Daily Cards/Daily Energy ~ different choices

 

The Mystic Crone Blog

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The Mystic Crone @ YouTube

Arizona, Women, & Attitude

 

I got my first experience in the weird attitude they have down here about women shortly after moving into my new house.  I had an inkling of it when I started having my large concrete walls put up around the property, and the men who were in charge of this would speak directly to Bob, while not looking in my direction or even acknowledging my presence at all.  I thought, "Hmmm, this is weird."  To remedy this, the next time they came, I marched right up to them, stuck out my hand to shake theirs and said, "Hello, my name is Amythyst."  They seemed a little shocked and taken aback by it, but by golly, the next time they came to my house, they nodded their head in acknowlegement and said hello.

So, I was ready to have the wrought iron fencing and gates installed in the front of the property.  This was a whole new creative process, and the man I decided to hire did only this type of work, and did it beautifully I might add, from viewing his portfolio. 

When he arrived, I was the only one out in the front yard, and I approached him to introduce myself and get on with business.  After my first forced handshake and hello, in a hushed subdued voice, as though he were instructing a small child, he said:  "I prefer to talk business with the owner, I'll wait for him."

I raised my voice and indignantly declared, "I'm the owner. We're not married," referring to Bob.  I continued, "I bought this property, I paid for this property, and it's my name on the deed.  I'm the one who will be paying you for your work."

He got it.  Although I did notice that his attitude towards me, though now more respectful and acknowledging, was also laced with confusion and possibly a little leeriness, like he's trying to figure out how to approach this strange new creature. (Should I make direct eye contact? Will it bite?)

So, with my experiences as a woman in the state of Arizona, and with the culture that seems to prevail down here where women are concerned, I was not surprised when Arizona resurrected, out of its dusty moth-eaten book of laws, an archaic law from 1864 denying women abortions, and with it vital common sense medical care that did not even exist in 1864, the year the civil war came to an end, the year Abraham Lincoln was president.

I can't make this shit up.

Note:  thank god for the common sense of our female governor,
Katie Hobbs.

Daily Cards/Daily Energy ~ some people never learn

 

The Mystic Crone Blog

The Mystic Crone @ Tumblr

The Mystic Crone @ YouTube

Invisiblitiy, Ageism, & Women

 

This is a topic that I've been recently researching for myself.  At the end of this post I'll pin acknowledgements and links for all the resources I've used on this journey so that you have the complete articles available to read.   

How and why do people become "invisible" at a certain age and stage of life?  

And of course, personally, I thought my main point of interest on this topic was going to align with the internet, with social media, with writing and publishing, with producing videos and podcasts for YouTube, just basically being acknowledged and seen in this world of technology; but there's so many other places and ways to be invisible.  Scroll down and explore the possibilities.  It's time for people, especially women over a certain age, to stand up on their hind legs and howl.  Let's remind the world from whence they came.

Why do we become invisible as we age? [1]

One of the main reasons for this invisibility is ageism, which is the discrimination and prejudice against individuals based on their age. As women reach their fifties and beyond, they are often seen as less valuable and less capable than their younger counterparts.

What does it mean when you become invisible when you're old? [2]

• For me, it has meant that people take little or no interest in you in conversations in group settings. It means that when you shop or go to restaurants, staff are more likely to ignore you or look past you. People act like you're in their way when you're doing exactly what they do. Next time you're in a store and an old person is being waited on, watch people in line behind them, especially if they take five seconds longer to do something than a younger person might. Look for all of the sighing, eye-rolling, etc. that goes on. You are treated as this annoying object and not a person and as if you shouldn't be out in the world like everyone else.

• Well, it means being unseen and excluded from all conversations. As if you are not standing right there. There really is a sense of being invisible. This is by both genders. It means having a person look past my invisible self for someone more interesting. I didn’t feel this as the loss of the "male gaze" but more the severing of conversation with younger people. It is really odd.

*Note from Amythyst: 

I have absolutely noticed this, and unfortunately it has sometimes occurred in conversation with family and friends.  It's as though your voice is not heard.  I'm not ready to not be heard.  My advice would be to say, "Excuse me, I just wanted to say...".  Sometimes you just have to get their attention and raise your voice.  But it is most disconcerting in public, when people speak over you, or even worse yet, they address your adult child or someone younger who's accompanying you, as though you can't speak or wouldn't understand them.  Mind blowing! And I think, "Really?"

