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Halo Quin

~ Author, storyteller, singer-songwriter, witch

Category Archives: Magic

Welsh Occult Conference 2023

17 Wednesday May 2023

Posted by Haloquin in Events, Magic, Reflections

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Conference, Magic, Occult Conference, Orphic Hymns, Welsh Magic, Welsh Mythology, Welsh pagan, Welsh Witch, Witch

Click for the Welsh Occult Conference Facebook Group (image taken from there)

It is often said that paganism is the religion with homework, and occultists (like reconstructionists) take this to the next level. We are the people of the library!

I love a good conference, and the Welsh occult conference is excellent. Organised and hosted by Sian Sibley and the DragonOak coven, there are always a wide range of speakers and topics, so there’s something for everyone. This May we gathered in Welshpool and topics ranged from Welsh folk magic to the issues of studying non-materialist societies in anthropology to how pagans can walk our talk better.

I loved all of it and took copious notes, but highlights for me have got to be the marvellous Mhara Starling outlining Welsh influences on modern pagan witchcraft – a topic dear to my heart! It was lovely to hear Gwyn Ap Nudd, Ceridwen, Arhianrhod and Rhiannon spoken about alongside the Egyptian, Greek, and Italian threads at the conference… and how present they’ve been (in name at least) in the history of Wicca, neo-paganism, and traditional witchcraft. The gods find a way.

Sara Mastros was inspirational, which is a good sign when someone is discussing the Orphic mysteries.

And special mention to Jack Hunter for bringing in phenomenology – which was the underlying approach in my PhD.

I have an entire notebook full of notes, as usual, because it all feeds into magical practice, even when something seems unrelated at first glance. Like questions of whether the spelling matters when, as Andrew points out, one version of the charm using the magical word “SATOR” spelled is “SAFOR” – I wonder, did the mis-spelled charm work? In which case, is it intention, Will, or vibration that makes a difference in spellcrafting? Janis Fry’s talk on Yew trees reminded me of many lovely trips to hang out in the branches of these ancient beings, hearing their time-bending music. Robert Plimer is always fun to listen to, his excitement about the parallels between ancient and modern techniques is palpable, and Sian called us to task on walking our talk as pagans who claim to honour the earth, both inspiring questions of how to improve my magical practice. Finally, Cristina’s piece on Italian folklore, of course, made me think of faeries and the similarities and differences across cultures in dealings with the spirit realm… though as Jack Hunter said: how do we know which experiences are real?

To which I have only one question: well, first we must define “real”.

And that’s a key takeaway from this event for me, we are always grappling with how to practice our magic in a world which denies magic. In a world that expects conformity, a life that steps beyond the lines is always going to be standing in the in-between. We are of the earth, but how do we walk of this earth but not in the world that denies the reality of our lives?

It’s as simple as taking a breath, slipping between, caring for the land and the spirits, and remembering that the magic is here, in the material, just a blink away.

Audience at the Welsh occult con

I’m writing something more in depth for the Star Club blog which can be found here – and which is going out to my mailing list now. Join that here if you so desire.

Welsh Occult Con – 8th Oct ’23

The next Welsh Occult Conference will be in Cardiff on the 8th October – get your tickets here.

And if you want to learn to speak with enchanted voice, you can join me this Sunday 21st May for my class Words of Love and Blessing, for details:

Words of Love and Blessing Workshop
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Crimson Chat – Aphrodite with Irisanya Moon

09 Tuesday May 2023

Posted by Haloquin in Crimson Craft, Magic, Reflections

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Aphrodite, Divine Love, Goddess, Heart, Magic, Pagan, Pagan Author, Podcast

On Monday 29th May ’23, at 10:30am Pacific / 6:30pm BST (UK time) Irisanya Moon (she/they) will be joining me in the Crimson Coven Collective Zoom Room for a deep dive into the waters of love… discussing Aphrodite, life as a love spell, and the goddess as both inspiration and powerful initiator. I’m really looking forward to this conversation as Irisanya is a fellow Moon Books author and Reclaiming teacher… but we’ve never actually had a proper conversation… and what better topic to start with than the goddess of love Herself?

You can watch the livestream directly in YouTube even if you’re not a member, or perhaps you might consider joining us… read on for more!

Find the Livestream here – subscribe to be notified when we go live

Life is a Love Spell: Aphrodite as Inspiration and Initiator

Aphrodite is a misunderstood deity, often limited to the role of a seductress or the most beautiful of beings. But Love has always been wider than the ocean, with more waves and movement than is comfortable: challenging and desperate, an initiation of surrender.  

