It's Taurus season and my birthday is this week! To celebrate my birthday and the podcast's birthday in June, I'm taking the month of May off. I'm still giving you some new stuff though- I'm remastering a few favorites from season 1. This week it's Summer of Beautymarkings. We talk about Appalachian magic, tattoo shops, and social media. Even if you heard the first episode already you should listen to this version- it sounds better *and* has some new stuff that I left out the first time.
Birthday Month Remix: Summer of Beautymarkings
Welcome back to Your Average Witch, where every Tuesday we talk about witch life, witch stories, and sometimes a little witchcraft. It's Taurus season, and my birthday is this week. To celebrate my birthday and the podcast's birthday in June, I'm taking the month of May off. I'm still giving you some new stuff, though. I'm remastering a few favorites from season one. This week it's Summer of Beautymarkings. We talk about Appalachian magic, tattoo shops, and social media. Even if you heard the first episode already, you should listen to this version. It sounds better and has some new stuff that I left out the first time. Now let's get to the stories!
Kim: Okay, so I am talking to Summer and she is going to tell me about her business, Beautymarkings. So please introduce us to your business. Like how did it happen? Who do you make it for? What do you do?
Summer: Yeah, well, I do lots of things. *laughs* I am, I guess, first and foremost, a tattoo artist, which is where the name Beautymarkings comes from. I have been tattooing for almost 10 years now. I had an apprenticeship when I was 23 for a year and a half in Greenville, Tennessee. And then I worked at a couple different, what we call street shops or walk-in shops, just like your your everyday tattoo shop. And that was a very good learning experience, but I also learned that a lot of tattoo shop owners are very disorganized and irresponsible. So... (both laugh) the last place I worked at just got, it got a little, it was a bit much for me. And I just remember thinking, I think I can do this. Like I think I can run a business. So I took a chance and opened my own private studio, I guess about five, six years ago. And I just do my own thing. I work by appointment. I don't have any other employees so that's my regular, you know, if you want to quote unquote, my "regular" job. I'd say about 98% of my clientele is women which I love and prefer. I guess my...
Kim: I didn't even think about that.
Summer: Yeah. Well, I mean my art is pretty feminine, so I guess that makes sense, but it certainly works in my favor because it's just more comfortable and it's a more comfortable environment for them. I don't have people walking in and out. We don't have interruptions like you would in most tattoo shops, so it's private and and as soothing as it can be while you're getting stabbed. (both laugh) That's my goal. And then I also do, I'm an astrologer. That's not like my full-time job or anything, but I've also been doing that for almost 10 years as well. And I just do, I'll do like transit readings for people, or full natal chart readings. And then I also do tarot readings just whenever anybody, you know, asks for one.
Kim: I know I still need to do a natal for me. From you.
Summer: It's really, it's really, I mean, I can't recommend it enough. It's great. I tell people I've never, I mean, you know, and it's not me talking. It's just the astrology. I've never had a reading that was off. Usually it's so specific that it's pretty alarming, but it's also very affirming. Just to be like, okay, so I can blame the planets for why I'm like this. (both laugh) Like it's not my fault, it's the planets! It's a great tool for like personal insight and also understanding just like the trajectory of your life, and the timing of everything.
Kim: That's what I want.
Summer: Yeah, it just builds context That's how I explain to people. Like it's just, it gives you greater context for your life, which is always nice.
Kim: How did you come up with the name? I remember when I first found you on Instagram that I just thought that name is perfect for a tattoo artist.
Summer: Yeah, I don't know. It just came to me when I opened my studio, or I was in the process of doing that. I was like, what am I going to call this? Because I don't know. There's a lot of really generic tattoo shop names and they carry a certain kind of connotation or vibe with them when you hear them.
Kim: Ancient art?
Summer: Yeah, I mean, or like, everything now is like, there's gold in the name, or there's like a cross in the name, or like bold, or you know. And that's all well and good, but that doesn't suit my work. And I had made a joke to somebody calling tattoos "pretty stabs" (both laugh) And then it's like a more eloquent way of saying that. And I remember when I got my Inspection from the health department that, you know, you fill out your paperwork and they asked the business name I said Beautymarkings and they're like Beauty Markings Tattoo? Beauty Markings Ink? And I was like, nope, just Beautymarkings.
Kim: I love it.
Summer: Thank you!
Kim: Well, speaking of, of all that, how did you get funding?
Summer: Working two jobs. I, my apprenticeship. So I don't know how many people know this but normally with an apprentice, a tattoo apprenticeship, you have to pay for it. And mine was two thousand dollars, which is, that was ten years ago.
Kim: Good night!
Summer: Well, that's that's on the cheap side these days. But I worked a retail job at the time and just scraped my way through. You don't make a lot of money when you are an apprentice because you don't really know what you're doing. So charging full price for tattoos when you're an apprentice is just not a thing. You pretty much work on the mercy of tips. And so yeah, I, thankfully my parents taught me how to be good with money so I know how to just stretch a dollar, as they say, for sure, but I definitely didn't, I didn't get like financially stable and comfortable until probably like three years ago. So it's a sacrifice but it's worth it.
