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What if death isn’t an ending, but a return to rest—and a reason to feed ancestors with flowers, fruit, and favorite foods? We invite Reverend Laura González to guide us through the deeper roots of Día de Muertos, far beyond costumes and candy. Laura opens the door to a pre‑colonial worldview where time moves in cycles, not lines: the blooming of flowers, the falling of fruit, and the seeds we leave for those who come after us. We unpack Mictlan as a place of dreaming rather than dread, and why skulls symbolize transformation, not horror.

Together we trace how colonization compressed forty days of indigenous honoring into two Catholic feast days, and what survived that shift: offerings, story, and communal care. Laura walks us through building a meaningful ofrenda—marigolds, fruit, coffee, chips, toys, and the exact foods your people loved—explaining why taste is memory’s shortcut. We talk about what to leave off the altar, how to avoid appropriation, and where to buy papel picado, sugar skulls, and clay figures directly from artisans who keep the craft alive. If your grief feels unfinished, this practice can become a yearly way to tell the stories, say the names, and let love do its work.

We also share Laura’s ongoing work: decolonizing goddess teachings, on‑demand classes, and a forthcoming series on the Tonalpohualli day signs. Come for the history, stay for the healing, and leave with a clear, respectful way to honor your dead and nourish the living. If this conversation moved you, subscribe, share it with someone who needs it, and leave a review so others can find the show.

Bio: Rev. Laura González is an Ixtlamatketl, Pagan Priestess, Spiritual and Community Healer, writer, podcaster, social justice and religious freedom activist, Priestess of the Goddess, and Minister of Circle Sanctuary. Learn more at bluewitch.org.

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Death isn't something to fear but rather a natural state of being. This profound insight from Jamie Waggoner, pagan priestess (PriestX) and author of "Hades: Myths and Magic and Modern Devotion," sets the tone for a conversation that transforms how we understand the autumn season and the mysteries beyond ordinary perception.

As leaves fall and darkness claims more of each day, many spiritual practitioners feel the boundaries between worlds growing more permeable. But what if the "veil" isn't actually thinning? What if our awareness is simply expanding? Jamie suggests the unseen realms exist parallel to ours all the time—it's our willingness to perceive them that changes during this potent season.

From her perspective as a hard polytheist who believes all gods are distinct entities with their own agendas, Jamie shares practical approaches to connecting with deities and ancestors. She describes her household tradition of setting a feast for Hades and Persephone at the autumnal equinox, complete with offerings buried in the earth and milk bones for Cerberus! We learn about the Wild Hunt led by Welsh deity Gwyn ap Nudd, who rides at Samhain gathering souls—and whose hounds create the curious phenomenon where the further away they sound, the closer they actually are.

Jamie dispels common misconceptions about Hades and the underworld, explaining that unlike the Christian concept of hell, the Greek underworld isn't primarily a place of punishment. Most souls go to the Asphodel Fields—neither good nor bad—where we wait until reincarnation. This perspective transforms our understanding of death from something frightening into simply another phase of existence.

Whether through elaborate rituals or simple practices like mindful breathing or lighting a candle, Jamie offers accessible ways for anyone to connect with the unseen—even those who must practice in secret. Her insights reveal what many discover in deep spiritual work: unexpected nourishment, acceptance, and grounding in the very depths we once feared.

Curious about developing your own relationship with deities or ancestors this season? Explore Jamie's books or join her teaching programs at Way of the Weaver, where magic is taught as "open source technology" you can adapt to your own practice and community.

Jamie Waggoner:

Jamie Waggoner is an author, Pagan priestess, and occult expert. She has been a practicing witch for 25+ years. Jamie is the author of Hades: Myth, Magic and Modern Devotion, and contributor to Witchology Magazine, Haunted Magazine, and The Feminine Macabre, among others. Jamie is also a cofounder and teacher for Way of the Weaver, an inclusive program of magical inquiry, social justice, and community building.

Website: www.jamiewaggoner.com

Social Media: @jmwaggoner (Insta, FB, and YouTube)

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What if our greatest fear could become our most profound teacher? Death – that inevitable transition we spend our lives avoiding – might actually be our most significant spiritual initiation.

