May 28, 2024 • 38 mins
I never thought the scent of beetroot would herald a magical discussion, but return guest, Julia Halina Hadas, author of "The Modern Witchcraft Book of Moon Magic," proved us wrong. A Witch, A Mystic & A Feminist are back this week, and Julia leads us through the moonlit path of intuition and healing within witchcraft, contrasting it with the broader strokes of astrology's zodiac signs and celestial bodies. As we lingered on the pages of her book (some mysteriously infused with that earthy aroma), we found ourselves delving into the synchrony of science and spirituality, and the quirky tales of Julia's past, including her stint as a cover band vocalist.
Amidst laughter over beet-inspired air fresheners, we surrendered to the lunar energy that has always tugged at human heartstrings. Julia's insights into the moon—once a source of childhood spooks, now a beacon of cycles, energy, and feminine power—enriched our understanding of its place in contemporary culture. Could this resurgence of interest in the moon's magic hint at a collective shift in consciousness, or is it the personal spiritual awakening of individuals? We navigated the myriad traditions and practices of moon magic, celebrating the moon's phases and how they shape our rituals for manifesting desires.
As we wound down our celestial sojourn, Julia shared her visions for the future: crafting spells attuned to moon signs, a potential cocktail book blending mixology and magic, and her budding YouTube channel. Her passion for preserving the depth of moon sign wisdom in her work was palpable, as were the personal adventures coloring her writing journey. Julia left us not only with a newfound appreciation for the intricacies of lunar cycles but also with an eager anticipation for the mystical mixtures she's brewing for her readers and viewers next.
For more information about Julia Halina Hadas, you can go to her linktr.ee: https://linktr.ee/juliahalina where you can go to her website, order her books, visit her blog, and so much more.
Instagram: @juliahalinahadas
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:09):
Welcome to A Witch, a Mystic and a Feminist.
This week we welcome JuliaHelena Hattis back to the show
because you know what?
We finally have her books, sowe get to talk about it.
But welcome back to the show.
She's a magical, magical personand author of the book which we
did an episode on previously,the modern witchcraft book of
(00:31):
moon magic.
And if you listened to the lastepisode, um, maybe you heard us
talking about smelling thepages.
And the minute I got this book,I did.
I smelled the pages, just likethis.
You can't see me, but I did, um, and then even my son comes
down and he goes what are youdoing?
And my husband's like she'ssmelling the pages.
And then he smelled the pagestoo and he agreed that he likes
(00:54):
the smell of books.
So I've raised a good one Anyway, okay, hi, julia Does it smell
like beetroot or like herbs toyou guys.
Yeah, I did not have an herbsmell, but it just smelled like
new book smell is what it was,and so that is equally
delightful for me.
Mine smells herbal.
Speaker 2 (01:15):
Yeah, I wonder if they're like different prints.
Okay, perfect, yeah, so youmust have got a different one,
christy, I know yeah.
Speaker 4 (01:22):
But I also have your book, um, the modern witchcraft
book of astrology, um, that youcame out with prior to the moon
magic book, and I've smelt thepages and they do not, um, have
the herbal scent to it, but youknow which.
(01:42):
Then you know, as I bring upthe book of astrology, you know
you have this book and then youjust came out with the moon
magic book.
So for those who haven't readboth books, unlike me, you know
talking about astrology and thentalking about the moon.
I know that there is adifference, but what's the
(02:03):
difference between these twobooks about?
Speaker 2 (02:05):
the moon.
I know that there is adifference, but what's the
difference between these twobooks?
I mean, there's definitely acrossover in terms of the moon
as an aspect of astrology, but Ithink the thing is, when it
comes to modern spirituality,setting intentions with the moon
and stuff, it's kind of like adifferent practice, whereas the
astrology book is specificallylike oh, if you want to tune
into a certain zodiacal energy,like Aries season or the planet
(02:31):
Mars, you know, I just hit themic yeah, if you want to turn to
a certain specific astrologicalenergy, we're obviously more
focused on the moon and just allthe things that we use the moon
specifically for in witchcraft.
So, healing, you know, tuninginto your intuition, your sense
of feeling, which is a reallyimportant part of how we kind of
(02:52):
navigate our daily life, youknow tuning into that.
Speaker 4 (02:54):
So, yeah, Well, I love how, in the beginning of
this book, you know, andthroughout the book, but you add
science and witchcraft, and sothere is, you know, a lot of
information in here, scientificinformation with regards to the
moon and the different phasesand things like that.
And so was that by design onyour part too.
Speaker 2 (03:17):
Yeah, yeah, so I have a degree in anthropology, so
obviously you know I need to be.
I think we can definitely becareful about how we like
interweave science withwitchcraft.
You know, something likespirituality doesn't need to
always have that backing, right,um.
But because I have thebackground in anthropology, I am
interested in like actualresearch, you know, and I I took
astronomy in college and stuff,and so, um, I just loved also
(03:42):
digging deeper in that way andlike finding actual evidence,
you know, for a certain thingswe know people have done forever
, right, but you have to havelike actual research done, um to
to validate that.
And so I loved and I just thinkit helps people really realize
like the moon cause we go to bedat night, right, and so
oftentimes we don't always tuneinto that energy consciously,
(04:05):
but it's still there impactingyou, you know, and like
realizing all the ways that themoon affects our life on Earth
from our experience of theseasons right, it slows down the
seasons, how it's lengthenedour days and just contributed in
different ways to evolution.
We're always connected to themoon one way or another, and so
(04:26):
it's not like a small.
Oh God damn it.
Sorry, I'm sorry, the mic isright here, and like you're in
front of me and I just hit itagain.
Speaker 3 (04:36):
It's all right.
It's all right, we get it yeah.
That's why ours has to befloating up here, because you
know, yeah, I see you guys.
Speaker 2 (04:45):
Okay, let me just adjust it because this is like,
sorry, I used to yeah, no, Iused to be in like a cover band
and so this was, like you know,when I wanted to record myself
on my Mac to, like you know, seewhat I sounded like.
Speaker 3 (04:58):
So I just don't use it outside of like singing and
stuff, so we'll we'll have todiscuss that a little bit of
that too, after we're done withthe book, because I love
learning new things about you.
Speaker 2 (05:12):
Yeah, yeah, I mean I hope to get back into singing
again one day, but anyway, thething I just want to say that I
love about like tuning into thatscience aspect and realizing
that the moon's like ourfurthest ancestor.
You know, it's like we're allmade from the earth in some way,
and just that connection also,how the moon connects to the
past, and the reason why I love.
I'm so sorry, chrissy, thatyours doesn't smell like beet,
(05:33):
but maybe it's like a good thing.
But beet is actually like a bigPolish thing.
Like you know, we've got beetsoup and all of that stuff, and
so I love that it smells likebeets because I'm like, oh, you
know, maybe that's my ancestorscoming through, but you know I
love that.
Speaker 3 (05:49):
That is really cute and I like that you use the term
beet, because I was trying tofind a nice way to say.
It smells very like dirt Like,but I relate dirt to be earthy,
earthy, right, I do.
I personally am like okay,beets earthy, taste like the
earth, let alone kind of but itis a very big.
Speaker 4 (06:10):
I love the earth because I love beets oh yeah, I
love the earth I don't lovebeets, but I love.
Speaker 3 (06:16):
I like the smell of it.
Speaker 2 (06:18):
Um, I have like beetroot powder, so that's how I
know, and like we usually useit in cooking.
I was like, oh my god, that'swhat this smells like, because
it was bothering me when itfirst arrived.
So, yeah, that's why I was.
I know exactly what it is.
Speaker 1 (06:31):
I guess I'm gonna I'm taking homework for myself I'm
gonna go get some beets, andthen I'm gonna go to your local
store, because maybe I'm justmissing something.
Speaker 3 (06:39):
There's an air freshener for that.
Christy, we'll get you one.
Speaker 1 (06:42):
Grab a beet.
There's a beet air freshener.
It could totally be yeah.
Oh really, there's, a beet airfreshener.
Speaker 2 (06:48):
No, I don't know.
Maybe, maybe I don't know.
Speaker 3 (06:50):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (06:52):
I'm going off the rails here.
Sounds like dirt.
Bring it back in.
Speaker 3 (06:56):
Bring it back in.
I that I love all the books andinformation coming out about
the moon and how people areembracing it more and more,
because I think even growing upthe moon was very it's related
with night.
So it's very dark, it's scary,it's almost intimidating at the
time.
(07:16):
You know and you think of allthe bad things that happens when
the full moon's out and youknow it must be a full moon, be
careful, and I just love thatwe're starting to embrace the
actual energy and the power ofthe moon and what it can do for
us emotionally, spiritually, Imean, even as women.
