A bad witch's blog: October 2021

Sunday, 31 October 2021

Pagan Eye: A Candle Burning For Justice in the World

Here's a candle I lit as a spell for justice this Samhain. It is Halloween candle magic, inspired by the current call for historic witches to be pardoned.

My Pagan Eye posts show photos that I find interesting - seasonal images, pagan sites, events, or just pretty pictures. If you want to send me a photo for a Pagan Eye post, please email it to badwitch1234@gmail.com Let me know what the photo shows and whether you want your name mentioned or not. For copyright reasons, the photo must be one you have taken yourself.

Saturday, 30 October 2021

Shakespeare's Weird Sisters Inspired Magic Fondue Spell

This is the perfect spell to stir up some fun with fellow witches, inspired by the lines given to the Weird Sisters in Shakespeare’s Macbeth. It's one of the spells in my book Pagan Portals - Candle Magic.

You need:

Fondue set with a ceramic bowl heated by a candle

A tea-light candle

Cocktail sticks for marking the candle

400g dark chocolate

85g unsalted butter

284ml double cream

300ml milk

Marshmallows

Small wooden spoon

Fondue forks

Everyone present takes it in turn to carve their initials into the tea-light before it is popped under the ceramic bowl. Then put the chocolate, butter, cream and milk into the bowl and light the candle below it. While the ingredients are melting, everyone takes it in turns to stir the fondue with the spoon, secretly making a wish then saying out loud:

Double, double toil and trouble,
Chocolate melt and fondue bubble.
Candle burn and grant my wish,
Serve me up a delightful dish.

When the fondue is ready, dip the marshmallows into it and enjoy.

You can find my books, including Pagan Portals - Candle Magic, in the following shops and online stores:

My Moon Books author page: https://www.johnhuntpublishing.com/moon-books/authors/lucya-starza
Treadwell's bookshop at 33 Store Street, London WC1E 7BS and the website: https://www.treadwells-london.com/
The independent bookshop portal at uk.bookshop.org
My author page at Amazon: https://amzn.to/3C7FYul

Friday, 29 October 2021

Divination: The Plains of Bagan & the Sacred Sites Oracle

I thought I'd do a little divination after receiving some interesting news. The news was that my publisher, John Hunt Publishing, including the Moon Books imprint, is now owned by Etan Ilfeld who runs the Watkins Media Group. The media group includes Watkins Bookshop in London, Kindred Spirit and Watkins Mind Body Spirit magazines, and publishing imprints Watkins Publishing, among others. John Hunt, who owned JHP decided to retire and sell up.

Any time of change can be stressfull, but I think Moon Books will be in safe hands. Nevertheless, I thought I'd also see what the cards say. The oracle deck I chose to use is one actually published by Watkins: Sacred Sites Oracle Cards, by Barbara Meicklejohn-Free.

All of the cards in the deck depict sacred sites around the world and the one I drew was The Plains of Bagan. The message of this card is about transformation, change and making good choices in the future. It offers the suggestion that any grievances from the past can be rectified and any mistakes learnt from. This is a new beginning and it is necessary to focus on the bigger picture, realising that in life one can travel many paths. It says: "Life will be rich and enjoyable for as long as you are learning."

I believe this card is about the opportunity of a fresh start. Some old ways of working might need to be reconsidered, but good things can come of this. The future holds many possibilities.

You can view the Sacred Sites Oracle Cards on Amazon.

Thursday, 28 October 2021

Halloween Shopping: Tesco Bowls For Scrying Tonight!

Excuse the homage to the famous line in Carry on Screaming - you can of course scry at any time.

I had a bit of a problem to solve before teaching a scrying workshop for 20 people at London Month of the Dead. I had to be able to provide bowls for each of them for water divination, which also needed to be light enough for me to carry across London by public transport. Crystal balls, cast-iron cauldrons and obsidian mirrors might be the perfect tools for the task normally, but they're really heavy and I don't own 20 of them. You can also reuse black ready meal dishes as inexpensive, lightweight scrying bowls, but I don't have 20 of them either.

When I was doing a weekly grocery shop, I spotted the perfect thing: plastic bowls like the one in the picture in Tesco's Halloween for adults range. They are black, a good size, lightweight, inexpensive and don't look tacky even though they're plastic. I generally try to avoid buying plastic things, but it's okay If you intend to keep them and reuse them. These bowls will certainly be reused at scrying workshops I run in future.

The picture at the top shows one of the Tesco bowls with water in it that I tried scrying with myself. My workshop was based on my book Pagan Portals - Scrying, which is published by Moon Books and due to reach shops soon. You can find out more on my author page.

Please note I earn commission from some links.

Wednesday, 27 October 2021

Online and London Events over Samhain & Halloween

Here's my listing of witchy events over Halloween and Samhain, with a mixture of online and in-person things to do. I generally list events in the UK, especially in or near London, but some are outside that time zone and a few long-running things are further afield. If you know an event you want included, please email badwitch1234@gmail.com

Throughout October; London Month of the Dead, a month-long festival of online talks every Tuesday and in-person lectures, concerts, workshops and guided walks every weekend. Tickets for individual events are £12-£20. You can find the full programme here: https://londonmonthofthedead.com/index.html

Over Halloween; The Blackpool Tower Dungeon is retelling the story of the Lancashire Witch Trials and standing against prejudice. Venue: The Blackpool Tower Dungeon, Bank Hey Street, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY1 4BJ. Open daily. Online tickets £16. https://www.thedungeons.com/blackpool/information/news/pardon-the-pendle-witches/

Now - 31 October; Reconstructions of coffins at Crossbones Graveyard, South London, bearing the names of people buried there. Opening hours: Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays noon-2pm and Sunday 24th October 3.30pm-5pm. Free. https://www.facebook.com/GooseandCrow

Wednesday 27 October (every Wednesday); Wellbeing Wednesdays with Nadine and Caitriona. Online event. Time: 12.30pm. Tickets: £22 per monthly subscription. https://behappiest.co.uk/

Wednesday 27 October; The Gods Odin and Frigga. Workshop with Andre Henriques via Treadwell's Online. Time: 7pm start. Tickets: £20/£18. https://www.treadwells-london.com/events

Wednesday 27 October; Witches Circle Monthly Class with Gareth Hughes. Venue: Kallima Wellbeing Centre, 8A Adam Business Centre, Cranes Farm Road, Basildon, SS14 3JF. Time: 7.30pm. Tickets: £14.61. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-witches-circle-monthly-class-with-gareth-hughes-tickets-146162553131?

