Welcome to Wayward Girls

Happy first day of fall! I’m looking forward to crisp weather, apple cider, and pumpkin spice everything! It’s also the oficial start to spooky season - August is too early corporate America!

Now that all my excitement and exclamation points are out of the way. I want to tell you about my first spooky book of the season. Well, I guess I really read it in August (it takes place in the summer so it’s fine), but it is a good creepy read for anytime of year. That book is Witchcraft for Wayward Girls by Grady Hendrix. 

Let’s be real, I picked up this book because of the cool cover art.

Hendrix is primarily known for being a comedy horror writer. His first book (and the first one I read earlier this year), Horrorstör, is about a group of coworkers spending the night in a knock-off IKEA with ghosts and it volleys between horrifying and hilarious. I enjoyed it, though I felt the ending didn’t hit it out of the park (plus a case of too many characters).

An interesting fact about Hendrix’s books, many of them are written with the main point of view character being women. Hendrix is a guy. So when I saw he had written a horror story about pregnant girls in the South, pre Rowe v. Wade, practicing witchcraft, I was a little skeptical.

But Hendrix knocks it out of the park. He doesn’t shy away from the horrible ways these girls are mentally and physically mistreated. He graphically describes giving birth in the 1970s. And this is the none supernatural parts of the book.

In fact, witchcraft doesn't show up for the first 100 pages of the book. It’s a slow burn of real life historical horror that then gets ramped up by creepy witches.

Part of why I think Hendrix was able to pull off this story was because at least two of his relatives were put into these homes to have babies because they were “unwed” mothers. These babies were then spirited away to (most likely) never have contact with their birth mother ever again - regardless of what the mother wanted.

Sometimes, young children were just straight up kidnapped from their mothers under false promises of government help. Georgia Tann was a famous social worker who kidnapped over 5,000 children in Tennessee and sold them to adoption agencies for a fee. This practice still goes on, especially in poor communities around the world. Mothers will think that they are sending their child to a “school” or “government program” only to have their child disappear and end up with an adopted family. This is why it can be difficult and expensive to adopt children period. 

Side note: the American foster system is overflowing with kids who need loving families to look after them. Though many may not be up for adoption, they still need a safe place to call home. 

Hendrix makes sure to include some of his research at the end of the book. He includes stats (where they can be found) and notes that these places the girls were disappeared to largely disappeared after Rowe v. Wade was decided.

I do have to wonder if these homes will start to pop up again in the wake of the Dobbs decision. 

Hendrix captured the horror, heartache, and trauma that these girls were put through. All of the blame was put on these girls. They are stripped of their names, hometowns, and autonomy. Their stories include the fathers of their children, but the home won’t let them speak of their “real” lives, so only the girls are at fault. And as soon as they were no longer pregnant, things could “go back to normal.” 

Except for one girl, a 14 year old who became pregnant by an authority figure in her life. In the book, the 14 year old’s baby is going to be adopted by that authority figure and neither will ever escape him.

That’s why they turn to witchcraft.

The supernatural gives them power that they’d never had even before they were stripped of their identities. But this power comes at a cost. The cost is painful and must equal in proportion of the power being summoned. Once a spell is started, it must be finished or there will be dire consequences.

Earlier this year, I read Stepford Wives and The Movement. Like Witchcraft for Wayward Girls, Stepford Wives was written by a man and told from the perspective of a woman/girl. The Movement is a nonfiction “oral” history (transcripts of interviews) of ten years of the Women’s Liberation Movement in the 1960s and 1970s and provided cultural context for the other two fiction books. It is interesting how well the two men were able to portray horror that primarily affects women through research and empathy.

That doesn’t mean The Stepford Wives nor Witchcraft for Wayward Girls are perfect books. I may have given both five stars on GoodReads (yes, I use it to track my books and get tons of free ones), doesn’t mean I can’t see some flaws. However, don’t let that stop you from checking them out.

Who is a witchcraft for Wayward Girls for? Everyone.

Who maybe should skip this book? I’d say people who have had trauma around childbirth, pregnancy, and/or sexual assault.