We know our cycles revolvearound, you know the moon cycle
(07:39):
as well, and as far as time ordays, whatever, um, but it's.
But it was always scary for meas a kid because you're just
like, oh, it's nighttime, oh,the moon's out.
You know it's kind of just thatcreepy story that you would
hear, like all the horrorstories happen at night, with
the full moon and the werewolves, you know, and the witches.
Speaker 4 (07:57):
Well and you bring that up in your book too with
regards to the eclipses and thefull moon and the werewolves and
stuff like that in the storiesthat come out.
Speaker 3 (08:08):
Yeah, it's beautiful to hear the beauty and the power
and the energy of the moon andpeople actually embracing it now
, using it as a source for them.
So I think that's fantastic andI really enjoy your book and I
actually am reading it more of aas a reference, if you will.
Okay, there's a spell for thisor there's a ceremony for this
(08:30):
or whatever.
So it's it's been fun and I'mactually reading.
I'm going to read today thefull moon because full moon's
coming up.
So I was like, yeah, I readthis one and see what I can do
on that day.
So it's got.
It's like a great referencebook as far as all the little
things and different scenariosyou can perform spells, all the
(08:51):
stuff.
So thank you for this book.
I am all about the moon lately.
Speaker 4 (08:57):
Well, so you were saying that everybody's becoming
more aware of it, and I'm justcurious if it really is
everybody becoming more aware ofit or, as we have opened up
more spiritually and lookinginto it, is it because we've
become more aware of it, sowe're recognizing that other
people are more aware, or or isit really that everybody is more
(09:20):
aware?
Speaker 2 (09:20):
I'm not sure.
Like I think it's like twothings, so which I'm learning
more that I feel like a bookagent.
One thing is it has to do withtrends, like everything goes
through trends, and there'sactually a bunch of moon magic
books that I think are going tobe coming out over the next two
years or so, and so I thinkpublishers are anticipating
another lunar trend.
(09:42):
I don't know where they getthat information from.
But also, like, when I thinkabout when I first got into
witchcraft, everything was verymoon focused, like you know,
celebrations on the full moon,etc.
And then, of course, it'sadapted over time, so I think
it's always been there, but it'sjust kind of like focuses,
orient in different ways.
Astrology, as far as inspirituality, was going through
(10:05):
a trend, and then just kind oflike shifts as to I don't really
know how it works, but yeah,yeah, and so I think it is
coming up again.
But I do also think, like youknow, there's I think about how
I grew up in all the moon magicbooks that I had, and I just
think it's a constant part.
The other thing I kind of thinkabout like going off of what
(10:26):
you were saying, jamie oh,goddamn ADHD, fuck, sorry.
Speaker 1 (10:30):
I just you know the building.
Speaker 2 (10:36):
Yeah, what was I going to say?
Oh God, sorry, it's just like Ihave to like keep focused or
else otherwise, like I totallyforget it's all good, oh well,
it'll come back.
Speaker 1 (10:46):
It'll come back.
Speaker 4 (10:48):
So one of the things that there's a lot of
contradictory information aboutout there that you bring up in
your book is manifestations whenit comes to full moons or new
moons, and you know for you yousaid it's personal preference,
but a lot of people say you doit during a full moon and you
(11:08):
release during a new moon.
A lot of people say youmanifest during a new moon, and
so again, it's contradictory.
Why do you think that is?
Speaker 2 (11:17):
You know part of it is.
This is where it totallyintertwines with astrology,
right, and you brought up myother book.
It is partly due to justdifferent traditions and also
just the astrology and our ownpersonal birth charts not to get
like super out there for people.
You obviously don't have toknow all of this astrological
information, so don't be likedaunted by hearing that.
(11:40):
But the reality is is like afull moon in a certain sign.
The full moon's always going tobe opposite whatever the sun is
, and it creates tension, itcreates friction, but at the
same time the moon's in its fullpower and also, if you can
harmonize the balance betweenthose two forces, it can be
really potent and powerful.
But for some people, certainlunar cycle is going to be more
challenging and maybe that ismore.
(12:03):
They a feel that tension, andso it's just that's why it's
like the thing about what themoon represents is our own sense
of feeling right and tuninginto our intuition in that way
and that wisdom, and so I feellike every lunar cycle kind of
impacts us differently.
Like, I'll be honest, sometimesI don't do so great when the
moon's in Virgo, and so it'sjust part of my chart and the
(12:27):
way my life works, and so it'sthe same thing with the new moon
.
The new moon I love becausethere's that cosmic alignment
between the sun and moon.
So it's like, with thatalignment and melding that into
moon magic, it's a really greattime for rebirthing matters,
specifically for what sign themoon and sun are in.
But you know sometimes if acertain lunar cycle has been
(12:50):
really triggering and someonejust wants to focus more on rest
.
So it's really kind of likeebbs and flow you think of, like
the ocean tides, right, and sojust tuning into what are you
feeling more?
Because, especially when Ifirst got into witchcraft, the
full moon was a really powerfultime to cast manifestation magic
right.
And then some stuff happened, Ithink, like with Yasmin Boland
and moonology, and the focusbecame more of manifesting with
(13:13):
the new moon and I think bothare totally valid.
It's just more of how thatlunar cycle is particularly
impacting you and where you'reat in your life.
Speaker 4 (13:23):
Thank you for that.
Yes, yes, I was life.
Speaker 1 (13:25):
Thank you for that, yes.
Speaker 4 (13:26):
I was like.
Speaker 2 (13:26):
thank you for that explanation, I appreciate that
Because some full moons are likeyou feel powerful, right, the
moon is in her full glow, thingsare illuminated for you.
Maybe the sign that that moonis in is just vibing with you
and all the other astrologicalenergy like totally cast a
manifestation spell at the fullmoon.
If you're feeling that powerand it's feeling great for you,
(13:50):
right, it's just very subjectiveand I think that's the powerful
thing about tuning into themoon and spirituality in
witchcraft and magic is owningwhere you are in your season of
life and tuning in and adaptingthings according to how you're
feeling.
Speaker 3 (14:03):
I really appreciate that because and we've discussed
this before on many of ourshows when we have people who
tell us it has to be done thisway, no-transcript.
Speaker 4 (14:51):
Well, especially for, like you know, baby witches and
you know, people that are justcoming into wanting to work with
the moon and moon magic more.
You know, and I know, thatwe're talking a lot about the
new moon and full moon right now, but you really do go into
discussing all of the differentphases of the moon.
Speaker 1 (15:04):
Yes, which I yes?
Speaker 4 (15:06):
100%, because I mean, sometimes for anyone this can
just be really confusing.
And so to have that explanation, and that's why also I bring up
you brought up the scientificportions in your book.
My logical brain appreciatesthat so much.
You know, because you'respeaking to the logical side of
(15:28):
me.
And then you know you go intomore witchcraft and spell work
and you know meditations andrituals, and that speaks to the
witchy side of me.
And so you know, I think thisbook is fantastic for, like
Jamie was saying, a greatreference, but you know, also
just great information.
Yay.
Speaker 2 (15:50):
I always write too much.
We had to like cut out like10,000 words, you know.
Oh, can I have that?
Speaker 4 (15:55):
There's 10,000 words, yeah.
Speaker 2 (15:58):
That's like the thing that's so hard about writing
books sometimes is because, like, especially, this is part of um
Adams media's modern witchseries, so it has to fit within
their series.
And it's like I get certainconstraints, you know, and I'm
like, oh, but I'd love to gomore into this.
And I'm like, okay, how can Iuse the space that I have
effectively, which, honestly, isprobably good for the reader,
because someone who's about topick out this book probably
(16:20):
doesn't want to read like awhole freaking thesis, you know,
on one lunar phase.
So it's just like you kind ofhave to like pick and choose.
Speaker 1 (16:29):
Can that be like the advanced version, like you can
just come up with, like you knowadvanced level magic One day.
Speaker 4 (16:39):
Yes, but so and sorry .
I just keep going back andforth within this book because
there's just and I have likethings you know marked.
But you know, you go into someof the deities and with regards
to the moon and the lunardeities, and so going into that,
I found that really fascinatingbecause you learn about all
(17:01):
these different gods and stuff.
Was that interesting for you towrite as well?
Speaker 2 (17:06):
Yeah, yeah, and obviously I know some about
lunar deities.
But another thing to me is likealways a place of wanting to
represent things from differentbackgrounds around the world.
But also I don't want to go toodeeply because I'm not from
those practices and so how do Itouch on a little bit of
mythology here, so that way I'mincluding representation in some
(17:27):
way and information, but alsonot diving to the point of I am
not super familiar with thesespecific practices.
So it was like kind of that's aone thing like with mythology
and deities.
You know that I want to becareful on touching on of like
there are these deities, youknow, in South or Central
America, right, so people canhave that awareness.
