The Witch Wave

Katherine May is an internationally bestselling author and podcaster based in Whitstable, UK. Her most recent book, Enchantment: Awakening Wonder in an Anxious Age became an instant New York Times and Sunday Times bestseller. Her internationally bestselling hybrid memoir Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times was adapted as BBC Radio 4’s Book of the Week, and was shortlisted for the Porchlight and Barnes and Noble Book of the Year. The Electricity of Every Living Thing, her memoir of a midlife autism diagnosis, was adapted as an audio drama by Audible. Other titles include novels such as The Whitstable High Tide Swimming Club, and The Best, Most Awful Job, an anthology of essays about motherhood which she edited. Her journalism and essays have appeared in a range of publications including The New York Times, The Observer and Aeon.

Katherine’s podcast, How We Live Now, ranks in the top 1% worldwide, and she has been a guest presenter for On Being’s The Future of Hope series.

On this episode, Katherine discusses why enchantment matters, the differences between British and American attitudes toward spirituality, and the magic of connecting to the natural world.

Pam also talks about her own enchanted exploration, and answers a listener question about learning the beginning elements of witchcraft.

Our sponsors for this episode are Snowy Owl Tea, Bonearrow, The Moon Studio, Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab, BetterHelp, and Mithras Candle.

We also have brand new print-on-demand merch like Witch Wave shirts, sweatshirts, totes, stickers, and mugs available now here.

And if you want more Witch Wave, please consider supporting us on Patreon to get access to bonus Witch Wave Plus episodes, Pam’s monthly online rituals, and more! That’s patreon.com/witchwave

The Witch Wave fairy podmother and sonic sensei, CC Paschal, has been on a spiritual - and material - journey to save their family's ancestral home *by the end of this month!* Please share CC's GoFundMe widely and do contribute if you are able to!

CC Paschal (she/they) currently heads editorial content and development at the audio production house, Molten Heart. She also teaches audio documentary art, most recently at The Salt Institute for Documentary Studies at Maine College of Art & Design. Their book, "Audiocraft, The Art and Business of Making Podcasts that Mean Something" is out later this year from Routledge.

Previously, CC was the series editor of NPR’s critically acclaimed narrative series Louder Than a Riot, about the interconnected rise of mass incarceration and hip-hop culture; as well as Malcolm Gladwell’s Broken Record, and the award-winning independent show about intimacy and power, The Heart. In 2017, CC was a lead producer on Gimlet Media's Peabody award-winning production Uncivil where she honed her genealogical research skills and first discovered her Melungeon / Free People of Color ancestry.

On this bonus episode of The Witch Wave, CC discusses their magical mission to save their family's home, the importance of Black land stewardship in America, and the spiritual synchronicities that helped them heed this ancestral call.

(Here’s CC’s GoFundMe page once again!)

Andrea Gutiérrez-Glik is a therapist who specializes in treating trauma and PTSD/c-PTSD for women and queer & trans folks, using EMDR, IFS, and feminist therapy practices to help clients come home to themselves. 

She began as a crisis counselor at a peer led, grassroots organization and quickly found her calling, going on to serve at many organizations and non-profits that provide therapeutic services for women & LGBTQ folks. Over the years Andrea has been able to serve the LGBTQ+, feminist, sex worker, and survivor community in many capacities as a trauma therapist, sex educator, facilitator, intake coordinator, and community organizer, and more recently, career coach. 

Andrea received her LMSW in 2017 from Hunter College School of Social Work and her LCSW in 2020. In 2023 she became certified in EMDR. Her ultra-popular Instagram account @somaticwitch also provides followers with advice and insights around integrated healing.  

She is proud to be an out queer lesbian therapist, and currently lives and practices on occupied Osage, Sioux, Kaskaskia and Kickapoo land, at the confluence of the Missouri, Mississippi, and Illinois Rivers. She sees clients in St. Louis, MO at EMPOWERED Spaces.

