Southern Fried Witch

We've all done it, haven't we? Just went ahead with our normal warding practices, not one thought to whether or not they even could still hold water--much less, something nefarious.

Snuggle in and let's chat about rotted boards, broken entryways, and our own complicity when it comes to protecting what we matters.

Love y'all like chicken-, Batchildren.

xoxo, Seba

To support this podcast, keep it on the air, and get access to extra content, go to: https://www.patreon.com/southernfriedwitch

Okay, y'all: Mandi wrote in and had the best question ever that focused (mostly) on what to do with offerings to ancestors/Fae/deities. It's one of my favorite topics, and y'all know we had to hit the dirt on this one.

Settle in. And thank you, Mandi. :) Love y'all like chicken, Seba

To support this podcast, keep it on the air, and get access to extra content, go to: https://www.patreon.com/southernfriedwitch

So, many moons ago, I did an episode on getting back to the Witch body as a way to become more whole. Then, the other day on the phone with a Cauldron Level Batchild, I was asked: okay, well, what do we do when we've walked the steps to answer the call to action and need to get back to our body? To rest, to restore, what do we do?

Damn, Beth. What a perfect question. I hope my answer isn't too shocking, or weird, but: it's what I do. And that's the only place I can...

This one is incredibly personal, to say the least. But we have become personal, Batchildren. So let's go.

Wasted time is a real thing, no matter how much sunshine we try to pump up our own arse. It grieves me that I’ve done it, and this is what I’m doing to address that loss. I have one year left of my fifties, and I plan to shove as much joy as possible into it.

Manifest something. Make it awkward. :)

Witchify it.

Love y'all like chicken,
Seba

To s...

This is the last installment of "what to do if you are called to action." Plan, prepare, practice, then: JUMP. With every action, there is risk. Assessing that, accepting that, is critical in the fight ahead of us.

Protecting what we love is worth it. And if energy only understands “go,” then what is our energy and where are we sending it?

Love y’all like chicken.

To support this podcast, keep it on the air, and get access to extra content, go to: https://www.patreon.com/southernfriedwitch

Hey, y'all, this is a long one. I met this listener at the Batchildren Ball several years back and she feels like family. So I gave it hell. She's a bit stuck, the way we all have been at some point in our lives, between potential paths to take. Thank you, K, for writing in!

Find that fire, Witch. Then, add wood. Love, Seba

To support this podcast, keep it on the air, and get access to extra content, go to: https://www.patreon.com/southernfriedwitch

This is Part II of “Called to Action,” what do you do next? Learning to nurture sustainable energy sources is a no brainer, but for me, the last place I consider is myself. Snuggle up on the porch.

Let's talk about the next step in preparing for what's to come. Love y'all like chicken, Seba

To support this podcast, keep it on the air, and get access to extra content, go to: https://www.patreon.com/southernfriedwitch

TW: Christian Trauma/Depression and Su**ide

Hey, y'all: tonight I'm sharing the story of a very dear and wonderful young witch who struggled through quite the Christian quagmire to be where she is today. I'm honored to read that tale of survival, but want to make sure that all of you beautiful Batchildren are prepared: she shares stories of fighting to stay alive (s*#cide) and I will lean up against stories of SA in my own contextualization of it all. Be careful to take care of yourself first and assess whether you can listen to...

I've seen the calls to action, far and wide, and am working on my own ways to be a part of the Witch's Resistance--as we all should be. But, y'all, the question I keep getting is: how do I even begin? Hold a sign? Join a local group? And the answer is, of course, yes.

But to be a bit more specific: the way that I begin is always to sharpen my athame, my skill sets, and my methodology. And none of those moments are wasted, especially if we have a small window of time to ready...

Y'all, Mother Nature just hates a blank space. She doesn't like being naked (shocking, I know) and will cover herself with whatever she can to heal Herself. We, even as Witches, are fond of carving voids (btw, did you know that the word "avoid" comes from this other lovely word?) whether we realize it or not.

But, and this is a really cool "but": she loves the path of least resistance. It's the best resistance, of all--but it requires one hell of a dose of courage and constitution.