Wednesday 27 October; Otherworlds. Talk at Hertford Moot. Venue: The White Horse, 33 Castle Street, Hertford, Time: 8pm. https://www.facebook.com/groups/104788436218047

Wednesday 27 October; Hekate - Bearer of Torch and Keys with Viv. Online classes by Students of Lilith. Time: 8pm UK time. Tickets: $20. https://studentsoflilith.wixsite.com/classes/schedule

Wednesday 27 October (every Wednesday); The Witching Hour on the Witches Inn YouTube channel. Time 8pm. Free. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCw4Kl-MbdjsApFvodCnvANA

Wednesday 27 - Thursday 28 October; On Spiritualist Workers: Healing/Divining through Tarot and the Metaphysical with Dr. Melissa F. Lavin. Online classes by Students of Lilith. Time: starts midnight UK time. Tickets: $20. https://studentsoflilith.wixsite.com/classes/schedule

Thursday 28 October; Work with Shamanism to Grow Personally and Professionally. Online event with Harriet Goudard every Thursday. Time: 10am. Free. https://www.meetup.com/awaken-the-inner-shaman-london/

Thursday 28 October; Midweek Meditation with the College of Psychic Studies. Time: 3pm. Tickets: free for members/£7.50 for non members. https://www.collegeofpsychicstudies.co.uk/

Thursday 28 October; Book of Flesh and Feather. Talk by Zemaemidjehuty Setepentoth online via Watkins Bookshop. Time: 5.30pm. Tickets: free. https://www.meetup.com/WatkinsBooks

Thursday 28 October; Bettany Hughes and Irving Finkel discuss ‘The First Ghosts’. Online event by British Museum. Time: 5.30pm. Tickets by donation. https://www.britishmuseum.org/events/bettany-hughes-and-irving-finkel-discuss-first-ghosts

Thursday 28 October; Queer Women and Witchcraft through the Ages. Online talk by sapphic scholar Mara Gold as part of the Women's Programme by LGBT Foundation. Time: 7pm. Free. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/queer-women-and-witchcraft-through-the-ages-womens-programme-tickets-178745250857?

Thursday 28 October; Herb Magic with the Beloved Dead. Workshop with Hannah Sanders via Treadwell's Online. Time: 7pm start. Tickets: £20/£18. https://www.treadwells-london.com/events

Thursday 28 October; The Magical Qabalah. Workshop with Julian Vayne via Treadwell's Online. Time: 7pm start. Tickets: £20/£18. https://www.treadwells-london.com/events

Thursday 28 September; Online ASSAP talk. Time: 7pm. Free event. Tickets available to ASSAP members. To join for £5 per year, visit http://www.assap.ac.uk/

Thursday 28 September; The Pagan Federation Lectures with Elisa Gray on Witch Trials. Online Event. Time: 8pm. https://www.facebook.com/events/313128426873630

Thursday 28 October; Menstrual Mysteries from a Nonbinary Perspective with Khthoniaa. Online classes by Students of Lilith. Time: 9pm UK time. Tickets: $20. https://studentsoflilith.wixsite.com/classes/schedule

Thursday 28 October; Fairies and Social Outsiders with Morgan Daimler — author of Fairies a Guide to the Celtic Fair Folk. Online classes by Students of Lilith. Time: 11pm UK time. Tickets: $20. https://studentsoflilith.wixsite.com/classes/schedule

Friday 29 October (every Friday); Friday Live Chat hosted by Rachel Patterson, author of the Kitchen Witch series of books. Time: 9am. Free. https://www.facebook.com/RachelPattersonbooks/

Friday 29 October; Drum Birthing with Lynn Gosney and Bruce Scott. Venue: Shamanic Centre Caer Corhrain, Kent. Time: 8.45am. Tickets:16 inch £195 - 18 inch £225. https://www.facebook.com/events/770214276986636/

Friday 29 October; Tales from Britain's Haunted Theatres. Online talk with Geraldine Beskin of Atlantis Bookshop via the College of Psychic Studies. Time: 7pm. Tickets: £20. https://www.collegeofpsychicstudies.co.uk/

Friday 29 October; The Goddess Formerly Known As: Sanitizing/Sanctifying Goddesses Across Time with Godyssey Greg. Online classes by Students of Lilith. Time: 11pm UK time. Tickets: $20. https://studentsoflilith.wixsite.com/classes/schedule

Saturday 30 October; Constructing the Witch: How Women became Maleficent. One-day course with Ann Jeffers. Online via City Lit. Time: 10.30am - 4.30pm. Full fee: £59, Senior fee: £47, Concession:£36. https://www.citylit.ac.uk/courses/constructing-the-witch-how-women-became-maleficent

Saturday 30 October; Intuition Development Circle with Gemma Petherbridge. Digital event by She's Lost Control. Time: 10.30am. Tickets: £25. https://sheslostcontrol.co.uk/collections/all-events

Saturday 30 October; Pagan Federation 50th Anniversary - Samhain Storytelling. Online event by The Pagan Federation. Time: 11am. Free. https://www.facebook.com/events/411119510729533/

Saturday 30 October; Journeying with Spirit Guides and Power Animals. Online workshop with Claire Broad via the College of Psychic Studies. Time: 11am. Tickets: £105. https://www.collegeofpsychicstudies.co.uk/

