That Witch Life

Episode 10: Magickal Herbs with Erika Fortner

“It’s the power behind the tool, not the tool.”

Herbs are a cornerstone of spells in Witchcraft, but they can be tricky! We are joined today by Erika Fortner who give us a whole list of fabulous herbs to use and how to use them in our spells, including the risks of using certain herbs. She also gives us a glimpse into the life of a Magick shop owner. We also talk about the personal responsibility in Witchcraft, mean people, dog snot, dangerous shapewear, and a Magick book you DON’T need to read. Plus, it’s Hilary’s birthday!!! ***Please note–the herbs discussed are for informational use, only. Please consult a medical practitioner before using herbs topically or internally.***

Our Guest Today

Erika Fortner, founder and Head Mistress of The House of Twigs, has been a Tarot reader, Witch, medium and Psychic for 23+ years. She is also the Head Mistress and Curator of THoT: The School of Ritual, Keven Craft Rituals, and the newest addition q. Meb (Queen Meb). She is an Artist with a BFA from Pratt Institute and has an extensive fine Art background in NYC with one of the top Artists in the world working with museums such as the MOMA and Guggenheim as well as living in Berlin, Germany and Venice, Italy. She is an eclectic energy worker (Reiki master as well as other healing modalities) Shamanic/folklore Witch; specializing in her own style of in-depth Tarot reading, crystal work, and channeling. She favors the Morrighan, Isis, Hecate, Freya, and Cernnunos. Erika’s inspiration of ritual comes from many areas, including her family lineage which connects to the first Kings of Ireland, Queen Maeb, the King of the Picts, as well as connections with the Welsh Lewellyn family, the Scottish McLaughlins, De Forsythe and McCloud clans. She has worked for the Psychic Friends network while in Brooklyn before deciding the ethos of the company didn’t align with her practice. She now has her roots planted in Portland, Oregon with her partner and daughter.

Resource List

Q Meb
Keven Craft Rituals
The House Of Twigs Blog and School
Witchvox
Damien Echols
Key of Solomon
Long Lost Friend

Episode 9: Ethics of Witchcraft with Andrea Weston

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“I don’t practice Magick. I live a spiritual life.”

This week, we are talking all about the ethics of Witchcraft! When should we use Magick? When shouldn’t we? We also explore the (in)famous Law of Three and the idea of Karma (will Magick come back to bite our Witchy asses?), when hexes might be appropriate, the dangers of broadcasting your work on social media, and when casting a spell might not be advisable. Courtney tells a story of how her ex cast a spell that backfired spectacularly (his job literally went to shit…). Plus, special guest Andrea Weston joins us to tell us how to make powerful-and ethical–Magick.

Our Guest Today

Andrea Weston

Andrea Weston of Ambrozine LeGare Conjure is a Medium, Rootworker, Spiritual Consultant and Teacher that provides spiritual services to her many clients across the globe. Andrea started her professional business as a spiritual consultant in 2009 and in 2015 founded Ambrozine LeGare Conjure. Prior to opening up a dedicated business as a Consultant, Diviner, Teacher and Rootworker, Andrea consulted and did spiritual work privately for friends and family. During her personal spiritual journey, Andrea discovered the beauty and healing of Reiki and went on to become a Reiki Practitioner. During this time she also initiated into the Palo Kimbisa religion. Since opening Ambrozine LeGare Conjure, Andrea has taught conjure both publicly and privately, participated in religious and secular conferences that address the needs of underserved communities and volunteers her time and services to help victims of abuse. When Andrea is not working as a Spiritual Consultant she sends her time writing, performing, cooking, making incense and traveling with her family.

Resource List

Episode 8: Involving Ancestors in Witchcraft with Remy Ilmatar-Hayden

“We are being called by the drums and the blood…”
Special guest Remy Ilmatar-Hayden joins the Witches for a rousing and powerful discussion on involving Ancestors in personal Witchcraft practices. They discuss how to approach Ancestors (both of blood and of choice) as well as how to draw boundaries with Them, setting up an Ancestor altar, looking at famous or collective Ancestors, and departed friends becoming Beloved Dead. Plus, Courtney visits the Masons and after two and a half decades of being friends, she and Hilary discover that Kanani doesn’t do cold food.