(17:47):
So I think that's always kindof like a fine line.
But yeah, I mean, as part ofhaving an anthropology degree,
I'm just have always beenfascinated by mythology.
I think it's just general, theADHD like applies in so many
ways, you know, and like andactually like mythology was how
I first got into witchcraft, sobefore I even found out that
(18:09):
people were practicing it, likein sixth grade when I learned
about mythology, especiallyEgyptian mythology, you know,
because I was very connectedwith feline cats God, I'm such a
stereotype, Anyway, you know.
So when I learned of, you know,the cat deity from ancient
Egyptian mythology, Bast, I waslike tuning into her and working
(18:30):
with her before I even, like,came to find witchcraft and
spirituality.
So I love including mythologyin that way because it's really
powerful to connect to kind ofthose energy frequencies you
said.
Speaker 3 (18:43):
I'm so stereotypical.
Speaker 4 (18:47):
But then you go into in your book lunar spellcasting
and keeping a grimoire andcreating an altar.
Speaker 2 (18:55):
So maybe go into that a little bit, yeah yeah,
because that's the thing is,like we kind of touched on, but
I wanted to dive in a andcreating an altar.
So maybe go into that a littlebit.
Yeah, yeah, because that's thething is, like we kind of
touched on, but I wanted to divein a little deeper.
It's just, like you know, themoon representing our emotions
and feeling.
I don't know.
I feel like in our modernsociety, or like at least when I
was growing up, that emotionswere just kind of like deemed as
yeah, exactly, or just like, orlike yeah, whereas, like you
(19:20):
know, females expressing theiremotions was just like it meant
that something was not true,right, but they're just, oh,
emotional, and then, like, asyou get older, realizing like,
well, a lot of those emotionscame from a really true place,
yeah, and kind of stuffing themin that way and like brushing
them off the shoulder.
And maybe this is just becausemy family is Slavic.
(19:40):
I will be honest, I'm like I'mreally Polish.
You know, both sides of myfamily come from Poland, I have
dual citizenship, I'm relearningthe language right now, and so
maybe that's just a Slavic thingof like you know, um, brushing
aside people's emotions.
Um, yeah, sorry, did I go offon a tangent there, um, but so
(20:03):
yeah, and so it was like, as Igot older and like kind of
realizing, like you know, theemotions my mom was expressing
or whatever, if she had tunedinto the deeper root of those.
It's kind of like our sense offeeling and our emotional
landscape can tell us if we areor aren't being nurtured, how
we're feeling about our life.
Are we feeling fulfilled?
Is there something wrong?
And so I love tuning into themood in that way, of the
(20:25):
emotional landscape and oursense of feeling.
And, oh my God, what was theoriginal question?
Speaker 4 (20:32):
So we were talking about the uh, we were talking
about grimoires and altars.
Speaker 2 (20:38):
Okay, oh, yeah, yeah.
And so it was really importantfor me to include that section
because I want people to, aspart of their lunar practice,
develop an intimate and personalconnection with the moon and so
having your lunar grimoirewhere you kind of record and
begin to notice your ownpersonal relationship with the
moon, your own personal sense offeeling, develop your intuition
(20:59):
in that way, and then you cankind of bring valuable
information from that into yourlife, you know.
So, yeah, that's why it wasimportant for me to cover those
things and also just go overenergy.
You know basics of, like how doyou tune into energy, how do
you support your new moonintentions to really bring, or
any intention to bring, what itis that you want to manifest to
(21:21):
light?
And so, starting with thosebasics, that way people can
develop that personalrelationship.
Speaker 4 (21:27):
Yeah, I love that.
And after reading this, that'ssomething that I started doing,
like going through the differentphases of the moon that we're
in and then journaling like whatI've been feeling because I've
been a hot mess lately.
So why?
We're trying to figure out thewhy right now, and so you know
(21:47):
so much stuff happeningastrologically.
Speaker 2 (21:49):
So, like all those things do play a role.
But you know, having a startingpoint with the moon is a good
place Having a starting pointwith the moon is a good place.
Speaker 4 (21:57):
And then I also like how you even have in here
grounding your energy, cleansingyour energy.
You know, there's just so muchfascinating information in here
(22:19):
that it's just and I've learnedso much over the last four years
with regards to witchcraft andspirituality and stuff like that
that it's good to and I feellike I kind of bounce around to
everything.
Like you know, maybe that's myADHD where I'm like can't stick
with one thing I got to doeverything.
So this is great for me to beable to go back and be like oh
yeah, that is a tool that I have, that I've completely put in
the back of my head and you know, so yeah.
Speaker 2 (22:38):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (22:39):
And the meditations and spells that you have in here
.
Speaker 2 (22:42):
Yeah, it's so hard because, like you know, I
honestly like I could includelike a meditation, a card
reading, or like multiple spellsfor every single phase, for
every single moon sign, everysingle season.
But that would be like super.
Every single season, but thatwould be like super.
And so I had to be like, okay,I have to think about like how I
can designate these things thatway I can get the max with the
(23:04):
space that I have.
You know what I mean.
Like not every moon phase canhave a meditation, not every
moon phase can have a cardreading, not every moon phase
can have a spell and same thingwith the signs, or else this
would be like triple the size.
Yeah, right, oh my god, here wego yeah, and I love it too
because I started to notice forlike the other authors in this
series too of like how you cantell that we've maxed out how
(23:28):
many words we can put in thesebooks.
You know, like they kind ofhave their max count at around
like 250 or something, 250 pages.
Speaker 3 (23:38):
So yeah, wait did you ?
Is that exactly where youstopped?
Speaker 1 (23:42):
I know I was like hold on.
Speaker 3 (23:44):
No, I was like 244 without the index.
Speaker 2 (23:49):
Okay, you did good well it's like 250s with the
index and they have to accountfor that.
But like, let's see, with theindex my astrology book ended at
like 256 and that one they hadto cut out of the table of
contents.
It doesn't list the spell, sojust list the chapter.
So I'm like you know, I juststarted to notice and like I
(24:10):
have a couple other books in theseries and I'm like, oh, they
were probably like had the sameproblem with words on this one,
because I can tell from theformatting that they had to like
squish it all in there.
Speaker 4 (24:22):
So, as an author and having those parameters, do you
feel like your creativity oryour information is being
suppressed, when they do cut outa lot of that information that
you had in there?
Speaker 2 (24:36):
You know, I think it's give and take.
I mean, I'm of the one thing inlike my mythology.
One of my college mythologycourses that I loved about the
professor was just how havingconversations in disseminating
certain myths or information ofhow we would arise to different
ideas through bouncing back andforth, and so I think in some
ways, creativity creativity canget stifled, but also just
(24:59):
through the process of workingwith the editors, etc.
You get kind of a new art form,you know.
So it's.
It's a give and take in someways.
Yes, because I think about likecan I really represent
everything in the way that needsto be done?
But also they have theperspective of the type of
person who's going to open thisbook right, so a beginner and
(25:21):
not someone who, like me, knowsa lot more information.
And so they kind of know, likeI may have all these grand ideas
of what to put in there, but ifit's not going to hit for the
person that opens up the book,then those ideas don't matter.
And I also have like a minor inEnglish.
So the writing part and likegetting creative with my word
(25:43):
choices, and I get so weirdabout it too, because I'm, like
you know, different tone comesacross with different words.
I'm like okay, I have thislimited amount of space, so that
makes me have to be creativewith the way that I phrase
things.
So that way I'm getting acrosskind of the general energy or
the mood and not phrasing thingsin a really confining way that
(26:04):
can be taken differently.
So it kind of adds to thecreative process.
It certainly adds restrictionsthat can be frustrating, but in
the end of the day it ends upstill being like a piece of
artwork.
You know, like I'm stillcontrolling the content that
goes in there.
It's just a matter of I havethis much space, how can I use
that space effectively?
Speaker 4 (26:25):
Right, that's interesting because I'm like oh
well, tell me more about this.
So how long did it take you towrite this book?
I was going to ask that.
Speaker 2 (26:42):
Oh well, if I had all the time in the world it would
be a different story.
But Adams Media I don't know ifI'm supposed to say it.
I've said it before, so I'msure it's fine.
They give us a two monthtimeline for manuscript writing.
Speaker 1 (26:49):
That's so short.
Speaker 2 (26:51):
That is fast, yeah, and the frustration with that is
I actually have to dropeverything else in my life in
order to be able to do it,because part of it is for me,
too, when I write something likethis.
There are a lot of other booksout there and it's important to
me that I am including variousperspectives, but also adding
something to the conversation,so I like to do a lot of
(27:12):
reference research in order tomake sure you know I'm taking an
approach that can be adaptableor accessible to a variety of
people.
