Category: podcasts and reviews

Posted on

Buckland Museum of Witchcraft

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!

 

Posted on

The Witch Compass by Ian Chambers

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!

Posted on

BALANCE AND THE SOUL

BALANCE AND THE SOUL

“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?”