What should you know before reading? It’s a slow burn with much more real world horror over the supernatural. It’s a creepy book with a bitter sweet ending. 

Do I recommend Witchcraft for Wayward Girls? Yes, it’s a good story about a time in history that is often swept under the rug in hopes that no one would notice the lumps.

Have you read Witchcraft for Wayward Girls? Let me know in the comments what you thought about it.

If you enjoyed this post (or it really pissed you off) please like, share, and/or leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers and I hope y’all like hearing from me.

Until next week.

Autumn in France

For the record, I have never seen "Emily in Paris", nor do I want to. I know of it's existence and that many people find it hilariously inaccurate to the real experience of living in France - not to mention the stereotyping. My first trip to France certainly wasn't a reenactment of "Emily in Paris". My life might be an occasional comedy, but a romantic one, it ain't. 

This was my first trip to France. I went with a group of relatives and a friend. I took a ton of pictures, ate a lot of great food, and had a wonderful time seeing the sites (and shopping). I didn't drink any wine - my life has had to be alcohol free for almost a decade at this point and I don't miss it...much. I went to Paris and Bordeaux. 

Paris was filled with people - kind of like New York City. Paris occasionally smelled bad - kind of like New York City. Paris had a lot of cool things to do - kind of like New York City (you get the point). 

What makes Paris unique is it's history, architecture, and style. Often all three of these elements meet in the many churches, museums, and landmarks haphazardly scattered throughout the city. And though the Olympics had blown in over the summer, the only remains of the event were the interlocking rings children were climbing for pictures in front of the Eiffel Tower. 

Speaking of the Eiffel Tower, I don't think I've ever seen so many people taking selfies or with a professional photographer to get that perfect Parisian shot of the world's most famous tourist trap. Apparently, it's a big deal to hire people for those idealized Instagram shots to make you look like it's just you and an admittedly beautiful tower. You just have to navigate that sea of people and hope the well armed cops don't mess up your shoot.

Despite what the painters and photo filters might suggest, Paris wasn't all decked out in fall colors this October. Temperatures ranged from the 50s to 70s F (or 12 - 22 C for you non-Americans) and, though I did see some people bundled up, I was usually in a light jacket or simple long sleeves. The trees were mostly a shade of pale green to light orange and hardly any leaves were on the ground. It felt like early fall instead of the mid-season it should have been.

Many a French person commented that it was climate change to blame for the odd weather.

Halloween isn't really celebrated in France - at least not like how it is in the UK, let alone the US. There were a few decorations here and there in shop windows, but no one had their balconies done up. Pumpkin spice could only really be found in American chains like McDonalds and Starbucks. Speaking of Starbucks, their menu is so much more fun in France. They have a range of donuts that we don't have and I just barely missed out on the pumpkin spice flavor (it was already sold out).

Not that I was eating in American chains while in Paris (there was a stop at Starbucks in Bordeaux for a quick drink, but that was it).

Mostly, I ate in one of the many cafes that line the streets of Paris. The best (and cheapest) ones are typically further away from the main tourist attractions. Less people to watch, but a relaxing experience. And even if the food isn't great, you're still in Paris and it's better than eating back home - or so my family kept saying.

By the time we reached Bordeaux, I was craving a little something different and politely asked to try French Chinese food. Oh boy did we luck out with the cafe we found. I'd never tasted Mapo Tofu so fresh. It wasn't mouth tingling spicy like how we serve it in the US, but it had a lot of flavors. The dumplings were also wonderful and served with black vinegar instead of soy sauce.

Bordeaux could be much more easily be compared to Washington DC if DC had winding alleyways instead of large avenues. Bordeaux is a World Heritage Site City and has strict building codes to maintain its status. This means that many of the roads are made of cobble stone that are roughly the width of a single car, buildings aren't allowed to get much higher than Saint Andrew's Cathedral, and several old buildings that survived World War 1 and 2 have been converted into museums and art experiences. It is also home to the longest pedestrian shopping street in Europe - Rue Sainte-Catherine.