Saturday 30 October; Introduction to Shamanism - Animal Guides Online Workshop with Anthea via the Shamanism nad Evolving Consciousness group. Time: 11am-5.30pm. Tickets: £55. https://www.meetup.com/Shamanism-and-Evolving-Consciousness

Saturday 30 October; Bee Experience Day organised by Aho Studio. In-person socially distanced event for 6 people only. Venue: Near Hainault Station on the Central line. Time: 11am. Tickets: £50. www.aho.community

Saturday 30 October; Celebrating The Wheel of the Year - Samhain: Honouring our Ancestors and the Celtic Dark Goddesses. Online workshop with Sarah Jane Dennis via the College of Psychic Studies. Time: 11am. Tickets: £105. https://www.collegeofpsychicstudies.co.uk/

Saturday 30 October; Samhain Sweat Lodge organised by Aho Studio. Venue: Berkely Farm, Near London. Time: 1pm. Tickets: £80. www.aho.community

Saturday 30 October; Samhain Pilgrimage by Gatekeeper Trust. Starts: St. Paul's, Cheapside, London, EC2V 6AA. Time: 2pm. Tickets: £10/£5. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/samhain-pilgrimage-tickets-175518940877

Saturday 30 October; Online Samhain Ceremony by Quilla's Online Pagan Circle. Time: 6.30pm. Free. https://www.facebook.com/events/4699450620106118/

Saturday 30 October; Indigo Earth - Samhain Ceremony. Fully inclusive event with priest of Indigo Earth Joseph Atiase. Venue: Hackney Marshes, 146 Lea Bridge Road, London E5 9RB. Time: 7pm. Tickets by donation. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/indigo-earth-samhain-ceremony-tickets-183747021287

Saturday 30 October; Kitchen Witch Samhain Ritual, with author Rachel Patterson. Online event. Time: 7pm. Free. https://www.facebook.com/events/976631509586429/

Saturday 30 October; YouTube Premier of the film Cultivating Honorable Relationships with the World. Online event by the Order of Bards Ovates and Druids (OBOD). Time: 8pm. Free. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SX_t_n-k-gc

Saturday 30 October; Consent in Hellenic and Roman Mythology: Changing Social Conversations with Frankie Castanea. Online classes by Students of Lilith. Time: 9pm UK time. Tickets: $20. https://studentsoflilith.wixsite.com/classes/schedule

Saturday 30 October; 42nd Reclaiming Spiral Dance conference. Online event. Time: 9pm UK time. Tickets by donation. https://www.reclaimingspiraldance.org/

Saturday 30 October; Awakening the Goddess Within with Brandee Kinney-Hurd. Online classes by Students of Lilith. Time: 10pm UK time. Tickets: $20. https://studentsoflilith.wixsite.com/classes/schedule

Saturday 30 - Sunday 31 October; Satanism and Feminism within "The Witch" with Vik M. Online classes by Students of Lilith. Time: starts midnight UK time. Tickets: $20. https://studentsoflilith.wixsite.com/classes/schedule

Sunday 31 October; Samhain Wachuma Healing Ceremony organised by Aho Studio. Venue: Berkely Farm, Near London. Time: 10am-7pm. Tickets: £180. www.aho.community

Sunday 31 October; Samhain Dried Flower Workshop with Oonagh Thorn. Venue: Meadows Store, 50 Dalston Lane, London E8 3AH. Time: 10am. Tickets £43.71 https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/samhain-dried-flower-workshop-with-oonagh-thorn-tickets-174189675007

Sunday, October 31; Women's Samhain Fire Dance in the Forest with Gayatri Lindsey of Rebirth and Awaken group. Venue: Farningham Wood, Calfstock Lane, · Dartford. Time: 10am. Tickets: £17. https://www.meetup.com/rebirthandawaken/events/280912452

Sunday 31 October; Halloween Unitarian Service at Rosslyn Hill Unitarian Chapel, 3 Pilgrim's Place, London NW3 1NG. Time: 11am. http://www.rosslynhillchapel.com/

Sunday 31 October; Dia de Muertos - London 2021 by Maria De La Paz Tissier/ Mexico Lindo y Querido UK. Venue: Wolves Lane Centre, Wolves Lane, London, N22 5JD. Time: noon. Tickets: £2.50. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/dia-de-muertos-london-2021-tickets-194364317907

Sunday 31 October; The Last Burials at Crossbones Graveyard. Talk by Lucy Coleman Talbot. Venue: Crossbones Graveyard, Redcross Way x Union Street, London, SE1 1SD. Time: 2pm. Tickets by donation. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-last-burials-at-crossbones-graveyard-tickets-182643390297

Sunday 31 October; The Witches' Sabbat. Venue: Helgi's Bar, 177 Mare Street, London, E8 3RH. Time: 4pm for 5pm start. Tickets: £10 www.wegottickets.com/helgisbar

Sunday 31 October - Monday 1 November; Aphrodite's Flame Samhain Vigil. Join Aphrodite's Flame Keepers to tend a candle flame from for as long as you wish in your own home, from dusk to dusk. Venue: Worldwide. Details: https://www.facebook.com/aphroditesflame/

Sunday 31 October; Woodland Witches Samhain 2021 (Halloween Ceremony) with Mani via London Woodland Witches, Wiccans and Pagans. Venue: Queen's Woods, Near Highgate Station , North· London. Time: 7pm. Tickets: £7. https://www.meetup.com/LondonWoodlandWitches/

Sunday 31 October; Samhain. Celebrating our Ancestors. Online event by GreenSpirit. Time: 7pm. https://www.facebook.com/events/684846606239871/

Sunday 31 October; COP26 - A Pagan Call to Action. Online event by The Pagan Federation. Time: 7pm. Free. https://www.facebook.com/events/411119510729533/

Sunday 31 October; Ancestor Souls Online livestreamed by The Library of Avalon. Time: 7.30pm. Tickets: £4.99. https://www.facebook.com/events/1170932786767317/

Sunday 31 October; Baba Yaga: Stories of the Slavic Crone-Goddess. Online event by In Feathers and Nana Tomova Storyteller. Time: 7.30pm. Tickets £7/10. https://www.nanatomova.com/event-details/baba-yaga-stories-of-the-slavic-crone-goddess?

