The concept behind clickbait is not nearly as new as the web itself, however. Magazines, newspapers, book titles, TV news programs, and other forms of media have been over-hyping headlines and titles for quite a while now at this point.

You may be wondering why I am beginning a book review post with a brief overview of clickbait. The reason lies in the fact that I generally approach books with certain phrasing in their titles with a generous pinch of salt.

“Secret History” of just about anything is one such term that I try to view with an open mind, keenly aware all the while that it may be used as a marketing tool.

Note, I said “tool”, not ploy. In many cases, I do not believe there is genuinely ill intent on the part of either the author or the publisher.

Rather, knowing the psychology of marketing, they realize that certain keywords will draw readers in and make them more apt to purchase an item.

After all, who doesn’t want secret knowledge on just about any topic – let alone one they likely already have an interest in?

The irony is that, even if the proverbial tea was spilled for the first time publicly on a given subject, once it is out there in print (or another media) form, the secret element largely vanishes.

For much of human history, and certainly in many respects to this day (despite what social media might have you believe), witchcraft was frequently done in secret – whether by choice or necessity.

And that fact alone makes the inclusion of the word “secret” in the title of the book we will be exploring here more apt than if it were present in relation to a fair number of other topics.

Released in 2020, Witchcraft: A Secret History by Michael Streeter takes a captivating look at the origins and dynamic, often turbulent history of witchcraft from ancient times straight on to the 21st century.

Book Specs

Name: Witchcraft: A Secret History

Author: Michael Streeter

Page count: 256

Publisher: White Lion Publishing (an imprint of Quatro)

Binding: Hardcover (this book is also available in paperback)

No secrets, but plenty of interesting facts and viewpoints

Like many of us, some of the first books pertaining to the craft that I cut my witchling teeth on focused primarily on the history of witchcraft.

As a budding Pagan witch living in a modest-sized town during the 1990s, there wasn’t a ton of literature to be had on witchery and Paganism at either my school’s library or our town’s public library.

Unsurprisingly, of the two, the public library offered up moderately more titles. I read every single one from both sources and anything else I could my hands on that even faintly pertained to witchcraft and/or Paganism.

In the ensuing decades, I have read scores of books on a huge range of witchery, occult, Paganism, astrology, tarot, and other related topics – including plenty that focus on the history of witchcraft.

I’m always game to give a new (or new to me) title on this subject a shot. When I spied Witchcraft: A Secret History on sale in 2020 for an absurdly low price, I leapt at the chance to add this particular look at the history of witchcraft to my own personal library.

This book was penned by a British writer and TV researcher named Michael Streeter who has over thirty years of experience working in newspaper journalism (he is a former editor, for example, of the Scottish Daily Express newspaper) and who has extensively researched and written about a wide range of subjects, including the occult.

I do not know – and make zero assumptions about – if Mr. Streeter is a witch, Pagan, or otherwise occult inclined individual or if this is simply an area of study that tickles his fancy.

As you might guess based on the title, this is not a “how-to” book pertaining to witchery, spellwork, or the like.

Witchcraft: A Secret History is, as its name implies, a history of witchcraft. However, various topics such as the sabbats, certain types of witches tools and attire, covens, and other elements that pertain to how some 21^st witches and Wiccans practice their craft are touched on in this book as well.

This book is divided into three sections, each of which houses a few chapters. They are as follows:

The Ancient World

-The Dawn of Witchcraft

-Powerful Goddesses, Powerful Witches

-Magic and the Birth of Christianity

-European and Northern Witchcraft

-The Wheel of the Year

The Medieval World

-The Rise of Christianity

-The Burning Times

-Witches Tools

-New World, Old Horrors

-Salem: A Town Possessed

-The Magic Circle and Pentagram

The Modern World

-The Survival of Witchcraft

-The Birth of Wicca

-Covens

-Wicca Goes West

-Witchcraft Now and in the Future

-What Witches Believe

Each of these chapters is further broken down into multiple subsections, meaning that the space devoted to a given topic is rarely vast, yet as a collective whole, the body of information presented is well structured and provides readers with a generalized look at the history of witchcraft.

Across the span of Witchcraft: A Secret History, the author delves deep into a wide range of topics. Myth and lore, known history and contemporary witchcraft all find their way into this hardcover book’s pages.

Perhaps hoping to tap into the long-standing connection that exists both in the popular imagination and in real life between Halloween/Samhain and witches, this book features just two colours of ink throughout: black and orange.

The wealth of historical images that Witchcraft: A Secret History houses are rendered in orange, black, and the white paper of the pages themselves. (Both the front and back cover of this book share this same colour palette.)

This approach creates a visually captivating, exciting array of images that draw you and hold your attention as they do so.

And while I enjoyed and was not put off by this two-colour approach, at times I felt it might have highlighted the seriousness of the important historical topics at hand had the images appeared either solely in black in white or in full-colour illustrations.

There is, naturally, a finite amount of information that one can pack into 256 pages. I knew going into Witchcraft: A Secret History that this was not likely to be the most detailed or extensive book that I’ve ever read on the history of witchcraft.

However, Streeter took full advantage of the space allotted to him and wasted no time in presenting us with an engaging summation of the history of witchcraft, as well as touching on topics such as “What is Witchcraft?” (which as he notes, is not an easy question to answer), “Folk Magic”,  (the) “Mother Goddess”, and many other areas pertaining to the craft.

This book explores the fact that witchcraft – both as that word was intended in times past and in the present day – has been with humanity for a very long time.

Throughout Witchcraft: A Secret History, we rub shoulders with a wide range of historical and mythical features. From the Witch of Endor to Circes, the ancient Druids to key figures in the development of Wicca and, by extension, modern witchcraft in general, such as Aleister Crowley, Gerald Gardner, and Raymond Buckland.

Beyond the scope of names and dates of the sort one would expect to find in a history book, Streeter presents a fair and empathetic look at the prejudices, persecution, misunderstandings, and wholly unjustified reputation that witchcraft has often been subjected to over the centuries.

Along the way, the author also highlights how certain early deities and mythological figures (for example, the Sumerian Lilitu who is believed to be the prototype for the Hebrew Lilith) have managed to not only survive, but take on new forms over the years, including in terms of the roles that they currently play in the lives of some modern-day witches/Wiccans/Pagans.

As is often the case with books pertaining to the history of witchcraft, this title focuses primarily on how this subject relates to Europe and North America.

If you are seeking a broader global look at the history and origins of witchcraft/sorcery/magick from other parts of the world (such as Africa, for example) you will need to look elsewhere to find it.

While I wouldn’t say that Streeter goes out of his way to make this point, it is important to keep in mind when engaging with anything relating to its history that witchcraft, as it is practiced today by many, is not a directly continuous act that has been carried out in the exact same way since the dawn of civilization.

The manner in which some modern witches around the globe practice witchery and what this act means to them may not always be the same as that of our forewitches.

Many individuals whom we, through the lens of the 21st century, label as witches may not have identified as such in their own time.

They might have been healers, midwives, shamans, cunning folk, herbalists, or other designated individuals, but, again, may not have described or viewed themselves as witches in the way that we generally use and understand that word today.

The concept of yesteryear individuals merrily marching en mass under the banner of witchery is at best a highly romanticized version of the past and at worst, a great disservice to the people and their beliefs that helped to lay the path to modern-day witchery.

Not to mention an affront to those who were accused, often falsely, of practising witchcraft as it was negatively perceived at the time through a highly religious lens.

How Witchcraft: A Secret History by Michael Streeter rates with me

As I suspected going into it, Witchcraft: A Secret History is not chock-a-block with secrets that have been hidden for countless years. No lids – be they of caldrons or otherwise – are blown off in this book.

Those who have been studying the history of witchcraft for a while may find that they’re familiar with much, if not all, of what is covered throughout its pages.

This is not to say that it can’t still make for an engaging read, simply that it is a book which is, in my opinion, especially well suited to those who are just starting to delve into learning about witchcraft and its history.

Indeed, I couldn’t help but think while reading Witchcraft: A Secret History how my vastly younger self would have lapped up every word in this book with wide-eyed gusto and enthusiasm.

While I’m far from jaded and actually tend to enjoy reading different peoples’ takes on subjects that I am already quite familiar with, objectively, there wasn’t a lot in this book that was new to me.

For some people – especially those who are just starting out as witches/Wiccans or beginning to research the history of witchcraft for whatever reason – each page may be filled with information that is sparklingly new to them.

Though heavy subject matter is covered at times (as it should be in a book of this nature), overall, I found Witcraft: A Secret History to be a breezy read that I got through in no time at all.

The tone was lively and this history book flows nicely, leading one straight into the development of 20^th and 21st-century witchery and Wicca.

Those looking for a more in-depth and/or academic overview of the history of witchcraft will likely either wish to search elsewhere or – and this is my personal recommendation – include Witchcraft: A Secret History as one of multiple books you read on the subject.

In particular, if you are seeking a deeper dive into the history of witchcraft and/or magick, I would suggest checking out the following titles (amongst others):

–A History of Magic, Witchcraft, and the Occult by DK

–A Storm of Witchcraft: The Salem Trials and the American Experience by Emerson W. Baker

–History of Witchcraft by Jeffery B. Russell and Brooks Alexander

–Magic: A History: From Alchemy to Witchcraft, from the Ice Age to the Present by Chris Gosden

–Obeah, Race and Racism: Caribbean Witchcraft in the English Imagination by Eugenia O’Neal

–The Occult, Witchcraft and Magic: An Illustrated History by Christopher Dell

–The Oxford Illustrated History of Witcraft and Magic by Owen Davies

–The Salem Witch Trials: A Day-by-Day Chronicle of a Community Under Siege by Marilynne K. Roach

–The Witch: A History of Fear, from Ancient Times to the Present by Ronald Hutton (Hutton’s books in general as a terrific source of information pertaining to the history of witchery and Paganism, including Druidism)

–Witchcraft in Europe, 400-1700: A Documentary History edited by Alan Charles Kors and Edward Peters

One point in particular that immediately struck me as a bit strange for a history book is the lack of academic citations, a bibliography, or even a further or suggested reading section at the end which might have given readers an idea of where the author sourced the information in this book from.

We can only speculate as to whether this was an unintentional oversight or a purposeful decision on the part of the author or their publisher. Either way, I felt that a lack of sources and/or bibliography weakened the accuracy with which that some readers may view the information presented in Witchcraft: A Secret History.

Nevertheless, with its undeniably attractive cover, promise of secret knowledge, and general overview of the history of witchcraft, this book has appeal for sure.

It is not my all-time favourite book on the history of witchcraft, but I enjoyed it all the same and appreciate the natural flow of how this Witchcraft: A Secret History is presented. Just as I did the mix of the author’s own take on certain subjects woven throughout his presentation of the historical facts and lore contained in this book.

Is the title a bit clickbait-y? (Or would that be “readbait-y”?) You betcha!

Chances are many readers will understand as much going into this book, though, and won’t be wildly disappointed when they get to the end and are not in possession of some highly classified witchcraft intel.

If you’re looking for a light overview of the history of witchcraft or a beginner book on the subject, you may want to pick this title up for yourself or to give as a gift.

Those who are well versed on the subject may still find this to be a pleasant read, however, you are unlikely to be blown away by this particular book.

Working on a scale of 1 – 5, with five being the highest possible rating, I would give Witchcraft: A Secret History book 3 stars out of 5.

★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

Have you read Witchcraft: A Secret History? What is your favourite book on the history of witchcraft?

The post Book Review: Witchcraft: A Secret History by Michael Streeter appeared first on Witchcrafted Life.

While in most parts of the Western Hemisphere the sunny season is still picking up plenty of steam and will be around for at least a few more weeks, the Summer Solstice marks the point on the calendar after which the days gradually grow darker again for the next six months.

If the Pagan sabbats were light switches, Litha (which, north of the equator, corresponds with the Summer Solstice) would be the one that flicks off the light.

Half a year later, as the chilly season is hitting its stride, Yule, lovingly turns the light back on for us.

Though it can be strange to think of The Winter Solstice/Yule as a time of light and warmth, December plants the earliest seeds for the spring, summer, and autumn ahead – each of which will house its own distinct proportion of daylight.

Litha is a merry, upbeat, and beautiful sabbat. It might not be quite as youthful as Ostara and Beltane, but it is far from advanced in age either.

In the classic archetypical viewpoint that aligns parts of the year with human age cycles, come Litha, the Goddess has reached firmly reached the mother/mature stage of her life and the God his father/mature point as well.

Whereas some view the Summer Solstice/Litha as the start of summertime proper, many others – including no shortage of ancient and traditional cultures – see it instead as the halfway point of summer.

This is why another common and much-loved name for the longest day of the year is Midsummer.

The Summer Solstice occurs on Tuesday, June 21, 2022, this time around and is, scientifically speaking, the astronomical first day of summer.

I do not have a dog in the proverbial fight regarding whether one wishes to view Litha as the start, middle, or really, any other point of summer.

One’s feelings on the matter often pertain to things such as the weather patterns in their area, their spiritual path, and, in some instances, their profession.

For example, most teachers and professor sI have spoken to over the years about this topic views the Summer Solstice as the start of summer in their (text)books.

Whereas those who hold jobs that see them spending most or all of their working hours outdoors tend to land more in the Litha as Midsummer camp.

The bigger picture is what matters more and that is in observing, honouring, and celebrating the shifting seasons, (north of the equator) the hottest slice of the calendar, and the longest day of the entire year.

As a number of you have emailed and DMed me asking if this Litha would be the one to house a list of craft projects pertaining to the Summer Solstice, I am more than happy to oblige and bring you just such a selection several days in advance of the next Neopagan sabbat.

The majority of these projects were not actually created with the sole intention of being for Litha. However, each of them – to borrow a great expression from the UK – works a treat on that front and is an ideal match for the balmy days of Midsummer.

Should you be meeting this periodically occurring Solstice/Equinox/Sabbat craft series for the first time or if you would like to revisit prior entries, thus far, you can do so for the following sabbats.

–Ostara

–Beltane

–Mabon

–Yule

In the past, I have discussed many aspects of Litha in posts such as 12 Ways to Celebrate the Summer Solstice Indoors During Covid-19 and 15 Essential Oils That are Perfect for the Summer Solstice.

If you are new to the concept of Litha or would simply like to read more about this sunny season sabbat, I highly encourage you to check out both of those entries.

In addition, before we hop headfirst into an inspiring selection of 35 wonderful Litha craft ideas, let’s take delve a little further into what Litha is all about.

Is Litha the start or middle of summer?

As touched on above, while astronomically speaking the Summer Solstice is the start of summer, it is up to each person to decide whereabouts on their personal calendar they opt to view as the start of this season.

Living in Canada, where snow has been known to fall during every month of the year and spring has often scarcely begun before it has no choice but to pass the baton to summer, I lean more towards Litha being the start of summer.

And yet… I firmly view the next Pagan holiday – Lammas / Lughnasadh – at the start of August as the inaugural fall time sabbat. Therefore, in a matter of speaking, Litha does become Midsummer by default.

No matter what, it is safe to say that Litha is a sunny, upbeat sabbat with no shortage of reasons to celebrate its return.

Other names for Litha

In addition to the name Litha, the Summer Solstice has long been known by and/or associated with various other special occasions that transpire in the same general time period.

Therefore, amongst others, the Summer Solstice and/or Litha are also known as Vestalia, Alban, Thing-tide, Gathering Day, Sun Blessing, Whit Sunday, St. John’s Day, and Whitsuntide.

Most of these terms are rarely used anymore in the 21st century. However, is useful to know them, all the same should you encounter these alternative Summer Solstice names in the course of reading or otherwise studying history.

And on a similar note, Litha is classified as being one of the four “Lesser Sabbats” (aka, “Low Holidays” or “Low Sabbats”).

Lesser sabbats are cross-quarter festivals that occur between the four “Greater Sabbats” of Samhain, Imbolc, Beltane, and Lammas (with the other three Lesser Sabbats being those that also correspond with a solstice or equinox; thusly, Ostara, Mabon, and Yule, respectively).

Litha correspondences, Litha symbols, and Litha meanings

Broadly speaking, by this stage in the year the growing season – both wild and guided by humans – is well underway.

Many baby animals have been born in recent months and plenty still will come into the world between now and early autumn.

Though some crops have already been harvested or are on the cusp of being gathered, plenty of others are still hard at work growing to the best of their abilities.

They will be plucked, sorted, and sent to market at the tail end of summer and straight on into the golden days of fall.

Litha is a time to relax and savour nature, all that you have accomplished since last Yule/Winter Solstice, and to let the sun’s radiant light shine brightly on the plans, goals, and dreams that you may hope to achieve between now and the shortest day of the year in December.

Some of the most popular and beloved Litha correspondences and Litha symbols include the following:

-Litha symbols: The sun, sun wheels, sundials, fire including balefires and bonfires, torches, cauldrons, swords and daggers, athames, spirals, spinning wheels, candles in Litha colours, the Goddess in her mother/mature phase, the God in his father/mature phase, faeries and other wee folk, phoenixes, merfolk, the moon (as the Summer Solstice corresponds with the start of the astrological season of Cancer, which is ruled by the moon), stars, cleansing waters, sacred wells, seashells, feathers, and a wide array of flowers.

-Litha colours: Red, fuchsia, coral, salmon, peach, orange, yellow, gold, green, aquamarine, turquoise, vibrant blues and purples, tan, woody browns, gold, brass, bronze, silver, and white.

-Litha animals: Birds, butterflies, moths, dragonflies, fireflies, bees, ants, horses, cows, buffalo, wolves, bears, deer, lions, cougars/mountain lions, lizards, snakes, marine animals, and bats.

-Litha crystals and stones (amonst others): Sunstone, yellow apatite, citrine, pyrite, yellow fluorite, honey calcite, yellow topaz, amber, clear quartz, rose quartz, jasper, diamond, ruby (July’s birthstone), tiger’s eye, rhodonite, peridot, jade, malachite, aventurine, blue lace agate, ruby tourmaline, red beryl, carnelian, howlite, opal, and moonstone.

-Litha metals: Gold (including rose gold), brass, bronze, silver, and platinum.

-Litha foods: Fresh fruits (including berries, melons, and stone fruits, fresh vegetables (such as lettuce, tomatoes, corn, radishes, green and yellow beans, zucchini, and peas), potato salad, edible flowers and wild greens, dandelions, olives, lemons, oranges, grapefruits, limes, bread, cookies/biscuits, graham crackers, oatcakes, pies, pastries, cakes and cupcakes/fairy cakes, mead, ale, wine, ice tea, mint tea, lemonade, limeade, orange juice, grapefruit juice, fruit punch, milk (including non-dairy milks), sun tea, butter, cheese, cream and whipped cream, eggs, meringues, custards, frozen desserts (including ice cream), marshmallows, honey, honey cakes, olive oil, sunflower seeds, sunflower seed butter, popcorn, corn based foods such as tortillas, saffron, chives, lavender, mint, lemon balm, cinnamon, ginger, vanilla, paprika, chili powder, chili flakes, seafood, poultry, grilled foods, and spring water.

-Litha herbs and other plants: Lemon balm, heather, mint (all types), basil, thyme, rosemary, oregano, bay leaves, dill, sage, fennel, chicory, purslane, lavender, orange blossom, rue, yarrow, borage, summer savory, tansy leaves, lemongrass, elderflower, mugwort, vervain, lotus, roses, jasmine, honeysuckle, meadowsweet, calendula, red and white clover, dandelion, marigolds, chamomile, mistletoe, St. John’s Wart, moss, ferns, hemp, and flax.

-Litha flowers: Roses, marigolds, daisies, honeysuckle, wisteria, peonies, dahlias, lilies, jasmine, hydrangeas, rhododendrons, sunflowers, poppies, and wildflowers.

-Litha trees: Oak, Elder, fruit trees, linden, rowan, holly, Japanese maples, willow, hazel, laurel, and olive trees.

-Litha incense: Citrus fruits, berries, peach, mango, vanilla, sage, rosemary, cedar, pine, honeysuckle, jasmine, rose, lavender, verbena, patchouli, frankincense, myrrh, ylang-ylang, cinnamon, and mint.

Litha oils: See my list of 15 Essential Oils That are Perfect for the Summer Solstice, while also taking your cue from the many entries in this section that are available in essential oil form.

-Litha altar ideas: Draw from the many entries in this section when decorating your altar for Litha.

In particular, you may wish to include representations of the sun and/or moon, sun wheels, spirals, swods/daggers/athames, cauldrons, flowers, oak leaves, mistletoe, (garden) seeds, herbs, seashells, sand, candles in Litha colours, items pertaining to divination, floral garlands or crowns, Litha foods, dried slices of citrus fruit, objects relating to dragons and/or faeries, and crystals that suit Litha especially well.

Litha element: Fire (though all of the elements shine abundantly throughout the Litha season, very much including the element of water which has extremely close ties to the Cancer season).

-Litha planet/celestial object: The sun

-Astrological signs that correspond with the Litha season/Midsummer: Cancer and Leo (Leo season also corresponds with Lammas at the beginning of August).

-Litha goddesses: Alectrona/Electryone, Sol/Sunna/Sunne, Bast/Bastet, Freya, Beiwe, Aine, Flora, Ekhi, Brigit, Étaín/Édaín, Olwen, Aurora, Diana, Eos, Habondia, Persephone, Hepa/Arinna, Selene, Fotuna, Saulė, Amaterasu, Shemesh/Shepesh, Magec, Uelanuhi, Yhi, and Gnowee.

As well as the Goddess/Divine Feminine in her pregnant/motherly form.

-Litha gods: Ra, Sopdu, Inti, Huitzilopochtli, Tonatiuh, Savitr, Pan, Lugh, Apollo, Helios, Surya, Mithras, Belenos, Hathor, and Freyr.

As well as the archetypes/God personifications of the Holly King, the Oak King, and the Greenman.

(Note: These are not exhaustive lists of sun-related deities that would be a natural fit for the Summer Solstice. For a more thorough compilation, check out Wikipedia’s list of Solar Deities.)

As with each sabbat that comprises the modern Neopagan Wheel of The Year, Litha is not without its fair share of meanings and attributes that are closely associated with this poignant annual event.

Some of the most widely acknowledged Litha meanings and attributes include the following:

-Balance

-Harmony

-Abundance

-Revitalization

-Vitality

-Light

-Divine energy

-Youth

-The prime of life

-Advancement

-Divination

-Psychic abilities

-Dreams

-Growth

-Hope

-Prosperity

-Charging (crystals, candles, witches jars, magical tools, card decks, spiritually meaningful jewelry, etc)

-Fertility

-Healing

-Nurturing

-Caregiving

-Self-care and self-love

-Gardening (including faery gardens)

-Art and creativity

-Walking and hiking

-Remembrance

-Equality

-Family

-Nature

-Singing and chanting

-Dancing

-Drumming

-Solar energy

-Fire and fire magick

-The fae

-Dragons

-Harvest

If you are working magick at Litha, the entries above can each be excellent jumping-off points for your spells, rituals, blessings, prayers, ceremonies, and related activities.

