July’s moon is known as the Blessing Moon, Buck Moon, and Lavender Moon, and today’s full moon is particularly magical. Not only is it a deep red blood moon, but it is also the longest lunar eclipse of this century! So take the chance to harness some of that powerful energy!
In this minisode we discuss some of the incredible women running for office this November–and rant a fair bit about the realities of living in a patriarchal society.
Our theme song is “Moon and Spruce” by Sarah Littledrum.
Part One: Magical Experiences, Discoveries, and Thoughts
Happy Midsummer and Matariki (Māori New Year)! June’s full moon is known as the Strawberry Moon, Oak Moon, Honey Moon, Mead Moon, Rose Moon, and Basil Moon.
In this episode we discuss TheJumbies (audiobook), writtenby Tracey Baptiste and narrated by Robin Miles.
Our theme song is “Moon and Spruce” by Sarah Littledrum.
Here’s a listening guide for the episode. (For a description of our segments, go here.)
Introduction (0:00 – 4:42)
Which Craft? (4:46 – 13:21)
Story inspired by Caribbean fairy tales like “The Magic Orange Tree”
Island setting, Caribbean culture
Audiobook narration: wide range of voices that reflects the diversity of the Caribbean
Reading songs in books
The early reveal of Severine’s identity and humanization of her character
Reinforcing the theme of balance by alternating points of view
“Are You a Good Witch or a Bad Witch?” (13:27 – 31:22)
Nuanced depiction of “bad” characters
Multiculturalism in the Caribbean reflected in the characters
Celebration of dark skin
Core group of friends: 2 girls and 2 boys
Malik as a non-verbal character
Overlapping issues of indigeneity, colonization, slavery, and immigration
“We Are Not a Nation of Immigrants”: “We should say: We are a Nation of Immigrants, Descendants of Chattel Slavery & First Peoples of this Land. This would compel all Americans to acquaint themselves to the true history and sacrifices of this land that carved out the opportunities they now enjoy.”
“Bald Heads and Queer Noses” (31:28 – 39:12)
Jumbie bodies
The witch’s body and her shriveled arm
The loss of Dru’s hair
“Round About the Cauldron Go” (39:18 – 51:52)
Opening scene: Corinne running through the forest chasing her mother’s necklace–sets up centrality of the island enviornment and Corinne’s growing power
The witch’s magic vs. Corinne’s magic (both based in natural world) and the liminal spaces they inhabit
White witch vs. green woman
Severine’s cooking vs. Corinne’s oranges
Severine as force of death, Nicole as a force of life
New Segment! Lunar Rituals with Jenny (1:01:00 – 1:06:43)
Lovely suggestions for celebrating the summer solstice
Thoughts about the power of oranges (and the sun)
Rituals for the Basil Moon
Re: our comments about family separations at the border. We recorded this episode before the new Executive Order. However, most of the families that were separated have not yet been reunited, and those that have are still being held in internment camps. You can help by calling your representatives and donating to the following organizations:
May’s full moon is known as the Flower Moon, Mother’s Moon, Milk Moon, and Bee Balm Moon. (Check out the end of this post for a fun lunar ritual!)
In this not-so-mini minisode we touch on a whole range of topics, including the reframing power of travel (perfect for a full moon in Sagittarius!); the grounding effects of place and heritage; Carnival and the liberation of marginalized bodies; the peculiar magic of royal weddings; fairies, ghosts, and monsters, and just about everything except witches–which is ridiculous, considering our conversations were centered around New Orleans and Scotland! (To make up for it, I’ve linked some witchy recommendations below.)
Our thanks to Sarah Littledrum for providing the theme song, “Moon and Spruce” (she gets a bee-themed shout out from Jenny in this episode!), and a very special thank you to Linda’s sister, Alisha, who rescued Linda’s recording for us when Linda was out of town.
Finally, if you are moved by Linda’s account of the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, please consider donating to help the people of Puerto Rico who are still suffering from the damage caused by Hurricane Maria. You can find a list of relief organizations here.
Excerpt: “All the clubs owe a huge debt to the women-led social aid and pleasure clubs. … That image of women being able to be sexy and have a different body type really came from black Mardi Gras.”