Irisanya Moon (she/they) talks with Halo Quin (they/she) about her popular book, “Aphrodite: Encountering the Goddess of Love & Beauty & Initiation,” as well as about how initiations into the mysteries of love may not be wanted, but they are necessary. They are vital for reclaiming and restoring our lifeforce while nourishing the deepest parts of ourselves to fuel activism and the challenges of being a human in this world. 

About Irisanya Moon:

Irisanya (she/they) is an author, Witch, priestess, international teacher, and initiate in the Reclaiming tradition. She is a priestess of Aphrodite who is passionate about the idea that life is and we are a love spell, a dance of desire and connection, moving in and out of the heart, always returning to love. Irisanya seeks to cultivate spaces of self-care/devotion, divine relationship (whatever that means to you), and community service as part of her heart magick and activism.

Find Irisanya’s website here, follow her on substack, and find upcoming classes and recent posts on bio site here.

Irisanya is also on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok.

Oh, and I’ve reviewed two of Irisanya’s other books here: “Reclaiming Witchcraft” and “Honoring the Wild”.

Find the Facebook Event here
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And in case you’re new here…

The Crimson Coven is our private group for exploring divine love, sacred sexuality, and embodied magic through a pagan lens. Each week there are prompts and a livestream on a related topic, usually including a meditation to support your connection to the divine within and without.

Each month or so I host a guest speaker for a Crimson Chat… and members of the Collective get to hang out in the Zoom room after the livestream and chat off the record with our guests.

Join us Here
Decorative Image with details as above for Crimson Coven Chat with Irisanya Moon

PS: I also run monthly workshops, and regular crimson craft retreats… join my mailing list to hear about upcoming offerings!

Join my mailing list for updates & a free gift
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Apprentice with Me

01 Monday May 2023

Posted by Haloquin in Creative Process, Crimson Craft, Magic, Reflections

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Crimson Craft, elemental magic, learn magic, learn witchcraft, Magic, Sacred Sexuality

I love teaching magic. It is a true delight to share the work of my heart in ways that empower others to transform their lives.

For 2023 I am offering monthly workshops with limited spaces in the Crimson Craft, and online retreats around the festivals… all tailored towards supporting you in uncovering your own embodied magic.

And for those that want to take multiple classes, I’ve set up an Apprentice level on Patreon to give you a special bundle and make it more affordable!

Apprentice level Patrons get:

  • the monthly workshop
  • access to the growing library of (audio) recordings of previous workshops and talks
  • a special booking link to give you 50% off Crimson Craft retreats
  • plus all the bonuses that you get on Patron including meditations, music, and musings.
Become a Patron
White rose from above.
An altar lit by a bright lantern-candle in the dark, outside, with apples and drinking cup barely visible.

Summer Dates and Themes (recordings available if you register and can’t attend live)

(Find other workshops here!)

May’s Workshop – Words of Love & Blessing (affirmations, spells, and poetry as magic with the element of Air) – Sunday 21st May ’23

RETREAT: Summer Solstice – The Compass of Pleasure – Sunday 18th June ’23 (intuition, the body, and pleasure)

June’s Workshop – Water of Love (self love and the element of water) – Sunday 28th June ’23

July’s Workshop – Fires of Devotion – Sunday 16th July ’23 (connecting to gods and the divine through the element of fire)

RETREAT: Lammas – Radiance, Power, & Presence – 6th August ’23 (booking link to come)

August’s Workshop – Theme TBA – Sunday 27th August ’23

Become a Patron

Becoming a Patron at any level of support is also a wonderful way of supporting my work and getting advance access to material, meditations and musings, and other bonuses. I really appreciate each and everyone of you.

Crimson Chat – Become Your Own Beloved with Lee Harrington

28 Friday Apr 2023

Posted by Haloquin in Crimson Craft, Following Delight, Magic

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Crimson Coven, Crimson Craft, Divine Erotic, Divine Love, Eros, Guest Speaker, Heart, interview, Livestream, Love, Magic, Sacred Sexuality, Self Care, witchcraft

I’m super excited to let you know about our special guest in the Crimson Coven for May… Lee Harrington! I have been a fan of his work for years now, “Sacred Kink” being my favourite book on the overlap between magic and kinky practices, and Lee has kindly agreed to come and talk about his new book for the Crimson Coven, on Tuesday 2nd May ’23, at 6:30pm BST (UK time).