Walk with me a little here? Would...

We often forget that the whole reason for a harvest is in the reveling in it during Cailleach’s (the Celtic Winter Witch) long ride. Otherwise, what was it even for? I'm running around trying to prepare my little farm for 15 degrees, it turns out--something the Deep South is not prepared for, I assure you.

And so, I turn to my dried herbs and teas, my pickles and pears, and revel in the harvest. Part of that is time relishing the friendships that sustained me, and giving back to them as well. You, Batchildren, are a part of...

So, you got a sign, you warded, and all is well . . . right?

Not so much. Let's talk about what's next after we get signs, where the holes might be in our warding, and the importance of paying attention to the nuances therein.

Love y'all like chicken! Seba

To support this podcast and get access to extra content, go to: https://www.patreon.com/southernfriedwitch

I talked a bit about this the other night on my Patreon fireside chat, but of course, I ended up wandering a bit. While tradition may hold that Samhain is the Witch’s New Year, my question will always be: whose tradition? From what geographical location? Turns out, in the Deep South, Yule has always felt more aligned with my own Witch’s New Year.

Y'all stay warm in this coming winter storm! Love y'all like chicken.

To support this podcast and receive extra content, go to: https://www.patreon.com/southernfriedwitch

I don't think I've ever been this raw while podcasting. It's been a long year for me, and for all of us I reckon. This is where I landed. I cannot thank all of those who held space for me, believed in me, and sent me so much energy and love.

I'm still healing, but that's a good thing. Love y'all like chicken--and the moon and stars.

Seba

P.S. Try to say centrifugal force five times really fast. Now, do it with a Southern accent, lol.

I couldn't release the last one I did, y'all. It was a broken mess, and I worry that y'all can't handle much more of that. I saved it, so we will see if I ever get brave enough to put that out into the world.

But this one is special, in more than one way. Around minute 22, my son let my grandbaby call me--and then, let me keep it in the recording. (Don’t have time to smooth it, so prepare for a sudden baby voice.) This is my heart, the soul that has kept me alive.

I know I'm not the only one who suffers in the winter (shoutout to my sweet Joanna). This is one of the ways that I cope: by giving a sh*t, even though it feels counterintuitive to where I am in the cold.

Love y'all like chicken, Seba

To support this podcast and receive extra content from the porch, go to: https://www.patreon.com/c/southernfriedwitch

Hey, y'all! This one is a little longer than usual. I just started rambling about why I do what I do and this is what came out, a love letter to the land. I did this one on September 14th, right before my legal battle, and released it only on Patreon to protect my land and family. I won that battle. Love y’all like chicken!

To support this podcast and receive extra content, go to: https://www.patreon.com/c/southernfriedwitch

Just rambling about how to survive the coming changes, y'all. Winter is all about planning the garden to come, reflecting on where we've been, and gathering the lessons together around our hearth fires to ponder and reflect.

Love y'all like chicken, Seba

To support this podcast and receive extra content, go to: https://www.patreon.com/c/southernfriedwitch

*I briefly mention the "Toilet Paper Plant" aka Plectranthus barbatus in this episode. I'm thinking of sending cuttings in the spring to anyone in the Familiar/Cauldron level, so remind me in March? To learn...

Y'all, I tried not to talk about it. I walked around the house, I screamed at the sky, just trying to get it out of me--but, it still came out. Don't listen if you're tired of hearing about it. The thing is: I just couldn't get past the covert narcissism of the asshats who did this. And so . . .

I reckon I might lose some folks over this. But, this is where I stand. I figure, what the hell. Everything is burning, so will I.

Be safe. Be Witches. Don't stop planting the seeds. And I...

Hey, y'all. Just me, ruminating on the truth of scars and how we can't truly erase our past. There's something exquisitely beautiful about scars, especially as they tell the real of a time and a place. As Witches, we know the value of tracing the memories, the history, and by doing so: find ourselves.

