This Is Whom You'll Meet At The Crossroads

by Tami J. Jackson | 12-8-2025

The Crossroads is a living threshold, a glowing space between worlds where the ordinary thins and something ancient, watchful, and potent waits. Witches work here because liminality rips boundaries open—and wherever a doorway cracks, a guardian stands ready to treat with you.

Who Shows Up To Meet You

The guide you meet depends on the spiritual power you bring, the tradition you follow, and your magical tradition or experience. Some witches describe feeling a gentle presence, others connect with a known deity, and some say they only sense the deep, vibrating hum of the Earth Herself. Crossroads magic has no fixed rules; it’s shaped by pure intent and sacred respect.

Across global folk traditions, the Crossroads are guarded by spectral wardens who maintain order—and who you meet could be a black dog, a shadowed watcher, or a quiet presence. Witches encounter these beings during their divination work, when doing deep banishment, uncrossing, and/or road-opening work. Simple offerings like a coin or candle are traditional and respectful tributes to bring to the CrossRoads.

Hecate with hounds

Hecate, Keeper of Keys

Hecate is the most recognized Crossroads Goddess. She rules the Triple Road, walking the night with flaming torches and a phantom pack of black dogs. Witches seek her for protection, counsel, and path-forging. She accepts offerings such as garlic, honey, eggs, wine, or simple candlelight. Even a symbolic crossroads can call her presence.

Her pack of spectral hellhounds is central to her lore. In ancient Greece, sudden, desperate barking in the deep night signaled her passing. These hounds enforce the boundaries of the three-way crossroads and reflect her untamed, chthonic power.

Hermes, Guide of Souls

Hermes the godly messenger also governs the Crossroads, moving easily through boundaries as a shrewd guide. He supports travelers, diviners, and anyone needing communication across realms—between the living and the honored dead, or between your current self and the fated life you’re moving toward. Coins, incense, and written petitions suit him well.

Papa Legba, Keeper of the Gate

Papa Legba

In Haitian Vodou and New Orleans Voodoo ("Eleggua" is the gatekeeper to the demigods in Santeria), Papa Legba holds the key that opens the gate between the human and spirit worlds. No spirit work proceeds without him. He is the very embodiment of the Crossroads—door, key, and sacred threshold. Working with Legba or Eleggua requires deep cultural understanding and respect. Coffee, rum, candy, or tobacco are traditional offerings within their traditions. Those outside these practices must admire without profaning the work.

The Wanderer or Trickster Spirit

Many witches encounter a Wanderer or Trickster at the Crossroads: not a deity, but the threshold’s natural, testing guardian. Folklore shows it as a stranger, a shifting shadow, or an almost-human voice. Its appearance matters less than its purpose—testing your will. If you arrive unsure, conflicted, or asking for something misaligned, the energy pushes back through doubt, mixed divination, or sudden disruptions. These are sacred warnings, not punishments.

This spirit isn’t harmful; it’s piercingly sharp. It protects the Crossroads by demanding absolute clarity. It ignores lavish offerings and responds only to honest, focused intention. Once your request aligns, the resistance dissolves and the path opens.

Land spirits - wights

Ancestors and Land Spirits

Crossroads also attract unquiet spirits tied to place. Ancestors may send dreams, signs, or synchronicities. Land spirits—wights, genius loci, or local presences—may appear as well. They appreciate offerings that honor the living land: water, flowers, seeds, or biodegradable food left respectfully.

Working Safely in Liminal Space

Because Crossroads magic is potent and liminal, grounding and clarity are paramount. Keep offerings simple and culturally appropriate. Make your request clean and deliberate, seal the ritual afterward, and approach knowing this is a powerful threshold, not a place for demands.

How a Dwarf Outsmarted the Gods… and Still Lost Everything

The Norse Dwarf Alvíss Teaches Several Lessons About Pride

In Norse mythology, there is a figure named Alvíss, the dwarf whose very name means “All-Wise.” He was a master smith, a keeper of ancient knowledge, and one of the few beings bold enough to seek marriage within the halls of Asgard.

When Alvíss came to claim Thor’s daughter—promised to him in a pact made during wartime—the Gods were faced with a dilemma. A vow had been spoken, yet the union was unwanted. Instead of violence, Thor chose cunning. He challenged Alvíss to prove the depth of his wisdom by naming what every realm calls the fundamental elements of existence: sky, wind, fire, night, the Moon, the Sun, and more. Alvíss answered flawlessly, drawing from the wisdom of dwarves, elves, giants, gods, and underworld beings alike.