And you can watch the livestream directly in YouTube even if you’re not a member! Read on for more!

Find the Recording here – subscribe to be notified when we go live

Lee’s latest book came out on 25th April and it sounds like something we could all do with reading…

Become Your Own Beloved: A Guide to Delighting in Self-Connection

By Lee Harrington

LEARN HOW TO EASE THE PAIN OF LONELINESS, HEAL LONGTIME EMOTIONAL WOUNDS, AND CELEBRATE YOURSELF AS A COMPLETE BEING IN THIS INCLUSIVE GUIDE BY AN INTERNATIONALLY RENOWNED EDUCATOR.

Whether you’re struggling with isolation, dealing with loss, or want to delve deeper into what makes you “you,” this inclusive guide is brimming with incredible insights and practical exercises to support you. It goes well beyond how to enjoy your own company and shares how to develop a deep and joyful connection to yourself that lasts a lifetime—no matter who you are and what you’ve been through.

In this book, you’ll learn invaluable practices such as how to meet yourself anew, examine labels placed on you, and forgive yourself for any regrets or missteps. And while all the exercises will help you learn to celebrate yourself as a whole being, they also can help you have more fulfilling relationships with others and find support in community.

About Lee Harrington:

Lee Harrington (he/they) is an internationally known spirituality, identity, relationships, and personal authenticity author and educator. He brings a combination of playful engagement and thoughtful academic dialogue to a broad audience, having taught classes, shared presentations, and delivered keynotes worldwide for over twenty years. An award-winning author and editor on gender, sexual, and sacred experience, his many books include “Sacred Kink: The Eightfold Paths of BDSM and Beyond,” “Shibari You Can Use: Japanese Rope Bondage and Erotic Macrame,” and “Traversing Gender: Understanding Transgender Journeys.” He has been blogging online since 1998 and has been teaching since 2001. You can check out Lee’s adventures, as well as his podcast, tour schedule, free essays, videos, and more, over at PassionAndSoul.com.

Find the Facebook Event here
Red background - Crimaon Coven - Divine Love, Sacred sexuality, and embodied sensual magic...

And in case you’re new here…

The Crimson Coven is our private group for exploring divine love, sacred sexuality, and embodied magic through a pagan lens. Each week there are prompts and a livestream on a related topic, usually including a meditation to support your connection to the divine within and without.

Each month or so I host a guest speaker for a Crimson Chat, and I’m thrilled to have Lee join us to talk about his new book, “Become Your Own Beloved”. This is a topic dear to my heart, and I’m excited to hear about the ways in which Lee has written about self-love, self-care, and self-commitment.

Members of the Crimson Coven and Lee’s Patrons will get access to the zoom room for an interactive experience and a chance to ask questions, check the group for details.

The chat will be livestreamed to YouTube here.

PS: I also run monthly workshops, and regular crimson craft retreats… join my mailing list to hear about upcoming offerings!

Join my mailing list for updates & a free gift
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Announcing the Summer of loveliness

13 Thursday Apr 2023

Posted by Haloquin in Crimson Craft, Events, Following Delight, Magic, Storytelling, Witchcraft 101

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Beltane, Blodeuwedd, Ceridwen, Cerridwen, Crimson Coven, Crimson Craft, Druid Camp, Events, Goddess, learn magic, learn witchcraft, Magic, Neo-Tantra, OBOD, Pagan, Storytelling, Storytelling in Wales, Taliesin

Yesterday, storms rocked the town. Today, the sun is warming the land. Spring is definitely here, which means summer is just around the corner and I can’t wait! I’ve got a bunch of workshops and events lined up for you, including a workshop this Sunday, weekly livestreams in the Crimson Coven collective FB group, storytelling, rituals, and even a retreat or two already lined up.

Your Body is Your Temple (workshop)

Workshop Button: Your Body is your Temple - Embodying the Divine You

Embody the Divinity You Are

Join Halo on the 16th April, at 7pm, for a Crimson Craft workshop, where you will explore your body as the Temple to the Divinity you are, your Divine nature, and the Desire that is divine love seeking expression in your life.

In this workshop you will:

~ experience your body as a temple, paving the way for a deeper sense of safety in yourself.

~ tune into your desire as the holy fire of divine love, stepping into acceptance that allows for your heart’s desire to manifest in your life

~ explore ways to feel divinely embodied, even when it feels like your body has let you down, leading towards a greater connection between your body and spirit and a deeper capacity for love and pleasure.