Excerpt: “Carnival liberated human consciousness and permitted a new outlook by allowing common people to organize themselves ‘in their own way’ as a Carnival crowd. According to Bakhtin, the basic mechanism by which Carnival achieved its liberating effects was through turning the world upside down, especially by privileging images from the earthly underworld and the lower body, what Bakhtin called the ‘material bodily lower stratum’ represented through ‘grotesque realism'” (99).
Happy full moon, witches! April’s full moon (one of the most potent and magical!) is called the Pink Moon for the wild ground phlox flowers that bloom in North America in early spring. Other names include the Sprouting Grass Moon, the Egg Moon, the Fish Moon, the Grey Goose Moon, and the Hare Moon. This year it is also the Scorpio Full Moon.
In this fun grab bag of an episode–our first minisode of season two–we talk about the sorcery of predatory guardianship, the magic of daily practice and setting goals that focus on internal fulfillment, the mystical origins of birthday traditions, and the witchy power of Hamilton! (Tip: Listen closely to Jenny’s section for some beautiful birdsong in the background!) We also give recommendations for some uncanny books and board games. See below for links and further reading.
Our theme song is “Moon and Spruce” by Sarah Littledrum.
Part One: Magical Experiences, Discoveries, and Thoughts
Happy full moon, warriors! And happy Ostara, Passover, and Easter to those who celebrate. It’s the last blue moon of 2018, so we hope you’re doing something magical tonight!
In this episode we discuss Madeleine L’Engle’s beloved children’s classic A Wrinkle in Time as well as the recent (2018) film adaptation directed by Ava DuVernay.
Our theme song is “Moon and Spruce” by Sarah Littledrum.
Here’s a listening guide for the episode. (For a description of our segments, go here.)
Introduction (0:00 – 4:11)
Which Craft? (4:16 – 30:50)
L’Engle’s publication journey and inspiration for the book
Setting for the story: New England vs. L.A.
“It was a dark and stormy night”
Mrs. Whatsit, Mrs. Who, and Mrs. Which as witches (+ references to Shakespeare)
A Wrinkle in Time as a contemporary dream vision
Process of adaptation and changes made for the film:
Focus on Meg’s journey: learning to love herself
Sequence on Camazotz
Final showdown with the IT
Meg’s relationship with her father
Mrs. Who’s quotes
Changes to Mrs. Whatsit’s character
Changes to the Happy Medium
Visuals/ CGI and music
“Are You a Good Witch or a Bad Witch?” + “Bald Heads and Queer Noses” (30:55 – 55:37)
Casting Storm Reid and centering women of color
Meg’s journey to embrace her body and natural hair
The witches’ appearance and bodies
Importance of representation in film and how movies like Black Panther and A Wrinkle in Time are changing the industry
Calvin as sidekick/ love interest/ supporting character
Happy full moon, witches! And welcome to season two!
That’s right. Our whole coven is back to discuss the 2014 film adaptation of the Sondheim musical Into the Woods. The perfect way to kick off a month with a blue moon!
The first full moon in March is called the Sap Moon or Worm Moon. Other names include the Moon of Winds, the Death Moon, the Chaste Moon, the Fish Moon, the Sleepy Moon, and the Big Famine Moon.
CW: sexual assault, #MeToo, Larry Nassar, Johnny Depp, infidelity, infertility. See the listening guide below for which sections to skip.
Our theme song is “Moon and Spruce” by Sarah Littledrum.
Here’s a listening guide for the episode. (For a description of our segments, go here.)