So, basically, like everythingelse in my life shuts down for
two months, and then it's thesame thing with the editing
process.
When they turn around and giveme the edits, it's like three
(27:33):
chapters, which is 17 or 18,000words.
You have three days to reviewthose chapters and send it back,
and then they send me anotherload.
So, yeah, it's, I'm not goingto lie.
It's a rough ride because, um,everything else in my life just
kind of goes to the wayside andI feel like energetically cause
this is my fourth book with thepublisher like they're a great
(27:53):
team and this is how they'vecarved out a pathway for
themselves in the industry.
You know this is their approachto publishing but it's like
still the it's just kind of veryup and down and so trying to
balance out my life so it's moreconsistent and not very like
everything else has to go fortwo months.
Oh, there's a dust particle.
Sorry, I don't know if you sawit on the screen, it was very
(28:16):
bright, but anyway and it's wasit really a dust particle?
Speaker 3 (28:22):
I don't know, maybe not, and it's a beautiful book,
by the way, sorry Did you do.
Speaker 1 (28:29):
I was just going to say talking about you, yeah,
they did a great job.
Speaker 3 (28:31):
Yeah, it's.
It's a beautiful book.
Sorry, christy, go ahead.
Speaker 1 (28:34):
While you were writing this, did you do any
spells or, like you know, tohelp you that you would like to
share with our listeners?
Speaker 2 (28:42):
Yeah, I mean, part of it is is like the spells in the
book, right.
And so I'm like, okay, if Iwant to include this particular
type of spell in the book, Ialso want to use it to benefit
the success of the book.
And so there was the cinnamonladder that I ended up putting
under the Capricorn moon.
That I specifically did, youknow, to help for the book.
(29:06):
Oh God, there's a couple.
The thing is that the names ofthe spells change, so I can't
always remember like which onesI did, but I'm always burning
candles and doing spells forstuff, so there's never a time
where I'm not doing a spell tohelp, you know, something be
successful or pass underway.
Speaker 3 (29:26):
Let me see here, sorry it's like which one do I
yeah I mean because I'm likeworking.
Speaker 2 (29:29):
So that's the thing is like when I'm doing all this
stuff in a span of two monthsand I kind of know what spells
like, for example, the moon andcancer what kind of energy I
want okay, this type of spell isgoing to be great for that and
then I'm doing those spellswhile I'm working on the book.
So the harmonious, um home moonsimmer pot I love is because
it's both the simmer pot butalso a compote, which comes from
(29:50):
my cultural background um, it'spolish, so you can add like
sugar in there afterwards and itbecomes a really delicious
restorative drink to like revampthe anyway.
Speaker 3 (30:01):
So yeah, there were many spells done.
Yeah, yes, all of the spells.
Speaker 2 (30:07):
Yeah, and I think another thing that I kind of
find of ironic with this book islike an astrology of the moon
can represent our earlychildhood.
I think I talked about thislast podcast and maybe I
shouldn't talk about it becauseI don't know if it gets too deep
and too dark.
No, but get deep and get dark,yes, please.
Speaker 1 (30:23):
It's fine yeah.
Speaker 2 (30:26):
So during the time that I was writing this book, my
dad actually passed away duringthe edits, so 30 days after he
was sick during the time I waswriting it.
But he wasn't being transparentwith my brother and I about what
was going on, so we didn'treally understand and just kind
of thought he was just beingdifficult as usual, you know he
(30:53):
anyway.
And so it was just I found itinteresting with what the moon
represents and like I had totravel back to my home, you know
, when he passed, and thinkingabout all the themes that the
moon represents and having thosethemes kind of come up again,
like with my ancestry and divingback into, like you know, my
Polish heritage and stuff likethat.
So I don't know, I just.
And then also what I find asinteresting is he was an Aries
(31:15):
and pretty much the main Ariesfigure in my life, and then this
book came out, the start ofAries season and so, and then
also like the Aries eclipse andall of that was like the day
after what would have been hisbirthday, and so I just found
like I don't know, it's like ina way, this book kind of was
(31:35):
like connecting to thatancestral part, of healing those
ancestral or generationaltraumas and patterns.
Speaker 4 (31:43):
Right.
I love the synchronicitiesthere.
I think that it's trulybeautiful.
And going back to havingdifferent spells in different
signs of the moon, I like thatbecause it's not so much of
what's my sign and is this andthen do I do my sun sign or my
(32:04):
moon sign or my rising sign?
It's the sign within the moon,kind of situation.
Speaker 2 (32:10):
Yeah, Did you have a specific question about that or
just no, just that was just astatement.
Yeah, was so hard because I waslike a part of eliminating
10,000 words.
It's like I was like I caninclude so many, so much
information on the moon in eachspecific sign.
I actually wanted at leastthree spells, but in my ideal
(32:32):
world I could have a book justfor the moon signs and have a
meditation, have a card readingand then a couple of spells.
Um, but they were like, oh well, maybe we just make the moon
sign section like one spell foreach sign and I'm like no, I
can't, I can't, you know, I'msetting my boundary right now.
This is yeah, I was like yeah, Iwas like I'll pull from other
(32:54):
areas like we can't lose that togive a variety of information.
Speaker 4 (33:00):
So yeah, well, okay, now going back to your dad and
the signs that you received fromhim or from the universe with
regards to writing this book.
When you were writing otherbooks did you have and that
one's really deep and you knowbecause your father was dying
and then passed but did you haveother signs when you were
writing other books?
(33:21):
And have you ever thought aboutwriting a book about all the
signs you got?
I'm like because that's justfascinating to me.
I'd love to hear all about it.
Speaker 2 (33:32):
Yeah, I think part of it is too is just the amount of
time I have to write.
The book lends itself to like ageneral chaotic energy, if I'm
being honest, you know, likeit's just like cause it's.
It literally becomes my lifefor that time.
Um, and I'm just trying tothink about because I feel like
every book I've written has comefrom a significant period of my
(33:52):
life Um, so, the modernwitchcraft book of astrology
right when that came out, I wasliterally moving and so that was
like hard to manage this booklaunch and I'm like literally
changing locations.
Moon Magic came out.
Well, at the time that I wasworking on it was during the
pandemic and so that was alreadysome challenges there because I
(34:14):
couldn't have taste testers andI was also taking care of my
grandmother during the pandemicback in California.
And it's actually kind of funnythat you mentioned that now
because I'm like, well, I wasback in.
You know, my grandmother is aWorld War II veteran from Poland
and so that's just like anotherway of like you know, that
ancestral theme and taking careof my grandmother during that
(34:35):
time and the moon beingnurturing and that feminine
energy and ancestors and thenwitchcraft cocktails that came
from basically when I was behindthe bar, so I had already had
some of the recipes and stuffbecause I was serving them.
I'm trying to think it was solong ago, but then it came out
during the pandemic.
(34:55):
So I think just the last fouryears of life in general in the
world have been kind of you knowchaotic in itself, yeah yeah.
So you know, they all have kindof their their own themes and
with each book you kind of likelearn more.
Um, you know, witchcraftcocktails.
(35:17):
I wanted to put in moreinformation.
So I put in more information,moon magic mixology.
But then also, like maybe Ineeded to zoom out a little bit
and not put so much stuff in.
Speaker 4 (35:28):
So yeah, Well, and as we're wrapping up, what's next
for you, Julia?
Speaker 3 (35:37):
Hopefully another cocktail book.
Speaker 2 (35:38):
I drink rest of people.
Yeah, I loved doing this bookbecause in moon magic mixology,
you know, I have to focus a loton alcohol and so I wanted to
focus more on the root of mypractice and this one of what
informs even the recipes I makein moon magic mixology.
So, being able to focus more onthis, I've started a YouTube
(35:59):
channel and I'm just doinggeneral um, magical, you know
astrology metaphysics on there.
I'm doing only one drink recipea month because I have learned
that they are a bitch to filmand edit.
Speaker 4 (36:14):
Um, it's just, you are so good at it.
You are so good at it.
Speaker 2 (36:19):
Cause, um cause, I think on YouTube specifically,
I'm like, oh, like, oh my, Ispent like days, like a whole
week, just editing, oh yeah,mixology demo video, and I'm
like this is I can't do thisevery single week, so like one
drink video a month, that's.
You know, I'm gonna do one forbeltane.
I don't know when this comesout, but um, so yeah, that's
(36:40):
kind of like where I'm directingmy focus.
I'm just having moreconsistency I have a book agent
now and having less ups anddowns of like you've got two
months to write this book, youknow.
So yeah, that's where I'mfocusing my energy and I'm just
excited for, hopefully, what I'manticipating is going to be my
next drink book.
(37:01):
We'll see if it comes tofruition, so yeah, I'm sure it
will.
Speaker 1 (37:05):
Yeah, you are super talented and a wealth of
information.
