Mystic Magic

Em Maxey ~ Assistant Editor

As you grow through your spiritual journey one term you will constantly hear is “chakra” or “chakras.” This term refers to the seven strongest spiritual points in the body. These chakras are identified by location, color, and element. Before you read more about the specifics of chakras, remember that the colors are used to bring attention to and grow the chakras. The colors of the chakras are often worn during meditation specific to certain chakras. The stones mentioned are not the only stones which represent the specific chakra. Stones that enhance the characteristics of the chakras are used as well as some stones that are within the same colors of the chakra. 

The root chakra is the first of the chakras. Also known as muladhara, the root chakra is located in the feet and is an earth elemental chakra. This is the grounding, foundational chakra that is also known for financial stability. Muladhara’s most intensive growth is between one and seven years of age. The most common mantra is “I cannot grow from an unsteady foundation.” Mantras are Buddhist and Hinduist meditation repetition sayings to guide the body to its goal. The root chakra is represented in red and often affiliated with hematite stone for its strength and mass. 

The next of the chakras is the sacral chakra, a water elemental chakra. The sacral chakra rules sexual energy and creativity. The sacral chakra is also known as swadhisthana and is located in the lower abdomen below the naval. The most of the growth of the sacral chakra is during the ages of eight to fourteen. The sacral chakra is orange and represented by the tiger’s eye. The most popular mantra for the sacral chakra is “I will always honor others but not before myself.” 

Written by Em Maxey ~ Assistant Editor

It would take the entire news print to tell you about the history and art of practicing palmistry (known in wiccan culture as chiromancy). Every culture that practices palmistry has a different way of reading the palm and the lines that it’s marked with. 

The overall size and shape of the hands indicate the generality of a person. Large hands can usually mean solidarity, creativity, and quietness while small hands can resemble hastiness, short tempers, and impatience. 

Square fingers or palms can be a signal of hard workers and laborers and narrow, thin hands are usually those of philosophers and thinkers. The length of the fingers are representative of how a person acts. 

Short fingers are quick and fast thinkers and doers who act on logic. Long fingers are individuals of feelings rather than reasoning. A balance of emotion and logic are often within those with medium fingers, well balanced to the size of the palm. 

Em Maxey ~ Staff Writer

Wiccan, paganism, and witchcraft for centuries have been practiced mostly by women. There is a reason there is a strong resonation between witchcraft and the moon. The connection between women’s menstrual cycles and the phases of the moon has been a connection of interest since the beginning of humankind. Why, out of all the domination that men have had in the development of the patriarchy, does it seem that witchcraft is predominantly women? 

It is a possibility that there are many causes to the deterrence of witchcraft to men. At the center of nearly all forms of witchcraft, there is a balance of masculine and feminine energies. It is possible that in modern day society, it is seen as more acceptable for women to be in touch with their masculine side, rather than men to be in touch with their feminine side. Reaching out to men in witchcraft, you would see an incline in the ideology of masculinity being rough and rigid. 

Em Maxey ~ Assistant Editor

The theme of the month still stands. If you have been following Mystic Magic, you know that this month is focusing on forms of love and connections. When we think about love, one of the most important connections we can have is a connection with ourselves. Self-love and appreciation is one of the most rewarding forms of passion that someone can be gifted to have. There are many ways to improve your view of self-love. 

The most common way to strengthen self-love is with mantras and affirmations. Many times the biggest mistake to manifesting self-love through affirmations is using certain words. First of all, do not use negation. No, not, none, don’t, shouldn’t, can’t, and won’t simply will not work. The universe does not hear negation and will only put out the opposite of your intention. Other words to avoid are future words like will, going to, tomorrow, someday, and coming. When the universe hears that your manifestation is in the future, the universe preserves this idea into the future and the manifestation will never come. 

Believe it or not, one of the best ways to feel good about yourself is to physically feel good. Simple ways to improve your physical being that impact your self-love is small workouts and yoga. 

Written by Em Maxey ~ Assistant Editor

Social media has had a recurring word the past couple of years: twin flames. It seems like now everyone has to have a twin flame. The truth of the matter is that it is likely that very few people currently on earth actually have a twin flame. 

Twin flames occur when the same spirit divides into two halves. These two haves then proceed to earth in which they will find each other. There are a lot of criteria to check if you believe that your partner is a twin flame. 

Typically twin flames find an immediate attraction to one another. This may not be a romantic attraction right away but there is usually a strong infatuation when you first meet. Twin flames have a sense of familiarity and comfortability. 

If you have a relationship with a twin flame you may find yourselves thinking and saying a lot of the same things, even from the beginning of the relationship. 

By Em Maxey ~ Staff Writer

Trigger warning: mention of r*pe

It is February, Valentine’s Day is near. Love is in the air as spring inches closer to our grasps. I bid thee caution as you go in search for a desperate attempt at fulfillment during the month of passion. 

With it being a season of affection, I found it to be the perfect time to discuss what a soulmate really is. Keep an eye out the rest of this month as I continue to discuss relationships with twin flames and karmic flames and how to find the most powerful form of love: self-love. 