Introduction (0:00 – 3:15)
Which Craft? (3:30 – 17:10)
Adaptation: differences between the stage version and screen version
Circular narrative and the four central characters
Effect of using and changing familiar stories (and returning to the darker roots of fairy tales)
Meryl Streep’s performance
Conveying theme through lighting, music, and special effects
The baker and his wife as everyman characters
“Are You a Bald Head or a Queer Nose?”: Representation + Bodies (17:40 – 1:05:45)
The baker and toxic masculinity/ social pressures (+ the importance of having a supportive community in order to change cycles of abuse/ destructive behaviors/ demands of cisheteronormativity)
So many dead mothers (separation of child and parent as central theme)
Women in diverse stages of life–but no women of color 😦
Sexual violence: Red Riding Hood and the Wolf, Larry Nassar, #MeToo, empowering victims of assault (31:14 – 40:26)
Jack’s sexual awakening and the princes’ focus on sexual conquest (40:26 – 42:45)
The baker’s wife: punishing women for infidelity (43:20 – 49:46)
The witch’s body: can beauty and power co-exist? + healing from assault (49:52 – 55:35)
Infertility as a curse (55:41 – 59:49)
Blindness, disability, and magical princess tears
“Round about the Treguna”: Nature + Spirituality (1:06:06 – 1:22:46)
The woods as a psychological, transformative space/ journey
Getting what you wish for/ the magic of normalcy
Liminal spaces, bridging life and death
The spell and its ingredients (transmuted by the cow)
The witch’s garden and magic beans
Final Spells (1:23:13 – 1:28:20)
Typecast Lucy Punch and other versions of Cinderella
Other movies/ plays with similar musical themes
Learning from and improving on our parents’ example
Happy full moon, witches! December’s supermoon (kicking off a supermoon trilogy!) is in Gemini and is known in various cultures as the Cold Moon or the Long Night Moon.
Other names for December’s moon include the Bitter Moon (Chinese), Oak Moon (English), Snow Moon (Cherokee), Peach Moon (Choctaw), and Twelfth Moon (Dakotah Sioux).
We have reached our eighth episode (a very fortuitous number!) and the end of our first season. In this special episode, we reflect back on the texts we’ve discussed and the witches who have inspired us.
Our theme song is “Moon and Spruce” by Sarah Littledrum.
Listen to hear our answers to the following questions:
“Which witch…”
Inspired you to learn something new or to improve your craft?
Helped you to see other people in a new light or to better understand your own position in society?
Changed the way you think of your body or the human body in general?
Taught you something about the natural world or encouraged you to heal and/or connect with your environment?
Encouraged you to create art or foster a spiritual practice?
Made you laugh?
“What was your favorite/ most magical moment from doing the podcast?”
“Which witch wins the ‘Witch of the Year’ Award?”
You can find and listen to all of our previous episodes here.
If you have comments, feedback, and/or suggestions for Season 2, please do let us know! Thanks again for listening, and we will see you on a forthcoming full moon in 2018!
Happy full moon! November’s moon (the most magical!) is in Taurus and known in the pagan tradition as the Tree Moon.
Here are some of the other names for the November moon: Dark Moon (Celtic), White Moon (Chinese), Snow Moon (English), Beaver Moon (Algonquin), Trading Moon (Cherokee), Sassafras Moon (Choctaw), Moon When Horns Are Broken Off (Dakotah Sioux), and Frost Moon (other Native American peoples). In the southern hemisphere it’s called the Corn Moon, Milk Moon, Flower Moon, and Hare Moon. Read more about November’s moon here.
In this episode we discuss Newbery medal winner The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill.
Our theme song is “Moon and Spruce” by Sarah Littledrum.
Here’s a listening guide for the episode. (For a description of our segments, go here.)
Introduction (0:00 – 3:33)
NB: We skipped our formal discussion of craft this time, but our observations about Barnhill’s writing are scattered throughout the episode.
“Are You a Good Witch or a Bad Witch?” (3:38 – 12:15)
Complex, nuanced depictions of female characters (most of the characters are women!)
There actually is a good witch and a bad witch in this book! Ignatia vs. Xan
The Sisters of the Star (female police force) vs. the Elders (male governing body)
Two primary characters, Ethyne and Antain, step away from the established institutions in order to enact change
The Elders’ authority is undermined by women’s friendship
We end with a brief discussion of race
“Bald Heads and Queer Noses” (12:18 – 46:29)
Adara’s “madness” and her magic
Antain’s scarred face (bodies as text!)
Luna’s neurodivergence, dyslexia, and changing body (and how it intersects with her magic)
Importance of the New England setting (maple leaves and fall)
Origins of Halloween and the intersection with Salem and colonialism
Binx the cat
The witches’ relationship with nature (plus speculation about the witches’ origins, their mother, and their relationship to immortal figures like Hecate and the devil)
Discussion of symbols and how the meaning of signs is dependent on context
The film’s portrayal of the afterlife and the soul
The witches’ psychosomatic pain
Clash of belief systems: science and technology vs. magic and nature
Max’s witchcraft and Alison’s witchcraft
The preservation of the Sanderson house as a museum
Witches in Britches 