35 stellar summer solstice crafts, DIY projects, and home décor ideas for Litha

1. Felt Midsummer Crown: Floral crowns are a timeless way to celebrate the abundance of blooms and greenery that calls the sunny half of the year home.

Fashion a Midsummer crown from felt that will last long after even the heartiest of summer flowers has gone into hibernation once again and enjoy wearing it or displaying it in your home.

Either way, it is a treasure of a creation and one that you will surely look forward to connecting with Summer Solstice after Summer Solstice.

2. How to Make a Pentagram Herb Dryer: Preserve the season’s choicest and most beneficial herbs with this fantastic DIY pentagram hanging herb dryer, which easily doubles as Pagan/witchy decor whether it is in use at the moment or not.

3. Felt Mermaid Dolls: One of my oldest and dearest online friends is a fabulously creative soul who makes the absolute sweetest felt and fabric creations.

I thought of her immediately when I spied this summertime perfect sewing project post that guides you through how to make adorable little felt mermaids.

These cutie pies are fabulous as toys, home decor pieces, party (or wedding) favours, or to give as gifts to all of the landlocked mermaids in your life.

4. Clay Pot Toadstools: Delightfully simple to make, these adorable clay pot toadstools are just the thing to inject a serious hit of whimsy into any garden (very much including faery gardens).

You could also use them as indoor decor, too, and there is no stopping you from including one (or more) of these darling handmade toadstools on your Litha altar.

5. Sun’s Out Crochet Drink Coasters: Celebrate the majesty of summertime sunshine with these vibrant yellow crocheted sun-shaped coasters, which could easily be used for many other purposes as well.

Place them under candle jars, adorn your altar with them, string a row together to make bunting, hang one in the window to honour summer’s warmth – the possibilities are nearly endless!

6. How to Make Cute Washcloth Teddy Bears: Far more adorable than fierce, these precious little washcloth bears are a great way to pay homage to one of the animals most closely linked to Litha/Midsummer (plus they make terrific gifts for baby showers, tea parties, hostesses, and anyone else you think would enjoy a cuddly washcloth teddy bear).

7. Dehydrated Citrus Gardaland DIY: Often associated with the winter holiday season, slices of dried citrus fruit can just as easily and effectively be utilized at other times of the year as well.

Two of my personal favourites are Imbolc and Litha, where, in both instances, glassine-like wheels of dehydrated lemons and oranges do a superb job of representing the sun.

Thankfully, making your own dried citrus fruit is not terribly tricky and once you have whipped up a batch or two, you can put them to work in a wide array of ways. Including, should you wish, this awesome dehydrated citrus garland (that would look amazing drapped across or hung over your Litha altar).

8. How to Make a Beaded Suncatcher: If ever there was a (Northern Hemisphere) sabbat that suited suncatchers to a tee, surely it would be Litha.

A handful of pretty beads, a crystal or charm, clear beading thread, and a key ring (or other suitable ring) are all you need to create your own captivatingly gorgeous suncatcher(s0 that will help you enjoy the season’s vibrant light all the more.

9. Gorgeous Free Dragonfly Cross Stitch Pattern: Soft, summery hues, beautiful blooms, and a trio of dazzling dragonflies combine to make one seriously lovely cross stitch pattern that doesn’t cost you a dime (though you may need to spring for the materials involved).

10. Decorated Mid-Summer Candles: How delightful are these lively patterned and beautifully hued DIY decorated candles?

A cinch to whip up, one need only reach for plain candles and either wax sheets or candle paint are all you need to whip up your own Summer Solstice perfect candles (two other similar candle decorating approaches would be to use melted candle ends or wax crayons in much the same manner).

11. Peach Bellini Sugar Scrub: Few fruits – and this is saying a lot considering how many of them are in their prime during the sunny season – sing with the heart and soul of summer more than peaches.

Having spent much of my youth (and no shortage of my adult years, too) in one of North America’s largest peach-growing regions, I have a particular soft spot for this scrumptious fruit and, in turn, just about anything that is peach-scented.

Should you melt for this lush fruit as well, why not give yourself a peach field pampering session by making a batch of your own peach bellini sugar scrub and putting it to good use in the tub anytime you are in the mood to savour the unmistakably beautiful aroma of this beloved summertime staple.

12. Cardboard Tube Grasshoppers: Despite their ubiquitousness with summer in many corners of the world, it is surprising how infrequently crickets and grasshoppers appear in summertime art, crafts, and home decor.

This sweet, very easy-to-make craft- which is terrific to create with kids – utilizes a humble cardboard tube and some pipe cleaners to make an adorable grasshopper that can you can either have leap around the house or park in one spot all summer long.

13. How to Transfer Photos onto Stones: Pretty much since I have been able to walk, I’ve been collecting little treasures (rocks very much included) from nature wherever I go.

If you do the same or just happen to have some suitable rocks (likely, quite literally) sitting around, why not turn them into impressively lovely works of art by transferring photos onto stones?

And should you happen to be a fellow Pagan/witch, this would be an awesome technique to use when making everything from altar decor to amulets.

14. Cherry Pompom Keychains: While the actual cherry growing season is but a few brief weeks or months in most parts of the world, when you create one of these super fun cherry pompom keychains you can keep the spirit of this delicious summertime classic going strong the whole year through.

15. Salt Dough Sun Plaque: As returning readers of this sabbat craft series may have noticed, salt dough lends itself marvellously to each point that comprises The Wheel of The Year.

In this instance, it is utilized to make an eye-catchingly lovely sun-themed plaque that, if stored correctly, should last you for many years to come (and which makes for a fantastic Litha altar decoration).

And fear not, if -like me – you must avoid gluten or are crafting with/for someone who does, it is entirely possible to make gluten-free salt dough that works every bit as well as the original version in the context of most salt dough crafts.

16. Easy Paper Plate Lemon Slice Bunting: Paper plates are an underrated craft supply item if you ask me. As this stylish DIY lemon slice bunting proves, there is no end in sight to what paper plates can do in the hands of creative individuals (in fact, the website that this tutorial hails from is devoted entirely to paper plate craft – how cool is that!).

17. DIY Underwater Seashell Candles: Many a long year ago, I managed a location of one of Canada’s most popular home goods stores called Stokes. It never failed to delight me as I watched certain items fly off the shelves. Back then (we’re talking roughly twenty years ago now), one such item was jelly candles.

Also known as gel wax candles, these eye-catching candles are fun, versatile, and can easily be made at home with the right supplies.

And while I cannot speak to how well they sell these days, based on the number of tutorials I have seen online for DIY jelly candles over the years, it is safe to say that they continue to have a loyal following.

Should you wish to try your hand at making some gel wax candles during the sunny season, may I suggest this beautiful version that utilizes real sand and seashells to create what surely must be one of the most summertime perfect forms of lighting ever devised!

18. Cute Painted Bottlecap Ladybugs: Those who were alive during and are old enough to remember the 1990s, may well recall the vogue for bottlecap crafts and jewelry that wove its way throughout that decade.

I was instantly reminded of this trend the moment I spied these darling little painted bottlecap ladybugs, which are a cinch to create and turn into magnets, papercrafting embellishments, jewelry, hair accessories, tiered tray decor, and more!

19. How to Make a No-Sew Fairy Doll: There is cute and then there is no-sew fairy doll cute!

Whether you create a single fairy friend or a whole garden’s worth, these delightful little handmade fairy dolls are a fantastic way to celebrate the strong connection between the fae and Midsummer.

20. DIY Sun Wheel Garden Decoration: If you are looking for an eye-catchingly terrific way to celebrate and honour the sun at Litha, this generously sized sun wheel may do the trick superbly.

You could also utilize the same general design approach to make a smaller version, should you wish to display or hang a DIY sunwheel up inside your home instead of outdoors.

21. Strawberry Acorn Magnets: Combine one of the spring + summer’s most beloved fruits with one of the fall’s most iconic natural treasures, stir some craft paint into the equation, and you are well on your way to making a shortcake’s worth of these super sweet little strawberry acorn magnets.

22. DIY Dollar Store Beehive Candleholder: Which sabbats (or months of the year, if you do not observe the Pagan sabbats) do you associate most closely with bees? For me, I would say that August takes top billing, but June and July are certainly close on its heels.

Bees are by far one of the hardest working members of the animal kingdom and their diligent activities have long helped to ensure plants and flowers the world over have been able flourish.

Shining the (tiny) spotlight on bees at Litha is a wonderful way to celebrate the natural world during the Summer Solstice season.

This darling DIY beehive candleholder is a great way to do just that without breaking the bank – meaning you’ll have more leftover in your pocket to pick up some delicious artisan honey at your local farmer’s market.

23. Lavendar Shower Steamers without Citric Acid: The shower time equivalent to bath bombs, shower steamers are surprisingly easy to make, infuse your wash with dreamily pretty aromas, and also make for fab handmade gifts (especially for those who have a shower stall, but not a bathtub at their residence).

This wonderfully in-depth tutorial guides you through how you can make lavender shower streamers that utilize one of the season’s most iconic and beloved plants. Plus, you can also use the same general recipe to make other types of essential oil-infused shower steamers as well.

24. DIY Pompom Watermelon Wreath: If you’re keen to whip up a bevy of your own pompoms and are a fan of watermelon-themed decor, this super charming wreath may be just the thing to jazz up any door or wall in your home summer after summer.

25. Citrus Stamped Tea Towels: I don’t know about you, but personally I can never have too many linens on hand in the kitchen and adore – as many people do – rotating seasonal ones throughout the year.

This delightful and very easy DIY project turns lemons into stamps and creates chic, beautiful tea towels that are works of art unto themselves.

26. Sea Glass Wind Chimes: Whether you are fortunate to live near the ocean or daydream about doing so, these awesome DIY sea glass wind chimes are a creative, beautiful way to bring one of the (modern) beach’s most resplendent treasures into your indoor or outdoor decor.

27. Herb Candle Rings (or Mini Wreaths): Gather up one or more of your favourite Midsummer herbs, a small embroidery hoop or wreath base, some thread, and a pair of scissors, then set to work creating this timelessly lovely Litha herb candle ring that makes for a fantastic altar decoration or way to imbue a sense of the season all the more into a centrepiece.

28. Maple Seed Dragonflies: When I was growing up, one of the houses that my family lived in for a few years had a magnificent, multi-decade old maple tree in the centre of its small front yard. My siblings and I enjoyed connecting with this tree in various capacities the whole year through, one of which was deftly twirling maple seed pods between our fingers to launch them into the air as “helicopters”.

To this day, anytime I spy maple seed pods on the ground, I think of the many hours spent engaged in this sweet, simple, entirely free outdoor activity as a child.

Now, as an adult, I love looking for ways to utilize maple pods in my crafting and home decor (and have been known to still send a helicopter or two up into the sky every now and then ).

If you or any of the little ones in your life enjoy doing the same, these elegant maple seed dragonflies are such an attractive way to do just that while honouring one of the season’s most adored insects in the process.

29. Sunflower Kissing Balls: Though they are most commonly associated with Christmas, kissing balls can just as easily be enjoyed throughout the rest of the year as well.

This delightful version sees them rendered in (faux) sunflower form for a piece of home decor that is bright, seasonally perfect, and sure to be a fun talking point when you have summertime guests over.

30. DIY Lavendar Stars: Fresh stalks from one of the most universally enjoyed plants and some slender ribbon are all you need to create these thoroughly beautiful lavender stars (which Pagans/Wiccans/witches may opt to see and use as summertime pentagrams).

31. Oyster Shell DIY Candles: Humans have been using shells as vessels for light-emitting products (such as oil and tallow) for thousands of years.

This fabulous contemporary project utilizes oyster shells as the containers for hand-poured candles that tap into the spirit of the sea, mermaids, tropical getaways and so much of what makes the ocean perpetually easy to adore.

32. Cherry Pie Food Amigurumi Crochet Free Pattern: There is no need to heat up the house further during the summer in order to bake a cherry pie when you can bust out the crochet hooks instead and whip up this adorable amigurumi version that does indeed look good enough to eat!

33. How To Make A Burlap Horse Head Wreath: Like countless others throughout the course of time, I absolutely LOVE horses and just about any craft, piece of art, or home decor item starring them.

I was not one of those lucky youngsters who had a horse or was given riding lessons (heck, I barely got a My Little Pony ), but I was fortunate all the same to engage with horses on a few occasions while I was growing up.

Horses – much like their farmyard companions, cows – are closely associated with Litha/Midsummer, and I can think of few more beautiful or creative ways to honour this majestic creature come the Summer Solstice than by making and proudly displaying this stunning burlap horse head wreath.

34. Quilted Strawberry Coasters: Keep furniture surfaces protected from the inevitable condensation that stems from refreshingly cold summertime beverages by sewing up a set of these sweet, charmingly lovely quilted strawberry coasters.

35. Air Dry Clay Sun Disks: Fun fact, air dry clay is one of my favourite mediums to work in. It is extremely versatile, readily available both online and off, does not require a kiln (or even an oven), and can be used to create countless types of handmade craft and decor projects.

Plus, IMO, it is a very user-friendly material that need not intimidate newcomers and which is also a great product to use when crafting with kids.

Celebrate the Summer Solstice by putting air dry clay to work in this cheerful DIY sun disk project that creates artistic pieces which can be used and enjoyed all sunny season long (and/or anytime you wish to focus on solar energy or solar deities).

PS: These lists of Solstice/Equinox/Pagan sabbat craft ideas and decor inspiration posts do not contain recipes. One day, I would like to launch a similar multiopart series that puts the spotlight on recipes that suit each of these special days to a tee as well.

In the meantime, though, I recently came across this gorgeous recipe for Lemon Pine Drizzle Loaf from Scottish blogger Rosie from Everything Looks Rosie that struck me as being endlessly perfect for Litha and so I just knew that I needed to include it here. (The general concept of this lovely loaf cake can be rendered in other iterations, too, such as gluten-free, vegan, paleo, and low carb, should you need/desire to forgo wheat flour and/or animal products.)

Ditto for her elegantly delicious Lavender Creme Brule, which would be a sublime way to cap off any spring or summertime meal.

Litha: the longest day and the shortest night

It is easy to focus on the fact that the Summer Solstice is the longest day of the year and in the process forget that as a result this sacred day also houses the shortest night.

These two points, which will reverse order come Yule (and which are, in fact, doing just that right now south of the equator, where many Pagans/Wiccans/witches in that hemisphere will soon opt to observe Yule), are unique to this day and this day alone each year.

It will be some time before we start to see a major decline in the number of daylight hours that illuminate our lives. When that point comes, we know that summer is getting ready to bow out and give autumn its due place in the eternal parade of the seasons.

I find there is a heightened sense of energy and vitality that emerges at the Summer Solstice – as though the universe is working overtime to charge our internal batteries which are often severely depleted by the colder months.

When I think of summer, I recall my youth and the sense of freedom that the dog days housed. Not just from school (which, bullying and a few teachers who will remain unnamed aside, I generally adored), but from the weight of winter’s chill as well.

Long hours of daylight meant afternoons that spilled into evenings spent at the beach, the water at the lake vying with that of a warm bath.

Night swimming – as the REM song of the same name states – “deserves a quiet night” and while the evenings were not always silent by any means, the noises that comprised their soundtrack only helped to cement the memory of backstroking under the moonlight.

Summer can be a challenging season, no two ways about it, but there is also endless reasons to fall all the more in love with it each year as well.

This season all but begs us to use each of our senses to the best of their abilities. There are brilliant sights, enchanting textures (from warm sand to the ticklish fuzz of a peach, gooey roasted marshmallows to lanky blades of grass beneath our bare feet), incredible scents and tastes, and no shortage of memorable sounds.

Think water splashing, warm evening breezes rustling through picturesquely green leaves, crickets serenading us with their nightly choir performances, squawking seagulls, fresh peapods being crisply snapped open, travelling fun fair rides operating late into the night, upbeat voices floating through the sunny sky, kids ringing bicycle bells, line-dried linens flapping merrily in the breeze, the iconic song of the much-welcome ice cream truck, and the unmistakable slip-slop of sunscreen being rubbed on one’s skin to name a but a few.

The crafts and décor ideas above tap into these sensory delights of summertime as well, reminding us even in the moment itself of the pleasures, gifts, and blessings of the growing season. Of vitality, hope, and – with any luck – at least three or more months until the first snowflake comes tumbling down again.

My birthday falls almost precisely between Litha and Lammas, and so both of those sabbats are all the dearer to my heart.

Naturally, you need not have a “cake day” during this period of the year to adore the Summer Solstice/Litha.

As with each rotation of the year’s mighty wheel these wonderful days, those that lie ahead of them, and the comfort that comes from knowing that no matter what life throws our ways, the seasons remain a steadfast constant, are there to be celebrated by one and all.

Springtime proper arrived mighty late here this time around and it remains anyone’s guess as to how long summer plans to set up shop.

No matter the duration, summer will propel us onward to autumn, the heart of harvest time, and all the tantalizing joys of the year’s next chapter.

Right here and now, though, there are summer fruits to be topped with lashings of pillowy whipped cream, games of frisbee to be played, concerts in the park to attend, and a whole slew of new sun-baked memories to be made throughout the coming summer months.

Happiest Summer Solstice and Litha wishes to each of you, my dear friends!

Let us all raise a glass of our favourite perfectly chilled beverage to that fact and to all that makes summer so unforgettably wonderful!

Are you planning to celebrate Midsummer this year? Which of the Litha/Summer Solstice projects featured in this post would you most like to try your hand at making?

The post 35 Stellar Summer Solstice Crafts, DIY Projects, and Décor Ideas for Litha appeared first on Witchcrafted Life.

However, that doesn’t mean that I am not a huge admirer of many people and their wonderful work.

In terms of authors who write about Pagan/witchery/earth-based spirituality topics, high up on that list ranks Maia Toll.

For more than a decade now, my husband and I have run a free new book email notification service called AnyNewBooks.com that we founded back in 2010. (It generates important income for us via sponsors and affiliate programs.)

Virtually every week since then, a not-insignificant portion of my working hours have been spent compiling the lists of new books that we email out to subscribers (at present, we send out more than 300,000 emails per month).

The lists that we pull our selections from come via Amazon (US) and in the eleven going on twelve years since we launched Any New Books?, I have had the pleasure of seeing many thousands of new book releases each year.

Naturally, I keep a keen eye out for titles pertaining to my many diverse interests – those relating to my spirituality very much included.

I knew the moment, back in 2018, when I first caught sight of author Maia Toll’s inaugural book, The Illustrated Herbiary, that this was not your run-of-the-mill title.

Shortly thereafter, I was able to purchase a copy and it took a mere few lines in to have my suspicions confirmed.

From the tremendously lovely illustrations by artist Kate O’Hara to the deck of oracle cards included at the back of the book to the personable, inviting, knowledgeable way the author wrote, I was hooked.

And based on the roughly 1,800 reviews (nearly all of which are glowingly positive) that this book currently has on Amazon as of March 2022, it is safe to say that many others instantly fell in love with Maia’s warm, wonderful writing as well.

In the time since The Illustrated Herbiary was released, Maia has penned three more books.

The Illustrated Bestiary, The Illustrated Crystallary, and, most recently, Maia Toll’s Wild Wisdom Companion.

In addition, larger-sized decks of the oracle cards included at the back of each of Maia’s books are also available for sale. They are printed on sturdier paper than those that come with her books, so if you plan to use one or more of Maia’s decks quite often, you may wish to invest in those high-quality decks. Which are as follows:

–The Illustrated Herbiary Oracle Cards: 36-Card Deck of Bewitching Botanicals

–The Illustrated Bestiary Oracle Cards: 36-Card Deck of Inspiring Animals

–The Illustrated Crystallary Oracle Cards: 36-Card Deck of Magical Gems & Minerals

Plus, you can now purchase images from some of Maia’s work in puzzle form as well (as a big jigsaw puzzle fan, you can imagine how much my eyes lit up when I heard about that!).

If you or someone in your life adores jigsaw puzzles, you’ll want to check out the following three offerings based on Maia’s books.

–The Illustrated Herbiary Puzzle: California Poppy

–The Illustrated Bestiary Puzzle: Monarch Butterfly

–The Illustrated Crystallary Puzzle: Garden Quartz

As 2021 began to wind down, I was contacted by a publishing rep and asked if I would be interested in reviewing Maia’s latest book.

Already a big fan of her earlier works (of which, thus far, I own two – The Illustrated Herbiary and The Illustrated Beastiary, respectively), I was honoured by the offer and replied with a very resounding, “Yes, please!”.

In addition, I suggested that I interview Maia by email and then weave that chat into my book review blog posts. Happily, it was then their turn to respond enthusiastically.

Before delving into the coven’s worth of questions that I asked Maia, I am going to provide you with my thoughts on her most recent release, Maia Toll’s Wild Wisdom Companion.

Please note that while I was provided with a complimentary copy of that book and three decks of Maia’s oracle cards (visible in many of the photos throughout this post), all thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own and would not differ in any way, had I purchased those items myself.

Book specs:

Name: Maia Toll’s Wild Wisdom Companion: A Guided Journey into the Mystical Rhythms of the Natural World, Season by Season

Author: Maia Toll – Connect with Maia on her website | Instagram |Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Page count: 192 pages

Publisher: Storey Publishing

Binding: Hardcover

A passionate look at the year as viewed from a nature and spirituality-based standpoint

Let me begin by saying that, while the content housed within the pages of Maia Toll’s Wild Wisdom Companion is bound to find favour with many witches, Wiccans, Pagans, and the like around the globe, it is an inclusive title that can be enjoyed by those from a wide array of spiritual paths.

As many of my blog posts attest to, I have immeasurable love of, and appreciation for, each of the eight Pagan sabbats that comprise The Wheel of the Year (TWOTY) – just as I do, the year’s annual seasons.

I literally get giddy as a new season approaches, no matter which one it is! And by the same token, often feel a touch of melancholy as we bid farewell to a departing chapter of the year.

Since early childhood (years before I would first officially encounter the concept of TWOTY), I have felt as though each of the four seasons was more like two smaller seasons combined under the same header.

In some respects, I even viewed each individual month as a mini-season unto itself.

I am not alone in seeing and feeling that the year naturally divides itself into each roughly equal chapters: Early Winter, Late Winter, Early Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall, and Late Fall.

You can well imagine then how delighted I was to see that in the Wild Wisdom Companion, Maia opted to present us with a look at a full year laid out in that very format.

Across the 192 pages of this gorgeously illustrated hardcover book (which was released in 2021), the author guides readers through the natural rhythms and cycles of the year.

She begins each chapter in an endearingly charming and whimsically creative way: by presenting us with a fictional conversation between the Sun and the Earth.

Each chat we are privy to presents a touching picture of how these two mighty celestial forces interact and the timeless dance that they enact so that life as we know it on this planet is able to continue onward.

I wholeheartedly loved this element of the book, just as I did many other things about the Wild Wisdom Companion.

In addition to the delightful imaginary conversations mentioned above, each chapter leads us through other factors that are presented for the year’s eight seasons.

These include an Element, an energy centre in the body, a plant medicine, an animal medicine (the presence of that term instantly reminded me of the book Spirit Animal Guides in which author Chris Luttichau uses very similar terminology), a crystal medicine, and three different seasonal symbols.