Kim: Did you ever get loans or anything like that?
Summer: No, I lucked out. But I didn't have student loan debt either, which is probably a big reason that I... My bills were essentially, you know, rent and food and, you know, just like regular stuff. I didn't have student loans. I was fortunate enough that my car was already paid off. So I just was really careful and worked really hard for a long time. But I always managed to make those rent payments on my studio, so it worked out. That's awesome. Yeah, and I know that's not the case for most people. Like a lot of people do have to get loans. So I'm very fortunate that I, it just, you know, not that it was easy, but I'm happy that I don't carry debt that a lot of people have to.
Kim: Yeah. I'm glad I waited until now to get my first one. But speaking of your studio, so you have a brick and mortar place where you go to work. What do the locals think about, do they, do you, are you out as a witch?
Summer: I am. I, this is another, I guess, when I, I'm realizing as I'm talking about it that my experience is very different than a lot of people, especially considering that I live in the South, which is known to be pretty conservative. My parents were not religious. My dad's definitely pagan in the sense of like loves nature and views nature as like God, or you know, whatever way you want to phrase that. My mom is basically a Unitarian Universalist. Like she claims Jesus but she doesn't really go to church and she doesn't think that other religions are incorrect. So my parents just let me like be me, and they're like yeah, do whatever, you know, whatever you want to entertain or learn about or do, that's great. So it wasn't as an adult I have not had any problems in that regard. I actually have a pretty large amount of Christian clients, which surprises me. I'm happy. I'm happy that they're comfortable to come to me, but I think, too, I'm not... I don't know, like some people, especially with social media, it's like being a witch is their entire identity, and for me, it's just like one of the many things that I do. It's not the only thing I do. It's just kind of... I've had, people that figured it out now. But, but a few years ago, I remember I had several clients that were like, so I've kind of read between the lines of the things you post and they're like, are you a witch? I'm just like, yeah, is that, is that weird? Like, I don't know. (both laugh) So nobody has shown up to my door with pitchforks is what I'm saying.
Kim: Good.
Summer: Yeah, it's been pretty easy. Now, as a child, that was different, but thankfully times have changed and people, at least around here, are pretty relaxed about it.
Kim: Were you around for the Satanic Panic?
Summer: Oh, yes. Ugh! You know, it's interesting. I can sort of gauge the generations by whether or not people remember that. Because I was talking to one of my Gen Z friends, like my only Gen Z friend. And I, she's a witch and I mentioned it and she's like, what? And I had to explain to her. Like the West Memphis three case and...
Kim: Yeah.
Summer: Of course there was also like everything had a parental advisory sticker and...
Kim: Yeah, and I know there's a people doing stuff out in the woods, cuz I grew up in the south too, and I remember those rumors. There is a place we called like the swamp or something and you can't go down there because the Satanists will get you.
Summer: Oh, what part if you don't mind me asking what part of the South did you grow up in?
Kim: Roanoke, Virginia.
Summer:Oh, that's only like...
Kim: So kind of near you.
Summer: Yeah, my husband's family lives there. I love Roanoke.
Kim: Oh, the Star City of the South!
Summer: Yes, I have seen that star on the mountain. Yeah, similar stuff here for sure. As a kid, I was pretty young when the West Memphis 3 case happened. But my my mom especially did not shelter us, which I'm very I'm very grateful for. My brothers are older than I am. And my brother that I'm closest with is four years older. So I guess he would have been almost a teenager, not quite. And he had long hair and you know, we listened to quote-unquote weird music for that time. We wore band t-shirts, we wore black. Because my parents were just like, you know, yeah, do your thing. But when that case happened I specifically remember my mom like sitting us down and talking to us and saying, you know, you you have to be careful what you share with people. You have to. She told me there were certain books I couldn't bring to school. She told my brother there were certain things. She's like, you know, I don't, I don't want you to not be yourself, but you have to be careful publicly. So that that definitely stuck with me into my like even my early 20s, where I was more careful about what I would share with people in that regard just because that case was so frightening. I mean I remember my mom saying this this could be you all, given given the right circumstances. Like you could be in jail because you're the weird kids.
Kim: Yeah.
Summer: So yeah I don't I don't have the the religious baggage that a lot of people from the South have, but I guess I have like the opposite of that, where it's like, ooh, you know, don't tell so-and-so that you have tarot cards or don't, you know. There was a certain stride.
Kim: Do not be messing with those Ouija boards.
Summer: Yeah, I don't do Ouija boards. I had a bad Ouija board experience when I was 12 and I was like, okay, we're not doing that anymore.
Kim: It seems like everybody, well, I haven't, but my husband has, and it seems like everybody has had at least one who, I've never even touched one.
Summer: I wouldn't. (laughs)
Kim: It's not because I'm afraid, I just haven't been given the opportunity. Because I grew up in Bible Baptist land.
Summer: Yeah. I had some friends, you know, everybody knew I was the weird kid, so they would come to my house to do weird things that their parents didn't know about. (both laugh) And one of them brought a Ouija board and I was like, what are you doing? She's like, oh, I'm going to try it, it's cool. I was like, you don't know what this is. Cut to the future, I buried it in the woods. I was like, mm-mm. So I was like, this is not a toy. I don't care that they sell it in the toy section, not a toy.