Sunday 31 October; Samhain Ritual. Online, by Cunning Folk. Time: 8pm. Tickets: Free. https://www.eventbrite.com/o/cunning-folk-7829505560

Sunday 31 October; Samhain Devotional Ritual. Online event with Order of the Crows. Time: 8pm. https://www.facebook.com/events/546803219917917/

Sunday 31 October; Druid Moots and Bardic Nights. Time: 8pm. https://www.facebook.com/events/183022713984845

Sunday 31 October; Halloween Seance with Patti Negri. Online through The Last Tuesday Society and The Viktor Wynd Museum of Curiosities. Time: 8pm. Tickets · from £4. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/the-viktor-wynd-museum-amp-the-last-tuesday-society-12203346619

Sunday 31 October; Samhain Ritual Evening with Tree Carr. Digital event by She's Lost Control. Tickets: £15. Time: 8.30pm. https://sheslostcontrol.co.uk/collections/all-events

Monday 1 November (every Monday); Mindful Still Life Monday Sessions with London Drawing, via Zoom. Two sessions: 12.30pm and 6pm. Donations welcome. https://londondrawing.com/online-creative-sessions/

Monday 1 November (every Monday); Mindful Mondays with Caitriona of Be Happiest. Online event. Time 7pm. Tickets: £6 per session or £20 per month. https://behappiest.co.uk/

Monday 1 November; Goddess Temple Samhain Ceremony (Online) with Flame Crone Nolava and Glastonbury Goddess Temple. Time: 7.30pm. Tickets: £5. https://www.facebook.com/events/900160363968195/

Monday 1 November; The History of Halloween. Online talk with Professor Ronald Hutton through The Last Tuesday Society and The Viktor Wynd Museum of Curiosities. Time: 8pm. Tickets · from £5.82. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/the-viktor-wynd-museum-amp-the-last-tuesday-society-12203346619

Monday 1 November; Crystal Yin. Workshop with Lisa Hood. Digital event by She's Lost Control. Tickets: £15. Time: 8.30pm. https://sheslostcontrol.co.uk/collections/all-events

Tuesday 2 November; Book Club: Period Power. Digital event by She's Lost Control. Tickets: £20. Time: 7pm. https://sheslostcontrol.co.uk/collections/all-events

Tuesday 2 November; Artist Francis Bacon and the Occult. Online talk by Amanda Harrison and Sophie Pretorius via the College of Psychic Studies. Time: 7pm. Tickets: £20. https://www.collegeofpsychicstudies.co.uk/

Tuesday 2 November (first Tuesday each month); The Witches' Inn Moot. Venue: The Pavilion, Plough Road, Smallfield, Horley, RH6 9JL. Time: 7.30pm (earlier than usual). Free event. https://www.facebook.com/The-Witches-Inn-1568424150049437

Tuesday 2 November; A Stroll Through the Poison Garden with Moonweed. Talk at Romford Pagan Moot. Venue: The Golden Lion, 2 High Street, Romford. Time: 7.30pm. Free. https://www.facebook.com/Romford-Pagan-Moote-634178063700381

Wednesday 3 November; A free online talk by me, Moon Books author Lucya Starza, on Facebook Live about Bonfire Night, Poppy Day and magic for autumn's end. All welcome. Time: 4pm. https://www.facebook.com/events/200234362231656

Wednesday 3 November; Moonology Dark Moon Ceremony with Yasmin Boland on Facebook live. Time: 6pm. Free. https://www.facebook.com/events/492507461900108

Wednesday 3 November; Sound Magic. Two-session workshop with Nicole Bettencourt Coelho. via Treadwell's Online. Time: 7pm start. Tickets: £40. https://www.treadwells-london.com/events

Wednesday 3 November (tbc usually first Wednesday of the month); Drumming and Meditation Online with Taz Thornton. Monthly event. Time: 7pm Price: free. https://www.facebook.com/TazThorntonOfficial#

Wednesday 3 November; The Effective Spell. Start of four-evening course with Mark Vincent Smith via Treadwell's Online. Time: 7pm start. Tickets: £100. https://www.treadwells-london.com/events

Wednesday 3 November; Rune Course. Start of four-evening course with Andre Henriques via Treadwell's Online. Time: 7pm start. Tickets: £80. https://www.treadwells-london.com/events

Thursday 4 November; Online Event Moon Sound Bath and Meditation With Spiritual Tiik. Time: 4am. Free. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/online-event-full-moon-sound-bath-meditation-with-spiritual-tiik-tickets-184592811067?

Thursday 4 November; Signposts of the Spiritual Journey. Talk by author John Siddique. Online via Watkins Bookshop. Time: 5.30pm. Tickets: free. https://www.meetup.com/WatkinsBooks

Thursday 4 November; In Search of Mami Wata: Readings and Presentation by Way Wive Wordz. Venue: The House of St Barnabas, 1 Greek Street, London, W1D 4NQ. Time: 6.30pm. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/in-search-of-mami-wata-readings-presentation-tickets-185835628367?

