Talking to Gods

You may consult the oracle by searching for The Poetry Fox, and giving him a follow on Instagram @thepoetryfox. He does parties and public events, but I’m sure would consider your next sabbat gathering for the right price. How do you know if the gods are talking to you? This is something I really struggled …

Secular vs. Religious: Making Distinctions as a Witch

It’s common now to assert that witchcraft is a “practice” as opposed to a religion in and of itself. You might hear this in the context of, “Wicca is a religion, but witchcraft is a practice,” or “Witchcraft is a secular craft–some people just combine it with their religions.” Many practitioners identify as “secular witches” …

Other People’s Witchcraft

Do you ever think about how little we actually know about each other? Like, how telling you I'm a witch doesn't actually give you much information at all about what I'm actually up to? And how even words like "Wiccan" and "Gardnerian" don't actually tell you very much, because lots of people use them differently? …

Baby Witches?

In this video I wonder about the implications of the use of the term “baby witch” to describe beginners. Maybe you’ve already been hearing this term, and if not, it’s all over many social media platforms (especially TikTok). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIsSLfNPfd4&t=5s Some takeaways, if videos aren’t your cup of tea: “Baby” can be a term of endearment, …

The Benefits of Outer Courts and Training Circles

I know. Running an outer court can be a pain in the ass. Running any kind of grove, maiden coven, study circle, or other “pre-initiation” style group, especially on top of an inner court or initiate coven, can really bite the big one. They’re exhausting, they involve an impossible amount of emotional labor, and they …

Creativity, Competition, and Community

One of my thesis advisors in graduate school told me, as I was working up my proposal and trying to figure out exactly what I was going to focus on, that building a new argument is a lot harder than tearing down someone else’s. In other words, don’t use this opportunity to only dismantle something. …

If Everything Changes, What Good is Tradition?

My friend and initiate, Corvus, is in the process of starting a coven, and the other night we got to chatting about what it will mean for her to go forward, both as part of a community and as an autonomous high priestess. What if she does something that pisses off her upline? What if …

The Witches’ Voice: A Love Letter

I feel like I grew up with The Witches’ Voice. I can remember discovering it back in the late nineties and being completely blown away by how much content was suddenly available to me, for free. I lived in DC at the time, and there were only three other teen listings, one of whom was a …

How to Be a Better Beginner

There are tons of articles floating around about how to choose good beginner books, how to find reputable teachers, how to join friendly covens, and how to find fun and educational public events, but in all this conversation we’re missing something that’s just as important as the ability to choose good resources: how to be …

The Hipster Witch: Aesthetics, Empowerment, and Instagram

“Who the hell is Lisa Chamberlain?” Corvus looked up from scrolling. Ever the attentive friend, she’s been closely monitoring my new book’s progress on Amazon. As it’s gotten closer to the release date, she’s become very familiar with the top 100 charts in “Wicca” and “Witchcraft” on the site. “No, seriously,” she said. “I’m looking …