The invisibility war on older women: [3]

• In a culture that tells us women are most attractive before they're even of legal drinking age, middle age brings complex messages.

• While some women may delight in feeling removed from the "male gaze," others feel their sexiest and most authentic selves after menopause.

• Instead of judging other women's sexual self-presentation, perhaps the real question is, "What is visibility, anyway?"

• When we recognize people of any gender for the things they want to be recognized for, we are all more free.

*Note from Amythyst: 

I would have to say that there's more women who actually feel relieved to be removed from the "male gaze".  There's a lot of pressure in our society on younger women to be attractive, to keep their figure, to be well-coifed and made up at all times.  There's so much pressure on younger women to be beautiful and stay beautiful that I believe this illogical fear of aging is what drives them to the plastic surgeons to butcher their faces.

Invisibility in later life: [4]

The survey highlighted the discrepancies between how men and women are treated as they age...

• Seven out of 10 (70%) believe that women become "invisible" as they get older, but only a third (32%) think the same applies to men.

• Women start to become "invisible" at the age of 52, while men avoid this fate for more than a decade longer -- the average age highlighted for men was 64.

• Nearly two-thirds (64%) believe that older women tend to be more invisible than men of the same age, putting the phenomenon down to society being obsessed with youth (62%), ageist (54%) and sexist (35%).

• Nearly two-fifths (37%) said that younger people have patronised them as they have got older. And a quarter (23%) said that if they’re out with a younger person, people tend to talk to the younger person rather than them.

I'm 30, am I too old for instagram: [5]

*Note from Amythyst:  

Seriously?  I had to read this twice before it sunk in.  30???  If this person is wondering if they're too old for a social platform at 30, I don't know how they're going to feel when they hit 40, or 50, or 60.  Honey, you're just a baby standing on the threshold of the adult world.  Appreciate where you are and how far you've come, but realize that it's just a drop in the bucket.  You're just getting started, so appreciate where you're going.

Instagram is a social media platform that is used by individuals of all ages, not just specific age groups. While it is true that Instagram is popular among younger users, there are also many users who are over the age of 30 and even older who actively use the platform.

If you are over 30 and interested in using Instagram, there is absolutely no age limit or restriction that would prevent you from creating an account and using the platform. Many adults use Instagram to connect with friends and family, follow their interests, promote businesses, and engage with a broader community.

Whether you are too old for Instagram ultimately depends on your personal preferences and how you would like to use the platform. If you are interested in sharing photos, videos, and connecting with others online, Instagram can be a great platform for you to explore, regardless of your age.

Benefits of social media for seniors:  [6]

• Helps in combatting isolation
• Stay updated about the latest news
• Reconnect with old friends
• Social media can be educational and entertaining
• Improves cognitive health

*Note from Amythyst:  

These are all very well and good reasons for older people to keep up with and use social media, but I am concerned that someone thinks these are the only possible reasons anyone considered a senior citzen would be on the internet.  What about those of us who are still working, still networking for promotional exposure and new business contacts?  What about people like me, authors, who are still writing and promoting books?  What about other people my age out there in a myriad of businesses that are using social media platforms for self-promotion and to further themselves in their line of work, as well as to keep abreast of new trends and stay relevant in their fields?  I find the gist of these benefits for seniors to be very type-casting, very sterotypical of how people think of anyone who is over a certain age.

The internet and social media use:  [7]

As of 2019, per Pew data, 72 percent of all adults in America used some sort of social media, including 69 percent of those age 50 to 64, and 40 percent of people age 65 and older. The researchers found that the most popular social media channels for older Americans were:

• YouTube: used by 70% of those 50 to 64, and 38% of those 65 and older
• Facebook: used by 68% of those 50 to 64, and 46% of those 65 and older
• Pinterest: used by 27% of those 50 to 64, and 15% of those 65 and older
• Instagram: used by 24% of those 50 to 64, and 8% of those 65 and older

*Note from Amythyst:  

I'm on ALL of these social media platforms, and I'm posting links to my pages/profiles.  I don't think my use of these networks would be in the way society would view most 66 year old women, or in the ways and whys that have been listed in the previous material above (number [6]).  The sad fact about this is that although I maintain blogs and websites on a number of platforms, I still feel totally invisible on the internet.  There is no interaction on some of these sites, and almost no interaction on others, including this blog.  I feel like a marble rolling around in an empty bureau drawer.  It's as though my pages, posts, and blogs are not being seen by anyone.  So, is it because of my age, or is it because of the algorithms, or is it both?