Thursday 4 November; Thames River of Souls 2021- candle-lit walk and rite with Mani via London Woodland Witches, Wiccans and Pagans. Meet at Bankside Pier on the· south bank of the Thames, London. Time: 7.30pm. Tickets: Free. https://www.meetup.com/LondonWoodlandWitches/

Thursday 4 November; New Moon Circle, with Tree Carr. Digital event by She's Lost Control. Tickets: £15. Time: 8.30pm. https://sheslostcontrol.co.uk/collections/all-events

Thursday 4 November; Shooting the Wild Witch Breeze. Facebook Live Chat with Rachel Patterson and Elen Sentier. A new chat video usually every two weeks on a Thursday. Time: 7pm. Free. https://www.facebook.com/MoonBooks

Friday 5 November; New Moon in Libra Ceremony. Facebook Live event by Hay House and Yasmin Boland. Time: noon. Free. www.facebook.com/hayhouse

Friday 5 November; Yoga Vinyasa Flow Workshop with Global Fusion Music and Arts. Free online event. Time: 7.30pm. https://www.meetup.com/freestuffandfreeevents/

Saturday 6 - Sunday 7 November; Artemis Online Market and Witchfest Online Video: Mary Rands on How do you Honour your Gods. Event organised by Veiled Market and Witchfest International. Online event. Starts 10am. Free. https://veiledmarket.com/ and https://www.facebook.com/events/391423292521108/

Saturday 6 November; Meditation and Mindfulness. Venue: Bishopsgate Institute, 230 Bishopsgate, Spitalfields, London EC2M 4QH. Time: 10am. Tickets: £62/£47. https://www.bishopsgate.org.uk/

Saturday 6 November; Women in Druidry Conference 2021. Online event by Sisterhood of Avalon. Talks and workshops by Eimear Burke, Chosen Chief of the Order of Bards, Ovates, and Druids, Danu Forest, Cerri Lee, Jhenah Telyndru and Joanna van der Hoeven. Time: 3pm-9pm. Tickets: $30. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/women-in-druidry-conference-2021-tickets-186183157837?

Sunday 7 November; Luna Iter - Halloween Ritual In-person ritual in Hackney, East London for members of the group. Time: 4.30pm. Entry: £8/£6. https://www.facebook.com/groups/1230392930656154

Notes: I'm not responsible for the content of these events except my own talk on Magic for the Month. Contact event organisers directly if you have any questions. I generally list things in the UK, especially in or near London, but some are outside that time zone. Where a practitioner is offering information about magical wellbeing and healing, this is *not* medical advice.

Tuesday, 26 October 2021

A Lucky Black Cat Poppet for Black Cat Appreciation Day

Tomorrow is National Black Cat Day in England. It is held each year on 27 October in this country and was started by Cats Protection with the aim of promoting the beauty of black cats.

According to animal charities, black cats are more difficult to find homes for because some people think they are unlucky. Personally, I've always thought of them as symbols of good luck. In fact I describled how to make a black cat charm for good luck in my book Pagan Portals - Poppets and Magical Dolls. Here's the quote from the book:

Lucky black cat charm
As a talisman to bring good luck, make a black cat-shaped poppet from felt, small enough to keep in your pocket or bag. Inside the cat put a mixture of herbs and items associated with luck such as an acorn and dried heather, clover or mint. Add a few strands of your own hair – and a few strands of fur fallen from your own cat if you have one. Put a yellow or gold ribbon around the neck of the cat and to it hang a small metal charm associated with luck, such as a four-leaf clover. Enchant the cat on a Sunday when the moon is full or nearly full. Say: ‘I name you my good luck cat and charge you to attract the best that can happen in all things.’

The one I made has a green ribbon rather than a yellow one, as green can symbolise money and I wanted to good fortune in that sense too. It's fine to adapt spells you find in books or online to suit your own needs.

You can find my books, including Pagan Portals - Poppets and Magical Dolls, in the following shops and online stores:

My Moon Books author page: https://www.johnhuntpublishing.com/moon-books/authors/lucya-starza
Treadwell's bookshop at 33 Store Street, London WC1E 7BS and the website: https://www.treadwells-london.com/
The independent bookshop portal at uk.bookshop.org
My author page at Amazon: https://amzn.to/3C7FYul

Plase note I earn commission from some links.

Monday, 25 October 2021

Where You Can Find My Pagan Portals Witchcraft Books

The other week someone asked me where they could buy my books apart from Amazon, because they preferred to buy from independent shops. I very much appreciate them asking, because I think it's really important to support local stores and small businesses. Here are some suggestions:

In the photo at the top you can see the first witchcraft book I wrote - Pagan Portals - Candle Magic - on sale at Treadwell's bookshop in London. Treadwell's is a superb esoteric shop with really helpful staff. It primarily sells books, but also has a lovely range of other witchcraft supplies including spell candles, oils, incense and divination tools. The shop usually has copies of my books in stock, or can order them for you. You can find Treadwell's between the British Museum and Tottenham Court Road, at 33 Store Street, London WC1E 7BS. If you aren't in London or don't feel like browsing in person, and you can make online purchases via the website: https://www.treadwells-london.com/

You can support independent bookshops but order online using uk.bookshop.org. It's a portal that financially supports local, independent bookshops as well as authors and publishers. I've got my own shopfront on the website. You can find it here: https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/lucyastarza

If you live near Sydenham in south east London, then Kirkdale Bookshop is the place to go. While this lovely shop isn't specifically an esoteric store, it is my local bookshop and has kindly stocked my own books on magic. You can find Kirkdale Books at 272 Kirkdale, London SE26 4RS, near Sydenham station. Here's the website: https://kirkdalebookshop.com/

Books can be ordered via my publisher, Moon Books, although I believe they mainly offer links to Amazon and Barnes and Noble on their website. You can find my Moon Books author page here: https://www.collectiveinkbooks.com/moon-books/authors/lucya-starza

It is always worth remembering that any dedicated independent bookshop or pagan shop that sells books will be able to order copies of books that are in print with a traditional publisher. All my witchcraft books fall into that category.

Here's the full list of all the witchcraft books I've written or edited

Pagan Portals - Candle Magic
Pagan Portals - Poppets and Magical Dolls
Pagan Portals - Guided Visualisations
Pagan Portals - Scrying
Every Day Magic - A Pagan Book of Days
Pagan Portals - Rounding the Wheel of the Year

If you see any of my books on sale anywhere else, do let me know!

