Yule, or Yuletide, has ancient roots as a midwinter festival celebrating the Winter Solstice. Originating in Germanic and Norse traditions, it marked the rebirth of the sun. It is thought to have lasted anywhere from 1-12 days, basically from the eve of the Winter Solstice to the start of the next calendar year. Yule customs may involve lighting candles, decorating with evergreens, burning a traditional Yule log, and performing rituals to symbolize renewal and the turning of the wheel of the year. Some Pagans also engage in feasting, gift-giving, and community gatherings during this time. As Christianity spread throughout Europe,…
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Michelle Lewis, The Blessings Butterfly “I can’t meditate! It’s impossible for me to silence my mind.” Does that sound familiar? Trust me, I hear this frequently when I start working with my clients. In my work as an Energy Witch, I absolutely LOVE showing people some simple ways to introduce the practice of Mindfulness Meditation into their daily routine. It’s a very accessible form of magick that you can use to immediately change the energy in and around you. Mindfulness Meditation Overview Mindfulness meditation is a type of meditation practice that involves focusing your attention on the present moment and…
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Michelle Lewis, The Blessings Butterfly Welcome, 2024! There’s a powerful new energy coming into play this year, so let’s take an esoteric look at it. In today’s article, we’re going to focus on how Numerology and the Tarot come together with a powerful guiding message for the year ahead. In numerology, which is the study of numbers and their spiritual significance, each year holds its own unique energy vibration based on the digits that compose it. In the case of the year 2024, the sum of its digits, 2 + 0 + 2 + 4, equals 8. This numerical composition…
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Michelle Lewis, The Blessings Butterfly Let’s go ahead and get this out of the way up front: I am a Witch. I often work with various gods, goddesses, ancient deities, ascended masters, and a whole lot of spirit-beings. It’s an amazing spiritual connection that has always been part of my life, though I had to keep it hidden from most people. Especially from religious people… even when I was openly religious. My own sacred journey has become one of following my heart as someone who is deeply spiritual… but no longer is bound by religious constructs. After having spent many…
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Michelle Lewis – The Blessings Butterfly Do you ever find yourself wondering if you have any spirit guides? And, are they even real …if so… who are they? You’re not alone! I’ve put together some Spirit Guide Basics to help you get started. Throughout history, many cultures have believed in the existence of spirit guides. These are non-physical beings who act as our protectors, helpers, and advisors. Spirit guides are said to be wise, powerful, and loving beings who offer guidance, support, protection and inspiration to those who seek their assistance. What are Spirit Guides? Spirit guides are beings from…
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Written by Guest Author Kimberly Watson, aka The Lipstick Witch If you are reading this, you are probably interested in magic & manifestation. Information on these subjects can be found everywhere, books, videos, decks, mantras, music, meditations, you name it, but it seems that no one ever talks about the most important ingredient you need to manifest or make magic without ever cracking a book, watching a video, or repeating a mantra, and that ingredient is you. I have learned this from personal experience, and I am sharing this because I want you to win, I want you to manifest…
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Michelle Lewis – The Blessings Butterfly So you find yourself feeling drawn to witchcraft and all things magickal? You’re not alone! Welcome to the magickal resurgence, or what I like to call the Age of Modern Witchcraft. Witchcraft has been a part of human culture for centuries and has evolved over time. We have come a long way from the Dark Days of murderous “witch hunts” throughout much of the world, where so many innocent people were falsely accused, imprisoned, tortured and even killed. Today, Modern Witchcraft is more commonly associated with spiritual practices and beliefs that are often centered…
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Written by Angela L. Todd, Guest Author An old Wiccan saying says, “What is remembered, lives.” And I preface that with what is saved, is remembered. If you’re here, you’re likely drawn to the fringes of culture, not mainstream ideas and lifestyles. These all have important places in world history. “Different” paths such as Wiccans, Pagans, astrologers, alternative spiritualities, and other fringe dwellers aren’t often included in our collective histories. Historical documents and original materials saved in historical societies and archives are the raw materials for those histories. But who is doing the saving? Historically, those who have been inspired…
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Michelle Lewis – The Blessings Butterfly If you are just getting started on your witches path, you’ve probably begun hearing about the Wheel of the Year. You might even be familiar with some of the names of the different sabbats such as Samhain or Yule that make up the points on the Wheel. This article is designed as an introduction, and gives you some quick insights to help you along the way. It’s not by any means an in depth look, but a helpful beginner’s guide. The Wheel of the Year is a calendar that describes the cyclical nature of…
