Meet: Kathleen Kfrey

Kathleen lived about a mile from my condo, yet I had to leave to meet her. I did a three-card tarot reading for her on Christmas 2020 and we have stayed in touch through tough times, and now both of our lives are transitioning. We meet when I’m in Connecticut, and found we have lots more in common in addition to the Craft. We’ve gone thrifting, shopped tag sales, and shared meals. She’s offered help with painting tie-dyed-looking stripes on Karma and other creative projects I have yet to start. See what you might have in common with her by reading her answers to the questions below.

1. Do you have a magical name you’re willing to share?
  I was born with a magical name “Frey” from the goddess Freya. I    believe it was meant to be because while it was the name given to my father it is not the name of his father nor is it the name of the man who raised him. (Long story; if we get the chance to meet, feel free to ask.)

2. In what state do you reside?
    I was born and raised in Connecticut. I left briefly but here I am again.

3. How do you make your living?
  For the past 21 years I have been a transportation manager for multiple trucking companies. I am presently in transition – in fact my whole life seems to be doing a make over – for the better..

4. Are you out of the closet? / Have you felt threatened?
   
I don’t think I was ever in the closet. I just learned from history classes, religion tends to start wars so I don’t discuss it. My beliefs are within me and if asked I believe I am able to explain without causing others to feel threatened.

5. When did you first know you were a witch? How long have you been practicing?
    Can any of us say there is a time when we realized we were witches? I think we all go along our path and feel a direction, a pull that allows us to transition into who we truly are. My first experience with what I would consider a magical spell was when I was about 11. A spell to discover who my true love was. Isn’t that what we were all trying to figure out at that age, LOL? Continuously peel an apple without breaking the peel. Throw it over your shoulder, out your bedroom window. It will form the initials of your true love. Never wrote those initials down; wish I could remember them now.

6. How do you define your practice? Do you follow a specific tradition?
   
I don’t define my practice. It’s always been in my heart. I simply follow where I am taken and do what feels right at the moment.

7. What one object must be on your altar for it to be an altar?
   
Crystals and, of course, candles.

8. Do you have a daily practice?
   
Hmmm!!!! Daily practice: get my butt out of bed! In all seriousness, I wrote a spell to go along with my morning drink: “Bless this brew I am about drink. May it bring me the warmth and energy I seek. A dash of cinnamon (add a dash), a stir of my wand (stir), abundance to me, blessed be my love.” “My love” refers to the gods/goddesses/universe/those that watch over us, but by all means if you are in need of love, feel free to use it in those terms. When I speak of abundance, it means in all things.

9. How do you respond when someone asks, “Are you a good witch or a bad witch?” 
    
No one has ever asked. I did have a driver say I was evil if I was a witch but I was able to help him understand that witches are simply believing in a different manner with no bad or evil intent. I don’t believe in evil anyway.

10. Do you have a familiar?
     
I have always had cats in my life, though not necessarily mine. My first cat was black – his name was Inky. But if I were to actually say I had a familiar it would be a snake. I’ve had a few of those, too.

11. What was your most magical experience?
     
Feeling a friend, who at the time was miles away, kiss me. Having my dead ex-husband come to me and talk to me. Ghosts talking to me.

12. What gifts, skills, or powers do you share?
     
That is a scary question. For the most part I would say nothing special: I read people and situations well. I know I’m an empath; I very much feel the energy of others.
     Nothing scary, right? I always feared anything going near my neck since very young. Over the years, I’ve been strangled three times – never again did I have a problem with anything near my neck after the last time.
      For no apparent reason I saw blood splatters in my bathroom – no one was around. I lived alone. Within 24 hours my daughter called with issues – the spatters had disappeared on their own, neither I nor anyone else cleaned them. No big deal – I really didn’t think so either – until my granddaughter was about eighteen months old; I kept having visions – daymares – opening a door to find a child in a puddle of blood. I thought it was just fears associated with her. Then the Newtown shootings happened. My best friend was an officer in town and one of those first on scene that day. If you ask me today, I was seeing what he saw before it ever happened. Never again did I have that vision.

13. What is your favorite:
            Sabbat:
Samhain
           Element: Fire
           God: So this is difficult, depending what version you find Freya – a single or a twin. Therefore Freya is both my favorite god and goddess.
           Animal or other totem: Dragonflies
  Tool: Crystals
  Tarot deck or card: My 
           Gemstone: Amethyst 
           Ritual garb: What I’m wearing, or nothing at all
  Fictional witch: I have to say Sabrina – she was the first one I ever knew.            
            Music/Performer:
Too much. Too many. I honestly can’t live without music and my taste is eclectic. I am a huge word-lyric-meaning-behind-the-song person. Check out “NF.” He asks so many questions we all ask. He’s an amazing young artist.
            Spell or ritual:
None in particular; when one is warranted it will come. 
           Piece of wisdom: Your power has always been within you.

Lynn Woike