154: Psychic Abilities - Do You Have Them and How to Train Them

The hosts of BotB explore one of the most asked questions in modern witchcraft: Who is psychic? And the answer might surprise you… it’s probably everyone.Instead of treating psychic ability like a rare supernatural power, this episode looks at it the way many witches actually experience it: as a natural form of expanded perception that can be practiced, strengthened, and understood. The witches break down what psychic abilities really are, how they show up in everyday life, and why so many people have intuitive experiences without realizing that’s what they are.They talk about the different ways psychic perception can appear, including the well-known “clairs” like clairvoyance, clairaudience, clairsentience, and claircognizance, as well as common intuitive experiences like sensing the energy in a room, getting a sudden gut feeling, noticing synchronicities, or having meaningful dreams.From there, the episode explores how witches actually discover their intuitive strengths. That includes paying attention to patterns in your own experiences, experimenting with tools like tarot and divination, and using practices like dream journaling and meditation to tune into subtle signals from the subconscious mind. You’ll hear practical techniques for strengthening intuitive awareness, including meditation, grounding, energy sensing exercises, and dream magic practices designed to encourage intuitive dreams and improve dream recall.Psychic ability is about learning to listen to the awareness that was already there, So whether you’re already comfortable with your intuition or you’re just beginning to wonder if you might be more psychic than you thought, this episode offers a grounded, witchy look at developing your inner senses and learning to trust the quiet signals of intuition.Previous Episode on Psychic AbilitiesGot a question? Send the witches a message here!Support the showWant to send us a letter? Witchy things to review?We have a mailing address!Back on the BroomstickPO Box 106Salem MA 01970Email: [email protected] FacebookInstagramBack on the Broomstick Website

Spring doesn’t arrive politely, and neither does real change.In this episode, we’re talking about Ostara as it actually feels in your bones, not just the pastel version with bunnies and eggs. We explore the equinox as a hinge point, the only time when light and dark are truly balanced, and why that balance creates tension, storms, and movement. From ancient equinox observances aligned to the sun, to the modern Pagan celebration of Ostara shaped by the Wheel of the Year, we unpack where this sabbat comes from and what it’s asking of us now.We share a couple of easy & witchy ways to prepare for the season, including an Ostara egg spell where hidden sigils are revealed in dye and old stress is literally smashed and returned to the earth. This is about messy becoming, cracking shells, and walking straight through the storm toward what you actually want.If you’ve been feeling restless, scattered, or called to finally start something you’ve been planning since Imbolc, this one’s for you.Got a question? Send the witches a message here!Support the showWant to send us a letter? Witchy things to review?We have a mailing address!Back on the BroomstickPO Box 106Salem MA 01970Email: [email protected] FacebookInstagramBack on the Broomstick Website

On this episode, the witches sit down with Jane Matthews, Director of the World Divination Association, rune reader, author, medium, and teacher whose work weaves ancient symbols into modern, embodied magic.Jane joins Chelle and Laylla from Northern Ireland to talk Ogham, sigils, and practical divination, and how these systems help us reconnect with our own inner wisdom. We chat about learning to actually trust your intuition, reading tarot or runes for everyday mundane stuff just because you can (and because practice builds relationship), and even pulling cards or staves about something that already happened yesterday as a way to sharpen your symbolic language and spot your own patterns. Naturally, this leads to journaling about it. And somewhere along the way, Laylla uncovers an unexpected connection between Ogham and The Rocky Horror Picture Show… yeah, we don’t fully know how that happened either.Jane is the author of Sigils: A Tool for Manifesting and Empowerment and her new Ogham deck and guidebook Ogham: Divining in the Celtic Way comes out March 2nd, 2026If you’ve been curious about Ogham, sigils, or working with symbols as living allies in your craft, this conversation is a beautiful place to begin.Jane MatthewsOgham: Divining in the Celtic Way (25-Card Deck and 192-Page Guidebook)World DivinationGot a question? Send the witches a message here!Support the showWant to send us a letter? Witchy things to review?We have a mailing address!Back on the BroomstickPO Box 106Salem MA 01970Email: [email protected] FacebookInstagramBack on the Broomstick Website