• YouTube, first channel
• YouTube, second channel
• Facebook
• Pintrest
• Instagram

Ageism in Hollywood:  [8]

"It's like you go from sexy to Depends," Brooke Shields told NPR earlier this year. "And there's this whole margin in the middle that ... are vibrant." The Boxed In study has some data to back that up.

"At about the age of 40, female characters begin to disappear in substantial numbers from both broadcast and streaming programs," the report concludes. "On broadcast programs, the percentage of major female characters plummeted from 42% in their 30s to 15% in their 40s. Similarly, on streaming programs the percentage of major females dropped from 33% in their 30s to 14% in their 40s."

Over 60? You're probably not seeing yourself represented much at all on screen, despite the fact that the U.S. population is aging.  Women 60 and over continue to be dramatically under-represented. Women comprised just 3% of major female characters 60 and over on broadcast programs and 3% on streaming programs.

"The absence of older women on screen is such a dated gender stereotype that I'm always surprised to see that it remains in both television and film," said Dr. Martha Lauzen, professor and executive director of the Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film at San Diego State University. In an email to NPR, Lauzen added that the age disparity "has been consistent" since she started conducting the studies over 20 years ago.

Age discrimination and sterotyping in fashion: [9]

The concept of anti-ageing remains a persistent and influential beauty standard. When discussing inclusivity in fashion, older people are often left out of the conversation. According to Lixia Yang, a psychology professor who specializes in ageing and culture, the retention of a useful appearance is desirable because it symbolises a period for pursuing dreams and future-planning. This prevailing belief often dictates that once someone reaches a certain age, they should limit their fashion choices to subdued colors, adopt flattering [age appropriate] styles, and opt for conservative clothing. Ageing is frequently depicted in a negative light, especially in industries where appearance plays a significant role.

Ageism in the beauty industry: [10]

To promote their anti-aging products, many brands use young models, or gratuitously airbrush or photoshop their models, to give consumers the idea that their products made the model look that good (hello, false advertising).

Ageism is a form of discrimination that is especially prevalent in the beauty industry. Age discrimination can take many forms in one's professional and social life, especially for women. The term “anti-aging” first emerged in the 80s, presenting the aging process as a negative transition to be avoided at all costs.

Ageism and medical care:  [11]

Unfortunately, as with many other areas of life, ageism is present in medical care. Age bias shows up in the way that health care providers talk to their patients, the degree to which they listen, the range of diagnostic tests they offer and the scope of treatments they are willing to make available.

A common form of ageism is “elderspeak.” Nurses, doctors, and support staff may address older patients as “honey,” “dear” or “young lady”; limit the vocabulary they use and dumb down explanations; or even use a sing-song voice, as when soothing an infant. This type of communication is not only embarrassing, but it is patronizing and can be isolating. Patients with poor hearing or eyesight say they are often treated as cognitively impaired. Some older adults find that treatable conditions -- such as chronic pain, arthritis and neuropathy -- are dismissed as a feature of old age.

Sources:

[1]  Why are women over 50 invisible in the workplace?
by Gisele M Michel

[2] What does it mean when you  become invisible when you're old?

REDDIT

[3] The Invisibility War on Older Women

by Gina Frangello Ph.D., M.A.

[4] Invisibility in Later Life

[5] Is Instagram Only for People of a Certain Age,
 Am I too Old for Instagram, I'm over 30

[6] Benefits of Social Media for Seniors

[7] Seniors Using Technology and Social Media More Amid Pandemic
by Brad Breeding

[8] There are more women on TV but ageism persists, says new study
by Elizabeth Blair

[9] Grandmacore: fashion trend or age discrimination?

[10] Ageism & Anti-Ageism: learning about wrinkle prevention

[11] Ageism is Prevelant in Medical Care

Sulking

 

Is sulking manipulative?

Sulking is a devious way of manipulating someone's emotions. The sulker will invariably deny they are sulking. That's a given. After all, being frank and open about your sulking wouldn't work.

Is sulking controlling behavior?

Whether the tendency to sulk comes from immaturity or a need for control, sulking is a form of manipulation. If you give in, the problem will continue or grow worse. In order to deal with the problem, you need to assess their behaviour, keep from giving in to their sulking, and go about your daily routine.

Is sulking a personality disorder?