Love y'all like chicken, Seba

To support this podcast, go to: https://www.patreon.com/c/southernfriedwitch

Hey, y’all. I know that it’s been a very long time, but if you remember my “Message” from July: I’m holding to my promise. It’s October, the worst of my battle is over, and I’m back. Limping a little, but still standing on the porch.

I’m not going to over-edit this one. (That wouldn’t be authentic.) I feel very much like I’ve had surgery and don’t want to pop a stitch. There’s been asshattery and outright cowanism—and I may be releasing the episodes that have only been hosted over on Patreo...

Hey, y’all: I’m continuing to release old extra content from Patreon until I can podcast publicly again in October. This is one of my “porch talks” with Terrin from August 25th, 2022 wherein Terrin shares his protection spells and sigils. Good stuff!

Love y’all like chicken, Seba

To support this podcast, go to: https://www.patreon.com/southernfriedwitch

This episode was originally released as Extra Content for Patreon members on 6.21/22. There’s an energetic flow under everything, and in this episode, Terrin calls it “witchifying” our daily energy flow. Love y’all like chicken!

To support this podcast and hear new content from 2023, go to: patreon/southernfriedwitch

Hey, y’all—it’s been a long time since I was able to release new content (except for on Patreon), but I wanted to keep this channel alive until after October. At that point, I’ll be free to share with y’all publicly again!

And so, in the meantime: I’m releasing old “extra content” from my Patreon. I’m starting with an episode from the way-back-machine, but then will share all eight extra content recordings with y’all!

Things have taken a massive shift since these recordings were made and all new extra content on my...

Y’all, Seba is still podcasting, but only releasing privately on her Patreon for now. Episodes are released every week, so do check out her page at https://www.patreon.com/southernfriedwitch to keep listening!

Thanks and shoutout to Andrew Reynolds for his epic radio voice. To get in touch with Andrew for any voice work (including calmer, less theatrical tonal gems), go to: pressthabuttonz@gmail.com and drop him a line!

Love y’all like chicken!

I'm still riding down old dirt roads, but lately, I've been running into me. As a little girl, I crafted safe little places to run when my world was crashing to the ground. It appears that they have waited for me, still beating and thumping somewhere in the summer of 1970-somethin.’

To support this podcast, go to: https://www.patreon.com/southernfriedwitch

I've spent a lot of time, y'all, in my woods lately.  As a child, the woods were my momma, the cradle that saved me from trauma, and they still know my name.  Thought I'd share.  

Love y'all like chicken,
Seba

To support this podcast and keep me on the air, go to: https://www.patreon.com/southernfriedwitch

Behold, my field of f***s, and find that it is barren . . . and ready for planting. Let's talk about planting seeds, doing so as part of the Craft, and the responsibility therein.

Love y'all like chicken, Seba

To support this podcast, go to: https://www.patreon.com/southernfriedwitch

Hey y'all, I know I'm a little late this week.  I'm at the precipice of making a huge choice and I reckon my heart just couldn't beat right for a few days.  But I'm here, slinging mud off my bones.  So, snuggle up on the porch and let’s chat about how contextualization is just as important as intent when thinking through our Craft. A possum comes in to play, but y’all expect that, right? Me, a Witch, in context as a Southerner—as always.

Also, y’all send good thoughts to us down here in Alabama. T...

Hey, y’all. I’ve been thinking about focus lately and how much energy it takes to just stay in place. It turns out, I’ve been treading water. And I’m exhausted. So, I’ve been doing a little manifestation work—creating a path that doesn’t exist quite yet. It’s work, to come out of trauma. Where we land can be a place that we design as witches.

To support this podcast, go to: https://www.patreon.com/southernfriedwitch

Hey, y’all. In a lot of ways, this is my “unsilencing of the lambs,” a love letter to Imbolc. Today’s episode is short, organic, and a bit of a ramble on the idea of a “blood and bone” impregnation, rather than fertilization. In my experience, the darkest nights of the season are also the time of the deepest growth—bony growth—of that which we have sown within ourselves.