Friday, 22 October 2021

Review: Verity Moss - A Perpetual Diary Almanac of Herbs

I do love journals that are also full of folklore, herblore, spells and other snippets from traditional magic. Verity Moss - A Perpetual Diary Almanac of Herbs and Cures and Organic Recipes fits the bill very nicely. It is compiled by Judith Page and Paul F Newman.

As well as having lots of space for day-by-day notes throughout the year, it includes so much more. There's practical things to try like 'The Magic of Rosemary', 'Moon Phases and Planting', and 'Mirror Scrying'. There's also anecdotes about medieval customs, recipes and details about historical and mythological characters.

Much of it is written as though by a 17th century girl called Verity Moss, who was the character in the novel The Path of Verity Moss, also by Judith Page and Paul F Newman. Although the accounts of this time-travelling herbalist's apprentice are fictionalised, much of what is in these two books is well-researched history and folklore.

Verity Moss - A Perpetual Diary Almanac would make a lovely gift for a fellow witch, or just something to get as a treat for yourself to help you keep inspired over the year ahead.

Judith Page is a storyteller and poet, whose books aim to bring mystery and magic alive.

You can view Verity Moss on Amazon

Thursday, 21 October 2021

Pagan Eye: A Worry Worm Bookmark Made With Love

This cute little bookmark was made by Pat McNally of the Rainbow Healing Sanctuary. She is a Worry Worm, designed to cheer you up if you are feeling down, as well as mark the pages in books. I love her!

Pat McNally is wonderfully creative and writes a blog about art as a means of healing at http://artfromtheheart1.blogspot.com. One of the projects Pat started is for people to knit or sew hearts as crafting projects and then leave them in public as a form of guerrilla art. I made a few myself before the pandemic and this is a reminder to me to start doing that again.

You can email yourcreativeself@outlook.com if you want to find out more or get involved.

Wednesday, 20 October 2021

Online and London Events over Samhain & Halloween

Here's my listing of witchy events up to Halloween and Samhain, with a mixture of online and in-person things to do. I generally list events in the UK, especially in or near London, but some are outside that time zone and a few long-running things are further afield. If you know an event you want included, please email badwitch1234@gmail.com

Throughout October; London Month of the Dead, a month-long festival of online talks every Tuesday and in-person lectures, concerts, workshops and guided walks every weekend. I will be giving an in-person workshop on scrying on 23 October. Tickets for individual events are £12-£20. You can find the full programme here: https://londonmonthofthedead.com/index.html

Throughout October and over Halloween; The Blackpool Tower Dungeon is retelling the story of the Lancashire Witch Trials and taking a stance against prejudice. Venue: The Blackpool Tower Dungeon, Bank Hey Street, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY1 4BJ. Open daily. Online tickets to visit from £16 for adults. Details: https://www.thedungeons.com/blackpool/information/news/pardon-the-pendle-witches/

Wednesday 20 October (every Wednesday); Wellbeing Wednesdays with Nadine and Caitriona. Online event. Time: 12.30pm. Tickets: £22 per monthly subscription. https://behappiest.co.uk/

Wednesday 20 - 31 October; Reconstructions of coffins at Crossbones Graveyard, South London, bearing the names of people known to be buried at the ground. Opening hours: Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays noon-2pm and Sunday 24th October 3.30pm-5pm. Free entry. https://www.facebook.com/GooseandCrow

Wednesday 20 October; Heathenry Introduced. Workshop with Andre Henriques via Treadwell's Online. Time: 7pm start. Tickets: £20/£18. https://www.treadwells-london.com/events

Wednesday 20 October; Learn Marseille Tarot: Minor Cards. Start of four evening classes with Adrien Mastrosimone via Treadwell's Online. Time: 7pm start. Tickets: £100. https://www.treadwells-london.com/events

Wednesday 20 October (every Wednesday); The Witching Hour on the Witches Inn YouTube channel. Time 8pm. Free. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCw4Kl-MbdjsApFvodCnvANA

Wednesday 20 October; Animal Transformations: Selkies, Werewolves and Witch-Hares. Talk by Dr Larrington by Zoom through The Viktor Wynd Museum of Curiosities. Time: 8pm. Tickets · from £5. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/the-viktor-wynd-museum-amp-the-last-tuesday-society-12203346619

Wednesday 20 October; Delightful Dragons. Online event by Jason Buck Storyteller and Rosalind Buck, creator and performer. Time: 8pm. Tickets · £6.50-£9.50 www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/167892227171

Thursday 21 October; Work with Shamanism to Grow Personally and Professionally. Online event with Harriet Goudard every Thursday. Time: 10am. Free. https://www.meetup.com/awaken-the-inner-shaman-london/

Thursday 21 October; Midweek Meditation with the College of Psychic Studies. Time: 3pm. Tickets: free for members/£7.50 for non members. https://www.collegeofpsychicstudies.co.uk/

Thursday 21 October; Smoke Hole. Talk by author Martin Shaw about his new book. Online via Watkins Bookshop. Time: 5.30pm. Tickets: free. https://www.meetup.com/WatkinsBooks

Thursday 21 October; Becoming the Alchemist. Six evening online event with Anthea via the Shamanism nad Evolving Consciousness group. Time: 6.30pm. Tickets: £250. https://www.meetup.com/Shamanism-and-Evolving-Consciousness

Thursday 21 October; Shooting the Wild Witch Breeze. Facebook Live Chat with Rachel Patterson and Elen Sentier. A new chat video usually every two weeks on a Thursday. Time: 7pm. Free. https://www.facebook.com/MoonBooks

Thursday 21 October; Moon Cycle Alchemy, with Tree Carr. Digital event by She's Lost Control. Tickets: £15. Time: evening. https://sheslostcontrol.co.uk/collections/all-events