On this episode, Andrea discusses why honoring the body is a key part of therapy, (super)natural ways to heal trauma, and ways that we can all transmute stress into strength.

Pam also talks about magical embodiment, and answers a listener question about releasing anxiety during spell work.

Our sponsors for this episode are Imbue Jewelry Studio, UBU Skills, Midge Blitz, Lilith Amberly, BetterHelp, Heal the Witch Wound out from Weiser Books, and Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab

We also have brand new print-on-demand merch like Witch Wave shirts, sweatshirts, totes, stickers, and mugs available now here.

And if you want more Witch Wave, please consider supporting us on Patreon to get access to bonus Witch Wave Plus episodes, Pam’s monthly online rituals, and more! That’s patreon.com/witchwave

BONUS EPISODE: In honor of the brilliant Rachel Pollack who passed away on April 7th, we're rereleasing our episode with her. May you rest in peace and power, Rachel, our eternal High Priestess of Heresy. <3

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Rachel Pollack was a legend who is perhaps best known as one of the world’s foremost tarot experts, having written such classics as Seventy Eight Degrees of Wisdom and The New Tarot Handbook. She’s also the creator of The Shining Tribe Tarot and co-creator with Robert Place of The Burning Serpent Oracle and the Raziel Deck.

But tarot is just of tip of the iceberg, as she was the author of 43 books of fiction and non-fiction, many of them in the speculative or sci-fi genres, including Unquenchable Fire which won the Arthur C. Clarke Award, and Godmother Night, which won the World Fantasy Award. She was also an accomplished comic book writer and pioneer, and during her run for DC Comics’ Doom Patrol in the 1990s, she introduced one of the world’s first transgender superheroes - and is now considered by many to be a transgender superhero herself.

Rachel’s work has been translated into 16 languages, and she has taught and lectured on tarot, creative writing, gender, and innumerable other topics in the U.S. Canada, Europe, the UK, Australia, New Zealand, and China. And until her retirement, she was a senior faculty member of Goddard College’s MFA in Writing program.

Rachel’s most recent book is The Beatrix Gates, a volume which collects several of her most visionary stories as well as a brand new essay on magic and transgender living. In 2020, it was nominated for a Lambda Award.

One can see why poet Cat Fitzpatrick called Rachel “a living national treasure.”

On this episode, Rachel discusses the relationship between tarot and comic books, the importance of visionary transgender storytelling, and why her religion is Heresy.

Pam also speaks about following magical clues long term, and answers a listener question about practicing fire magic in the home.

Evan Doherty is the Toronto-based creator of Arcane Bullshit, a darkly hilarious, many-tentacled project with a cult following that encompasses weird merch, macabre memes, the Arcane Bullshit Oracle Deck - and now an upcoming book. Arcane Bullshit juxtaposes vintage found imagery from mythology, biology, and history with surreal, absurdist captions. The Arcane Bullshit Oracle Deck is Evan’s twisted send-up of tarot, with 106 cards designed by him, and he’s been making these cards since 2011. He’s run two successful Kickstarter campaigns - one in 2018 and another 2021 - and just launched his third for the forthcoming Arcane Bullshit book called Stop Looking at My Tiny Town. As Evan puts it: “Arcane Bullshit has you covered for all your cosmic confusion needs.”

On this episode, Evan discusses his evolving ideas about belief and skepticism, the inspiration behind his various satirical art projects, and how he maintains his foolish, nonsensical sensibility.

Pam also talks about the divinity of humor and answers a listener question about how to lift an ailing friend’s spirits.