While some of the selections for each of these entries feel like a very natural fit, others are wonderfully unexpected. They help to prove a fun, fresh take on various plants, animals, mythical figures and so forth that are linked to each season.

In addition, beautiful quotes from other people are peppered throughout this book as well.

Though you might easily think that it would, the Wild Wisdom Companion does not specifically focus on the Pagan sabbats that comprise TWOTY.

However, the dividing points at which Maia has chosen to portion out the year do essentially correspond with each of the eight annual sabbats (those being Imbolc, Ostara, Beltane, Litha, Lammas, Mabon, Samhain, and Yule).

No doubt some readers will wish that there was more of a sabbat focus here. Yet, by not placing the sabbats in the spotlight Wild Wisdom Companion is able to become just that – a welcome companion – to a far broader spectrum of readers.

Instead of the sabbats, the year’s two Solstices and two Equinoxes are explored. These are astronomically determined points on the calendar that the whole planet experiences and thus they are an integral component of the human experience.

In her lovely introduction to this book, Maia states: “Wild wisdom is feeling in accord with the hawk flying overhead; it’s feeling sisterhood with the willows; it’s knowing that the stones are millennia older than humans and have much to teach about the passage of time. Wild wisdom is the sense of being in sync with the world around you, so much so that you feel safe and at home in your own skin. It’s a feeling we’re all looking for but very few achieve.”

She goes on to elaborate regarding ways to find or connect all the more with your own innate wild wisdom before sharing with us how she broke down the year into eight different segments, presenting that information as it applies to both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.

In addition, Maia begins her year – when divided into eight parts – in Late Autumn.

A good many witches/Wiccans/Pagans feel that doing so aligns with their personal beliefs and their connection to nature (they don’t call Samhain the witch’s new year for nothing!), so that was a very welcome change of pace to observe in this book.

Throughout each season, Maia invites readers to journal and/or deeply contemplate their connection to some of the topics she addresses, as well as in regards to the seasons themselves.

If journaling is not your cup of tea (and it is 100% okay if that is the case), I feel that one can easily reflect on these topics in other ways, too.

For example during meditation, while sitting peacefully in nature, as part of spellwork, under the light of the moon or sun, or in just about any other way that feels right to you and your own path.

The Wild Wisdom Companion begins in late autumn, guides readers through an insightful, highly relatable walk through the seasons, and culminates with Early Autumn. Thus beginning the eternal cycle over again.

In fact, as you get to the final pages of this terrific book, Maia poses the question, “What if you stay right here and begin it again?”.

In doing so, she both invites and reminds of us the cyclical patterns of the seasons and the important place they hold in each of our lives.

It is a call to embrace the shifting seasonal tides all the more and to grow closer, in doing so, to Mother Earth herself.

Having experienced a whole year in a matter of hours or days (or longer), depending on the pace at which one reads this book, we are treated to the marvellous gift of a lovely deck of square-shaped oracle cards + one suggested spread for working with those cards.

Each of the double-sided cards corresponds with one of the various medicines or symbols that Maia presented us with throughout the Wild Wisdom Companion.

If one opts to work with those cards (and I highly suggest that you do, they are thoroughly lovely), this continuance between themes presented in the book and on the cards themselves is a great way unto itself to grow ever-closer to the seasons.

How Maia Toll’s Wild Wisdom Companion rates with me

This book weaves together powerful elements from each of Maia’s previous titles and opens us even more of her wisdom for us to learn from and, potentially, feel a sense of kinship with.

I knew back in 2018 when I read Maia Toll’s first book that she was a radiant beam of new light in the field of nature spirituality-based writing.

Four years on, I can tell you with unflinching certainty that not only has that light grown stronger, but it has helped to illuminate the paths of many thousands upon thousands of readers around the planet in the process.

I adore each of Maia’s books and card decks, returning to them time and time again throughout the year.

However, I must say that the Wild Wisdom Companion is my very favourite of Toll’s works to date.

I highly recommend this book to those both inside and out of the Pagan/witchy realm (and cannot help but feel that it is a title that many gardeners, nature lovers, and animal fans would delight in reading).

Maia Toll’s Wild Wisdom Companion is a well-written, intuitively presented, and extremely approachable look at the year and ways we can tap (all the more) into our own innate, incredible wild wisdom.

Working on a scale of 1 – 5, with five being the highest possible rating, I would give Maia Toll’s Wild Wisdom Companion 5 stars out of 5.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

An interview with educator, best-selling author, herbalist, and all-around lovely person, Maia Toll

Thank you with the deepest of appreciation, Maia, for sharing your time and knowledge with Witchcrafted Life’s readers. I sincerely appreciate it and cannot begin to tell you how much joy getting this opportunity to chat one-on-one with you means to me.

1. Welcome, Maia! It is a heartfelt joy and honour to chat with you regarding your latest book release – Maia Toll’s Wild Wisdom Companion – and Paganism in general. For those who are being introduced to you here today for the first time, could you please share a few points about yourself and where your passions lay most strongly at present?

Hi Everyone! I’m an author fascinated by the ways in which we can connect and learn from the natural world. Exploring the mystic has been a passion for me since I was quite young—for most of my life, I’ve been asking why are we here? And how can I be comfortable in this human skin?

These questions led me to an apprenticeship with a clinical herbalist and green witch in Ireland. That experience has informed who I have become in the time since. Like Autumn, I feel like there’s a deep bond between creativity and spirituality, so that’s a place from which I often dive into this work.

2. Wild Wisdom Companion is your fourth book to date. Is being a book author something that you long felt pulled towards becoming or did the desire and opportunity to do so develop more organically in recent years?

I have been writing since I was a kid. My first story was about a unicorn who got stuck in a bottle. I was eleven. As an adult, I would often joke that I was a writer without a story; I loved the process of writing—the peeling back of layers and the playing with words—but I didn’t have anything in particular to write about.

I had also made a rule for myself (I’m a Capricorn rising—creating, and then struggling against, rules is part of my nature) that I wouldn’t write a book unless I was bringing something new, and never before seen, to readers. It took a long while for me to get over myself and start sharing the way I see the world, even if I’m not the very first person to put those thoughts to paper.

3. What have you found to be the most rewarding and, conversely, most challenging aspects of being a highly successful author – and do you have any advice for those seeking to become first time authors in our sphere of Paganism/herbology/witchery and the like?

One of my personal goals when I started getting published was to meet other authors. Authors tend to be creative, thoughtful, widely read, and self-motivated, which is how I prefer my humans. I have two pods of authors I gather with regularly. Those get-togethers are key for my sanity, perspective, and general joie de vivre. Finding my people is one of the greatest rewards of this career path.

Just like any job, there is a myriad of challenges. Most of them are small obstacles, easily overcome. I try to get creative with the larger hurdles. Currently, I’m chewing on the way books are categorized. I believe that connection with the natural world, and the seasonal living it inspires, as well as exploring the mystical side of life are essential elements for being a whole human.

This way of looking at life nurtures creativity and helps you understand how to get through life’s rough patches. It’s much more universal than niche categories like “occult,” where I am often shelved, suggest. But which category should we highlight? Self-help? Nature writing? Spirituality?

It is an ongoing frustration that my books are shelved in a way that may keep people who would enjoy and benefit from them from finding them. And, truthfully, no matter what my opinion is, once the bookstores receive the books, they shelve them wherever they want, so my ruminations are rather pointless.

For first time authors, my number one piece of advice is write. Do the work, don’t just think about doing it. Writing, like most everything else in life, is a practice. The only way to get proficient is to put pen to paper. Once you’ve moved beyond thinking about writing to actually writing, remember that you’re writing for someone else to read. Who is your reader and what’s useful for them? What do you want them to know, feel, and do? Everything from subject matter to individual sentence structure should be crafted with the reader in mind.

4. Wild Wisdom Companion is a beautiful, eloquently penned ode to the timeless magic(k) of the seasons. I am an unwavering fan of all of your books and the wonderful sets of oracle cards they house, but must say, Wild Wisdom Companion is my absolute favourite.

Of these eight segments of the year, are there one or two in particular that you feel a particular connection to and/or affinity for – and is there one chapter of the year that you would describe as your seasonal soul mate? (Autumn is mine. )

The Wild Wisdom Companion is so many people’s favorite and I LOVE that. I’ve learned so much from writing each book and I would hope the newest one is always the favorite—that my growth as an author allows readers to go deeper with each new book.

Like you, autumn has long been my time of year. But a few years back we moved to a house in the woods. Living on some undisturbed acreage has given me a chance to lean into the entire wheel of the year in a fresh way. While I still love autumn, especially the quality of the light in the time between Samhain and winter solstice, I’ve come to adore late winter.

We have trillium, trout lilies, and some funny little ground orchids which pop up before the trees have leafed out. It is such a stunning time—the trees are still bare, letting me see through their branches to the mountains, but the ground is carpeted with leaves hiding little nodding flowers. It makes me smile just thinking about it.

5. What inspired you to write Wild Wisdom Companion? Was it a book you had long envisioned coming into being or one that sprang into being as a natural progression from your three previous titles?

This is a long (and rather tiresome) story! The short version: when I signed a contract for the book that became Wild Wisdom, it wasn’t meant to be a part of the series. Then, because the other books were doing so well, my publisher wanted it to be part of the collection. But the book I had written didn’t fit in. So, I rewrote it. Twice. And it still wasn’t right. By that point, I was exhausted and disheartened. So, I asked myself two questions:

1- If I were starting from zero, instead of trying to rejig an existing manuscript, what would best tie together the previous books? I kept thinking about a conversation with an editor who was not on my team but who was at my publishing house. We were chatting at a little wine and cheese get-together when I visited. She said, “You know, one thing you haven’t covered is time.” That comment stuck with me, and I kept chewing on it.

2- The second thing I asked myself was: what would be easy? I needed easy. I was pretty close to burned out.

A book focused on the wheel of the year was the answer to those two questions. I had been teaching on the wheel of the year for a while, so it wasn’t difficult to gather my notes and lessons and use them as a foundation. The book built up pretty quickly from there and voila! The Wild Wisdom Companion. 

6. What are some points that you feel the general public – and perhaps even some who are new to areas such as Paganism and witchcraft – would benefit from knowing about the Wheel of The Year and the perpetually vital role that it plays in the lives of all creatures great and small who inhabit our planet?

The pattern of the seasons, as they happen in more temperate climes, teaches us so much of what we need to know about the cycles of our own lives. When I’m working on a book and I’m frustrated, I ask myself where I am on the wheel: have I let go of what needs to go (autumn)? Am I gestating (winter)? Understanding where I’m at in my creative cycle lets me know what comes next and how to move forward.

This applies to other aspects of life as well. When I have birthed something new (spring), I know I still need to keep feeding it energy so it will flower (summer). When I’ve suffered a loss (autumn), I realize I might need winter’s hibernation to recover and heal.

Once you find this rhythm in your own life, you can look outward and find it in the lives of the plants, trees, and animals. It is a constant breath: inhaling energy toward you, exhaling energy out.

7. It is safe to say that the world has been through the wringer massively over the past two years due to the global pandemic. In the face of this profound ongoing challenge, what are some things pertaining to nature and/or self-care and spirituality that you feel people can do to help create a better sense of stability and wellness (emotional, physical, spiritual – or all of the above) again?

I wrote The Wild Wisdom Companion during the first tenuous months of the pandemic. Tuning in to the seasons got me through. And it’s still getting me through. Step out the door, feel the air, breathe. Our human world might be disrupted, but everything else is carrying on. Tune into that sensation.

8. How have you personally been faring during these tremendously difficult times? Have you found that they have deepened your connection to the seasons, the plant kingdom, the universe or any other facet of your spiritual journey?

The isolation from other people has been less difficult for me than most. Serendipitously, I moved to the woods a few months before Covid hit. Because I’m writing, I don’t have to go out to work. So, my days are synced to the natural rhythms. I’m getting to know this land, making friends with the trees and the creek, and working on my writing craft. Because this is what I was moving toward before Covid, for me, the inner work of the past couple of years doesn’t feel Covid related.

9. While Wild Wisdom Companion, much like your other titles, is apt to appeal to witches, Wiccans, Pagans and others of our ilk in general, I feel it is a very approachable and inviting book for all those who experience a strong connection to Mother Nature.

Can you please share a few easily doable, potent ways that just about anyone, regardless of their personal beliefs, can create or strengthen their bond with the natural world?

I love a practice that naturalists use called a “sit spot.” It’s simple, really: return to the same spot every day. Sit. Breathe. Observe. Be sure to pay attention to both the big picture stuff and the small stuff—the macro and the micro. Explore how to connect with the world around you. Try having a little dialogue in your head with a dandelion or singing to an oak. Play with what’s possible.

That’s it! Hone your powers of observation and connection.

10. At the time of this interview’s publication, we are sitting between the first two spring sabbats of Imbolc and Ostara. What are some of the key components/lessons/inspirations that you feel this wonderful point in the calendar, as the mighty return of new life and warm sunlight looms near again, can teach or remind us all?

This is a season when the energy is rising. The tiny cotyledons of the plants are reaching upward, sprouting leaves. I try to tap into that rising energy, letting it come up through the soles of my feet. And then I ask myself what do I want to grow? Sometimes I want to grow a feeling—like joy. Sometimes I want to nurture a new way of seeing the world. And sometimes I want to encourage myself to act, to bring something new into being, like a book. Our culture puts a lot of emphasis on this last one, on action. But I think the first two are equally as important.

Also, if you’re reading this and you aren’t comfortable with, or can’t relate to, words like sabbat, Imbolc, or Ostara, just leave the language by the wayside. I do, all the time. I try to think about the seasons in terms of their energetics, what I can feel in my body. In the Wild Wisdom Companion, I don’t us pagan names for the seasons because I don’t often use those words in my life.

The other day someone said Litha and I had to look up what that meant! I always try to choose words that mean something to me personally. So, I do use Samhain and Imbolc because, when I was studying in Ireland, those were the names my teacher used. I celebrated both Samhain and Imbolc with her and so those words have a resonance for me.

11. Your writing, the important messages it conveys, and the support it offers to others are all very special elements that – not unlike the magnificent illustrations from artist Kate O’Hara that are housed in your books and oracle card decks – speak to scores of people around the world.

What sorts of points do you find easiest to connect with your audience over – and are there things you have learned from them since starting your journey as an author that you did not know or (yet) fully appreciate before that point in your life?

In general, book writing happens at a distance. I sit and think and write in my space and then someone reads and reflects in theirs. I’m sure there are places in my books where readers nod along and feel resonant with what I’m saying, and other places where they think no, that’s not how I see it.

As the author, I’m not usually privy to these thoughts. Sometimes I’ll get to have conversations around this sort of thing at live events and, if you had asked me this pre-Covid, I probably would have had specific stories to share. But I have had limited contact for the past two years. I’m looking forward to once again being able to have robust conversations and share, back and forth, in person.

12. Rapid fire style… What are your favourite books that you are currently reading (or have recently read)?

Here’s my current stack:

Matrix by Lauren Groff

The Heroine with 1,001 Faces by Maria Tartar

The Awakened Brain by Lisa Miller

Still Life with Oysters and Lemon by Mark Doty

Untamed by Glennon Doyle

Missing Witches: Recovering True Histories of Feminist Magic by Risa Dickens and Amy Torok

Atlas of the Heart by Brené Brown

Three Simple Lines: A Writer’s Pilgrimage into the Heart and Homeland of Haiku by Natalie Goldberg

The one witchy must-read from the last couple years is The Once and Future Witches by Alix Harrow.

And if you’re into herbal medicine, Energetic Herbalism by Kat Maier should definitely be on your bookshelf.

Kim Krans’ The Wild Unknown Archetypes Deck has been my go-to deck recently.

Crystals are in bowls and on shelves around my desk. I just reach for whatever my fingers want and hold it for as long as seems necessary. The thinking and analyzing part of my brain got over-used writing The Illustrated Crystallary so I’m in pure, unquestioning, intuition mode.

13. And last, but certainly not least… If you are able to divulge anything on this front, can you please tell us about your next book?

This is perfect timing because I’m just now able to talk about my next project! The Night School will be released August 9, 2022 and I am over-the-moon excited.

It was my first time writing in a narrator’s voice, instead of my own, and it was a blast. The Night School is for anyone who wishes they could go to a school for witches, wizards, or mystics. But it’s not fiction: the book contains the lessons you might learn were you to attend such an esteemed institution.

Thank you again, dear Maia. Not only for chatting with me and my audience, but for the extraordinary insight, care, passion, teachings, and – very aptly – wisdom that you impart to society. The earth is blessed to call you one of its own, and I know that your work will long continue to inspire, help and resonate with countless souls the world over.

Thank you, Autumn!

~*~*~*~*~*~

In closing, I would like to once again thank both Maia and her generous publisher for helping to put the wheels in motion for this blog post’s existence.

I am on the edge of my seat with anticipation regarding the forthcoming release of The Night School and hope, in time, to have the opportunity to review that title here as well.

Have you read Maia Toll’s Wild Wisdom Companion? How many seasons/half seasons does it feel most natural for you to divide your year into?

The post Author Interview & Book Review: Maia Toll’s Wild Wisdom Companion by Maia Toll appeared first on Witchcrafted Life.

This is not the first time I have been queried on this point (or similar variants of it) – nor, I’m sure, will it be the last.

The wording of this question always catches my eye. The person is not directly asking me why I am a witch, but rather why I would willingly associate with a word that, more often than not in their eyes, holds strongly negative or even “evil” connotations.

Ask ten, three hundred, or five thousand witches this same question and chances are you will receive nearly as many different replies as to why they have decided to call themselves witches.

I cannot, and would not, speak for anyone else on this matter. I can only reply as to why I proudly choose to call myself a witch.

Why I call myself a witch

I call myself a witch because as a very young child, before I even fully understood in a spiritual or real-world context what that word and the practice of witchcraft entailed, a voice deep in the furthest reaches of my being told me that I was a witch.

Witchcraft came as naturally to me as drawing air, but it was a path that I made darn sure I was willing to take on the full complexities of and in doing so, to face the potential backlash, persecution, intolerance, ostracization, and even hatred that the label of witch and the act of witchcraft can carry with them.

I call myself a witch because I entered this world with a soul so old it feels as though it was already well-aged when the Big Bang occurred.

In the word witch I seek and see, find and cherish the past, the present, and the future.

I call myself a witch because I am willing, able and honoured to stand up for those impacted by the staggering hardship and trauma, crime and oppression that has been perpetuated over the course of human history – the Burning Times wholly included.

I call myself a witch because it elevates my autonomy. It gives me strength and power, the ability to stand as tall and proud as the lightest oak and to remain true to my innermost beliefs at all times.

I call myself a witch because I have devoted myself and my life, my spirit and soul, heart, body and mind to the study of witchcraft, magick, and Paganism.

I did not don the word “witch” on a whim, to follow a trend or because (as much as I do madly adore it) I’m a huge fan of Halloween.

I read hundreds of books on scores of religions and spiritual belief systems from around the world before I even dared to considered describing myself a witch to others. I have read far more since and each one has helped in its own way to add credence to my choice to become a witch.

I call myself a witch because I believe that there is a spirit or soul in everything – animals, rocks, plants, locations, etc – the world over.

This concept, animism, is a core tenant of my existence, how I engage with others, and why I would only knowingly hurt another living being as a last resort means of necessitated self-defence.

It is why I’ve heard the trees sing to each other, felt Gaia’s pulse beat in tandem with mine as I lay on the verdant grass of a warm June evening, drawn the moon and sun both down and experienced their life forces mingle with my own.

I call myself a witch because I am an empath. The feelings, concerns, stresses, joys, and (sometimes) even thoughts of others are something that I feel and understand as deeply. Perhaps, at times, even more so than my own.

I call myself a witch because I am a perpetual knowledge seeker. For the entirety of my life, I have been madly in love with learning. With following the path of understanding, with the fact that learning one thing can open up a pandora’s box of questions, all of which hold the potential to learn more and in doing so, to potentially grow further as a human being.

I am an impassioned believer in science and reason, but I also know, in my heart of hearts, that there is infinitely more at work in the universe that we do not (yet) know, fully understand, or even conceptualize than what humans presently place under these ever-expanding and shifting headers.

I call myself a witch because I honour nature and do everything that I realistically can to help, heal, nurture and support the planet and all living things that inhabit our world.

I call myself a witch because living in harmony with the Wheel of the Year brings me profound happiness, closeness to the universe, and strengthens my bonds to the ancestors.

As a child, I often questioned why there were not more holidays, especially ones that marked the start of each season. In discovering, as I grew older and began studying Paganism, that humankind had been honouring these points in the year since time immemorial and that some people still continue to do so, I felt a piece of my innermost self click immediately into place.

I call myself a witch because of the profound degree of comfort and acceptance coupled with the immense lack of fear that I have regarding death. I have traversed the veil, I work with my ancestors on a regular basis, I am more at home in a quiet cemetery than almost any public place that the living hang out in.

Death is a state I understand and appreciate. It ends much, but starts much as well. In death, our essential energy is transferred to another form. It does not vanish. Nothing is truly lost in the universe. It just materializes differently with each new iteration.

I call myself a witch because I know that I have the ability to manifest and help to create the outcomes that I desire in my life. I can face any situation and find ways to ensure that, if so desired, it is bolstered, bettered, assisted, protected, or otherwise aided or empowered by the actions that I take and changes set into motion via the witchcraft that I create.

I call myself a witch because I do not depend on others to save me or support me. I am strong and far from helpless. I am a woman, a human, who knows her worth and has learned, through no shortage of challenges and pain, to never let anyone diminish my validity.

I call myself a witch because doing so is right for me and my existence. In the process, I give space and respect to all those who opt to take on this word themselves, too – just as I do those who are not witches.

I have no agenda, no dogma, no disdain for or fear of others whose spiritual path differs from my own. I do not believe that there is “one true path” or religion that has a monopoly over all other spiritual journeys.

I call myself a witch because I can sense and feel things that go deeper than logic can explain. I converse and actively work with spirit allies, my ancestors, deities, the fae (who first presented themselves to me when I was a young child of just two or three), and creatures both of this world and outside of it.

These beings, energies and essences are not foreign or (usually!) frightening to me. They are as much a part of my world as the living humans and animals that I engage with every day.

I call myself a witch because I am proud to not fit into conventional moulds, but instead to march to the beat of my own drum. I have no desire to conform or go with the flock. I am the wolf howling at the moon in the hills overlooking the sheep farm below. I am free as a flowing river, ancient as the earth it traverses, and able to bend and flow as needed just as nimbly as the Nile.

I call myself a witch because incorporating and weaving magick, connection to the ancestors and nature into countless areas of my existence comes as easily and intrinsically as breathing in and out.

I call myself a witch because in my darkest hours, when I literally had nothing to my name, when I was abused or bullied or hurt, when chronic illness became (and remained) a huge part of my daily existence, when my depression took me to places so dark blackholes looked like the face of the sun by comparison, I reached deep down inside myself and using the strength of every last speck of stardust that aligned to create me, I dug in my heels, refused to give up, and never once lowered myself to the level of those who perpetrated these cruel acts against me.

