136: Ghost Stories, Green Ladies, and Samhain Plans

In this first episode of a brand-new seven-part series, Laylla and Chelle begin their exploration of the Aspects of Deity. Their discussion explores the living faces of the God and Goddess as seen through the Witch’s Wheel of the Year. This week, they turn their gaze toward the radiant Young God, the vibrant spark of life, desire, and potential who dances at the dawn of creation.Where did the idea of the Triple God come from? The Youth, the Father-Warrior, and the Sage? And how did this modern mythos take shape alongside the more familiar Triple Goddess? Join the witches as they trace the roots of this divine evolution, from the early works of Margaret Murray and Robert Graves to the writings of Janet and Stewart Farrar, and into the living, breathing practices of witches today.The Young God is the sunrise in human form. He is playful Pan, inspired Lugh, shining Baldr, the divine son whose growth mirrors our own cycles of becoming. Laylla and Chelle share their thoughts on what it means to work with this energy in the modern Craft: how witches can honor renewal, passion, and the power of beginning again; whether that means lighting your first candle of spring or stepping back into your own becoming after a long winter of the soul.So pour a cup of something bright, light your favorite incense, and settle in as we begin this journey through the sacred faces of the divine. The Young God walks among us. Will you answer his call?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 true Halloween fashion, the witches are conjuring up some ghost stories! In this spirited episode of Back on the Broomstick, Chelle and Laylla share some of their favorite hauntings. Two of them were chosen to honor a fabulously witchy woman, Helen JoJo, who maintains their Facebook community. Chelle and Laylla absolutely love her witchy soul!Chelle shares stories tied to Helen’s home turf, including Ohio’s eerie Hopewell Cemetery and the elegant ghost known as the Lady in Green who haunts the Hilton Cincinnati Netherland Plaza. Laylla, of course, can’t resist a classic “lady in white” tale and brings us the legend of Resurrection Mary from Chicago; the quintessential vanishing hitchhiker ghost that never gets old.There’s also a little witchy rant as Laylla gets into the differences between a Bansidhe and your average haunted cemetery spirit (spoiler: they are not the same thing, folks). And the witches wrap up the episode with a peek into their upcoming Samhain plans.So light a candle, pour some cider, and settle in for tales of ghosts, grief, and the veil growing thin.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

This Samhain, the veil is thin and so is our patience. Join Laylla and Chelle as they throw open the ancestral gates and step boldly into the shadow with the Dark Goddesses at their side. From Hekate’s unwavering torchlight to the Cailleach’s icy wisdom and Baba Yaga’s bone-deep truths, this episode honors the sacred power found not just in grief and endings, but in rage, rebellion, and raw transformation.Our witches aren't here to pretty it up. They’re unpacking how rage can be a teacher, how darkness isn’t evil, and how goddesses like Lilith, Kali, Sekhmet, and Cerridwen invite us to reclaim the parts of ourselves we were told to fear. Expect myth, magic, personal reflections, and a spell to help you tap into your own dark fire.So light a candle, call in your fiercest ancestors, and step into the dark with us. The crone is calling, the cauldron is bubbling, and your power is waiting.Samhain EpisodesNever Again the Burning - by Gale Perrigo Hamby35: The Witch’s Lament: Finding Solace in Samhain’s Shadows84: Samhain Movie Magick or Just a Bunch of Hocus Pocus?86: Samhain ThrowbackGot 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 haunted October episode, your favorite witchy besties try their hand at ghost hunting and bring along a very special gift! At CNY Pagan Pride, the witches were gifted a vintage Ouija board from listener Vik (thank you!). Naturally, they had to take it for a spin, and where better than one of the most haunted cemeteries in their neck of the woods (and a place Chelle has had some ghostie experiences in the past), Fallbrook Cemetery in Tioga County, Pennsylvania.Fallbrook cemetery is all that remains of a once thriving coal mining town. Now it's a well known haunted location, with more than its fair share of spooky stories. The witches share the eerie details of what happened from the moment they entered till the time they left and when Chelle's sweet love ignored their advice, and talk all things cemetery etiquette; whether you're ghost hunting, gathering spell components, or simply communing with the spirits who dwell there.This episode also has tips on what to do after visiting a place thick with spirit energy, from grounding and cleansing to offering gratitude and respect. So grab your travel altar and a pinch of salt, and join us for a walk on the witchier side of October.*Future Laylla note - the audio from the tape comes out as messy hissing when I try and convert it to something I can play here. Still working on it!Previous episode about Fallbrook cemetery (and a super cool ghostly skeleton story from Laylla) Episode 7: A Skeleton Looking for Love & Chelle's Cursed TripGot 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 thirteenth Solarium episode, the witches have decided to cackle through something a little different. Inspired by the podcast Beach Too Sandy, Water Too Wet, Laylla and Chelle cozy up with a cup of tea and a toke to read out loud some of the most hilariously unhinged one-star reviews of their favorite haunts around Salem, Massachusetts.No spot is safe from the sass! From The Salem Witch Museum, The Witch House, Count Orlok’s Nightmare Gallery, to the Peabody Essex Museum, and even the very haunted rooms of The Hawthorne Hotel; the witches explore the absurd expectations, bad attitudes, and wild misunderstandings that turn up in the review sections of these iconic places.It’s a spirited roast with plenty of witchy side-eye, a few gasps, and lots of laughter. If you’ve ever rolled your eyes at a tourist tantrum or chuckled at someone’s review of “too many witches in Salem,” this one’s for you.So settle in, light up, and laugh along with the witchy duo in this slightly unhinged, definitely delightful, Season of the Witch Salem reviewGot 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