Our Guest Today

Mrs. Remy Ilmatar-Hayden, 38, originally from Oakland CA; where she first met the Goddess. Remy is a Reiki Master/Teacher, a Psychic medium, Tantric Priestess, High Priestess to The Mother Goddess and Eclectic Hoodoo Witch. She has worked with the Goddess and the power of the Ancestors to effect healing and create magick for more than 20 years. Remy is an active member of the pagan community of the greater Portland Oregon area for 10 years, and loves every minute of it. Co-founder of The TransamorousNetwork.com where her life’s work is to help others live their best lives full of joy and happiness.

Resource List

Ancestry.com
Chiron Armand

Episode 7: The Power of Place

“Witchcraft: It’s inconvenient, uncomfortable, and a little gross.”
Your Witches take to the coast for this episode! They discuss how they have found Magick in different places–homes, cities, and natural environments. They also discuss the importance of keeping Magickal intentions private, the best herbs to use for protection, and whether casting a Circle is always necessary. Plus, hear all about their misspent youth (“The Blackberry Brandy Incident” and “Bedroom Adventures with Jimmy The Stoner”), and their tsunami evacuation plan (“Learn to climb real big trees?”).

Resource List:
Seaside, OR
The Craft
Casting a Circle
Buzz and Bloom Honey
Powers of the Psalms by Anna Riva
The Green Witch by Arin Murphy-Hiscock
The Witch’s Book of Self-Care by Arin Murphy Hiscock
Casting Sacred Space by Ivo Dominguez, Jr.
Rondo’s (The Lucky Candle)
Original Products Botanica (“Magickal Walmart”)

Episode 6: Spring and Magick! with Luna Pantera

Oregon doesn’t really have spring, but the Witches are going to discuss it, anyway. With special guest Luna Pantera, we discuss the Magickal energies of the springtime, spells for renewal, home blessing activities, the role of gratitude in your practice, and the importance of the Magickal “Yet”. Plus, Courtney has a new puppy who is now the cutest BFF with Hilary’s dog, and we learn that Kanani’s daughter will one day rule us all.

Our Guest Today

Luna Pantera is a Native San Franciscan whose mother always teased her
that she would have been a flower child if she hadn’t been 3 years old
when the “Summer of Love” happened! She is a life long activist on: Women’s Health/Choose, LGBTI Rights, Environmental and Social Justice Rights FOR ALL!!! She is a Black, Cis Women and Mother of a Fiery Virgo.
Luna has been “practicing” Tarot for over 30 years and considers herself a
healer that helps others connect to their own magik and intuition. She comes from a long line of magical folk on all sides of her family. She
works to help connect others with their own Ancestors to heal and gather
the knowledge, magik and wisdom of their lines. She is the founder of: Theater of The Ancestors. Luna has presented “The Mary Magdalene Rosary” at several magical festivals including and not limited to PantheaCon. You can reach Luna via heal@lunastouch.com. Her website is:
lunastouch.com. And her blog can be found at: lunasmagik009.wordpress.com

Resource List:
Celebrating the Great Mother by Cait Johnson and Maura D. Shaw
The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron
The Truth About Witchcraft Today by Scott Cunningham
Reclaiming Witchcraft
Hilary Geller–Feri: American Traditional Witchcraft

Episode 5: The Goddess in Witchcraft with Frodo Okulam

Today, we’re talking all about the Goddess! Frodo Okulam, professor at Portland State University, joins us to talk about the history of the Goddess and her own journey into Witchcraft. We also discuss modern swings in Witchcraft popularity and acceptance, Magickal book and Netflix recommendations, and fully inappropriate movie that’s good for Witchy souls. Plus, Kanani’s kids have always known she keeps a cauldron and talks to spirits, but only NOW do they think their Mom is a Witch because of one surprising reason…

Our Guest Today

Frodo Okulam obtained her Doctorate in Ministry from San Francisco Theological Seminary/Marylhurst University, an M.A. in Theology from Mount Angel Seminary and has been an Assistant Professor with the Women’s Studies Department since 2000. Frodo’s teaching and research interests include Eco-Feminist and Eco-Justice Spirituality; Earth-Centered Spiritual Traditions; Spirituality and Activism; and Wisdom Traditions. These interests are reflected throughout the courses she teaches. Some of the courses that Frodo has created and taught are Women’s Spirituality, Ritual in Culture and Daily Life, paganisms Past and Present, Goddess Pre & Early history, Feminist Biblical Interpretation, and many more. In addition to authorship of several publications, she has also been the Coordinator of an eclectic women’s spirituality group called SisterSpirit since 1985. Frodo has a very broad spiritual background that embraces many traditions and centers on female divine imagery and women’s experience. She invites students to pursue their own interests, and encourages creative thinking.