Kim: Yeah, it's a toy, like Hasbro or something.
Summer: Yeah, it's really bizarre. It's so bizarre. But to each their own, I just, not for me. I'll say that, not for me.
Kim: So do you have a coming out story or just have you always been who you are?
Summer: I mean, yeah, I've always been who I am. And part of me feels very grateful for that. Because again, that's not... that's not the experience that most people have, especially in the south. You know, there wasn't a moment where I like told my parents or my friends I was a witch. I think, I think my parents always knew and there's definitely some hereditary witches in my family. But it was never labeled, it was just understood. So it just, I mean it was just a natural part of my life. I had a client several, several years ago. I was tattooing her and we were talking and she asked me, you know, what are your beliefs? And I attempted to the best of my ability to explain it to her in a way that made sense and she said, oh so you're a witch. And I was like, well yeah, I guess I am. I had never called myself that, right? I just did my stuff.
Kim: Yeah, it was kind of like that for me. Yeah.
Summer: Yeah.
Kim: Oh, that's what I'm doing.
Summer: Yeah, like, well, now that you say it, yeah, I guess so. I think part of it, too, is just being from an earlier generation where, you know, we weren't so apt to label ourselves. There wasn't social media when we were young or younger so my identity wasn't, I wasn't eager to slap a, slap a sticker on myself and be like, yeah, I'm a witch. It was just like I mean, yeah, okay.
Kim: Well where I grew up It was more like a religion and not so much a practice.
Summer: Ohhh.
Kim: So if you if if you say that that means you're a Satanist.
Summer: Right. Yeah. Which is that, which is nothing else.
Kim: There's just that. You're, if you're a witch, you're a Satanist and you're going to hell.
Summer: Of course. Yeah. I mean, well, that and that's something that I find interesting about having the resources now to see the different types of witchcraft. Because there are, you know, there are satanic witches, but there are lots of other witches, and I am like a non-religious witch, if that makes sense.
Kim: Me too.
Summer: I don't necessarily like worship deities or anything like that. I guess what you call more of a traditional witch, I don't know.
Kim: I know, I'm struggling with that too. I'm learning more about the term and reading traditional witch books. So it's weird.
Summer: I Really like it. I feel like my practice has gone full circle back to just me doing the same stuff. I was doing naturally as a child. Versus, I mean, I think everybody has their like ceremonial magic phase, you know? (laughs)
Kim: Yeah.
Summer: Definitely did that in my early 20s and, you know, it's good to experiment.
Kim: It's fun and romantic.
Summer: It is. And it's theatrical and it has its purpose for sure. But for me, it's just, you know, being in the woods and paying attention to the planets and having a garden. I'm good with that.
Kim: What would you say is your biggest struggle either with witchcraft or with your business? What is your biggest struggle?
Summer: I mean thankfully I don't struggle with my business other than just trying to keep up with the demand of clients. But with witchcraft it's really again just kind of like full circle. I think with the internet and social media, a lot, I see a lot of what we call endearingly baby witches trying to find their way in a sea of chaos and bad information. And band information, and... yes, witchtok is so funny to me. I mean, I'm purely voyeuristic on there. Like, I don't create TikToks. I just every once in a while kind of check in and be like, oh, what are the kids doing, you know, I don't struggle with my own craft at all, but I think it's because I don't, I'm not involved with a coven, like I have other friends that are witches, but we all kind of do our own thing. And I'm not involved in any witchtok battles. (laughs)
Kim: Okay, speaking of, speaking of that, is there anything that makes you angry about the witch community?
Summer: You know what's funny? I was thinking about this this morning. The things that are true for the witch community are true for every community. Because when you have large groups of people trying to carve out their corner of culture, it just naturally becomes very messy and very competitive. And it's interesting to watch because, again, you know, like you and I didn't have, I mean, I didn't even have Google. Like I would find books at the library. So it was very contained and it was very personal, which is something I'm really grateful for as an adult seeing the way that things are now. There wasn't a lot of noise. I just kind of was left to figure out what I liked and what worked. I feel like younger people these days are sort of deprived of that because they inevitably wind up watching, oh, what's this person doing? What's this person? You know, it's... it's very it's very competitive, but also... I don't know what the word I'm looking for. It's important to have like your own experience first, I think. Because what works for somebody might not work for you or I've encountered. Oh, go ahead.
Kim: It's hard to do that when things are so pretty on Instagram and TikTok.
Summer: Yeah, I'm... my husband and I kind of joke about that. He's not remotely into the occult or witchcraft. He just, you know. But he's an artist and we kind of joke about the the impeccable presentation on Instagram of anything, but I find that too, especially with altars. And I just wonder how much of that, like, I mean, aesthetics matter, don't get me wrong. Like I'm an artist. I understand that. I keep my altar nice. But in those moments where people are doing ritual and filming it, I'm like, are you really doing the ritual though? Are you really present with what's happening? Or are you just doing this because it's pretty and you want other people to know it's pretty?