Register for 16th April here.

Beltane Retreat: Untame your Heart with Blodeuwedd

30th April – 6-9pm (UK time)

A Beltane intensive with Blodeuwedd, Goddess of the Flowers, remembering what it means to be untamed and in love with life.

In this retreat working with the rising magic of Beltane, as spring begins to blossom in the Northern hemisphere, we will call on (and be called on by) the goddess of the flowers, Blodeuwedd, to support us in stepping into our desire and manifesting our dream lives.

30th April 2023, 6-9pm (UK time)

You were made for pleasure, for play, for love.

Are you ready to say yes to something wonderful?

Find out more about the Beltane Retreat here.

Retreat: Untame your heart with Blodeuwedd this Beltane - 30th April 2023, 6-9pm BST

And more!

Cream Flyer with text: Summer 2023 with Halo Quin 1. Your Body is a Temple. A Crimson Craft Workshop - online - 13th April 2. Beltane Ritual. A ritual at Star Club - Bristol - 22nd April 3. "Wild, Wise, or Wicked? Meeting Welsh divinities". A talk for Totnes Moot - online - 26th April 4. Beltane: Untame Your Heart with Blodeuwedd. A Crimson Craft Retreat - online - 30th April 5. The Soul Doctor - a storytelling walkabout at Portmerion's Steampunk Coronation Weekend - 6th-7th May 6. Land, Sea, & Sky and Magic of the Bard. Workshops at Druid Camp - Pembrokeshire - 26-30th July. 7. "Thereby Hangs a Tale" a Show at Willow Globe - Powys - 16th September. 8. Land, Sea, & Sky and Tales After Dark. Workshop & storytelling at Wylde Spirit Camp - Stonehenge - 22-24th September. 9. And weekly events in the Crimson Coven Collective!
  • Crimson Craft Workshop: Your Body is a Temple – Embody the Divine – Online, Sunday 16th April ’23 (Register for “Your Body is a Temple” here!)
  • Ritual: Star Club Beltane Ritual – Bedminster, 22nd April ’23 (Details and booking here)
  • Talk: “Wild, Wise, or Wicked? Meeting Welsh Divinities” – an online talk hosted by Totnes Moot – 26th April ’23 (Totnes Moot event page here)
  • Crimson Craft Beltane Retreat: Untame your Heart with Blodeuwedd – online, Sunday 30th April ’23 (Register for the Beltane Retreat here!)
  • Workshop: Land Sea and Sky – the World of Ceridwen – at Druid Camp in Pembrokeshire – 26th – 30th July ’23 (book your Druid Camp tickets here.)
  • Workshop: The Magic of the Bard – in the Footsteps of Taliesin – at Druid Camp in Pembrokeshire – 26th – 30th July ’23 (book your Druid Camp tickets here.)
  • Performance: Thereby Hangs a Tale – at the Willow Globe Theatre in Powys with Milly jackdaw – exploring folktales and Shakespeare…
  • Workshop: Land Sea and Sky – the World of Ceridwen – at Wylde Spirit Camp near Stonehenge – 22nd – 24th September ’23 (Book for Wylde Spirit Camp here.)
  • Storytelling: Tales After Dark – at Wylde Spirit Camp near Stonehenge – 22nd – 24th September ’23 (Book for Wylde Spirit Camp here.)

Button - click to find out more about The Crimson Coven Collective.

Cryptids and Listifying…

05 Sunday Mar 2023

Posted by Haloquin in Creative Process, Following Delight, Magic, Music, Storytelling

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ADHD, Adventuring, Art, Bard, Bardic, courage, Druidry, Magic, Music, Storytelling

So this February I joined FAWM – an online challenge to write 14 songs in 28 days. I decided I’d aim for 7 rough songs, to both make it less pressure and to get myself over sharing things that aren’t perfectly finished.

And partly because I approached it as play… I ended up with 16 songs.

All bar one with melodies. And quite a few with some backing beats to go with them. More than meeting that target, however, I got to practice sharing my creations while they were still raw, with others doing the same, and a community of musicians committed to lifting each other up, and it stretched my courage.

Last night at the local storytelling cycle, Fables, I shared one of them live.

Cryptozoologist.



I messed it up several times, but it was still much fun!

