Saturday May 07, 2011
Marla Brooks
Tonight's show was to be something of a Beltane show, what with Beltane (aka Beltaine), astrologically falling at fifteen degrees Scorpio, which generally is around May 6th, not actually on May 1st's "May Day;" so who better to have on as our guest than Para-X's official witch, Marla Brooks of Thursday night's Stirring the Cauldron program.
We called Marla but had to try again as her Skype was giving her trouble. Meanwhile Henry still was having some health issues, Patty indicating feeling down, and Marla's Skype signal seemed weak and our voices kept breaking up with her... Henry ended the call, to try calling in Marla first, then bring in Patty and me (Craig was not available this night). Marla still had a little trouble hearing us, even though her voice was perfect (Marla's dog decided also to be a guest, woofing away in the background...)
I introduced Marla (adding a quick welcome to her dog), and off we went, asking Marla for her background. Being born in California, Marla posited she was born into it, a family of witches and having ghosties at her domiciles throughout her life.
Henry asked whether Marla being Wicca or [] witch, the latter of which Marla claimed. As with most she occasionally claims being Wiccan so as not to scare people who don't understand the distinction/s. Henry followed it up regarding the distinction between pagans, wiccans and witches, which Marla handled both accurately and comically.
As always we attracted listeners from around the world, as Henry pointed out, greeting such listeners.
Marla described Beltane as a seasonal celebration, also known as May Day, spring-time and fertility and such. Marla indicated my "being more glib" about it, and I did add a bit more aspects of the holiday.
Marla did indicate, regarding in-roads, how the army has finally recognized wicca/witchcraft as a valid religion, but also how documentaries and "reality" shows only choose the loons, and that people like Marla and/or me do not get chosen as we're Normal... Marla brought up how when we were an agrarian society, witches were the village wise women; teachers and healers, et al, but that when The Church came into power, they made paganism Look Bad, bring in their Devils in the form/s of harmless pagan Deities.
Pyrate in the chat room asked [me] if I know a Dennis Burkley, which I didn't...
Henry wished all Mothers a Happy Mothers Day, playing There's a Kind Of Hush (All Over the World) after I took us out to break (as well as some Enya, and Stop; What's That Sound?)...
Karen asked via Henry asked whether Marla chose to be a witch or vice versa; Marla figured it chose her, but one does not need a parent to be a witch to be a witch themselves.
Henry asked what sort of tools and such are used for Beltane ritual/s. Marla reported spring cleaning with broom, et al, flowers and such, and how there's no dogma in the Craft: what works is what works, etc. Henry also asked after colour magic: candle work and such, and altar decoration and such.
Being a Solitary, Marla freudian-slipped that she didn't belong to a convent... oops, corrected that she meant coven.
As Marla and Henry praised my research abilities; I asked after her now-famous on-air Robert the Doll EVP, but also the unsettling fact that that show's edition (as well as the trimmed and isolated audio clip), seems to be missing from her archived-podcast site. Marla indicated the problem is with podomatic's bandwith issues, so Marla archives her show/s now at Para-X On Demand.
But at least we did get to discuss her Robert episode/s (and the on-air EVP they got of Robert) for a bit as well... including Robert having an aura...! (See photo at right.)
We went into the second break with Patty's pre-recorded interview with energy healer, teacher, psychic and Fate Radio host Bob Sullivan.
Henry came back welcoming the countless listeners around the world, inviting those to come over to the live chat room.
As they are so ambitiously creative, I asked as to who did her show banner ads, which she admitted she does herself on her Mac. Marla did offer to do a banner ad or such for us now and then... I jokingly suggested she do a banner for Tonight's Show, which she accepted.
Henry asked what would be a Good Spell (I tried to quip "One that works"....), and Marla indicated spells such as the sort one can do for their pet/s and such, and not to do a "love spell" against a specific person; do magick to make oneself more attractive, etc. I added one could do a ritual "simply" declaring to the Universe one is ready to find Perfect Love (with harm towards none, meaning, no one coerced into being attracted to the spell caster).
In the chat room, Ceiling Cat jokingly claimed still waiting from Marla the Get George Clooney spell...
Donn Shy asked from the chat room, with all the shows Marla has done, and all the guests and topics, what would be her favourite one or the one she'd enjoyed the most? Marla started out that some have been more "difficult" but she's enjoyed mostly the more metaphysical shows, where she's Learning Something New all the time; she always does her homework thoroughly on each guest, and that Ciaran O'Keeffe and David Wells are two of her faves, as they're very informative and fun.
Kat asked about chaos magick, but Marla felt she should defer to Tim Shaw about that, but that she does have an upcoming show about it.
We discussed the Green Man for a bit, and then Henry turned the tables asking if Marla had any questions about us. She asked Patty (as Patty being relatively new, Marla knows her the least), what got her into the paranormal and para-x, to which Patty replied about her late father visiting her, and her finding para-x.
Predictably, Marla chided me for our living so close for so long, and our being such good friends for several years, and yet our not having met face to face.
We wrapped with Marla providing her website, (many if not all of) her show's previous podcasts, and her her Facebook profile (even her email), and we ended the show with Patty promoting her next-week's Spotlight Report guest, my giving out my Paranormal View page and referring to the Paranormal View Facebook Group page (recently "upgraded," and thereby somewhat Facebook-wrecked).
After the show Henry indicated his area may be having a thunderstorm, and how bizarre of late his local weather has been and is being. I "joked" that it was probably HAARP.
Henry provided us with a couple of links he used to research Beltane: Beltane, All About Beltane and Earthwitchery : Beltane.
Henry also realized with some astonishment that he completely neglected to promote next week's show, a Live Investigation being held at the Morrison Masonic Lodge.
Marla and I figured we could/should get together soon, eventually... (I suggested next Friday's Linda Vista event, or the early August STU Con, also at Linda Vista...).