Kim: I actually did a video of the money bowl spell. It didn't work for shit.
Summer: No? (laughs)
Kim: It didn't work for shit. And Skrits like, what the fuck are you doing? Who are you talking to? You're not talking to me. I guess you want them to give you the money. All right, go talk to them then.
Summer: Yeah.
Kim: So I put that money bowl away. (both laugh)
Summer: Yeah. Yeah, it's well, there's a there's such an intimacy with it. And, you know, I'm not one of those people. I'm not like, oh, you should never show your altar. Like, I think that's absurd. Share what you want to share. But I think in the moments where you're actually working magic, it should be between you and that space and whatever else you're working with. Because that's ultimately the most effective. And, you know, the old creed of to know, to will, to dare and to keep silent.
Kim: I don't know it, but I like it.
Summer: Oh, you don't. Okay.
Kim: No!
Summer: It's gosh, I can't remember the first place I read it. Um, it was a long, long, long time ago, but it originally, I think, don't, you know, I could be wrong. Don't come for me, Internet.
Kim: I'm quoting you. I'm going to quote you. (both laugh)
Summer: I think that it stems from the work of Eliphus, Eliphus Levi, who was a, that's not his real name, but he was a French occultist. But it's essentially the notion that you should keep your magic quiet until it's done doing what it was meant to do. And this is also where birthday candles when you, or anytime you make a wish you're not supposed to say it out loud. Yeah. Yeah. So just shut up until it works. And then you can tell people.
Kim: I'm doing that right now.
Summer: Yeah. I think that's, that's a good rule. And someone else that I know made a really interesting point about putting things out there before your work is completed, that having, especially with the internet, so many eyeballs on what you're doing, how that can influence it too.
Kim: And if they decide that they're jealous or envious of what you're doing, look out.
Summer: You know, it's smart to move quietly, not not to be, you know, to hide who we are, but essentially just to be discreet because that's just the smart move.
Kim: Yes. (both laugh) So. Okay, we went over what you don't like, what has brought you the most joy, either with your business or with witchcraft? And by business, I also mean your Etsy shop, just everything you do.
Summer: Oh, yeah. Well, I mean, ultimately, being not entirely free of capitalism, of course, but like I have exited the matrix of working for a corporation, which I know is a privilege. Being able to make my own schedule, being able to actually have time with my family, it's really important to me. And I've, Not surprisingly, always had a problem with authority. So having a boss was Not really my jam. But I worked retail for a really long time and it it wore me down and it made me feel some kind of way about people that I didn't like. It's very soul crushing. So with my work now, it's still tiring in a very different way, in a more rewarding way and I get to meet so many people that I wouldn't know otherwise. And when people sit down to get a tattoo, inevitably it sort of becomes therapeutic and they tell me their stories and about themselves and their lives. And it's broadened my perspective on people a lot. To see somebody and you think one thing and then you hear about their life and you're like, oh my gosh, I would have never thought that you had been through that. So it's very humbling and it's very intimate. And I mean, just getting to like pay my bills by doing what I love is such a gift.
Kim: Yes. That's the goal.
Summer: So, and that's really it. That's really it. Like that's what I want for everybody. Because it just changes, I mean, your mental health, your happiness. And it's a risk doing it, but after a few years, you know, if you can maintain it, oh man, it's really life-changing. And I was just going to say, in terms of my greatest joy with witchcraft, it's really being able to contribute in some meaningful way to my small community. I'm not like, I don't really advertise services other than you know astrology stuff, but I have a lot of clients and friends who if something's going on in their life, they know that they can come to me and I can like look at their birth chart and tell them why, or look at tarot cards, or sometimes I'll do cord-cutting rituals and things like that. So I like having something that I can share with people to hopefully empower them and make their lives better. And I think for me that's always been the goal, especially amongst women, I want everyone to have access to tools that make them feel more in control of their circumstance.
Kim: Love it. I love that.
Summer: I feel like that's gotten lost a little bit, like... I mean, I get it, you know, we need money to pay bills, and there's nothing wrong with charging for services, but I feel like capitalism... the beast of capitalism has swallowed witchcraft and just made it another like...
Kim: Commodity.
Summer: Yes! and it's it's really sad, it bums me out. Because it's such a nuanced conversation, you know? If you say anything about it some people jump on you and they're like well people need, you know, to earn money, and i'm like i get that but it's...
Kim: By taking advantage of other people to do it?
Summer: Exactly. And I mean, if there is a market for it, people are ready to jump in there and do things that I, I feel are unethical, but you know.
Kim: Slide into my DMs and tell me that I've got something terrible and I have to give them $60 and they can remove it for me.
Summer: I have warned people. And I've since shifted my perspective on psychics and stuff. When I was younger, I was like, ooh. But now I just think, if somebody is coming at you with something like that, like, oh, you have a curse, give me money and I'll fix it. I'm like, that's a scam. It's an absolute scam. Because people, not that people shouldn't be compensated for genuine services, but there's a difference.
Kim: Well, there's that word, genuine.
Summer: Yeah, yeah, and there's a difference between like appropriate reciprocity and exploitation. You know.
