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Today on the A Pinch of Magick podcast I’m joined by Melissa Jayne Madara, author of the The Witch’s Feast & her latest book The Witch’s Workshop

In this interview, Melissa shares their profound knowledge and personal journey through the realms of magick and nature.

We discuss:

• Historical Magickal Recipes: Melissa takes us on a journey through ancient grimoires, unearthing age-old magical recipes and the fascinating “medieval party powder.” Discover how these recipes offer a glimpse into how magic has been practised throughout history.

• Witchcraft and Medicine: We explore the intertwined history of witchcraft and medicine, revealing the lost art of understanding plants from an animist perspective. Learn how the spirit of the plant has evolved into modern materialist views.

• Connecting with the Divine: Melissa discusses the importance of viewing our relationship with the land and nature through the lens of spirit and divinity. They emphasise how modern interpretations often miss the profound connections our ancestors had with their environment.

• Ancient Rituals: Discover the oldest magickal recipe Melissa has come across—a Mesopotamian ritual involving casting circles with different flours for various magical purposes. Melissa sheds light on the significance of these ancient practices.

• Reconnecting with Nature: Melissa’s projects aim to reconnect people with the land, even in urban spaces. They stress the importance of intentionally cultivating relationships with the land and its spirits, highlighting the presence of nature in cities through resilient plants, often the witchy plants like weeds and mugwort.

• Crafting and Recipes: The power of making your own magickal crafts and recipes is a central theme. Melissa shares how they’ve revived historical recipes for modern times, encouraging listeners to venture beyond their comfort zones in their magickal practices.

• Experimentation in Witchcraft: Witchcraft is a path of exploration and experimentation. Melissa emphasises the value of learning from mistakes to become a more skilled practitioner, sharing their own journey of finding the right magick for them by following what interested them.

• Non-Linear Communication with Spirits: Understanding how spirits communicate with us is essential. Melissa explains the non-linear nature of these interactions and how to trust your intuition in recognising these communications.

• Developing Intuition: Melissa offers insights on developing the ability to trust your intuition, recommending their favourite essential non-magical book that has influenced their own magical career, that they recommend to everyone.

• Divination Practices: Melissa advocates for having both a structured and non-linear divination practice, sharing their own experiences of scrying on top of cocktails in exchange for drinks in their younger years.

• Magickal Experiments and Innovations: Melissa discusses how creativity and experimentation, and not fearing getting it ‘wrong’, drives the evolution of occult technologies and thoughts.

• Edible Magick: Melissa is passionate about making magickal food that is both delicious and filling and they share the importance of investing this time and labour in magickal workings.

• Poisonous Plants: Melissa shares their most potent experience with a plant, a dream-induced encounter with a poisonous plant that guided them to course-correct an imminent life choice. This experience reoriented their practice and deepened their respect for these powerful plants.

• Facing Fears: Embracing what terrifies us is a theme Melissa explores, recounting their work with poisonous plants and the profound lessons learned from these experiences – including being poisoned by them.

Join us for this episode filled with insights and very practical wisdom from Melissa.

Tune in and let the magick unfold!

About Melissa Madara

Melissa Jayne Madara, is a witch, herbalist, and educator based in New York City.

You may know them through Catland Books, the now-closed occult bookshop in Brooklyn, or through one of their two books, The Witch’s Feast & The Witch’s Workshop.

As a writer, Melissa loves discussing plant magic, herbcraft, and presenting deep analysis of historical spells and charms.

Most of their research is centered in the magical traditions of classical antiquity, but you can find them writing about folklore, mythology, and rituals from the ancient world all the way through the modern era.

Melissa is passionate about making witchcraft accessible and easy to learn, while providing high-quality research and education to those who want to pick up this work for themselves.

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Today on the A Pinch of Magick podcast I’m joined by Nienke Thurlings, a trauma-informed women’s coach and social psychologist.

Warning: This episode includes adult themes and some strong language. Additionally, there is a trigger warning for discussions of sexual abuse at 15:57 minutes, which is pre-warned within the episode.