The term “soulmate”  as we know today has many connotations. The definition of the word depends entirely on conceptual beliefs and context. Some people believe that soulmates are only those in which you hold a close bond or infatuation with. In my belief system, which is made of a mixture of modern wiccan and modern paganism, as well as other earth based spiritualities, a soulmate is simply someone whom you are close to within the spirit realm. 

By Emily Maxey ~ Staff Writer

It is the month of October, the time of the year where we begin to see the true shortness of days and the elongation of night. In Wiccan culture and many other spiritual and religious paths, October is a month in which the veil between life and death becomes thin. 

In writing, fall represents the coming of death, transformations, and maturity. In Wiccan culture, fall is the season of the Witch’s New Year (Sahmain, Oct. 31). October for Wiccans is a time to connect with departed ancestors. The full moon in October is the Blood Moon. Dark colors this month will bring prosperity through the times.

There is a common meditation for Wiccans to form a connection with passed spirits. The thinner the veil of the spirit realm, the more effective this meditation is. 

Em Maxey ~ Staff Writer

There is a common belief among many people that spirituality and religion are the same. When we are blind to the differences, unintentional prejudice occurs to those most vulnerable. The main difference is simple and easy to understand. 

Religion is an organized set of beliefs and practices shared by a group of people or a community. Spirituality is the individual practice based around a sense of peace and purpose that is free formed without predetermined values. 

With that being presented as the definition of religion and spirituality used throughout, the biggest difference to me is that spirituality is a learned concept based on experiences while religion is taught and passed down from generations. 

Em Maxey ~ Staff Writer

One of the most commonly growing practices in the United States is the usage of healing crystals. People are drawn to the beauty and energy these gems hold, but what are the limitations of this newly popular obsession? 

To be crystal clear, gemstones and crystals are not rocks. Crystals, atomically, are minerals. The major difference between minerals and rocks is the anatomic structure. 

Minerals are made of three dimensional patterns that are repeated throughout the inorganic solid. Rocks are typically irregular anatomically. 

To understand the modern context, it is important to have a grasp on the history of crystals.  This practice is believed to date back 30,000 years ago to the first usage of baltic amber amulets. This was about the time that humans had first emerged on the American continents. The reminiscence of amber beads was found in Britain 10,000 years ago. 

Em Maxey ~ News Editor

Being a culturally aware individual is a crucial part of becoming a gear in a diverse society. Recently, the talk about cultural appropriation has become popular. With access to unlimited resources and information on unique cultures and traditions, it is easy to become overwhelmed. Often, I find inspiration in different cultures for my own practice. Before I engage in a new practice, I have to stop and ask myself the following things: (1) is this a closed practice, (2) do I fully understand the history of this practice, (3) am I performing this practice accurately without misrepresentation or misunderstanding, and (4) have I been invited to participate in this practice. 

By Em Maxey ~ Staff Writer

The true witch’s brew of mystic magic, handcrafted by Grace Cavanaugh, has been blissfully passed down into my ownership. I simply hope to live up to the expectations artistically set in place by the witch that wrote before me. 

This week, I would like to introduce a concept of balancing energies. Like yin and yang, feminine and masculine energy create a balance within the universe. 

Without association to gender identity or presentation, feminine energy is a representation of intuition and creativity, whereas masculine energy is a presentation of action and logic. Everyone has both masculine and feminine energy, but the issue is finding a balance that works for you. There is a greater yin where the energy released is perfectly feminine and a greater yang in which the energy is entirely masculine. There are a variety of mixtures of the two energies that can lead to finding balance. 

Grace Cavanaugh ~ Editor in Chief

     I am getting a little emotional writing this.

     I have been writing Mystic Magic for…three years now. It all started when I wrote my first article on Tarot cards and common misconceptions, and it has been a wild time since.

     As I am graduating later this month, this will be my last opinion article. I have learned so much writing Mystic Magic, and I have had such a good time over the years. I wanted to leave some witchy tips for my last article, so here you go!

Grace Cavanaugh ~ Editor in Chief

     Taking a break from my general witchcraft commentary, I wanted to talk about a couple of books I have read recently.

     As a college student, I do not normally have time to read for fun, because I am already reading a lot for class. In the past few months, however, I have been participating in an extra-curricular book club that changes genres every month.

     In January, we chose a gothic horror genre, and the book was “Plain Bad Heroines” by Emily Danforth. Without going into spoiler territory, the book follows the past and present exploits of queer women who deal with ghosts, curses, and a real-life book, “The Story of Mary MacLane,” published in 1902.

Grace Cavanaugh ~ Editor in Chief

     I know I have probably talked about it before, but the terms white and black magic have pretty racist connotations.

     For the most part, white magic is considered pure, good, the ‘love and light’ kind of deal. Wicca, general witchcraft, and new-age spiritualism are considered white magic.

     As for black magic, it is the flip side of the coin to white magic. Curses, hexes, anything having to do with the ‘darker’ side of magic.

     So where does racism fall into play?