It was particularly healing because I’d spent the week before feeling more and more overwhelmed by all the little things that needed my attention. All the things that need sorting and fixing and doing and… Finally I remembered my tools. As an ADHDer I need to externalise the processes my brain struggles with, like prioritisation and short term memory, much more than someone might expect for a Dr. When I start to feel overwhelmed it’s often because I’ve been trying to keep it all in my head so… I sat down with a cuppa, told my FB friends what I was up to for accountability, and emptied my brain onto the page. (credit to Talis Kimberley for the wonderful term “listifying”!)

Then I sorted the things that needed doing into a list… And then filtered that into my diary pages so each thing has a time to be done. Suddenly I only needed to worry about the task for that afternoon: Fables.

Today, according to my new list, is a day of goblin wrangling with my lovely helper, the Folklore Faery, and a plotting session for something exciting I get to go do this summer! Tomorrow I might record a version if this song to share with you lot… We’ll see 😁

This week I also revamped my mailing list, so if you’d like a monthly magical musing with tips to support you in rooting deeper into magic, and updates on my magical offerings, then you can join me, and the Crimson Coven Collective here…

Two Book Reviews: “Reclaiming Witchcraft” & “Honouring the Wild”

08 Wednesday Feb 2023

Posted by Haloquin in Magic, review, Witchcraft 101

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

book, Book Review, Community, Friends, learn witchcraft, Moon Books, neo-paganism, Neopagan, New book, Pagan, paganism, Reclaiming, review

As a Reclaiming witch myself, when I saw Irisanya Moon had written a new book in the Pagan Portals series: “Reclaiming Witchcraft”, my first thought was “why didn’t I think of that?!” I’m glad I didn’t, though, as Irisanya has done such a wonderful job of sharing a sense of the workings that make Reclaiming what it is.

“Pagan Portals – Reclaiming Witchcraft” by Irisanya Moon (Moon Books, 2020) systematically shares about the parts of a tradition which grew out of a deep, activist, desire to bring magic to bear on the world for positive change. The origins and history of its roots in an activist collective, and its subsequent growth into a worldwide collective – anarchistic in that each witch is their own authority, and recognising that we always live within community.

Get your copy of “Reclaiming Witchcraft” here.

Through the Principles of Unity, Irisanya shares the guiding concepts of Reclaiming, and illustrates how we balance our independence and our collectivity. How do highly creative, anarchistic witches work in community? Through listening and developing structures through which each member can, when it works, be heard.

Irisanya touches on the ways in which we co-create Ecstatic, Improvisational, Ensemble, Inspired, and Organic rituals and magic. The Tools mentioned in the “Core Classes” give each witch both their own toolbox and shared points of magical development and ritual technology. And the concept of “Witchcamps” is discussed too, between the ritual style, the tools, and the Witchcamps, Reclaiming has an unusual and effective system of magic and community development. All of which feed back into creating change in the world.

As a tradition with 40+ years of history now, the question of how different generations are included is an important one, and one Irisanya handles gently and with compassion… Because a world of community must have space for all the family!

The final chapter on Magical Activism speaks to the desire that underpins Reclaiming Witchcraft… To make the world a better, fairer, place, and a home for us all.

This topic is one that Irisanya then went on to expand in “Earth Spirit – Honoring the Wild – Reclaiming Witchcraft and Environmental Activism” (Moon Books: 2023), which, as a book on collective action, includes a myriad of voices, some of whom are friends of mine!

My activism is a quiet one, I marched against the Iraq war in the early 2000s, handing out fliers, calling for peace (or at the very least, honesty) and found that wasn’t the path for me. But I see the state of the world too, so I often feel like I should be doing more. This book helped remind me that there are as many ways of helping to change the world, of being an activist, as there are witches. That doing my bit in my own life and working to lift spirits and share tools is valuable too.

Stories from disabled witches, from teachers, from people determined to help, and from the front lines of history.

A discussion of how magic, and a magical worldview, can help us motivate ourselves. Rituals and blessings. Tips for encouraging younger generations to engage.

All of these things offer hope.

Hope because we are not alone in caring.

Hope because those successes, those actions do help.

Hope because we can be activists, just as we are, when we offer our imperfect offerings. And perhaps we, too, can be inspired to help change the world for the better. A spell at a time.

Buy “Honoring the Wild” here.

Find more of Irisanya’s work here.

And learn more about Reclaiming here.

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PS: This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you buy books through them the website gives me a little commission, which helps support me at no extra cost to you. So… Thank you!

