113: Folk Magick and Witch Trials - Exploring Alpine Witchery with Christian Brunner

In part two of our Spellcraft Summer series, the witches pull out their journals (ahem, grimoires!) and walk you through the art and practice of writing your own spells. Whether you’re brand new to spellcraft or looking to make your magic more personal and effective, Laylla and Chelle are here to demystify the process and offer some grounded, magical guidance.They talk about intention as the core of any spell, how to choose the right format (spoken, written, enacted), and how to weave in correspondences, timing, and energy-raising techniques. You’ll hear why not all spells need to rhyme (but why it can help), and how even the simplest charm can carry big power when it’s aligned with your will and spirit. Chelle shares tips for organizing your spell structure, and Laylla explores the importance of storytelling, symbolism, and making your magic yours.This episode is part practical guide, part creative cauldron, and all about helping you craft spells that feel real, rooted, and ready to work. 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

Welcome to the heart of Spellcraft Summer, witches! In the first episode of this special 3-part series on Spellcrafting 101, Laylla and Chelle crack open the grimoire to explore the foundational building blocks of spellwork: correspondences. What exactly are they, and why do they matter? The witches unpack the classic concept of "like attracts like" and the Doctrine of Signatures, an old magical belief that nature marks each plant and object with a clue (or signature) to its purpose.From colors and crystals to herbs, elements, days of the week, and planetary energies, the witches explore how correspondences give your spellwork structure, symbolism, and energetic alignment. They also talk about why you don’t have to memorize every book table out there and why Chelle swears by journaling your own experiences to build a personal system that’s way more powerful than a one-size-fits-all chart.Whether you're just beginning your spellwork journey or looking to refresh your practice, this episode is your warm, witchy invitation to deepen your magical language and start casting spells that truly speak to your magickal self. 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

It’s Spellcraft Summer, witches! Join Laylla and Chelle for a no-nonsense, deeply magickal conversation about reclaiming your peace through protective and baneful magick. Yes, we’re talking hexes, curses, sour jars, freezer spells, and shut the fuck up magick.This episode is about being a powerful steward of your personal peace. We explore how baneful magick can be part of a healthy spiritual practice, especially when used to protect your energy, enforce boundaries, and process anger in sacred ways. From the science of consequences to the symbolism of covered mirrors, we’re unpacking the deeper layers of shadow work and spellcraft.Laylla shares the story of her mom’s workplace hot foot success, Chelle gets spicy about cord-cutting obsessions, and both throw some shade at the idea that witches are only allowed to be nice. Tune in as we explore the magickal art of saying “no” with a little extra summer heat.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

It's summertime and the magic is easy. Chelle and Laylla turn their magical gaze toward the firelit heart of the Wheel of the Year, Litha, the Summer Solstice. As the sun reaches its peak and the days stretch long and golden, our favorite witchy duo dives into the vibrant energy of this high holiday, exploring the themes of abundance, sensuality, solar magic, and the subtle shift toward shadow.Join us as we dance with the lore and light of Midsummer, share ways to celebrate the solstice from your own backyard or altar, and conjure up some mischievous fairy magick inspired by A Midsummer Night’s Dream. From honoring the Fae with honeyed offerings to calling in midsummer dreams with mugwort and moonlight, this episode is a tapestry of seasonal wisdom, ritual ideas, and that special blend of mischief and reverence Laylla and Chelle are known for.So pour yourself some sun tea, slip off your shoes, and let’s get back on the broomstick for a celebration of the longest day, the deepest magic, and the whisperings of the Otherworld.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 of Back on the Broomstick, Laylla and Chelle welcome back Lalania Simone to talk about her brand new deck, Wise Earth Medicine Tarot. Blending traditional tarot structure with the healing wisdom of the natural world, this deck brings together animals and plants to offer grounded, earth-based insight for personal reflection, growth, and divination.The witches and Lalania explore how this deck goes beyond the typical human-centered imagery of tarot, tapping into the primal intelligence of animals, plants, and the land itself. Each card offers not just traditional tarot meaning, but also the unique medicine of the featured creature or plant, allowing readers to connect with nature’s wisdom in a deeply personal way. From the insights of the poppy to the soaring message of a hummingbird, the deck opens up new pathways of intuitive understanding.They also chat about how Wise Earth Medicine Tarot can support personal growth, magickal practice, meditation, and spellwork, as well as how nature-based tarot decks can sometimes help us reach more authentic messages from within. https://redwheelweiser.com/book/wise-earth-medicine-tarot-9781578638635/https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/lalaniasimone/the-myth-weaver-tarothttps://cosmicseedstudio.com/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