Kim: That's straight up lying.
Summer: Yeah, yeah, and a lot of people don't know any different, and the commercialization, while it's good in the sense that nobody is coming for us with pitchforks anymore, it's also like there's a lot of misinformation and a lot of people that just are, you know, they just want money and they don't really care about like the people that they're dealing with. So that if I had to like state a problem, that's my problem.
Kim: Okay, we're going to switch track a little bit.
Summer: Okay.
Kim: Who are three people that you consider the most influential to you? And I know the original question was in your craft, but in your life, because that's going to affect your craft one way or another.
Summer: Oh, absolutely. I would have to credit my parents for just letting me be me, which is such a gift to give your child and something that a lot of parents don't know how to do. And I spent so much time with the matriarchs in my family, so my grandmothers, my great-grandmothers really shaped who I am. And in terms of like who influenced my craft, I again I think because I didn't have the internet, there wasn't there weren't like YouTube witches, there wasn't a figurehead in terms of that community that stood out to me. But historical feminist icons, for sure. I was obsessed with Joan of Arc in middle school. I have a big Joan of Arc tattoo on my leg. She saved her country and then they burned her for being a witch, allegedly. But yeah, there's not any like modern day...
Kim: Starhawk?
Summer: Yeah, you know, I've read her book and I think it's fun.
Kim: That's who you could find. That's one of the first things I could find, so.
Summer: I did read a lot of, what's her name, Silver Raven...
Kim: Ravenwolf.
Summer: Yeah, when I was like a young, like 12, I read some of her stuff. You know, just your garden variety beginner witch stuff. But I will say I feel like the material from that era is better than the new stuff that comes out now in terms of like broad brush stroke witchcraft. A lot of it I feel like has been watered down and it's been removed from the cultural context of where practices came from. And also everything's just about like- not everything, I'm being hyperbolic. But a lot of pop culture witchcraft is just about like money and getting a partner. And that's, you know, pretty much it. And I'm like mmm... that's not everything. But OK. (laughs) But I like folklore.
Kim: Yeah.
Summer: That's my jam. I get very to this day, very inspired by folklore and understanding the culture of where certain practices come from. So while there's not like a certain figure or person, definitely like the older stuff. The older stories, the mythology, and historical accounts of witchcraft and ritual. That was always very, that really impacted me.
Kim: Do you have any granny witches in your family?
Summr: Yes, so I have... well had, she's passed away. My great-grandmother on my father's side, I remember my mom had shingles really bad. I don't know if you've ever had them.
Kim: Not yet. (knocking sound) Knock on wood.
Summer: I mean, yeah I know right. It was bad, it was really bad and it was over the summer. And so she was out of work for a while. And we were home. So we ended up going to my Nana's house, my dad's mom. And she took care of us and helped take care of my mom. Well my great grandmother lived literally in a cottage like 100 yards from her house. So I remember I had to run down, like ran across this field. She's like, go take this photograph to Granny Mary, is what I always called her. And it was a photo of my mom. And I remember thinking this is, like, she knows what mom looks like. Mom's in your house. Why am I like... it just, okay. So I ran it down there, gave it to her. Came back. Nobody said anything. And then two days later, my mom got better and we went home. And later in my life, after my great grandmother had passed away, my mom told me that she had quote unquote, "called in the sisters" because she had six sisters, and they had a meeting to fix my mom. (Kim gasps) Yeah. And I'm like, excuse me, nobody told me this! (laughs) And she's gone. So I couldn't learn. I mean, I learned some things from her, but I didn't, I was too young to really know what was happening. So yeah, that's, that's like my favorite granny witch story from our family for sure. And then I recently found a whole other side of my family that I didn't know about that are Melungeons. And so there's a lot of like folk practice, and apparently my great aunt used to read tea leaves. And so I'm really excited to learn more about that.
Kim: That's cool!
Summer: But it all makes sense. Yeah, it's like, see, it's just how we are. (laughs)
Kim: What is something that you wish was discussed more either in the witch community or in general?
Summer: Well, I did... you know, again, like I didn't have a community around witchcraft as a child other than my family. I didn't have a group of people. This is just something I did on my own, really until I met other people in my early 20s that were also interested or already were practicing. But in the context of today, I think there is, again, such a nuanced conversation to have, but I see a lot of people wanting to run before they can walk, and I don't want to ever scare people and be like, oh, magic is dangerous. But if you're not psychologically stable already, it can be. And I've seen in my own life a couple people who definitely jumped into the deep end and it affected them really negatively. So, you know, witchcraft is not a substitute for therapy. It can be combined with therapy. It's really good for shadow work, but you, I think it's, yeah. Like as important as it is to have your own unique practice and experience before you worry about how other people practice. It's also important to stay grounded and to have, you know, normal people, quote-unquote, in your life. You still have to live on this earth. You still have to go to your job, probably. You still, you know, you're still a person. And so this notion that if you just do these really elaborate rituals, you're suddenly going to become like the Supreme and all your problems are going to go away...
