Morbid Outlook - Ask Witch Hazel - Quirks from the Cauldron

Hello Hazel,
My mates and I did a ouija board the other day and the maker started moving quite rapidly. I wasn’t convinced and was questioning my friends. They insisted they were not moving it. Anyway, a short while after we did the board there were three rapid knocks at the door but no one was there. That was really weird an no one knew what this meant. Can you maybe help us with what this could mean?
Thank you.

Believe it or not, I always look for the logical answer before jumping to a mystical one. In your case, someone could have been aware that you were using the board and thought it would be funny to knock on the door to give you a fright. In the event that wasn’t the case, then it is possible that you contacted the spirit realm but were not aware or psychically in tune of his or her presence. The knocking could have either been a greeting or a farewell.

The ouija board is a tool which taps into the users psychic center, similar to automatic writing, tarot cards or channeling. We all have some ability to a greater or lesser degree but many don’t exercise it enough to allow themselves to connect with it too often.

Ouija boards have been given a lot of bad press from Hollywood and religious fanatics. The board in and of itself does not and cannot induce “evil spirits.” If the users are prone to attracting that type of entity, it will find them with or without the use of the board.

I do caution novice users of the board, tarot and/or channeling to do so in perfect love and perfect trust. Some feel comfortable with a salt circle or a white candle burning nearby, which are all mental triggers of focusing on the positive unseen realm.

Just like in the real world, the psychic realm has its share of bad guys too. When utilizing any tool, it is best to verify if the entity or information is of a positive nature. Particularly with the Ouija board, it helps to have specific questions in mind. If the answers come back in any threatening manner, tell the entity to go in perfect love and perfect trust and focus on a bright white light.

Hi, over the last two years, life has been hell for me. My mother is not in the picture, but I have a favorite aunt (mom’s sis). She can no longer talk to me because my dad hates her. My “new” (I hate when they say that) mom is here and I believe I will lose contact with my dad (purposely) when I go to college. I want to run away, but I stay put because I love my younger brother and I don’t want to lose him. Please, please, what should I do?

The thing about running away from anything is that you are never fully free of what troubles you, no matter how far away you may go. Some think it is the best escape when in fact, it merely delays dealing with the issues, which in time get worse when treated with neglect.

In your situation, it would be wise to contact a guidance counselor to discuss these issues and come to a solution on how to best approach your dad regarding your feelings. Since he is remarried, it might be helpful to have a talk with your step mom. She is not the enemy and in fact, you might find a very good ally with her.

It isn’t fair that you are cut off from speaking with your aunt as she is still a part of your bloodline and family tree. For whatever reason, your dad seems to think control is the only way of solving things. Obviously he has issues just like everyone else.

Your younger brother needs you tremendously at this time, particularly since there has been such change and transition within the family dynamic.

Hello Hazel,
Well, for starters I’m not a practicing Wiccan, but I’m interested in certain kinds of spells to attract love. Here is my story in a nutshell.

I’m 18 and I met an older man who is still getting over a bad divorce, the relationship has been only been sexual and at first I thought I’d be ok with it but I’m not. On top of that, he sees other women because after his divorce he didn’t feel ready to get into another exclusive relationship. His ex-wife hurt him badly. He’s very honest, understanding and open; these are important qualities to me that I don’t find in many other guys.

He’s in a post-divorce state of mind where he doesn’t want anything serious. He’s just not ready for it, and I feel like if I could help get him out of this emotional state that he’d open his eyes to me, see what a good thing I am and at least give me a chance. I don’t exactly want to force love, I just want this guy to give it another chance with me and if it’s right then it’ll happen, and if it’s just not right, I want to be ok with it. Right now I’m not ok and I’m hurting a lot over this.

Hun, love shouldn’t hurt. It is obvious this man is using his divorce as an excuse and using you for sexual favors. He is not as wonderful as you seem to want to think. His type is quite common. Older guys going after someone who is just this side of 18... well there is a word for someone like that but I will refrain from saying it.

Add to this mix that he is seeing other women and now putting you at risk for a potential sexually transmitted disease. It’s not that he has qualities you don’t find in other men, he has had more time to concoct his line of bull to convince you that much more easily. A lot of people go on this mad sexual spree after a divorce and some never give that up.

As far as a love spell, these are not recommended because they are manipulative and controlling. Besides, why sell yourself short on this guy. If he does not see how wonderful you are, then he is NOT the right one for you. Do yourself a favor, find your self respect and tell this bozo to get lost!

