Magic isn’t always found in candlelit rituals or incantations whispered to the stars. Sometimes, it’s hidden in the folds of a quilt stitched by loving hands or in a recipe passed down for generations that brings comfort to every soul who tastes it. Magic lives in the songs your grandmother sang, the stories your father told, or the peculiar ways your family celebrates the changing seasons.
Every family has its own unique brand of magic, even if it’s not called spells or witchcraft. It’s woven into the traditions that make your family who they are—the sacred rituals of everyday life.
In my family, magic has always been present, sometimes subtle, sometimes profound. When I began gardening, the spirit of a great-great-grandmother from the mountains near Cherokee, NC, appeared during a reading. Since then, she has become a guiding figure in my practice of connecting with the earth.
My mom and mamaw embodied the magic of matriarchy—gathering family with warmth, food, and traditions. Mamaw’s Sunday suppers and Christmas Eve gatherings became the heart of the family, and after her passing, my mom stepped into that role, ensuring the traditions lived on through her.
On my dad’s side, our Greek heritage wove its own magic into my childhood. Every Easter, we baked Tsoureki (Greek Easter Bread) and had an egg-breaking competition with the red-dyed eggs nestled inside. And my Yia-Yia, a lover of literature, music, and the arts, cast her magic by inspiring me to follow my own creative passions in life.
The magic of a family line is more than just what’s passed down; it’s the spark of resilience, creativity, and love carried from generation to generation. This is ancestral magic—the kind that runs through your veins, whether or not you’ve ever thought to call it that.
Today, take a moment to reflect on the magic within your family. What rituals, traditions, or practices have been passed down to you? What does your family’s magic look like, sound like, feel like? And most importantly, how will you carry it forward?
Magic is everywhere – it’s in your roots.
It’s always there – within you – ready for you to honor and embody it in your own way.
– Lexi 