Kim: It's that term, that term. Kill me. (laughs)
Summer: I mean, I love that show or that season, but yeah, no, that's not how that works. And there's a mixture of, you know, there's problems with people trying to do things that they're just not ready for. And I think that's just the culture of instant gratification. There are things that we don't fully understand about human psychology and just life in general. And so I think before you try to, like, you know, open a portal, or do like the lesser key of Solomon, maybe just learn how to cleanse your house first. Maybe learn some protection.
Kim: And if you bring this stuff up a lot of the times, now you'll get accused of gatekeeping.
Summer: Yes, yeah, and that's another thing that, I mean gatekeeping, I don't even know that you can argue gatekeeping because you have the internet. If you want to learn something, you can learn it. So I think sometimes older witches who have had these experiences, I mean experience is the greatest teacher. And sometimes you have to, you know, be a little too gung-ho or a little too arrogant to learn that you're not as big and bad as you thought you were. So I think that that having the humility to just take your time, because the basics are always there. And the more that you learn how to do protection, cleansing, just getting your energy right, that'll change a lot of things. You don't necessarily have to do a Enochian magic to fix the energy in your house. I just think that people underestimate the power of very simple, sturdy practice. And then the other thing, and you know, this probably get in trouble for saying it, I would not say this on TikTok, but Aleister Crowley is not great. No. No, he was a-
Kim: Were they saying he is?
Summer: And and he well he was, you know the, the...
Kim: Oh you should respect him because he made something?
Summer: Well, I mean he made up a religion, which is what everybody does. Like... you know.
Kim: Alright, I guess. Good for him. (laughs)
Summer: I Think when people, when people get into occultism they naturally, he's the guy that everybody recognizes and everybody, you know, you they've seen his face. But I I'm not the type of person, I cannot separate the quote-unquote art from the artist. I cannot remove your work from the person that you were. Because the work you do stems from who you are. And if you're a terrible person, then I don't want to do these practices that you created because you're shitty. (laughs) You know? like it's just, and I have seen more people. You know, I don't think anybody's trying to, like, retroactively cancel Crowley, but more about who he really was, is coming out and I find that to be a positive thing. Because I also don't know anybody who's worked, at least personally, who's worked with his stuff who's had a good experience overall. Like their life tends to become very chaotic. And, you know, there's a reason for that. Look at how he lived his life. It was a hot mess. And not even like a cute one. It was like bad. So, just don't, just don't. It's not worth your time. (laughs)
Kim: So speaking of TikTok, is there anything that you wish, I mean, we may have already covered this thinking about this conversation, but thinking back to when you were new, is there anything that you would tell a newer witch that you wish somebody had told you?
Summer: To... I mean, I've always had a sharp intuition and thankfully that was encouraged. My mother always encouraged me with that, but there were certain things, for instance, like working with spirits or just even like being sensitive to ghosts and stuff. I was wary of that as a child and I think I really shut that part of myself off for a long time, because I thought it was bad. And now I'm sort of reworking that and and being more open to it. So it's coming back, but I think if you notice that you have a natural ability, you know, everybody's good at different things. Just go with what you're naturally drawn to. Don't worry about what other people are doing, You know just follow what feels right for you. Because I think the more personal someone's practices the more it's gonna just like help you develop as a as a whole person.
Kim: Yeah, I'll admit that I get kind of envious when I hear people talk about being able to feel those things and I super don't. My thing is animals and plants. I just don't see or hear or, I get none of that. No spirit anything. I used to joke because my I when I moved out of my mom's house. I moved in with these other two people and there was something in that house But it never bothered me. It bothered everyone else, but not me. I used to say I'm the ghost deadener because they don't, just doesn't happen.
Summer: Yeah, that's, you know, as a kid, I was always really kind of obsessed with the paranormal. I mean, I was just weird in general. But my aunts lived in a very, very, very haunted house. And so for me it was undeniable. I'm actually a very skeptical person.
Kim: Me too.
Summer: Yeah, like about astrology, I have seen it be correct for decades. So I'm like this is legit because it works. And the same thing with ghosts. If I hadn't had experiences with a haunting when I was a kid, I would totally think it was bullshit. Like absolutely. I'd be like that's not rea. But I have had those experiences. But it's not great though. Like sometimes it's annoying. I mean, my house that I live in now isn't haunted, but I can tell, you know, you go certain places and it's just like, ooh, okay, somebody's here. And it's like, it all depends, but sometimes it's just like a mosquito buzzing in your ear and you're like, okay, I'm not trying to like talk to you right now. I'm just trying to, you know, I'm just looking at these antiques. (Kim laughs) I'm not...
Kim: Just let me shop.
Summer: Yeah, like, I'm, yeah, this chair that you died in is great, but I'm not going to buy it. (both laugh) So, yeah.
Kim: Well, is there anything else that you wanted to talk about that I didn't ask you to talk about?
