Hi everyone!
I promise I will eventually get the rest of the cartomancy thread and look at how to do an actual reading, but I’ve not had time to take the photos I want to use for that yet. So today, I wanted to recommend something I only found last week. It’s a podcast called “5-Star Spells” and it’s found on BlogTalk Radio. For those who don’t know about BlogTalk, it’s a phone-in format open radio site that lets people broadcast their shows without having podcasting equipment. The radio shows go out live at specific times, then get recorded and transferred to a podcast feed for posterity (and for those of us who just prefer podcasts).
5-Star Spells is a show with a group of some of the most talented and knowledgeable root workers and readers around. I’ll get into them individually in a moment, but as a whole they represent some of the best minds, hearts, and hands in the conjure business today. What’s even better, they all interact like family, with a tremendous amount of positivity towards each other, even when it’s clear they aren’t exactly alike. They pass on lots of useful information, a good bit of personal philosophy (anecdotally, which is my favorite way to get philosophy), and a lot of laughter, which is pretty refreshing, actually. Oraia Sphinx actually tipped me off to them at almost the exact same time I had downloaded their first episode, so that was serendipitious, I thought. The show’s most frequent callers are:
Rev. Mother Susan Asselin – The show’s primary host, she operates out of a Little Italy-style neighborhood in Providence, RI. She and Sindy Todo refer to each other as “cousins” as they recently discovered they share some branches on their family trees. I’ll be honest and say I probably know the least about Mother Asselin, but from what I hear on the show, she’s knowledgeable, spirit-filled, and wise. Her website is called MotherMystic.
Dara Anzlowar – The owner of HoodooRoots.com, and the owner and manufacturer of Hoodoo Roots and Folk-Magic Traditional Spiritual Supplies. She also runs two Yahoo groups, Hyatt Spells and Conjure. I’ve followed Dara’s posts in those groups for a while now, and having a voice to put with the brilliant insights is very nice. She works in a very traditional style, and provides a strong traditionalist viewpoint in the discussions that come up on the show, though she is also immensely cordial and kind in conversation.
Susan Diamond – She owns the Serpents Kiss occult shop and co-owns the 2Hoodoos site with Orion Foxwood. She has a very sweet disposition on the show, but also provides a lot of interesting information (listen for her contributions in the Family Folklore episode). She and Orion provide the most “pagan” voices on the program, but they also have some very traditional leanings as well. She offers a wide variety of services and products, so check her out. She’s also a member of the Association of Independent Readers and Rootworkers (AIRR).
Orion Foxwood – I know many folks already know who Orion is, but there are probably a number of people who don’t. The sole regular male voice on the show, Orion grew up in the southern Appalachian Mountains surrounded by the magical and mystical traditions of the area. He says he was born with a caul (also called a “veil” sometimes) which is commonly associated with having second sight or visions. He’s published several books on his Faery Seership tradition, and has a bevy of websites including the aforementioned 2Hoodoos, the House of Brigh, and the Foxwood Temple of the Old Religion.
“Auntie” Sindy Todo – One of my favorite voices on the show, Sindy Todo provides sass, humor, warmth, and a heckuva lot of good information on 5-Star Spells. She always has something nice to say, blessings to pass out, and good news to share. She is based in Seattle, and has a website called Todo Mojo which offers her magical services. She’s also a member of AIRR, and seems like one of the most genuinely likeable people I’ve ever heard.
Starr – A Texas based conjure woman working in the old-style tradition, Starr is another favorite voice of mine (they’re all wonderful in their own ways, of course! I just have a thing for sassy women with southern accents). She specializes in spiritual cleansings and also is one of the foremost experts on working with the Native American spirit Black Hawk. She doesn’t appear on every show, but when she’s on, she’s a great participant and a wonderful resource for good, solid hoodoo information. She’s a member of AIRR, too, and operates a website called Old Style Conjure.
One of the most amazing things about this group of folks is that they all get on so well. Well enough, in fact, that they’re all getting together in November for a weekend of conjure classes and socializing! I’m hoping to provide more info about this sometimes oon, but for now you can read all about it at the Traditional Folk Magic Festival website. And you can hear all about it on 5-Star Spells, which, again, I highly recommend.
Okay, that’s it for my recommendation today! I hope you can forgive the delay in the cartomancy finale, but I’ll have that soon. Until then, thanks for reading!
-Cory
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