Today we’d like to introduce you to Haley Murphy of VVITCH MAMA.
Haley, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I, like so many raised in the south, was raised by a conservative Christian family. My story is a bit different because I was also homeschooled. When I was young, I noticed I had the sight for a spirit. I could see, hear and feel the spirit as well as read aura. This did not translate well into the church I was brought up in, nor the family I was raised in. My mom, an empath herself was my only guiding light but with her Christian conviction still did not give me any other resources outside her own faith. When I turned eighteen, I was able to move out, explore and practice what best suited me and my gifts. I read ancient literature and met so many different people of various religions. Witchcraft specifically, was so empowering to me. I truly feel like self-responsibility and hard work are the heart and backbone of witchcraft. And after twelve years of practice, I wanted to bring that self-empowerment right here to our community. It was right after the election and the Women’s March that I was overcome with passion and ability to manifest ATL CRAFT. Since then we have been thriving and vibing offering ethical and locally made magical products as well as offering a safe haven to any magically minded person wanting to learn more.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Manifesting ATL CRAFT and VVITCH MAMA was incredibly smooth. I had the help of wonderful folx in our community like Grant Henry (Sister Louisa’s Church of the Living Room & Ping Pong Emporium) and Gigi Gits ( Kolo Piercing) who were huge catalysts for me. Our community as a whole is incredible as well and definitely showed up. It blew me away that there were so many interested in witchcraft or already practicing witches in the area. I was so overwhelmed by it, that I created two Facebook groups, The Hum ( all identifying folx) and The Nest (fem identifying folx). These groups have been beacons of light and a wonderful resource for those interested in learning more and finding new friends in this magical community. Thriving as we may, I became pregnant with my first child in July of last year. If you can imagine, running a business and being pregnant is no easy task. I brought on the wonderful Karen Roman to help me and my apprentices filled in as well. It was incredibly humbling having to ask for so much help. I am sure, like most first time moms, one expects to go back to work with ease after birthing, but, as life goes, things were not that simple. I had a very physically traumatic birth experience and was bedridden for over a month and still needed assistance in many ways two months after that. No one talks about the postpartum experience. Everything with pregnancy is so light, airy and celebratory. No one explains ( and how could they!?) that you are about to go through the most intense transformation of your entire life. Your body will never be the same, your mind, your spirit, your identity! Your priorities will change, your relationships, the way your thoughts occupy your mind! And let’s be honest. We do not live in a society that is compassionate and caters to new parents; Especially women, especially moms. We are told we need to do everything naturally (not always possible), breastfeed (not always easy), get your old body back, be sexy, be beautiful, be a good partner and friend while also in my case, oh yeah, run a business and be a pinnacle in our community. There is an enormous amount of woman-shaming in general but I wasn’t prepared for the mom shame wave. The idea that women can and need to “do it all” is driving us into the ground, driving us into depression and spiking our anxiety. So, learn to be flexible with your dreams, be self-forgiving and do not be afraid to ask for help.
What should we know about ATL CRAFT? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
I feel like what I do is pretty niche even in a growing witchy world. I am a diviner. I read tarot and aura. Being a mom I have made it more accessible to do online readings with me through Facebook’s “VVITCH MAMA”. I have so many amazing clients and I love helping folx navigate their beautiful lives through divination. I am also first and foremost “VVITCH MAMA”. A mother in my community, ready to hug and love on anyone who needs it. Just like a mama, I hold space for my kids ( community) I teach, classes and workshops on everything from spellwork to herbalism and I am accessible. I created a platform for others to step up and share their craft as well which warms my heart, I love seeing people share their gifts, talents, and knowledge. I believe what sets me apart from others is how hands-on I am. My business is also my baby; I treat it with care and compassion. I create gatherings and events so folx can come together and find each other so they can share their wonderful personal magic. You can learn more about our gatherings on our website or application to either facebook group, The Hum or The Nest. I have been working very hard on “WITCHIN WEEKENDS”, which are retreats for the magically minded. The intention is to allow you to escape everyday life in a natural setting and enjoy like-minded folx while taking mindfulness classes and witchcraft-related workshops. I am personally heading all of these retreats as a service to be present and love as much as I can.
Looking back on your childhood, what experiences do you feel played an important role in shaping the person you grew up to be?
My grandmother can grow a garden from cement. My mother was a labor and delivery nurse for many years before she gave birth to four children and decided to stay at home with us. My mother is a human healer. I say she is an empath to a fault. I know I come from a line of magical women. Though we do not share the same faith that hardly matters. I learned so much from my Christian upbringing. I wouldn’t be who I am today without it. At least now I have a good well-rooted knowledge base enough to argue it. Can I put haha here? haha. I had a very traumatic childhood as many humans do. But trauma does something to the brain that opens up a different type of perception. The fight or flight sense makes you hyper-aware of peoples energies and actions. I know this sounds strange but just like my Christian upbringing, I wouldn’t have changed my trauma either. My trauma taught me an enormous amount of empathy, awareness and how to listen not just with my ears but with my entire body. When I turned eighteen I dated a person who’s mother I became very close too. She really encouraged my gifts. She would take me to haunted spaces to practice opening and closing myself to spirit. I would invite people over to my house and do medium and aura readings for them. I actually did not prefer to use divination because I saw it as a crutch for my own innate psychic abilities. Now, I recognize the importance of divination for multiple reasons but for me, it is less energy draining. Using your body as the tool compared to using cards, herbs, board or bones is very different. As I have learned and grown in my gifts I have found what works best for me so I can better serve my community.
Pricing:
- 30 Minute Tarot Reading $40
- 1 Hour Tarot Reading $65
- 30 Minute Spellwork Session $66
Contact Info:
- Website: www.atlcraftshop.com
- Email: atlcraftshop@gmail.com
- Instagram: @atl_craft
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/atlcraftshop/
Image Credit:
Haley Murphy
Getting in touch: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