Summer: I don't know. I think the older I get, the more grateful I am to have been born before the proliferation of social media. So it's hard to go backwards in the sense of trying to explain to younger people now who are getting into this that you, the answers, information is out there but it's not all good and the answers are ultimately going to come from what you do in your life, the rituals that you experiment with. I just think having your own experience is very, very important. Because that's how it was for centuries, you know. And being, using whatever abilities or knowledge you have to ultimately help people around you, not with any kind of like, savior complex, but just know that you can have little things to offer. If your girlfriend has a bad breakup you could do a cord cutting, or if somebody doesn't understand what's happening you could pull tarot cards for them, or if somebody's house feels weird you can cleanse it for them. It's just, just little things that can make a big difference. You don't have to be an Instagram YouTube witch with a million followers to have a positive effect on the world.
Kim: That made me have feelings. (laughs)
Summer: Oh, good. I think that, and I'm just saying that because I've seen that happen so much with younger people that think like, oh, I need to get all these followers and I need to get all this visibility and it's like, the internet isn't real.
Kim: I love when you say that in your stories, by the way, when you just get on that rant, on the tear, and you just... "This stuff isn't even real!"
Summer: Well it's not! That shit could go down tomorrow, you know? like it's not, it's not real. I's not as important, you know, It's helpful, you make connections. It's like I've met you, I've met other people that you know, I have I have become actual friends with, but beyond that it's it's just so nebulous and abstract and I think it's important to have both feet on the ground. But yeah like we, you know, your life is lived in in this moment and I don't want to spend that moment perpetually scrolling or or watching what other people are doing wondering if I should be doing that. You know? And again we have the gift of being born before, you know, I didn't grow up with a phone in my hand.
Kim: Yeah.
Summer: Thank goodness. But it's, yeah, it's just, it's a strange time. And I think I'm interested to see, too, if this, if this trend cycles through in another 10 years, and then it's just old hat, and then the rest of us can just go back to like minding our business and just...
Kim: Digging in the garden.
Summer: Oh yeah, oh that was that was where I was going with that, is I don't take a lot of stock in the internet. It's a tool, it's fine, but like whatever. But sometimes people would meet me. I live in a very small town and I've tattooed like half of it so people running into me is not like weird. It's just a small town and younger people would treat me differently and be like, oh my god, you know, because I have followers and I'm like I am not special. I am awkward, please don't, I'm going to underwhelm you so hard. I'm just, I'm no-one. I'm good at drawing on people. That's it. You know, like I'm not saving lives. I'm not, you know. So I always try to remember like this isn't real, and if I can be kind to people and I can give people tattoos that make them love their bodies, I'm happy. Or if I can give somebody an astrology reading and then they understand what's happening in their lives, I'm happy. I don't, you know, that is what matters. Not the number of people that look at your shit online.
Kim: That's so healthy.
Summer: Thank you. I go to therapy. (both laugh)
Kim: And that's the message, kids.
Summer: Go to therapy everybody. Yep. Let me tell you, I've done witchcraft for a long time, but therapy has helped me more, I would argue.
KIm: Yeah.
Summer: Like, you should do both. You should do both.
Kim: Yeah, you kind of needs to. If you want to do any kind of shadow work, you gotta.
Summer: Ooh, yeah, it's ugly in there.
Kim: That's what everybody wants to talk about nowadays is, you gotta do your shadow work.
Summer: Shadow work.
Kim: I guess you better find a therapist.
Summer: Yes and shadow work there's this, there can be this indulgence of that of like almost like hedonistic, or like glorifying the shadow and I'm like no you have to understand it and you have to balance it out. But, and it serves its purpose but to romanticize it I think is a little bit dangerous because people already, you know, we already have depression and anxiety. We don't need to put that on a pedestal. It's just part of life and you have to navigate it. But again, I mean, that's the nature of the Internet. It's just short attention span. You know, how do you sum up something that complex in a single post? It can't be done. So shadow work is...
Kim: It's a process.
Summer: It's not a good time. It's good once you like process it and you're further removed, but when you're in the middle of it, oh god.
Kim: Yeah.
Summer: Terrible! (laughs)
Kim: Yeah I hated it. I mean I'm glad I did it but I hated it.
Summer: Yeah, and it's a continual thing. You know, there's not, that's another thing with spirituality in general, people think you reach this pinnacle and then you're done. It's like, oh, no, no. Like, you just, it's peaks and valleys, baby. Like, it's not, there's never a plateau for very long. Right? Even when things are steady, it's like, things will come up and you'll be like, oh, okay. I thought I dealt with that. Guess not... (laughs) Here it is again, great.
Kim: Yeah, good times. So another thing that I didn't tell you about...
Summer: Okay...
Kim: I want you to recommend something. I would like you to recommend something that you like. It can be like a book, a song, a snack, an Instagram account, Etsy seller, whatever. Just something off the top of your head. What do you recommend people look into right now?
Summer: I have like 10 million hobbies. So to ask me that is a lot. I would not, you know, not plugging myself in any way because there are lots of astrologers, I think everybody should have a natal chart reading. I think everybody should have that done.
Kim:Cool.
Summer: It's, yeah it's, I don't know. It's a very weird affirming experience. But also, if somebody's charging you more than like, I think most like high-level professional astrologers like the people that have been doing this for 20 years still only charge about 200 and that's for like a two three hour session. If somebody's charging more than that they're full of shit. Don't go there.
