68: The Feast of Summer Solstice with Melissa Madara

Get ready for Summer Solstice with this episode as we discuss the history of Summer Solstice and how you can celebrate it in all your witchy glory. Hint: a feast is involved! Then join Amanda and her special guest, Melissa Madara, co-owner of Catland Books (Brooklyn's favorite occult shop).  We take a deep dive into the magic of the kitchen as we discuss Melissa's book: The Witch's Feast. Plant lovers and folks who love to nerd out on magical history will especially love this episode. In this convo we discuss:

• Where the name Litha comes from
• Divination magic for the Solstice
• Food spells and plant magic
• How to transform your kitchen into a magical house of witchcraft
• How to forage for herbs in urban environments
• Learning to see invasive plants as a voice of the spirits of the land
• How to use kitchen magic to remediate challenging aspects of your birth chart
• The most important thing for baby witches to do when they begin their practice.

We can't wait for you to tune in! Happy Solstice!

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• Find us on Instagram at:
• Podcast: @Betweentheworldspodcast
• Amanda: @OracleofLA
• Carolyn: @CarolynPennypackerRiggs

REFERENCES FROM THIS EPISODE:

• Marsilio Ficino, philosopher of the Renaissance via Britannica online. 
• History of the Summer Solstice Holiday by Patti Wigington , via Learn Religions.
• Witchcraft Medicine: Healing Arts, Shamanic Practices, and Forbidden Plants. By Claudia Muller-Ebeling, Christian Ratsch, and Wolf-Dieter Storl. [Book]
• Why We Celebrate Summer Solstice, by Maria Konnikova, via Scientific American.
• The Native American Sun Dance. Native Americans Online. 
• The Long Lost Friend: a 19th Century American Grimoire, by John George Hohman, via Catland Books. 
• Fiddler's Green Magazine  : Art & Magic for Tea-Drinking Anarchists, Convivial Conjurors & Closeted Optimists
• Condensed Chaos by Phil Hinde via Catland Books.

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FIND OUT MORE ABOUT OUR GUEST MELISSA JAYNE MADARA:

Melissa Jayne Madara is a witch, chef, botanist, and storyteller. They are a partner at Catland Books, Brooklyn's little witch shop, where they serve as an educator, diviner, and curator of Catland's courtyard garden. In addition, Melissa is the editrix of Catland's house-published arts and occulture journal, Venefica Magazine. Melissa's writing and commentary has been published in Venefica (V2 & V4) as well as in Susie Magazine (Issue 1) , Fiddler's Green Peculiar Parish Magazine (Volumes 5 & 7), and in their premiere book, The Witch's Feast.

Melissa's research focuses primarily on plant folklore, ancient religions, herbalism, divination, and the botany of poisonous plants. They are an avid collector of historical formularies, particularly recipes for food and fragrance. Melissa's botanical and apothecary work can be found under the brand Moon Cult Herbs. As a chef, Melissa is most known for hosting sumptuous ritual dinners and full moon feasts in Brooklyn and beyond. Find out more about Melissa here...

Website: thewitchsfeast.com

Instagram: @saint.jayne

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COURT OF PENTACLES: FINDING YOUR GIFT WORKSHOP

If you have trouble identifying your gifts, or knowing what to do with them, this is the right workshop for you!

In this 4-week workshop, we’ll cover how to identify, develop, and protect your gifts, and then how to offer them to the world — all through the lens of the Court of Pentacles in tarot!

THIS WORKSHOP INCLUDES:

• Weekly, easy, doable, downloadable PDF worksheets
• Practical, achievable weekly activities you can do in less than an hour a week
• Invocations, rituals, and spells galore!
• Journal prompts, correspondences, and keywords to help you metabolize and make use of what you learn
• MP3s of songs you can use anytime to access the spirit of the Court of Pentacles
• And a 1.5 hour live call to go deeper into the work

FIND OUT MORE 

You can buy this as a one off or, get yourself the gift that keeps on giving throughout the year, and become a member of our coven where you get workshops, monthly tarot studio classes, and lots of other goodies included in the cost of membership.

Become a Between the Worlds Weird Circle Subscriber, click here.

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Learn More About Your Host Amanda Yates Garcia, & Buy Her Book

To order Amanda's book, "Initiated: Memoir of a Witch" CLICK HERE.

To sign up for Amanda's newsletter, CLICK HERE.

Amanda's Instagram

Amanda's Facebook

To book an appointment with Amanda go to www.oracleoflosangeles.com

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Original MUSIC by Carolyn Pennypacker Riggs

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MIND YOUR PRACTICE PODCAST

Mind Your Practice - Carolyn's  podcast with arts consultant and author of Make Your Art No Matter What, Beth Pickens - is geared towards artists and writers looking for strategies and support to build their projects and practices (plus loving pep talks).

There’s even a club - “Homework Club” - which offers creative people support and strategies for keeping their projects and practices a priority with monthly webinars, worksheets, live QnA’s, optional accountability pods, and ACTUAL HOMEWORK (that you'll never be graded on. Ever!)

You can visit MindYourPractice.com for more details or listen wherever you stream Between the Worlds.

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Get in touch with sponsorship inquiries for Between the Worlds at [email protected].

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CONTRIBUTORS:

Amanda Yates Garcia (host) & Carolyn Pennypacker Riggs (producer, composer). The BTW logo collage was created by Maria Minnis (tinyparsnip.com / instagram.com/tinyparsnip ) with text designed by Leah Hayes.

Learn More About Your Host Amanda Yates Garcia

To join Amanda's MYSTERY CULT on Substack click here.

To order Amanda's book, "Initiated: Memoir of a Witch" CLICK HERE.

Amanda's Instagram

To book an appointment with Amanda go to www.oracleoflosangeles.com

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Original MUSIC by Carolyn Pennypacker Riggs

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Are you an artist or writer looking for structure, support and community? Check out Carolyn's project - Homework Club -with with arts consultant and author, Beth Pickens:

Homework Club offers creative people strategies for keeping their projects and practices a priority with monthly webinars, worksheets, live QnA’s, accountability pods, and actual homework (that you'll never be graded on. Ever!). 

Make 2024 a BIG PROJECT year - first month free with code: YourArt

Mind Your Practice is our podcast.

You can visit https://www.bethpickens.com/homework-club for more details or listen wherever you stream Between the Worlds.

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Get in touch with sponsorship inquiries for Between the Worlds at [email protected].

CONTRIBUTORS:

Amanda Yates Garcia (host) & Carolyn Pennypacker Riggs (producer, composer). The BTW logo collage was created by Maria Minnis (tinyparsnip.com / instagram.com/tinyparsnip ) with text designed by Leah Hayes.