I call myself a witch because, personally, it would be unfathomable for me to ever lord my beliefs over others, to see those who thought or believed differently as sinners simply because of those differences, or to feel that I had a mission to save their souls. We each save, if we so choose, our own souls, in the ways and manners that work best for our unique life paths.

I call myself a witch because I ascribe to no religion. I am a wild spirit, a free thinker, an impassioned believer in a great many things, but I am not – and have never been at any point in my life – religious.

I call myself a witch because my craft is so not driven by aesthetics or vanity. It is not a power trip or way for me to feel superior. It is honest and raw, refined and real. A continual learning process and source of joy, hope, introspection, growth, love, peace and pleasure.

I call myself a witch because I am as certain as anyone could ever be that I have lived past lives. The memories I possess from some of them are as vivid and real as many from this lifetime. I think/believe that a good many – if not all – humans live multiple lives across the universe.

I call myself a witch, because I embrace the duality and interconnectedness of light and dark, that each one exists because of the other and that these two polarities are to be found in every person, every bit as much as they are in the realm of nature and the cosmos.

I call myself a witch because I am the master and keeper of my own mind, body and spirit. This is not up for debate. Autonomy and independence are indescribably important to me and I will fight for them, if need be, with every ounce of energy I possess.

I call myself a witch because I was born a healer, a comforter, a nurturer. I do not want anyone, any animal, any being, or our planet to suffer or feel pain – and when they do, I feel drawn to help and comfort, support and bolster them to the best of my witchy abilities.

I call myself a witch because my intuition guides me to do so. I have an indescribably close bond + profound reverence for my intuition, which you can bet your bottom dollar, I follow and heed.  

I call myself a witch because I am 100% responsible for my actions, my choices in life, my inner happiness, my sense of self-worth, my ability to be do the right thing in every possible situation, and to own my mistakes when they occur.

I call myself a witch because I am willing to stand behind this title and what it means both broadly, and in the realm of my own life, in the 21^st century. I see and experience incredible beauty, meaning, conviction, strength, hope, history, sovereignty, independence, reliance, creativity, humility and power alike in the world witch.

I call myself a witch because there is nothing else I want to be called more. Nothing that feels truer, more right, more natural, or more aligned with every molecule in my being, each breath I draw.

I call myself a witch because I am a witch

The reasons above are by no means the only ones that explain why I call myself a witch. Others exist at present and I’m certain more will blossom into being the longer that I’m a witch. And this, unto itself, is yet another reason why I call myself a witch.

As you may have surmised, the very reasons why I call myself a witch are one in the same with why I am a witch.

Most anybody can be a witch, if they truly want to be one. This word and its domain are not beyond the grasp of those who are willing to embrace, live, and honour it.

I do not feel that being a witch makes me inherently special and I certainly am not a witch to garner attention, flaunt my witchiness around, or tell anyone else how to explicitly be a witch themselves.

Questioning why you are a witch is important

Granted most of us probably don’t want to be asked why we are a witch or why we call ourselves a witch around the clock, but this question doesn’t have to inherently get your guard up unless there is just cause for such.

Some people will ask with an agenda – possibly to try to proselytize, mock, shame, belittle or otherwise insult you – others will be genuinely curious (perhaps they themselves are having witchy stirrings and want to learn more).

In most settings, you do not need to respond in detail and can simply say that you would prefer not to answer that question. The call is yours. As always, I urge you to use your intuition and best judgement.

Beyond being asked why we call ourselves witches by other people, I feel that it is very important that we examine this question on a personal level, exploring and defining why we choose to apply the label of “witch” to ourselves.

Your answers are apt to be highly personalized. They may share points in common with my own and those of others, or they might be substantially different.

The fact that we are able to set forth our own personal definition of what being a witch means and why we call ourselves witches is, unto itself, another reason why I am a witch.

The beautiful, liberating autonomy and freedom to follow a spiritual path that makes sense to, and works well for, us on our own terms is a fantastic and hugely empowering thing.

You might think that this post was penned because the aforementioned woman’s question upset, hurt or bothered me. It did none of those things.

What it did do, was give me the lovely opportunity to stop and once again reflect on what being a witch means to me, why I place this title upon myself, and how profoundly grateful I am to be a witch.

And for that – much like her question itself – I sincerely thank her.

In closing, I would like to leave you with these supportive reminders, from one witch to another.

Do not be afraid to call yourself a witch. Privately, publicly or both, the choice is yours. However, if you do use this word, stand behind it with pride and passion.

Do not let anyone – EVER! – tell you that you’re not a witch if, in fact, you are one.

Don’t feel you have to justify being a witch to anyone other than yourself.

Do embrace your unique, wonderful witchiness.

Do continue to grow, evolve and strengthen your knowledge + abilities as a witch

Do witch on your own terms.

Do know and understand why you are a witch and what being one means to, and for, you.

The post Why I call myself a witch appeared first on Witchcrafted Life.

I’m grateful to those who reach out and wish to seek my thoughts on a given subject, and try to reply to as many of the queries I receive as possible.

By far one of the areas that I receive the most questions about is book recommendations.

These inquiries tend, I find, to fall into one of several main topics. Amongst the most common are book recommendations for new witches/Pagans, spellwork, green witchery, kitchen witchery, the history of Paganism (as well as the history of witchcraft), coven work, and the sabbats.

Rare is the week I don’t get at least a few sabbat-related messages. Not all are seeking book recommendations, but a good many are and as a result, I’ve amassed an extensive list of books about the Pagan sabbats.

In a modern-day Neopaganism context, the eight main sabbats that some Pagans, Wiccans, and witches choose to observe are as follows:

Imbolc: On or around February 1^st

Ostara: On or around the Spring Equinox (aka, the Vernal Equinox), which falls between March 19^th and March 21^st

Beltane: On or around May 1^st

Litha: On or around the Summer Solstice, which falls between June 20^th and June 22^nd

Lammas/Lughnasadh: On or around August 1^st

Mabon: On or around the Fall Equinox (aka, the Southward Equinox or September Equinox), which falls between September 21^st and September 24^th

Samhain: On or around October 31^st

Yule: On or around the Winter Solstice, which usually falls on December 21^st or 22^nd

Note that these date ranges are for the Western Hemisphere. In the Southern Hemisphere where the seasons are reversed, many chose to celebrate the opposite sabbat. For example, when it’ is Beltane north of the equator, it is Samhain in the southern half of the world and vice versa.

Depending on a person’s particular spiritual path, they may opt to observe other sacred dates as well, such as those pertaining to a particular branch of Paganism (i.e., Hellenistic Paganism or Slavic Paganism), to the traditions of their geographic location, and/or their ancestry.

And of course, some people do not feel drawn to observing some or all of these (or any other) Pagan sabbats, and that is totally okay as well.

As many witches, Wiccans, and Pagans do celebrate some form of these eight sabbats, however, and they hold a deeply meaningful place in a lot of peoples’ spiritual journeys, it is not surprising that folks are looking for Pagan sabbat book recommendations.

Personally – as you may have deducted if you’ve been following this blog and/or my Instagram account for very long – I madly adore and actively celebrate all eight of the Pagan sabbats that comprise The Wheel of The Year.

This facet of Paganism is integral to my practice and has the added bonus of making the year markedly more enjoyable and exciting for me (as a sabbat transpires roughly once every 6 to 8 weeks throughout each year).

I’m definitely a “sabbat witch”, if you will, and love each of these eight sacred days from the bottom of my heart.

Scores of others do as well and it’s no surprise that new witches, as well as those looking to deepen their knowledge of and/or connection to their spirituality, are keen to learn about the Pagan sabbats.

As I know that for every question on a given subject I receive, no doubt many others out there are thinking the same thing but don’t reach out ask, I’ve decided to start turning some of the questions about witchery and Paganism books that I receive into their own dedicated blog posts.

Not only will this hopefully help those searching for suggestions via Google or social media (including Pinterest), but it will allow me to quickly point people who query me about Pagan sabbat books to this very entry.

While I wouldn’t go so far as to claim that the following list encompasses every single book ever written in English about the Pagan sabbats, it is a rather extensive list of the current books on this subject.

No doubt new ones will come along in the future, and there are plenty of books on broader witchcraft and Pagan related topics that cover the sabbats to varying degrees as well (rare is the Paganism or Witchery 101 book, for example, that doesn’t provide at least a cursory overview of the sabbats).

This post houses a very extensive list and I hope that it will provide new and more experienced witches, Wiccans, and Pagans alike with plenty of appealing and informative reading options.

Pull up a cozy seat, a bevy of your choice, and your Amazon or Book Depository wishlist and let’s delve into exploring a broad range of Pagan sabbat books.

(Note: At the time of writing this post, a small number of these books are slated to be released later in 2021 or in 2022. The majority of titles are, however, in publication already.)

Llewellyn’s eight-book series on each of the sabbats

This series sprang to life in the 2010s and instantly became quite the darling of the Pagan sabbat book scene. These titles are jam-packed with tons of great information and useful ideas for celebrating each of the eight respective witch’s sabbats. And, I find, much like potato chips, it is really hard to stop at (buying) just one of these terrific titles.

Imbolc: Rituals, Recipes & Lore for Brigid’s Day 

Ostara: Rituals, Recipes & Lore for the Spring Equinox 

Beltane: Rituals, Recipes & Lore for May Day 

Midsummer: Rituals, Recipes & Lore for Litha

Lughnasadh: Rituals, Recipes & Lore for Lammas 

Mabon: Rituals, Recipes & Lore for the Autumn Equinox 

Samhain: Rituals, Recipes & Lore for Halloween 

Yule: Rituals, Recipes & Lore for the Winter Solstice 

Around/during the start of the 2000s, Llewellyn produced a similar eight-book series on the sabbats as well. It doesn’t look like they are still in publication, but they can be found quite easily on the secondhand market still, including from various used booksellers on Amazon. Here, for example, is a link to the Yule book from this series. 

In addition, various publishers put out annual witchcraft and/or Paganism related yearly almanac style books which are often rich in great information about the sabbats.

In particular, I recommend The Witches’ Almanac, as well as Llewellyn’s Sabbat Almanac (pictured above), The Witches’ Datebook Calendar and The Witches’ Companion, both of which are from Llewellyn as well.

Books covering the whole Wheel of The Year

These titles offer thorough and informative looks at the eight Pagan sabbats that comprise the wheel of the year. Some are beloved classics, others are newer offerings that are sure to become much-adored books in their own right.

A Circle Of Stars: An astrological journey through the lunar and Celtic wheel of the year

From Earth Mother’s Womb Workbook: Simple Earth Centering Practices using the wheel of the year

Once Around The Sun: Stories, Crafts, and Recipes to Celebrate the Sacred Earth Year

Rituals of Celebration: Honoring the Seasons of Life through the Wheel of the Year 

Rituals & Sabbats: Sacred Rites and Seasonal Celebrations

Sabbats: A Witch’s Approach to Living the Old Ways 

Sacred Actions: Living the Wheel of the Year through Earth-Centered Sustainable Practices

Sacred Earth Celebrations 

Seasons of a Magical Life: A Pagan Path of Living

The Celtic Wheel of the Year: Christian & Pagan Prayers & Practices for Each Turning

The Great Work: Self-Knowledge and Healing Through the Wheel of the Year 

The Hearth Witch’s Year: Rituals, Recipes & Remedies Through the Seasons

The Hedgewitch’s Little Book of Seasonal Magic

The Magical Year: Seasonal Celebrations to Honor Nature’s Ever-Turning Wheel 

The Modern Witchcraft Guide to the Wheel of the Year  

The Mystical Year: Folklore, Magic and Nature

The Noble Art: From Shadow to Essence Through the Wheel of the Year

The Provenance Press Guide to the Wiccan Year: A Year Round Guide to Spells, Rituals, and Holiday Celebrations 

The Simple Sabbat: Family Friendly Approach to the Eight Pagan Holidays

The Spirited Kitchen: Recipes and Rituals for the Wheel of the Year

The Wheel of The Year: A Beginner’s Guide to Celebrating the Traditional Pagan Festivals of the Seasons

The Wheel of the Year: One Year Workbook and Journal for the Pagan Festivals

(Note: This author, who is currently publishing independently, also has a series of books devoted to each of the individual sabbats. On Amazon, simply search for her name and the sabbat of your choice to find her title on that festive Pagan day.)

The Ultimate Guide to the Witch’s Wheel of the Year: Rituals, Spells & Practices for Magical Sabbats, Holidays & Celebrations 

Turn of The Wheel: A Year of Modern Pagan Prayer and Praise 

The Zenned Out Guide to The Wheel of The Year

Wheel of The Year: Living The Magickal Life 

Wicca Wheel of The Year Magic 

Wicca Year of Magic: From the Wheel of the Year to the Cycles of the Moon, Magic for Every Occasion

Witch’s Wheel of the Year: Rituals for Circles, Solitaries & Covens 

(Whose Pathos blog, Raising the Horns, I highly recommend.)

Year of the Witch: Connecting with Nature’s Seasons through Intuitive Magick 

(Ancient Ways: Reclaiming The Pagan Tradition by the same author is a stellar book as well.)

Books on specific Pagan Sabbats

Much like Llewellyn’s eight-part series devoted to each of the sabbats, various other titles have been released over the years that focus on either one specific sabbat or a portion of the sabbats. These are fantastic resources if you’re looking to add to your knowledge of, or be inspired about, certain Pagan sabbats in particular.

A Witch’s Halloween: A Complete Guide to the Magick, Incantations, Recipes, Spells, and Lore 

Beltane: The Ultimate Guide to May Eve and How It’s Celebrated in Wicca, Druidry, and Paganism

Celebrating Autumn Equinox: Customs & Crafts, Recipes & Rituals for Harvest, Sukkot, Mid Autumn Moon, Michaelmas, Eleusinian Mysteries & Other Autumn Holidays

Celebrating Spring Equinox: Customs & Crafts, Recipes & Rituals for Celebrating Easter, Passover, Nowruz, Lady Day, & Other Spring Holidays

Celebrating Summer Solstice: Customs & Crafts, Recipes & Rituals for Midsummer, Kupala, Ligo, San Giovanni & Other Summer Holidays

Celebrating the Seasons of Life: Beltane to Mabon 

Celebrating the Seasons of Life: Samhain to Ostara 

Celebrating Winter Solstice: Customs and Crafts, Recipes and Rituals for Festivals of Light, Hanukkah, Yule, and Other Midwinter Holidays

Llewellyn’s Little Book of Halloween

(Mickie has a wonderful, informative YouTube channel that is well worth following.)

Llewellyn’s Little Book of Yule

Midsummer: The Ultimate Guide to Litha or the Summer Solstice and How It’s Celebrated in Wicca, Druidry, and Paganism

Ostara: The Ultimate Guide to Spring Equinox and How It’s Celebrated in Wicca, Druidry, and Paganism

Pagan Christmas: The Plants, Spirits, and Rituals at the Origins of Christmas

Samhain Traditions: 13 Simple & Affordable Halloween Spells & Rituals for the Witches’ New Year

(This author runs a terrific Pagan/witchy blog called the Penniless Pagan that I highly recommend following.)

The Old Magic of Christmas: Yuletide Traditions for the Darkest Days of the Year

The Sacred Herbs of Beltane

The Sacred Herbs of Samhain

The Summer Solstice: Celebrating the Journey of the Sun from May Day to Harvest

The Winter Solstice: The Sacred Traditions of Christmas

This post was last updated with one or more new titles on April 21, 2022

Books are a valuable resource, but don’t stop there!

As awesome as books about a given topic – in this case, the Pagan sabbats – are, it’s important to remember that there are many channels through which to obtain knowledge on a given subject.

In the case of the sabbats, some of these include blogs and websites (as well as social media), spending time in person with fellow Pagans/witches, joining a coven or grove, and through your own ongoing experiences with the Wheel of The Year.

While there are various traditions and important meanings associated with each of the sabbats, observers are free to interpret and experience the Pagan sabbats however they desire.

Learn from books such as those listed above, as well as other resources and experiences, but do not feel that you must follow everything they suggest to the letter.

And by the same token, please, please, please, do not feel obliged to observe each sabbat annually if you do not feel inclined or are, for whatever reason, unable to do so.

You are not a “bad” or “lazy” witch at all if you are not rolling out the proverbial red carpet and throwing yourself into OTT sabbat celebrations eight times a year.

If that is your jam, awesome, if not, equally awesome. There is a ton to be said for simple, meaningful sabbat happenings.

Indeed, I would argue that if a sabbat causes you a great deal of stress, worry, anxiety, or expense, you may want to rethink how you approach these special days. They are meant to be times of deep meaning, personal reflection, spiritual connections, and positivity, not something you dread more than going to the dentist.

As there will no doubt be future books penned about the witch’s sabbats, I will strive to update this blog post periodically with new titles that cross my path.

If you are aware of any Pagan sabbat books that I have not included here yet, please feel free to let me know about them in the comments below or via email.

And on that note, as I adore hearing from my readers, please do not hesitate to send your witchery and Paganism-related questions my way anytime.

Who knows, your query might just be the catalyst for a future blog post here!

Do you observe the Wheel of the Year? And if you do, what Pagan sabbat books are your personal favourites? 🕮

The post Your Ultimate Guide to Books About the Pagan Sabbats appeared first on Witchcrafted Life.

Enmeshed in the blazing heat of summer, it can at times feel a bit foreign to turn our thoughts to things such as ripe fields of wheat, harvesting crops, and preparing for the colder half of the year.

Yet that is precisely part of what the Pagan sabbat of Lughnasadh/Lammas invites us to do.

Lammas is, in the Western Hemisphere, the first of three exciting harvest season sabbats that transpire each year. The other two are Mabon, which is often observed on or right around the Fall Equinox, and Samhain, which many celebrate on or around October 31^st/November 1^st.

Like each of the eight sabbats that encompass the modern-day Wheel of the Year, Lammas, or Lughnasadh as it is also commonly known, can be observed whenever one desires.

(Technically, the two names refer to similar early harvest season celebrations that transpired in Gaelic areas and in England, respectively, however, these days both names are often used interchangeably.)

That said, many opt to do on August 1^st or thereabouts. Another option is to observe Lammas a few days later into the month, on the actual midway date between the Litha (the Summer Solstice) and Mabon (the Fall Equinox).

Falling between these two important points in the calendar, Lughnasadh earns itself the distinction of being a cross-quarter day. Sharing this honour with three of its fellow Pagan sabbats (Imbolc, Beltane, and Samhain).

Lammas/Lughnasadh is seeped in the sights, sounds, happenings, and loveliness of summertime. Beneath its sun-drenched heart though, fall is beginning to stir.

This sabbat ushers in the last full month of summer. In roughly seven week’s time, autumn – that most enchantingly gorgeous and magickal of seasons – will commence.

Many witches, Wiccans, Pagans, and others opt to view Lammas as the unofficial start of fall time – no matter how sky-high the mercury may be at the moment.

Falling squarely into this camp myself, Lughnasadh has a special place in my heart, soul, witchy workings, and daily life alike.

As someone who absolutely lives for fall, that season cannot begin soon enough in my books.

Likewise though, as I’m the type who cherishes, adores, respects, and sees the value inherent in each season, I am not looking to show summer to the door quite yet.

Though if it wants to cool down just a touch, I certainly won’t complain!

My husband and I are fortunate to live in a really neat little town nestled at the tippy-top of British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley.

This area includes some of the desert elements that call the lower portions of the valley home. It is also rife with both woodland and farmland.

Adoring each of these types of settings, I am constantly in awe and appreciation of the diversity, gifts, and beauty that surrounds us here daily.

One of my favourite things to do as July boldly marches into August is to spend time observing the local cornfields.

Some can easily be reached on foot from our home, others require a very brief jaunt in the car. Either way, they don’t take long to reach and are a marvellous sight to behold.

Corn, much like wheat, oats, and barley, is a crop that is often harvested in the second half of summer and/or the early fall.

At this stage, the local corn is nearly ready to be plucked. Very few ears are harvest by hand here anymore. Machines have long replaced that once commonplace task, however that doesn’t detract from the significance and importance of the harvest season in the slightest.

To the ancients, the annual crop harvest was a time to gather and preserve food for the long, cold months ahead. The golden grains, delicious ears of corn, and myriad other produce (and animal) items that were gathered at this point in the year could literally make the difference between life or death in some cases.

We continue, as a species, to be highly dependant on agriculture and will likely always do so, unless something cataclysmic occus that causes us to collectively revert to a traditional hunter-gather type of society.

It was while gazing dreamily at some of our local cornfields recently that the idea for this year’s Lammas blog post suddenly popped into my head.

Before I proceed, I should mention that if you’d like to learn more about the meaning and history of Lammas, be sure to visit my post from last year, 15 Wonderful Animal Correspondences to Connect to and Work at Lammas.

As a lover of art, particularly (though not exclusively) classic art, I’ve long taken note of how the harvest season was a common and much appreciated theme amongst various artists who opted to depict scenes of daily life.

Up until remarkably recently in human history, the summer and fall harvest was, as touched on above, done by hand. Hardworking animals such as horses or oxen may have been involved, as were some hand and early mechanical tools, but the process was a far cry different from the scenes of huge pieces of farm equipment lumbering across golden fields that we often see today.

Regardless of if a person was, themselves, directly involved in the harvest process, many people lived (and still live, for that matter) in close proximity to fields that were/are being harvested.

This sight was a welcome, happy one in general and an exciting time of the year to boot. Summer was beginning to wind down, the promise of cooler weather danced in the breeze, and, in plenty of areas, communal celebrations of the harvest season would transpire.

For these and various other reasons (including the breathtaking beauty of ripe fields bathed in golden summer light), it is perfectly natural that artists would opt to depict something as important to life as the harvest season in their art.

I do not have a degree in art history, I am not an art dealer, and I certainly don’t profess to be a leading expert on art. However, I love and appreciate art with all of my heart and have been studying it since early childhood.

Today I’d like to tap into that passion and share with you a selection of 17 pieces of classic art that celebrate the spirit and beauty of Lammas.

That isn’t to say that these works of art were created with a traditional or Neopagan approach to the year’s first harvest season in mind. Objectively, I doubt that few if any of them were.

However, the earnest depiction of hardworking farmers and farmhands coupled with the endearing beauty of late summer and early fall is something that is apt to appeal to both fellow Pagans/witches and non-Pagans/witches alike.

And I would venture to guess that many of my fellow paper crafters find immense inspiration in pastoral scenes such as this, too.

So, without further ado, allow me to present seventeen captivatingly lovely classical paintings that suit Lughnasadh superbly.

17 pieces of classic art that celebrate the spirit and beauty of Lammas

1. In The Orchard by František Dvořák. Created in 1912, this painting is perhaps my all-time favourite autumn scene that depicts a person. Or, as I like to think of the beguillingly beautiful figure seen here with her arms overlaiden with harvest season fruit, of a goddess.

2. Corn Harvest in Provence by Vincent van Gogh. I highly suspect that van Gogh was a great fan of late summer and early fall, as he chose to paint a variety of images that brilliantly showcase this chapter of the year.