But while he spoke, dawn crept across the horizon.

Dwarves cannot survive sunlight.

When the first rays broke over the palace, Alvíss hardened into stone where he stood—transformed forever frozen mid-answer, a monument to his vast knowledge and the tragic cost of pride, promises, and fate.

For modern practitioners, Alvíss offers several lessons:

• Wisdom is powerful, but discernment is essential.
• Promises carry weight across realms.
• Even the most gifted can be undone by forces older than themselves.

A Witch's Approach To Fall And The Dark Moon

 🖤 The Alchemy of Stillness: Embracing the Dark Moon in the Pacific Northwest

The World is Shutting Down for Winter. Your Magic is Waking Up. It's time to stop resisting the gray days of Fall and cooling temperatures and to stop mourning the disappearing Sun.

Step away from the slick, mud-streaked trail and close the door. Hear the rain—that relentless, drumming rhythm of the Pacific Northwest—as your cue. It’s November, the skies are heavy with rain, and the world outside is dissolving into shadow.

But for the solitary witch, especially those of us who share our sanctuary with the profound presence of animals, this is not a season of sorrow; it is an intoxicating invitation.

The outside world has gone quiet so that your Sacred Interior can finally roar. This year, 2025, with the profound Dark Moon arriving on November 19th, we embrace the deep, unapologetic power of the shadows and the undeniable force of being still. I'm creating digital art like my life depends on it (because it does).

🎶 The Music of the Solitary Soul: An Act of Magical Rebellion

For decades, many of us elders who were baby witches in the 1980s yearned for a soundtrack—a soul music that wasn’t jaded by patriarchal dogma, a rhythm that spoke to the raw, untamed current of our solitary path. Over the years of searching for great inspiring tunes it became obvious that we must begin to create our own resonance.

That longing is not just sentiment; it is a Magical Command. And now, many of us are answering it.

If you, like me, are feeling the pull to create—to sing the song that was missing, to write the words that were silenced—the Dark Moon's energy is your forge. This is where you purify your intention so that your creative magic hits the core of every witch who hears it. We know they will feel it—because no witch on this path has had it easy. We are not the blind sheep, regurgitating tired sermons. Our magic is forged in fire and loneliness, and that is its true power.

Here's the witchy song that I uploaded today: "The Unshakeable Witch" (at YouTube.com/XroadsCoven)

🌑 The Dark Moon's Invitation: The Raw Power of Dissolution

We spend so much of the year chasing the bright, bold energy of manifestation under the full Moon. But before you can build your future, you must passionately and ruthlessly clear the wreckage of the past.

The Dark Moon is the ultimate surrender to the Crone. It's the moment when the veil thins not just to reveal spirits, but to reveal your own hidden truths. This is the magic of Retrieval, where you draw back the energy you’ve wasted on fear, comparison, and chasing external approval.

Your Fierce Directive: Do not ask, "What new thing can I acquire?" Ask instead, "What must I shatter, what must I release, so that my truest self—and my unique witch-song—can finally breathe?" Let that question ring in the silence of your home.

🕯️ Section I: Retreating into the Sacred Interior (The Embrace of Cozy Darkness)

The forced stillness of a rainy PNW day, shared with your animal companions, is a gift. Their presence is a grounding current, a silent testimony to the depth of your sanctuary. This is where you practice Hygge Magic—not as a trendy aesthetic, but as a deep, soul-level act of self-preservation and magical grounding.

• The Power of Hearth and Kin: Your kitchen is your coven, and the warm body of your familiar nearby is a powerful anchor. Cooking warm, nourishing meals (stews, root vegetables) is an act of grounding magic, connecting you to the Earth’s deep energy, while your animals remind you of the profound honesty of instinct.

• The Altar of Honesty: Banish the bright flowers and airy pastels for now. Create an altar dedicated to the deep truth. Use stones that absorb shadow, like Obsidian or Jet. Let a single, flickering candle illuminate only what you are ready to face.

• Embrace the Mud: The slick, treacherous mud is a physical manifestation of an energetic command: Stop Running. Use this time of enforced slowness for inner journeying. Lie still. Hear the rain. Feel the unwavering beat of your own heart. That is your power source, and it requires nothing more than your unshakable presence.

