Marcy LaBella is one of the most gentle, loving souls you will ever meet. She is quiet and unassuming, psychic and powerful, wise and strong, and gifted with so many talents. When she talks with you, she is totally focused on what you have to say. She taught our coven Reiki I, I assisted as she cleared an angry spirit from a house, and the small goddesses she has made from clay and blessed for me are among my most treasured possessions. Like me, she loves tarot and candle magic, and receives angel numbers regularly. She has also loves the runes and as had encounters with angels who have told her “they have nothing to do with any organized religion, have never been human, and are there to help all human kind … with healings or any other positive help or guidance you many need.” Learn more about Marcy from her answers below. Be sure to read to the end or you will miss some great wisdom. For more, check out her website and find her on Instagram.

1. Do you have a magical name you’re willing to share?
Crow Wing

2. In what state do you reside?
    I live in CT, USA.

3. How do you make your living?
   I am a full-time artist and teaching artist. I also write for artists’ publications, blogs, and holistic publications, mostly about creativity and mindfulness.

4. Are you out of the closet? / Have you felt threatened? 
    I have been out of the closet for many years, but I am pretty private in general. I certainly don’t hide the fact that I’m pagan nor do I push it down people’s throats. 

5. When did you first know you were a witch? How long have you been practicing?  
I’ve known pretty much since childhood. I am Italian American and like others with the ethnicity, my family practiced Italian folk magick along with traditional Catholicism. I dropped the Catholicism like a hot potato very early on.

6. How do you define your practice? Do you follow a specific tradition?
I consider myself eclectic in the Wiccan tradition, and follow and draw from many traditions. I have been strongly psychic since childhood so have clairvoyantly seen so many things that I am open to many possibilities beyond any strictly rigid dogmatic belief systems.

7. What one object must be on your altar for it to be an altar?
The Goddess and a Lord and Lady candle.

8. Do you have a daily practice? 
I need to experience nature and connect with nature daily to feel alive. I spend time outside everyday all year round. I have a small farm, and chickens and two rescue horses that I spend lots of time with. I also love to hike in the woods and collect rocks, feathers, and other natural items. I also do a form of stream of consciousness journaling that helps me clear my mind each morning. This practice is one I try to stay with because it increases creativity. I also do some form of art practice each day, drawing painting or clay work.

9. How do you respond when someone asks, “Are you a good witch or a bad witch?”
I am inherently a good person and a good witch. I don’t practice negative magic, but have no issue blocking negative energy sent my way or sending it back if need be. I will protect myself and my loved ones and can and will return any negativity by the power of three. I would prefer to be a peace-loving tree hugger though and sit in my studio making art or go to my work studio and teach a class of homeschool kids clay. It’s just more fun. I’m a much more a people person than a fighter.

10. Do you have a familiar?
  I am very connected to animals and live on a small farm and always have lots of pets and animals. And yes, I have had many over the years and two right now that I consider familiars in that I have very deep and special bonds with them. My cat, Fiona, who is a striped calico female very petite kitty, she is very tuned into me and is always right there if I do any kind of energy magic or healing, and my rescue mare, Carmen, who is a black Tennessee Walking Horse. Carmen came from a very abusive situation with the Amish and immediately bonded with me. She can communicate on a telepathic level and is one of the sweetest horses I’ve ever owned. The people who abused her are truly evil and Karma is waiting for them.

11. What gifts, skills or powers do you share? 
  I have had healing energy, and psychic abilities, and mediumship all my life. I have done a lot of development and later studied reiki and became a reiki master (since 1991) along with other modalities. I studied mediumship with several well-known psychics as well as going to development circles.
I believe that art heals the soul and share art-making and mindfulness with my students. 
While I still give occasional readings and healings, I no longer do it professionally. I have seen a troubling trend with people who have almost become addicted to them. We are put on earth to learn lessons. Getting a reading should be an occasional thing, once a year or even every other year to get on track or when you are at a cross roads. I’ve seen people get extremely dependent upon them so they cannot make a decision without running to a psychic. On the other side of that are psychics who are not ethical, have huge egos, and prey on these people. People should remember that the information never comes from the psychic but comes through them from your guides and from source. When I was reading, I never allowed people back any sooner than six months as a matter of ethics as I believed it would cause them to become dependent. I also believe that everyone is psychic and can learn to do their own readings using an oracle. Pull a card a day and tap into your own gifts. We don’t need an intermediary; we all have guides and only need to reach out and ask them for guidance.

12. What was your most magical experience?
  I have had so many, but recently at a funeral, I saw the spirit of a loved one, pass over to the other side. It began as a green ball of light that grew and grew, behind the person singing the solo at the funeral service. Eventually, the ball of green energy turned into a huge ball of white shining energy that rose up and then disappeared in a flash. In all the experience lasted about a full minute. I was in a church at a family funeral and I was the only one to see this. I feel so lucky the have the gift of clairvoyance even though as a child it was so frightening at times. The same relative was at her wake the evening before standing by the coffin. I did not see her, but felt her as a column of energy and said hello. Our loved ones very often go to both the wake and funeral and then pass over. I have experienced their energy at the wake and grave side and at memorial services. They often pop in to say goodbye. I have also had the experience of feeling spirit hands during an energy   healing session and seeing green energy come out of a healing practitioners hands. So many things, there is magick all around us everyday – we only need to slow down a bit and tap into it to feel, see, and experience it.

13. What is your favorite:
Sabbat: Imbolc. I love the return of the Sun.
Element: Fire, because we can transform our lives into anything we want them to be.
  God: the Green God of the Forest
Goddess: – Brigid and Hecate
Animal or other totem: Crow/Raven, Owl
Tool: Feather, wand
  Book: “Spiral Dance” by Starhawk
  Tarot deck or card: Rider Waite. I got my first deck at age 11.
Gemstone: Crystal Quartz
Ritual garb: Velvet gown
      Fictional witch: Samantha Stevens, my first witch 
  Music / performer: Too many to list
Spell or ritual: Candle magic
  Piece of wisdom: Always follow your heart and listen to your inner guidance – it is never wrong.            
For newbies: If you are just starting out, buy a witch’s calendar and a witch’s date book that has all the dates, sabbats and esbats, and astrological happenings listed within. Use this to track your first year and a day. If anything comes up that is especially interesting, do some research. You may find yourself on a sub-path of interest that opens a new doorway. Do some psychic development in addition to your training or learn some energy healing. It will serve you in the craft.
For peers: In our day to day, we can forget our power and that we truly are co-creators in our lives. I am going to leave you with a simple manifestation tool that I have been using effectively for many years. Simple things that are so effective are asking yourself regularly what would I be, do and have IF THERE WERE NO OBSTACLES. It is important here not to say but, but, but, and except that I can’t because… Write down your top ten goals. Revisit this list regularly. Next create a vision board with the top ten things you want to manifest. Add gorgeous pictures, clipped art, sparkles. Send energy into it. Post it where you can see it daily – over your desk or on your desk. Make a small version for your day book. Wait six months and see your progress, then a year. Put energy into this and you can manifest anything. All the answers you will ever need are in your heart. When you are unsure about a person, a situation or anything, put both feet on the ground, put your hand over your heart, and close your eyes, take three deep breaths and ask. Trust. You have the answer.