Step across the threshold into a world where carved circles, red doors and ancient symbols whisper stories of home protection and everyday enchantment. In this episode, we explore the folklore of witch marks and boundary magic in old Scottish homes, from apotropaic carvings and scorched hearth beams to the powerful symbolism of rowan wood and salt at the doorstep.

We’ll then journey into the sacred work of building energetic boundaries in modern life, through shadow work, emotional sovereignty and spiritual protection. You’ll be guided through a custom Tarot spread, “Where do I need stronger boundaries to feel safe in my own magic?” and finish with a simple, powerful ritual to create your own protective sigil for your doorway or journal.

Whether you’re deep in shadow work or simply seeking energetic clarity, this episode is your gentle reminder, your boundaries are sacred and your magic deserves to feel safe.

In this Samhain Special, we step into the liminal magic of the season when the veil between worlds is at its thinnest. Join us for a grounded and soul-stirring journey into Scottish folklore, shadow work and ancestral remembrance.

In this episode:
– Explore the myth of the Cailleach, the blue-faced hag of winter who awakens at Samhain
– Hear tales of fae crossings, the Sluagh Sidhe, and the origins of guising
– Learn about ancestor rites like the Dumb Supper and why Samhain is considered the Celtic New Year
– Reflect on shadow work and how to meet fear of the unknown with courage and grace
– Experience a deeply guided visualization to meet your Shadow Self at the threshold
– Create your own Samhain Spirit Altar to honour endings and invite renewal.

Settle in with a warm drink, light a candle and allow the season’s wisdom to guide you inward. This episode is rich with folklore, ritual and practical tools to support your personal transformation during the dark half of the year.

Ideal for:
Spiritual seekers, witches, folklore lovers and anyone feeling the pull of Samhain’s mystery.

🎧 Background music is by Kevin Macleod - Skye Cuillin, Celtic Impulse, Myst on the Moor, Teller of Tales & The Parting.

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If this episode resonated with you, please consider leaving a review or sharing it with someone who walks between worlds.
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In this Samhain-inspired episode, we travel through the misty folds of Scottish folklore to meet two powerful ancestral figures - Nicnevin, the Bone Mother, and the Bean-nighe, the Washer at the Ford. These crone archetypes, one riding the wild hunt, the other weeping by a stream, invite us into a deeper relationship with the unseen stories we carry in our bones.

Through reflective storytelling and immersive soundscape, we explore themes of ancestral grief, inherited patterns, and the quiet courage it takes to do shadow work. This is a gentle yet powerful journey into the spaces where pain, memory and healing intersect.

The episode includes a guided ritual using a candle and bowl of water to honour and release ancestral burdens, inspired by traditional Scottish folk practices.

⚠️ Content Note:
This episode contains reflections on ancestral trauma. A compassionate statement is included to support listeners with difficult family histories. You are always encouraged to approach this work with choice and care.

Topics include:

Suggested for:
Listeners drawn to folklore, grief work, ancestral healing, Celtic spirituality and mythic storytelling. This episode is ideal for quiet evenings, Samhain season or moments of personal reflection.

Ritual ingredients (optional):

Step into the circle for a journey of old magic and inner alchemy. In this episode of Sage in the Sky, I unravel the folklore of knot magic in Scottish witchcraft.

Through story, ritual and shadow work, we explore how a simple cord can help us bind fear and release shame, the twin threads that so often keep us from our power. You’ll be guided through a hands-on knot ritual: tying three knots to contain your fears, then untying them to set your spirit free. Along the way, you’ll be invited into shadow journaling with the prompt:

“What am I tied to that no longer serves me?”

You’ll also receive a printable Witch’s Knot sigil for your altar and learn how to work with it for ongoing healing and empowerment.

Download your free Witch’s Knot Sigil printable hereWhether you’re listening by candlelight, walking beneath the moon, or sitting quietly with your journal, this episode is a sacred space for untying what binds and reclaiming your magic.

Under the moon and beside the tide, are you ready to reclaim your “selkie skin”? In this episode, I dive into Celtic selkie folklore as a map for coming home to yourself. Instead of the usual tale of a stolen skin, we explore selkie legends of timing, freedom, and legacy and discover how they mirror our own lives. You’ll be guided through soothing self-reflection, a saltwater ritual bath & anointing, and a meditative journey to reclaim the parts of you that may have been hidden away. By episode’s end, you’ll have tools and inspiration to shed old roles and step back into your authentic skin. Tune in for a moonlit adventure of identity, body wisdom, and gentle transformation. Instagram

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There are threads that bind, threads that protect and threads that reveal the story woven through our wounds.