I found Bordeaux to be a little on the spooky side with it's winding alleys and dark cathedrals. St. Andre (or Andrew's in English) was very dark - only lit by candles and what remaining light slipped through the windows in the early evening. There were a few electric lights in one area for a late Mass, but the overall space was eerie. It probably didn't help that there was an organ concert going on while I was wandering around. 

Early morning fog rises from the river and blankets parts of the lower city - which is of course where the older sections are. It's an easy set up for a horror story about vampires or werewolves - maybe a cat person if the writer is feeling original. It's less crowded than Paris and the streets tend to clear out much earlier - with the exception of the houseless population and their dogs (I only ever say them keeping to themselves). There aren't a ton of street lights either. I think there should be more horror stories set in Bordeaux - with a romantic leaning of course (we're still in France). 

I was unable to see a lot of the city's green space since they had a fair going on in the main park near where I was staying, but when I left the city for a tour of the nearby vineyards (with wine I couldn't drink) it was clear that fall was just arriving to the region. Bordeaux is South of Paris - about 2 hours by the high speed train (can we please get some America) - and is close enough to the ocean that submarine factories existed on the river going through the city. 

Bordeaux is most famous for its Bordeaux wines. As the city and surrounding area are World Heritage Sites, the wine makers are under pressure to maintain the culture and practices that make the region famous. 

Unfortunately, climate change is throwing a wrench into the system. 

Yes, even wine is being threatened by what we humans have been doing to our planet. The heat that ripens grapes and makes them sweet, also make them more alcoholic. While that may not bother some people, it does change the composition of the wines being produced. This requires changes in harvesting, processing the grapes, and maintaining the health of the vineyard. For a region that's been making wine for over 2000 years, this is a lot of changes to juggle in a short amount of time.

Climate change is actually pretty well talked about in France. They openly acknowledge the changes and how its affecting everything from the weather to agriculture. A small comment on how warm the city is for October will sometimes lead a French-person to respond with "well, that's climate change". 

But the best spooky thing to do in France is to trek down into the Paris Catacombs. The were originally built because the city started falling into itself - a disturbing fun fact I was completely unaware of. The official city tour takes the curious well below the metro and sewers into an underground maze. Though the original purpose of the catacombs was to help stabilize the city, it quickly became clear that it was also a good place to store dead people. I say clear, but really I mean that one of the kings declared that cemeteries could no longer be within the city limits of Paris and dead people had to go somewhere, so into the stabilizing tunnels they went.

The audio guide tells visitors that there are millions of men, women, and children lying in rest under the city of Paris. Literally, the current citizens of the city are walking over the bones of their ancestors. This underworld even includes the French Revolutionaries that ended the monarchy. There are more dead bodies in this space than living above it.

And an underworld it is. The passage leading into one of the many viewing areas of Paris's dearly departed is etched with the famous phrase "Abandon All Hope, Ye Who Enter Here" in French. Past that entrance you'll find low ceilings, winding passageways, and human remains. 

What could be creepier?

Oh right, there's literally no barrier between you and those human bones.

Yeah, I was expecting the public area of the catacombs to have the actual human remains behind some kind of glass or plastic wall to prevent people from being able to touch them or accidently back into them - the bones line both sides of the walls and the passages are kind of narrow. They politely ask that you don't touch the bones, wear your backpack on your front, and have cameras everywhere. I still wonder how often someone accidently touches a dead person. 

At the end of the tour, the grand finale includes a brief description of a concert that took place in the catacombs in the late 1800s. I think it would have been pretty cool, until I remembered that they wouldn't have had electrical lights. Candle light, plus Mozart's Funeral March, plus dead bodies equals a nope situation for this adventurer. 

Autumn in France is very pretty. The food is excellent, the weather mild, and there's plenty of tourists around to people watch. I enjoyed my time back in Europe - it's been almost a decade since my last trip. Fall is a beautiful season to go. 

Until next week.

If you enjoyed this post (or it really pissed you off) please like, share, and/or leave a message. I love hearing from my readers and I hope you like hearing from me.

Welcome to All the Fall Things

 Yes, that is a misquoted blink-182 song title.

No, I will not follow all the lyrics in this post.

