grimoires that is valuable information for any seeker. I applaud and admire the courage of the author for stating clearly and boldly his thoughts as he encourages us to decolonize our craft and describes the concept of the devil as being an advocate of the oppressed.
I find the step-by-step instructions for seekers to follow complete in a true transgressive style of witchcraft. I have seen many books on witchcraft but Ian Chambers has found the language that takes the reader to the depths needed for a serious connection to the compass and Traditional Witchcraft, his words just grab you and take you to that place.
The Witches Compass even explores man’s discovery of the cardinal directions and names of the winds. In this exploration, you will find a history of the magnetized compass and illustrations from the grimoires of Agrippa and others. In this section, he connects the witch compass to evoking the directions and casting a circle as they were done in the ancient mysteries.
I loved the section that tells of the arrival of the cunning folk in society, and how they created a compass. Their compass has an alphabet that correlates to numbers, the zodiac, and the cardinal directions. Yay cunning folk! This allowed them to traverse the compass in the most remarkable ways as they applied the ancient mythos.
Ian Chambers then leaves nothing out as he writes about the five senses, the pentacle, and the crossroads. He demonstrates how they are connected to the witch compass and current magical traditions. The section on knot work and working with the winds is very intriguing and has a step-by-step exercise to teach the reader how to do this type of work, which I cannot wait to practice!
As you read Ian Chambers’s work, you begin to understand what the witch compass is and its importance to Traditional Witchcraft. and, that this book, The Witch Compass contains real and serious magic. A trend that continues throughout the book. This is an exciting and skilled book and every word captured my attention. I find The Witch Compass to not only be a step-by-step guide to the witch compass and Traditional Witchcraft but also a grimoire of spells and rituals and a true resource for any seeker, this book does not disappoint!
It has been a while since I spoke about weather magic. In my previous posts on the subject, I discussed how I got so connected to the natural forces over the years. In my presentation for the LlewellynCon I spoke about how psychic skills enhanced magic and witchcraft, but it really was a lesson on weather magic. (The link is below.) Today I thought I would share more about what I personally have been doing to help our Mother Earth to heal and restore given the climate change issues we see daily.
I began my work in March after our February was a bit too warm for comfort. Fearing what that might mean for the fire season I sat for several days in a row in meditation and dream work communing with the Elements and Mother Earth. I came away from that work knowing the Elements and the Earth were out of balance in a way that scientists and meteorologists cannot know and the Earth was asking for help. Now I have done weather magic in many states over time and had developed something of a routine way of proceeding but my meditations and dream work in this matter showed me something more was needed.
So on March 15, 2022, The Ides of March, I began what would become my daily work for the next two months. I began in meditation connecting to the Elements. I then carried that connection outside with me and made a physical connection to the Earth by placing one hand on the ground.
This is when “the something more” happened. Because I am clairvoyant I began to see and hear all the green and living, not only paying attention but saying, “Hey us too! We are all water seekers.” I saw all the creepy crawlies, insects, and flying things and could see and hear all the plants join in a chorus of “We the water seekers are here.”It was almost overwhelming as it all flowed through me.
Because of my skill, I relaxed and breathed in their energy through my whole body to become a conduit for them. I let their energy join with the connection to the Elements I already had within me.
I became the place the water seekers were able to connect to and speak with the Elements and make their requests. The images that flowed through my mind were amazing and it was in that manner I was “moved or instructed” on what to do next. With one hand on the ground and my head down and eyes closed, my other hand rose toward the sky as the words spontaneously spilled from my lips voicing the request of the Water Seekers.
Then as I stood up, I further drew all that combined energy through me. I channeled it and cast it toward the atmosphere, I could feel the power of it all vibrating me. All that energy made my impassioned plea grow louder and the energy continued to rise. Suddenly the mountains began to add their voices, saying “We hear you, we can help, we are water seekers too.” I began to tremble at the energy I was channeling and casting.
When I felt something of a peak or break, I then put a hand back on the Earth. Taking a breath for my own body and with one hand in the air, I projected this connection and invited Mother Earth herself to join us in this healing, in that moment I felt her sorrow and I cried with her.
When the stillness came, I knew the Elements were now listening. So quietly and near spent still channeling as a conduit, I asked the Elements to give we, the water seekers, and the green and living, balanced, and average seasons as they saw fit in their infinite wisdom, so that they the all-powerful may heal our Mother and all the green and living water seekers. That was day one, as was by far the most intense of them. Each day after did not require such intense work as the connection had been made and was easier to tap.