Nikki Wardwell Sleath, occultist and author of Dream Sorcery, brings her unique perspective as both a magical practitioner and former hospice worker to this transformative conversation about our relationship with mortality. Drawing from her experiences witnessing end-of-life struggles, Nikki reveals how our cultural avoidance of death creates unnecessary suffering while robbing us of meaningful closure.

"I feel that we as a society largely have a very unhealthy relationship with death," Nikki explains. "The suffering, the denial, the taboo around death stands in direct contradiction to how I view death as a witch, as a shamanic dreamer, as an occultist."

As autumn leaves fall and nature prepares for winter's rest, we explore why so many cultures celebrate death and ancestor veneration during this season. The natural world offers perfect metaphors for understanding death not as an ending but as part of a continuous cycle – like night following day, with its own unique beauty and purpose. Through practices like lucid dreaming, shamanic journeying, and mediumship, we can develop personal evidence that consciousness extends beyond the physical body.

Nikki shares practical wisdom for connecting with ancestors, using "death as an advisor" to clarify life decisions, and preparing ourselves to become "good ancestors" for future generations. She invites us to reframe death as the ultimate adventure – "moving into the next dream" with all the wisdom we've gathered in this one.

Whether you're grieving a loss, contemplating your own mortality, or simply curious about what lies beyond, this conversation offers comfort, perspective, and tools for approaching death with greater peace and even anticipation. Listen now to transform your relationship with life's most certain transition.

Nikki Wardwell Sleath is a practicing occultist, author and teacher, and the founder of the Society of Witchcraft and Old Magick. She is a trained facilitator of Active Dreaming and is the author of Dream Sorcery, The Goddess Seals, and You Might Be A Witch. Nikki holds a masters in Integrative Health and Healing and provides readings as well as magic spiritual and energetic healing sessions for clients.
www.nikkiwardwellsleath.com

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The ancient Celts understood something profound about October that modern society often glosses over with candy and costumes - this is when the boundary between our world and the spirit realm grows remarkably thin. In this captivating premiere of "As The Veil Thins" series, Granddaughter Crow welcomes witch and author Jenny C Bell to explore the deeper meaning behind Samhain, Halloween, and our cultural relationship with death.

Jenny reveals how the Witch's Wheel of the Year places Samhain at a critical juncture between the fall equinox and winter solstice - a time when nature herself appears to die. This seasonal death isn't something to fear but rather investigate with curiosity. As trees shed leaves and animals retreat into hibernation, we're invited to reflect on what parts of ourselves might need releasing. Perhaps it's an outdated belief system, a career that no longer serves you, or simply making peace with a chapter that's closing.

The conversation takes a deeply personal turn when Jenny shares her unexpected reconnection with her estranged father after his death. Through a medium friend, she discovered how souls often reflect on unlearned life lessons after passing, seeking understanding and forgiveness from beyond the veil. This perspective offers profound comfort for anyone hesitant to connect with complicated ancestors or painful family histories.

You'll discover accessible ways to honor those who've crossed over - from lighting candles while speaking their names to preparing cherished family recipes or hosting a "silent feast" with place settings for departed loved ones. These practices don't require special abilities or elaborate rituals - just heartfelt intention and openness to the unseen.

For those concerned about unwanted spiritual encounters during this sensitive time, Jenny offers practical protection methods using crystal allies like smoky quartz and labradorite, alongside her reassuring mantra: "All crystals are protective and all herbs are cleansing."

Whether you identify as a witch, spiritual seeker, or simply someone curious about meaningful autumn traditions, this conversation invites you to look beyond the Halloween decorations and discover the profound wisdom of honoring endings as the necessary precursor to new beginnings. Join us each Saturday in October for more illuminating discussions as we continue exploring what happens as the veil thins.

Jenny C. Bell is the author Spirit Crystals: Discover Your Crystal Guide for Healing and Empowerment (Summer 2025) and Divergent Witchcraft: An Inclusive Approach to Making Magic (Spring 2026), founder of the Our Coven online community, host of the Cozy Coven Chats podcast, and a practicing witch. For three decades, Jenny has practiced yoga, meditation, read tarot cards and worked with the healing powers of crystals.

www.jennycbell.com

Protective Circle Video: https://youtu.be/918dC6rB7OA?si=K1guqGxs9X9soxgH

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What everyday objects in your home could become powerful magical tools? Charity Bedell returns to share her expertise on practical witchcraft and how ordinary items can be transformed into vessels for intention and spellwork.