Thursday 21 September; Online ASSAP talk. Time: 7pm. Free event. Tickets available to ASSAP members. To join for £5 per year, visit http://www.assap.ac.uk/

Thursday 21 October; Full Moon Event with Peace Fires. Light a candle or fire for peace wherever you are in the world, for just for 10 minutes or an hour or longer and state the intention: “Let there be peace on earth and love for one another.” Free. Details: http://peacefires.org/

Thursday 21 October; Cunning Folk Reading Group - Dracula's Brood. Online event. Time: 7pm. Price: Free. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/cunning-folk-music-tickets-169318806107

Friday 22 October (every Friday); Friday Live Chat hosted by Rachel Patterson, author of the Kitchen Witch series of books. Time: 9am. Free. https://www.facebook.com/RachelPattersonbooks/

Friday 22 October, Yoga Vinyasa Flow Workshop with Global Fusion Music and Arts. Free online event. Time: 7.30pm. https://www.meetup.com/freestuffandfreeevents/

Friday 22 October; Honouring the Gods at Samhain with Freya and Mani via London Woodland Witches, Wiccans and Pagans. Venue: Hampstead Heath, London. Time: 8pm. Tickets: £13. https://www.meetup.com/LondonWoodlandWitches/

Saturday 23 October; Cemeteries and Burial Grounds: A Day of Talks. Venue: Southwark Cathedral, London Bridge, SE1 9DA. Time: 10am-4pm. Tickets: £15. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/cemeteries-and-burial-grounds-a-day-of-talks-tickets-176180168627

Saturday 23 October; Palmistry Workshop by Lee at Wicca Moon, Eltham, South East London. Time: noon. Tickets £60. https://www.wiccamoonuk.com/shop/events-and-workshops/palmistry-workshop/

Saturday 23 October; I will be giving an in-person workshop on scrying for London Month of the Dead, based on my soon-to-be-published book Pagan Portals - Scrying. Time: 3.30pm. Tickets £20. Details: https://londonmonthofthedead.com/index.html

Saturday 23 October; Rutting Deer Watch Mani via London Woodland Witches, Wiccans and Pagans. Venue: Richmond Park, London. Time: 12.30pm. Tickets: free. https://www.meetup.com/LondonWoodlandWitches/

Saturday 23 October; Sun, Moon and Stars - Ask The Oracle With Yasmin Boland. Online event. Time: 6pm. Free. Saturday 23 October; https://www.facebook.com/events/2352696851532813

Saturday 23 October (tbc); Crossbones Online Halloween Vigil. On the 23rd of every month since June 2004, people have honoured the outcast dead of Crossbones Graveyard, Southwark. In the past year, this has being offered via Zoom. Time: 7pm. Free. Details here: https://www.facebook.com/GooseandCrow

Saturday 23 October; Night of the Ancestors Honouring Those Past. Run by Lynn Gosney. Venue: Shamanic Centre Caer Corhrain, Kent. Time: 7pm. https://www.facebook.com/events/120194539280113/

Sunday 24 October; How to Read Oracle Cards. Digital event by She's Lost Control. Time: 10.30am. Tickets: £25. https://sheslostcontrol.co.uk/collections/all-events

Sunday 24 October; Honouring Mama Osun: Thames River Clean up and Ritual Offering. Organised by Way Wive Wordz. Location: Battersea Bridge Road, London, SW11 3BZ. Time: 9.30am. Free. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/honouring-mama-osun-thames-river-clean-up-and-ritual-offering-tickets-177916161027?

Sunday 24 October; Magical Ogham Tree Walks - The Aicme of Ailm, by Jaclyn. Venue: Gladstone Park, 52 Mulgrave Road, London, NW10 1BT. Time: 3.30pm. Tickets: £27.54. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/magical-ogham-tree-walks-the-aicme-of-ailm-tickets-166967407009?

Sunday 24 October; October Plenty with the Lion's Part on the South Bank of the Thames, London. http://www.thelionspart.co.uk/octoberplenty/index.html

Sunday 24 October; Curious Coffins and Haunted Dolls. Online talk with by Dr Louise Fenton through The Viktor Wynd Museum of Curiosities. Time: 8pm. Tickets · from £10. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/the-viktor-wynd-museum-amp-the-last-tuesday-society-12203346619

Monday 25 October; Mindful Still Life Monday Sessions with London Drawing, via Zoom. Two sessions: 12.30pm and 6pm. Donations. https://londondrawing.com/online-creative-sessions/

Monday 25 October (every Monday); Mindful Mondays with Caitriona of Be Happiest. Online event. Time 7pm. Tickets: £6 per session or £20 per month. https://behappiest.co.uk/

Monday 25 October; Samhain, Night of the Dead. Workshop with Rebecca Beattie, author of Nature Mystics via Treadwell's Online. Time: 7pm start. Tickets: £20/£18. https://www.treadwells-london.com/events

Monday 25 October; 'Birth of the Greek Gods'. Start of four-evening class with Sasha Chaitow via Treadwell's Online. Time: 7pm start. Tickets: £100. https://www.treadwells-london.com/events

Monday 25 October; The Role of Feminism in Puerto Rican Brujeria with CM Cancel. Online classes by Students of Lilith. Time: 11pm UK time. Tickets: $20. https://studentsoflilith.wixsite.com/classes/schedule

Tuesday 26 October; Sigils For Change with Laura Tempest Zakroff. Online classes by Students of Lilith. Time: 1am UK time. Tickets: $20. https://studentsoflilith.wixsite.com/classes/schedule

Tuesday 26 October; Starting Your Psychic Journey. Start of 6-session online workshop with Gary Wright via the College of Psychic Studies. Time: 5pm. Tickets: £160. https://www.collegeofpsychicstudies.co.uk/

Tuesday 26 October; I was Satan’s roadie: Tracking the Devil in English local lore. Talk by Jeremy Harte via the Folklore Society. Time: 6pm. Tickets £5/£3. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/i-was-satans-roadie-tracking-the-devil-in-english-local-lore-tickets-170450353596