Fall is still technically a couple of weeks away. However, that hasn't stopped me from excitedly starting my celebration of the best season (don't argue with me on this - I'll ignore you). This past week, it was in the high 90s, nearly 100 degrees F (or around 28 - 30 degrees C). That did not stop me from picking up a pumpkin spice cold brew from Starbucks...or a bag of witches brew KitKat bars from Target.

But it was my trip to Trader Joe's where I finally caved and just bought all the fall (and pumpkin) flavored goodness. I admit that I have no shame. Though, I will need self control to not eat everything in one sitting. Pacing myself is key - especially since a lot of this fall themed merchandise is either sold out by mid-October or replaced with Thanksgiving or (ugh!) Christmas nonsense before Halloween has passed.

Today, I added to my fall festivities by going apple picking with a friend. We each left with a huge bag of apples and a quart of apple cider (the non-alcoholic verity). I also grabbed a six pack of apple cider donuts...and may have already eaten three.

Aren't apple blossoms so pretty?

Don't judge me, you know you'd do the same.

And you know what, I don't feel bad about starting my fall celebrations. Despite the heat, the leaves are already starting to change. Plus, this was the last week for peaches at the farmer's market. Once the peaches are done for the year, it's officially fall.

Peaches are the unofficial fruit of summer. Apples are the fruit of fall. (Please note: oranges are for winter and berries are for Spring). This is just my personal feelings on seasonal fruit, technically blue berries, blackberries, and raspberries can be gotten locally throughout summer in my area. 

I'm super excited to try my hand at butternut squash soup this year. My first batch of apple sauce will likely be made tomorrow night (or Tuesday, I'm not picky).

And let's not forget EVERYTHING PUMPKIN!

This is from a Kusama exhibit

I promise to not go too overboard this year (you can't see my fingers crossed behind my back....not at all).

My friends and I are already planning on going to a few farms for corn mazes, hay rides, and other fall goodness. No haunted houses for me, but I will appreciate other people's creepy decorations. I'm still not a fan of jump scares. 

My first big horror movie of the season was the 2021 Resident Evil movie and while it wasn't anything spectacular (critics panned it), you can tell it was made as a labor of love. There are some scenes straight out of the first two games. They even get a Jill's sandwiches joke in.

What are you excited about for fall? Is it the cooler weather? The pumpkin flavored nonsense? Apple cider donuts? Do you go out and visit farms or celebrate Mabon? Is Halloween your favorite holiday? Any haunted houses to recommend (sorry I'm too chicken)? Please leave a comment below.

Until next week. 

If you enjoyed this post (or it really pissed you off) please like, share, and/or leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers and I hope y'all like hearing from me.

Welcome to the Fall 2021 Experience

 Happy Fall 2021!

To start off your Fall 2021 experience you should start with a quick fall cleaning. Remove dust and clutter, put away summer decorations, and reorganize your kitchen. Trust me, you’ll be spending a lot of time there for your Fall 2021 experience.

Once your living space is clean (or cleaner - I’m not going to judge you), it’s time to put up the Halloween fall decorations. If you’re anything like me, the fall decorations are mixed in with your regular decorations. Now you’ll want to bring them to the forefront - maybe put them on a pedestal - and set candles everywhere. You can’t have enough candles in fall.

Speaking of decor, you’re color palette for the Fall 2021 experience is deep reds, golden wheat yellows, warm oranges, nutty browns, and (of course) black. Some purple accents are acceptable and a dash of neon green is okay the closer you get to Halloween.

Fall 2021is dedicated to peace, transition, and going to farms.

Don’t forget your Covid vaccine and Flu shot.

Visiting farms is a tried and true pastime in American culture. Fall is usually the best time to go as it is the harvest season - when the best fruits and veggies are ready to eat. I recommend looking for farms that feature apple picking, pumpkin patches, and corn mazes.

I’m fairly certain that corn mazes are a uniquely American (northern continental) phenomenon. They can vary in size and might require participants to carry a flag in case they get lost and need help (cell phone service is typically spotty). You shouldn’t fear entering a corn maze. The worst that can happen is you get lost for a few hours. There is nothing stalking the rows of corn…unless the farm and town are run by children and have scarecrows that look suspiciously like corpses.

