{"id":24509,"date":"2021-07-01T01:10:34","date_gmt":"2021-07-01T05:10:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/?p=24509"},"modified":"2021-06-22T10:26:56","modified_gmt":"2021-06-22T14:26:56","slug":"witch-hunt-8","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/2021\/07\/01\/witch-hunt-8\/","title":{"rendered":"Witch Hunt"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

There are witches all around us. You can find them anywhere\u2026<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The Witch on Wheels<\/a> has been documenting her findings.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Meet Kim McFadden<\/span><\/span><\/h1>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Kim was one of six of us who were founding members of a coven some sixteen years ago that changed over time but continues still, without us. Her strong, calm Taurus presence grounds me when she is near. She has a wicked sense of humor, and owns all her thoughts and behaviors, keeping her real. Kim hosts my stays in Connecticut and we often have wine on the porch and watch the sun set beyond my bus. Her house is modest for her job title, it\u2019s almost done being remodeled, and it reflects her personality. A line she repeats often is, \u201cEvery brick in this house is a blessing from the Goddess.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

1. Do you have a magical name you\u2019re willing to share?
\n<\/span><\/span><\/strong>I haven\u2019t use it in so long. It\u2019s Ursa Rowane.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

2. In what state do you reside?
\n<\/span><\/span><\/strong>Connecticut<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

3. How do you make your living?
\n<\/span><\/span><\/strong>I\u2019m an engineering manager at an aerospace company.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

4. Are you out of the broom closet? \/ Have you felt threatened?
\n<\/span><\/span><\/strong>That\u2019s an interesting question. No, I\u2019ve never felt threatened. I don\u2019t particularly care what anyone else thinks. I consider myself out of the closet in that I don\u2019t hide, but I\u2019m not \u201cin your face\u201d with my faith.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

5. When did you first know you were a witch? How long have you been practicing?<\/span><\/span><\/strong>
\nWhen I was 18; I had moved to Atlanta to go to Georgia Tech and I took tarot lessons and realized I had an affinity for that.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

6. How do you define your practice? Do you follow a specific tradition?
\n<\/span><\/span><\/strong>I follow a pretty basic Wiccan tradition. I know a lot of my sisters are very Dianic, but I don\u2019t tend to avoid god energy. I very much believe in the necessity of balance in all things.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

7. What one object must be on your altar for it to be an altar?
\n<\/span><\/span><\/strong>Oddly enough, my talking stick because the end of it is wound with different colors of embroidery floss that made a rainbow; My son made it ab<\/span><\/span>o<\/span><\/span>ut 18 years ago.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

8. Do you have a daily practice?
\n<\/span><\/span><\/strong>No, not an official one. I have my daily rituals, I wouldn\u2019t consider them practical magic. When it comes to my faith, it\u2019s more of a gratitude practice. I remind myself of the little things I am incredibly grateful for.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

9. How do you respond when someone asks, \u201cAre you a good witch or a bad witch?\u201d
\n<\/span><\/span><\/strong>If someone were to ask method question, depending on the circumstances, I\u2019d answer, \u201cYou better hope I\u2019m a good witch.\u201d or \u201cI am a good witch, but I could be persuaded otherwise.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

10. Do you have a familiar?
\n<\/span><\/span><\/strong>Yes. Magpie. My daughter bought him home. He was the last left of a litter. No one wanted him because he was a little straggly black cat with a bend at the tip of his tail.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

11. What was your most magical experience?
\n<\/span><\/span><\/strong>About two dozen women were sitting in circle during a retreat when one sister let go so much emotion, it blew a hole in our circle and I knew I had to keep it from collapsing. Walking around the altar in the center of the room, I kept chanting and pushing the skin of the circle back into place with my hands wherever it shrunk. I didn\u2019t know if I could hold it, but I knew I had to try.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

12. What is your favorite:
\nSabbat:<\/span><\/span><\/strong> When my daughter was young, it was Ostara because we\u2019d let the maidens construct the altar. Now it\u2019s Mabon, because that\u2019s when we tend to gather as a sisterhood.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Element:<\/span><\/span><\/strong> Earth<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