Speaker 4 (37:08):
Yeah, and thank you so much for joining us again.
We love having you on the showwe love your energy and your
information.
You are so fantastic.
Yay, we just love you.
Speaker 2 (37:21):
Yes, and I'm glad you guys all got the book and are
so fantastic.
Yay, we just love you.
Yes, and I'm glad you guys allgot the book and thank you for
having me again.
Thank you for allowing me toswear.
I always feel like very, I haveto be like polite and then I'm
like, oh, that's right, I canswear.
Speaker 1 (37:32):
So on this show you can swear yes you can,
absolutely.
Yeah, I love it.
Yeah, and with that we give allof our listeners permission to
swear as well.
But thank you all for joiningus on this episode of A Witch, a
Mystic and A Feminist.
Go to wmfpodcom to look at pastepisodes and engage with us
(37:52):
there, and we will see you nextweek, thank you.
Welcome to A Witch, a Mystic and a Feminist.
This week we welcome JuliaHelena Hattis back to the show
because you know what?
We finally have her books, sowe get to talk about it.
But welcome back to the show.
She's a magical, magical personand author of the book which we
did an episode on previously,the modern witchcraft book of
(00:31):
moon magic.
And if you listened to the lastepisode, um, maybe you heard us
talking about smelling thepages.
And the minute I got this book,I did.
I smelled the pages, just likethis.
You can't see me, but I did, um, and then even my son comes
down and he goes what are youdoing?
And my husband's like she'ssmelling the pages.
And then he smelled the pagestoo and he agreed that he likes
(00:54):
the smell of books.
So I've raised a good one Anyway, okay, hi, julia Does it smell
like beetroot or like herbs toyou guys.
Yeah, I did not have an herbsmell, but it just smelled like
new book smell is what it was,and so that is equally
delightful for me.
Mine smells herbal.
Speaker 2 (01:15):
Yeah, I wonder if they're like different prints.
Okay, perfect, yeah, so youmust have got a different one,
christy, I know yeah.
Speaker 4 (01:22):
But I also have your book, um, the modern witchcraft
book of astrology, um, that youcame out with prior to the moon
magic book, and I've smelt thepages and they do not, um, have
the herbal scent to it, but youknow which.
(01:42):
Then you know, as I bring upthe book of astrology, you know
you have this book and then youjust came out with the moon
magic book.
So for those who haven't readboth books, unlike me, you know
talking about astrology and thentalking about the moon.
I know that there is adifference, but what's the
(02:03):
difference between these twobooks about?
Speaker 2 (02:05):
the moon.
I know that there is adifference, but what's the
difference between these twobooks?
I mean, there's definitely acrossover in terms of the moon
as an aspect of astrology, but Ithink the thing is, when it
comes to modern spirituality,setting intentions with the moon
and stuff, it's kind of like adifferent practice, whereas the
astrology book is specificallylike oh, if you want to tune
into a certain zodiacal energy,like Aries season or the planet
(02:31):
Mars, you know, I just hit themic yeah, if you want to turn to
a certain specific astrologicalenergy, we're obviously more
focused on the moon and just allthe things that we use the moon
specifically for in witchcraft.
So, healing, you know, tuninginto your intuition, your sense
of feeling, which is a reallyimportant part of how we kind of
(02:52):
navigate our daily life, youknow tuning into that.
Speaker 4 (02:54):
So, yeah, Well, I love how, in the beginning of
this book, you know, andthroughout the book, but you add
science and witchcraft, and sothere is, you know, a lot of
information in here, scientificinformation with regards to the
moon and the different phasesand things like that.
And so was that by design onyour part too.
Speaker 2 (03:17):
Yeah, yeah, so I have a degree in anthropology, so
obviously you know I need to be.
I think we can definitely becareful about how we like
interweave science withwitchcraft.
You know, something likespirituality doesn't need to
always have that backing, right,um.
But because I have thebackground in anthropology, I am
interested in like actualresearch, you know, and I I took
astronomy in college and stuff,and so, um, I just loved also
(03:42):
digging deeper in that way andlike finding actual evidence,
you know, for a certain thingswe know people have done forever
, right, but you have to havelike actual research done, um to
to validate that.
And so I loved and I just thinkit helps people really realize
like the moon cause we go to bedat night, right, and so
oftentimes we don't always tuneinto that energy consciously,
(04:05):
but it's still there impactingyou, you know, and like
realizing all the ways that themoon affects our life on Earth
from our experience of theseasons right, it slows down the
seasons, how it's lengthenedour days and just contributed in
different ways to evolution.
We're always connected to themoon one way or another, and so
(04:26):
it's not like a small.
Oh God damn it.
Sorry, I'm sorry, the mic isright here, and like you're in
front of me and I just hit itagain.
Speaker 3 (04:36):
It's all right.
It's all right, we get it yeah.
That's why ours has to befloating up here, because you
know, yeah, I see you guys.
Speaker 2 (04:45):
Okay, let me just adjust it because this is like,
sorry, I used to yeah, no, Iused to be in like a cover band
and so this was, like you know,when I wanted to record myself
on my Mac to, like you know, seewhat I sounded like.
Speaker 3 (04:58):
So I just don't use it outside of like singing and
stuff, so we'll we'll have todiscuss that a little bit of
that too, after we're done withthe book, because I love
learning new things about you.
Speaker 2 (05:12):
Yeah, yeah, I mean I hope to get back into singing
again one day, but anyway, thething I just want to say that I
love about like tuning into thatscience aspect and realizing
that the moon's like ourfurthest ancestor.
You know, it's like we're allmade from the earth in some way,
and just that connection also,how the moon connects to the
past, and the reason why I love.
I'm so sorry, chrissy, thatyours doesn't smell like beet,
(05:33):
but maybe it's like a good thing.
But beet is actually like a bigPolish thing.
Like you know, we've got beetsoup and all of that stuff, and
so I love that it smells likebeets because I'm like, oh, you
know, maybe that's my ancestorscoming through, but you know I
love that.
Speaker 3 (05:49):
That is really cute and I like that you use the term
beet, because I was trying tofind a nice way to say.
It smells very like dirt Like,but I relate dirt to be earthy,
earthy, right, I do.
I personally am like okay,beets earthy, taste like the
earth, let alone kind of but itis a very big.
Speaker 4 (06:10):
I love the earth because I love beets oh yeah, I
love the earth I don't lovebeets, but I love.
Speaker 3 (06:16):
I like the smell of it.
Speaker 2 (06:18):
Um, I have like beetroot powder, so that's how I
know, and like we usually useit in cooking.
I was like, oh my god, that'swhat this smells like, because
it was bothering me when itfirst arrived.
So, yeah, that's why I was.
I know exactly what it is.
Speaker 1 (06:31):
I guess I'm gonna I'm taking homework for myself I'm
gonna go get some beets, andthen I'm gonna go to your local
store, because maybe I'm justmissing something.
Speaker 3 (06:39):
There's an air freshener for that.
Christy, we'll get you one.
Speaker 1 (06:42):
Grab a beet.
There's a beet air freshener.
It could totally be yeah.
Oh really, there's, a beet airfreshener.
Speaker 2 (06:48):
No, I don't know.
Maybe, maybe I don't know.
Speaker 3 (06:50):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (06:52):
I'm going off the rails here.
Sounds like dirt.
Bring it back in.
Speaker 3 (06:56):
Bring it back in.
I that I love all the books andinformation coming out about
the moon and how people areembracing it more and more,
because I think even growing upthe moon was very it's related
with night.
So it's very dark, it's scary,it's almost intimidating at the
time.
(07:16):
You know and you think of allthe bad things that happens when
the full moon's out and youknow it must be a full moon, be
careful, and I just love thatwe're starting to embrace the
actual energy and the power ofthe moon and what it can do for
us emotionally, spiritually, Imean, even as women.
We know our cycles revolvearound, you know the moon cycle
(07:39):
as well, and as far as time ordays, whatever, um, but it's.
But it was always scary for meas a kid because you're just
like, oh, it's nighttime, oh,the moon's out.
You know it's kind of just thatcreepy story that you would
hear, like all the horrorstories happen at night, with
the full moon and the werewolves, you know, and the witches.
Speaker 4 (07:57):
Well and you bring that up in your book too with
regards to the eclipses and thefull moon and the werewolves and
stuff like that in the storiesthat come out.
Speaker 3 (08:08):
Yeah, it's beautiful to hear the beauty and the power
and the energy of the moon andpeople actually embracing it now
, using it as a source for them.
So I think that's fantastic andI really enjoy your book and I
actually am reading it more of aas a reference, if you will.
Okay, there's a spell for thisor there's a ceremony for this
(08:30):
or whatever.
So it's it's been fun and I'mactually reading.