In this week’s episode, we follow the red thread through Scottish folklore and shadow work practice. From rowan-tree charms tied with scarlet yarn to ward off witches, to myths of fate spun, measured, and cut, we’ll explore how threads symbolise destiny, protection, and healing.

You’ll be guided through:
🪡 The folklore of red thread & rowan in Scottish witchcraft and protective charms
🪡 How threads appear as symbols of fate, wounds, and repair across myths and stories
🪡 A gentle shadow work journaling practice to discover the “thread” running through your own struggles
🪡 A simple red thread ritual for protection and reclamation (beginner-friendly and powerful)

This is an immersive episode, part folklore storytelling, part guided reflection, part ritual. Together, we’ll trace the threads of old magic and weave them into tools for your own healing.

So, bring a notebook, a quiet moment, and maybe even a piece of red thread. Let’s discover the thread that runs through your story and learn how to reclaim it.

When life splits into “this way or that,” we often wish for a clear sign in the dark. In this episode, we wander Scotland’s moonlit lore, crossroads as liminal thresholds, fae-haunted paths, and the old magic of light that steadies the heart. You’ll learn how to work with candles or a hand-held lantern as a living symbol of guidance, and you’ll receive a step-by-step crossroads ritual to bring clarity to real-world decisions (without selling your soul to any midnight strangers, promise).

Think of this as a fireside walk: part folklore, part gentle coaching, part inner sanctum.

Soft invitation

If you’re standing at a real-life crossroads and would like a companioned light, I’ve opened a handful of Shadow Map readings—a folklore-woven tarot session to illuminate your #1 hidden block and your next right step. No pressure, only resonance. You can find more info on my website www.sageinthesky.com.

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Share a little magicIf this episode helped, follow/subscribe, leave a kind review, or share it with someone who’s walking their own misty path. Your word-of-mouth is a lantern in this wee corner of the internet. Thank you.

In this mystical episode, Carrie explores the protective power of the rowan tree and the raven in Scottish folklore, and how their magic can support shadow work. Discover their ancient stories, the role of protection in inner healing, and a simple ritual for psychic shielding with a rowan charm and feather.

In this episode, we wade into the liminal waters of Scottish sea folklore and witchcraft to explore the magic of letting go.

Together, we’ll:

This is a gentle, story-rich journey with waves, myth, and ritual woven together. By the end, you’ll feel as though you’ve walked the Scottish shore at twilight and offered your burdens to the tide.

Perfect for anyone drawn to shadow work, Scottish folklore, sea witchcraft, or simply craving a ritual of release.

Resources mentioned & inspirations:

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend who could use a little salt-sea magic in their life. And if you’d like to explore more rituals, stories, and shadow work, visit sageinthesky.com.

Our homes remember us.
Every laugh, every tear, every whispered secret leaves a trace, an imprint in the very walls and beams. In this episode of the Sage in the Sky Podcast, we’ll gather around the hearth to explore how familiar spaces hold old emotional echoes, and how Scottish folklore reminds us that household spirits once carried a family’s luck.

Together we’ll wander through:
~ How places absorb our memories and emotions, becoming living archives of joy and grief
~ The lore of the brùnaidh, or brownie, the Scottish hearth spirit who blessed homes (or cursed them if offended)
~ Ancient customs of saining with smoke and water, and how these echoes survive in our modern rituals
~ A guided home-cleansing ritual to gently release stagnant grief and invite peace back in

This is an episode for anyone who has ever felt the weight of memory in a room, or the strange comfort of a familiar chair long after a loved one has gone.

🎧 Light a candle, make a cup of tea, and listen as we step into the flickering glow of story, spirit, and renewal.

Links & Resources:
Learn more or book a tarot reading at www.sageinthesky.com
✨ Share this episode with a friend who could use comfort or inspiration.

💌 Subscribe to my newsletter for folklore, tarot, and self-care magic delivered to your inbox

In this haunting and heartfelt episode of the Sage in the Sky Podcast, I invite you to step softly into the mist-laced world of Scottish folklore… where a mysterious woman waits by the water’s edge.