On this episode we’re sitting down with Molly Donlan. Witch, energy worker, certification collector, and co-host of Demystify Magic. Molly is also celebrating the release of her brand new book, Mundane Magic: A Lazy Witch’s Guide to Hacking Your Brain, Building a Daily Practice, and Getting Stuff Done. This conversation drops February 13th, just days before her book hits shelves on the 17th, which is the perfect moment to talk superstition, Friday the 13th vibes, and how to turn everyday life into spellwork without burning yourself out. We even have a game show where Laylla quizzes Molly and Chelle on their Friday the 13th superstition knowledge, equal parts chaos, laughter, and witchy trivia. Molly shares how she went from skeptic to someone who found a grounded blend of magic and science that actually works. Her approach is practical, trauma-informed, sensory, and surprisingly hilarious. We talk about transforming chores into enchantment, paying bills like it’s a ritual, vacuuming like it’s a clearing spell, and why “stirring your tea with intention” is just the beginning. Her work grew out of her own ADHD practice and the real-life problem areas her audience brought to her, starting on Instagram as a way to be witchy every single day without it becoming another item on a guilt list. We also get into brain hacking, and the magic of engaging the senses to regulate your nervous system, and a mood elevating meditation involving a surprising kitchen utensil that will absolutely make you laugh and accidentally fix your mood. If you’ve ever struggled with consistency, motivation, executive function, or feeling like you’re failing at your practice, this episode is for you. This is magic that meets you in the laundry room, at the sink, in the middle of a messy day, and whispers, “You can work with this.”Molly's WebsiteReiki classes with MollyDemystify Magic PodcastTHE BOOK!!Got a question? Send the witches a message here!Support the showWant to send us a letter? Witchy things to review?We have a mailing address!Back on the BroomstickPO Box 106Salem MA 01970Email: [email protected] FacebookInstagramBack on the Broomstick Website

What if someone had pulled you aside when you first started practicing and told you the stuff that actually matters?In this episode, we’re sharing five things we truly wish we’d known at the beginning of our witchcraft journeys. Not the aesthetic advice. Not the influencer version of magic. The real lessons you usually learn through trial, error, and the occasional smoke alarm.We talk about grounding (both the energetic kind and the nervous system kind), why you should stop waiting to feel “ready” and just do the spell already, how much stuff you really don’t need, and why unlearning old programming is just as important as collecting new knowledge. This is an episode about permission. Permission to be imperfect. Permission to rest. Permission to change your mind. Permission to make mistakes and keep going anyway.Whether you’re brand new to witchcraft or decades in, consider this a cozy check-in from two witches who have definitely learned some things the hard way.Grab your tea. Let’s talk.Got a question? Send the witches a message here!Support the showWant to send us a letter? Witchy things to review?We have a mailing address!Back on the BroomstickPO Box 106Salem MA 01970Email: [email protected] FacebookInstagramBack on the Broomstick Website

In this episode we’re settling into that long, liminal stretch between Imbolc and Ostara. The snow is still hanging around, the days are technically getting longer but it doesn’t always feel like it, and seasonal cranky shut in disorder is very real. This is a quiet and often deeply cold time of the year, where hope flickers but hasn’t fully taken shape yet. That’s exactly why we’re focusing on everyday magick. The simple, doable, low effort kind that helps you keep going when getting out of bed already feels like a heroic act.We share some of our favorite mundane spells that gently weave magic into the rhythm of daily life. Morning candle work for setting one small intention. Decluttering spells that help reset the energy of your space when the vibes are off. Bag and wallet magic to make room for abundance. Even the humble act of making your bed becomes a spell for nervous system care, protection, and coming home to yourself at the end of the day. This isn’t about doing everything. It’s about doing one thing with presence.Chelle also brings forward a tarot thread she’s been holding for this season, a simple and reflective way of working with the cards as we move from Imbolc’s inward spark toward Ostara’s outward growth. Think less pressure, more conversation with the cards. Tarot as companion, not assignment.We also talk about how to work magic with your houseplants during this time of year. From tending them as living spell anchors to using them as allies for growth, renewal, and intention setting, especially when the outside world is still frozen. Your plants know spring is coming, even if the ground hasn’t caught up yet. There’s wisdom there.This episode is for anyone who feels tired, restless, or quietly hopeful. For witches who want to stay connected without burning themselves out. For those of us who need reminders that small rituals matter, and that light returns slowly, but it does return.So grab your tea, check in with your plants, and come sit with us for a bit. We’re getting through late winter together, one simple spell at a time.Got a question? Send the witches a message here!Support the showWant to send us a letter? Witchy things to review?We have a mailing address!Back on the BroomstickPO Box 106Salem MA 01970Email: [email protected] FacebookInstagramBack on the Broomstick Website

Beyond Maiden, Mother, and Crone, there is another face of the Goddess. One that is rarely named, often hidden, and deeply powerful.In this episode of Back on the Broomstick, we continue our Deity Series by exploring the Fourth Face of the Goddess, the Dark Moon. Sometimes called the Warrior, sometimes the Queen, sometimes the Sovereign, this is the aspect that emerges when we stop performing who we were told to be and start living from our truth.We’ll revisit the roots of the Triple Goddess archetype and talk about why it no longer tells the full story. From there, we step into the hidden phase. The one associated with mastery, authority, boundaries, and intentional power. This is the phase where wisdom sharpens instead of softens, where confidence grows quieter and stronger, and where sovereignty becomes lived rather than imagined.We talk about how this archetype shows up around midlife and menopause, but also how it can emerge at any point in life when you claim yourself fully. We explore the light and shadow of the Queen, the responsibility that comes with power, and why patriarchal systems have always been threatened by this phase of feminine authority.You’ll also hear practical ways to recognize and work with this energy in your everyday life, along with a meditation spell to call in and honor the Dark Moon within yourself.If you’ve ever felt like you’ve outgrown old roles, old expectations, or even old versions of your magic, this episode is for you. The hidden face is not gone. She’s been waiting.Light a candle, pour your tea, and join us as we stand in the dark and remember who we are.Got a question? Send the witches a message here!Support the showWant to send us a letter? Witchy things to review?We have a mailing address!Back on the BroomstickPO Box 106Salem MA 01970Email: [email protected] FacebookInstagramBack on the Broomstick Website