Many farms will have some late night haunted attractions. These have become a staple all around the United States and may have an over arcing theme. If you don’t like loud noises, strobe lights, fog machines, or being scared in general - then these events are not for you. Don’t worry, the actors aren’t supposed to touch you. If they do, they aren’t actors. You might have stumbled upon something dangerous and that goes against our Fall 2021 experience guidelines - please run away.

Now that you’ve had your farm experience, it’s time to get to work in the kitchen. The Fall 2021 experience naturally includes a lot of baking, roasting, and cooking. Some of the best recipes are made with fall flavors. These flavors include cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, cloves, and anything else associated with pumpkin spice non-sense. Don’t feel basic if you want to try all the pumpkin spiced flavored things - this is normal. And noticed, it’s pumpkin spice flavored - pumpkins aren’t required, though greatly encouraged. They are a very healthy food.

I recommend trying apple or pumpkin scores recipes, baking bread, and a hearty meat strew. I’m looking forward to trying my hand at making a creamy mushroom soup this year. You of course can find ideas on the Internet, but for your Fall 2021 experience I recommend trying to find a local farmers market as they tend to have recipe recommendations with local produce.

Now that you’ve fully emerged yourself in the Fall 2021 experience, you can now start looking at what you can add on to bring this fall up from typical, to extraordinary.

First your movie list.

Horror movies are a staple for this time of year. There are some that just drip the fall aesthetic. I’m fond of House of Wax with Vincent Price, Halloween the original first three, and Sleepy Hollow the Disney animated version and the Tim Burton one (which is about as authentically American as cricket). 

If you aren’t into horror movies, there are plenty of spooky Halloween movies to chose from. I personally recommend Coraline, Halloweentown, Hocus Pocus, Paranorman (I always cry), The Addams Family, and Scooby Doo and the Witch’s Ghost. If you’re wondering why Nightmare Before Christmas isn’t included, that’s because it’s a November movie.

But if Halloween isn’t your thing, there are still plenty of media for you to enjoy. The best being Over the Garden Wall. It’s a series that just drips everything fall.

Finally, you might be interested in adding one final detail to your Fall 2021 experience.

Witchcraft!

Many a young witch (male, female, and non-binary people may all use the term) find their calling during the fall season. It’s a perfect time to learn and experiment. Most of your first spells will probably  to go well at all. I recommend starting small. Learn to combine runes to creat charms, put together sweet dream sleep satchels, or reading tarot. Leave summoning eldritch creatures for when you’ve been practicing for a while - they’ll be less likely to eat you when called.

I hope you enjoy your Fall 2021 experience. May it bring you peace, tranquility, and a brief encounter with the darker things in life (in a safe, controlled setting - naturally). Set up a bond fire, invite nine of your closest friends, and dance naked under the crisp fall moon as leaves fall around you. You might even find yourself flying amongst the stars.

It’s the perfect time for fun.

Until next week.

If you enjoyed this post (or it really pissed you off) please like, share, and/or leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers and I hope y’all like hearing from me.

Welcome to Eternal Autumn of My 20s

Autumn is beautiful. As I've said many times in past blog, I love this season. Especially if I've been eating nothing but pumpkin food for the entire month of October (which I might have been doing).

It's also been an odd autumn for me this year. 

After getting laid off and attending my sister's wedding, I found myself trying to figure out how to structure my day. There are times when I feel like I have too much time on my hands and I have no idea what to do with myself. However, more and more, I find that I am super busy.

Weekends were the only days during the week where time was my own. They were structured as well, but always filled with things to do. They were rarely ever restful and I often (ironically) would wake up Monday morning wishing I had an extra day to actually rest and stay in bed all day.

I now have that Monday, and Tuesday, and every day through Sunday, and back to Monday again. 

I never stay in bed all day, no matter how much I sometimes want to. I'm usually busy with my future job prospects, keeping my home clean, and trying to keep my mind from getting too wound up. 

I started mentally referring to this time as The Eternal Weekend. 