Meet the Bean Nighe, the “Washer at the Ford”, a spirit who washes the bloodied garments of those fated to die. But who is she really? A ghost? A warning? Or a mirror for our own hidden grief?

This episode blends myth, shadow work, and deep emotional truth to explore:

~ The legend and lore of the Bean Nighe
~ What she reveals about our relationship with endings, fate, and emotional avoidance
~ How grief lingers when we refuse to face it and how to begin cleansing it with care
~ A gentle water ritual to help you symbolically release sorrow or fear
~ A reflection prompt: “What are you spiritually washing but refusing to face?”

🖤 Content Note:
This episode contains themes of death, grief, and death in childbirth. If you’re not in a place to engage with these topics right now, please take care and return when the time feels right. There’s no rush, the story will wait for you.

Free Ritual Guide
Download the free companion ritual guide here.
Use it alongside the episode to create your own sacred cleansing ritual at home.

Whether you're deep in shadow work, drawn to Celtic myths, or simply feeling something stir beneath the surface, this episode offers soul medicine wrapped in story.

If it resonates, please consider leaving a review or sharing it with someone who might need it.

Why does healing sometimes feel like trudging through molasses, even when you’re doing all the “right” things? What if the very magic you're reaching for is being muffled by a part of you that still aches to be heard?

In this soulful deep-dive, we explore the tension between the wish—our longings, intentions, and manifestations—and the wound—the unacknowledged pain that quietly blocks our clarity, progress, and inner peace.

We talk spiritual bypassing, emotional resistance, and how the push for “good vibes only” can keep us stuck in a glitter-coated loop. I share a personal story of hitting a wall in my healing journey and how that wall turned out to be a doorway, when I had the courage to look behind it.

You’ll walk away with grounded guidance for reconnecting with yourself when you feel stuck, a gentle reframing of why “backsliding” often signals deep inner wisdom at work, and a truth-tending candle ritual with clove and rosemary to support emotional clarity and shadow integration.

Whether you’re manifesting something new, grieving something old, or simply longing to feel unstuck, this one’s for you.

🎧 Listen now to reclaim your truth, light a little fire for your soul, and honour the healing that’s waiting beneath your wishes.

🕯️ Mentioned in this episode:

• What spiritual bypassing looks like in real life

• Why wishes sometimes fail to manifest (and how to shift that)

• A full step-by-step shadow work candle ritual with clove & rosemary

• Practical tools for self-compassion and emotional processing

🌿 Explore more at www.sageinthesky.com
📮 Join the newsletter: [https://sageinthesky.substack.com/]
📺 YouTube | 🎙️ Podcast | 📸 Instagram: @sage_inthe_sky

Why is it that when we’re called to shine, our hearts sometimes quake? In this soulful episode, we journey through the shadow of visibility, exploring how stepping into the light can awaken shame, imposter syndrome, and even ancestral memories of danger. Together we’ll tend the witch wound, remembering the fires that once silenced wise souls, and learning how to transform that ancient fear into a bright, steady flame of self-expression.

~ I share a personal story of when visibility felt like standing in the fire, and how I moved through it with compassion.
~ We’ll draw on Tarot wisdom (The Tower, The Star, The Sun) and astrological fire energy (hello Leo season!) to guide us.
~ Plus: a simple candle spell to ignite courage and a mirror ritual to reclaim your reflection and your voice.

If your light has felt too bright to bear or too dangerous to show, this episode is for you.

Tune in, light a candle, and let’s burn bright together.

👉 Visit Sage in the Sky for rituals, readings, and more magic.

An episode of the Sage in the Sky Podcast

Step into the wild green heart of Scotland, where ancient plant allies whisper their timeless wisdom through root and leaf, blossom and berry. In this poetic journey, we meet the beloved guardians of the Highlands: Rowan, fierce protector and talisman of courage; Mugwort, the Dreamweaver who opens the inner eye; Nettle, bold healer of boundaries and vitality; and Heather, soft comforter of grief and keeper of peace.

Together, we’ll explore how these spirits of the green world guide us through grief, offer protection, and nurture self-trust and what it means to mend the broken kinship between people and the living earth.