As such, I was hard-pressed to narrow down my selection of his wonderful harvest season scenes to just one. Ultimately, I selected “Corn Harvest”, which he painted in 1888, as it instantly makes me think of the spacious local fields here that are bursting at the seams with ripe ears of sweet, delicious corn.

3. The Seine and the Eiffel Tower in the Sunset by Henri Rousseau. As much as Lammas involves an emphasis on agrarian happenings and imagery, it is also important to remember, seek out, and celebrate the shifting seasons in whatever landscape we happen to call home.

In this absolutely lovely 1910 painting by one of France’s most famous Post-Impressionist painters, we are treated to a tranquil sunset scene over the Seine River, which captures the warm colours of late summer and early autumn magnificently.

4. Autumn, The Grape Harvest by Fransisco Goya. A jovial, peaceful scene, this 1786 painting by one of Spain’s most famous artists leaps out at the viewer not only for its beauty, but also because of the primarily soft, elegant colour palette and wonderfully charming scene showcased here.

5. The Veteran in a New Field by Winslow Homer. This stirring painting was created in 1865, in the wake of the American Civil War and shows a lone man industriously harvesting wheat.

It is a poignant image the unabashedly hints at the return to a calmer life that awaited some of those souls who were lucky enough to pull this horrific multi-year battle (while also symbolizing, including via the man’s scythe, the huge number of lives that were cut down in their prime during the Civil War).

6. Still Life with Apple and Round Bread by Zinaida Serebriakova. Painted in 1948, this Lammas perfect image is the most recent to make it onto this list. The scene it depicts is, however, abundantly classic, highlighting both apples and rustic loaves of bread. Each of which is a poignant symbol of the harvest season.

(While not specific to this time of the year, I would be remiss if I brought up Serebriakova’s work and did not mention her gorgeous painting, At the Dressing Table, Self Portrait, which is likely my favourite of her many works.)

7. Village Holiday (Autumn Holiday in the Village) by Boris Kustodiev. In this delightful slice-of-life image painted in 1914, we see a jovial group of Russians enthusiastically celebrating the fall harvest season, complete with golden fields in the background and saffron-hued fall leaves throughout.

As someone with Russian ancestors who were themselves hardworking farmers, I like to imagine my relatives on that branch of the family tree engaged in similar scenes back in the day.

8. Bouquet of Sunflowers by Claude Monet. While it is often van Gogh whose work we tend to associate (and rightfully so) with sunflowers, he was by no means the only painter to capture this joyful summertime bloom on canvas. Artists have been painting sunflowers for centuries now and will no doubt continue to do so for ages to come.

In this 1880 iteration by an equally famous artist, we see a cheerful arrangement of sunflowers in vase (or tall piece of crockery) situated on a tablecloth in colours that are instantly evocative of late summer and fall. This peaceful, gorgeous impressionist painting epitomizes timelessness and is one that is sure to appeal to sunflower fans the world over.

9. Autumn by Henri Fantin-Latour. Not unlike the Dvořák piece that kicked off this list, in this enchanting 19th-century painting (I couldn’t track down a precise date for its creation) we see a singular female figure clad in classical Grecian or Roman style garb.

She could be a mortal or just as easily, a goddess. That decision is left up to the viewer, as is, in this case, what her face would look like. By forgoing her face, this figure takes on a deeper symbolic quality, as her unknown age could be youthful like summer or more mature and thus represent autumn time to an even greater extent.

10. Three Little Girls Picking Blackberries by Hans Andersen Brendekilde. Like countless youngsters throughout the course of human history, each summer and early autumn, part of my time was spent gathering ripe fruit to bring home for our family’s meals. Plenty was savoured in the moment, though the bulk of it was usually turned into jam, (otherwise) canned, or frozen for future enjoyment.

While I didn’t pick many blackberries (as these children are doing in this endearing c. 1885 painting), I did pluck a ton of raspberries, along with cherries, strawberries, peaches, nectarines, apricots, grapes, plums, pears, and apples. My mouth waters at those lovely memories!

(And speaking of harvest season produce, be sure to check out my look at 25 Magickal Ways to Use Summertime Stone Fruits.)

11. A Cottage in the Cornfield by John Constable. You didn’t think I was only going to include one corn harvest-related image did you?

In this idyllic farm life scene from 1817 (old school #cottagecore if ever there was), we see a charming cottage surrounded by tall stalks of corn that are ready to be harvested.

It is a pastoral landscape painting and one that does a splendid job of capturing the warmth, shifting agrarian tides, and golden beauty inherent to late summertime.

12. Autumn Leaves by John Everett Millais. This immediately captivating fall scene is another favourite for me. In it we see four girls of varying ages engaged in the classic act of raking and piling up leaves. One, the youngest, is enjoying an apple (itself emblematic of late summer and fall) as the older girls continue their diligent work.

I adore this painting from c. 1855, which, without fail, makes me think each time I see it of how if you added a cauldron to the mix, this image could take on a decidedly witchy theme.

13. Apples and a Dog-Keeper by Pyotr Konchalovsky. In this sweet, welcoming scene (which was painted in 1939) we see a bevy of recently harvested apples on display – a sure sign that summer is winding down.

This scrumptious harvest is overseen by a watchful dog, whose stoic expression is one of both professionalism and, I cannot help but wonder, perhaps a longing to sample some of that lovely fruit firsthand.

14. Autumn in Bavaria by Wassily Kandinsky. A kaleidoscope of colours leaps out at the viewer as they take in this appealing vivid expressionist landscape that was painted in 1908. I adore how one side of the painting is seeped in summer’s palette, the other in fall’s. If there was an apt painting, colour wise, for the “in-between” nature of Lammas, surely this beauty is it.

15. The Grape Harvest by Léon Augustin Lhermitte. Not to be confused with the Goya painting above of a nearly identical name, this captivating late Victorian image from 1884 embraces the same theme, but depicts it considerably differently.

Gone are darling rococo era vibes, in their place we instead see an emphasis on realism and the family effort that often went into ensuring a successful harvest was possible. (For another captivating harvest season painting by Lhermitte, see his well-known work, The Gleaners.)

16. Four Trees by Egon Schiele. There are some works of art that stop you square in your tracks. For me, this stunning late Edwardian era (1917) interpretation in paint of a fall sunset is one of them.

Admittedly more autumnal than early August usually looks, this scene embodies the warm, earthy colour palette of Lammas and serves to excite us all the more about the wonderful season that lies ahead.

17. A portrait of a Young Peasant Girl by Jeanne Bôle. A symphony of late summer/early autumn hues greets the viewer as they take in this captivating 19th-century piece by a French artist whose work and life are not nearly as well known as that of many of his contemporaries at the time.

In “A Portrait of a Young Peasant Girl”, the harvest season comes to life with wondrous vividness and timeless beauty (and helps to remind us that the growing season began with the archetype of the goddess as a maiden and wraps up just as she is embarking from motherhood to becoming a revered crone).

Which of these awesome Lammas season classic paintings is your personal favourite?

Make hay while the sun shines

This classic harvest season-derived expression invites us to be industrious and utilize opportunities as they come our way.

From a spiritual perspective, Lammas/Lughnasadh welcomes us to do the same. To embrace these warm, fantastic days that fill the second half of summer and use them as a means to be productive, to relish the fruits of our labour, and to plan ahead for the dark half of the year that looms in the not-too-distant future.

In the paintings above, I am struck by certain repeating themes. For one, appreciatively, we often see women depicted in the fields or otherwise bringing in the harvest. As well, a sense of community and camaraderie is frequently depicted. Only the smallest of farms could likely have been harvested singlehandedly, so the harvest season was often a group effort that often involved multiple generations, neighbours, and/or hired workers.

There is so much skill, creativity, heart, and passion in the brushstrokes of these classic paintings. The images they convey may be from centuries past, but the universal act of harvesting and preparing for the colder half of the year is timeless.

Far less harvesting may be done by hand these days and many of us no longer farmers ourselves. We may not live in close proximity to fields teeming with grains, corn, other vegetables, or late summer fruit, but a lot of us still appreciate and value the incredibly important role of the harvest season in terms of supporting life on this planet.

This weekend, I will be observing Lammas in a multitude of ways. This day is sacred to my spiritual practice and life in general, as is the whole of the harvest season + autumn.

Magickal workings, seasonal eats, and a walk to our nearest cornfield will all be on the agenda. As will be giving the deepest of heartfelt thanks for the life-sustaining gifts of sunlight, farmable soil, and the delicious crops that are plucked from the earth each harvest season.

Lughnasadh is a joyous period of the year. We have worked hard to get here and while it may not be time to hibernate quite yet, the start of August serves to remind us just how incredible the overlapping elements of summer and autumn are.

My dear friends, I wholeheartedly look forward to sharing many new posts, both seasonally related and otherwise, here with you during the harvest season.

It is my steadfast hope that summer’s warmth and life-fuelling qualities, as well as fall’s magic(k) and many blessings are yours straight on until winter returns.

Happiest Lammas wishes to one and all! May we bask in the light of summer and experience all the wonders, natural offerings, and beauty that fall has to offer as well.

And to those in the Southern Hemisphere, may you have a tranquil, joyful, safe, and wholly blessed Imbolc!

The post 17 Classic Art Paintings that Capture the Beauty and Spirit of Lughnasadh to a Tee appeared first on Witchcrafted Life.

In this post, I’m going to share with you 25 jigsaw puzzles that are perfect for witches and Pagans (as well as puzzle fans of all kinds).

Before we dive into that list, however, let’s take a peek at what inspired today’s post, some of the health benefits of doing jigsaw puzzles, and the history of this beloved pastime that has found favour with generations the world over for about 250 years now.

Last weekend, my birthday – or should I say, my birthdayween – celebration included various Halloween-related happenings.

One of them was doing a fantastic 300-piece Halloween jigsaw puzzle that I picked up in 2020.

In recent years, my mom and I have had a lovely tradition of doing at least one Halloween-themed puzzle each year.

This usually occurs, as you might imagine, in October (sometimes on October 31^st itself). However, there are no hard and fast rules, which meant that my birthdayween was a great time to hop right into our latest Halloween puzzle adventure.

Like many the world over, I greatly enjoy doing jigsaw puzzles. If you fall into this camp, too, you may consider yourself to be a dissectologist – the official term for someone with a passion for doing puzzles.

I enjoy puzzling the whole year through. So does my mom, which means that get-togethers frequently involve a dining room table and a puzzle spanning in size from about 250 to 1,000 pieces. (I’m up for somewhat larger piece counts, providing there’s room enough to complete a bigger-sized puzzle, though my mom tends to favour those of a thousand pieces or less.)

Naturally, not all of the puzzles we do are Halloween-themed. We both tend to prefer puzzles with illustrations to those with photos, but find that subject matter (and piece count) tends to trump that point when all is said and done.

Free time is not something I have a generous abundance of by any means, so I don’t get to work on a jigsaw puzzle daily. When I can squeeze in some puzzling time though, I am always a happy and more relaxed camper.

I find doing jigsaw puzzles to be powerfully soothing. This in turn can help lower everything from stress to anxiety to (physical) pain, while at the same timing helping to bolster my creativity and keep my mind extra sharp.

And I am not alone on this front. According to a piece by Jill Riley, M.S.N that was published last year on the Baylor College of Medicine’s website:

“Studies have shown that doing jigsaw puzzles can improve cognition and visual-spatial reasoning. The act of putting the pieces of a puzzle together requires concentration and improves short-term memory and problem solving. Using the puzzle as an exercise of the mind can spark imagination and increase both your creativity and productivity.”

And the perks of doing puzzles don’t end there, as blog posts such as 10 Surprising Benefits of Doing Jigsaw Puzzles from the site Cronicas Puzzleras detail.

One of the benefits of doing jigsaw puzzles is that they up the brain’s production of the neurotransmitter dopamine, which plays a substantial role in helping to regulate our mood, happiness, and optimism levels.

This accounts for why many people feel happy and even exhilarated when working on jigsaw puzzles, and why we find putting a puzzle piece in the right spot extra rewarding (it is primarily this act that increases dopamine production while doing a jigsaw puzzle).

The history of jigsaw puzzles

Those with an interest in cartography may be interested to learn that the origins of today’s jigsaw puzzles can be traced back to the centuries-old practice of adhering maps onto wood and then cutting said maps into smaller pieces. This allowed maps to take up less space while travelling.

This act was going strong in the mid-eighteenth century and it was then that the first known jigsaw puzzle toy came into being.

For this, we can credit one John Spilsbury. A London mapmaker and engraver, Spilsbury decided to take the concept of puzzle maps and turn them into something that was more of an educational plaything for youngers than an important navigation tool for grownups.

Spilsbury’s first jigsaw puzzles carried on the classic theme of maps (aimed at helping children with their geography skills). It wasn’t long, however, until a slew of different themes soon found their way onto jigsaw puzzles.

Early jigsaw puzzle themes included fairytales, nursery rhymes, modes of transportation, animals, and landscapes.

During the Second Industrial Revolution that unfolded in the 19^th and early 20^th centuries, advancements in lithographic printing and the use of plywood (vs the harder woods, including mahogany, that had been used previously) allowed puzzles to become more affordable.

As a result, puzzles began to find their way into homes in a broader range of socioeconomic levels of society, where they were often enjoyed as much by children as they were by adults.

Interestingly, it would take about a century and a half beyond the first jigsaw toys for puzzles to shape up, quite literally, into the interlocking pieces that most of us now associate with this enjoyable pastime.

It was none other than world-famous game company Parker Brothers who may have been the first to produce and popularize jigsaw puzzles with interlocking pieces.

At that time, the puzzle pieces were cut by hand using a treadle scroll saw. Work that, interestingly, Parker Brothers often utilized female employees for, believing that those who had experience with using a sewing machine would be deft with a scroll saw.

With the advent of interlocking pieces, toy puzzles took off all the more in terms of popularity. They received a further boost during the Great Depression of the 1930s.

At the time many jigsaw puzzles were inexpensive, making them an entertaining family-friendly activity that many could still afford during those profoundly economically challenging times.

I would venture to guess that the fact that a puzzle could be done time and time again, thus lowering its long-term cost per use factor, may have helped convince more folks to buy jigsaw puzzles at a time when money was a serious hardship for many families.

As well, starting around the same time, in some parts of the world puzzlers could now borrow jigsaw puzzles from libraries, thus incurring no monetary cost to do a puzzle.

Puzzles got a further boon in the 1930s thanks to the advent of sturdy cardboard (as opposed to wood, which had been the most common puzzle material prior to that point) jigsaw puzzles.

Cardboard opened up the doors further to mass jigsaw puzzle production, while also helping to keep prices reasonable and within the reach of many consumers.

As the twentieth century rolled ever onward, wooden puzzles (save for those aimed specifically at very young children) all but went the way of the dinosaur. Consumers had spoken with their purchasing power and cardboard puzzles quickly came to dominate the jigsaw puzzle market.

Thankfully though, wooden puzzles did not die out completely. A handful of companies and independent puzzle makers around the world – including such brands as Stave Puzzles and Artifact Puzzles – continue to produce wooden puzzles.

These days, puzzles can be found both online and off. In the case of the latter, they are often sold at department stores, big box stores, toy stores, educational/teacher’s stores, drugstores, and even some supermarkets, amongst other sources.

Most modern puzzles are machine-produced, with some being cut using lasers, others with industrial steel blades. When lasers are employed, extra durable materials that might be a challenge for certain types of metal blades, such as acrylic and hardwood, can often be created.

A dazzling – one might even say dizzying – array of jigsaw puzzles exist in the 21^st century. As with many manufactured products, their quality can range from pitifully poor to impressively excellent and everything in between!

Various largescale puzzle companies (i.e., Ravensburger, Springbok, Buffalo Games, and Sunsout, respectively) hold the lion’s share of the jigsaw puzzle market, as you might imagine.

Happily, though, plenty of smaller scale and indie puzzle companies have been able to establish themselves and find popularity with puzzlers across the globe as well.

Puzzles in the 21^st century

The popularity of jigsaw puzzles has waxed and waned to a degree over the past several decades. However, that said, this enjoyable form of entertainment has remained much beloved by many of all ages and has recently experienced a notable upswing in popularity.

The Covid-19 pandemic and the lockdowns that it entailed for much of the world’s population has incited a huge boom in jigsaw puzzle sales and, in turn, an increase in puzzlers.

Interestingly, puzzles were already having something of a moment over the past several years – including amongst millennials.

In an era when so much of what we do is apt to transpire online, it is not surprising that a classic offline pastime such as doing jigsaw puzzles is experiencing a renaissance.

That said, naturally, puzzles and puzzlers have found their way onto the good ol’ interwebs as well.

These days, one can find thriving communities of passionate puzzles on social media platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube (one of the most famous and enjoyable of which is a channel called Karen Puzzles), as well as plenty of blogs, websites, and online shops dedicated to jigsaw puzzles.

Puzzles are a beloved worldwide activity. Most require us to slow down, be mindful, and savour the moment as we fit one interlocking piece into the next. They are a welcome respite or change of pace from the online sphere, can be done either solo or with others, and – much like books – are available in greater numbers than one could ever complete in a hundred lifetimes.

25 jigsaw puzzles for witches and Pagans

As a Pagan witch myself, I have sometimes wondered what types of puzzles exist featuring subject matter of a particularly witchy or Pagan nature.

I have seen a few such puzzles in my time, but it wasn’t until doing the above-mentioned Halloween jigsaw puzzle last week that I decided to go searching online to see just what kinds of witchy and Pagan-themed puzzles I could find.

While I wouldn’t say there is a massive number of puzzles out there that star overtly witchy or Paganism-specific images (be they illustrations or photographs), happily there are some to be had.

Couple these with others whose themes organically lend themselves well to witchcraft and Paganism (for example, animals, astronomy, landscapes, flowers, mythology, and Halloween) and it’s easy to see that there are plenty of great options out there for witch and Pagan puzzlers who are keen to put together a puzzle that pertains to their beliefs and spirituality.

Of course, as Pagans and witches are a hugely varied group, puzzles of nearly any subject matter could fit the bill, too, just depending on what interests a given witch, Wiccan, or Pagan has.

That said, it’s oodles of fun to have some broadly Pagan and witchy-related themes to focus on when it comes to doing puzzles.

Each of the following 25 jigsaw puzzles that are especially well suited to witches and Pagans does just that care of the images they depict.

We’ve got crystals, astrological imagery, unicorns, wild animals aplenty, tarot, faeries, and much more, so pull up a cozy seat and get ready to expand your jigsaw puzzle shopping or wishlist big time!

Puzzle name: Awake Your Magic

Brand: Educa

Piece count: 500 pieces

Completed puzzle size:

Get it from: Dragon Spaces

Puzzle name: Magical Deer

Brand: Ravensburger

Piece count: 500 pieces

Completed puzzle size: 27.6 x 19.7 inches / 70 x 50 cm

Get it from: I Love Puzzles

Puzzle name: Cat Zodiac

Brand: Galison

Piece count: 500 pieces

Completed puzzle size: 20 x 20 inches / 50.8 x 50.8 cm

Get it from: Dragon Spaces

Puzzle name: Fairy Houses Dewdrop Inn

Brand: Ceaco

Piece count: 300 pieces

Completed puzzle size: 19 x 19 inches / 48.2 x 48.2 cm

Get it from: I Love Puzzles

Puzzle name: Rainbow Crystals

Brand: Galison

Piece count: 500 pieces

Completed puzzle size: 20 x 20 inches / 50.8 x 50.8 cm

Get it from: Amazon

Puzzle name: Night Spirit

Brand: Ceaco

Piece count: 550 pieces

Completed puzzle size: 20 x 20 inches / 50.8 x 50.8 cm

Get it from: Fairy Glen

Puzzle name: Astrology (foil puzzle)

Brand: Galison

Piece count: 1,000 pieces

Completed puzzle size: 20 x 27 inches / 50.8 x 68.6 cm

Get it from: Amazon

Puzzle name: Agate Puzzle 1414

Brand: Nervous System

Piece count: Approx. 180 pieces

Completed puzzle size: Aprox. 8.5 inches / 21.6 cm

Get it from: Nervous System (This company produces and sells a wonderful array of different agate slice inspired puzzles. Check out their current selection here.)

Puzzle name: Flights of Fancy Summer Queen

Brand: Buffalo

Piece count: 1,000 pieces

Completed puzzle size: 26.75 x 19.75 inches / 67.9 x 50.2 cm

Get it from: I Love Puzzles

Puzzle name: Wild (Deer Family)

Brand: Ceaco

Piece count: 1,000 pieces

Completed puzzle size: 26.6 x 19 inches / 67.6 x 48.3 cm

Get it from: Fairy Glen

Puzzle name: Moon Dance

Brand: eeBoos

Piece count: 500 pieces

Completed puzzle size: 23 inches / 58.4 cm in diameter

Get it from: Calendar Club

Puzzle name: Dragon Valley

Brand: Ravensburger

Piece count: 2,000

Completed puzzle size: 38.75 x 29.5 inches / 94.8 x 74.9 cm

Get it from: Rose Cat Khan (This is the website of the artist who created this stunningly beautiful dragon image.)

Puzzle name: The Astrologer

Brand: Cobble Hill

Piece count: 1,000

Completed puzzle size: 26.63 x 19.25 inches / 67.6 x 48.9 cm

Get it from: Fairy Glen

Puzzle name: Fantasy Butterfly Shaped Puzzle

Brand: Not stated. Artwork by Ruth Sanderson

Piece count: Approx. 1,000 pieces

Completed puzzle size: 24 x 35 inches / 61 x 86.4 cm

Get it from: Fairy Glen

Puzzle name: Black Runic Pentagram Puzzle

Brand: Not branded

Piece count: Available in varioius piece counts

Completed puzzle size: Varies depending on piece count

Get it from: Zazzle

Note: On demand printing services such as Zazzle and Red Bubble are a great place to find witchy, Wiccan, and Pagan-themed puzzles.