And though I've been able to get a lot of stuff I want to do done (art, writing, and cooking), I've also been constantly stressed about my future. It's a tough balance.

As I stated when I first got laid off, I have some of the greatest friends and family. They've kept me from isolating myself while job hunting and given me a lot of moral support. This past weekend, my sister came for a visit. Every day that she's been here we've done something fun (and we didn't even go into New York City).

Horseback riding in the fall is amazing!

Corn mazes, horseback riding, and (tonight) a pumpkin blaze in Sleep Hollow. We've watched movies and had fun making pumpkin themed food while drinking pumpkin themed drinks. We've hung out with my friends and gotten lost in the mountains of New Jersey. I've even finally found the infamous Clinton Road (a famous scary road without street lights in northern New Jersey).

I'm glad that it's autumn and that I get to savor every minute of it.

I still want this Eternal Weekend to end.

It will end (hopefully sooner rather than later).

The waiting, the uncertainty, the anxiety are the hardest parts.

I don't know how I'll reflect back on this time in my life. I know that it's been a learning experience, though I'm still not sure yet what I'm learning. But I will take each day as it comes - with one foot in front of the other.

Until next week.

If you enjoyed this post (or it really pissed you off) please like share, and/or leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers and I hope you guys like hearing from me.

Welcome to a Season in Transition

Fall is my favorite season.

The air is crisp and clean compared to the moisture and humidity of summer. Trees transition from vibrant greens to brilliant reds, yellows, and oranges. The farmers market is full of fresh produce and food has an extra layer of spice.

The weather is constantly changing. One minute it’s cool with a light breeze, perfect for sweaters and blankets. Then it’s back up to the 90s and I’m back in shorts and a tank top. Thunderstorms aren’t quite as dramatic in the fall like they are in summer, unless it’s a major storm. The world seems a little brighter, though that could be the decrease in moisture in the air and the sun’s rays reflecting off the changing leaves.

Time to gather around the bond fire

Much like spring, fall feels too short. It’s supposed to last about three months as all the other seasons are supposed to. It never does.

This fall has started out a lot different than usual.

I remember when I started this blog, I lamented about how weird it was that I wasn’t going back to school like I had every other year since I was 4 or 5. This year, I got laid off and my sister got married. I managed to sell my first short story.

Another fall pass time at school we’re challenging the anti-education protestors.

I’m not sure where I’m going.

I’m not entirely sure where I want to be.

Change is my only certainty.

I named this blog “Starting Out in Wonderland” after one of my favorite books because the adult world felt like entering Alice’s Wonderland. Nonsensical and illogical, but with arbitrary rules I had to follow even if they still don’t make much sense to me.

I start every blog post with “Welcome to...” after the anime “Welcome to the NHK”. I had to watch it in college for one of my classes. It’s not one of my favorite anime series, but it resonated with me. I think it’s because the anime focuses on three people trying to navigate the adult world while struggling with their mental health and personal demons. I should really rewatch it. The light novel and manga the series is based on are a little different, so I can’t comment on them.

There are days where I wish I was still in high school or college and the most stressful things I had to worry about was passing my next test. There are days where I wish it was the future and I was delighted with everything I had accomplished. Content with where life has taken me.

Rarely do I take the time to appreciate the present.

I’m currently sitting in my apartment, rewatching “The Haunting of Hill House” for the third time. Occasionally the wind shifts and light bounces around the walls, highlights of pale yellow and green against a bright blue sky and warm orange sunlight. I try to spot the hidden ghosts in the show between typing out these words.

I dislike uncertainty. Planning for things comes naturally to me. Being idle is not ideal. I need to do something.

So I write and do research until I figure out what to do next.

If you enjoyed this post, or it really pissed you off, please like share, and/or leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers and I hope you guys like hearing from me.

Until next week.

Welcome to the Witching Hour Part 6: Today's Witches

Fall has finally arrived!

The equinox was yesterday in the northern hemisphere (Saturday September 22nd for those of you not reading this post on the day it was published), so now we get to fully celebrate all things fall. In my case, a month and a half long Halloween binge!

