The Pale Raven Official

  In the realm of modern spiritual and magickal practices, a striking divergence from traditional dogmas emerged in the mid 20th century, known as Chaos Magick. This form of magick challenges the established norms, advocating open approach to spirituality and magickal practices. " If it works, it works "  For those who find themselves dipping into various spiritual paths or questioning the rigid rules of traditional practices, Chaos Magick offers a liberating alternative. The Genesis of Chaos Magick Chaos Magick is often regarded as a relatively recent development, originating in the 1970s. However, its philosophical roots extend back to the early 20th century, influenced significantly by Austin Osman Spare. Spare, an artist and mystic, expressed spiritual ideals through his art and writings, decades before Chaos Magick was formally recognized. His contributions laid the groundwork for a system of magick that eschews dogmatic views on hexes, curses, and taboos, favoring a mor...

The Comfrey is a large, beautiful plant   that propagates quickly. Its stems are a bit prickly to handle with no gloves, and she boasts large, gorgeous leaves. So, she’s nice to look at. Plus, an easy to care for plant you can harvest from often and easily. The best part about the Comfrey though are its medicinal properties!  Native Americans used Comfrey as a sacred healing plant. They drank it as a tea and used it topically. And it was utilized as a food source during the potato famine. However, Comfrey for human consumption has been banned in the United States by the FDA since 2001. It is also prohibited for use in ingredients for topical medications that treat open wounds. However, it is still used in skin screams. Most notably anti-aging and itch creams. And, it’s safe to assume it is still used privately by those who want to ingest it for health purposes. However, due to some instances of liver problems it was taken off the market as an edible vegetation. There isn’t a l...

  If you spend any amount of time on my website, you will see a common theme. My absolute biggest “peeve” right now is the love-and-light takeover. Of course, I am no young lady, and this delusion has been oozing its way into the witchcraft community for a long time (thanks, Wicca). I do my best to counter this modified history by consistently researching and blogging about the true history of Magick—the often malevolent nature of it since early civilization. But with the internet, I find that it’s “us against the world.” The desire to keep yourself in a positive mindset, on its own, is a noble and good intention. However, it becomes dangerous when the ever-growing community of TikTok witches and forced positivity guardians begins to police those of us who do not take the same path. This policing can lead to harassment. I see it daily in Facebook groups, especially in circles titled “Everything Occult,” which are truly a mix of vastly different beliefs and moralities all crammed to...

  For my very first installment of “Herbal Highlights”, we will discuss my favorite soup ingredient.  I'm kidding, of course. However, it is one of my favorites I keep (carefully) in my garden. And it does have a host of uses outside of poisoning your foes. I plan to write up a very detailed article on the safe care and keeping of belladonna, so keep an eye out for that!  Deadly nightshade, scientifically known as Atropa belladonna, is a perennial herb infamous for its toxic properties and historical use in both medicine and folklore. Native to Europe, North Africa, and Western Asia, this plant has captivated the human imagination for centuries, revered for its beauty yet feared for its deadly potential. The name "belladonna" translates to "beautiful lady" in Italian, a reference to the use of its berries by women in ancient times to dilate their pupils, creating a strikingly alluring appearance. However, the dual nature of this herb raises important questions a...