Puzzle name: Butterfly Dance

Brand: Artisan Puzzle

Piece count: 750 pieces

Completed puzzle size: 18 7/8 x 26 3/8 inches / 47.9 x 67 cm

Get it from: Calendar Club

Puzzle name: Magic Fairy Dust

Brand: Ravensburger

Piece count: 500

Completed puzzle size: 19.3 x 14.1 inches / 49 x 36 cm

Get it from: I Love Puzzles

Puzzle name: Zodiac Signs

Brand: Not stated

Piece count: 1,000 pieces

Completed puzzle size: 26.7 inches / 67.8 cm in diameter

Get it from: Amazon

Puzzle name: Noctural Forest Magic

Brand: Ravensburger

Piece count: 1,000 pieces

Completed puzzle size: 27.5 x 19.7 / 70 x 50 cm

Get it from: I Love Puzzles

Puzzle name: Year of The Magickal Dragon

Brand: Flame Tree. Artwork by Ann Stokes

Piece count: 1,000 pieces

Completed puzzle size: 29 x 20 inches / 73.7 x 50.8 cm

Get it from: Dragon Spaces

Puzzle name: Stonehenge England 3D Puzzle

Brand: Not stated

Piece count: 35 pieces

Completed puzzle size: 7.16 x 71.6 x 1.65 inches / 182 x 182 x 42 mm

Get it from: (new on) eBay

Puzzle name: Fall Frenzy

Brand: Brilliance

Piece count: 550

Completed puzzle size: 24 x 18 inches / 61 x 45.7 cm

Get it from: I Love Puzzles

Puzzle name: Unicorn Reading

Brand: Mudpuppy

Piece count: 500 pieces

Completed puzzle size:  20 x 20 inches

Get it from: Dragon Spaces

Puzzle name: Magical Potions

Brand: Ravensburger

Piece count: 1,000 pieces

Completed puzzle size: 27.6 x 19.7 inches / 70 x 50 cm

Get it from: I Love Puzzles

Puzzle name: Sea Castle Delight Glow in the Dark Puzzle

Brand: Master Pieces

Piece count: 500 pieces

Completed puzzle size: 18 x 24 inches / 47.5 x 61 cm

Get it from: Toynk Toys

*Bonus 26th jigsaw puzzle* Shortly after the publication of this post, I was introduced to an exciting new Australian puzzle brand.

The witches jigsaw puzzle by Pennywinks, officially called The Witches Lair, is a 1,000 piece puzzle that is perfectly suited to this list and was just too awesome looking not to include here.

Update: Read my in-depth review of this puzzle, plus a terrific interview with the founder of Pennywick, here.

Note: In some instances, a given puzzle may be available from multiple sources. I have listed an online source that was available at the time this post was written in July 2021.

Jigsaw puzzle magick

Puzzles can be enjoyed simply for their own sake, of course, regardless of whether one is a witch, Wiccan, or Pagan. Indeed, I would argue that there are few less controversial, religiously or spiritually charged activities than doing most types of jigsaw puzzles.

For those of a witchy ilk, however, you may be wondering if there are ways to incorporate jigsaw puzzles into your witchcraft and spellwork.

Happily, the answer there is a rounding “yes”!

First and foremost, whether you intended to do a given jigsaw puzzle solely as a just-for-fun form of entertainment or are keen to weave it into your magickal workings, you may wish to spiritually cleanse any puzzles that you bring into your home.

A dry or smoke-based cleansing method is usually best, so as to avoid moisture damage to your puzzle. As always, be mindful if using a flame or lit material (such as a herb bundle) near a puzzle, as most jigsaw puzzles are made of easily ignitable materials.

Generally speaking, I wouldn’t personally purchase a brand new high-quality puzzle to use for my witchy workings (at least not if I was going to damage any of the pieces or otherwise render them unable for their original purpose).

Instead, I tend to use older puzzles (if you have any puzzles with missing pieces to hand, these can be a great source of puzzle pieces for your magickal activities), inexpensive puzzles from places like dollar stores and thrift shops, and puzzle pieces that I have die cut myself using metal paper crafting dies and suitable materials such as paper, cardstock, and felt.

(If you are looking for a jigsaw puzzle die of your own, check out the selection from brands such as Papers Rose and Gemini that Scrapbook.com currently offers. As well, keep in mind that puzzle images are available for most, if not all, electronic die cutting machines as well.)

The following are some of my favourite ways to incorporate jigsaw puzzles into your magickal workings. I hope that they resonate with you as well and would love to hear, in the comments below, about other ways to include puzzles into your magickal workings that weren’t covered here.

–Bake up a patch of jigsaw puzzle cookies: Add some jigsaw puzzle cookie cutters to your baking supplies and use this handy method of creating puzzle pieces to combine puzzle magick and kitchen magick together.

From the ingredients used (including various edible herbs and spices) to the colours of the baked dough, the frosting to the decorations, there are numerous ways that kitchen witchery can team up with puzzle magick.

Think seasonal, sabbat and esbat related puzzle cookies, biodegradable pieces that can be safely disposed of in nature settings, or gifts for fellow witchy and Pagan friends.

As well, you could use puzzle shaped cookie cutters to make ornaments (salt dough, cinnamon dough, air dry or oven dry clay, etc – just make sure that if you plan to keep using your cookie cutters with edible ingredients, you do not use them on any substances which may be toxic to humans), altar decorations, holiday or sabbat tree decorations, or even jewelry (think polymer clay, shrink plastic, and, again, both air dry clay and oven dry clay).

–Select jigsaw puzzles with specific themes to support or reinforce a magickal working: As you assemble your puzzle, visual the plans, goals, or desired outcome of your working falling all the more into place with each piece you join to its mates.

The final completed puzzle then stands as an apt, visually powerful reminder of what you can create and manifest into being care of your own wonderful magick and intentions.

–Have a custom jigsaw puzzle printed with your own image: Not finding an existing puzzle with an image that suits your needs or tastes? Always wanted a jigsaw puzzle with a specific image – be it witchy/Pagan related or otherwise – on it that you created yourself?

If so, why not send your photo or illustration to a custom photo printing company!

There are many options on the market today when it comes to custom jigsaw puzzles, the majority of which can be ordered online.

Check out the following websites for custom printed jigsaw puzzles:

–Bags of Love

–Canvas Champ

–Create Jigsaw Puzzles

–Market by TPH

–My Jigsaw Puzzle

–Printer Pix

–Puzzle Print

–Ravensburger’s custom puzzle service

–Shutterfly

–Venus Puzzle

(Note: For the above on demand custom puzzle sources availability, pricing, and shipping may vary depending on your location and the currency you’re purchasing in.)

If you are looking for an in person custom puzzle printing service, check with local photo labs, board game stores, hobby shops, personalized gift stores, and toy shops in your area to see if any of those sources offer custom made puzzles or if they can point you to someone else in your location who may provide this service.

–Divine with puzzle pieces: With a specific question or scenario in mind that you’d like greater insight into, select a set number of random puzzle pieces (for example, ten or twenty) from a jigsaw puzzle, lightly shake them up in the box or a bag, and gently let them fall to a suitable surface, such as a table or soft carpet.

Have any particular images or image fragments appeared in this selection? What about colours, words (if the puzzle includes any text on it), or even shapes? What kinds of messages or impressions do these pieces give you?

Does the arrangement of how the pieces themselves landed look like or suggest anything to you?

Are more pieces upright or flipped over? If the majority are one direction, but not the other, what could that be trying to tell you? (I tend to view puzzle pieces that appear with their non-image side to be a bit like upside-down cards in a tarot or oracle reading.)

Make note of anything that leaps out at you about this jigsaw puzzle reading or take a photo of the puzzle pieces, as they first land, so that you can refer back to that picture, if desired, later on for even more possible insight.

–Include puzzle piece in spell bags and witch balls: If you have (or can make) puzzle pieces that align in some capacity with the intentions of a specific spell bag or witch ball, consider including one or more to symbolize how the pieces of your working will come together to create your desired magickal outcome.

You may wish to write words, sigils, or symbols on your puzzle pieces that further support a given spell or other working (this can be done in general when working with jigsaw puzzle pieces in a magickal/spiritual capacity).

–Use doing puzzles as a form of self-care: By their very nature, most puzzles take a decent amount of time to complete. Depending on the size, image, and piece count of a given puzzle (as well as the experience level of the puzzler) this could be anywhere from an hour or two to multiple months.

The peaceful, methodical nature of puzzling helps to make it a wonderful form of self-care, as it provides tranquility, stillness (as in you’re not usually running around or multitasking while doing a puzzle), and a chance to stop and enjoy the present moment.

If you find it hard to carve out time for self-care, puzzling can be a perfect way to mindfully allow yourself ten, fifteen, or thirty minutes, say, of quiet downtime just to yourself (or shared with a loved one) in which you can put the stresses and demands of the world on hold for a wee while.

As you’re puzzling, why not engage in some relaxing breathwork, light a lovely candle or your fave incense (again, be sure no flames, sparks, or warm ashes could come in contact with the puzzle or its box), play relaxing music or a peaceful ASMR video, and cozy up with a comforting beverage as you knit together the pieces of your puzzle.

Life is like a jigsaw puzzle

So begins a quote from American author Terry McMillan. It goes on to state that, “you have to see the whole picture, then put it together piece by piece!”

Wise and very spot-on words indeed.

Life is like a jigsaw puzzle and perhaps that is no small part of the reason many of us are drawn to puzzles in the first place.

There is something supremely satisfying about holding seemingly random pieces in your hand and knowing that with time, effort, and patience you will create a complete picture in which everything fits together.

Real life might not always meld quite as perfectly. Puzzles can serve as reminders to us that even when everything is scattered to and fro in our lives and it can be hard to imagine circumstances coming together again, more often than not, ultimately, we can assemble the pieces in a way that makes sense to us once more.

I’ve enjoyed doing jigsaw puzzles ever since I was a young child and have no plans of shelving this peaceful hobby anytime soon – especially not with many more Halloween and Pagan/witchy-themed puzzles out there that I’ve yet to tackle.

Whether you’re an avid puzzler as well or haven’t sat down with a puzzle in decades, why not pick up an exciting new puzzle and give yourself the gift of self-care time that comes from hunkering down with a few hundred (or thousand!) jigsaw puzzle pieces?

Chances are, you will enjoy the experience so much you’ll already be thinking about your next puzzle before you’ve slipped the last piece into your current one!

Do you consider yourself a fellow dissectologist? Which of the puzzles featured here leaps out at you the most?

The post 25 Jigsaw Puzzles That Are Perfect for Witches and Pagans (and Puzzle Fans of All Kinds!) appeared first on Witchcrafted Life.

Summer afternoon, summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language. — Henry James

This week is the first of summer. A season that, while not always the easiest to bear unless one lives for the heat, is utterly and completely gorgeous.

I can relate to the estimable Mr. James’ words – though might personally swap “fall afternoon” in for summer.

Though, that said, I have a deeply rooted love of summer and find many positives in the languid days of scorching sun, verdancy aplenty, outdoor living, and nights of enveloping, bathtub-like warmth that makes one feel extra glad for the blessing that is life.

Before we get too far into the season of ice cream cones and sandcastles, however, let’s pull up a folding camping chair (or a comfy hammock) and sink into enjoying some of the most inspiring, informative, or just plain interesting links that crossed my path during the spring of 2021.

(As well as the lowdown on some of what’s been transpiring in my own life over the course of the season that just was.)

Magick, Witchcraft, Paganism, and Spirituality

–DIY Crescent Moon Incense Burner: From fellow Canadian witch, Breawna, comes this lovely, wonderfully easy to follow along with video that shows you how to make a crescent moon-shaped incense burner with a mere handful of basic crafting supplies. The end result is both beautiful and functional, and would make for a fantastic homemade gift to boot!

–DIY Magickal Slow Cooker Candles: No matter the season, candles are a mainstay in our home and in my witchy workings. Big or small, scented or unscented, white or coloured, handmade or store-bought, candles are always welcome under our roof.

I love finding new ways to make or utilize candles, and while we don’t currently own a slow cooker/crockpot/Instant Pot, should one enter our lives again, I’m delighted to have this awesome DIY tutorial for making magickal candles in a slow cooker at the ready.

Should you have a slower cooker, and enjoy creating your own candles, this looks like a really fun and rewarding DIY project to whip up.

–Do Something Witchy Everyday: The message that drives this post is one that aligns greatly with my own practices, which often centre far less on OTT or complex workings and rituals, and much more on feasible, enjoyable, and diverse forms of everyday witchcraft.

If you’ve been looking to up your witchy workings or just need some ideas for meaningful ways to connect (all the more) with your witchy daily, swing by this I, Medusa post written by Anna Mist and be inspired.

–How to Officiate a Handfasting Step-by-Step: In many parts of the world, mid-spring to early fall is seen as wedding season, as nuptials proliferate during the sunny months.

If you’re fortunate to be in the position of being able to officiate a handfasting ceremony, or are looking to find someone to officiate your own handfasting/Pagan wedding, this informative post on the subject from the beloved witchery blog Moody Moons is just the ticket.

–How Spirituality Benefits Highly Sensitive People: Spirituality is a profoundly personal and important element of many peoples’ lives, and while certainly, by no means, the sole domain of highly sensitive individuals, those who identify as such often find immense benefit, comfort, and meaning in their spiritual journey.

This look at the subject was recently shared on the superb HSP-focused website, The Highly Sensitive Refuge. It resonated with me, just as I suspect it will with many of my fellow spiritually inclined HSPs and empaths.

–The 25 Most Important Witchcraft Books Ever Published: Whether you concur entirely with the list of entries on this engaging post from Jason Mankey (himself a renowned Pagan author) or not, chances are you will appreciate the significance and importance of each witchery related title highlighted therein.

I definitely did and, in the process, really appreciated the fact that Mankey arranged his list chronologically, thus further helping readers to understand all the more just how influential these books have been on multiple generations of witches over the years.

–20 Powerful Herbs for Protection: Like many a magickally inclined soul, I do my fair share of protection and guarding work. I’m a trusting person, but am far from naïve and I know that there are many forces at play in the world that we can use some extra protection against.

If protection magick strikes a chord with you as well, this helpful look at 20 Powerful Herbs for Protection is an excellent resource on the subject that feels all the more at home as we embrace the fresh greenery-filled season that is summer.

Card Making, Scrapbooking, Paper Crafting, and Other Crafts

–Crocheted Succulents Free Pattern: For those who are fortunate to possess crocheting skills, this free pattern for eye-catchingly wonderful crocheted succulents is bound to find favour – especially if also have a green thumb, enjoy green witchery, or simply swoon at the sight of succulents.

–DIY (Paper Crafting) Jewelry Box Tutorial: As someone with an immense fondness for jewelry, it may come as no surprise that I’m also rather partial to jewelry boxes that can house my beloved wee collection of beads, baubles, and brooches.

The idea of creating one’s own jewelry box is really appealing to me, so when Graphic 45 recently shared a handy tutorial detailing just that, I bookmarked it for myself and knew I wanted to share it here with all of you as well.

Beyond serving “just” as a jewelry box, this project could be used to store any number of small items, from thimbles to dried flowers, crystals to marbles – and can be customized to your heart’s content, depending on the materials that you employ.

(And speaking of Graphic 45, I really like this beautiful summertime perfect beach-themed mini album that was shared on their blog a few days ago.)

–DIY Terracotta Essential Oil Diffuser & Car Air Freshener: My recent Litha season post, 15 Essential Oils That Are Perfect the Summer Solstice, has put me in even more of an essential oil mood than usual (which, given my passion for this subject, is saying a lot! ).

Combine essential oils with a fun DIY project and I’m there faster than you can say “take a whiff!”

If these are topics that tickle your fancy (not to mention your olfactory sense) as well, be sure to check out Cintia’s fantastic tutorial on how to make your very own DIY terracotta essential oil diffuser and car air freshener.

–DIY Summer Wreath from a Straw Hat: A sizable smile spread across my face the moment I spied Patti’s wonderful tutorial for making a strikingly pretty summer wreath from a straw hat.

Like many who experienced the 1980s and early 90s firsthand, I well remember when decorative straw hat home décor was having a serious moment.

Indeed, straw hat wreaths hung both in my family’s home and in those of multiple relatives for many years. I even had one in my own bedroom for a few years during my early childhood.

It’s fantastic to see this charming way of dressing up classic straw hats finding favour again (I suspect that the recent trend for #cottagecore and similar aesthetics is doing its part on that front).

If you’re keen to rekindle a trend or to experience straw hat home décor for the first time, follow Patti’s lead and adore your home with an attractive DIY straw hat wreath.

–Easy DIY Earrings You Can Make on a Budget: Fun fact, I’ve been creating handmade jewelry since I was a child and had a fun little side business selling handmade nickel-free jewelry for a time during my teens and early adult years.

While the arson fire that we experienced back in 2016 completely destroyed my stash of jewelry making supplies, my love of this endlessly versatile (not to mention, practical) art form has never left me.

Little by little, I’ve gathered a few jewelry making materials again and hope to continue to do so as time goes on.

One needn’t have a plethora of supplies (or a lavish budget) to create wonderful handmade jewelry. A few basic items, some inspiration, and a desire are usually all it takes to do just that – as the more than 40 projects highlighted in this terrific post over on the Mod Podge blog amply demonstrate.

–How to Setup a Portable Craft Space: As awesome as it would be for every crafter to have a large, roomy space in which to craft to their heart’s content, the fact of the matter is that for many of us that simply isn’t feasible.

Naturally, lack of space for a big craft room shouldn’t prevent one from getting their creativity on all the same.

And by the same token, sometimes even those with their own craft rooms, shed sheds, etc enjoy having a portable crafting station elsewhere in their home (say in the family room or den, for example).

If you’ve been curious about how to set up a portable craft space that can be placed wherever is most convenient/functional for you in your house, I highly suggest checking out Bea Valiant’s great photo-filled post on how to do just that.

–Zippered Pouch Tutorial (Using Scrapbook Paper): Ever looked at some of your favourite papers or cardstocks and thought that they’d look fabulous as a zippered pouch?

Whether the answer to that question is yes or no, chances are you’ll be intrigued and inspired by this lovely tutorial shared by Split Coast Stamper member Betty Traciak which shows you how to do just that.

Just think of the endless possibilities, from gifts to practical storage, holiday and home décor to an instant conversation starter at your next crop!

What’s Shaking in My Life and On My Radar

Where to begin?

I’ve thought about this portion of this very blog post many times over the course of the past several weeks. In a sense, there is a lot I want to say, and yet perhaps even more that I would prefer to keep to myself for the time being.

As those of you who follow me on Instagram may have noticed, I have not been on IG (which is my primary social media platform) much at all in recent weeks.

There have been various reasons for that, with two in particular accounting for the lion’s share of why this has been the case.

First and foremost, in recent months I have been dealing with some perplexing and challenging new medical issues that are (true to form a lot of the time when it comes to my health) proving very difficult to unearth answers/diagnoses for.

At present, I am not going to go into specifics publicly about these issues – especially until I have some solid answers as to what it is that I am actually contending with.

On top of the physical issues themselves, this newest medical battle (for those readers who may not know, I have been a multi-chronic illness fighter of more than a dozen different chronic medical conditions for twenty years now) – and the frustration, stress, and uncertainty that comes with fighting tirelessly for a diagnosis – is having a substantial impact on my mental health.

Between the physical and mental challenges, what little (personal) time I have been able to carve out online has mostly been devoting to blogging.

Thus far, much to my surprise at times, I have been able to keep up with my usual pace of at least one blog post here per week. While I accept that either by choice or circumstances, there may be times when that isn’t feasible, I hope/plan to continue on at that pace this summer.

Compounding matters and much to my great unhappiness, the severity of what I am dealing with on the health front at the moment has meant that my initial plans of launching my ASMR YouTube channel this spring didn’t even come close to happening.

I am fully committed to this long-held dream and will do everything in my power to create content and get that channel off the ground as soon as I realistically can.

At this point, I don’t know when exactly that will be. I really hope it can happen in 2021.

If not though, I will just keep trying even harder for it to happen the following year (and will continue to keep you informed here and on SM as to when that exciting event occurs).

The second primary reason is a lot more positive. Long story short, several weeks ago now, my husband and I put in a bid on a contract job to create the ecommerce website for a local outdoor goods store here in town and were very fortunate to win that bid.

This project is labour heavy for both of us and on a very tight deadline. As such we’ve been devoting a great deal of time over the past couple of months to this job.

It isn’t complete quite yet, but is definitely getting a lot closer. Very exciting!

Aside from those two points, which are, I’m the first to say, quite different from one another, some of what’s been happening around these parts include…

Having central air installed in our house. We live in one of the hottest regions in all of Canada (case in point, multiple days next week are forecasted to reach highs of 40 – 44C/104 – 111F) and have struggled a fair bit to live in a house without this feature since moving into our current abode in early 2018.

Thankfully, the installation went smoothly, quickly, and without any complications.

As anyone who has had central air installed in recent years will no doubt tell you, this is not an inexpensive job at all – which is the main reason it didn’t happen right out of the gate when we moved in.

Tony and I feel that the cost is well worth it though for the quality of life and health benefits it brings not only to us, but to our precious dog (Annie) as well, and know we made the right choice in having central air installed in our house.

By pure coincidence, on the very same day that installation happened, I received my first Covid-19 vaccine.

I registered for it as soon as my age bracket (those under 40) became eligible to do so and was told I’d receive an email prior to the end of May informing of when and where I could book my first shot.

In the final days of the month, I did indeed get that email and then proceeded to book the first slot on the first date that was available to me.

Not being the world’s healthiest person, I was a tad concerned regarding how my body might handle the vaccine. I am (very!) happy to report that aside from a minorly sore arm and a bit of lethargy for about 72 hours afterwards, I didn’t experience any issues (let alone serious ones) from the shot.

I was told by the nurse who administered my Covid vaccine that I should be contacted by the provincial health system in about 6 – 8 weeks regarding when I can book my second shot.

It is such a positive feeling to know that I am partially vaccinated and that in getting my shot, I am continuing to do everything I can to not contract nor, moreover, risk spreading this terrible illness.

So, assuming all goes to plan, I should get my second shot in the later weeks of summer and will thus be vaccinated in full by the time my very favourite chapter of the year (autumn) rolls around once more.

We’ve just covered a lot of ground and as I don’t want to keep you here reading until fall does in fact return, without further ado, let me jump right into sharing some of the various links that stood out for me during the spring of 2021.

–Exquisitely Designed 2,000-Year-Old Roman Shoe Discovered in a Well: Boasting skilled handiwork and a design that would put it seriously on-trend to this day, it’s hard not to stare and marvel at the beauty of this exceedingly rare archaeological find.  

–How to Compliment Someone Without Mentioning Their Looks: As much as many people enjoy receiving positive words about their appearance, not everyone is equally comfortable with these kinds of comments and, moreover, there are countless other things to complement most folks on besides “just” their physical appearance.

This Wit & Delight entry explores the subject of non-physical appearance focused compliments and provides an array of terrific suggestions for what to say instead.

–Listen to Random Radio Stations from Around the World: At the end of the 1970s, British new wave/synth-pop group the Buggles made the line “video killed the radio star” an instant classic with their eponymously named song.

By the dawn of the twenty-first century, one could easily state that the internet had, in turn, usurped the video star (at least as far as the music industry is concerned).

However, while fewer of us may tune into the radio daily than we once did, this world-changing form of media is, in truth and very happily, far from dead.

If you’re in the mood to sample a station (or dozens of stations) from around the world, then make your way across the world map on this website until you find one that is a – *cough, cough* – hit with you.

–9 Things to Try if You Hate Social Media But Don’t Actually Want to Quit: Whether you loath SM or just find yourself feeling seriously burned out or “over it” at times, the practical and supportive tips in this post are ones that stand to benefit just about everyone who opts to engage with social media.

–Plants Might Be Helping Each Other More Than Thought: The world plants and the profoundly interconnected relationships shared between many species fascinates me greatly. For all we know on this subject, there are untold volumes more that remain to be discovered – as this captivating look at how certain plants may in fact help, not compete, with one another demonstrates.

(Another Phys.Org post that recently caught my attention was this fascinating story about the recent discovery of a 3,000 Year Old Shark Attack Victim.)