Our sponsors for this episode are Rosarium Blends, Imbue Jewelry, Snowy Owl Tea, Heal the Witch Wound out from Weiser Books, BetterHelp, Mithras Candle, and Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab

And please consider donating to The Missing Witches fundraiser for Native women’s shelters

Tessa Perlow is an artist specializing in embroidery and beading. Her work is inspired by magic and nature, and she uses stitching to transform second hand materials into special, one of a kind pieces. Tessa was born and raised in New Jersey and grew up with a passion for arts and crafts. She went on to study fashion design at the Fashion Institute of Technology in NYC and then fell in love with embroidery post-grad while pursuing a path as an independent working artist. Symbols play a large role in her work often with recurring themes of plants and animals in a dreamy fantasy space. This year Tessa launched a YouTube channel, creating videos showing behind the scenes processes as well as tutorials. Tessa is currently based in Philadelphia, PA, and when she is not in her workroom stitching in the company of her cats Uzi and Dru, she is usually going on nature walks in the nearby parks and forests.

On this episode, Tessa discusses the magic of adornment, the power of combining of art with Craft, and favorite influences on her bewitching work.

Pam also talks about hands as magical conductors and answers a listener question about connecting to the divinity of her own backyard.

Our sponsors for this episode are VVITCH Digital, UBU Skills, Heal the Witch Wound out from Weiser Books, Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab, BetterHelp, Pendulum Swings Tarot, and Bloom Stories.

We also have brand new print-on-demand merch like Witch Wave shirts, sweatshirts, totes, stickers, and mugs available now here.

And if you want more Witch Wave, please consider supporting us on Patreon to get access to bonus Witch Wave Plus episodes, Pam’s monthly online rituals, and more! That’s patreon.com/witchwave

Andrea Stein is a children's book author and the owner of Moon Dust Press, an independent publisher of magical books for kids based in Austin, Texas. As a mother of 3 and practicing Pagan witch herself, she’s committed to creating resources for kids in earth-based households and changing the narrative around witchcraft in children’s literature. 

Andrea started writing books about witchcraft for kids in 2019 and has since made it her full time job, creating her own books and publishing other authors and illustrators through Moon Dust Press. She also publishes magical worksheets, and has a kids podcast called Mini Magic. 

On this episode, Andrea discusses why she decided to focus on making magical children’s books, her own path to Paganism, and how to appropriately introduce witchcraft to kids.

Pam also talks about spring beginnings and favorite witchy books from her youth, and answers a listener question about ways to share magic with her young son.

***PLEASE NOTE: even though we talk about magical kids content, what you’re about to hear is an adult conversation, and not intended for children. ***

Our sponsors for this episode are Rosarium Blends, Snowy Owl Tea, Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab, BetterHelp, and Mithras Candle

We also have brand new print-on-demand merch like Witch Wave shirts, sweatshirts, totes, stickers, and mugs available now here.

And if you want more Witch Wave, please consider supporting us on Patreon to get access to bonus Witch Wave Plus episodes, Pam’s monthly online rituals, and more! That’s patreon.com/witchwave

Diana Rose is a relational astrologer, tarot reader, writer, and facilitator currently living near the Angeles National Forest in southern California. Her practice aims to bring fellow humans into a more ferociously loving and compassionately honest relationship with themselves, the Earth, and the heavens. She has been a three-time invited speaker at the Northwest Astrology Conference, is a repeat guest on The Astrology Podcast, and has been a guest on many, many other podcasts including Jonathan Van Ness’s Getting Curious. Diana also wrote a piece on responsible astrology for WIRED; created the guidebook for The Rosebud Tarot; and is the editor of Revelore Press’s forthcoming Kalliope series.

On this episode, Diana discusses her decolonized approach to the cosmos, the significance of knowing one’s rising sign, and how astrology can help us live with more meaning and magic here on Earth.

Pam also talks about how the media can do better when covering occult topics, and answers a listener question about witchcraft and academia.

Our sponsors for this episode are VVITCH DIGITAL, Earth Spirit, BetterHelp, Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab, Bloom, and Mithras Candle

We also have brand new print-on-demand merch like Witch Wave shirts, sweatshirts, totes, stickers, and mugs available now here.