In this episode of the A Pinch of Magick podcast, I’m joined by Nienke Thurlings, a trauma-informed women’s coach and social psychologist from The Netherlands. Get ready for a deep dive into the realms of women’s experiences, history, and empowerment that promises to enlighten and inspire (but first it might piss you off).

Nienke takes us on a journey exploring how intergenerational patterns of trauma influence women’s self-expression today, suggesting that events like the witch hunts still cast long shadows over our collective consciousness.

Ever wonder why, at times, you feel silenced or unable to speak your truth? We’ll delve into the societal expectations placed on women, the often unacknowledged emotional labour they carry, and the subtle dangers lurking behind being ‘too nice.’

We’re going deeper, uncovering the pain of self-betrayal and examining the ‘tend and befriend’ survival mechanism. It’s an eye-opening discussion on distinguishing between true intuition and trained responses, the deep-seated ‘need to belong,’ and the painful reality of the ‘sister wound.’

Nienke doesn’t shy away from the historical context, shedding light on how women have been systematically disempowered over the centuries. Yet, in the midst of this, she introduces pleasure as a radical act of rebellion, leading to an enlightening conversation on the female orgasm and the suprising origins of vibrators.

This episode is a call to reclaim our power, to embrace our truths, and to discover liberation in pleasure. So, whether you’re seeking to understand the deeper layers of female experience or ready to embark on a journey of self-discovery and empowerment, this conversation with Nienke Thurlings is an absolute must-listen.

It’s time to uncover the magick within our stories, our struggles, and our strength.

About Nienke Thurlings

Nienke is a nationally acclaimed trauma informed women’s coach and social psychologist from The Netherlands.

She is especially interested in how intergenerational patterns of trauma play a role in women’s self expression and how events like the witch hunts might very well impact us to this very day.

Her motto is that every woman should be the queen of her own life, by giving themselves permission to take ownership over everything from their sexuality to their soul’s mission.

Through her coaching programs she has helped over 5.000 women to do just that.

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Today on the A Pinch of Magick podcast I’m joined by Julia Halina Hadas, Witch, Mixologist and Author.

In our latest episode on the A Pinch of Magick, we’re getting into the spirit (and spirits!) with Julia Halina Hadas, who’s magickal when it comes to blending witchcraft, mixology, and astrology. You’re in for a treat that’s as enchanting as it is enlightening!

Imagine a world where your cocktails are not just drinks but spells in a glass, and that’s where Julia takes us. She’s got stories about how she started mixing up her passions for witchcraft and bartending, turning herbal liqueurs, bitters, and shrubs into potions that heal and energise.

Did you know that mixology has roots in ancient healing practices and witchcraft? Julia dives deep into this, revealing the mystical side of fermentation – it’s all about transformation, much like the magickal process of death and rebirth. And she tells of ancient beer goddesses that will have you looking at your brew in a whole new light!

But it’s not just about listening – Julia’s got some practical magick up her sleeve too!

She walks us through how to whip up our own magickal cocktails, mocktails, teas, and coffees.

And it’s not just about the ingredients; it’s about syncing with the moon’s cycle and the rhythm of the seasons.

You’ll love hearing about her ritual process for crafting these concoctions. And guess what? The glass and garnishes you choose are part of the spell too!

Ever had a drink that didn’t turn out right? Julia shows us how these ‘mistakes’ can become magickal offerings instead.

She even shares her go-to ingredients and tips to become a magickal mixologist yourself.

So, grab your favourite mug or glass, and get ready to be spellbound. This episode is a journey into a world where every sip is a sip of magick!

Key Topics:

• A Magickal Fusion: Discover how Julia’s journey led her to intertwine the mystical paths of witchcraft, mixology, and astrology into a harmonious blend.

• Bartending with a Witch’s Touch: Explore the evolution of Julia’s bartending art, where herbal liqueurs, bitters, and shrubs are more than just ingredients – they’re conduits of plant energies and healing forces.

• Healing Roots of Mixology: Uncover the deep connections between mixology and its historical roots in healing and witchcraft.

• The Alchemy of Fermentation: Dive into the magickal process of fermentation, a transformative journey of death and rebirth, echoing ancient practices.