–What Would a Truly Wild Ireland Look Like?: Once, in a time now long past, I called Ireland home for the span of a couple years.

Make no mistakes, Ireland is everything and more you imagine it to be and is a country with an extraordinary past that deserves our respect and research alike.

Like many corners of the globe, Ireland – for all of its pastoral farmlands, rolling hills, and windswept shoreline – is not quite as wild a country as it once was.

This thought-provoking BBC post by Chris Baraniuk asks us to imagine what a truly wild Ireland might look like and explores the feasibility of rewilding the landscape of this majestic nation to a greater degree.

–Why a Clutter Free Life is an Intentional Life: I am not a minimalist, nor am I a maximalist. I can exist quite contently with very little or with a fair bit more, but no matter what volume of belongings fill my home, I cannot abide by clutter.

I weed out clutter at every turn, thankful that organizing and (possession) purging are both tasks I sincerely enjoy.

Having long believed and experienced (the fact) that a clutter-free life feels, and is, all the more intentionally lived, this lovely post on the subject reverberated with me.

Its message is one most of us can connect with, especially if we also find our lives, minds, and spirits tend to feel and work their best when clutter is kept as low as possible.

Summer Lovin’

In the late hours of a July night so warm it gave furnaces everywhere a run for there money – and which would break into a rapturously loud storm before dawn had broke – I came into the world nearly thirty-seven years ago now.

And while there is no hard and fast rule that says a person has to love the season into which they were born, I adore mine with even more fiery passion than that of the sun which fuels the vibrancy of summer itself.

I am a lover of all seasons though. Each is a kindred spirit, a treasured friend, a vital element of life itself.

Summer is wild and outgoing. It beckons us with notes of Coppertone, grilled foods, fresh-cut lawns, and the siren’s song of sultry, unforgettable warmth.

In summer, I find, it is often easier to forget our troubles. Or, if we cannot banish them from our mind entirely, at least (it becomes) a touch easier to navigate their waters.

I would venture to call summer the most chill of season. It is laidback and cool. Enigmatic, yet wildly and wonderfully familiar.

Summer begins in a sea of green life and concludes with the first lag of the harvest season.

In many parts of the globe, summer bridges the chilly portions of the year, has an inherent air of playfulness to it, and will be yearned for something fierce when – to quote the classic holiday season song Good King Wenceslas – snow lays round about, deep and crisp and even.

At the moment, the world is beginning, in some respects to rebound from the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. This heartbreaking illness is still with us though, still causing new cases to develop daily, still impacting countless areas of our lives.

Like most people, I hope dearly that by this time next year, the pandemic will be over. The realist in me might not place any bets on that being the case, but my optimistic side holds onto hope with gusto.

Just as I hope mightily that at least some of the medical challenges I am currently experiencing personally will be less of an issue by this time next year. (Fingers firmly crossed!)

No matter what obstacles, curveballs, or stresses life throws my way, that fact autumn is now less than three months away injects some serious happiness into my days and makes getting through difficult times more tolerable.

Summer doesn’t too shabby a job of that either. From Canada Day on July 1st to my birthday later that month, Lammas in early August to simple everyday warm weather pleasure, this is a positive and life-affirming chapter of the year that gives many of us a lot to enjoy and feel grateful for.

So, my dear friends, let us tackle whatever summer may hold, make the most of these sizzling hot days, do our best to overcome difficult times, and know that, no matter what (north of the equator), summer always leads to fall’s return.

If that isn’t worth raising a glass of ice cold lemonade to, I don’t know what is!

Happy summer, everyone! May you have a safe, sunny, and seriously enjoyable season!

The post Spring 2021 Edition of Magick, Crafty Makes, and Me appeared first on Witchcrafted Life.

A skilled science writer, Zimmer brings life and interest to each of the 600+ pages in this informative look at various elements of inherited and environmental genetics.

It is a stellar read and one I highly recommend to anyone with an interest in fields such as heredity, anthropology, social sciences, or genealogy.

While this post is not a book review, it was my recent reading of She Has Her Mother’s Laugh that reminded me of a topic I’ve been keen to write about for quite some time now.

Specifically, how to incorporate your generational designation into your witchcraft and magickal workings.

What is a “generational designation”?

This is a term that is often used to describe the demographic cohort to which a person belongs. Or, in other words, the societal generation that one is born into.

Societal generations encompass those living and born during a specific time period that generally spans about 15 – 30 years.

When discussing generations from a kinship perspective (that is to say, familial generations), generations are measured in similar lengths of time, typically ranging from about 20 to 30 years.

This span is considered to be one in which, especially historically speaking, an individual could go from their own birth to adulthood and the (potential) birth of their own offspring.

While one’s familial and societal generations overlap in the sense of that each of us belongs to both of these categories, for the sake of this post, we’re going to focus on your generational designation.

A brief look at the history of societal generations

Whether they applied specific names to societal generations or not, chances are humans have been viewing past, present, and future generations as being at least marginally different in some respects from one another for a very long time now.

However, the act of defining a generation and designating a specific name for it is a relatively modern concept.

Before to the 20^th century, and especially prior to the Industrial Revolution, the pace at which society and technology (not to mention areas such as science and medicine) advanced was, generally speaking, slower than it has been over the past 200 or so years.

People and their lives often experienced less pronounced change from one generation (be it kinship or societal) to the next.

The continuation of certain elements of daily life, personal and cultural beliefs, and the pace of advancement are likely contributing factors to why few societal generations prior to the 20^th century were not designated with specific names of the sort that are now part and parcel to modern sociology (e.g., The Greatest Generation, Baby Boomers, or Generation Z).

Social generations are groups of people who were born in the same general time period (again, usually a range of 15 to 30 years).

These individuals are further united by certain shared cultural experiences, both at a personal level and, to a degree, those which transpired during their lifetime (though as the latter applies to everyone alive, irrespective of their societal generational, at the time when a cultural event occurs this is less of a defining factor).

Many factors contributed to the emergence of societal generational groupings. Delving deep into the intricacies of such is beyond the scoop or focus of this post.

However, it is safe to say that in addition to industrialisation, other factors included modernisation, elements of the enlightenment era, societal changes and advancements, economic growth and mobility, and (I would go so far as to argue) a more pronounced period spanning youth and adulthood (aka, one’s teenage years).

There is something very natural about viewing humanity through the lens of societal generations. Though it is important to remember that, ultimately, the creation of these groups is fundamentally a humanmade perspective and one that is, by no means, set in absolute stone.

As well, it is not uncommon for there to be varying degrees of overlap between generations, including a span of 5 to 8 eight years as one generation melds into and is ultimately surpassed by the next.

Only time itself will tell if we continue to assign names to societal generations as life proceeds on this planet in the decades and centuries to come. I suspect that we will, but – as with so much – only time will tell.

For now, the practise going strong and shows no sign of slowing down.

A list of named generations

While there is often some degree of debate as to the start and end dates of various generations, broadly speaking, the following is a general outline of the named generations of the 20^th and early 21^st centuries as they have been applied in a Western context.

-The Lost Generation: Coined from the writing of Gertrude Stein. Also known as the “1914 Generation”, “The Generation of 1914″, and “The Great War Generation”, this cohort encompassed those born from the early 1880s to the early 1900s.

These individuals reached adolescence and early adulthood during the time of WW1 and the 1920s.

A key defining feature of the Lost Generation (whose name stems Stein’s epigram to Ernest Hemingway’s 1926 book “The Sun Also Rises”, in which she stated “You are all a lost generation”) is that they experienced, and often were intimately involved with in any number of capacities, the First World War.

-The Greatest Generation (aka, the G.I. Generation): This societal generation covers those born from the early 1900s to around 1927.

Individuals born into the Greatest Generation endured the Great Depression and either both World Wars or, if born after WW1, “just” WW2.

This group is sometimes further broken down so as to distinguish between those born early on in the generation and those who came along later. Earlier members of the Greatest Generation are commonly referred to as the Interbellum Generation.

The term “The Greatest Generation” was popularized and further cemented in societal history by journalist Tom Brokaw’s eponymously named book.

-The Silent Generation: This group encompasses those born between the mid to late 1920s and 1945. Such individuals are sometimes referred to as the “Lucky Few”.

A large percentage of military personnel who were involved with the Korean War, and many (though not all) who fought in the Vietnam War were born into The Silent Generation.

Individuals born during the last few years of the Silent Generation are sometimes referred to as the “Sandwich Generation” or “Sandwich Group”.

-The Baby Boomers: Long before the term “Boomer” took on the contemporarily derogatory connotation that it now houses in various settings, the “Boomer” in “Baby Boomers” referred to the pronounced boom in birth rates that occurred in the immediate aftermath of WW2.

Baby Boomers, who are also sometimes known as the Me Generation, were born between 1946 and 1964 or so.

Many of us who are presently in our 30s or 40s – myself included – are the children of Baby Boomers.

Similar in some respects to how the Lost Generation can be further broken down into two groups, so too is the Baby Boomer generation. With those being born between the years of 1954 to 1964 sometimes being called Generation Jones.

Various factors are thought to contributed to this term, including the concept of “keeping up with the Joneses”, which was a common societal theme in much of the Western World during the relatively prosperous post-WW2 years of the 1950s and early 1960s.

-Generation X (aka, Gen X and Thirteeners): This generation followed the Baby Boomers and was quite prolific in number itself, though not to the same degree as the Boomers themselves.

Gen Xers are those born between about 1965 and either 1979 or the early 1980s (depending on your source, this could be anywhere from about 1980 to 1985). 

While this term can also be applied to some Xennials and early Millennials as well, Gen Xers are also known as the Latchkey Generation.

This is in reference to the fact that some members of this generation experienced reduced adult supervision over previous generations, at times returning home after to school to an empty house that they had to unlock themselves (as, presumably, no adults were home at the time).

The concept and cultural experiences of Gen Xers were further cemented in Canadian author Douglas Coupland’s excellent 1991 novel, Generation X. With Coupland himself being credited for coining the name Generation X.

-Xennials: A microgeneration, Xennials are those born between the late 1970s and mid-1980s. They share much in common with Generation X, but also grew up experiencing certain elements that are now seen as being characteristic of the Millennial generation.

It was with no small amount of joy that I received the news that the word Xennial had been included in the 2020 Oxford Dictionary of English, as this is the societal generation that I identify with the most (having been born in 1984 and personally identifying more, in many respects, with Gen Xers than with Millennials).

Another term for Xennials is the Oregon Trail Generation in reference to the extremely popular commuter game, The Oregon Trail, that was a common feature of some Xennials’ childhoods.

Despite this alternative name, those born into the microgeneration of Xennials often had a relatively analog childhood that shifted into a digital era during their teens or young adult years, and it is this “bridging of the generations” that helps to make those of this era their own generational demographic.

-Millennials (aka, Generation Y or Gen Y): If we encompass Xennials into the birth year range as well, those born into the Millennial generation span the period of approximately 1981 to 1996.

As some Xennials, myself included, identify with their own microgeneration, however, this range could in some contexts be shorted to (again, approximately) the years of 1985/86 to 1996.

Data released by the Pew Research Center shows that as of 2019, Millennials edged out in number over Baby Boomers (with some 71.6 million Boomers and roughly 72.1 million Millennials, respectively).

-Generation Z (aka, Gen Z, Zoomers, iGeneration, or Centennials): The second most recent generation, Gen Z encompasses people who were born between the mid to late 1990s and the early 2010s (some sources cap Gen Z at the year 2012).

Today, the eldest Zoomers are young adults, whereas those born at the tail end of generation are presently in elementary, middle, and high school.

Generation Z is sometimes further broken down to differentiate between those born earlier and later in this generation.

Later born members of Gen Z are known by various names including Zillenials, Zennials, MinionZ, and The Snapchat Generation.

-Generation Alpha (aka, Gen Alpha): A standout designation for Gen Alpha is that it is the first societal generation comprised solely of individuals born in the 21^st century.

Generation Alpha, which is named after the first letter of the Greek alphabet, is the newest generation and is projected to reach (or exceed) two billion members globally by the year 2025.

As Gen Alpha is the current generational designation for young children born from about 2010 – 2012 onward, its duration has not been officially established yet.

Following conventional generational timeframe guidelines however, it is likely that Generation Alpha will be succeeded by the next generation around the late 2020s or very early 2030s.

By the time Generation Alpha reaches adulthood in 2030s, it is estimated the world population will have reached or surpassed nine billion inhabitants.

-Cuspers: Those who have a keen interest in astrology or who were born on a date that coincides with sun’s transition from one astrological sign to the next may be familiar with the Zodiac Cusp Theory.

While some astrologers put more weight on the concept of Cusp Theory and how it may or may not influence peoples’ lives, it is an established part of astrology at this point and something that many a Cusper prides themselves on.

We also see the word Cusper used in terms of societal generations. In this context, it refers to those who were born at the end of one generational time period and the cusp of the next.

Much as in the example above of Xennials, Cuspers in general often encompass life experiences and societal designations inherent to both generations that they were born on the cusp of. They may identify more strongly with one generation than another or feel like their life and experiences reflect a fairly even-handed mixture of both generations.

Note: These generational designations are not universal to all cultures. Names, date ranges, shared experiences and other factors all combine to create various other generational designations in various parts of the world.

For example, a microgeneration called the “Born-Free Generation” exists amongst South Africans who were born between the years of approx. 1994 and 2000.

If your own respective generation was not included here, please know that the overriding concepts and suggestions outlined in this post apply every bit as much to you as well.

Identifying with your generational designation

Many of us are already familiar with what generational cohort we belong to. Some people pride themselves on using their generational designation as a defining factor of who they are, others pay little to no attention to such, and some fall in between.

There is no right or wrong here and one is not obliged to wave the flag of your generation wherever you go.

As with much in life, this is an area where doing what feels right and natural to you is usually the best path to follow.

Historians, sociologists, and genealogists (amongst others) find generational designation to be a helpful and important classification tool in various respects.

As humans, we are often drawn to defining ourselves in terms of various groupings, and generational designations are just one of many ways we’ve opted to do so over the course of our collective history.

There are exceedingly few individuals alive today who were born prior to the Silent Generation, and with each passing year, less and less members of both that generation and the Greatest Generation are still with us.

As such, it is safe to say that the majority of those reading this post belong to one of the generations that span the Greatest Generation right on up to, potentially, Generation Alpha (or at the very least, Genertion Z).

Statistically, the majority with be Baby Boomers, Gen Xers, Xennials, Millennials, and Gen Zers.

This should go without saying, but (especially given the shade that is often unjustly thrown at various generations, such as Boomers and Millennials) no one generation is inherently better, superior, or “cooler” than the others.

Each generation has strengths and shortcomings, heroes and villains, triumphs and failures. We are all human and most of us do the best that we can with the knowledge, resources, and societal context available to us in the moment.

Generations are like pieces in a quilt. They are all connected to something larger than themselves and all play an important role in the fabric of society as it exists today.

What generation do you belong to? Do you feel a strong connect with it or do you feel as though your life and inner self relate more to a previous or later generation?

The topic of generational designation is a highly fascinating one and I encourage you to seek out reputable books, magazine articles, online content, TV programmes, podcasts, and so forth that explore this subject further.

How to incorporate your generational designation into your witchcraft

Now that we have briefly explored the topic of societal generations of the 20^th and early 21^st century, let’s take a look at some of the ways that we as witches and Pagans can incorporate our generational designation into our witchcraft.

Objectively – and yet, to my mind, rather surprisingly – this is not a topic I have seen other witches, Wiccans or Pagans discuss much over the years.

I have long been weaving my generational designation into my own witchy workings, however, and thought that doing so would appeal to many of my readers as well. Thus, the creation of this blog post.

For the sake of the following suggestions, it is helpful to determine which generation (or generations, if you identify as a Cusper) you belong to based both on the year you were born and the general characteristics + experiences shared amongst members of your generation.

Here are twelve ways to weave elements of your generation into your witchcraft.

1. Read, or revisit, books that were new during the generation that you were born into. While, these days, a near endless stream of new witchery, Paganism, and spiritually focused books hits the shelves each year, such was not always the case.

What was the first book you remember reading about witchcraft, Wicca or Paganism?

Was it by Scott Cunningham, Raymond Buckland, Silver RavenWolf, D.J. Conway, or someone else entirely?

Do you still own a copy today? If not, could you track one down online or off?

How has your practice evolved and changed since you first read that book?

If you didn’t grow up reading the witchery and Pagan related titles of your generation at the time, why not investigate some books from that era that would be of interest to you now and see if you can buy or borrow them.

A lot a has changed in the world of Neopaganism and witchcraft in just a few short decades, but plenty is still much the same. Connecting with books that were popular when we were growing up can give us an eye-opening look into some of the ways in which these areas continue to evolve and develop with each passing year.

If you have a book that you especially enjoy or find interesting, consider performing a working, divination ritual, guided meditation, etc that it suggests.

2. Connect with a standout cause of your generation. From the (US) civil rights happenings of the 1960s to things such as plight of the rain forest and devastating AIDS challenges of the 1980s, every generation has experienced certain standout problems and put forth efforts to tackle them that help to went on to help define that era.

What were some of the most pronounced challenges for your generation back in the day? What causes continue to be championed by those in your age group nowadays?

Looking at these areas through the lens of your spirituality, are ways you can support, bring awareness to, or otherwise assist with one or more important cause?

3. Create a magickal meal using foods of your generation. Many, if not most, of us instantly get nostalgic when we think back to some of the foods that were commonplace when we were growing up.

Whether they were homemade by mom, dad, grandma, an older cousin, or another loved one, served at our favourite local eatery, savoured at sleepovers with our childhood besties, or dishes we made ourselves as we began to cook and back, these foods hold special, meaningful places in our hearts and minds – not to mention our stomachs – alike.

Prepare a meal using kitchen witchery that focuses on some of the foods that either helped to define the culinary landscape of your generation and/or which were your personal favourites when you were growing up.

As you tuck into your meal, reflect back on the role those foods have had on your life over the years, the people who made them for you or with whom you shared those dishes in years past, and the ways that these ingredients or recipes continue to shape your culinary activities to this day.

4. Decorate an altar with items from your generation: While one could certainly create an altar to honour a time period itself, in this instance, I’m referring more to utilizing items that are characteristic to your generation or which were especially important to you when you were younger.

Our altars should always reflect our true selves, our beliefs, and our traditions. Even if you weren’t a witch yet when you were growing up, there’s no reason why you can’t include some of the things you adored back then on an altar today.

From toys to books, tarot decks to travel souvenirs, family photos to home décor pieces, there’s no shortage of possible items from your generation that you can include on an altar.

If you have, or able to source, pieces from that era itself, all the better, but if not, no sweat! Newer iterations convey the same concept and work every bit as well.

5. Do shadow or other forms of retroactive healing work pertaining to your youth. Almost everyone has experienced difficult, painful times in their life.

Whether on a personal level or in terms of some of the struggles that impacted a broader range of people at the time, if you are feeling called to do so, consider undertaking a healing journey to help further process, come to terms with, and, hopefully, move beyond some of the challenges that rocked your existence when you were younger.

Shadow work and intensive healing work is not something to be undertaken lightly. You will want to ensure that you’re presently emotionally, mentally, physically, and spiritually well enough to take on the myriad emotions and memories it may bring to surface and to find healthy, responsible ways to deal and move beyond these things.

Successful shadow work and retroactive healing (much as with things like ancestral and generational trauma awareness and healing) are amongst the most liberating, empowering, and eye-opening acts we can preform for ourselves, frequently proving to be life-alterteringly positive in the long run.

6. Incorporate music from your generation into some of your rituals. Or have it playing in the background while meditating, resonating through you earbuds on a nature walk, or as the auditory ambience to a delicious meal.

Many of us already listen to some of our favourite songs from when we growing up, but there’s a difference between having such tunes as part of a larger playlist and purposely selecting and mindfully connecting with them.

Consider making one or more playlists (or cue up relevant records, cassettes, or CDs if you are an analog music fan) of songs that were meaningful to you when you were younger.

Explore how they make you feel today vs when you were coming of age? What thoughts and emotions do they trigger?

In addition to listening to these types of songs, you can also sing, hum, or chant them yourself (happily, the lyrics to countless millions of songs can easily be found online these days) or perform them on a musical instrument, if that’s a skillset you possess.

You can also select lines or passages from songs to use as personal mantras, as part of the spoken portion of a spell or ritual, (printed or handwritten) displayed on your altar or elsewhere in your home, included in a spell bottle or mojo bag, broken down into a sigil, or even tattooed onto your skin, if a particular verse resonates deeply with you.

As well, you could design a piece of jewelry, garment, craft project, or home décor piece that either incorporates elements of a song that matters to you or which was inspired by a particular tune.

7. Make a tarot or oracle deck with imagery the evokes your generation: From photos to clip art, original illustrations to magazine images, there are plenty of ways to gather relevant images if you want to make your own tarot or oracle card deck.

How cool would a deck of all, say, 1950s or 1980s images be? You could seek out images that directly represented the various cards in a standard tarot deck or let your imagination soar free and create an oracle deck with images and related associations that hold meaning for you personally.

This can be a wonderfully fun, creative project and one that produces an item that then allows you to quickly connect with your generation anytime you please.

Plus, I find something highly meaningful in the act of utilizing elements of the era that gave us life to help us navigate the waters of the present day.

Note: If working with antique or vintage images, I would highly suggest photocopying or scanning and printing them, so as to preserve, and hopefully not damage, the originals.

8. Perform a working using only items that would have been available when you were in your teens or early adult years: Depending on when you came of age, that list may differ little from today or the two may be quite far removed.

For example, if the internet wasn’t around at that time, do not refer to it for any aspect of your working. Likewise, if there were no metaphysical shops around when you were growing up, try to use tools and ingredients that you could have purchased, wildcrafted, or made instead at the time.

By performing a magickal working as it would have been plausible at an earlier point in time, you are honouring the past and reminding yourself in the process that spellwork rarely needs to be fancy or elaborate to be effective.

9. Devote a part of your BOS, Grimoire, or other magickal journaling book to your generation: Reflect on your youth and on society as a whole at that time. How did those decades shape the person, and witch/Pagan, that you are today?

(If you’re not a heredity witch) Did you feel that you were a born witch? Where there any clues in your youth that you were headed on a path to becoming a witch?

Did the era that you came of age in support, hinder, or have little discernible impact on your ability, and ultimate decision, to become a witch, Wiccan, or Pagan?

Did you know any fellow witches or Pagans when you were younger? Who do you view as being amongst the most famous (or infamous!) witches/occultists of your generation? Have any of those people influenced your own spiritual path and if so, how?

These are just a few of the thoughts and questions you may wish to ponder or incorporate into your writing as you delve into exploring your generation in your magickal book.

10. Discuss how witchcraft and/or Neopaganism has changed since you were a youth with any young witches/Pagans in your life: Many of us feel fortunate that things like witchcraft and Paganism are becoming more accepted and understood by mainstream society.

Not everywhere, or by every person, of course, but thankfully we are seeing a general trend in that direction.