🧹 Section II: The Fierce Magic of Cleansing (Radical Release)

The days leading up to the Dark Moon are the peak time for clearing energetic debris. Think of this as emotional composting—turning what is old and rotten into rich soil for the spring. It must be done with intention and fire. This is critical for clearing the noise before you create your truest art. So I've been digging through my closets and getting rid of everything that I haven't used in more than a year. (I actually found old cupping equipment that I used to utilize when I ran a massage therapy clinic decades ago. I hope someone who can use it will appreciate the donation!) 

#DarkMoonMagic #NewMoonInScorpio (or Sagittarius, depending on the exact date/time) #LunarCycles #HecateMagic #CroneEnergy

How to Embrace Your Inner Broke Witch: The Power & Magic of Being Broke AF

Let’s get something straight: being broke isn’t a setback if you're debt free. It’s a badge of honor, a superpower, and a secret club filled with some of the most creative, spiritually rich, and downright brilliant people who ever lived.

From artists who painted masterpieces with nothing but passion and leftover paint, to musicians who turned heartbreak and empty pockets into timeless songs, to sandal-wearing spiritual masters who owned nothing — the broke life is where innovation, authenticity, and magic happens.

So if your bank account’s echoing louder than your ambitions, lean in. Here’s how to celebrate and own your broke witch energy.

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1. Being Broke = Being Fiercely Creative

Look around: While most people are chasing materialism, scarcity sharpens your instincts. It forces you to rethink, remake, and reimagine.

No budget? No problem. You learn to conjure magic from scraps, thrift-store finds, and sheer willpower. Your cracked crystals, your altar cloth made from fall leaves, your thrifted candles—they’re not just FREE—they’re iconic.

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2. Magic Doesn’t Require Money — It Requires Intention

You don’t need expensive tools or fancy ingredients to practice powerful magic. The universe responds to focus and authenticity, not price tags or luxury.

Some of the most powerful rituals come from the simplest acts: gathering empty nut shells that squirrels dropped and colorful rocks. It includes lighting a candle, whispering your truth, drawing a sigil in the dirt, on a McDonald's napkin or on whatever’s at hand. Your broke witch energy is all about using what you have to manifest all that you need.

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3. Being Broke Is a Radical Act of Freedom

Money often comes with strings attached. Got a fancy apartment? You're paying extra rent, and maybe even renter's insurance, for that. A car? Beyond the payment, there's insurance, fuel, and vehicle maintenance requirements. Being financially broke and debt free means you’re able to make your own rules, craft your own path, and live life on your own terms.

You don’t owe anyone an explanation for your vibe, your aesthetic, or your pace. You’re a trendsetter of alternative abundance: rich in spirit, creativity, and purpose.

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4. Broke Is Where the Real Stories Come From

Some of the most powerful stories, art, and music come from places of lack—not from growing up in plenty.

Your broke witch life is literally a source of inspiration. Every thrifted candle, every patchwork altar, every story of “making it work” adds layers to your unique magic.

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5. Celebrate Your Broke Energy with Pride & Humor

This life isn’t always glamorous—and that’s much of the point. Embrace the hilarious, chaotic, messy beauty of it.

Laugh at all the resourcefulness and creativity that you imbued by weaving corn stalks into dolls for your altar, that TV tray that doubles as popcorn table when you're watching movies on your phone. Joke about the resourceful decorations and ceremony of a queen. Share your stories proudly—because that energy? It’s pure gold.

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Bonus: Broke as Freedom 

Here’s the real magic: being broke often means you’re not buying into the materialism machine that keeps so many people enslaved to chasing the endless “more.”

While others race after the latest gadgets and trends, you’re choosing a path where value is measured by creativity, meaning, and joy — not by possessions.

You’re free to design a life that honors your time, your spirit, and your unique magic. Your worth isn’t tied to a paycheck or stuff—it’s in your power to live authentically and fiercely on your own terms.

That’s a kind of magic money can’t buy. On a personal note: I've seen so many working people suffer terrible emotional abuse because they could not afford to stand up for themselves in dysfunctional career situations. Their debt kept them indentured. 

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Final Words: Broke Is the New Powerful

Being broke is a launchpad. It’s the spark that lights your fire into changing whatever has not worked for you before. It's the space where your most authentic magic lives.