Dear Witch Hazel,
I dated the same person for over five years (all through high school). But as fate would have it, I did not end up marrying this person. I love my husband dearly and would not change a thing about my life. The problem is I have been having reocurring dreams about my old lover. I keep dreaming of his funeral. Also sometimes that he is very ill or he has failed something miserably. I feel so bad for him. I wake up confused and a bit guilty. Why am I dreaming of him and why so vividly?
Sincerely, Jennifer

There are a few possibilities at play here. First, the fact that you are dreaming of a funeral of your ex seems to imply that your subconscious is trying to bury the past. It doesn’t necessarily mean your ex is ill or about to die, unless you are developing your psychic center, in which case, that is a whole other topic.

The other possibility is that something has transpired between you and someone else that reminded you of your ex. Sometimes someone will say or do something that will trigger our subconscious to remember what a past love said or did. Consciously we brush it aside, but in our sleep, it unfolds so that we can deal with it more safely. Even a particular day or the scent of a flower can be a strong emotional trigger that we are not consciously aware of.

I don’t think you are confused and feeling guilty over the dream, but I do get a sense of longing for this other man that can only be safely dealt with in your sleep state.

Trust the Universe that she brought the right man into your life. People come in and out of our lives to teach us something and when we have learned all we can from them, they move on. If you are carrying unrequited love for this man, it will hurt for quite some time. More importantly if you harbor this for long, it can also hurt your marriage. Trust though that you and your previous partner are very different people today. If it was meant to be, it would have been.

If the dreams continue to be bothersome, it might help to go to a wooded area where you can be alone for a while and have a mock funeral. Simply dig a small hole and place a picture of this man in it if you have one you want to spare. If not, you can always use a stone that feels right to you. Sit for a while by the open area and allow all the feelings to surface. Laugh, cry, shout if you must, but be sure that you see all of these emotions going into that hole. When you are ready, cover the picture or stone with the soil, send a blessing to the Universe for absorbing this energy in a positive light so that you can move on in your life as well.

Hello,
I was wondering if you could help me out. Right now I am compiling recipes for my cookbook (along with some recipes from this magazine!) and I need a list of properties of the seasonings so I may refer back to them, when I’m cooking something up. I’ve looked and can’t find anything. Do you have any suggestions for spice/herb guides?
– Gothdollie

I am not exactly sure which properties you are most looking for. If you are looking for information on properties for simply cooking and recipes, you might want to find the book “Back to Eden.” If you are seeking information for herbs for Wiccan work, Scott Cunningham has a number of books on the topic that not only give planetary potencies but also what you can substitute if you don’t have a particular herb available.

Dear Witch Hazel,
You’ve of course heard about portals between the living world and the afterlife. We are forever obsessed with it, either out of curiousity, fear or fascination. But I was wondering, is it truly possible? I could be making a big deal out of something most people grow out of by middle school.

Anyway, I read an article on Ouija boards here a while back, and I totally believe all of it. I wish I didn’t, though!

The truth is, I’m terrified of the prospect of ghosts walking around me. It’s the “unknown” factor– the same reason why people are afraid of the dark, or death. But I really would like to learn to embrace it; as dangerous as it seems to me, there is so much to learn from these kinds of experiences and encounters.

How do you suggest I overcome this fear? Or am I being ridiculous for believing in ghost stories in the first place?

Regardless of your answer, I thank you for reading!
Take care, Jen

Ah Jen, you and millions like you have been swamped with Hollywood wizardry. The spirit realm has always been around us. You need to fear the living more than you fear the dead. In all my years, I have never encountered a truly evil entity that has crossed over. I have encountered evil entities that some have conjured up and couldn’t get rid of which put my home in quite a disarray for a while. (These are usually those nasty poltergeists that you hear about who are like a bad houseguest you can’t wait to leave!)

Those that cross over are beyond the human experience of caring about the day to day routine. Meaning, if one is floating around while showering or making love, it isn’t something they concern themselves with. They are vibrating at a different rate so such things are not nearly as important.

If it is any consolation, in my experience, I have found more entities floating around the NY subway system than I have in a graveyard!!

The most important thing to realize is that if there is an entity surrounding you, it is there out of love and trust and possibly helping to guide you, sort of like a guardian angel. Don’t fear them, just whisper a prayer to them every once in a while that they help you with your life and steer you on the best possible path for your own growth and development.

Hi, I saw your site after searching for uses of witch hazel, and I had a question. I read that vitamin C could help with dark undereye circles. Do you know if this is true? Do you know of any other natural remedies for dark undereye circles? Any information is greatly appreciated.

Dark circles indicate any number of things. In one case, it can come from too much drinking of alcoholic beverages. In another case, it could be allergies, which in springtime is a bitch for many people! Yet another, is a low iron level and/or a lack of sleep.