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Michelle Lewis – The Blessings Butterfly I began my first steps along the witches path when I was very young. My earliest experiences with the supernatural happened well before age 10, and my interest in the occult, witchcraft, spirituality, and divination was piqued! I asked for spellbooks and crystal balls as Christmas presents, so…. yeah… learning to read tarot was just a matter of time. In this article, I will touch on some the basics for getting started learning the art of reading tarot. It’s important to note that these are guidelines, and you will naturally develop your own style…
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Michelle Lewis – The Blessings Butterfly While chatting recently with my Moon Witches coven, one of the members asked, “What’s a sigil?” After giving the most basic, time-crunched answer, I decided it would be more beneficial to write a simplified beginner’s guide about the art of creating sigils and share it with y’all. There are many different ways to create a sigil, this is definitely not the only method but it is one of the simplest. What’s a Sigil? Sigils in the simplest terms are symbols that are believed to have magickal power and are used for various purposes, such…
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Written By TJ Pandora “Auntie PanPan” Teer, Guest Author Sometimes you just can’t make it to the local occult store at three o’clock in the morning. I have yet to create a 24 hour occult store vending machine…but I’m working on it. In the meantime we must learn the art of improvisation. Sometimes you just simply can not afford certain magickal items as well. When you have been in the craft for a long period of time, of course you have your favorite magick items…but not everyone has seventy dollars for a candle or two hundred dollars for a hand…
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The solar eclipse is one of the most powerful celestial events in the magickal calendar. When the Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun, it casts a shadow that turns day into night, creating a surreal moment of cosmic alignment. For witches, this is a rare opportunity to tap into potent energies and transform intentions into reality. The next solar eclipse will be the annular “Ring of Fire” occurring October 2, 2024. Whether you are a seasoned practitioner or just beginning your witchcraft journey, here’s how to make the most of this cosmic phenomenon. NOTE: Don’t be reckless and…
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POV: You’re new to all things Witchy and are trying to navigate allllllll the different sources of information. Don’t worry Bestie, I’m here to give you the easy beginner-friendly deets for understanding the pagan celebration of Mabon! Here’s the quick breakdown: What is it and how do you say it? Mabon (pronounced MAY-bun or MAH-bun) is a pagan festival celebrated as part of the Wheel of the Year, a modern calendar of seasonal holidays observed by many modern pagans, particularly those following Wicca and other neopagan traditions. When is Mabon? Mabon occurs on the autumnal (Fall) equinox, typically around September…
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Michelle Lewis, The Blessings Butterfly Oh Hey, New Witch! If you’ve recently found yourself on the magickal path, you’re no doubt somewhere between “OMG I’M A BABY WITCH EVERYTHING IS AMAZING!!!” and Holy Sh!t/Information Overload. Fear Thee Not, this post is just a tidbit to give you some basics to help you understand the Lughnasadh/Lammas Sabbat. What is it and How do I say it? Lughnasadh is a Gaelic word that refers to a Gaelic festival marking the beginning of the harvest season. The pronunciation of “Lughnasadh” can vary slightly depending on regional accents and dialects. In general, the pronunciation…
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By Michelle Lewis, The Blessings Butterfly The story I am about to tell you is completely, unequivocally, true. I have changed the names of the people, but everything else is factual. Even if you do not believe in practical magick, witchcraft, energetic healing, or you believe that all things Woo are just fiction, it is still a true story. Magick Everywhere It was a beautiful spring Friday in the South of France back in 2019. There was a tingling sense of magick everywhere. I was wearing the hell out of a fabulous little form-fitting red dress and rose-gold leather flats,…
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By Michelle Lewis, The Blessings Butterfly If you’ve spent any time dabbling in astrology or even casually connecting with witchy, pagan, and magickal folk then you’ve undoubtedly heard some buzz about the start of Eclipse Season. But what does that even mean? Don’t worry boo, I got you! Geek out with me for the science and the metaphysical nerdy goodness! [tl/dr: Eclipses are hella cool, scroll down for a free eclipse tarot spread] The Science Part Eclipse seasons occur roughly every six months when the Sun is near the lunar nodes, which are the points where the Moon’s orbit intersects…
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Michelle Lewis, The Blessings Butterfly As the New Year approaches, many people find themselves reflecting on the past and contemplating their aspirations for the future. One popular and powerful practice that has gained momentum in recent years is selecting a “Word of the Year.” Rather than setting traditional resolutions, choosing a guiding word can provide focus, clarity, and a sense of purpose throughout the coming months. This is something that I’ve been practicing for ages, and it’s served me far better than rigid resolutions ever did! Here’s my beginner-friendly guide on how to select a meaningful Word of the Year…
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