So light those thrifted candles with confidence. Raise your mismatched crystals that you found on a shore like trophies. Own your broke-witch vibe with fierce pride.

You’re not slacking—you’re leading.

OH - AND IF YOU DECIDE YOU REALLY WANT TO DO SPELL WORK TO MANIFEST MORE MONEY: 

There are so many wild forage herbs and leaves that will help you accomplish your goals. Here are a few!

• Douglas fir needles or cones good for spells to grow wealth or success.
• Burn small cedar shavings as incense during money workings or place cedar sprigs in charm bags or altar spaces for abundance.
• Carry the blue Oregon Grape berries (dry or fresh)in charm bags or spell jars for attracting prosperity. 
• Sprinkle dried yarrow on money altars, or use in mojo bags for attracting luck and wealth. 
• Salal is an evergreen shrub with shiny green leaves often used in flower arrangements, symbolizing growth and stability.

The Rune of Need: Ancient Magick for Breaking Through When You Feel Stuck

I'm at a Crossroads where I'm doing a deep-dive into exploring the best life choices for me moving forward. This morning I passed the Naudhiz rune, that I had long ago painted onto my floorboards. Nauthiz (Proto-Germanic *Naudiz, Elder Futhark ᚾ) is the historical “n” rune. Its meaning, according to Medieval and linguistic evidence, ties it to the concepts of NEED, NECESSITY, distress and/or constraint. That's very OLD magick.

In the earliest of times, people would carve ᚾ into bones or stones and sang about it in rune poems: a heavy weight on the heart, an unavoidable constraint, the stuff of sagas. The Poetic Edda, Sigrdrífa even suggested carving it on your fingernail for protective magic—basically the Viking version of “better safe than sorry.”

Throughout time, this rune of dire need has itself been repurposed—out of necessity. In more modern magick, witches have utilized this rune in spells and rituals. Instead of reminding you that "life is suffering," (as experienced with no electricity, no time for social life when you must harvest and cook and prepare for winter's cold) it’s the symbol that means “find resilience,” “transform obstacles,” or—let’s be honest—cope, as when you're disappointed because your wifi has crashed.

In a nutshell:
• Then = “grim necessity, deal with it.”
• Now = “hardship makes you stronger, carve it on your vision board and manifest what you need.”

In practice today, keeping Nauthiz nearby (as a charm, sketch, Rune in your pocket, or meditation focus) can remind you that pressure can spark solutions you wouldn’t have found otherwise.

On a personal note: I look at this Nauthiz Rune and notice how much it looks like a bind room using the Isa rune, "I" (which means frozen, or ice) and it's like a sword slashes through it to break out of that ice. (That's just how I visualize it - but I'm in a position where I need to break through being stuck right now, and whatever situation you or I find ourselves in - that is how we interpret the Words from the Wise Ones). Our personal experiences are why there are so many different religions and interpretations of beliefs; even among people who all read the same spiritual scrolls or Holy Bible.

Odin did not gift us the runes lightly. He hung for nine nights upon the World Tree, upside down, pierced by his own spear. He sacrificed his own eye and threw it into Mímir’s well so he could see more deeply than sight alone allows.

From that sacrifice he gave us the runes—shapes not just of language, but of living truth. Nauthiz, the rune of need, is part of that wisdom: it reminds us that hardship presses, but also sharpens; that constraint can force the spark of transformation.

When we face our own trials, we walk in the shadow of Odin’s ordeal. His pain becomes our guidance. Our needs can still become our strength.

Putting the "Witch" in Your Playlist This Fall

Forget poolside pop and those ubiquitous barbecue anthems. This fall, we're brewing something a little more magical. It's time to channel your inner Sabrina Spellman and whip up a potion of power ballads and mystical melodies. Yes, we're diving into the wonderfully weird world of witchy music on YouTube!

If you haven't subscribed to the Crossroads Coven YouTube Channel yet - it's uploading a new song weekly. The music is full of European Hoodoo folk magic. So give it a positive whirl of your wand!  https://www.youtube.com/@XroadsCoven

Now, witchy music isn't your grandma's chanting around a cauldron (although, respect to grandma!). It's a genre that's as diverse as a moon goddess' wardrobe. We're talking hauntingly beautiful folk tunes that'll make you want to commune with nature, or head-banging rock anthems that celebrate female empowerment with a dash of the occult.