Imbolc Inspiration

02 Thursday Feb 2023

Posted by Haloquin in Creative Process, Crimson Craft, Following Delight, Magic, Reflections, Storytelling, Witchcraft 101

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Aberystwyth, Brigid, Community, Crimson Craft, Festival, Goddess, Imbolc, inspirations, Music, Ritual, Singer-Songwriter

Happy Imbolc folks!

It’s been a month of magic here, in the darkest coldest part of the winter I’ve been lucky to be conjuring love and light and warmth. Last night was my online book launch for “Crimson Craft – Sexual Magic for the solo witch” and it was an honour to share some magic with those that came (even with the tech trouble!)

Then this evening was spent hosting the local moot’s cocreated ritual, celebrating the growing light of love and inspiration. Brigid made an appearance, we sang together, and there was light, of course.

Imbolc is the festival where we mark the emergence of new life, from lambs to snowdrops to baby songs to tiny humans to the rising hope that we’ve made it through the winter, into the world.

This month is also FAWM – February Album Writing Month – a challenge to write 14 songs in 28 days. I love that it starts on Brigid’s day, the festival of Santes Ffraid (in Welsh), saint/Goddess/midwife of creating, healing, and, importantly, inspiration.

I’ve been secretly writing songs and been mostly too shy to share for years, and now I’m ready to change that. This past year, I’ve been practicing making the songs… But haven’t felt ready to show them to many people. I finally realised that truth, which is so often the case: we rarely feel ready. There is always something else to tweak, to edit, to perfect. And so, in the supportive space of FAWM this month, I’m aiming for 7 sharable songs as the light blossoms brighter.

I asked for Brigid’s blessing on this Imbolc night to overcome the perfectionism that holds me back from sharing the joy that arises when I make music, however unpolished it is…

And as declarations have their own kind of magic, let me be clear on my intention: Over the next month I’ll be sharing a little about my musical journey, the lessons it’s teaching me on magic, and, of course, some of my music.


This month I’m hosting a free Full Moon/ Imbolc ritual online for members of the Crimson Coven Collective, on Sunday 5th February ’23, at 7pm GMT. Join the Crimson Coven here to get access!

And I’m offering a new workshop rooted in the magic of the Crimson Craft on “Courting Divine Love” on 15th February ’23. In this workshop you’ll be guided by the gods in connecting to Divine Love, uncovering both self-love and self-trust within yourself, and laying the foundation to manifest the magical life your heart desires.

Find out more here: Courting Divine Love.

A banner for Courting Divine Love, illustrated with roses and the points above. Click for the workshop page.

OUT NOW! Crimson Craft – sexual magic for the solo witch

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Posted by Haloquin in Crimson Craft, Magic, My Books, Witchcraft 101

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Divine Erotic, Iron Pentacle, learn magic, learn witchcraft, Magic, Moon Books, New book, Pagan, Pagan Author, Sex, Sex Magic, witchcraft

My new book of sexual magic is out!!! This is the longest book I’ve written to date, and I’m so proud of it. It is a work of healing, of magic, of embodied, sensual, loving, witchcraft. If you’re looking for an inclusive, gentle guide to uncovering your own inner sexual power, exploring ritual and creative ways of healing and becoming more embodied, and of opening the possibility of deep, devotional connection with the Divine… then Crimson Craft was written for you.

Crimson Craft felt both vulnerable and deeply healing to write, to share the ways in which I’ve healed myself, built relationship with the divine, and tapped deeper into my own inner power through pleasure and embracing the erotic. I deliberately wrote it for a solo practitioner because this is one key way we can reclaim our own personal authority, and take responsibility for something that is so often presented as dependent on others (with their own needs, challenges, wounds). But also to make it inclusive, to offer up these tools and processes to people of all and any gender and genitalia, because, honestly, sexual magic goes much further than what might be in our pants.

As living, embodied beings we are capable of great pleasure, and the magic that arises from being alive. In this, the power of eros is our ultimate guide.

(Crimson Craft can be found in all the normal places for buying books. The links in this post are affiliate links that support independent bookstores across the UK. Your local bookstore will also be able to order it in!)
Crimson Craft – Get your copy Here!

Crimson Craft is not your normal sex magic book, rather than focusing on the casting spells powered by orgasmic energy (though that definitely gets included!), this book takes us deeper into healing the perceived split between body and mind, opening up greater power and magic for use in all our witchcraft.

It also discusses working with deities of love and passion in building loving relationships with one’s self and one’s gods, the foundations of ecstatic mystical union, and the shadow work of facing cultural and personal taboos.

And it lays the foundation for self-love, which is a fundamental act of rebellious magic in a world that would rather keep us small.

