Sisterkin Speak : Manifesting Goddess

You never know how and why you connect to folks til you get comfortable with the knowing that the universe is unpredictable yet precise. A homeschooling mama, wife & maker, Manifesting Goddess is an example of what black motherhood can look like when it is free from the constraints of society and culture. Touche my sister witch!
If you find yourself wandering around the Crescent City you need to visit her shop Under The Waning Moon on Belleville for the good company and the wares.

 Craft name: Manifesting Goddess

1. Where were you born?
Detroit, Michigan

2. Did you grow up in a religious setting? Or how does your family background affect your relationship to the craft?

I grew up Catholic – not that my family truly practiced the religion in our daily lives. But we went to church almost every Sunday. I stopped going to church when I was about 16yrs old. As far as I know, none of my immediate family works within the metaphysical realm. With that said, I also don’t experience any ill speech or alienation because of my work.

3. At what age did you start to feel pull to be informed of esoteric things? What was your response to that?

AS far back as I can remember, 4 or 5yrs old. I used to lay in the dark and whisper “I know you’re there. Let me help you! Just show me who you are. I know I can help you make it home.” I never “saw” anything but I truly think I would have been scared shitless. Lol. It came back to me around 4yrs ago. I asked for a sign on what to do with my girlfriend (now wife) and I had an out of body experience that night. It was so surreal.

4. What was the first book about Magic you ever read.

I actually have not read many books on magic. I used to have a bunch of spell books in my teenage years. I’ve recently started reading a book on healing & conjure in African heritage.
 
5. Did you ever play with a Ouija Board?

I have never used a Ouija board, although I would LOVE to.

6. Did you have friends/family that shared your interest?

Almost all of my friends are curious or have come to me for one service or another.

7. What's your favorite divination tool?

My labradorite pendulum.

8. What's your favorite magical accessory?

I have a necklace that holds my mothers 1st wedding ring (she is still living), a ruby ring given to me by my grandmother when I finally met her (I was 19yrs old – she has passed away), and a pendant w/a prayer on it gifted to me by my wife after my uncle was killed. Whenever I wear it I am deeply grounded and safe.

9. How did you learn your craft?

Intuition and lots of practice. If I had to describe what I practice I would call it Hoodoo. It is a combination of learned rituals along with my own discoveries in magic and direct intentions.

10. What is your advice to seekers of this path?

You are not crazy. Trust your intuition and first mind. Allow yourself to be open and guided.

11. What are you currently reading?

Conjure in African American Society by Jeffery E. Anderson

12. Which deities or goddess powers do you align with?

Eshu. He is an Orisha god. A messenger for the Orishas (between the other Orishas and between the Orishas and man). Kind of neutral in the realm good and bad.

13. If you could harness the power of one force of nature, what would it be? And why?

Earth. There is a beautiful power in the fluidity of the earth. Earth can be moved and altered by water but can crumble from beneath your feet at any moment. She is deep and tolerant.

Sisterkin Speak : Priestess Diamyn

Oh, me & this the sweetest of sweet, honey melon daughter of Ochun have so much in common, bloodline and all. We saw each other from afar and the vibes were instantaneous and mutual. It's my pleasure to share space ( even if just from the interwebs ) with this Queen. 
After you read the interview, go check out my sisterkin Priestess Diamyn and her new blog Bruja On A Budget

Craftname: Priestess Diamyñ

1. Where were you born?

I was born in Hawaiian Gardens, CA and raised in Long beach, CA.

2. Did you grow up in a religious setting? Or how does your family background affect your relationship to the craft? 

I grew up surrounded by alot of Catholic influences. My maternal grandmother was always worshipping the Santos. My paternal grandmother was also heavy into los Santos, she had an altar for Virgen de la Divina Providencia. With cups of water and flowers. The whole old school espiritismo.

3. At what age did you start to feel pull to be informed of esoteric things? What was your response to that?

From a very young age, like 5, I can remember me and some friends that lived on my block building a teepee made out of towels and sticks. In the teepee we created a club. I would collect rocks and sticks and we would pretend to make magic. Lol I was always more interested in nature, rocks and flowers than Barbie dolls. I knew I was supposed to be on this path. 

4. What was the first book about Magic you ever read.   

The first book I ever read was pretty recent in 2009 after I had my first son, it's called Sea El Santisimo by Mario Dos Ventos. I wanted to stay true to my roots and stick with espiritismo literature.
5. Did you ever play with a Ouija Board?

No, my maternal grandmother always told me to never play that. It wasn't created by us for us. If we wanted to connect with the dead we had our own ways and to stay true to it.

6. Did you have friends/family that shared your interest?

I had many family members who were practicing not too many friends though. So far all the witches besides family I've met are through the internet. It's hard to find a genuine Bruja of color. 

7. What's your favorite divination tool?
 

My favorite would be los cocos, it's a flat circle that we carve from a fresh coconut. Their only used for to consult with ones ancestors, or  Papa Legba, Eleguá  for example. Their used to make sure that their happy and that our offerings are accepted. Etc. I like the fact that we make them and they are not bought , it feels more connected. I received my first set from my padrinos. They are not used for clientele readings.