Each day until May 1st I lifted my voice to the Elements repeating my request using the energy and the voices of the water seekers, the green and living. Each day I also asked the mountains to lend their assistance in drawing the weather needed.
I paused my work on May 1st to give room for the elements to work in their own way and show me what their infit wisdom was. May and June 2022 were the first “normal” spring we have had here in five years, possibly more. Our rivers and lakes are full and the water seekers and the green and living are flourishing, for now. Since mid-May when the rains began I have given daily gratitude to the Elements for their infinite wisdom and nourishing ways.
In the past, I typically would ask for rain. It is the most obvious thing we need I thought. Often though I would see a backlash of sorts, where rain would come then the heat would scorch after. Then it hit me, we need the balance of all the elements. When also thinking of climate change it made even more sense.
So now when I do weather working I include the water seekers, the mountains, and the green and living. I ask not just for rain, but for the Elements to work equally well together in their infinite wisdom to provide “normal/average” seasons to be provided to the Earth to assist in healing her. Then I let go and let them work and express my gratitude to them for listening.
Witches, Mages, Magicians, Healers, Energy Workers, and Practitioners, we have an opportunity upon us. There is a planetary alignment that will last 10 days, beginning today. This particular alignment will not be seen again until 2040. I usually do not make a big deal over planetary alignments but I find this one a special opportunity for magic. Why is this one special to me? Because the planets it involves gives us an extra opportunity to help our current world situation, and the conjuncture reaches its peak on the Solctice lending more power to the working.
In this conjuncture, we have, Jupiter, Mercury, Saturn, Venus, and Mars. As you look at the attributes as I know them, think of the issues that are current in our world today.
Jupiter-Luck, growth, optimism, Abundance, and understanding.
Mercury- Trade, wages, merchants, speed, communication, financial gain, and water.
Venus- love, relationships, balance, harmony, and positive feminine energy.
Mars- Desire, Action, Energy, Survival, Change, Transformation, and Positive male energy.
Saturn- maturity, Responsibility, Stewardship, Motivation, Work, and Rules over Authority.
I am sure you can see where we need amplification of all of them to come into balance in our current world situation. I think if we use this opportunity to tap the energetic and spiritual properties of each of these planets, we can give our world an extra boost of healing and balance. It is my hope many will join me in this work for the next ten days. Many Blessings to all!
I am excited to tell you about my weekly column at The House of Twigs! (THoT)
I receive questions from all kinds of practitioners and seekers via an encrypted email that is private and secure through the THoT website, and I can tell you there is such a variety of topics you never know what you will discover, and it is completely free! So enjoy and don’t be shy about sending in your questions and we will see you all again next week!
“When the four elements are in balance within our atmosphere, we, the green and living are also in balance.”
Balance has been on my mind a lot of late as I look back on some of my interviews since my book came out and then look at my yard and property. It seems I have been swept up in my “Book Tour” which has mostly been online. I am so grateful for the response my book is getting. What really makes my heart sing is when someone says my book reached them and helped them in some way or that they like how it is “Plain Speaking” as tho I am speaking directly to them. That kind of feedback really touches my heart and fills it during the moment. Yet there is a longing in my spirit and soul. I have a longing to reconnect to the more earthly and grounded side of me.
I long for more time for my community in person, and more time for friends and family. As I speak to that part of me, I realize, I need to make the earthly parts of me the priority and the public writer part of me secondary.
It is so easy to get caught up in the forward motion of it all, the recognition, praise, and attention. The encouragement from followers to create more content, cause well, that is how it works and what everyone does right? It is, but that does not mean that is the way it should be for everyone.
If there is one thing I teach it is knowing and honoring the true self. I teach how to find and be your true self. I teach how to be courageous enough to be your true self in the busy and pressured world. It is time for me to practice what I preach.
This means a change to my routines. Rather than going right to the computer each morning, I am now going to walk my property and commune with my plants. From here, before I make any other business commitments, I will now consult with my true self and ask them where their spirit is for the day and what would bring them the most solace and enjoyment. ( I say we and them because there is more than one part of me and because of my psychism and witchcraft I am never alone.)
To make changes and practice self-care, balance and inner peace does not have to be a huge and difficult thing. It can even be small changes that begin the process of nurturing your soul. What changes will you make to ease that inner part of your soul?”
I thought I would share my only live video interview to date. This interview occurred before I even received my first copy of my book. Elhoim is amazing and it was such a pleasure to visit with him. I hope you enjoy this as much as I did.