Halo has created a safe space for anyone who wants to explore their own nature as a sexual being. This is an invitation to be open to healing, sacredness, wonder, spirituality and magic. It’s a deeply affirming and inclusive book full of things to explore and the affirmation that exploring is something you are entitled to do… Get it right, and sex can be magic, and mystery, wonder and sacredness. We have in ourselves, and between us, a capacity to make beauty and joy. That should be honoured and celebrated.

– from a review by Nimue Brown, read the whole thing here
Crimson Craft – Out Now!

Rediscover the sacred nature of sex, pleasure, and the divine erotic in Halo Quin’s Crimson Craft, a guide for sexual magic and a tool for personal healing, spell-casting, and devotional practices in witchcraft. By theorizing the ethics of embodiment and pleasure within these practices, Quin provides exploratory exercises (and tips for taking them further, and safely, with a partner) . Crimson Craft includes an introduction not only to archetypes, deities, and divine powers but also to the context and benefits of using kink in ritual and creative writing, inviting you – the witch and magic-worker – to deepen your understanding of sexual magic’s possibilities and sweetness.

~ from the official blurb

Words: Crimson Coven, arching over half a red rose blossom

Alongside the book, I have opened up a space for people to come together who want to explore and discuss, ritually, creatively, and respectfully, their journeys with the magic of embodiment and pleasure. In the Crimson Coven Collective there are discussion/journal prompts, creative inspiration, healing rituals, and mutual support.

On Monday 30th January we’ll be kicking off the live online events with a Book launch party and ritual, and then, on the full Moon, Sunday 5th February, we’ll gather for a healing Imbolc ritual. Come and join us to be a part of this magical collective!

Discover the Crimson Coven Collective

Thank you for joining me on this magical, healing, journey, in whatever way is right for you.

It is my honour, as always, to share my soul’s work with the people who choose to engage with an open heart.

May your journey be blessed, and your heart be healed.

In delight,

~Halo

PS: You can join my mailing list here for a free Crimson Craft gift, occasional updates and to get my posts in your inbox, just click here.

Find the Crimson Craft Book Here
Join the Crimson Coven Collective Here

Happy 2023! (and where I was in 2022)

24 Tuesday Jan 2023

Posted by Haloquin in Following Delight, Magic, Reflections, Witchcraft 101

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Events, Imbolc, learn magic, learn witchcraft, Living Life, Magic, Map, New book, Pagan, Pagan Author, process, Singer-Songwriter, Strangeness of Life

(Scroll down for – A recap of 2022 – Some tips for navigating real-life plot-twists with the Witches Pyramid – and a glimpse of what’s coming in 2023)

“Oh gods, now this? Really?” ~ This pic is from about a decade ago when I played Miranda in the Tempest with the Longwood Players and, well, isn’t that play as full of surprises as life!

Ok, ok, so we’re 3 weeks into 2023, but we’ve just had the New Moon, kicking off the Lunar New Year (of the Rabbit!) and Imbolc is just around the corner with the new shoots of Spring.

2022… The year of the Hermit… again!

Last I posted I’d just finished my PhD and was focussed on getting the first Goblin Masquerade together…

Well, in case you’re not following me on social media, or have missed my emails on my mailing list, here’s the short version of the subsequent events of 2022:

  • Goblin Masquerade! Great success!
  • I had a couple of weeks off adventuring in Glastonbury with my coven, and then at an Aurora gig.
  • And then I ended up in hospital for a night in so much pain I couldn’t walk. Still not sure why.
  • Recovery. And more recovery. And very, very very slow walking. (I’m much better now, btw.)
  • I did mentoring for the NDSA (NeuroDivergent Self-Advocacy forum) and studied for my Life Coaching Certificate.
  • Aaand I learned songwriting and music production. I’ll be sharing more about that very, very soon…

As much as the world was opening up in 2022, I was back in hermit mode, adjusting, healing, rebuilding my foundations. As autumn went on and I got stronger I returned to teaching cycle 3 of Star Club (multi-disciplinary training for Magicians), opened a little space in the local market – The Rabbit Hole – and an online space, The Crimson Coven Collective. All with lots of rest-time factored in.

Adjusting Course with the Witches Compass

It’s not unusual to have to adjust course, for something unexpected to happen (plot twists abound!) and we can look for the story of “why”, or we can focus on the “next right thing” as the trolls advised in Frozen 2.* While this certainly felt like a stumbling block, I didn’t feel like I’d been thrown entirely off course, which is always a risk if you’ve got a dream.