God:<\/span><\/span><\/strong> Green Man<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Goddess:<\/span><\/span><\/strong> Hecate <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Animal or other totem:<\/span><\/span><\/strong> The armadillo for sure, but also bear, whales and bats. Moose are pretty cool, too.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Tool:<\/span><\/span><\/strong> My talking stick. I use it for a lot of things.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Tarot deck or card:<\/span><\/span><\/strong> My tried and true Rider-Waite. I\u2019ve been using that deck since I was 18 years old. The pages of the book I got to go with it when I was taking those lessons are brown, and there\u2019s notes my 18-year-old self wrote. I own other decks, and I like to look at them, but I don\u2019t read with them.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Gemstone:<\/span><\/span><\/strong> My grandmother\u2019s birthstone and she loved hem so, even though it\u2019s supposedly bad luck to wear them if it\u2019s not your birthstone \u2013 opal.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Ritual garb:<\/span><\/span><\/strong> My black cloak<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Fictional witch: <\/span><\/span><\/strong>Sally Owens from the
\n\u201cPractical Magic\u201d series.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Spell or ritual:<\/span><\/span><\/strong> Every time I have to walk into a meeting, I have a little talk with the goddess to have a more powerful presence and it works.\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Piece of wisdom:\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/strong>This took me a long time to learn, and oddly I learned it from my ex-husband. Things are not as dark as they seem. Things can always be worse, so this, too, will pass.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

***<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

About the Author:<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Lynn Woike<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

thewitchonwheels.com<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

All my life I have known magic was real. As a child, I played with the fae, established relationships with trees and \u201cjust knew things.\u201d In my maiden years I discovered witchcraft and dabbled in the black-candles-and-cemeteries-at-midnight-on-a-fullmoon magick just enough to realize I did not understand its power. I went on to explore many practices including Zen, astrology, color therapy, native traditions, tarot, herbs, candle magic, gems, and, as I moved into my mother years, Buddhism, the Kabbalah and Reiki. The first man I dated after my divorce was a witch who reintroduced me to the Craft, this time by way of the Goddess. For 11 years I was in a coven, but with retirement, I have returned to an eclectic solitary practice. When accepting the mantle of crone, I pledged to serve and teach. This is what I do from my skoolie \u2013 a 30-year-old school bus converted into a tiny house on wheels that I am driving around the country, following 72-degree weather, emerging myself into nature, and sharing magic with those I meet. Find me at <\/span><\/span><\/span>thewitchonwheels.com<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a>, Facebook and Instagram.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