Yesterday also marked the Sabbat known as Mabon or The Second Harvest Celebration for many of today's Witch and Pagan communities. A Sabbat is essentially a modern Pagan and/or Witch's holy day or holiday. Depending on which tradition a Pagan or Witch follows, the practitioner might celebrate all of some of these holidays.

Picture from: this site

Today I'm not going to go over the Sabbats (I'm saving that for another post). Instead, I want to write about how Witches continue to practice into the modern age and the many different types of Witches out there.

Here's an important fact about the Witch community: anyone can be a witch.

There's no specific gender, identity, or religious requirements. Witches can be men, women or non-binary people. You can be religious, spiritual, secular, or even atheist to practice Witchcraft. There are solitary practitioners or a Witch can find a coven to join.

What binds Witches together?

Witches are bound by their practice of magick (the type of magick spelled with a "k"). From what I have come to understand, Witches draw power from the world around them as well as from within themselves. They have a preference for and connection with nature, but some don't mind using technology with their spell work. Some invoke gods, goddesses, angels, or spirits in their craft, but it isn't necessary.

One of the more well known practitioners of magick and witchcraft today are Wiccans. People who follow the Wicca faith also incorporate magick into their religious rituals. Most of my research on witchcraft, spell casting, and magickal rituals has been from Wicca sources. They have their own traditions and holidays such as the Sabbats I mentioned earlier in this post. There are also different sects or paths of Wicca a person can follow (click here for more on the different types of Wicca).

But you don't have to be a follower of Wicca to become a Witch.

Wicca happens to be one of the more well known religions that coincides with witchcraft. However, some Witches prefer a more spiritual or secular path to their practice. I hear it can ruffle feathers, especially if the person or group of people are misappropriating other cultures (please don't do this if you are curious about practicing witchcraft). However, there do seem to be some merits to striking it out on your own if organized religion isn't for the practitioner.

Personally, my curiosity has lead me to a lot of books about witchcraft, Wicca, and magick. I tend to prefer the solitary and connection with nature aspects of the practice. There's a lot of meditation and good philosophy involved with my spiritual empowerment.

One stand-out aspect of many modern Witch's paths involves the Rule of Three. The Rule of Three is basically the philosophy that whatever energy is put out into the world will be reflected back three times fold. It's meant as a reminder to use magick for good or positive things rather than curses or hexes. Putting something negative into the world such as a curse or a hex on another person could result in three times the amount of negative things happening to the caster.

I like this type kind of philosophy. It's a reminder to do good things in life.

Other than the Wicca, there are several other types of witches. I have a few listed below:

• The Eclectic Witch - combines different magickal traditions and witchcraft styles into their own practice. Their practice is the most likely to change over time.
• Hereditary Witch - much like Sally and Jillian Owens from the movie Practical Magic, these are practitioners who pass their knowledge down from generation to generation. They often practice as a family and have their own unique traditions. 
• Hedge Witch - these witches often work in the natural and spiritual world.
• Kitchen Witch - a witch that mainly practices in their kitchen. Their spell work is often incorporated into their cooking. They likely have an herb or vegetable garden which they cultivate their own ingredients from.
• Green Witch - these witches heavily relay on the natural world around them.They're often most in tune with the seasons and try to work their spells and rituals outside as much as possible.
• Cosmic Witches - these witches prefer working with astrology and astronomy into their spell work. Most of their rituals incorporate the moon and planets.

There are more types of witches that I haven't listed. Witchcraft and magick are as varied and unique as the many cultures that have influenced them. 

Credit for this picture goes to this site.

I do ask that if you are interested in looking into more research or spells, that you don't appropriate another culture. Just because someone on the Internet says it's okay to do something doesn't mean that it is. Some practices and traditions are sacred and should be treated as such. Further more, some plants are on the endangered or threatened species list and shouldn't be used.

If you are curious about learning more on witchcraft, check out published books and/or ask real witches about their practice. Though you can start on the Internet, take everything you read there with a grain of salt.

Blessed be!

If you enjoyed this post (or it really pissed you off) please like, share, and/or leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers and I hope you guys like hearing from me.

Until next week.