Chelle and Laylla are back with witchy answers to your magical questions! This episode is a mixed cauldron of questions about protection, spellwork, deity devotion, and personal practice.First up, they share ways to cast simple but powerful protection spells for loved ones who are traveling. From energy shielding and enchanted comfort items to charm bags, black tourmaline stones, and even a charmed trinket tucked into a suitcase, there are plenty of accessible ways to send a little extra magical safety along for the ride.Next, the witches talk about whether spirit work is required in witchcraft (spoiler: it’s not). They explore how every witchcraft path is different, and how honoring personal boundaries is an important part of magical practice.Then they tackle the mystery of opening the third eye—explaining what it really means, how it connects to introspection and awareness, and offering easy tools like meditation, visualization, herbal allies like mugwort, and crystals such as lapis lazuli to support the journey.They also offer spellwork suggestions for anyone facing obstacles with paperwork, appeals, or red tape. Road opening spells take center stage here, and the witches explain why hexing large corporations may help you let off steam but may not bring a lot of success.Finally, they explore how to build a personal relationship with deity for those feeling drawn worship. The witches share ideas for offerings, altar building, and why learning can be the ultimate act of devotion.It’s another packed episode full of down-to-earth advice, encouragement, and plenty of magical inspiration to bring into your own practice. 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 of Back on the Broomstick, Laylla and Chelle mark World Tarot Day, celebrated each year on May 25th, a magical holiday dreamed into being by Den Elder back in 2003. The witches also discuss Chelle's birthday! A witchy holiday dreamed into being by her parents back in the late 1900's! The witches take this special day as an opportunity to reflect on their own long-standing relationships with the cards, sharing how Tarot has shaped their practices, their insights, and their spiritual growth.They explore the many uses of Tarot beyond readings; a tool for spellwork, meditation, dreamwork, altar magic, and connecting with guides or ancestors. Chelle introduces a brand-new Tarot spread, Flowers of May - Where Will I Bloom, crafted to find insights on what you need and where you're going; while Laylla dives into why card positions matter, how symbolic placement can shape meaning, and how to start crafting your own spreads with confidence and creativity.And in a perfect bit of cosmic timing, the witches note that Chelle’s birthday is just a few days later, on May 31st! Proof that Tarot and Chelle were meant to walk the same path. Call it synchronicity, fate, or just good astrology, even the stars knew that Chelle and Tarot would be close!Join them in honoring the cards as sacred mirrors, wise companions, and magical tools that keep showing up right when we need them. Happy World Tarot Day! And happy early birthday to Chelle!Interview with Den ElderGot 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 special bonus episode of Back on the Broomstick, Laylla and Chelle share the deity invocations and full guided meditation from their ritual workshop, The Fool’s Path: Unlocking Potential and Possibility. This transformative journey invites you to walk the spiral, breathe into the liminal, and meet your personal Fool archetype, the Tarot’s sacred symbol of wild beginnings and untapped potential.This recording is crafted to be a complete ritual experience. You'll begin with calls to deities who watch over thresholds, transformation, and the wisdom of uncertainty. Then, through guided meditation, you’ll enter the spiral path and meet The Fool, a figure who carries no map but trusts the path anyway. The Fool reflects the part of you that knows how to begin again, to risk vulnerability, and to find magic in the unknown. This is a ritual for anyone standing at the edge of something new, whether by choice or by fate, and looking for clarity, courage, or just a moment of sacred reflection.Deity calls begin at 8 minutesGuided meditation begins at 11:16 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

Chelle and Laylla sit down with artist, astrologer, and tarot reader Natalie Labriola to explore her new book, Tarot: Timeless Secrets of the Ancient Mirror. Together, they unpack how tarot works as a map for personal reflection, offering a tool to navigate those tricky, shadowy corners of the self that can be hard to access through logic alone.The witches and Natalie discuss how the tarot can help us see what's lingering in our blind spots, bringing unconscious patterns, emotions, and truths into the light where they can be worked with intentionally. From using the cards for self-inquiry to approaching tarot as both an ancient oracle and a modern mirror, this conversation is rich with practical wisdom and a touch of the mystical.In a delightful twist, the conversation reveals a synchronistic connection between Natalie's book and the Fool's Journey Meditation Ritual Chelle and Laylla recently led. Additionally, the witches inquire about Natalie's approach to reading reversed cards. Despite including reversed meanings in her book, Natalie shares her personal practice and insights, offering listeners a nuanced perspective on interpreting tarot spreads.This episode invites you to sit with your deck, listen, reflect, and remember that sometimes the answers you seek are already within. You may just need the right mirror to see them.Tarot - Timeless Secrets of the Ancient Mirror by Natalie Labriola  https://redwheelweiser.com/book/tarot-9781952178474/Website https://www.talis.studio/Instagram https://www.instagram.com/natalielabriolaGot a question? Send the witches a message here!Leadership Lessons From The Great BooksLeaders are readers of the Great Books of Western literature.Listen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifySupport 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 sun-soaked episode of Back on the Broomstick, Laylla and Chelle throw open the doors to the Solarium and invite you into the green-growing magic of their top 5 favorite herbs for a spellcraft summer. These aren’t your average tea herbs; these are radiant, protective, visionary, and sensual allies, ready to be sipped, smoked, or burned in your spellwork. Whether you're brewing a potion, crafting a charm, or just need something smokable to stir your senses,the witches have got you covered!We’re talking Calendula for joy and radiant abundance, mugwort for dreams and divination, damiana for sensual fire and confidence, peppermint for purification and momentum, nettles, catnip, garden sage, and more! Expect practical tips, lore-rich insights, and a little irreverent laughter as the witches stir together kitchen magic, smoke blend suggestions, and spellwork ideas to carry you through the season.So grab your mortar and pestle, your favorite smoking vessel, and a mug of something enchanted, and join us in the Solarium for an episode packed with herbalicious summer witchery. This is the start of your season of spellcraft and these plant allies are ready to rise with you. Got a question? Send the witches a message here!Leadership Lessons From The Great BooksLeaders are readers of the Great Books of Western literature.Listen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifySupport 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