Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

I have always been curious about the world, the cosmos, and how things work for as long as I can remembered.  This has led me to study metaphysics (esoteric mysticism or philosophy), ancient cultures, mythology and folklore, as well as contemporary witchcraft, ceremonial/high magic, the qabalah, and other magical and spiritual traditions.  Living in Australia, there is also a strong connection to the land, or the importance of developing a sense of place, that flows through what I do.

How would you describe your spiritual pathway?

I do not really like labels these days because, not only can they be limiting, but there can be so many interpretations.  However, I am an initiate of a contemporary witchcraft tradition (i.e., a religious form of witchcraft) as well as an occultist, and I guess am even a “modern day mystic” in the wider sense of the word.

How and when did your spiritual journey begin?

As I mentioned earlier, I have been curious about the world, the cosmos, and how things work as long as I can remembered, I joined the local Theosophical Society in my teens, and when I moved to South Australia in 1990 I started studying metaphysics (or esoteric philosophy), as well as stepping into the world of magic by joining a group where I learnt contemporary witchcraft, ceremonial/high magic, and qabalah.  I also commenced studying Celtic mythology which resulted in me spending a few years in the UK where I joined a coven when I was in Cardiff, Wales, while dancing around stone circles.  Eventually, I returned to Australia and rejoined my original group. 

Fast forward some 30 odd years, I am quickly becoming one of those grumpy “before the internet” people who does not really have a lot of patience for online spaces, especially when it comes to the practice of magic and witchcraft.  This is because cyberspace simply cannot replicate the personal sensations, energetics or even revelations to the same depth that are experienced when working in a physical magical circle with likeminded people, or even when you are physically at a sacred site that has been an activation across the millennia.  Yes, you can achieve things on the astral, the inner planes, however, in order to get a similar level of experience, this takes a serious degree of dedication, application and even knowledge of what one is doing.

You work with a lot of deities from different pantheons, how do you find them or do they find you?

Both.  I find working ritual and establishing a connection with deity is a great way to get to know them, especially if you are wanting their assistance.  Although this has not always gone to plan as I have had experiences when attempting to work with one particular deity and another has made an appearance.

Sometimes I feel as if I am a bit of a channel, catalyst, or even an entry point, for deity in order for them to get a particular message out.  This has its pros and cons, especially if it is a deity or culture that I am not familiar with.

What does the term ‘Dark Goddess’ mean to you and what can working with the Dark Goddess help us with?

I see the “darker” aspects of the divine feminine as more than what is commonly associated with them – that being death, the dark, and other spooky things, or even challenging us to explore our shadow. 

Yes, they do tend to strip away the shiny distractions and superficial layers that we get attached to in order to remind us of what is truly important, especially at a deeper soul level, but they can also remind us of the great endless cycle of life – the dissolution of the familiar, the pending chaos when there are no boundaries, and then the birth of the new.  I find that Dark Goddesses tend to be a reminder that we are very much part of this cycle, as is the world we inhibit, the planet, and everything within the cosmos.  That when we dissociate, disconnect, from this natural cycle that we are part, or even try to control it, we experience more challenges, life gets hard.  They also provide us with a ”reality check”, almost forcing us to remove rose-tinted glasses and to take a long and hard look at the role we have played in situations, even if that role is inaction.

Through my work with the Dark Goddess, I have basically come up with some nine categories that they can relate to – however, as with all aspects of the divine, it really is impossible to pigeonhole them.  For when we do, this is often when we open ourselves up to, let us say, additional “learning experiences”.  These categories include primordial creatrixes, shapeshifters, sorceresses and mystics, destroyers (in order to recreate), as well as those connected with the underworld, cemeteries and in-between spaces, and death itself.

Is there one particular goddess that has changed your life?

I have long been fascinated with Kali, Kali Maa from the Hindu pantheon.  I do not really recall when this started but over the years, maybe it is like many perceived darker aspects of deity, there is so much more to her than what many people may realise.  Over the years one of the more invaluable lessons that she has taught me is the importance to surrender to the cosmic flow, of placing my head (ego) on her chopping block and allowing things to take their course of action, especially during those “dark night of the soul” times.  

Then there is the esoteric philosophy behind Kali that flows through her symbolism and sacred stories that stems back to the yogic teachings that can be found underpinning Western esotericism and even magic thanks to Helena Blavatsky and the Theosophical Society – but that is another story.