Yet, as little as ten or twenty years ago (and certainly further back in time still) this was not always the case by any means and many of us had to practise our witchery differently to protect ourselves and/or families.

If you have young witches or Pagans in your life, share about the experiences that you and other witches of your generation went through, how public views on witches have changed since then, how the internet and social media has impacted the craft, and any other comparison you desire.

In turn, ask these youngster how they think witchcraft/Paganism is perceived today, how they feel when practising or learning about these areas in the 21^st century, and then mutually discuss where you see witchcraft and Paganism heading in future generations.

11. If you work with a coven or other group of magickal/spiritual practitioners, devote part (or all) of a meeting to sharing memories and other tales from each person’s generation: This could be incorporated with some of the other suggestions above (such as generational kitchen magick or songs from different eras) or carried out as a standalone happening.

You could also ask each group member to bring a meaningful item from, or which represents, their youth and have the group cleanse and bless each item with the energy of the group itself.

12. Incorporate generational witchery into your ancestor work: Honour and celebrate the generations of your loved ones who have crossed over or who are of a generation other than your own.

For example, at Samhain you could prepare a dumb supper (aka, a silent supper) using only foods and recipes that would have been available to some of your ancestors at a given point in their lives.

Likewise, you can leave offerings of foods, beverages, or other items that would have been commonplace during your ancestor’s lifetime, play music from their generation when contacting or otherwise working with your ancestors, or make a point to actively learn more about what life was like for some of the family members that came before you.

And, while on the subject of ancestry and witchcraft, be sure to check out my post on 5 Ways that Ancestral DNA Testing Can Benefit Your Witchy Life.

Generational designation witchcraft is for everyone!

Like many witches and magickal practitioners, I have plenty of tried and true traditions, techniques, and methods that I turn to in my workings.

However, by the same token, I love to continually expand my practise by trying new things or approaching established ones from fresh perspectives.

There is a seemingly limitless number of ways to do this, both in general and when it comes to working with one’s generational designation.

While incorporating generational groupings into witchcraft may never become as popular, say, as things like herbology, candle magick, or doing tarot spreads, I hope that reading this post has inspired you to give generation related witchcraft a try.

This is a fun, personalized, creative, and engaging form of witchery that is open to every human on the planet, as, rather beautifully, we are each born into at least one generation.

The post How to Incorporate Your Generational Designation into Your Witchcraft appeared first on Witchcrafted Life.

This fact got me thinking about something that has crossed my mind many times over the years and which has continued to pop up in my thoughts all the more since launching Witchcrafted Life last year: Why are there no Pagan-specific paper crafting brands or even Pagan/witchery related product lines from mainstream companies?

There are a lot of factors that lead to the creation of this blog. One of the most important of which is that I wanted to give a voice to, and inspiring platform for, those of us in the paper crafting world who may feel left out, overlooked, marginalized, or even discriminated against by the mainstream paper crafting community and industry.

Now, I should state for the record that, to date, I have never personally felt discriminated against in the paper crafting world. As well, I do not like to approach topics from a victim mindset and am not looking to foster one here.

However, I am the first to acknowledge that some of us have experienced negatives due to the fact that we are not well represented in this sizable crafting industry.

A very brief history of the modern memory keeping industry and community

Chances are, if you’ve been into the paper crafting scene for more than a few minutes, you quickly picked up on the fact that there is a sometimes subtle, sometimes overt, undercurrent of Christianity at play throughout the industry.

I am speaking very broadly here of course and cannot, emphatically, overstate how much I am not, at any point in this post, intentionally saying anything negative against those of a Christian faith or approaching this topic from an “us vs them” sort of perspective.

Please, really and truly, keep this in mind.

While I am a Pagan witch, I generally embrace something of an omnist-like mindset in regards to religion/spirituality, and actively try to respect, learn from, and find inspiration (as well as common ground) in the beliefs and traditions of others.

While the concept of scrapbooking itself has roots stretching back many centuries, modern-day scrapbooking and paper crafting in general got its start in the 1970s and 80s, rapidly gaining momentum and advancing in myriad ways throughout the 1990s onward.

Memory keeping and preserving is something with universal appeal. However, members of certain faiths, especially those such as Mormonism, which place a particular emphasis on genealogy and family history, were a driving force in cementing the modern scrapbooking (and by extension, broader paper crafting) industry and community.

Indeed, some of the most successful paper crafting companies and magazines (i.e., the once hugely popular, now retired Creating Keepsakes magazine, which was started by Becky Higgins) were founded by Mormons in the state of Utah (which has the highest concentration of Mormons in the world).

One of the pioneers of modern-day memory keeping was a woman named Marielen Wadley Christensen from the state of Utah. She took the classic hobbies of memory books, collages and earlier styles of “books of scraps” and developed them into the prototypes of today’s styles of scrapbook pages.

Marielen placed her completed pages into letter-sized (8.5” x 11”) clear plastic sheet (page) protectors, used archival-safe materials, and stored them in 3-ring binders (keep in mind, this was before pre-made scrapbook albums were available).

In the early 1980s, Marlielen was invited to show off her family-focused scrapbook pages at the World Conference of Records, a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints event, in Salt Lake City.

Her pages were a big hit and found favour with many visitors who were keen to try their hand at this fresh, beautiful, creative, and handy way of preserving their own family photos, memories, and stories.

The following year, Marielen and her husband teamed up to release one of the very first how-to booklets on scrapbooking: “Keeping Memories Alive”.

They then went on to open an eponymously named scrapbooking store, located in Spanish Fork, Utah.

Throughout the 1980s, and especially during the 1990s and 2000s, scrapbooking took off like wildfire. Its popularity soared and a thriving industry quickly sprung up catering to the needs of passionate memory keepers everywhere.

From local scrapbooking stores (affectionally known as LSSs) to the first scrapbooking, card making, stamping and related paper crafting websites, a plethora of book on the topic, demonstration based brands sold at in-home events (such as Stampin’ Up, Close to My Heart, and Creative Memories) to big box and nationwide craft supply chains getting in on the trend, these years were something of the glory days for scrapbookers and the industry that helped to support their creative projects.

The rise of modern paper crafting coincided with that of the internet – a fortuitous happening for both.

Once the world wide web had been established and personal websites sprung up, it wasn’t long before scrapbookers, card makers, stampers, mixed media artists, and others of the paper crafting persuasion were creating websites, blogs, forums, chat groups, online shops, and later, social media accounts devoted to the love of paper crafting.

Like many creative folks, paper crafters often enjoy connecting with one another, sharing their work, teaching, inspiring and talking shop. This led to the invention of social events for the purpose of paper crafting in the company of others which quickly became known as “crops”.

Over the past four decades or so, the scrapbooking industry has evolved, expanded, changed, and involved in a vast number of ways.

Ever-present over the years has been both a number of products and types of paper crafting (for example, the highly popular art form known as bible journaling) aimed specifically at Christian paper crafters.

Of course, there are also many products on the market which are secular or in no way directly related to any form of religion or spirituality.

However, the widespread adoption of paper crafting by many in the Christian sphere (please note, I’m using this word in its broadest sense to encompass all those who follow a faith that involves a belief in Christ) has helped to ensure that the aforementioned undercurrent of Christianity amongst the industry has continued to jump from strength to strength.

Is the paper crafting industry more Christian than other crafting communities?

This is a tricky question to answer in some respects, as it’s fair to say that there are crafters of a wide range of faiths, beliefs and spiritual paths to be found in the vast majority of crafting communities around the world.

From personal experience, I can tell you that I have seen and felt less of a Christian overtone in other crafting communities that I’ve been involved with over the years.

These include communities pertaining to cross stitching, beading and jewelry making, and sewing (I should note, I’m not much of a sewer, but I do hugely admire the art and those who excel at it).

And I have, accordingly, noticed a more widespread and widely accepted presence of Christian products, and projects, magazine articles (the popular Canadian publication, Creative Scrapbooker Magazine, for example, includes an article on bible journaling in each of their quarterly publications, with many more articles on the topic to be found on their website) in the paper crafting world.

I cannot speak for all types of crafting, however, and would be curious to know how other non-Christians feel regarding this subject.

To circle back to the question at hand, I’m inclined to say “yes”, in some respects, but again, suspect that many of us will have our own views on this subject, which may be influenced by our own spiritual or religious path.

Why are Pagans and many others of non-Judeo-Christian faiths not represented in the paper crafting industry?

The reasons for this are many and will no doubt include some that are not listed here. The following are some of the main reasons why I believe such is the case:

–American is a highly Christian country. Christianity is the most prevalent religion in America, the country that can largely be credited with giving rise to the modern paper crafting industry.

In 1990s, polls showed that 81.6% of Americans identified as Christians. By 2019, this number had dropped to 65%. Even with this decline, America has the largest Christian population of any country in the world, with some 240 million individuals identifying as being Christians.

As modern memory keeping and the industry that supports it got much of its start in America, including in an extremely religious state (Utah), it is no surprise that Christianity would become commonplace in the scope of this popular hobby.

And that, by the same token, companies would (and do) cater to Christian scrapbookers. While one does see a modest number of products designed specifically for Jewish crafters, which is wonderful, the percentage of such items is significantly smaller than their Christian counterparts.

Proportionally, this does make sense, especially from a business standpoint, as – in recent years – the percentage of Americans who identify as Jewish is about 1.7 – 2.6% of the US population, according to 2012 statistics.

(And, of course, it’s important to keep in mind that not everyone who identifies as being culturally Jewish, actively practices the Jewish faith. But we’d be veering rather off topic if we delved further into that subject here in this post.)

While some estimate that the Muslim population will surpass that of the Jewish population in the next few decades, presently it is smaller and there are exceedingly few paper crafting products, in Western countries at least, which cater to Islamic crafters.

The same is true for those of all other faiths as well. Including, but in no way limited to, Hindus, Sikhs, Jainists, Shinotists, Buddhists, Taoists, Zoroastrians, Wiccans, Neo-Pagans, Heathens, those of First Nations/Native American faiths, traditional African religion practitioners, and individuals who do not identify as belonging to specific religions or being religious at all, such as atheists.

–Paganism and Wicca don’t exactly jive with Christianity. At least not broadly speaking. While views are starting to change in some respects and the widespread acceptance of people who practice Witchcraft, Paganism, Wicca and similar earth-based paths is gradually increasing throughout mainstream (Western) society, it comes as no surprise to me that an industry with strong Christian roots wouldn’t rush to create products specifically for Pagans and witches.

–There are fewer non-Christian paper crafters. To the best of my knowledge, there are no official stats on the faiths of paper crafters.

However, if we assess the statistical data on religions in countries such as America, Canada, the UK, France, Australia, and New Zealand, for example, it’s easy to see that Pagans, Wiccans and similar folks make up a relatively small percentage of the population. Objectively, this is true worldwide, though many sources report that our numbers are on the rise.

Still, we’re unlikely to hold the lion’s share of the faith/spirituality pie chart anytime soon. Therefore, it does objectively make sense that there are so few paper crafting products on the market that pertain to these spiritual paths.

–We’re a very diverse group. Most faiths have different branches, denominations, and fractions. Paganism and Wicca are no exception. Just as there are countless different types of witchcraft and witches.

(Note: Witchcraft unto itself is an act/practice, not a faith or religion and is practiced by many who follow various faiths, as well as by plenty of people who are areligious. The latter group generally includes those who identify as secular witches.)

While certain symbols, themes and subject matter could be used to broadly cover our community as a whole, the fact that we’re so diverse may also play a role in why so few Pagan and Wiccan paper crafting products exist.

–We’re not a huge group. There are definitely other Pagan/witchy paper crafters besides myself out there in the world (*a warm hello and merry met to all those reading this post*), but objectively, we’re not a giant group by any means.

However, it should be noted that while there may not presently be a ton of Pagan, Wiccan, and witchy paper crafters, a decent percentage of people in this broad community do engage in creating and keeping some form of a magickally and/or spirituality related journal, grimoire, or Book of Shadow.

I believe that there would be a ready market for paper crafting products aimed at these types of handmade books.

Happily, there are some indie sellers and companies that produce a small number of products for these purposes, many of which can be found on Etsy, as well as through various Pagan, witchcraft and Wiccan online shops.

Such products are not released by mainstream paper crafting companies, however, and many – though not all – of these items are digital products that require one to print them at home.

–There hasn’t been a big public demand for Pagan paper crafting products. Companies, be they indie operations or industry-leading behemoths typically put out products in relation to the perceived or established demand, need for, and interest in certain items.

If Pagans, Wiccans, and witches are not actively requesting products tailored to their beliefs and/or forming visible public groups, blogging up a storm, or popping up frequently on social media, it is logical that companies haven’t exactly rushed to put out a slew of Pagan and witchy paper crafting products.

Have recent trends and changes in the paper crafting industry helped or hurt non-Christian paper crafters?

The paper crafting world has changed a fair bit in the past two decades. Plenty of what could now be called older or more traditional approaches and products do still exist.

However, newer trends, economic factors, and a decline in the overall number of active paper crafters (along with various other factors) have all influenced and shaped the paper crafting industry as it presently sits.

From the immense rise and widespread adoption of digital photography to the explosion in popularity of artistry and creativity in the fields of journaling, planner keeping, and travel notebook keeping to the continued popularity of digital scrapbooking, paper crafting has gone through various transformations in recent years and will most likely continue to evolve as time goes on.

In some respects, I think that these changes have helped Pagan paper crafters – at least a small bit, as there is a handful of indie sellers who produce witchy themed day planner, bullet journaling (bojo), and similar products (most are to be found on Etsy).

Yet, by and large, I don’t think these changes and forms of growth in the industry made too much of an impact either way so far.

In a sense, this is surprising – especially given that Paganism, Wicca, other forms of less-mainstream spirituality are finding favour with more and more people these days. Yet, at the same time, it is not entirely surprising, for all of the reasons covered throughout this post.

Has a mainstream paper crafting company ever released a dedicated Pagan or witchcraft-related product line?

Short answer, to the best of my knowledge as someone who has been an avid paper crafter for over a decade now, no.

In recent years, we’ve seen various brands, such as Prima Marketing, Photo Play, and Hero Arts flirt with somewhat witchy and/or Pagan-y looking subject matter.

This is due at least in part to the rise in things such as modern boho trends, concepts like “good vibes” and one’s “tribe”, and the general witchy aesthetic which have all been having recent mainstream moments.

Again, however, I am not aware of any mainstream brand that has specifically released a Pagan or witchcraft-focused line (the closest many brands may ever come is in respect to certain fall and Halloween releases). 

What can Pagan and witchy paper crafters do to get around the lack of items designed specifically for us?

While you might not be able to run out to your nearest LLS or favourite online scrapbooking store and order up a bunch of Ostara, Mabon, lunar cycle, handfasting, tarot card or ancestor work specific products, thankfully there are still options available to help us create Pagan/witchery related projects.

When shopping for paper crafting items, keep an eye out for the following types of products:

–Holidays and special events. From wreaths and pine trees for Yule to eggs and bunnies for Ostara, pumpkins and fall leaves at Mabon to darker fall and death related imagery for Samhain, there are tons of seasonal and holiday-related products that can easily be used in your Pagan paper crafts (as well as BOS, grimoires, planners, and journals).

Whenever possible, I try to stock up on autumn and Halloween-related paper crafting items come the fall time. Doing so not only for seasonal sabbat projects, but for a wide range of other paper crafting creations all year round. I find the earthy/witchy/darker themes and nature of these items are a perfect fit for my spirituality and paper crafting style alike. (Very much including my #MakeHalloween365 creations!)

–Nature and animals. Thankfully there is a vast abundance of nature and animal-related paper crafting items. From flowers to trees and leaves, birds to fish, cats to dogs, llamas to dolphins, the sky is pretty much the limit, and there’s likely to be at least one or two items on the market for many types of animals, plants and flowers (as well as fungi).

These can be awesome for everything from seasonal and sabbat related makes to creations pertaining to spirit animal guides and familiars, favourite outdoor settings, gardening, and so much more.

–Stars, moons and other astrological bodies. Let’s face it, a good many of us witches and Pagans really, really love (and often venerate) the stars, moons, planets and other heavenly bodies.

If you’re keen to put items related to these celestial beauties to work in your paper crafting projects, there are many different products – from stamps to washi tape to stickers –  available that will enable you to just that.

–Faeries, gnomes and other similar entities. Numerous companies have produced fairy, gnome and similar wee folk themed paper crafting products over the years. In particular, check out brands such as Lawn Fawn, Doodlebug Designs, Art Impressions, Reminisce, Pink Ink Designs, Sunny Studio Stamps, Tonic Studios, Sizzix, Prima, Penny Black, Kaisercraft, Stampendous, Creative Expressions, and Hunkydory Crafts, to name but a few.

–Mythical creatures. Much as with gnomes and fairies, various brands routinely release mythical creature themed paper crafting products as well. Unicorns, mermaids, dragons are the most common, but I’ve spotted others over the years, too, such as griffins. As both unicorns and mermaids have been trending big time in recent years, there is currently more crafting products than ever on the market pertaining to these beautiful beings.

–Food and cooking. Oodles of scrapbooking, card making, journaling and similar products exist that pertain to food. From birthday cakes to pumpkin pies, fruit and veg to glasses of wine, there’s a vast array of culinary-related paper crafting items on the market, some of which might be a great fit for your witchy creations. And don’t forget about kitchen tool, BBQ, and even campfire cooking themed items as well.

–Shapes and geomatic designs. Perfect to use as is, combine to make different shapes, layer, utilize in art journals and mixed media projects, you name it! Shapes and geometric designs are versatile, fun and easy to get creative with in a snap.

–Alphabets, words and numbers. No “Blessed Be”, “Happy Litha”, or “Congratulations on your handfasting” stamp, sticker or premade die cut to be had? Fear not! Alphabet, word, and number themed products are here to help you create just the card greeting, layout title, planner heading or other type of sentiment that you need.

These are just some of the possible themes and types of items that you can use to help you create Pagan and witchy related projects.

The sky is truly the limit and I wholeheartedly encourage you to get (all the more) creative and look for lots of different ways to utilize the paper crafting products that are on the market today.

Other places to source images to use on your Pagan and witchy related projects include free clip art (the web is rife with such, thankfully!), public domain photos and images, copyright-free books and images, old magazines and calendars, digital scrapbooking products (again, Etsy to the rescue!), product packaging, and even photos you’ve taken yourself (can’t find a pentacle image you like? Why not take a photo of one yourself and size/edit it as needed for your project?).

While the archival-safe properties of such will vary, as will the length they’re apt to realistically last, you may also wish to employ the use of ethically sourced natural materials in your projects.

This could include things such as dried/pressed flowers and leaves, small sticks, tree bark, dried seeds and seed pods, dried ferns and moss, seashells and real sand, dried herbs and spices, small stones and crystals, and feathers.

In addition, those who do digital scrapbooking, hybrid scrapbooking, and/or own digital die cutting machines (as well, to a degree, as traditional die cutting machines that use metal dies) have a vast number of pre-existing options, in addition to those that you may be able to create yourself, that can work well for Pagan/witchy related projects.

And lastly, if one had the means, skills, time and abilities required, you could always consider launching your own indie line of Pagan or witchery related paper crafting products.

That said, I wholeheartedly realize that doing so is not possible for, or desired by, most people. However, if your heart feels a strong pull in that direction, it may be worth pursuing (please let me know if you do – I’d love to support your line!).

How can Pagan and all non-Christian paper crafters help to make our presence known?

I realize and sincerely respect that this isn’t as straightforward an answer as it might seem on the surface.

Plenty of witches, Pagans and Wiccans opt to keep their beliefs/ways of life under wraps. Some live, either by choice or circumstance, in the proverbial broom closet, and may have zero desire to let it be known far and wide that they’re a witch, Wiccan, or Pagan.

However, for those who are comfortable sharing about their spirituality publicly, one of the best ways to help let the paper crafting industry known that we exist is to share what we create online.

This can be through blogs, websites, YouTube, or social media. If you’re a Pagan/witchy crafter, tag the brands whose products you’ve used when you share your projects.

And in the same vein, use hashtags, such as #paganpapercrafter #witchcraftedlife #MakeHalloween365 and #witchcrafters to help grow and foster the online witchy/Pagan crafting community.

Write to brands! It is possible that many, if not most brands, haven’t even thought about the idea of launching Pagan/witchy related paper crafting items.

If more of us speak up and request these kinds of items, there is a somewhat greater chance that at least one company will be willing to step up, take the lead and launch the first mainstream line of Pagan related scrapbooking, card making and stamping items.

As well, if you make projects relating to your spirituality, and which you are comfortable sharing publicly (i.e., a Yule card or Beltane themed scrapbook page) consider submitting them for publication to a paper crafting magazine.

Non-Christian religions, faiths and spiritual beliefs are staggeringly underrepresented in the paper crafting world. This is only apt to change if we ourselves, as crafters, take the lead and make our presence and our creations publicly known.

Why the paper crafting industry needs to become much more inclusive in general

This post has focused on the lack of Pagan and witchery-specific products in the paper crafting industry. However, the fact of the matter is that despite the global scale, widespread popularity, and continued interest in this hobby, the products that exist for it remain somewhat homogenized and status quo.

There is an emphasis on standard holidays, common themes, familiar concepts, and even certain colour palettes. These things tend to sell, and companies know that. It is important, of course, to produce products with wide appeal and creative possibilities, but it would also behoove brands to think outside of the box at times.

While some certainly are, not every paper crafter is a cis-gendered, middle to upper-class Caucasian woman who is married with kids.

Where are the paper crafting products pertaining to the LGBT+ community? To single parents? To those living with mental health issues, chronic illnesses, or disabilities? How about the immigrant experience or feminism or life on the spectrum? What about Black Lives Matter?

(Note: Very gradually we are starting to see a small number of mainstream brands release LGBT+ related products, such as Paper House Production’s Diversity Pride stickers. This is awesome and long overdue! Hopefully, we will continue to witness a much broader range of diversity represented in the paper crafting world as time goes on.)

As well, we need more products that address not only the cheerful, positive times in life, but also the rougher, harder, darker, and more difficult ones as well. (A great example of one such product that tackles paper crafting for challenging times is Whimsy Stamp’s heart-touching Life Goes On stamp set.)

There are many individuals and groups who are not represented in the mainstream paper crafting product world. I realize that it would be virtually impossible to cover every person and group and do not expect the industry to do so.

I think, however, that as we step ever further into the second decade of the 21^st century, there is ample room – and need – for brands to expand the subject matter that their products cover.

The more that people can easily find products that relate to who they are and what their life is like, the more apt they are to buy, create, and publicly share their finished products, thoughts on certain brands, and ideas to help inspire others to design their own projects as well.

Far from hurting many brands, I believe that greater diversity + inclusivity will help to make companies appear more conscious, caring, understanding, and, at the end of the day, even on trend.

The paper crafting world should always feel like, and be, a welcoming creative sphere for those from all walks of life, beliefs and creative approaches.

Let us hope that as this century progresses further, we will see more brands helping to make this a stronger reality.

The post Why Are There No Pagan Paper Crafting Brands? (And What You Can Do To Get Around This Fact) appeared first on Witchcrafted Life.