  There are witches all around us. You can find them anywhere\u2026 The Witch on Wheels has been documenting her findings.   Meet Kim McFadden     Kim was one of six of us who were founding members of a coven some sixteen years ago that changed over time but continues still, without us. Her strong, calm Taurus presence grounds me when she is near. She has a wicked sense of humor, and owns all her thoughts and behaviors, keeping her real. Kim hosts my stays in Connecticut and we often have wine on the porch and watch the sun set beyond my bus. Her house is modest for her job title, it\u2019s almost done being remodeled, and it reflects her personality. A line she repeats often is, \u201cEvery brick in this house is a blessing from the Goddess.\u201d 1. Do you have a magical name you\u2019re willing to share? I haven\u2019t use it in so long. It\u2019s Ursa Rowane. 2. In what state do you reside? Connecticut 3. How do you make your living? I\u2019m an engineering manager at an aerospace company. 4. Are you out of the broom closet? \/ Have you felt threatened? That\u2019s an interesting question. No, I\u2019ve never felt threatened. I don\u2019t particularly care what anyone else thinks. I consider myself out of the closet in that I don\u2019t hide, but I\u2019m not \u201cin your face\u201d with my faith. 5. When did you first know you were a witch? How long have you been practicing? When I was 18; I had moved to Atlanta to go to Georgia Tech and I took tarot lessons and realized I had an affinity for that.\u00a0 6. How do you define your practice? Do you follow a specific tradition? I follow a pretty basic Wiccan tradition. I know a lot of my sisters are very Dianic, but I don\u2019t tend to avoid god energy. I very much believe in the necessity of balance in all things. 7. What one object must be on your altar for it to be an altar? Oddly enough, my talking stick because the end of it is wound with different colors of embroidery floss that made a rainbow; My son made it about 18 years ago. 8. Do you have a daily practice? No, not an official one. I have my daily rituals, I wouldn\u2019t consider them practical magic. When it comes to my faith, it\u2019s more of a gratitude practice. I remind myself of the little things I am incredibly grateful for.\u00a0 9. How do you respond when someone asks, \u201cAre you a good witch or a bad witch?\u201d If someone were to ask method question, depending on the circumstances, I\u2019d answer, \u201cYou better hope I\u2019m a good witch.\u201d or \u201cI am a good witch, but I could be persuaded otherwise.\u201d 10. Do you have a familiar? Yes. Magpie. My daughter bought him home. He was the last left of a litter. No one wanted him because he was a little straggly black cat with a bend at the tip of his tail. 11. What was your most magical experience? About two dozen women were sitting in circle during a retreat when one sister let go so much emotion, it blew a hole in our circle and I knew I had to keep it from collapsing. Walking around the altar in the center of the room, I kept chanting and pushing the skin of the circle back into place with my hands wherever it shrunk. I didn\u2019t know if I could hold it, but I knew I had to try.\u00a0 12. What is your favorite: Sabbat: When my daughter was young, it was Ostara because we\u2019d let the maidens construct the altar. Now it\u2019s Mabon, because that\u2019s when we tend to gather as a sisterhood. Element: Earth God: Green Man Goddess: Hecate Animal or other totem: The armadillo for sure, but also bear, whales and bats. Moose are pretty cool, too. Tool: My talking stick. I use it for a lot of things. Tarot deck or card: My tried and true Rider-Waite. I\u2019ve been using that deck since I was 18 years old. The pages of the book I got to go with it when I was taking those lessons are brown, and there\u2019s notes my 18-year-old self wrote. I own other decks, and I like to look at them, but I don\u2019t read with them. Gemstone: My grandmother\u2019s birthstone and she loved hem so, even though it\u2019s supposedly bad luck to wear them if it\u2019s not your birthstone \u2013 opal. Ritual garb: My black cloak Fictional witch: Sally Owens from the \u201cPractical Magic\u201d series. Spell or ritual: Every time I have to walk into a meeting, I have a little talk with the goddess to have a more powerful presence and it works.\u00a0 Piece of wisdom:\u00a0 This took me a long time to learn, and oddly I learned it from my ex-husband. Things are not as dark as they seem. Things can always be worse, so this, too, will pass.\u00a0 *** About the Author: Lynn Woike thewitchonwheels.com All my life I have known magic was real. As a child, I played with the fae, established relationships with trees and \u201cjust knew things.\u201d In my maiden years I discovered witchcraft and dabbled in the black-candles-and-cemeteries-at-midnight-on-a-fullmoon magick just enough to realize I did not understand its power. I went on to explore many practices including Zen, astrology, color therapy, native traditions, tarot, herbs, candle magic, gems, and, as I moved into my mother years, Buddhism, the Kabbalah and Reiki. The first man I dated after my divorce was a witch who reintroduced me to the Craft, this time by way of the Goddess. For 11 years I was in a coven, but with retirement, I have returned to an eclectic solitary practice. When accepting the mantle of crone, I pledged to serve and teach. This is what I do from my skoolie \u2013 a 30-year-old school bus converted into a tiny house on wheels that I am driving around the country, following 72-degree weather, emerging myself into nature, and sharing magic with those I meet. Find me at thewitchonwheels.com, Facebook and Instagram.  <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":210,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"iawp_total_views":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[10004],"tags":[11802,13176,12474,13177,10772,10194,12416],"class_list":["post-24509","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-monthly-columns","tag-community","tag-getting-to-know","tag-hunt","tag-kim-mcfadden","tag-people","tag-witch","tag-witch-on-wheels"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24509","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/210"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=24509"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24509\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":24511,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24509\/revisions\/24511"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24509"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=24509"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=24509"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}