Tess Whitehurst
and The Good Vibe Tribe

An Interview with Witch Way Magazine - Will appear in the October 2016 issue

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Tess Whitehurst is a Witch and Pagan author whose books are not only very magical but practical as well. She does workshops, videos, and groups that aim to help everyone be their best magical self!

I wanted to thank you so much for talking with us today. I am a huge fan of your book “Magical Housekeeping” and follow your Facebook page regularly. I’ve recently seen a lot of posting about this new group you started called “Good Vibe Tribe.” Can you tell us more about this project?

Hey, it's my pleasure! I want to thank YOU so much for talking with me. Yes, about the Good Vibe Tribe: this is an online magical community and learning hub that I host with my friend Brandi Palecheck of internetgal.com. (I teach the workshops and present the web chats, and she is the production manager and resident techno-mage.) So it's basically this fabulous site where you can take any number of magical workshops at your own pace and tune in to the weekly web chats live, or watch (or listen) to the recordings later. The web chats start with a virtual circle where we do a little ritual, and then we move into discussion and finish up with questions and a closing blessing. We've also got a great private Facebook group where members regularly check in about all things magical and spiritual. It's such a fun group! Everyone is really positive and supportive.

Who do you think can most benefit from the Good Vibe Tribe?

Anyone who is feeling called to step into their power and own their gifts. Whether or not you feel motivated to connect through the forums or Facebook page, just knowing and sensing other people on a similar path to you can be an excellent way to strengthen and validate your intuitive wisdom and unique magical talents. Plus, the regular doses of inspiration through the web chats are an ideal way to stay in the magical mindset and, consequently, spiral more and more fully into your power.

What do you think it offers that other communities may lack?

Well, the fact that everyone in the tribe knowingly joined a group called "The Good Vibe Tribe" sort of sets a tone for good vibes. Of course, my philosophy includes the full spectrum of emotion and life experience: I often counsel gazing bravely into the darkness and feeling every feeling that happens to arise. So when I say good vibes I don't mean we're all just talking about rainbows and unicorns all the time (although we are quite a lot of the time). Rather, I mean that the tone is one of support and love. That being said, I don't think that we're superior to other communities! We are what we are, just like every community is. And you gravitate toward what resonates with you the most. You know?

How have you seen the members of the Good Vibe Tribe grow from their experience?

Yes. And it's my favorite thing ever. I love checking in with the Facebook page and seeing posts about realizations and breakthroughs sparked from the workshops or web chats. It's also awesome to see members post questions or ask for magical support and to receive super amazing responses from other members. And it happens, like, every week!

Where can people go to learn more about the Good Vibe Tribe?

My website: tesswhitehurst.com. Click on the banner at the top and you can watch a video and read all about it.

Your books are really a hit among the community, is there anything new in the works you’d like to share?

Oh hey, thanks! Yes, The Magic of Trees is coming out in January!

Out of all of your books which one really challenged you?

The Magic of Trees, dude. Do you have any idea how many kinds of trees there are, and how much folklore is attached to trees? I didn't know the half of it until I had already signed the contract. Writing that book was NO JOKE.

One of the most wonderful things about the magical community is how diverse we all are, it is really hard to find two people who have the exact same beliefs. What is one magical philosophy that you hold that you think others may not always agree with?

Keep it simple and keep it fun. If as spell or ritual gets too complicated or serious, it misses the point. We are naturally magical because we are manifestations of the Divine, playing within the illusion of time. Playing! Like in the sandbox. Even when our intention feels really important, on an even truer level it's all a form of play.

What is a lesson you wish you could go back and teach your younger, just starting out, self?

I mean, I wouldn't change anything because it's all exactly perfect the way it happened. I think it's important to look at things that way. Although if I met a young witch who was behaving the way I was when I first started, I would say, "Honey: don't do love spells on people. No, really. Look at my eyes. Do NOT do that."

I know recently you were a presenter at Hexfest, do you know if you’ll be presenting again for the 2017 festival?

Not in 2017, but I do hope to do it again at some point - it was so much fun. I will be doing an East Coast tour in October 2016, though! I'll also hit a couple of Midwestern cities: Omaha and St. Louis.

One question I love to ask everyone, if they made a movie about your life who would you pick to play you?

Emma Watson, maybe? She nailed the California dialect so insanely perfectly in The Bling Ring. Maybe I could take a page out of Eminem's book and play myself too, though, like in the later years. (Haha.)

Follow Tess on Facebook!