Petulant Borderline Personality Disorder

People with this type of borderline personality disorder may appear angry one moment and sulky or sad the next. They swing unpredictably between emotions. They may also feel unloved or unworthy. This can lead to an unhealthy desire for control and relationship challenges.

How do you deal with someone who is sulking?

In order to deal with a sulking partner, assess their behaviour and keep from giving in to their sulking. Encourage them to communicate openly, remembering that their behaviour is not your fault.

Is sulking passive aggressive?

Sulking, backhanded compliments, procrastination, withdrawal, and refusal to communicate are all passive-aggressive behaviors. When the other person begins acting in such a way, try to keep your anger in check. Instead, point out the other person's feelings in a way that is non-judgmental, yet factual.

Why is sulking bad?

Psychologists have mentioned that sulking in its extreme forms can even morph into a personality disorder because sufferers and constant sulkers are usually unable to articulate their feelings and leave them all pent-up inside themselves.

How do you recognize sulking?

A sulky or sullen person won't smile or engage through eye contact – they will often remain silent and not say a word even when the people around them might be sharing jokes and laughter.

When an adult sulks?

Sulking often results from past abuse. Or from being raised in a family where one was not allowed to express needs or strong emotions. But wherever it came from, repeatedly sulking as an adult is a deliberate choice. Your partner might say they have no control over their feelings, but they do.

Is sulking normal?

Sulking isn't healthy or normal – it's passive-aggressive, and that's not good. Some people are chronic sulkers. This has often developed in their childhoods. They've made their sulking into an art form that can continue for days or even weeks at a time.

Is sulking a form of silent treatment?

When one or both partners sulk, pout, or refuse to talk, they are exerting a cruel type of power in the relationship that not only shuts out their partner but also communicates that they do not care enough to try to communicate or collaborate.

The dark side of sulking...

Sulking is generally thought of as something which children do rather than adults, but it is a major blight on many adult lives. "It is a little known fact that sulking can take on a degree of severity where it becomes a clinical phenomenon, a personality disorder,'' says psychotherapist and author Adam Edward Jukes. A sulk is a reaction to feelings of being rejected where, instead of getting openly angry or talking about the problem, the sulker retaliates with moody silences or monosyllabic replies designed as a punishment. It is closely associated with envy and a desire to destroy the contentment of the other person.

Rachel True (The Craft) interview with Allison Dubois

 

I love these ladies together, what chemistry! Allison Dubois rocks once more on her podcast, The Dead Life, with her guest Rachel True who is an author and tarot deck creator in her fifties now (how can that be?!).  Rachel will forever be etched in our memory as "Rochelle Zimmerman" in the 1996 movie The Craft.  Enjoy this two part interview... I sure did!

Friends for a Reason, Friends for a Season, Friends for Life

 

Some of the best advice I've heard in a long time...

Natural Magick (the gray witch way) ~ What's in it?

 

I forget how jam-packed this book is until I go back and revisit it, which I'm inexplicably drawn to do from time to time.  The oddest thing about writing books is that when you go back and re-read them, you don't remember where these thoughts and ideas and words all came from. (Did I say that?)  Writing a book is kind of like being momentarily possessed.  Below, you'll find the Table of Contents to Natural Magick the Gray Witch Way, and maybe you too will be inexplicably drawn to this book.  

How does real magick work?...10

 

Forms of Magick...13

 

The Mysteries of Magickal Manifestation...19

 

Creating Magickal Space...26

 

A Checklist of Magickal Supplies…53

 

Charging your Magickal Tools...65

 

Twelve Months of Magick...72

 

Seven Days of Magick…104

 

Animal Magick...115

 

Magick for Love n’ Money...144

 

·         Love Spells...151

·         Love Potion #9

·         Rose Spell

·         Smooth Marital Turmoil

·         Hot Sex Spell

·         Makin’ Tracks

 

·         Love Spells for Men...157

·         Make Her Behave:  Pubic Hair Spell

·         Magickal Male Enhancement

·         Love Spells for Women...161

·         Keep Him Faithful Spell

·         Attract Your Man

·         Irresistibly Spell

 

Money…166

 

·         Money Spells...169

·         Silver Coin Spell

·         Loose the Miser Spell

·         New Business Money Mojo

·         Sugar Honey Jar Spell

·         Home Money Spell

·         Pocket Money Spell

 

Mojo Magick...182

 

·         Poppets...184

·         Mojo Bags...207

 