I would recommend that if you are going to use vitamin C, do so in the orange juice form. The juice has a lot more micronutrients in it that have yet to be discovered and is much better for your system in the long run. Don’t be surprised though if you start finding your skin looking radiant. Vitamin C internally does wonders to the protein in our collagen externally. Additionally, if you have low iron levels, vitamin C actually helps to regulate this since it binds with iron to make it more absorbable in the body.

If you have allergies, go to the doctor. If you are drinking too much alcohol, limit it. If you are not getting enough sleep, do so. You only have one body in this world so the better you treat it, the better it will function.

Lastly, whenever I don’t get enough sleep do to work related things, I find it helpful to relax a bit with a couple of very cold cucumber slices on the eyes. The cooling helps reduce the swelling of the blood vessels and the relaxation part allows me a very much needed nap.

Hi. I have an estranged ex-husband who sees our children every other weekend, but despises me, my new husband and our new son. (For the record, my children love their stepfather and new brother). My ex-husband has attempted to manipulate and brainwash our five-year-old son in order to get him to hate his stepfather, as well.

Last Friday when I took the kids to him for their weekend together, there was a large amount of what appeared to definitely be human hair (ringlets of brown long hair in a big wad or knot), held in place by the rear windshield wiper on his truck. It was right in my immediate view. This seems very strange to me. He is a somewhat dark person who has always been into fantasy role-playing games, etc., But do you think this may sound like some sort of hex or spell of any kind? I don’t practice Wicca or any other form of witchcraft, but I do know it exists, and just want to know what I might be dealing with, if anything, and what my kids are being exposed to, as well.

If you have any idea what this might mean, please let me know. Thank you so much for your time.

You didn’t mention if the hair looked like it was yours so it would be hard to say if it is indeed something he is attempting against your or someone else. Or he could be a total freak with a hair trophy on his windshield.

You can never change another person, only yourself and how you deal with them. With that being said, in the event that he is trying to do something against you, here’s what I suggest you to do.

Get a small bowl, fill it with a little water and put about a tablespoon of salt in it. Get a butter knife and hold it in the center of the bowl. Focus on an orb of white light filling your body and coming through to your hands and into the butter knife. Stir the bowl in a counterclockwise motion, visualizing any negative energy being sucked into its center and disolving away.

Take the bowl and sprinkle droplets around your home and under your bed. Do the same thing inside your car. You don’t have to drench it. It might be helpful to use a 1/4 teaspoon measuring spoon to control the flow of how much you sprinkle.

When you are done, pour the remainder over the entranceway of where you live. It doesn’t matter if it is an apartment or a private home. As long as it is the entranceway where YOU and your children must pass, you want it crossing the line to the front door.

This way, if he has any negative intentions toward you, you have sent out a protection spell that would make it revert back on him rather than affect you. If he hasn’t done anything negative, then it will remain dormant, so no harm no foul to worry about.

I have been raised Catholic however, I practice magic spells, use automatic writing and can use spirit boards faster then most. I don’t go to church but I still believe in one god. I know there is so much more out there, but can a person be Catholic yet have powers seen and unseen?

Jeanne Dixon and Edgar Cayce were the 20th centuries most astounding psychics. Both were also very devout Christians. In fact, Cayce went into trance-like states and was able to uncover an enormous amount of information used for healing. You might want to go to www.edgarcayce.org to read up on Cayce and his predictions and healing remedies.

I feel it doesn’t matter what religion one selects because we all came from the same Godsource, regardless of what we call Him/Her/It. The psychic gifts is an extension of life and a gift from that source.

Dear Witch Hazel,
Do you have any recommendations for “catching dreams”? I have been waking up and trying to log my dreams in the morning because I know they’ve been incredibly vivid, yet they get very hazy by the time I try to commit them to paper.
Thank you for your help, Dorris

You didn’t mention if you keep a pad and a pen by your bedside. If you haven’t done so, by all means start right away. This way, as soon as you awake but aren’t fully awake before coffee, you can jot down notes that will trigger your memory later on to fully recover that particular dream.

Dear Witch Hazel,
Is there a safe herb out there that will help with panic attacks?

Some swear by St. John’s Wort, which you can find in any healthfood/vitamin shop. However, St. John’s Wort can interact with other medications, which can reduce/increase the effectiveness of a medication. Talk to a trusted healthcare provider before utilizing this herb.

Thank you for supporting my column and Morbid Outlook Magazine. The next column will be available in August, which marks the 14th anniversary of Morbid Outlook! Feel free to write to me at witchhazel@morbidoutlook.com. I can’t promise a personal reply to your questions due to the volume of mail I receive, but I will try my best to answer your questions in an upcoming column.