Text the Show

Imagine picking up a beach pebble and realizing it’s not “just a rock,” but a potential ally with history, voice, and agency. That’s the journey we take with author and crystal expert Nicholas Pearson, who brings together geology, folklore, and practical magic to transform how we see stones—from glittering quartz and moonstone to the humble salt on our table. We move beyond buzzwords and trends into clear definitions and meaningful practice: what makes a crystal a mineral, when a rock is more than the sum of its parts, and why understanding structure actually deepens the mystery.

Nicholas shares a refreshing reframing of “precious,” rooted in medieval lapidaries where a stone’s value came from its virtue—its ability to influence protection, healing, or weather—rather than scarcity. That animistic thread runs through tales reaching back to hominid-era quartz offerings and into modern craft you can try today. We unpack the witching stone concept with a standout tour of the hagstone: how erosive forces and even mollusks pierce stone, why hag and hedge share a boundary-born origin, and how a simple hole becomes a literal lens for threshold work, dream protection, and divination.

What makes this conversation so useful is its accessibility. You don’t need to be a witch, pagan, or druid to participate. Nicholas offers archetypal roles instead of prescriptions, so any tradition can adapt the work. We also explore georegional magic—finding power in local stones like flint, chalk, granite, and fossils—supporting ethical practice while deepening a relationship with place. If you’ve ever felt awe at moonstone’s glow, this talk helps you keep that wonder while learning the science that holds it. If you’ve ever doubted that a garden pebble could be magical, you’ll leave with tools to prove yourself wrong.

Ready to blend science with spellcraft and build a practice grounded in both? Listen, subscribe, and share with someone who loves rocks as much as you do. If this episode sparked ideas, leave a review and tell us which stone is calling your name.

Support the show

Granddaughter Crow -
www.granddaughtercrow.com

Check Out My Patreon
https://www.patreon.com/GranddaughterCrow

Check Out My Substack
https://substack.com/@granddaughtercrow

Social Media: @GranddaughterCrow
YouTube Channel: @GranddaughterCrow

Text the Show

What if death isn’t an ending, but a return to rest—and a reason to feed ancestors with flowers, fruit, and favorite foods? We invite Reverend Laura González to guide us through the deeper roots of Día de Muertos, far beyond costumes and candy. Laura opens the door to a pre‑colonial worldview where time moves in cycles, not lines: the blooming of flowers, the falling of fruit, and the seeds we leave for those who come after us. We unpack Mictlan as a place of dreaming rather than dread, and why skulls symbolize transformation, not horror.

Together we trace how colonization compressed forty days of indigenous honoring into two Catholic feast days, and what survived that shift: offerings, story, and communal care. Laura walks us through building a meaningful ofrenda—marigolds, fruit, coffee, chips, toys, and the exact foods your people loved—explaining why taste is memory’s shortcut. We talk about what to leave off the altar, how to avoid appropriation, and where to buy papel picado, sugar skulls, and clay figures directly from artisans who keep the craft alive. If your grief feels unfinished, this practice can become a yearly way to tell the stories, say the names, and let love do its work.

We also share Laura’s ongoing work: decolonizing goddess teachings, on‑demand classes, and a forthcoming series on the Tonalpohualli day signs. Come for the history, stay for the healing, and leave with a clear, respectful way to honor your dead and nourish the living. If this conversation moved you, subscribe, share it with someone who needs it, and leave a review so others can find the show.

Bio: Rev. Laura González is an Ixtlamatketl, Pagan Priestess, Spiritual and Community Healer, writer, podcaster, social justice and religious freedom activist, Priestess of the Goddess, and Minister of Circle Sanctuary. Learn more at bluewitch.org.

Support the show

Granddaughter Crow -
www.granddaughtercrow.com

Check Out My Patreon
https://www.patreon.com/GranddaughterCrow

Check Out My Substack
https://substack.com/@granddaughtercrow

Social Media: @GranddaughterCrow
YouTube Channel: @GranddaughterCrow

Text the Show

Death isn't something to fear but rather a natural state of being. This profound insight from Jamie Waggoner, pagan priestess (PriestX) and author of "Hades: Myths and Magic and Modern Devotion," sets the tone for a conversation that transforms how we understand the autumn season and the mysteries beyond ordinary perception.

As leaves fall and darkness claims more of each day, many spiritual practitioners feel the boundaries between worlds growing more permeable. But what if the "veil" isn't actually thinning? What if our awareness is simply expanding? Jamie suggests the unseen realms exist parallel to ours all the time—it's our willingness to perceive them that changes during this potent season.

From her perspective as a hard polytheist who believes all gods are distinct entities with their own agendas, Jamie shares practical approaches to connecting with deities and ancestors. She describes her household tradition of setting a feast for Hades and Persephone at the autumnal equinox, complete with offerings buried in the earth and milk bones for Cerberus! We learn about the Wild Hunt led by Welsh deity Gwyn ap Nudd, who rides at Samhain gathering souls—and whose hounds create the curious phenomenon where the further away they sound, the closer they actually are.

Jamie dispels common misconceptions about Hades and the underworld, explaining that unlike the Christian concept of hell, the Greek underworld isn't primarily a place of punishment. Most souls go to the Asphodel Fields—neither good nor bad—where we wait until reincarnation. This perspective transforms our understanding of death from something frightening into simply another phase of existence.

Whether through elaborate rituals or simple practices like mindful breathing or lighting a candle, Jamie offers accessible ways for anyone to connect with the unseen—even those who must practice in secret. Her insights reveal what many discover in deep spiritual work: unexpected nourishment, acceptance, and grounding in the very depths we once feared.

Curious about developing your own relationship with deities or ancestors this season? Explore Jamie's books or join her teaching programs at Way of the Weaver, where magic is taught as "open source technology" you can adapt to your own practice and community.

Jamie Waggoner:

Jamie Waggoner is an author, Pagan priestess, and occult expert. She has been a practicing witch for 25+ years. Jamie is the author of Hades: Myth, Magic and Modern Devotion, and contributor to Witchology Magazine, Haunted Magazine, and The Feminine Macabre, among others. Jamie is also a cofounder and teacher for Way of the Weaver, an inclusive program of magical inquiry, social justice, and community building.

Website: www.jamiewaggoner.com

Social Media: @jmwaggoner (Insta, FB, and YouTube)

Support the show

Granddaughter Crow -
www.granddaughtercrow.com

Check Out My Patreon
https://www.patreon.com/GranddaughterCrow

Check Out My Substack
https://substack.com/@granddaughtercrow

Social Media: @GranddaughterCrow
YouTube Channel: @GranddaughterCrow