• Deities of the Brew: A toast to the ancient beer goddesses, celebrating their enduring legacy in brewing and witchcraft.

• Crafting Magickal Beverages: Learn from Julia how to concoct your own magickal cocktails, mocktails, teas, and coffees, incorporating lunar cycles and seasonal energies.

• Ritual in Mixology: Julia shares her personal ritual process in creating her mystical brews, imbuing them with intention and power.

• The Art of Presentation: Discover why the choice of glass and garnish isn’t just about aesthetics – it’s a crucial part of the magickal process.

• Embracing Flavourful Failures: Even when a flavour profile misses the mark, find out how it can be transformed into a magickal offering.

• Julia’s Essential Ingredients: Peek into Julia’s pantry and learn about the staple ingredients of a magickal mixologist.

About Julia Halina Hadas

Julia Halina Hadas is the bestselling author of WitchCraft Cocktails and Moon, Magic, Mixology and is the leading mixologist in the witchcraft and spiritual spheres – combining her professions and passions of witchcraft, mixology, and astrology.

Her most recent work, The Modern Witchcraft Book of Astrology, reflects her witchcraft and healing practices, where she incorporates the meaning and myth of astrological archetypes and transits for empowerment, transformation, and manifestation.

She is a certified reiki, crystal, energy worker.

Book by Julia

WitchCraft Cocktails

Moon Magic Mixology

The Modern Witchcraft Book of Astrology

Connect with Julia

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Today on the A Pinch of Magick podcast I’m joined by Bridget Supple, a midwife and author.

We’re weaving a tapestry of tales and truths with Bridget Supple, an antenatal teacher with a heart full of stories and the author of the ‘The Birthkeeper of Bethlehem – A Midwife’s Tale’.

We kick off with the sheer joy that non-fiction books bring into our lives, especially those brimming with stories.

Bridget shares her insights on how these tales are not just narratives but pathways to deeper understanding and learning.

Then, we dive into the profound world of rites of passage. It’s a conversation that unfolds layers of meaning and significance, revealing how these milestones shape us.

Bridget and I then get personal, sharing our own stories of pregnancy and the profound experiences of birth.

She opens up about how her own C-section became a turning point, fuelling her desire to support others through this transformative journey.

We discuss the idea or birth not just as a process but as a ritual, a rite of passage that alters you in ways you can’t imagine. It’s about the transformative power of bringing life into the world.

The topic then shifts to the importance of choice in birthing, a critical aspect often overlooked.

We explore the historical and current dangers associated with birth, shedding light on the wisdom that once thrived in our communities.

We delve into the midwife of Jesus and Mary, unearthing tales and wisdom long buried. It leads us to discuss the demonisation of women throughout history and how their power and knowledge were systematically suppressed.

What happens when you write women out of stories and history? We explore this, understanding the gravity of erasing such vital narratives.

But it’s not all about looking back. We talk about how people are now reclaiming this power, reconnecting to the seasons and cycles, and remembering the wisdom of their bodies.

The conversation rounds off with the importance of support, friendship, and connection.

It’s a reminder of the power that resides within us and the strength we garner from those around us.

So, settle in, get comfortable, and let’s embark on this journey of rediscovery and empowerment together.

About Bridget Supple

Bridget has spent the last twenty years supporting women and birthing people through all stages of pregnancy, labour, and parenting.

A mother of four herself, she works as an antenatal teacher for a UK Birth and Parenting charity, as well as the National Health Service, both in a major UK Maternity Hospital and as an antenatal teacher for a number of maternity units across the country.

She is also part of Birth Companions, a charity supporting pregnant women in prison and helps support incarcerated women through their pregnancy journey.

For the last ten years Bridget has been part of the International Journal of Birth and Parent Education team.

She is also the founder of an information resource all about the Infant Microbiome (www.babysbiome.org) and runs workshops on parenting, brain development and hypnobirthing.

Connect with Bridget

Website: www.lovebirthandbaby.com

Instagram: BirthKeeperofBethlehem

Facebook: BirthkeeperofBethlehem

The Latest Episodes