Growing up in a household that blended Christian teachings with profound nature reverence, Charity developed a unique spiritual perspective that eventually led her to identify as both a pagan and a witch. Her father taught her early on that "Mother Nature knows what's going on" and that trees and animals possess their own spirits. This foundation, combined with her questioning after her grandmother's passing when she was thirteen, set her on a path of magical exploration that continues to this day.

Charity's published works reflect her practical, accessible approach to magic. In "Container Magic," she explores how jars, bottles, sachets, and even paper packets can serve as vessels for spells, making magic tangible and manageable for practitioners of all experience levels—even children as young as ten with proper guidance. She thoughtfully addresses the full lifecycle of magical tools, including the often overlooked aspect of how to properly dispose of them when their purpose is fulfilled. Her discussion of witch balls—protective ornaments designed to trap negative energies—reveals how traditional magical tools continue to serve important functions in contemporary practice.

Looking ahead to her forthcoming book "Powerful Powders" (March 2026), Charity shares how pre-charged magical powders can serve as ready-to-use spell components for days when energy is low but magical support is needed. By blending psychology, spirituality, and what she playfully calls "pseudoscience," she creates a practical framework for magic that appeals to diverse practitioners. Her seasonal practices for autumn and Samhain beautifully balance celebrating nature's cycles with honoring ancestral connections.

Ready to transform ordinary objects into extraordinary magical tools? Listen now and discover why Charity's final piece of advice—to trust your intuition and not let self-doubt sabotage your practice—might be the most powerful spell of all.

Charity is an established author in the fields of witchcraft and nature spirituality, with her works published by prominent publishers such as Union & Square (formerly Sterling Ethos) and Llewellyn. Her writing explores the intersections of magic, folk practices, and the spiritual connections with the natural world.
• The Good Witches Guide: A Modernday Wiccapedia of Magickal Ingredients & Spells (Co-written with Shawn Robbins)
• Container Magic: Spellcraft using Sachets, Bottles, Poppets & Jars
• Divine Dirt: The Art of Using Dirt in Magic, Ritual, and Spellcraft

Her forthcoming book, Powerful Powders: Recipes & Formulas for Magic & Spellcraft, is now available for preorder. This new work continues her exploration of practical magic by focusing on the creation and use of powders in spellcraft.
Loonawynd | Instagram, Facebook, TikTok | Linktree
https://herstic-echoes.com/

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Step into the hearth of magic as kitchen witch Trish Telesco reveals how to transform your cooking from mundane to mystical. With over 40 years of magical practice and more than 50 published books, Telesco brings authentic wisdom to the sacred art of kitchen witchery.

The magic begins at the threshold—wiping your feet before entering the kitchen isn't just about cleanliness but about leaving negativity at the door. Your kitchen becomes a temple where wooden spoons become wands and soup pots transform into cauldrons. No need for elaborate tools or precise measurements; kitchen witchery thrives on intuition, authenticity, and mindful presence.

Discover the layers of magic in Telesco's famous Five Onion Soup, where five different onions prepared five different ways create a symphony of texture, flavor, and intention. Learn how to cook with edible flowers, arrange food according to elemental correspondences, and align your meals with astrological energies. These practices engage all five senses, creating what Telesco describes as a "moving meditation" that deepens the magical potency of your food.

Kitchen witchery offers profound healing possibilities, too. For those navigating depression, chronic pain, or life transitions, mindful cooking provides therapeutic benefits that nourish both body and spirit. As Telesco shares from her own journey through health challenges, cooking becomes a way to process emotion and find joy in simple creation.

The most powerful insight? Stop doing magic and start being magic. By bringing your authentic self into everyday cooking practices, you embody magical consciousness rather than merely performing rituals. This accessible approach makes kitchen witchery available to everyone, regardless of experience or resources. All you need is intention, curiosity, and a playful spirit to transform your kitchen into a place where delicious magic happens every day.