Here's a taste of what you can find bubbling over on YouTube:

• Folk Magic: Nature witches, this one's for you! Enchanting playlists filled with earthy melodies and lyrics that praise the power of plants and the moon will have you feeling one with the forest in no time. Search for "enchanting folk music for witches" and prepare to frolic with the woodland sprites.

• Cauldron Pop: Think Stevie Nicks channeling her inner Willow Rosenberg. This playlist category is all about catchy pop tunes with a touch of the mystical. Think Fleetwood Mac jams that perfectly capture the coven spirit, or Florence + the Machine's anthems that'll make you want to cast a love spell (ethically, of course). Search for "witchy pop music" and unleash your inner magical music fangirl.

• Metal Mayhem: Don't underestimate the power of a good witchy metal song! Headbanging beats and fierce vocals that celebrate female power and the darker side of magic? Yes, please! Search for "witch metal" and prepare to unleash your inner warrior queen.

So, this harvest season, ditch the ordinary and stir up some extraordinary vibes. Light your favorite incense, grab your crystals, and get ready to lose yourself in the world of witchy music on YouTube. After all, a little magic never hurt anyone (except maybe those pesky soul-sucking demons whom we keep banishing, but that's another story entirely).

Witchy Superstitions That Have Stood The Test Of Time

Witch Bottle

Witchy superstitions that have stood the test of time often blend folklore, ritual, and protective magic. Many of them are rooted in pre-Christian Pagan traditions or evolved through centuries of rural folk beliefs. Here are some enduring beliefs:

Nazar
(blue eyed charm)

1. The Evil Eye

• Belief: Another person's malevolent glare, intentional or not, (e.g., from jealousy)  can cause a curse-like harm.

• Protection: Amulets like the nazar (blue eye charm) or witch bottles were used to ward it off.
  
  

2. Salt for Protection

• Use: Sprinkling salt at doorways, windowsills, or in a circle for purification and protection. Even throwing salt over one's left shoulder for good luck works like a powerful charm because because that's where evil spirits lurk (and they are repelled by salt).

• Why it persists: Salt is a preservative and symbol of incorruptibility, making it a staple in protective magic.

3. Brooms (Besoms) by the Door                

• Superstition: A broom placed by the front door wards off evil spirits.

• Witchy twist: Jumping a broom is also a fertility and marriage ritual in some traditions.

4. Black Cats as Omens

• Mixed beliefs: The beloved black cats have been regarded as witch familiars. This cat (which was worshipped in Egypt) were also considered good luck in parts of the UK and Japan. I live with TWO black cats and believe me, they've brought nothing but love, abundance, and happiness into my life!

• Persistence: Still tied to Halloween and witchy symbolism. *I use black cat images for my branding efforts.* May they always be adored and honored for the Powerful little Panthers that they truly are. 

5. The Witching Hour (3 AM)

• Belief: A time when the veil between worlds is thinnest and magical activity is strongest.

• Modern echoes: Still used in paranormal shows and spiritual practices. Waking up around 3 a.m. can reflect an imbalance in the body’s natural rhythms according to Ayurveda

6. Carrying or Hanging Herbs

FREAKIEST (A.I. generated photo) EVER. I asked for an image of a
beautiful elder woman hanging garlic!

• Examples: Hanging garlic, rosemary, or St. John’s wort for protection.

• Superstition: These herbs were believed to ward off evil or bring blessings.

7. The Full Moon and Magic

• Belief: Spells, rituals, and psychic abilities are more powerful during a full moon.

• Continued use: Modern witchcraft (Wicca, paganism, etc.) still centers many rituals around the lunar cycle.

8. Mirror Superstitions

• Examples: Breaking a mirror causes seven years of bad luck; mirrors can trap souls or serve as portals.

• Witchy use: Scrying or divination often involves mirrors or reflective surfaces.

9. Knocking on Wood

• Pagan origin: In ancient times, people believed that nature spirits resided in trees, especially in sacred Oak. Knocking on wood was thought to invoke protection and ward off bad luck (by asking the spirits for their blessing).

• Superstition: Used to ward off bad luck after tempting fate.

10. The Number 13

• Belief: Unlucky, especially when it falls on a Friday.

• Witchy link: Some say it’s connected to covens traditionally having 13 members, though this varies.