Hope your Imbolc was wonderful and blessed,
Seba

To support this podcast, go to: https://www.patreon.com/southernfriedwitch

Hey, y'all: I've dug deeply into this idea of witch shame.  You know, that feeling that comes after a crafting doesn't work, or something horrible happens and you didn't/couldn't stop it.  I also am currently standing in half ruins and wanted to chat with y'all about the critical nature of doing the repair work, rather than just walking away, from the things that matter to my little Witch heart.

So here y'all go--miss y'all.  Getting better every day.  xoxo Seba

To support this podcast: https://www.patreon.com/southernfriedwitch

Well, y’all: I wish I could say that everything is fine, but it’s really not. I’m still struggling to share what it’s like to go through trauma as a witch, and hopefully, that will resonate with someone out there. It’s incredibly difficult to practice my Craft right now, and so I’m letting myself go dormant. After all, the killing freeze is not over yet. And I hope to survive it.

Sharing my Freefunder is hard for me, as it means that I also automatically “out” myself under my government name. Please respect my bound...

Well, y’all, by now you know that my world blew up a few months ago quite unexpectedly. Tonight, I am just leaning into the microphone to share how I’m walking through trauma as a Witch. When everything fell apart, I ran into the trees, and because of the bonds and covenants I have entered with the land spirits, the woods, my land, my ancestors, and my beautiful “Big Mama” (aka goddess), there was solace there. More than that, there is guidance and support. Tonight, I’m sharing the raw of my experience—so expect that. I promised, all of those...

This podcast episode hurt. If you noticed that I was gone for a month, this is why. I’m holding on, pushing through, railing at the sky and healing in increments. And I’m so sorry that it took this long to talk.

But here it is. It’s raw and all I have right now. I hope you’re still listening. Never give up.

Episode notes:

The fundraiser to repair my broken farmhouse: https://www.freefunder.com/campaign/back-on-her-feet

To support this podcast (critical right now) go to: https://www.patreon...

Hey y’all. I’ve had an unexpected trauma, and the podcast host of Obscure Appalachia has been so kind as to record a mini episode to explain it for me. I’m struggling to get back on my feet, in every way that that means. Candis, the podcaster and Batchild listener, did indeed strong-arm me into letting everyone know what is happening. I’m so sorry, and I hope to make everyone quite proud of me as I try to stand back up.

Until then: thank you for the years of support and magic. Thank you for anyo...

There aren’t words to express, y’all, what the little gathering in the woods of Alabama meant to all of us. We came from California, Washington, Virginia, Florida, Tennessee, and all the places in between. There wasn’t enough time. There will never be enough time, when Witches come together to heal under the moon.

Today, the porch is the woods. If you listen, you are bearing witness to what we found there.

Blessed Samhain. Seba

To join the Batchildren Patreon, support this podcast, and receive extra content, go to: https://www.patreo...

I've been haunted lately, y'all, by those ghosts of years gone by.  Here's what I do about it: I try to work on me.  I don't want my children, nor my friends, to feel encumbered by sorrow or blackened memories when I'm gone.  And so, I work toward becoming (as we all are doing every day) their beloved dead.

Happy Samhain.  I'll see y'all on the other side--of this week.  xoxo

To support this podcast and receive extra content, join the Batchildren Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/southernfriedwitch

Hey, y’all: I’ve talked a lot about the path of least resistance before as it pertains to nature and the Craft. But, sometimes, we need to “jump a track,” so to speak, rather than just going with the flow. Let’s talk about the momentum needed to do just such a thing, but also how I have utilized “backward design” in my own path to aid in that endeavor.

For more on the path of least resistance in nature:

For more on backward design: https://www.cultofpedagogy.com/backward-design-basics/

To join our Patreon Ba...

Hey, y’all! I’ve been thinking about what we do with ashes, whether they be from spells, rituals, home fires, or garden burns. It’s just incredibly important to consider what created our ash and how to dispose of it in ways that are both magical and responsible to the environment. Today, I’m running through some of these moments with y’all: and it gets a bit scientific and teachy. Along the way, we also will cover closed loop systems and how they can utilize ash—as well as why they are critical to Witch Folk. Hope you find it...