Trish Telesco has been a practicing Kitchen Witch for 40 years, and written numerous books on related subjects. Her most recent book is Cooking with the Kitchen Witch, a celebration of the first magical cookbook ever, Kitchen Witch's Cookbook. She lives in WNY with her cats, who run the house, and dogs who don't know it.

FaceBook: @trish.telesco

https://kitchenwitchwisdom.substack.com

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Step into a world where crystals aren't just beautiful objects—they're conscious allies waiting to guide you on your spiritual journey. Jenny C Bell challenges mainstream crystal practices with a refreshing perspective: what if we approached crystals as sentient beings rather than tools to be programmed?

Drawing from indigenous wisdom and her decades of experience, Jenny introduces us to the concept of "stone people"—crystal beings with personalities, wisdom, and healing gifts they're eager to share. This paradigm shift transforms how we relate to these ancient earth treasures. Rather than simply collecting crystals for their metaphysical properties, we're invited to build genuine relationships with them, just as we would with a trusted friend or mentor.

The heart of Jenny's approach centers around six quartz varieties that serve as spirit guides: clear quartz, amethyst, rose quartz, smoky quartz, aventurine, and citrine. Each carries unique archetypal energy—from amethyst's connection to ancient Egyptian alchemy to smoky quartz's ability to bridge the worlds between living and ancestor realms. Through guided meditations, readers discover which crystal guide is specifically calling to work with them, often forming a lifetime spiritual partnership.

What makes this approach so powerful is its accessibility. You don't need to be clairvoyant to communicate with crystal guides. As Jenny explains, intuitive information comes through various channels—feelings, sounds, colors, or simply knowing. The key is trusting whatever arises and approaching the relationship with openness and respect. Simple practices like breathing onto your crystal, creating playlists inspired by its energy, or taking it on adventures help deepen the connection.

Ready to discover which crystal guide is waiting to connect with you? Listen to this amazing podcast.

Jenny C. Bell is the author Spirit Crystals: Discover Your Crystal Guide for Healing and Empowerment and Divergent Witchcraft: An Inclusive Approach to Making Magic (Spring 2026), She is also the founder of the Our Coven online community, host of the Cozy Coven Chats podcast, and a practicing witch. For three decades, Jenny has practiced yoga, meditation, read tarot cards and worked with the healing powers of crystals.

www.jennycbell.com

IG: @ourcovencommunity

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What if the eight hours you spend sleeping each night could become your most powerful magical laboratory? In this enchanting conversation, Granddaughter Crow welcomes Nikki Wardwell Sleath—occultist, author, and direct descendant of Samuel Wardwell who was executed during the Salem Witch Trials—to explore the transformative practice of dream sorcery.

Nikki unveils the true meaning of occultism as the study of hidden mysteries, challenging negative stereotypes and emphasizing how this knowledge can be practically applied in our daily lives. She explains why building authentic relationships with deities and energies is essential for effective magical practice—comparing it to developing friendships rather than making transactional demands of strangers.

The heart of their discussion centers around dreams as gateways to expanded consciousness. Nikki challenges conventional scientific perspectives that view dreams merely as brain processing, instead revealing how dreamscapes transcend time, connect us with spirits, and allow us to practice magic without physical limitations. She shares remarkable experiences of precognitive dreaming and collective dream divination that demonstrate the transpersonal nature of dream consciousness.

Listeners will discover the revolutionary concept of creating "magical neural pathways" through lucid dreaming—becoming fully aware while dreaming—which enhances magical abilities even in waking life. Nikki provides insights into how anyone, regardless of their spiritual tradition, can begin working with dreams as powerful tools for healing, shadow work, and accelerating magical development.
What hidden treasures await you in the dreamscape tonight?

Nikki Wardwell Sleath

Nikki is also directly descended from Samuel Wardwell, one of the hanged in the Salem witch trials. Nikki Wardwell Sleath is an occult teacher, author, and the founder of the Society of Witchcraft and Old Magick. She’s formally trained in American Witchcraft,is a dream and shamanic energy healing facilitator and holds a Master’s degree in Integrative Health and Healing. Nikki is the author of several books with more forthcoming and can be found at www.nikkiwardwellsleath.com.

www.nikkiwardwellsleath.com
https://www.facebook.com/nikkisnature
https://www.instagram.com/nikki_wardwell_sleath/

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