I'm going to read today thefull moon because full moon's
coming up.
So I was like, yeah, I readthis one and see what I can do
on that day.
So it's got.
It's like a great referencebook as far as all the little
things and different scenariosyou can perform spells, all the
(08:51):
stuff.
So thank you for this book.
I am all about the moon lately.
Speaker 4 (08:57):
Well, so you were saying that everybody's becoming
more aware of it, and I'm justcurious if it really is
everybody becoming more aware ofit or, as we have opened up
more spiritually and lookinginto it, is it because we've
become more aware of it, sowe're recognizing that other
people are more aware, or or isit really that everybody is more
(09:20):
aware?
Speaker 2 (09:20):
I'm not sure.
Like I think it's like twothings, so which I'm learning
more that I feel like a bookagent.
One thing is it has to do withtrends, like everything goes
through trends, and there'sactually a bunch of moon magic
books that I think are going tobe coming out over the next two
years or so, and so I thinkpublishers are anticipating
another lunar trend.
(09:42):
I don't know where they getthat information from.
But also, like, when I thinkabout when I first got into
witchcraft, everything was verymoon focused, like you know,
celebrations on the full moon,etc.
And then, of course, it'sadapted over time, so I think
it's always been there, but it'sjust kind of like focuses,
orient in different ways.
Astrology, as far as inspirituality, was going through
(10:05):
a trend, and then just kind oflike shifts as to I don't really
know how it works, but yeah,yeah, and so I think it is
coming up again.
But I do also think, like youknow, there's I think about how
I grew up in all the moon magicbooks that I had, and I just
think it's a constant part.
The other thing I kind of thinkabout like going off of what
(10:26):
you were saying, jamie oh,goddamn ADHD, fuck, sorry.
Speaker 1 (10:30):
I just you know the building.
Speaker 2 (10:36):
Yeah, what was I going to say?
Oh God, sorry, it's just like Ihave to like keep focused or
else otherwise, like I totallyforget it's all good, oh well,
it'll come back.
Speaker 1 (10:46):
It'll come back.
Speaker 4 (10:48):
So one of the things that there's a lot of
contradictory information aboutout there that you bring up in
your book is manifestations whenit comes to full moons or new
moons, and you know for you yousaid it's personal preference,
but a lot of people say you doit during a full moon and you
(11:08):
release during a new moon.
A lot of people say youmanifest during a new moon, and
so again, it's contradictory.
Why do you think that is?
Speaker 2 (11:17):
You know part of it is.
This is where it totallyintertwines with astrology,
right, and you brought up myother book.
It is partly due to justdifferent traditions and also
just the astrology and our ownpersonal birth charts not to get
like super out there for people.
You obviously don't have toknow all of this astrological
information, so don't be likedaunted by hearing that.
(11:40):
But the reality is is like afull moon in a certain sign.
The full moon's always going tobe opposite whatever the sun is
, and it creates tension, itcreates friction, but at the
same time the moon's in its fullpower and also, if you can
harmonize the balance betweenthose two forces, it can be
really potent and powerful.
But for some people, certainlunar cycle is going to be more
challenging and maybe that ismore.
(12:03):
They a feel that tension, andso it's just that's why it's
like the thing about what themoon represents is our own sense
of feeling right and tuninginto our intuition in that way
and that wisdom, and so I feellike every lunar cycle kind of
impacts us differently.
Like, I'll be honest, sometimesI don't do so great when the
moon's in Virgo, and so it'sjust part of my chart and the
(12:27):
way my life works, and so it'sthe same thing with the new moon
.
The new moon I love becausethere's that cosmic alignment
between the sun and moon.
So it's like, with thatalignment and melding that into
moon magic, it's a really greattime for rebirthing matters,
specifically for what sign themoon and sun are in.
But you know sometimes if acertain lunar cycle has been
(12:50):
really triggering and someonejust wants to focus more on rest
.
So it's really kind of likeebbs and flow you think of, like
the ocean tides, right, and sojust tuning into what are you
feeling more?
Because, especially when Ifirst got into witchcraft, the
full moon was a really powerfultime to cast manifestation magic
right.
And then some stuff happened, Ithink, like with Yasmin Boland
and moonology, and the focusbecame more of manifesting with
(13:13):
the new moon and I think bothare totally valid.
It's just more of how thatlunar cycle is particularly
impacting you and where you'reat in your life.
Speaker 4 (13:23):
Thank you for that.
Yes, yes, I was life.
Speaker 1 (13:25):
Thank you for that, yes.
Speaker 4 (13:26):
I was like.
Speaker 2 (13:26):
thank you for that explanation, I appreciate that
Because some full moons are likeyou feel powerful, right, the
moon is in her full glow, thingsare illuminated for you.
Maybe the sign that that moonis in is just vibing with you
and all the other astrologicalenergy like totally cast a
manifestation spell at the fullmoon.
If you're feeling that powerand it's feeling great for you,
(13:50):
right, it's just very subjectiveand I think that's the powerful
thing about tuning into themoon and spirituality in
witchcraft and magic is owningwhere you are in your season of
life and tuning in and adaptingthings according to how you're
feeling.
Speaker 3 (14:03):
I really appreciate that because and we've discussed
this before on many of ourshows when we have people who
tell us it has to be done thisway, no-transcript.
Speaker 4 (14:51):
Well, especially for, like you know, baby witches and
you know, people that are justcoming into wanting to work with
the moon and moon magic more.
You know, and I know, thatwe're talking a lot about the
new moon and full moon right now, but you really do go into
discussing all of the differentphases of the moon.
Speaker 1 (15:04):
Yes, which I yes?
Speaker 4 (15:06):
100%, because I mean, sometimes for anyone this can
just be really confusing.
And so to have that explanation, and that's why also I bring up
you brought up the scientificportions in your book.
My logical brain appreciatesthat so much.
You know, because you'respeaking to the logical side of
(15:28):
me.
And then you know you go intomore witchcraft and spell work
and you know meditations andrituals, and that speaks to the
witchy side of me.
And so you know, I think thisbook is fantastic for, like
Jamie was saying, a greatreference, but you know, also
just great information.
Yay.
Speaker 2 (15:50):
I always write too much.
We had to like cut out like10,000 words, you know.
Oh, can I have that?
Speaker 4 (15:55):
There's 10,000 words, yeah.
Speaker 2 (15:58):
That's like the thing that's so hard about writing
books sometimes is because, like, especially, this is part of um
Adams media's modern witchseries, so it has to fit within
their series.
And it's like I get certainconstraints, you know, and I'm
like, oh, but I'd love to gomore into this.
And I'm like, okay, how can Iuse the space that I have
effectively, which, honestly, isprobably good for the reader,
because someone who's about topick out this book probably
(16:20):
doesn't want to read like awhole freaking thesis, you know,
on one lunar phase.
So it's just like you kind ofhave to like pick and choose.
Speaker 1 (16:29):
Can that be like the advanced version, like you can
just come up with, like you knowadvanced level magic One day.
Speaker 4 (16:39):
Yes, but so and sorry .
I just keep going back andforth within this book because
there's just and I have likethings you know marked.
But you know, you go into someof the deities and with regards
to the moon and the lunardeities, and so going into that,
I found that really fascinatingbecause you learn about all
(17:01):
these different gods and stuff.
Was that interesting for you towrite as well?
Speaker 2 (17:06):
Yeah, yeah, and obviously I know some about
lunar deities.
But another thing to me is likealways a place of wanting to
represent things from differentbackgrounds around the world.
But also I don't want to go toodeeply because I'm not from
those practices and so how do Itouch on a little bit of
mythology here, so that way I'mincluding representation in some
(17:27):
way and information, but alsonot diving to the point of I am
not super familiar with thesespecific practices.
So it was like kind of that's aone thing like with mythology
and deities.
You know that I want to becareful on touching on of like
there are these deities, youknow, in South or Central
America, right, so people canhave that awareness.
(17:47):
So I think that's always kindof like a fine line.
But yeah, I mean, as part ofhaving an anthropology degree,
I'm just have always beenfascinated by mythology.
I think it's just general, theADHD like applies in so many
ways, you know, and like andactually like mythology was how
I first got into witchcraft, sobefore I even found out that
(18:09):
people were practicing it, likein sixth grade when I learned
about mythology, especiallyEgyptian mythology, you know,
because I was very connectedwith feline cats God, I'm such a
stereotype, Anyway, you know.
So when I learned of, you know,the cat deity from ancient
Egyptian mythology, Bast, I waslike tuning into her and working
(18:30):
with her before I even, like,came to find witchcraft and
spirituality.
So I love including mythologyin that way because it's really
powerful to connect to kind ofthose energy frequencies you
said.
Speaker 3 (18:43):
I'm so stereotypical.
