About Me

I am James Widner a practicing magician and occultist with over 13 years of experience in both divination and magic. I was raised in a home where my mother practiced magic and my father was a diviner, I remember many times watching him lay out his Cagliostro tarot or his Runes and being fascinated with the images and wanting to understand why how they worked. My family being made up of Pentecostal ministers and occult practitioners was confusing to say the least but both always stressed (often from opposite ends of the spectrum) the fact that the spiritual world was real and was just beyond what we perceive on a daily basis.

This interest blossomed as I grew older and eventually caused me to dive in myself. I began wanting to learn the more esoteric aspects of both life and spirituality. I began reading and studying the Tarot with an insatiable appetite to learn all I could, this led me to delve deeper into the occult and esoteric symbols used. My interest spread beyond the Tarot and the Runes to find the forces and energies at work behind these systems. I began studying and practicing Chaos magic and from there my practices grew to incorporate the traditions of Rootwork and Conjure as well as working with Angelic and Demonic forces as well as working with the dead and nature spirits.

When I finally made the decision to incorporate my love of the occult and esoteric knowledge into more of my day to day life I began The Wandering Fool, what was then just a user name for my online presence became the name of my business, I chose this name as the Fool is the first character we find in the Tarot, as he makes his journey through the Major Arcana he encounters various characters and forces who for good or bad shape who he is and the path he takes. Every ending marking where a new beginning takes place, becoming the Fool once again only better prepared by his previous experiences. This is the philosophy that has allowed me to grow and progress over the years.

I am a graduate of Catherine yronwode's Lucky Mojo Hoodoo Rootwork Correspondence Course, I am the owner and operator of The Wandering Fool where I offer readings and handmade occult supplies for sale. I can be seen on E.A. Koetting's Interviews with a Magus video series and my work with Jupiter has been featured on Jason Miller's Strategic Sorcery blog.