Within my own tradition of witchcraft, we also have our own particular Goddess who, whilst at times appears in different guises.  Again, she is a constant reminder of the natural ebb and flow of all life.

How do you bring moon magic into your own practice?

This ties in with what I mentioned earlier about the Dark Goddess, realigning our awareness with the ebbing and flowing nature of the cosmic cycles that we are naturally part of, and with the moon being our closest luminary, ruling our psychic or intuitive self, it is important not only to align with the ebbing and flowing of the phases, but I also believe to take a deeper note as to what else is happening, the transits of other planets and points, and how these can be personal when you start looking at your own birth chart.

Do you have any daily spiritual practices?

I honestly think there is a bit too much emphasis of “doing” spiritual things these days instead of “being” spiritual. When you “be” something then you are it – it becomes part of you and everything you do, no matter how mundane, and not separate from you.

I think the late Buddhist monk, Thich Nhat Hahn, summed things up beautifully when he talked about meditation at the kitchen sink, in other words, finding the spiritual in mundane practices, being mindful in everyday life.  Things like deep yogic breathing in order to ground or to calm an overactive mind, or silently chanting mantras on my mala while travelling on public transport to work, etc. 

Who or what inspires you on your spiritual journey?

Having those “aha” moments when you realise that piece in the puzzle or the inner revelation after having sat and actually listened to deity, your guides, the higher forces in the universe, whatever you want to call them, especially after things have not gone to plan, yet it then all makes sense as to why.

And then there is nature being nature, the simple things that keep reminding me of the continually cyclic nature of the cosmos, the expanding and retracting, the ebbing and flowing, and the role that I play within the greater scheme of things.

For those that don’t know, you live in Australia, how does that affect your witchcraft practice?

Living in a completely different hemisphere has a significant impact, probably more than what many people realise, as there is more to simply swapping the seasonal festivals around by six months.  The sun moves in a different direction across the sky which in turn changes the way circles are cast (as deosil, meaning “with the sun”, is anti-clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere).  The moon appears in our skies differently, we also see a different side to her than the Northern Hemisphere, and of course our constellations in the night’s sky often are different.

Another thing is that Australia has a similar landmass size to that of the USA which means that magical groups often have different elemental placements around their circles depending on what side of the country they live.  Then there are the many “micro-climates” resulting in differing native flora and fauna – so definitely no “one size fits all”.

As I have mentioned, my tradition of witchcraft has very strong English roots, and even if I swap the seasonal rites to reflect the appropriate season, some do not marry up perfectly.  Lammas, for example, the first harvest of the grain, in the Northern Hemisphere is beginning of August – swapping it six months would bring it to the beginning of February.  However, where I live, the grain is harvested in December often around our summer solstice, and February is often our hottest and driest month and heralds in bushfire season, which I interpret as offering a time for a deeper reflection or even purging of what has not worked (if you are using the sabbats as psychological prompts).  Uniquely however, many Australian native plants need the intensity of the fire to generate, so there is that life in death aspect that is sometimes connected with the harvest festivals.  Having said all this, someone living in another part of the country may very well be harvesting their grain at the start of February.

For people on say a Druidic path, there is the challenge of tree lore as while some of the ogham trees have been brought here by colonists, what about native species.  The river red gum, for example, I personally see having similar qualities to the oak – but in other parts of the country it could be the jarrah.

So yes, living in the Southern Hemisphere, especially Australia, is challenging because you simply cannot take what you read etc as being “it”.  It calls to be more aware of your environment and to understand what you are doing on a deeper level, as well as how to be flexible.  However, we do have the benefit of this country having the longest continual living group of peoples so taking note of the local Aboriginal lore and culture can also provide insights.

What new adventures or projects do you have planned?

I have been focusing on my own craft this year, opening myself up to taking on students who are interested in exploring the deeper levels of the Mysteries, especially as all this change is occurring around us in our mundane lives.

In February I started a magical chat series on my YouTube channel with magical people from various backgrounds and traditions about their practices and influences.  I am also in the interviewing stage for my next online conference that I will be hosting which will be aired late August 2025.

And I have also started drafting the outline for my next book, although it is probably a bit too earlier to say any more about it at this stage save for watch this space.

More details: https://www.collectiveinkbooks.com/moon-books/authors/frances-billinghurst