Witch-y SpotLight | Jane of Spirit + Bone

Hello Dynamic Stars!

Today, We're kicking off a new regular feature, Witch-y Spotlight, that will focus on a different witch/lightworker/healer/pagan/Wiccan/Hekatean/Necromancer -- oh, you get the picture -- each time.

The world of Spirituality is so VAST, with so many layers and nuances, it needs many different forms of expression. To stick with just one way, is cool. Yet, I find that as one's journey continues, more and more is added to one's repertoire of spiritual skills.

One such spiritual person has bubbled her way into my life. She is Jane, of Spirit + Bone. Her craft spans Green Witchery, Bone Whisperer, Rune Guru, Witchy-fantastical Spells and Inks, as well as a warm heart and giving soul. Her heart is so big, and her crafts showcase all that she is. From her practices and meditations, the idea for creating a community of witches online was born -- WitchSwap. To take it further, WitchSwap connects witches, and other spiritual people, through the almost forgotten art of letter writing. People are paired each month based on their own descriptions of their likes and practices and introduced by the WitchSwap team via email. The paired spiritual folks take it from there! There are also fun witchy swaps with a different theme each month.

With such a creative mind, and spiritual heart, I knew that Jane was the perfect person to kick off this feature!

Please settle in, grab a tea, and meet the lovely Jane. You'll be glad you did!

Tell me about your practice & beliefs.

My practice is mostly intuitive. I pray to the deity Kali-Ma- the Hindu goddess of creation and destruction. Our relationship is something like a mother and a child. I will pray to her with my anxieties and worries, knowing her fierce energy will protect me. Our most sacred time is on the dark moon. I like to do a fire puja (offering) where I write down the things I'm ready to give up throw and them into the fire, and she eats them up as food. I've always associated her with fire intuitively, but have only recently discovered this is one of the highest forms of puja. I also do a daily puja on my altar which includes incense, fruit, nuts, aromatic herbs/flowers, fire, and water. I'm currently learning about her and Dakshineshwar temple through an online seminary, which has been most enlightening.

I dedicate my artwork to her over on Spirit + Bones. When I find the bones in the wild, I'm reminded of the cycle of life death and rebirth. How a simple act of adorning something left behind by life can act as a rebirth for the spirit who once resided inside. All of our lives are housed inside of our bones, and I believe them to be the most sacred parts. Kali is known to reside in the cremation grounds, where the final remains of life is given over to death. She is a liminal goddess, like Hekate and many of the other Dark Mother deities. As my work deals with a similar process, I find myself working so closely with Ma- like her hands are my hands. That to me is powerful work.

Who inspired you the most?

I've been inspired by many people in my life, most of them I never knew in person, but the one who always comes up is my grandmother. She inspired me to make art, to grow a garden, to collect old things, and so much more. Her grace and style have endlessly inspired me in ways that continue to unfold. She's a wonderful woman, who lineage goes back to the founding of this country. She has kept a detailed record of our ancestry, which has helped me immensely in my practice.

How did you first come to the realization that you needed to incorporate bones into your work and practice?

For me, it was the natural progression of my life. I lived in a place that was surrounded by life and death. Working on a ranch, where animals are hunted and killed for meat was a culture shock for me. I had to do something to honor the lives given in order to help further the lives of others. The bones were everywhere, and they sort of spoke to me. I had previously been in love with plants and the colors you could make with them. It was an experiment at first. How could I elevate these discarded bones into a way that someone would appreciate? The two things just clicked together, and magick happened.

How do the bones speak to you? Do they have a particular tone of 'voice'?

For me, when I sit in mediation with the bones, I'm given a feeling more than a voice. I feel courage or strength. I can feel in my bones what it was like to be in the bones I'm holding. I use those feelings to move forward with the design that I inscribe.

What feeling(s) you perceive when working with bones?

It depends on the species of bones, and the gender. Each one has its own feel and life. Does are gentle, with curiosity and sometimes anxiety. Boars are warriors with fierce spirits, while the females are strong mothers. Each bone tells me a story full of feelings that comes alive in my bones.

Would you consider yourself a Necromancer? Why, or why not?

Honestly, I've never considered it before! As silly as it sounds, the word is kind of off-putting to me. I guess I would prefer the word storyteller.

Would you consider yourself a Nature (Green) Witch?

Labels are something I have a hard time with. I think they are something that box people in. We all are a part of nature, not something outside of it.

Talk to me more about labels in the witchy community. Let me know your thoughts about them...

I feel that labels are a way to hold people back in their craft. I suppose their useful in a way to describe our practice to others. However, I don't use them because I feel that no label can encompass my practice. I'm not just one thing and I don't want to limit myself. I practice everything from green witchery & shamanism to Hinduism. I haven't found a label that fits me yet!! However, maybe one day I will!!

Creativity rules most witches' practice. Do you find this is the same for you? Why, or why not?

Yes, I definitely do find this to be true. I like to utilize art for shadow work. The symbols and shapes can give me keys to my subconscious, similar to automatic writing. Art has so much power. The act of creation is magick itself. Making something immaterial, material. I think that's why most witches are drawn to art!

Being a Storyteller, what is your first thought(s) when the moon is full/new/partial? And/or, do you have a favorite moon cycle?

The new moon is my favorite, mostly because I work with a dark goddess, Kali. It's her time, I've always thought of it like soil, rich, black, and fertile. It's the perfect time for sowing new things, as well as leaving old things behind. The dark moon is when I commune with Kali, I offer her the things that no longer serve me. During the full moon, I like to celebrate my successes and take things easy. Usually, the energy is so strong I can't sleep so I take the time for meditating and recharging. The partial moons, I usually don't celebrate but do workings when needed.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

I'm super grateful that you've asked such insightful questions. I've loved getting to answer them!!

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Thank you, Jane! Everyone, feel free to leave some comments, or ask Jane a question down below in the comments. Hope you enjoyed this chat and see you next Witch-y Spotlight!

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Spirit + Bone IG: @spirit.and.bones

WitchSwap IG: @witchswap

Azurite 22 IG & Twitter: @22azurite