And if you want more Witch Wave, please consider supporting us on Patreon to get access to bonus Witch Wave Plus episodes, Pam’s monthly online rituals, and more! That’s patreon.com/witchwave

Tino Rodriguez and Virgo Paraiso are metaphysical painters who create solo work and collaborative work.

Tino Rodriguez expertly weaves together elements from Catholic idolatry, European Fairy Tales, Celtic fables, Mexican myths, and Native American legends as he explores the complexity of spirituality, sexuality, and transformation. The duality found in Western religions- good and evil, heaven and hell, spirit and body- intermingle in a vision that makes such distinctions irrelevant. Tino was born and raised in Guadalajara, Mexico. A graduate of the San Francisco Art Institute, he holds an MFA from the University of Albuquerque. His work has been shown in Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, San Jose, Boston, Washington DC, and Berlin, and resides in permanent collections at the San Jose Museum of Art (San Jose, CA, The Crocker Art Museum (Sacramento, CA), and the Nevada Museum of Art (Reno, Nevada).

Virgo Paraiso describes his work thusly: “Through your divine light, the universe awakens and consciousness blooms…The visions in my paintings are of deep, lush paradise worlds that depict the profound connection between all sentient beings, the oneness of all things. These mindscapes are portals that can open up our sense of perception and remind us of what we truly are in essence, which is infinite love and beauty. We are true divine wisdom. We are the source of existence. We are life itself.” Virgo was born in Chihuahua, Mexico. He grew up between Okinawa, Japan, Hawaii, and San Francisco, and he has studied art, and exhibited in all of these places, as well as New York, Boston, and Berlin.

Both Tino and Virgo have done work for The Wachowskis including their Netflix series Sense8, a music video for Antony and the Johnsons, and films including Jupiter Ascending and The Matrix Resurrections.

On this Valentine’s Day episode, Tino and Virgo discuss creative collaboration as an act of love, the power of mystical art, and the inspiration they get from their community of radical magic-makers.

Pam also talks about the concept of the Third Mind, and answers listener questions about bringing some witchcraft to their weddings.

Our sponsors for this episode are Juanita Benedicto, Rosarium Blends, BetterHelp, Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab, and The Pendulum Swings Tarot

We also have brand new print-on-demand merch like Witch Wave shirts, sweatshirts, totes, stickers, and mugs available now here.

And if you want more Witch Wave, please consider supporting us on Patreon to get access to bonus Witch Wave Plus episodes, Pam’s monthly online rituals, and more! That’s patreon.com/witchwave

Shantelle Malawski is a Canadian professional wrestler. She is signed with Impact Wrestling, where she performs under the ring name Taylor Wilde - otherwise known as “The People’s Witch.”

Taylor was under a World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) contract from 2006 to 2007. She then joined TNA in 2008 and would go on to become a one-time TNA Women's Knockout Champion and also went on to become the inaugural and two-time TNA Knockouts Tag Team Champion while also becoming the first wrestler to have held both titles.

After departing from TNA in December 2010, Malawski announced her retirement from professional wrestling and wrestled her final match in 2011. She then stepped away from wrestling for about a decade to become a professional firefighter. But the ring called her back, and she recently returned to wrestling with Impact Wrestling, unveiling her new, more authentic witch persona.

Taylor has a podcast and YouTube show called Wilde On, and in addition to seeing her perform for Impact Wrestling, you can find her on Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter.

On this episode, Taylor discusses how she embodies the witch both in and out of the ring, how witchcraft supports her role as a firefighter, and the ways that wrestling balances her feminine and masculine energies.

Pam also talks about getting weird for Aquarius season, and answers a listener question about a spiritually diverging friendship.

Our sponsors for this episode are Mithras Candle, BetterHelp, The Pretty Cult, and Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab

We also have brand new print-on-demand merch like Witch Wave shirts, sweatshirts, totes, stickers, and mugs available now here.

And if you want more Witch Wave, please consider supporting us on Patreon to get access to bonus Witch Wave Plus episodes, Pam’s monthly online rituals, and more! That’s patreon.com/witchwave