Tuesday 26 October; Film Nite - WITCH: We Intend to Cause Havoc. Venue: Helgi's Bar, 177 Mare Street, London, E8 3RH. Time: 6pm. Tickets: £7.15 www.wegottickets.com/helgisbar

Tuesday 26 October; The Enfield Poltergeist: Untold Stories, Unseen Images. Online talk with Alan Murdie via the College of Psychic Studies. Time: 7pm. Tickets: £20. https://www.collegeofpsychicstudies.co.uk/

Tuesday 26 October; Witch Hunting in England and America, 1645–52. Online talk by Professor Malcolm Gaskill through The Viktor Wynd Museum of Curiosities. Time: 7.30pm. Tickets · from £5.82. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/the-viktor-wynd-museum-amp-the-last-tuesday-society-12203346619

Tuesday 26 October; Crystal Meditation with Gemma Petherbridge. Digital event by She's Lost Control. Time: 7pm. Tickets: £15. https://sheslostcontrol.co.uk/collections/all-events

Tuesday 26 October; Sacred Water and The Divine Feminine with So. Ill. So Strange. Online classes by Students of Lilith. Time: 9pm UK time. Tickets: $20. https://studentsoflilith.wixsite.com/classes/schedule

Wednesday 27 October; The Gods Odin and Frigga. Workshop with Andre Henriques via Treadwell's Online. Time: 7pm start. Tickets: £20/£18. https://www.treadwells-london.com/events

Wednesday 27 October; The Witches Circle Monthly Class with Gareth Hughes. Venue: Kallima Wellbeing Centre, 8A Adam Business Centre, Cranes Farm Road, Basildon, SS14 3JF. Time: 7.30pm. Tickets: £14.61. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-witches-circle-monthly-class-with-gareth-hughes-tickets-146162553131?

Wednesday 27 October; Otherworlds. Talk at Hertford Moot. Venue: The White Horse, 33 Castle Street, Hertford, Time: 8pm. https://www.facebook.com/groups/104788436218047

Wednesday 27 October; Hekate - Bearer of Torch and Keys with Viv. Online classes by Students of Lilith. Time: 8pm UK time. Tickets: $20. https://studentsoflilith.wixsite.com/classes/schedule

Thursday 28 October; Book of Flesh and Feather. Talk by Zemaemidjehuty Setepentoth online via Watkins Bookshop. Time: 5.30pm. Tickets: free. https://www.meetup.com/WatkinsBooks

Thursday 28 October; Herb Magic with the Beloved Dead. Workshop with Hannah Sanders via Treadwell's Online. Time: 7pm start. Tickets: £20/£18. https://www.treadwells-london.com/events

Thursday 28 October; The Magical Qabalah. Workshop with Julian Vayne via Treadwell's Online. Time: 7pm start. Tickets: £20/£18. https://www.treadwells-london.com/events

Thursday 28 October; Secrets of Greek Sacred Art. Start of five evening class with Sasha Chaitow via Treadwell's Online. Time: 7.30pm start. Tickets: £120. https://www.treadwells-london.com/events

Saturday 30 October; Intuition Development Circle with Gemma Petherbridge. Digital event by She's Lost Control. Time: 10.30am. Tickets: £25. https://sheslostcontrol.co.uk/collections/all-events

Saturday 30 October; Bee Experience Day by Aho Studio. In-person event for 6 people. Venue: Near Hainault Station on the Central line. Time: 11am. Tickets: £50. www.aho.community

Saturday 30 October; Samhain Sweat Lodge organised by Aho Studio. Venue: Berkely Farm, Near London. Time: 1pm. Tickets: £80. www.aho.community

Saturday 30 October; Kitchen Witch Samhain Ritual. Online event. Time: 7pm. Free. https://www.facebook.com/events/976631509586429/

Saturday 30 October; 42nd Reclaiming Spiral Dance conference. Online event. Time: 9pm UK time. Tickets by donation. https://www.reclaimingspiraldance.org/

Sunday, October 31; Women's Samhain Fire Dance in the Forest with Gayatri Lindsey of

Rebirth and Awaken group. Venue: Farningham Wood, Calfstock Lane, · Dartford. Time: 10am. Tickets: £17. https://www.meetup.com/rebirthandawaken/events/280912452

Sunday, October 31; Samhain Wachuma Healing Ceremony organised by Aho Studio. Venue: Berkely Farm, Near London. Time: 10am-7pm. Tickets: £180. www.aho.community

Sunday 31 October; The Witches' Sabbat. Venue: Helgi's Bar, 177 Mare Street, London, E8 3RH. Time: 4pm for 5pm start. Tickets: £10 www.wegottickets.com/helgisbar

Sunday 31 October; Samhain. Celebrating our Ancestors. Online event by GreenSpirit. Time: 7pm. https://www.facebook.com/events/684846606239871/

Sunday 31 October; Ancestor Souls Online livestreamed by The Library of Avalon. Time: 7.30pm. Tickets: £4.99. https://www.facebook.com/events/1170932786767317/

Sunday 31 October; Samhain Ritual. Online, by Cunning Folk. Time: 8pm. Tickets: Free. https://www.eventbrite.com/o/cunning-folk-7829505560

Sunday 31 October; Samhain Devotional Ritual. Online event with Order of the Crows. Time: 8pm. https://www.facebook.com/events/546803219917917/

Sunday 31 October; Samhain Ritual Evening with Tree Carr. Digital event by She's Lost Control. Tickets: £15. Time: 8.30pm. https://sheslostcontrol.co.uk/collections/all-events

Notes: I'm not responsible for the content of these events except my own workshop at London Month of the Dead. Contact event organisers directly if you have any questions. I generally list things in the UK, especially in or near London, but some are outside that time zone. Where a practitioner is offering information about magical wellbeing and healing, this is *not* medical advice.

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Wednesday, 20 October 2021