Speaker 4 (18:47):
But then you go into in your book lunar spellcasting
and keeping a grimoire andcreating an altar.
Speaker 2 (18:55):
So maybe go into that a little bit, yeah yeah,
because that's the thing is,like we kind of touched on, but
I wanted to dive in a andcreating an altar.
So maybe go into that a littlebit.
Yeah, yeah, because that's thething is, like we kind of
touched on, but I wanted to divein a little deeper.
It's just, like you know, themoon representing our emotions
and feeling.
I don't know.
I feel like in our modernsociety, or like at least when I
was growing up, that emotionswere just kind of like deemed as
yeah, exactly, or just like, orlike yeah, whereas, like you
(19:20):
know, females expressing theiremotions was just like it meant
that something was not true,right, but they're just, oh,
emotional, and then, like, asyou get older, realizing like,
well, a lot of those emotionscame from a really true place,
yeah, and kind of stuffing themin that way and like brushing
them off the shoulder.
And maybe this is just becausemy family is Slavic.
(19:40):
I will be honest, I'm like I'mreally Polish.
You know, both sides of myfamily come from Poland, I have
dual citizenship, I'm relearningthe language right now, and so
maybe that's just a Slavic thingof like you know, um, brushing
aside people's emotions.
Um, yeah, sorry, did I go offon a tangent there, um, but so
(20:03):
yeah, and so it was like, as Igot older and like kind of
realizing, like you know, theemotions my mom was expressing
or whatever, if she had tunedinto the deeper root of those.
It's kind of like our sense offeeling and our emotional
landscape can tell us if we areor aren't being nurtured, how
we're feeling about our life.
Are we feeling fulfilled?
Is there something wrong?
And so I love tuning into themood in that way, of the
(20:25):
emotional landscape and oursense of feeling.
And, oh my God, what was theoriginal question?
Speaker 4 (20:32):
So we were talking about the uh, we were talking
about grimoires and altars.
Speaker 2 (20:38):
Okay, oh, yeah, yeah.
And so it was really importantfor me to include that section
because I want people to, aspart of their lunar practice,
develop an intimate and personalconnection with the moon and so
having your lunar grimoirewhere you kind of record and
begin to notice your ownpersonal relationship with the
moon, your own personal sense offeeling, develop your intuition
(20:59):
in that way, and then you cankind of bring valuable
information from that into yourlife, you know.
So, yeah, that's why it wasimportant for me to cover those
things and also just go overenergy.
You know basics of, like how doyou tune into energy, how do
you support your new moonintentions to really bring, or
any intention to bring, what itis that you want to manifest to
(21:21):
light?
And so, starting with thosebasics, that way people can
develop that personalrelationship.
Speaker 4 (21:27):
Yeah, I love that.
And after reading this, that'ssomething that I started doing,
like going through the differentphases of the moon that we're
in and then journaling like whatI've been feeling because I've
been a hot mess lately.
So why?
We're trying to figure out thewhy right now, and so you know
(21:47):
so much stuff happeningastrologically.
Speaker 2 (21:49):
So, like all those things do play a role.
But you know, having a startingpoint with the moon is a good
place Having a starting pointwith the moon is a good place.
Speaker 4 (21:57):
And then I also like how you even have in here
grounding your energy, cleansingyour energy.
You know, there's just so muchfascinating information in here
(22:19):
that it's just and I've learnedso much over the last four years
with regards to witchcraft andspirituality and stuff like that
that it's good to and I feellike I kind of bounce around to
everything.
Like you know, maybe that's myADHD where I'm like can't stick
with one thing I got to doeverything.
So this is great for me to beable to go back and be like oh
yeah, that is a tool that I have, that I've completely put in
the back of my head and you know, so yeah.
Speaker 2 (22:38):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (22:39):
And the meditations and spells that you have in here
.
Speaker 2 (22:42):
Yeah, it's so hard because, like you know, I
honestly like I could includelike a meditation, a card
reading, or like multiple spellsfor every single phase, for
every single moon sign, everysingle season.
But that would be like super.
Every single season, but thatwould be like super.
And so I had to be like, okay,I have to think about like how I
can designate these things thatway I can get the max with the
(23:04):
space that I have.
You know what I mean.
Like not every moon phase canhave a meditation, not every
moon phase can have a cardreading, not every moon phase
can have a spell and same thingwith the signs, or else this
would be like triple the size.
Yeah, right, oh my god, here wego yeah, and I love it too
because I started to notice forlike the other authors in this
series too of like how you cantell that we've maxed out how
(23:28):
many words we can put in thesebooks.
You know, like they kind ofhave their max count at around
like 250 or something, 250 pages.
Speaker 3 (23:38):
So yeah, wait did you ?
Is that exactly where youstopped?
Speaker 1 (23:42):
I know I was like hold on.
Speaker 3 (23:44):
No, I was like 244 without the index.
Speaker 2 (23:49):
Okay, you did good well it's like 250s with the
index and they have to accountfor that.
But like, let's see, with theindex my astrology book ended at
like 256 and that one they hadto cut out of the table of
contents.
It doesn't list the spell, sojust list the chapter.
So I'm like you know, I juststarted to notice and like I
(24:10):
have a couple other books in theseries and I'm like, oh, they
were probably like had the sameproblem with words on this one,
because I can tell from theformatting that they had to like
squish it all in there.
Speaker 4 (24:22):
So, as an author and having those parameters, do you
feel like your creativity oryour information is being
suppressed, when they do cut outa lot of that information that
you had in there?
Speaker 2 (24:36):
You know, I think it's give and take.
I mean, I'm of the one thing inlike my mythology.
One of my college mythologycourses that I loved about the
professor was just how havingconversations in disseminating
certain myths or information ofhow we would arise to different
ideas through bouncing back andforth, and so I think in some
ways, creativity creativity canget stifled, but also just
(24:59):
through the process of workingwith the editors, etc.
You get kind of a new art form,you know.
So it's.
It's a give and take in someways.
Yes, because I think about likecan I really represent
everything in the way that needsto be done?
But also they have theperspective of the type of
person who's going to open thisbook right, so a beginner and
(25:21):
not someone who, like me, knowsa lot more information.
And so they kind of know, likeI may have all these grand ideas
of what to put in there, but ifit's not going to hit for the
person that opens up the book,then those ideas don't matter.
And I also have like a minor inEnglish.
So the writing part and likegetting creative with my word
(25:43):
choices, and I get so weirdabout it too, because I'm, like
you know, different tone comesacross with different words.
I'm like okay, I have thislimited amount of space, so that
makes me have to be creativewith the way that I phrase
things.
So that way I'm getting acrosskind of the general energy or
the mood and not phrasing thingsin a really confining way that
(26:04):
can be taken differently.
So it kind of adds to thecreative process.
It certainly adds restrictionsthat can be frustrating, but in
the end of the day it ends upstill being like a piece of
artwork.
You know, like I'm stillcontrolling the content that
goes in there.
It's just a matter of I havethis much space, how can I use
that space effectively?
Speaker 4 (26:25):
Right, that's interesting because I'm like oh
well, tell me more about this.
So how long did it take you towrite this book?
I was going to ask that.
Speaker 2 (26:42):
Oh well, if I had all the time in the world it would
be a different story.
But Adams Media I don't know ifI'm supposed to say it.
I've said it before, so I'msure it's fine.
They give us a two monthtimeline for manuscript writing.
Speaker 1 (26:49):
That's so short.
Speaker 2 (26:51):
That is fast, yeah, and the frustration with that is
I actually have to dropeverything else in my life in
order to be able to do it,because part of it is for me,
too, when I write something likethis.
There are a lot of other booksout there and it's important to
me that I am including variousperspectives, but also adding
something to the conversation,so I like to do a lot of
(27:12):
reference research in order tomake sure you know I'm taking an
approach that can be adaptableor accessible to a variety of
people.
So, basically, like everythingelse in my life shuts down for
two months, and then it's thesame thing with the editing
process.
When they turn around and giveme the edits, it's like three
(27:33):
chapters, which is 17 or 18,000words.
You have three days to reviewthose chapters and send it back,
and then they send me anotherload.
So, yeah, it's, I'm not goingto lie.
It's a rough ride because, um,everything else in my life just
kind of goes to the wayside andI feel like energetically cause
this is my fourth book with thepublisher like they're a great
(27:53):
team and this is how they'vecarved out a pathway for
themselves in the industry.
You know this is their approachto publishing but it's like
still the it's just kind of veryup and down and so trying to
balance out my life so it's moreconsistent and not very like
everything else has to go fortwo months.
Oh, there's a dust particle.
Sorry, I don't know if you sawit on the screen, it was very
(28:16):
bright, but anyway and it's wasit really a dust particle?
