I missed last week’s blog due to a medical issue, sorry. It wasn’t anything dramatic, just one of those little life detours that Mercury retrograde seems to enjoy tossing at us. But I am back, and I want to talk about last night’s Alumni session, led by the Laurel Witch, and it was exactly the kind of evening that reminds me why these gatherings matter so deeply.
I actually joined the discussion late. Store matters occupied me, and by the time I became fully present, the session was already well underway. And instead of feeling stressed or behind, I felt something else entirely: relief. The circle was humming without me, alive and engaged, and it was wonderful.
Everyone was leaning in. Everyone was listening. Everyone was sharing.
Stories about charms from grandmothers. Charms carried to help find your way at sea. Charms shaped like potatoes, because of course they were.
People weren’t just learning; they were connecting. They were open, vulnerable, relaxed, and completely present in the safety of the circle. In a world that constantly pulls us toward tomorrow, every witch in that room was fully alive in the moment. That presence… that rare, steady attention… was its own kind of Magick.
The Laurel Witch guided the evening with a kindness that was almost tangible. When she offered a sample charm reading to one of the witches, every word wrapped the young woman like a shawl; warm, protective, and full of care. Her relationship to the craft showed maturity, clearly deeply rooted. She treated witchcraft like an old friend: one that guides, one that deserves to be listened to, one that offers help rather than demands power. Watching her teach reminded me how important it is for witches to hear many voices, many perspectives, many histories.
Just the day before, I’d been talking with a long‑time customer; a witch who has been practicing in covens since the 80s. He shared stories of early coven life, of the challenges of the satanic panic, of a history very different from my own. It was deeply moving. And it reinforced something I felt again last night: witchcraft grows stronger when we share our stories.
Because in the end, you can learn charm casting online. You can learn almost anything online now. But you cannot learn community online. You cannot learn the feeling of witches laughing together during a tea break, or leaning close during a breakout session, or appreciating one another with such sincerity that the whole room feels like home.
That’s what struck me most: the appreciation. Every person in that room valued every other person in that room. And that simple truth created something extraordinary… a space where people could throw away the mask and simply be. A space where connection wasn’t an idea, but a lived experience.
And in that moment, I felt a sense of awe. I felt like a new witch again, learning not secret spells or hidden techniques, but the quiet secrets of the human heart, and how every heart has the magickal ability to connect.
That is why the Alumni sessions exist. They serve the community by reinforcing the community.
As I left the store last night, one feeling stayed with me: gratitude. Gratitude for the witches who show up. Gratitude for the stories shared. Gratitude for the presence, the kindness, the laughter, and the lineage we’re building together.
Look at what we have together.
And if last night taught me anything, it’s this:
The heart is the most powerful tool a witch can carry.
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