Grab your favorite autumn brew and settle in, witches! Laylla and Chelle are back with another magickal installment of Witches Answer, where they dive into YOUR questions about all things witchcraft.This episode is packed with practical magick and insider wisdom! The hosts share their personal recommendations for navigating Salem during the enchanting chaos of October. From must visit shops and hidden gems to the best places to stay and tastiest places to eat. Questions from listeners cover so many areas! Feeling called to work with the powerful goddess Hecate? Laylla and Chelle discuss meaningful ways to approach this ancient deity of crossroads, magick, and the liminal spaces, including altar setup, appropriate offerings, and what to expect when you extend your hand to the Queen of Witches. For the tarot curious, the hosts break down how to choose your very first deck. And because magick isn't just about casting, it's also about respectful completion, they tackle the often asked question of how to properly dispose of spell jars when your work is done, with multiple methods for different types of spells.Ouija board curious? Listen in for tips on how to use a Ouija board safely. And what kind of FAFO antics in an ancient, haunted, cemetery did the witches get up to with a Spirit Board that was gifted to them by a listener???Plus tips, resource recommendations, and the kind of witchy banter that makes you feel like you're sitting around a cauldron with your best magickal friends!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

Numbers are math and magick. In this episode Laylla and Chelle have a conversation on the mystical language of numbers and how they weave into modern witchcraft. From ancient Pythagorean teachings to Kabbalah, Tarot, and spirit numbers (angel numbers), they discuss the history of how numbers become woven into magick. For many witches, numbers are sigils, omens, archetypes, and magical blueprints for our lives.You’ll learn how to calculate your Life Path, Destiny, and Soul Urge numbers, and discover what those vibrations reveal about your journey. Laylla and Chelle will also share how repeating numbers like 111, 222, and 333 can show up as messages, and why the Universe loves to talk in patterns. (especially the Fibonacci spiral!)There is even a little discussion, dare I say disagreement, on whether numbers can have meanings that are purely personal, or if they also have an inherent power of their own that carries influence even with personal meaning. What do you think?If you’ve never cracked open a numerology book or you’re already catching 111s and 222s on the regular, this episode is for you. The witches share stories and sprinkle in some down-to-earth magic as they give you practical ideas on how to listen when numbers start whispering. Numbers and math are one of the clearest ways the universe speaks to us, what do you think it's saying?Check out our website for written instructions on how to calculate your numbers of fate! 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

Content Note: This episode contains discussions of symbolic death and transformation that may be challenging for some listeners. We explore themes of figuratively "killing" or releasing parts of ourselves as part of spiritual growth and personal transformation. While these conversations are metaphorical and focus on inner work and letting go, we understand that death imagery and themes of sacrifice, even in a symbolic context, can be difficult or triggering for those processing grief, loss, or other personal experiences. Please take care of yourself and listen when you feel ready. We also thank those of you who reached out to us and mentioned that while you were grateful for the PSA we included, felt that a stronger one was necessary. To those of you walking through grief right now: we see you, we honor the weight you carry, and we hold you tenderly with our magick and in our hearts. May you find gentleness with yourselves in the dark seasons, and know that you are not alone in your sorrow. This episode is a dark conversation for the dark half of the year. The witches sit down with Iberian Shamaness, Priestess, and author Ness Bosch to talk about her work, her book Sacred Bones, Magic Bones, and the deep magick of inner work and symbolic sacrifice. Living in Scotland and teaching internationally, Ness brings a grounded and ancient perspective to the conversation.Together, they explore powerful mythic figures like Persephone, Inanna, Cailleach, and Ariadne; goddesses who carry wounds and wisdom, and who show us how to walk willingly into the shadows of transformation. This episode is full of the intensity of the season. The three witches discuss the themes of sacrifice, symbolic death, and of letting go to make room for something new when the light returns.Prepare to be challenged, comforted, and called inward as Ness shares insights on spiritual death, ancestral healing, and the fierce power of dark goddesses, even when wounded. It's an episode about finding sacredness in surrender, and magic in the bones we carry.National Sexual Assault Hotline Text HOPE to 64673 to get support directly on your device. Suicide and Crisis Lifeline 988Depression Hotline 888-912-7630If you are in immediate danger, call 911Got 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

As a companion to episode 129: Water Energy – Emotion, Intuition, and the Sacred Self, this guided meditation carries you deep into the flowing current of the water element. Through breath and visualization, you will journey inward to the divine, the sacred well of the subconscious, the liminal place where the old Gods dwell and the magick of our inner witch stirs. Here, you’ll touch the currents of emotion, psychic ability, and ancestral power, allowing the protective energy of the deep to rise within you. Work with elemental water to reconnect you with your sacred self, leaving you refreshed, intuitive, and empowered.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 the final episode of our five-part Elemental Energy series, the witches turn their attention to the most mysterious element of all, Spirit. Unlike earth, air, fire, or water, Spirit isn’t something you can touch or see. It’s the invisible force that connects everything, the energy that breathes life into matter, and the current that runs through all magickal work.Join Laylla and Chelle as they try to define the undefinable. What is Spirit? How does it show up in our practices? And how is it different from working with Deity or calling on the Ancestors? From spirals and stillness to veils and voids, this episode dives deep into the element that weaves the rest together.Whether you think of it as Akasha, aether, quintessence, or simply the magic in the air, Spirit invites us to listen, to feel, and to remember that we are always connected; to each other, to the earth, and to the divine.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