In this episode:
~ The magical lore of rowan, mugwort, nettle & heather in Scottish tradition
~ Reflections on the shadow of forgetting our bond with the earth
~ A gentle plant spirit meditation to help you connect with a wild ally
A simple Highland Hearth Tea recipe for connection and comfort

Light a candle, brew a cup of something warm, and join me in remembering the green wisdom that has always been our birthright.

Explore more offerings at www.sageinthesky.com

If this episode stirred your heart, please subscribe, share it with a kindred spirit, or leave a review to help this green magic reach others.

In the hush of twilight on a remote Scottish shore, a gentle myth stirs to life. Selkies (the seal folk) slip out of their shimmering skins to walk as humans upon the land. In this soft and evocative episode, we wander into their world and listen to the ocean’s echo of their tale. Under the silver gaze of the moon, we hear of longing and transformation, of creatures torn between sea and shore, and perhaps recognise a bit of our own story in theirs.

As their tale unfolds, we reflect on our own lives and the skins and stories we shed. Loss of identity, the aching longing for a home long-forgotten, and the tender currents of transformation become threads we gently unravel in this episode. The selkie’s dual existence, at once of the sea and the shore, mirrors the way we, too, navigate the spaces between who we are and who we are becoming. Through their story, we find a reflection of our own yearning to return to our true selves.

To ground these insights in practice, you are guided through a self-anointing saltwater ritual. With a simple bowl of salt and water (an ocean in miniature) you gently anoint your skin, each drop a remembrance of where you come from. This humble yet sacred act becomes a baptism of memory, washing away what no longer serves and awakening the salty truth of your being. It is a quiet ceremony of reconnection, as if touching the very sea that lives within you.

After the ritual, a gentle guided meditation carries you into the depths of your inner ocean. In this meditative journey, you reclaim the pieces of yourself that have been adrift, welcoming them back with compassion and grace. Emerging from the waters of reflection, you are invited to ponder a soul-stirring question: “What part of me is homesick for my true self?” This journal prompt echoes like a whale’s song across the distance, guiding you to explore the hidden chambers of longing within and bringing you closer to the shore of your own truth.

As you carry these ocean-borne stories beyond this episode, you might feel the call to dive even deeper. For those yearning to continue the journey, I invite you to explore the other offerings that await. Perhaps a personal tarot reading under the same moon that guides the selkies, or a soulfully crafted tool to support your path, will speak to your spirit. If you feel a gentle pull to connect or share your reflections, know that your presence is cherished, and I warmly welcome you to reach out. May our paths continue to cross in healing and wonder, as we all find our way home.

Mid-year is a natural time to pause, reflect, and realign , an ideal moment to check in on your goals and intentions. In this episode, we journey through a midyear reflection ritual designed to help you review the first half of the year and reset for what’s ahead. Your host, Carrie, guides you through a storytelling experience woven with Tarot symbolism: The Empress, The Hermit, The Star, and other cards become allies on your path. Weaving these archetypes together is like a journey from the Empress’s nurturing abundance into the Hermit’s quiet wisdom, emerging under the Star’s light of hope and renewal. Through their tales and lessons, you’ll tap into your inner wisdom and sense of wonder.

You’ll also be led through a gentle visualisation, imagine a healing light or a serene inner landscape to help you release old energy and re-enchant your spirit. With pen and journal in hand, Carrie offers soulful journaling prompts so you can capture the insights that arise. These prompts encourage you to celebrate your lessons and growth (it’s so important to acknowledge how far you’ve come) and set fresh intentions for the remainder of the year. By the episode’s end, you’ll feel both grounded and inspired, ready to step into the next chapter with clarity, intention, and a heart reawakened to its own magic.

Thank you for being here and sharing this midyear ritual with me. If this episode speaks to your soul, I invite you to stay connected and keep the inspiration flowing. Subscribe to Sage in the Sky on your favourite podcast platform (so you never miss a Sunday story) and feel welcome to leave a review , your feedback helps fellow seekers find our circle and is deeply appreciated. You can also visit sageinthesky.com to explore more of my world, from Tarot readings and spiritual self-care rituals to magical tools and writings to support your journey.

Until next time, may your midyear reflections bring you wisdom, may your releases feel like freedom, and may you step into the coming days re-enchanted and renewed.

In this week’s episode, we journey into the misty realms of An Dà Shealladh , the Scottish concept of Second Sight. Known as “the two sights,” this mystical ability was believed to grant seers a glimpse into things yet to come, births, deaths, disasters, and omens, often unbidden, and sometimes unwelcome.