Instead, I came back to my heart, my compass, my guiding star.

I definitely spent a bit of time wondering how the hell I was going to travel if I could barely walk, when one of my big dreams has always been adventuring and exploring the world, but I didn’t wallow in this too much. Instead I asked myself the questions that guide much of my life.

What do I dream of? How do I want to feel, today?

What can I choose, at this point in time, that feels like a step towards my dreams?

How can I take that next step?

Rather than relying on a set plan for the journey ahead, I follow my compass, my heart. Asking in each moment how I can make this now closer to what I most long to feel. Perhaps the next step isn’t the last one needed but allowing myself to be guided each day in what brings more joy now means I’m enjoying every part of my life as much as I can.

I invite you to try it. When life gives you a plot twist, look for how you can feel more like you choose to feel in this moment. Ask yourself what the next step towards your dreams is from here. Ask yourself what tiny change you have control over that will support you in your adventure-called-life and help you feel more joy today.

Not everything is fun and games – ouch, seriously – but when we carry our compass with us we can always point ourselves towards our True North, our dreams. Let your heart guide you.

The witches pyramid is a useful model to help with this, and is sometimes called the “witches compass” because it is a guide to the steps of our magic.

To Know, To Will, To Dare, To Keep Silent.

~ The Witches Pyramid

And that’s what we do when we find our path disrupted. We ask questions of ourselves so we KNOW what we dream of, and the feeling we desire that we think the dream will bring. What we long to feel. And then, we set our WILL toward it. We choose to orientate ourselves towards our chosen feelings and our dreams. And then we DARE to take that leap. The final step, of KEEPing SILENT, means we don’t reveal things before it is time. Often our dreams are tender things and there is a lot of pessimism that can encourage doubt before we take the steps we need, so they need the nurturing dark of the soil, the silence of the night’s sky, to hold them safely while we carry them into the world.

(*I finally watched this and I loved all the elemental stuff, the animistic environmentalism, the magic, there’s some fun music… it’s far from perfect but there is a lot I liked.)

What’s Next?

Well, firstly, you can join The Crimson Coven Collective where we’re exploring how to embody our magic more fully! There are journaling and creativity prompts, and online circles, and I’m active there every week.

From the group description:

“The Crimson Coven Collective is for magical, creative, and ritual exploration of embodied, sensual magic.

Do you want your life to be magical, filled with playful, pleasurable, practice?

Do you want to be curious, to get creative with your magic, to explore what feels good and learn how to feel what’s right for you?

We aspire to be…

* Open hearted explorers of wyrd, enchanted, possibilities.

* Creatives conjuring beauty and desire.

* Divine beings embodying sensual spirit.

* Witches delving into the darkness and light of magic.

Get your invitation (and a free ritual) here.“

I’m filling up my diary for 2023 slowly, but so far confirmed magical events include:

  • Talk: MoonCon23 – An online conference by Moon Books, I’m up at 2pm 11th March 2023 (topic TBC)
  • Ritual: Imbolc – Aberystwyth.

And events for the Crimson Coven Collective, including book launch parties for my next book “Crimson Craft – sexual magic for the solo witch”

  • Book launch: ritual, reading, and party, hosted by Star Club in Bristol, Saturday 28th January ’23 (Bristol Book Launch details!)
  • Online Book Launch: ritual, reading, and social, Monday 30th January ’23, 7pm GMT (Online Book launch event page!)
  • Online Ritual: Full Moon/Imbolc ritual with healing meditation and feasting afterwards. Sunday 5th February ’23, 7pm GMT (Join the collective to attend!)
  • (Watch this page for further magical events, or follow me on Facebook here.)

And I’ll be performing at…

  • 4th February ’23, Fables Storytelling Circle, Aberystwyth – at The Bookshop by the Sea – telling tales of love.
  • 4th March ’23, Fables Storytelling Circle, Aberystwyth – at The Bookshop by the Sea – Spring stories!
  • 1st April ’23, The Goblin Masquerade 2: The Fool’s Ball!, a full afternoon and evening of entertainment, a goblin market and a fairytale ball! Get your evening tickets to the Goblin Masquerade here!
  • September ’23, A performance with Milly Jackdaw… details TBA!
  • (My upcoming performances will be listed here as they are confirmed!)
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Beauty ~ Magic ~ Delight

Re-enchanting the world, one story, one song, one spell, at a time.

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