Magick Oils/Potions/Powders...226

 

Crystal Magick...270

        

Candle Magick...297

 

Magickal Alphabets and Symbols...314

 

·         Runes…316

·         Witch’s Alphabet…325

·         The Pentagram…329

·         The Elements…334

·         Planets…341

·         Astrological Symbols…354

 

Witches’ Bottles...366        

 

Essential Oils…386

 

Kitchen Magick…392

 

·         Recipes...405

·         Strawberry Love Salad

·         Lady Amythyst’s Pumpkin Pie

·         Gingerbread

·         Litha Peach Cobbler

·         Full Moon Biscuits

·         Deviled Eostre Eggs

·         Lammas Loaf

·         Midsummer’s Night Tea

·         Garden Magick Soup

·         Green Man Cake

·         Beltane Bean Dish

 

Good Luck Charms…439

 

Questions and Answers...447

 

·         What is the difference between white and black magick?

·         Is it possible to dwell too much on a spell you’ve cast & ruin it?

·         Who can do magick?

·         What is a familiar?

·         What is neo-paganism?

·         Do All witches practice their religion the same way?

·         Who is the Wiccan Goddess?

·         When did you first know you were a witch? 

 

Magickal Substitutions...467

        

Terms and Lingo...473

        

 

Ghosts of Middle School Past

 

I put in a friends request to connect with a couple of editors from a popular, mostly new-age, publishing company, thinking nothing of it.  I have social site connections with numerous editors and publishers from a wide variety of publishing houses.  So when I made this request, it was not like I was some random character who would have absolutely no reason to connect with anyone in this field or line of work; we actually have numerous common connections.

Much to my surprise, not only were these requests rejected, both of these people blocked me!

Why?  I'm absolutley stumped, not to mention that my 'widdle feelings are hurt, and I feel like I've been black-balled.  It has also lowered my opinion of this publishing house, as it doesn't seem very friendly or open to new contacts. 

This is like a deja-vu moment from the halls of Junior High.

Being an outsider makes you a really good writer.

~ Mitski

Cryptids ~ Chupacabra

 

What is a chupacabra?

Chupacabra means "goat sucker" in Spanish, and according to reports, the creature acts much like a vampire, killing animals by sucking their blood. Though similar stories date back several decades, the first major wave of alleged chupacabra sightings came from farmers in Puerto Rico in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Where does the chupacabra show up?

Physical descriptions of the creature vary. In Puerto Rico, it is generally described as a heavy creature, reptilian and alien-like, roughly the size of a small bear, and with a row of spines reaching from the neck to the base of the tail, while in the Southwestern United States it is depicted as more dog-like.

Initial sightings and accompanying descriptions first occurred in Puerto Rico in 1995. The creature has since been reported as far north as Maine, as far south as Chile, and even outside the Americas in countries like Russia and the Philippines. All of the reports are anecdotal and have been disregarded as uncorroborated or lacking evidence. Sightings in northern Mexico and the southern United States have been verified as canids afflicted by mange.

How did the story of the chupacabra start?

In 1975, a series of livestock killings in the small town of Moca, Puerto Rico, were attributed to el vampiro de Moca ('the vampire of Moca'). Initially, it was suspected that the killings were committed by a Satanic cult; later more killings were reported around the island, and many farms reported loss of animal life. Each of the animals was reported to have had its body bled dry through a series of small circular incisions.

The first reported attack eventually attributed to the actual chupacabras occurred in March 1995. Eight sheep were discovered dead in Puerto Rico, each with three puncture wounds in the chest area and reportedly completely drained of blood. A few months later, in August, an eyewitness named Madelyne Tolentino reported seeing the creature in the Puerto Rican town of Canóvanas, where as many as 150 farm animals and pets were reportedly killed.

Puerto Rican comedian and entrepreneur Silverio Pérez is credited with coining the term chupacabras soon after the first incidents were reported in the press. Shortly after the first reported incidents in Puerto Rico, other animal deaths were reported in other countries, such as Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, and the United States.

Questions ~ Publishing Shakeups

 

I have a question for Publishers and others in the Publishing World out there...

I wrote two books with Callisto Media/Rockridge Press. Callisto Media has since been bought out:

"NAPERVILLE, Ill., May 9, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The publishing assets of Callisto Media, a leading nonfiction publisher, have been sold in a Sourcebooks-led, Penguin Random House-funded acquisition."