We’ll wander through the Highland hills and folklore archives to meet legendary Scottish seers like the Brahan Seer, the Lady of Lawers, and Thomas the Rhymer, each touched by the gift (and burden) of knowing too much. You’ll hear tales of eerie visions, prophecies come true, and the heavy silence of truths no one wants to hear.

But we won’t just live in the legends, we’ll also explore the shadow side of intuition:
~ The fear of knowing something you can’t un-know
~ The self-doubt and imposter syndrome that can haunt the intuitive
~ And how to discern true insight from anxiety or projection

I’ll also share a very personal story about a recent intuitive nudge that led me to knock on a neighbour’s door and what I found waiting on the other side taught me even more about trusting the quiet whispers within.

Whether you’re someone who’s always felt a little psychic… or simply curious about the deeper layers of your own gut instincts, this episode offers a cosy, thoughtful space to reflect, remember, and reawaken your connection to the unseen.

Pour a cup of something warm, light a candle, and come walk with me through story, shadow, and Second Sight.

In this tender and soul-stirring episode of Sage in the Sky, we walk hand in hand with grief, not to silence it, but to honour it. This is a sacred invitation to slow down, light a candle, and enter a ritual space where grief becomes a guide, ghosts become teachers, and lost parts of self are gently welcomed home.

We begin by exploring the deeper nature of grief, not just for those we’ve lost, but for unlived dreams, ancestral pain, and the versions of ourselves we had to leave behind. Then we cross into the mist-veiled realm of Scottish lore, where ghosts wander until they are seen, and where the gift of Second Sight allows us to glimpse what’s been buried in shadow.

This episode weaves:
~ A poetic reflection on the many forms of grief
~ Scottish ghost tales + ancestral stories of Second Sight
~ Journal prompts & a ritual for soul retrieval

~ A candle and water offering to honour the unseen, unsaid, and unhealed

Whether you are grieving someone, something, or some part of you, this is your space to feel, to reflect, and to reclaim. You’ll leave with soft rituals to ground your heart and a blessing to guide your way forward.

If this episode resonates...

Share a photo of your candle ritual, altar, or letter to your lost self. Tag me on Instagram @sage_inthe_sky or use the hashtag #SageInTheSky to connect with our beautiful circle of listeners.

Final blessing:
May your grief be gentle, your ghosts be known, and your lost pieces find their way back home.

Welcome back to Sage in the Sky, where magic meets memory and every story is a spell.

This week, we stand before the sacred mirror, the one our ancestors dared not look too deeply into and begin the powerful work of reclaiming what was once cast into shadow. In this episode, we explore the witch wound: the inherited fear of being seen, silenced, or shamed for our gifts, wisdom, and intuitive power.

What’s inside:

Whether you call yourself a witch, a healer, or simply a seeker who’s tired of hiding, this episode is a love letter to the parts of you that remember and long to rise.

Affirmation of the week:
“Your power is not too much, it’s exactly what this world has been waiting for.”

Connect & Share:
Tag me on Instagram @sage_inthe_sky with your thoughts, your card pulls, or your chosen reclaiming word. Let’s weave a collective spell of remembrance and return.

Next week, we step into the haunted threshold of grief, ghosts, and sacred loss.

In this soul-stirring episode, we step into the mist and mystery of Scottish fae folklore, exploring the haunting tale of the changeling and what it reveals about the parts of ourselves we've hidden away. This is not the glittery, winged fairyland of modern imagination, but the ancient, wild realm of the Good Neighbours, beings who dwell in the in-between and reflect our shadows with eerie clarity.

Join Carrie by the metaphorical fireside for:
~ A dramatic retelling of a Scottish changeling story
~ Deep spiritual reflection on what it means to feel “othered” or out of place
~ A thoughtful guide to working with the fae respectfully
~ A gentle ritual to reconnect with your inner magic and the parts of you left behind

Whether you've always felt a little like a changeling yourself, or you're curious about how mythology can guide shadow work and soul retrieval, this episode invites you to listen not just with your ears, but with your intuition.

“Be kind to the forgotten parts, they’re usually the most magical.”

Next week: The Witch’s Mirror – an episode on shame, ancestral memory, and claiming your power.

Connect with Carrie on Instagram @sage_inthe_sky
Visit www.sageinthesky.com for more magic

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