8. What's your favorite magical accessory?

 I love my selenite, and use anise alot when I work. Anise is one my favorite plants.

9. How did you learn your craft?

 As I grew older I just started acquiring more information. I started asking my grandmother to teach me her ways and asked about our family history. When I found out that my great grandmother was a curandera/shaman, and she passed on gifts to my maternal grandmother and aunts. It just inspired me to learn. Then I learned more In 2015 when I started practicing under my madrina and padrino of los sance. And I'm still learning. 

10. What is your advice to seekers of this path?

My advice would be to look within, start connecting to your roots whatever that is. Because I've found that if you have a inkling of itch for this path that you have a ancestor guiding you. You had someone in your family who practiced and is reaching out to you.  

11. What are you currently reading?

I'm actually creating my own book. Lol. I'm collecting all the knowledge I've obtained and making the ultimate book of shadows.  I plan on releasing it once finished. 

12. Which deities or goddess powers do you align with?

My paternal grandmother always said my color was yellow. I look best in yellow etc. I feel aligned with Mi Bella Yalorde ( Ochun )

13. If you could harness the power of one force of nature, what would it be? And why?

I would harness the power of the dark matter in the universe. Because it's infinite and so vast and has so many mysteries. I could probably build me a black hole. 

Sisterkin Speak : Mystical Mandrake Root

We gonna speak with my beloved sister circle and hear what they have to say about living life on the PATH. Join me here the first Wednesday of the month to talk the talk with my sister witches.
This blessed sisterkin I instantly vibed with and hope one day to meet up in New Orleans and have a serious ball. In the meantime, astral projection and dream jumping is what we talk about as of late.

Craftname: Mystical Mandrake Root

1. Where were you born? Bronx, NY

2. Did you grow up in a religious setting? Or how does your family background affect your relationship to the craft?  

Sort of. My family, as far as tracing my US lineage goes, comes from Louisiana (Creole) and a tiny town in GA called Lizzela. So the Georgia part of the family is very religious. I never really knew the Creole part due to my almost non-existent father. The household growing up was pretty free, my mom, being the eccentric being she was, went through phases of being a Baptist and not believing anything at all. Despite what side she was on at any given time she was always spiritual and aware. We also grew up in a haunted building and and apartment, so there you go! Growing up she would stir herbs in pots, I was teased alot as a kid and one of my earliest memories of her magic wash she wrote something on paper and told me to wear it, then to put this other thing in the girls locker. That girl never bothered me again! My mom was the first magic woman of my life, so at 14 when i became a Witch officially she was open and didn't question me. She even asked me to cleanse the house of bad spirits from my teens up until last year when she passed. She would call me and say, " come over, there is some weird thing in the living room...it's gotta go," I'm grateful I was in such an open environment, to the rest of my family I was weird, and as a brown skin girl dressed in black with a love for metal some even thought I needed saving. On top of that being a goth witch in the South Bronx projects! But it never mattered, my mom and siblings let me be me. I'm sure the Creole blood in my veins helped with my path as a witch :)

3. At what age did you start to feel pull to be informed of esoteric things? What was your response to that?

I was always aware, but everything became official in Jr High. I didn't resonate with anything around me, and I was definitely not Baptist. I was in the local library and walked around. As I passed one shelf this book fell over and I picked it up, it was about teen witches. I finished it in a day, I knew there was a name for what I was. I finally found the path, officially! Tarot reading, Astrology and Crystals came very soon after that. They were are natural to me, I know I'm just doing them again as I did in other lives. 

4. What was the first book about Magic you ever read.

I wish I could remember the name of that book!!!! I can tell you that I didn't read another Witch book until freshman year of college when my best friend gave me her much loved first magic book. I read that at least 20 times in college, that book has a very special place in my heart. The book is: Wiccan Mysteries by Raven Grimassi.

5. Did you ever play with a Ouija Board?

Yes...I wish I could say no, those should be kept boarded up! I did out of curiosity and shortly after had to use my magic skills to banish a troublesome spirit. So there, I never touched one again and never will.

6. Did you have friends/family that shared your interest?

I do, most of my friends are witches. My mom was a natural witch, like most of the woman in my family.

7. What's your favorite divination tool?

Athame :)

8. What's your favorite magical accessory?

My robe I made from this lovely lilac colored fabric.

9. How did you learn your craft?

Self taught from books, intuition and pulling up the knowledge from my past lives. I've also always been solitary despite having witch friends.

10. What is your advice to seekers of this path?

Yes, trust your gut, sharpen your intuition, build strong psychic protection, do your research and make your own way. Just because a book says to do a spell on a Tuesday at 9pm doesn't mean you have too. There are always options! Also, remember there is always free will.

11. What are you currently reading? 

Currently I'm obsessed with Spells, Ceremonies and Magic by Migene Gonzalez-Wippler. 

12. Which deities or goddess powers do you align with?

Many of them at different times in my life. My kindred spirits however are Kali, Bast, Erzulie, Pan and Aphrodite. I also have an intense ( and long lasting from lifetimes) connection to Papa Samedi, I'm still learning my way with him, and learning to see what he has to show me.

13. If you could harness the power of one force of nature, what would it be? And why?

Water. Have you seen what water can do???? Yes, that's why. :) 

Street Magic