Of the 29 articles on magick we published in 2017, these are the 11 most popular.
Click on the title link to take you to the full article to revisit articles you’ve forgotten, meant to read, or maybe haven’t seen yet if you’re newer to the site. (Welcome!)
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Happy holidays!
11. Scrying: How to get started
By Donyae Coles
One of the classic images people conjure when you tell them you are a witch or Pagan, is that of a woman gazing into a crystal ball, ready to tell you your fortune. Whether or not you spend any time with a crystal ball, this form of divination is called scrying and is good for much more than fortune telling.
10. Mirror magick and self-love
A mirror is an incredible thing. It is a window, both a reflection and representation of ourselves and our surroundings. As such, it is subject to the same distortions that we experience when witnessing the world around us — especially so, because when we are looking into a mirror, we look at ourselves, projecting all the “shoulds” and “could bes” onto our bodies. What other object is subject to the same level of distortion, of wishing, of wanting to be different, of denial, judgement and skepticism?
9. Why initiation matters
Ever since I was a teenager and became interested in magick, I wanted to be initiated. The idea of initiation held everything for me. I wanted to be taught by a master magician. I wanted to feel special.
At that time there was no Internet, and I wasn’t sure how to go about things. By the time the Internet made information and contact details of initiation available, I already had a few years of solitary study behind me. This independence taught me that you can go a long way without a teacher. There is so much you can do on your own: study, experiment, feel, try to meditate. The perseverance alone will guide you into a flow, and before you know it, you have started to grow as a person.
8. Hoodoo container work: Three ways to get started
By Donyae Coles
There are many types of hoodoo spells and one that is very popular right now is container work. The ubiquitous honey and sour jar seems very simple, which attracts many people to them but they can be complex and require some knowledge to do properly.
7. Domestic magick: The lost art of homemaking
The role of homemaker is a vital human occupation, and one worthy of respect in it’s own right. The sacred space of the home, the keeping of the hearthfire, and the practice of domestic magick decentres us from a collective narrative and recentres us on the individual as creator, as well as the act of living for its own sake. Feminism has fought for (and won, in many significant ways) a place for women outside of the home and the right to pursue our passions in ways that befit our unique desires. However, with advances in the rights of women to choose their destinies, other choices become less accessible. The once sacred role of the hearth keeper or “homemaker” becomes a distant memory.
6. Making your own rituals: Choose your own adventure
By Donyae Coles
Rituals provide a great deal of comfort in our lives. Think about how calming it is to go through a familiar series of steps before climbing into bed at night or how hectic your morning seems if you didn’t have time prepare your coffee and breakfast the way you normally like to. These small things are self created rituals, even if we don’t think of them that way. By making your own rituals, you can get the same soothing and affirming experiences in your magical life.
5. Hoodoo candle magick primer
By Donyae Coles
For some people, candles are just altar dressings, but for others, these mundane items are a powerful and regularly used tool for spell-work.
Hoodoo candle magick is just one type of candle magick among many, but it’s an often misunderstood practice, and if you’ve you’ve ever stepped foot in a spiritual supply store, there’s a good chance that you’ve come across Hoodoo candle magick products. Even then, you still might have the wrong impression. In essence, it’s a form of spell work that allows you to use plain old candles (and a few trimmings) to make things happen.
4. Working with the Cthulhu Mythos: A practical guide to Lovecraft’s lore
By Xenia
You likely have at least a passing familiarity with the Cthulhu Mythos. The image of a gigantic many-tentacled monstrosity pouring through a hole in space-time has, in the span of a few decades, risen from obscure out-of-print pulp fiction to become nearly archetypal. Yet I find that much of what has been written about the Cthulhu Mythos in a magical or spiritual context has been limited, not reflecting what I understand as their most important aspects. These entities take many forms and mean many different things depending on who you ask. But whether you see them as primal forces of chaos and change, atavistic holdovers from a previous universe, aliens that exist in four or more dimensions, or embodiments of the nightmares of conservative white men, working with them has its unique rewards and can be powerfully transformative.
3. Tarot beyond fortune telling
By Donyae Coles
Reading tarot is a common practice in occult and Pagan circles. No matter what path you follow, the art of tarot reading finds its way into a wide range of them. All kinds of people read tarot, but the image of a “gypsy” telling fortunes of future persists. It’s time we lay that image (and the racism associated) to rest as tarot is so much more.
The art of tarot has been used most famously for the purpose of divining the future, but this is only one of its many uses and not everyone wishes to look into what’s coming up in the days, months, or years ahead. Yet, tarot can still be a useful tool of discovery in many ways including, helping to make decisions, introspection, and even working a little bit of magick now and then.
2. 6 things you need to know about astrology: Your sign is just the beginning
By Donyae Coles
“What’s your sign?” has become a classic line in pop culture; at times it’s a cheesy pick up line, and others, a question popped as just another fun way to learn more about someone. It’s not rare to encounter a skeptic when the topic comes up, and most people — excluding dedicated astrologues — don’t tend to take the practice too seriously. The movement of the stars and planets doesn’t really tell you anything about a person, right? Wrong! Once you get past the poppy presentation, reading your horoscope can be useful tool for finding out all sorts of things, not just about others, but about yourself.
1. Secret witch: Magick when you’re stuck in the broom closet
By Donyae Coles
I’m obviously very public about my spiritual practice but this isn’t the case for everyone. For a variety of reasons, may people are “stuck in the broom closet” and have to keep their practice secret. This need for secrecy can be very hard to practice under, not only emotionally but also from a practical standpoint. Here are some tips to help people practice in secret.
What were your favourites from 2017? What would you like to see us cover in 2018?
