Hiatus Witch

So this is what its like to take a hiatus...

I've been meaning to put this post up for awhile, but have been putting it off, because I keep telling myself, with a wide and hopeful expression, "Oh no, even though you're living in the desert for a bit, you'll totally be able to update!"

...............

Admittedly, its been a rough couple of months. Its especially hard being away from Lore.

So, for an indefinite amount of time (though I'm hoping only for... a month longer), University Witch is taking a hiatus! But at the same time, I feel as if I've somewhat outgrown what I wanted to use this website for...

I wanted a fun, no-bars approach to the life of magick. Magick is a way of life. That thus makes it beyond just merely a religion, its something that's been integrated into your everyday life that now, it would become hard to separate it.

Anyway! Now that my little... blurb is out of the way. I've also taken on a number of personal projects (and cramming my way back into classes this semester), so hopefully we'll see how it all goes!

I'll also be adding a list of essays and guests posts I've done! I've been meaning to for awhile; I should probably do that...

Good luck in all your magick endevours!

Sincerely,
Soull Soothslayer, the University Witch

24th Spell - The Venus, Sara

I got a pet! Er, sort of.

One day, my friend Kieran took me to Lowe's and purchased me a very cute pet. What kind of pet do they sell at a home improvement store, huh?

A pet plant, that's what!

This is a picture of Sara, my Venus Flytrap. Isn't she cute? After reading the care instructions and putting her in the window, my curiosity got the better of me. I decided to look up some of the magical properties for the plant. Of course, you learn a lot when you research.

The scientific name for the plant is Dionaea muscipula. While the common name is of course a direct allusion to Venus, the Roman goddess of Love, its scientific name has its own meaning itself.

The etymology behind the genus name Dionaea is in reference to Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of Love. It literally means "daughter of Dione", whom was noted down as Aphrodite's primary mother in Homer's Iliad. The word muscipula is Latin for "mouse trap". With that in mind, it would make sense that the magical properties of the Venus flytrap, especially if it so reputable as a houseplant, would be good for the protection of the hearth and home.

And the name Sara? Well, the name is Hebrew, the meaning being 'Princess'. So while the name is fitting (she's the Princess of Hearth Protection!), I was thinking about another Sara entirely.

Have any houseplants yourself? Feel free to take a gander in your house! You might be surprised what you find, and what it means! And when you're done, you can leave a comment here and tell me all about it!

Magick in Everyday Life - Mark of the Beast

While flipping through news feeds on the internet, AOL News posted a very interesting article that I thought was worth mentioning.

Witchcraft is a very interesting subject; there's something about it that makes it very interchangeable to the user, depending on their beliefs. The ability to have a choice in the patron deities the God and Goddess represent to you can hold a sort of power to the person. Like in Christianity when people pray to the saints, the patron God and Goddess of the individual's choosing invoke perhaps the same feeling of spiritual gratification--you feel as if someone is taking the time to hear a prayer.

However, one of the biggest subjects on Witchcraft to those whom don't know better is its association with the  Devil or Satan. Now, the Wiccan religion doesn't believe in the Devil. But one cannot casually toss aside that the usage of "demonic" or "satanic" symbols aren't what someone could consider a curse. 


While some people may or may not believe in magick, people are still very aware when they are being cursed, and there is still come fear behind it. After all, whether using the Devil as your advocate or any other type of invoked magickal deity, a curse is still Witchcraft, and thus we still continue to be haunted by this time-old visage of dancing skyclad around a bonfire and sacrificing our cats.

The article outlines an incident at a Walmart that's perhaps close by to where I live; the story takes place in Fort Worth, TX. A woman only known as "Jessica" in the article, tells that when she picked up her car from the auto department of a Walmart after an oil change, a kind associate alerted her of the markings on the underside of her car. In bright blue was 666, and upside-down cross, and an upside down pentagram. Jessica has a feeling of who it was, and the company has apparently reached out to her in this incident.

She even worries if its a curse, which is understandable. Words, feelings, and symbols all have power in their own right. I wonder if she was able to wash it off, or if its stuck on the underside of her car? And if so... does she still feel comfortable driving it?

You can check out the article and video here, while AOL News still has it up.