The books I published with them then began being distributed by Simon & Schuster, and I found both of my books, as well as an author page up in my name, at Simon & Schuster's website.

Simon & Schuster has since been sold out:

"In [October, I believe] 2023, leading global investment firm KKR acquired Simon & Schuster from Paramount Global. For the first time in nearly 50 years, Simon & Schuster was no longer part of a larger conglomerate, marking a return to its roots as a standalone, independent publishing company."

I just recently discovered that my books and my author page have both disappeared from Simon & Schuster's website. I also looked up an aquaintance on this site, a fellow Callisto author, and her books and author page were gone as well.

My questions:

• What happens to our books?
• How can we find out?
• Will Rockridge books be shuffled around to another company?
• Could these books go out of print?

These were contracted works, a one-time payment, it's not like I'm going to miss out on royalties; but these are very popular books and the sales of these books helps to promote my other books. And then, there's all the hard work that went into writing these books; I'm proud of them and I want them to do well for whatever company they wind up with.

The Pagan Goddess ~ Triple Goddess

 

• The Crone…

I don’t know if it’s this time of year or this phase of life I’m in now, but I feel a tremendous magnetic pull to The Crone. I relish her– I revel in the beauty of her darkness and the depth of her knowledge and all the life tasted that she represents to me. She is a milestone, a goal, an accomplishment.

She brings to me a sense of peace, as I hope she does to all of you.

• The Mother…

It is the Mother aspect of the Goddess that seems to encompass most of our lives– we are the nurturers. Whether we are women who have given birth to our own children, or find ourselves entrusted with the care of other women’s children. And it is not only the children of the world we nurture, but the animals, the earth itself, and the men in our lives. We nurture growth in all things, including new ideas and ventures, in the arts and literature, in all things worthwhile that need careful care and a magic touch. Within that magic touch is the promise of creation and growth.

• The Maiden…

It has been my experience that the older a woman gets, the farther away the Maiden feels. It is probably a natural progression. And yet, even women entering the more mature phases of life need the vital life force of this aspect of the Goddess. She is what propels us forward with strength and tenacity and the self-confidence to discover our inner selves and our hidden strengths.

Welcome to the Dark Side ~ says The Moon

 

The Moon ~

• The World; Justice; Queen/wands

You send us through portals on a whim and a prayer, ignoring our pleas and screams of protest, unaware yourself of where this new passageway will take us. You just know that we have to go. You grab us by the shoulders and stand us before a mirror, forcing us to look at ourselves, our lives, and our direction with unabashed clarity and often cruel introspection. Be gone self-deception, you command. Finish what you start; wipe the slate clean; find the truth; avoid the dark places if possible…all these you whisper in our ear.

Life isn’t always fair, you state firmly and calmly, almost nonchalantly. Justice is subjective, just like art. It all depends upon your perspective as to whom is getting the fair end of the stick. Again, warnings of deception, whether coming from outside sources or from the dark corners of our own minds, filter through the symbolism on your face, the images you carry. You are rife with warnings, really wanting us to avoid the pitfalls and potholes before us, but knowing that we must choose to do so, we must choose our path, we must learn by our mistakes…and we must learn by our victories.

You tell us to get a firm grasp on life; be vigilante; be forceful when the need arises; avoid the dark side of life, the dark side of our psyche, but don’t be afraid to go there when necessity rears its ugly head. Be in control, be strong, get organized, don’t waver before duty, don’t cower before life.

Is Fairy Dust Real?... well, is it?

 

I was asked a question today, basically, whether fairy dust is “real” or not. It was a good question. This is my answer:

All “magic” is mental. It all stems from the mind. The ability to perform magic is inherent within us all, it is natural; but most people have lost the capacity to accomplish magic because they’ve lost the ability to believe, to focus, to visualize, and to work with their natural energy.

That is where the “fairy dust” comes in. It is a magickal “prop”, as are candles and cauldrons, athames, herbs, and other baubles and interesting items used to cast spells. Their main purpose is to help you focus, to keep your intention clear, to assist you with visualization, to help you raise energy, because that's where the magic is.

The majority of magical practitioners need these “visual aids” to perform magic.

There are, however, a few people who don’t need all the physical trappings and paraphernalia of witchcraft. Their mental abilities alone are such that they can cast spells and work magic without all the usual props. These people are very rare indeed, these people are called "Adepts".

So, is fairy dust real?... If you *Believe* it is, then it is.