Kim: You heard it here folks! Okay final question.
Summer: Okay.
Kim: I would like you to tell me, it's not even a question, I just like you to tell me a story that you love to tell people about anything at all. It can be about a dog.
Summer: So, this is a funny, I guess, I guess family thing. My mom has always been very encouraging of my weirdness. And she's not as weird, certainly, but she, her intuition is so good and it's like unnerving and mine is very good as well and I remember her telling me when I was younger, and even now, you know. Be careful when you get mad at somebody. Which sounds like a weird thing to say, and people think that, you know you have to like put somebody in a jar, or whatever. No, like sometimes just being pissed is dangerous, at least in my family. (laughs) So, she had this experience. She didn't tell me this until after I'd had a really bad breakup, found out that my partner at the time had been cheating on me, and his lung spontaneously collapsed. (Kim gasped) He's fine, he's fine. But it literally, like the day I found out, his lung collapsed. No reason. He went to the ER, had him in the hospital and they're like, yeah, we don't know why this happened. This was a long time ago too, where I wasn't nearly as, you know, knowledgeable in my craft as I am now, but it was just a thing that happened and I was really interesting. So I called her and told her that I was moving back home. And she said that there was a man that she dated in her early 20s who had been struck by lightning. He lived, but he was at the hospital. She went to see him at the hospital and realized that he had gone to this concert with some girl that he was cheating with and got struck by lightning. Him and the girl. (both laugh) So, don't piss us off, that's all I'm saying. (laughs)
Kim: Be careful, people.
Summer:. And it's not always conscious and I feel like if you're somebody that's very connected, you know, people talk about karma and I think a lot of people don't even understand what that means. At the end of the day there are consequences for actions and it's not even necessarily intentional, or it's just... I don't know. I like I feel like if somebody's very in tune and very sturdy and they they have like a good sense of character, If you wrong that person... things will happen. That's all I'm saying.
Kim: Yeah. Well, thank you so much for coming on and talking to me.
Summer: I loved it. I enjoyed it so much. Thank you.
Kim: I was so excited to talk to you. You're just one of the people that if you have a story, I will watch it because you're entertaining.
Summer: Well, thank you. If I can make somebody laugh. I think that's the gift of not taking the internet seriously either. I'm like if y'all are still here, you must enjoy this. I don't know. (both laugh)
Kim: The thing where you said you were gonna murder somebody with your shoulder pads... I died.
Summer: I love that jacket. Now this is a power suit, it's like, I love it. I might wear it today. It's raining. I could get away with it My Instagram is at beautymarkings, all one word. And then my website is beautymarkings.com, which is how people can book tattoos. And then I'm gonna be adding a link on there so that people can book astrology readings when I start, when I start taking them on again, I'm having a little bit of a break this month, but that's it. I'm pretty simple.
Kim: I know it's kind of a process to get booked with you because I see you talking about it. Can you let people know what they're in for when they're trying to book with you?
Summer: So I book, I try to book two months at a time. I try not to go much beyond that because life can happen and things can come up. So I recently switched my system now where every two months on the first of the month, my website will have a booking tab on it. And you just click it, fill out the questions, submit. That's all you do. It's really simple. But when my books open, I usually have to close them in about thirty minutes. That's just the nature of tattooing I guess. And I think that's pretty common for most tattooers that are by appointment only. We just stay pretty busy, and I feel bad that people have to wait a few months, but, I mean, I'm not 22 anymore. I can't tattoo eight hours a day. (laughs) So bless them for their patience, because I know it sucks to wait. But...
Kim: One day I'll be there.
Summer: That would be great. I need to get a line out west and do a guest spot out there. I know I need to find a shop, just to let go. I used to travel pre-COVID. I used to go to Nashville and I'm slowly trying to branch out, because I love traveling. And if I can travel and work, it's kind of like the vacation pays for itself, which is nice.
Kim: That would be so neat. I don't even know where any places are here because COVID happened.
Summer: Yeah, exactly. I'm just gonna not plan on going anywhere for the rest of the year. And astrologically, too, just... just wait till next year. We're not done yet. That's fine.
Kim: I can't wait. (both laugh) Well thanks for that tip. On that note...
Summer: Yeah! Just wait till next year everybody.
Kim: Thank you for being on the show!
Summer: Thank you for having me, I loved this and it's great to like talk to you, you know, not in person, but sort of in person.
Kim: Yeah, like with our mouths.
Summer: Yes. Yes. In real time. (both laugh)
Kim: Thanks for listening to this episode of Your Average Witch. You can find us all around the internet on Instagram at Your Average Witch Podcast, at YourAverageWitch.com, and at your favorite podcast service. Want to help the podcast grow? Leave a review. You can review us on Amazon and Apple Podcasts, and now you can rate us on Spotify. You just might hear your review read at the end of an episode. To rate Your Average Witch on Spotify, click the home key, click Your Average Witch Podcast, and then leave a rating. If you'd like to recommend someone for the podcast, like to be on it yourself, or if you'd like to advertise on the podcast, send an email to youraveragewitchpodcast at gmail.com. Thanks for listening and I'll see you next Tuesday.