We are professional psychics based in Salem, Massachusetts, and these and many more questions occupy the minds of our clients. Operating three popular occult shops during a pandemic and widespread civil unrest, we connected every day with people who desperately wanted to help, to do something. The concerns our clients share— and the items visitors to our stores continue to purchase— have given us a window into the ways they are hoping to heal, to protect, to secure steady income, and to find peace and happiness again. This book is our chance to reach even more people and give them resources they can work with. So who are we?
SANDRA MARIAH WRIGHT
I found my way to Witchcraft at a young age; growing up in the Witch city of Salem made it easier. I was raised Catholic, and my favorite religious experience was midnight mass on Christmas Eve. Holding the white taper candle in the hush of the dark church, sing-ing my heart out as the frankincense swirled around me—i t’s no wonder I became a Witch!
I began practicing Witchcraft when I was still in junior high school. Laurie Cabot had a shop on Essex Street in Salem, and I remember purchasing the components for my first spell there. Of course, it had to do with a boy. From that first time placing dried herbs and stones into a brightly colored pouch and lighting a candle inscribed with a heart, I began to believe that not only could I look into the future, I could change it. Unbeknown to me, I would come to counsel hundreds of people about their relationships in the years ahead.
In March 2020, I found myself anointing and lighting candles every single morning and evening: one for loved ones who had fallen ill with COVID- 19, and one to protect people from the virus. One to help people with the financial distress that came along with the virus, and one to help those who were searching for a vaccine. One for those on the front lines: to guard them, support them, and give them the strength to continue to fight the biggest battle of their lives. The folks who knew I was lighting candles for them felt better, and it made me feel better, too. It made me feel a little less powerless against the invisible enemy that was ravaging life as we knew it.During the shutdown, Leanne and I began hosting a Zoom meeting to start the day, open to anyone who wanted to learn more about the Craft of the Wise. Guided meditations, Tarot and oracle card pulls, and information about crystals and herbs filled our mornings. We each dove deeper into our personal practice and our love of Witchcraft, and we were happy to share it with others of like mind. At a time when we were all isolated out of necessity, we were doing what we have always done best: bringing people together and bringing the magic.
That May, we released our first book, Reading the Leaves: An Intuitive Guide to the Ancient Art and Modern Magic of Tea Leaf Divination. Launching it during such a stressful and strange time was bittersweet, and we wondered how it would be received. Our hearts were touched by the response: people were looking for—and finding— guidance and answers in the bottom of their cups. They were discovering, as we have time and time again, the comfort that can be found in a simple cup of tea. And they were asking us what we were going to write next.
Throughout my life, the Craft of the Wise has provided the support I have needed to overcome obstacles, and I’ve had the honor of providing many others with the guidance they needed to live their best lives. It is my most sincere wish that this book teaches you a time- honored and effective way to face even the darkest times, with the light of hope and the power of magic.
LEANNE MARRAMA
Candles have illuminated my spiritual and magical life ever since I was a child. Wax adorns the floors of my home as if to say, “Magic lives here.” For many of us, candles mark every major occasion. Birthday candles burn brightly, celebrating a new year of life. Christmas and Yule candles promise the birth of the sun/Son. Halloween candles glow within the heart of a pumpkin, reminding us of ancestors who have passed over. On Valentine’s Day, dinner is served with pink candles illuminating the romantic scene, radiating love over a shared meal.
Candles are the one tool all religions use. They are my favorite way to work magic, create atmosphere, and pray. The smell of a burning wick brings me back to my childhood and the peaceful feeling of kneeling in church next to my mother. It reminds me that I am not alone, and seeing the smoke rise always lets me know that the heavens are receiving my hopes and prayers.
Like Sandra, I have also used candles to send prayers to help people I love. During the darkest days of COVID-19, my 25- year- old daughter had a grand mal seizure. Watching my child lose control of her body was one of the most terrifying experiences I’ve had as a mother. Even worse was the fact that I could not travel with her to the hospital for testing and treatment. After dozens of frantic phone calls to friends, a chain of candles and prayers grew, lighting up energy and hope for my family. A warm hug of spiritual light surrounded us, and that love and strength got us through.
When I was first experimenting with Witchcraft at age 18, candle spells were the simplest form of magic I explored. The fire helped me focus my intent and release my energy into the world. Now, so many years later, they are still my go-to tool for harnessing the potential within me, and I have counseled hundreds of clients to do the same. Candle magic empowered me. Read on to find out how it can do the same for you.
Copyright © 2021 by Sandra Mariah Wright and Leanne Marrama. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