Resources List:
Marie Kondo
The Witch’s Book of Self-Care
The Little Hours
Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner
Barbara Mor: “The Great Cosmic Mother”
SisterSpirit
PaganFaire

Join us on March 18 to discuss Springtime Magick with special guest Luna Pan

Episode 4: Witchcraft in Ritual Performance with Raven Ebner

On today’s episode, Hilary takes us through her journey into performance art. She shares how Witchcraft and Magick have both influenced her art, and how her own performances are acts of Magick, themselves. Along with special guest Raven Ebner, Hilary introduces the concept of Blood Magick–how it has historically been used in Witchcraft and its role in contemporary Magickal performance. Plus, in honor of Black History Month, your hosts share a list of Black authors on Magick and Witchcraft you should be following. They also discuss the Witchcraft stores they all spent waaaayyyyy too much money in recently, as well as how Mr. Rogers was his own kind of Magickal being, too….

Our Guest Today

Our guest today is Raven Ebner (who also goes by the artist name Corviid) is a multimedia visual artist, fabricator, and performer whose practices in the occult are very much wrapped up in her art. She takes an intuitive approach to her ritual and sigil work, choosing to create her own path as she goes rather than sticking to any one established tradition. She was raised in a traditionally religious family and initially eschewed ritual before coming back around to rediscover how to make it come to life for herself. Her involvement with body modification and flesh hook suspension are other facets of her practice. As a performer, she choreographs fusion dance pieces (both as a soloist as well as for her troupe Ego Umbra) that explore archetypal themes, ritual, and sigils formed with the body to impact the emotions and consciousness of both dancers and audience alike. Her practice centers around communication with the subconscious and the body as the medium through which magic and change occur. Through all modes of art, her goal is transformation of the self, and an offering up of anything useful found in the process as a gift to anyone else it may serve.
deathvine.com.
requiemdarkfusionfestival.com

Resources list:
Boston Tea Room (Detroit)
Q Medb (Portland, OR)
Original Products (Bronx, NYC)
The Raven’s Wing (Portland, OR and Oakland, CA)
Michelle Pacheco-Ritual Tattooing
Grimoire of a Thorn-Blooded Witch

Episode 3: Love Spells with Chiron Armand

It’s our Valentine’s Day episode! We’re talking all about love spells–our greatest successes and favorite mistakes. Special guest Chiron Armand gives us advice on the best (and worst) ways to perform love spells. Plus, the strange and sexy origins of Valentine’s Day, and how your hosts almost died before doing the show (one by post office, two by ice cream…).

Chiron Armand

Today’s guest Chiron Armand is a shamanic healer, hoodoo rootdoctor, and houngan (oon-GON) in Haitian Vodou. He is the author of Deliverance!: Hoodoo Spells of Uncrossing, Healing, and Protection as well as the new title Clearing Spaces: Inspirational Techniques to Heal Your Home. Armand holds an MA in Performance Studies from New York University and a BA in Ritual Anthropology and Queer Studies from Hampshire College. His work can be found at ImpactShamanism.com.

Resource List from today’s episode:
* Chiron’s books: Clearing Spaces–Inspirational Techniques to Heal your Home Spaces and the forthcoming Deliverance!–Hoodoo Spells of Uncrossing, Healing, and

Episode 2: You’re a Witch! Now what?

Kanani hosts a discussion about how she, Hilary and Courtney got their start in their Witchcraft journeys including how to read signs and follow psychic impulses. We explore the questions, “Is Wicca and Witchcraft the same?” “Do you have to identify as Wiccan to be a Witch?” “Do I need to find a Tradition to ‘fit into’?” We discuss the books that got us started and contemporary authors with excellent resources for new Witches. (Courtney meant to add Besom Stang & Sword and Traditional Wicca: A Seeker’s Guide to her list of modern recommendations)

Plus, Courtney offends Kanani with her lunch and there’s a seriously awkward moment at the end.

Join us on February 4th for our Valentine’s Day episode on love spells with
special guest Chiron Armand!

Episode 1: What Makes a Witch?

Courtney, Kanani, and Hilary discuss their journeys out of mainstream religion and into Witchcraft, including paranormal stuff that scared them into picking up broomsticks. They also discuss what makes a Witch, and the difference between Witchcraft as a spiritual practice and as a formal religion, and suggestions of getting started if you’re interested in Witchcraft.