Readers, please enjoy this guest blog post by Leanna Greenaway, co-author of the new Catalog of the Unexplained. If a thought is supposed to be a living thing, what happens when we project our wishes and dreams towards the universe? Many spiritual cultures believe that every living thing on the planet possesses unseen energy, and those that are lucky enough to be sensitive to this are even able to see it in the way of a person's aura. Energy is contagious, and whether or not we know it, we are projecting vibes every minute of our lives; this becomes evident when we are thrown into situations that are highly charged. You might stumble into a church or crematorium when a funeral is

Readers, please enjoy this guest blog post by H. Byron Ballard, author of the new Roots, Branches & Spirits. In the interlocking circles of folk magic, we often talk about luck in ways that the larger culture mostly misses. "Good luck" seems like an old-fashioned and unscientific thing that is the child of superstition and ignorance. But having good luck puts you in the right place at the right time, and merely thinking of yourself as a lucky person can go a long way towards boosting confidence and shifting our personal energy. Most of us can think of things that seem unlucky, even if we also dismiss it as superstition. Walking under an open ladder, opening an umbrella inside, a

Readers, please enjoy this guest blog post by Joann Calabrese, author of the new Growing Mindful. Focusing attention is a key part of meditation, prayer, and ritual. Carrying that skill into the rest of our lives can be valuable for achieving goals and living our purpose. Yet maintaining focus during busy days can be challenging. And now while navigating the increased obstacles of COVID-19, it can feel impossible. One powerful focusing tool for countering distractions is holding onto a spiritual concept as the day unfolds. It can easily be incorporated into busy lives. The spiritual concept serves as a focusing anchor and a lens for experiences. As an example, consider working with

Readers, please enjoy this guest blog post by Brandon Weston, author of the new Ozark Folk Magic. In the Ozark Mountains, rituals of cleansing have long played a vital role in being able to successfully mitigate the harmful effects of both physical illnesses as well as those of a magical origin (like hexes or being "spelled," as hillfolk often say). There are as many different variations of these rites as there are healers and magical practitioners in the Ozarks, but there are two common categories where most cleansing work falls: water and smoke. Water Cleansing using water is an ancient practice, influenced in the Ozarks from European folk magic sources as well as Indigenous