For Magickal supplies made by and for Witches, supporting causes that matter, visit witchesresistance.com and enter code thatwitchlife at checkout to receive a 10% discount between now and 10/31/20! Thank you to The Witches Resistance for being an episode sponsor! Your hosts are safe from forest fires, but deep in smoke and evacuations. What a perfect time to talk about the Queen of the Underworld! Author Robin Corak talks with us about the goddess Persephone, getting in touch with personal power, and healing through Shadow work. A listener has multiple deities knocking at their door. Can they work with all of them or do they have to choose? Your hosts discuss what Magickal tools they would save if they only had minutes to escape a fire. Hilary discusses nettles in spellwork, Kanani reviews TWO movies and how she may found a new Magickal path. Join us on Patreon for a Persephone meditation led by Robin. Audio transcript to follow.
Our Guest Today
Robin Corak is the author of the Moon Books Pagan Portals title, Persephone: Practicing the Art of Personal Power. Robin has presented locally and at national conferences including Paganicon (2019), Pantheacon (2018), and the SOA Ninefold Festival (2019). A long time member of the Sisterhood of Avalon where she currently serves as the Board Secretary, Robin has also had her writing published in multiple anthologies and currently writes a blog for Agora Patheos entitled “Phoenix Rising”. In addition to having a passion for goddesses and myths, she has several years of experience with modalities such as Reiki, coaching, and tarot reading. Passionate about helping others achieve their full potential, she is also the CEO of a large, non-profit social services organization in Washington state. Robin is currently working on her next book about the goddess Demeter.
Resource List
Contact Robin:
Persephone: Practicing the Art of Personal Power
Robin’s website: www.phoenixawenrising.com
Robin’s blog: Agora Patheos “Phoenix Rising”
Ninefold Festival
Sisterhood of Avalon
Return to Oz (film)
Bedknobs and Broomsticks
United Way of East Central Iowa
Habitat for Humanity Los Angeles
Oregon relief:
The Witches-PDX
PDX Ewoks
Outside-In
Esther’s Pantry
Notes from David Shi re: COVID Protection:
Hi all, This is David Shi. I just listened to the latest podcast episode, and I heard the listener’s question about having to go back to teach an in-person class in an area with a covid surge. I do feel compelled to share this one ceremony format that perhaps could be adapted for her situation (provided that the listener has access to nature/land).. this was used by multiple Mongolian Darkhad elder shamans back in April.. If you are able to pass this along to the listener, you are welcome to do so. Collect a pine branch (or any evergreen needle branch) with multiple smaller branches/twigs with needles coming off of it. Write the names of herself and anyone she wishes to protect, and write them on small white strips of cloth (paper may work as well). Tie these cloth strips onto the smaller branches coming off the larger branch. Finish prepping the space spiritually. While holding and shaking the branch in both hands, call out to the ancestors, spirits, and gods that the person works with. Sing if compelled. Express deep emotional prayers while shaking the branch. Pray for protection, as well as the strength to overcome covid-related obstacles. If compelled, the names of the people that need protection can be said, along with their birth year and any significant astrological signs (we use the Asian astrological animals). This process can/should take as long as it needs to. Typically, this is when Mongolian shamans enter into a trance possession by their ancestral spirits, and the spirit through the body of the shaman directly charges the branch. The pine branch, being an evergreen, is an expression of eternity/health and acts as both a vehicle for the working as well as a powerful offering to the spirits. At some point, dip the base of the branch into a bowl of milk (just dip, no need to dunk), and let the milk drip off the branch while praying. When done praying, plant the base of the branch into the ground. If the person has an object they would like to charge for protection, have that object available as well, shake the branch over the object, and use this opportunity to charge the branch and the object with the same intention. If there are other people present, have them scatter milk and grain (typically rice or barley, but any should work) offerings upwards towards the sky (in all directions) and towards the ground (in all directions). Leave some offerings addressing the ancestors and gods as well. If nobody else is present, do these after the prayers, leave whatever grain remains at the base of the branch. Milk is symbolic of life (first food that most animals take in from their mothers when born, also symbolic of motherly care), and grains are symbolic of eternity (as a handful contains many pieces of grain). Traditionally, a cooked sheep is offered as well but that doesn’t have to be necessary for a western person (cooked food may be appropriate). It is okay to eat some of the cooked food offerings, as these are considered to be food blessed by the spirits during the ceremony. My Darkhad shaman friends’ elders performed these at a spirit house of past shamans. I would be mindful of where this is performed (and the pine branch planted). Perhaps an area where the person commonly does spiritual work or leave offerings, and is typically undisturbed with little/no traffic. When we did this, flocks of birds arrived and perched at the trees above us, letting us know that the spirits came and heard us. Anyways, just wanted to share this as I believe this would be very useful for that listener. Best, David
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