In this episode, the witches welcome the quiet, hopeful turning of the wheel with a deep dive into Imbolc, the ancient Celtic festival that marks the halfway point between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox. Traditionally celebrated around February 1st and 2nd, Imbolc is a threshold moment, when the land is still cold and dark, but the return of the light has begun. Laylla and Chelle explore Imbolc’s roots, its meaning of “in the belly,” and its long association with new life, purification, and preparation.They talk about the goddess Brigid, her sacred flame, poetry, prophecy, and craft, as well as her deep connections to hearth, milk, and inspiration. The conversation also weaves in other powerful figures of the season, including the Cailleach, whose weather on Imbolc foretells the length of winter, and Danu, whose fertile waters and ancient presence remind us that life is already stirring beneath the surface. From there, the episode turns practical. Laylla and Chelle talk about how to celebrate Imbolc today, from candle magic to house cleansing and protection work. They explore why cleaning and warding at Imbolc is so powerful, especially when the festival aligns with a full moon, and share a wealth of simple but potent practices including ritual sweeping, boundary-setting, witch bottles, mirror wards, eggshell protection, and working with house spirits.The episode also includes a detailed look at Brigid’s Fire Tarot Spread, a ten-card layout shaped like a rising flame that helps you see what you’re building, what’s stirring, and what you’re truly reaching for as the year unfolds toward Beltane. Grounded, hopeful, and deeply intentional, this episode invites you to tend your inner fire, clear winter’s residue, and prepare your space, your spirit, and your magic for the season of growth ahead.Got a question? Send the witches a message here!Support the showWant to send us a letter? Witchy things to review?We have a mailing address!Back on the BroomstickPO Box 106Salem MA 01970Email: [email protected] FacebookInstagramBack on the Broomstick Website

In this retrospective episode of Back on the Broomstick, the witches take a thoughtful look back at 2025. Laylla and Chelle reflect on their favorite episodes and events from the year, share highlights from interviews that stood out, and celebrate the episodes that listeners loved most. They also reveal the top 3 listener favorite episodes, the most commented-on conversation, and a few moments that surprised even them.From there, the conversation turns toward the road ahead. The witches talk about what’s coming in 2026, including new episode themes, workshops, festivals, and magical projects they’re excited to step into. It’s a look at growth, community, and the evolving shape of their practice and the podcast.To start the year with intention, they share a simple way to choose a Tarot Card of the Year, offering guidance on how to let one card act as a touchstone for the months ahead. They also walk through an easy candle spell designed to carry the motivation, lessons, and momentum of 2025 forward into 2026. It’s a reflective, hopeful episode that honors where you’ve been while making space for what’s next.Brushwood on a Broomstick radio playlist from 2025Got a question? Send the witches a message here!Support the showWant to send us a letter? Witchy things to review?We have a mailing address!Back on the BroomstickPO Box 106Salem MA 01970Email: [email protected] FacebookInstagramBack on the Broomstick Website

Welcome back to the deity series as the witches turn their attention to the Crone Goddess. In this episode, Laylla and Chelle explore what the Crone represents in modern witchcraft and how this powerful aspect of divinity shows up in real lives, not just at the end of a cycle, but anywhere wisdom, boundaries, and deep knowing are required.They talk honestly about their own relationships to the Crone. Chelle feels ready to step fully into that phase, while Laylla is… not quite there yet. Along the way, they unpack the strengths of the Crone archetype, the cultural prejudices she faces, and why fear of aging and power has shaped how this goddess is often misunderstood or avoided.The episode also includes practical tools for connection and reflection, including a tarot spread and a journaling exercise designed to help you explore the different aspects of the goddess within yourself. As the year shifts from 2025 to 2026, Laylla shares a meditation spell to connect with the Crone’s liminal wisdom, offering guidance for standing at the threshold of time with clarity, courage, and intention.Got a question? Send the witches a message here!Support the showWant to send us a letter? Witchy things to review?We have a mailing address!Back on the BroomstickPO Box 106Salem MA 01970Email: [email protected] FacebookInstagramBack on the Broomstick Website