Ex Penna

100 Wise Words for Everyone


Lately I've been thinking a lot about the kind of rules we set for ourselves.  I know that in this disparate community of ours, setting limitations sounds like an awful idea to many people, but we do it even when we swear we won't.

In truth, finding the kind of rules that we can set our lives to (and for the magical person, our practice) is immensely helpful.  They become the kind of reassuring structure that gives peace of mind and direction.  As a natural note-taker and list-maker, I adore it.  In your own way--and to your own degree--you can too.

This week's Quick Link is a set of simple wisdoms that is meant to take the author's unborn son through a joyous life.  Reading his ideas on just what makes for not only proper behavior and social conduct but also happiness and fulfillment makes me think of what I'd call the wisdoms of magical practice.

So read this list and ponder.  Can we come up with 100 Wise Words for Magical People?

Printable Tarot Cards


By now you know I love printables, but this one goes above and beyond.  For the simple act of subscribing to the Tarot Fiesta newsletter, you can download the complete Rider-Waite for free!  I printed mine on white card stock and separated them with a paper cutter.  They were clear, bright, and beautiful!

You may think that this is just for those who are interested in tarot but aren't ready to invest in a deck.  It's not (though that's great, too).  Having this simple set of cards is a great way to travel with tarot, keep a deck in your purse or desk at work, or--my favorite--for use in tarot spells.  Posting specific cards for extended periods of time usually means that you can't use that deck for anything else until manifestation.  And don't get me started on the many spells that ask you to burn the card when you're done!  You're going to want extras on hand!

As a note, there are other printable decks available here (as well as a few sets of majors), but this is my favorite.  Take some time and peruse this site to find yours.

Having a familiar is similar to finding True Love: everyone assumes that there will only ever be one.  But that all depends on you.

The Secrets of Ancient Irish Charms and Spells

If you're anything like me, you like nothing quite so much as lists of spells, free for the asking.  However, you may also be like me in that if they are of poor quality, if their language is clumsy or their actions uninspiring, you are smart enough walk away.

Fear not!  What I have brought you today is a brief collection of both beautiful and workable magic spells straight from Ireland.  So get out your BoS and a pen, plop a familiar on your lap, and lock the workroom door.  You've got casting to do!

If you're like me, you still have a tree standing in your house in January.  If you're like a lot of folks I know, all the rest of your tree's fellow decorations are hanging around as well.  Now would be a great time to clear everything out, get yourself prepared for a brand new year, and make use of some of those pine needles that are inevitably everywhere.

Here in Pennsylvania, pine grows plentifully.  So much so that one of my neighbors remarked that he would eagerly cut them down anytime someone asked, just to be rid of them.  I was astonished to hear that!  Is it too much familiarity with this common tree?  Or is it that there's too many possible parasites that afflict them (which means he should really hate the parasite, not the tree)?  We may never know, but as a magical practitioner and a major wildlife advocate, I say love your pine!

To keep things brief, I'll touch on pine's two most important abilities (especially because they are perfect for this time of the year!)--purification and money drawing.

Burning an incense of pine needles in your home will drive out wayward spirits and remove any crossed conditions present.  I recently learned from the wonderful Lucky Mojo Curio Company that a quick and cheap option for uncrossing a house is to add pine needles and Van Van oil to a bottle of regular Pine-Sol and use it to scrub the house.  I think that's brilliant!

Pine needle infusion in your bath brings you back to clarity and positive thoughts.  Pine boughs hung over your door ensure happiness within.

When using pine needles for money spells, you can burn them as incense alone or add to a formula to boost its strength.  Add some to a mojo bag with or without other herbs and curios.  Pine alone can do the trick!  The great thing about pine in this case is its stable nature.  When you call on pine for help with prosperity, you can bet that any money gained will be through regulated and safe means, not snap decisions and high-risk ventures.    

Occult Fashion Trend: Religious and Spiritual Iconography


I'm sharing this not because of the excellent information it contains (some of the author's thoughts are delightfully clueless), but because it is perfect food for thought.

So we're talking about magical symbols and images being used for clothing and jewelry.  How does this idea sit with you?  Are you thrilled to see a more casual use of pentagrams in everyday places or does it make you cringe at its crassness?  Are you happy to spread the witchy vibe around or would you prefer only those of us in the know use these images?  Are things like magical seals too precious (or powerful) to be silk screened on a tee-shirt, or is this just another way to bring magic into the public consciousness?  As a practitioner, would you enchant one or more items of such mundane clothing for magical purposes or do you feel that items consecrated at their creation would work much better?

Talk this over with your magical friends.  Hell, talk it over with your mundane friends.  What are their thoughts on sourcing the occult for fashion?  How do they meet with your own.

This is something that you've undoubtedly heard me discuss before, but it continues to be an issue so I must continue to talk about it.

Here's the facts:  People will pay for others to cast spells for them.  They will pay for pre-made spell kits.  They will pay for magical objects, talismans, and other charged items.  They will pay for a teacher to give them instruction on how to do all this for themselves.  They do this as willingly as they pay for books, art, poetry, and music about magic.

As well they should.  A practitioner invests money and time in being ready for client requests.  It's not an easy job and it takes a lot of skill and confidence to do it well.  It's got value that can be measured in several ways.  One of those ways is monetary.

If you don't believe that it's okay to ask for money for your magic, then don't do it.  There is no stipulation that you must accept payment and no one is trying to convince you that you should.  If you can see that as being a fair position, then you can also see that no professional magic worker needs, deserves, or requires the opinion that their magic must be for free.