Speaker 3 (28:22):
I don't know, maybe not, and it's a beautiful book,
by the way, sorry Did you do.
Speaker 1 (28:29):
I was just going to say talking about you, yeah,
they did a great job.
Speaker 3 (28:31):
Yeah, it's.
It's a beautiful book.
Sorry, christy, go ahead.
Speaker 1 (28:34):
While you were writing this, did you do any
spells or, like you know, tohelp you that you would like to
share with our listeners?
Speaker 2 (28:42):
Yeah, I mean, part of it is is like the spells in the
book, right.
And so I'm like, okay, if Iwant to include this particular
type of spell in the book, Ialso want to use it to benefit
the success of the book.
And so there was the cinnamonladder that I ended up putting
under the Capricorn moon.
That I specifically did, youknow, to help for the book.
(29:06):
Oh God, there's a couple.
The thing is that the names ofthe spells change, so I can't
always remember like which onesI did, but I'm always burning
candles and doing spells forstuff, so there's never a time
where I'm not doing a spell tohelp, you know, something be
successful or pass underway.
Speaker 3 (29:26):
Let me see here, sorry it's like which one do I
yeah I mean because I'm likeworking.
Speaker 2 (29:29):
So that's the thing is like when I'm doing all this
stuff in a span of two monthsand I kind of know what spells
like, for example, the moon andcancer what kind of energy I
want okay, this type of spell isgoing to be great for that and
then I'm doing those spellswhile I'm working on the book.
So the harmonious, um home moonsimmer pot I love is because
it's both the simmer pot butalso a compote, which comes from
(29:50):
my cultural background um, it'spolish, so you can add like
sugar in there afterwards and itbecomes a really delicious
restorative drink to like revampthe anyway.
Speaker 3 (30:01):
So yeah, there were many spells done.
Yeah, yes, all of the spells.
Speaker 2 (30:07):
Yeah, and I think another thing that I kind of
find of ironic with this book islike an astrology of the moon
can represent our earlychildhood.
I think I talked about thislast podcast and maybe I
shouldn't talk about it becauseI don't know if it gets too deep
and too dark.
No, but get deep and get dark,yes, please.
Speaker 1 (30:23):
It's fine yeah.
Speaker 2 (30:26):
So during the time that I was writing this book, my
dad actually passed away duringthe edits, so 30 days after he
was sick during the time I waswriting it.
But he wasn't being transparentwith my brother and I about what
was going on, so we didn'treally understand and just kind
of thought he was just beingdifficult as usual, you know he
(30:53):
anyway.
And so it was just I found itinteresting with what the moon
represents and like I had totravel back to my home, you know
, when he passed, and thinkingabout all the themes that the
moon represents and having thosethemes kind of come up again,
like with my ancestry and divingback into, like you know, my
Polish heritage and stuff likethat.
So I don't know, I just.
And then also what I find asinteresting is he was an Aries
(31:15):
and pretty much the main Ariesfigure in my life, and then this
book came out, the start ofAries season and so, and then
also like the Aries eclipse andall of that was like the day
after what would have been hisbirthday, and so I just found
like I don't know, it's like ina way, this book kind of was
(31:35):
like connecting to thatancestral part, of healing those
ancestral or generationaltraumas and patterns.
Speaker 4 (31:43):
Right.
I love the synchronicitiesthere.
I think that it's trulybeautiful.
And going back to havingdifferent spells in different
signs of the moon, I like thatbecause it's not so much of
what's my sign and is this andthen do I do my sun sign or my
(32:04):
moon sign or my rising sign?
It's the sign within the moon,kind of situation.
Speaker 2 (32:10):
Yeah, Did you have a specific question about that or
just no, just that was just astatement.
Yeah, was so hard because I waslike a part of eliminating
10,000 words.
It's like I was like I caninclude so many, so much
information on the moon in eachspecific sign.
I actually wanted at leastthree spells, but in my ideal
(32:32):
world I could have a book justfor the moon signs and have a
meditation, have a card readingand then a couple of spells.
Um, but they were like, oh well, maybe we just make the moon
sign section like one spell foreach sign and I'm like no, I
can't, I can't, you know, I'msetting my boundary right now.
This is yeah, I was like yeah, Iwas like I'll pull from other
(32:54):
areas like we can't lose that togive a variety of information.
Speaker 4 (33:00):
So yeah, well, okay, now going back to your dad and
the signs that you received fromhim or from the universe with
regards to writing this book.
When you were writing otherbooks did you have and that
one's really deep and you knowbecause your father was dying
and then passed but did you haveother signs when you were
writing other books?
(33:21):
And have you ever thought aboutwriting a book about all the
signs you got?
I'm like because that's justfascinating to me.
I'd love to hear all about it.
Speaker 2 (33:32):
Yeah, I think part of it is too is just the amount of
time I have to write.
The book lends itself to like ageneral chaotic energy, if I'm
being honest, you know, likeit's just like cause it's.
It literally becomes my lifefor that time.
Um, and I'm just trying tothink about because I feel like
every book I've written has comefrom a significant period of my
(33:52):
life Um, so, the modernwitchcraft book of astrology
right when that came out, I wasliterally moving and so that was
like hard to manage this booklaunch and I'm like literally
changing locations.
Moon Magic came out.
Well, at the time that I wasworking on it was during the
pandemic and so that was alreadysome challenges there because I
(34:14):
couldn't have taste testers andI was also taking care of my
grandmother during the pandemicback in California.
And it's actually kind of funnythat you mentioned that now
because I'm like, well, I wasback in.
You know, my grandmother is aWorld War II veteran from Poland
and so that's just like anotherway of like you know, that
ancestral theme and taking careof my grandmother during that
(34:35):
time and the moon beingnurturing and that feminine
energy and ancestors and thenwitchcraft cocktails that came
from basically when I was behindthe bar, so I had already had
some of the recipes and stuffbecause I was serving them.
I'm trying to think it was solong ago, but then it came out
during the pandemic.
(34:55):
So I think just the last fouryears of life in general in the
world have been kind of you knowchaotic in itself, yeah yeah.
So you know, they all have kindof their their own themes and
with each book you kind of likelearn more.
Um, you know, witchcraftcocktails.
(35:17):
I wanted to put in moreinformation.
So I put in more information,moon magic mixology.
But then also, like maybe Ineeded to zoom out a little bit
and not put so much stuff in.
Speaker 4 (35:28):
So yeah, Well, and as we're wrapping up, what's next
for you, Julia?
Speaker 3 (35:37):
Hopefully another cocktail book.
Speaker 2 (35:38):
I drink rest of people.
Yeah, I loved doing this bookbecause in moon magic mixology,
you know, I have to focus a loton alcohol and so I wanted to
focus more on the root of mypractice and this one of what
informs even the recipes I makein moon magic mixology.
So, being able to focus more onthis, I've started a YouTube
(35:59):
channel and I'm just doinggeneral um, magical, you know
astrology metaphysics on there.
I'm doing only one drink recipea month because I have learned
that they are a bitch to filmand edit.
Speaker 4 (36:14):
Um, it's just, you are so good at it.
You are so good at it.
Speaker 2 (36:19):
Cause, um cause, I think on YouTube specifically,
I'm like, oh, like, oh my, Ispent like days, like a whole
week, just editing, oh yeah,mixology demo video, and I'm
like this is I can't do thisevery single week, so like one
drink video a month, that's.
You know, I'm gonna do one forbeltane.
I don't know when this comesout, but um, so yeah, that's
(36:40):
kind of like where I'm directingmy focus.
I'm just having moreconsistency I have a book agent
now and having less ups anddowns of like you've got two
months to write this book, youknow.
So yeah, that's where I'mfocusing my energy and I'm just
excited for, hopefully, what I'manticipating is going to be my
next drink book.
(37:01):
We'll see if it comes tofruition, so yeah, I'm sure it
will.
Speaker 1 (37:05):
Yeah, you are super talented and a wealth of
information.
Speaker 4 (37:08):
Yeah, and thank you so much for joining us again.
We love having you on the showwe love your energy and your
information.
You are so fantastic.
Yay, we just love you.
Speaker 2 (37:21):
Yes, and I'm glad you guys all got the book and are
so fantastic.
Yay, we just love you.
Yes, and I'm glad you guys allgot the book and thank you for
having me again.
Thank you for allowing me toswear.
I always feel like very, I haveto be like polite and then I'm
like, oh, that's right, I canswear.
Speaker 1 (37:32):
So on this show you can swear yes you can,
absolutely.
Yeah, I love it.
Yeah, and with that we give allof our listeners permission to
swear as well.
But thank you all for joiningus on this episode of A Witch, a
Mystic and A Feminist.
Go to wmfpodcom to look at pastepisodes and engage with us
(37:52):
there, and we will see you nextweek, thank you.
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