7 Tarot Myths Debunked

In our culture, there is no shortage of myths about tarot. Many of us were raised with the perspective that tarot cards are “scary” or that they have something to do with the devil.

Misinformation is rampant, but the truth is, tarot can be a powerful tool to help you hone your intuition, connect with yourself, deepen your relationship with spirit/universe/guides, make decisions, and more. 

In this post, I’ll be debunking some major myths about the tarot so that you can feel freer to work with the tarot in a way that feels really good to you. Check them out below!

MYTH 1: YOU MUST BE GIFTED YOUR FIRST DECK

This is a super common myth! Have you ever heard that you can’t buy your own deck and you must be gifted your first deck? 

Tarot reader and author Theresa Reed told Refinery 29 that this myth is “total rubbish.” She says, “If I would have waited around for that to happen, I might not have started working with the tarot as soon as I did — if ever.” 

I feel the same way. To me, this myth is just a form of gatekeeping in the tarot community. No one is exactly sure where this myth comes from, but it may be a legacy of 19th-century closed occult societies. 

Regardless of where it comes from, there’s nothing wrong with buying a deck for yourself — tarot is a folk magic practice, and it belongs to the people, so you don’t need permission from someone else in the form of a gifted deck to start your practice. If you feel attracted to working with the cards - pick yourself up a deck! 

Give this post a listen here.

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MYTH 2: TAROT IS EVIL

Another variation of this myth is that tarot cards have something to do with the devil. I believe this myth originates from Christianity. There are various verses in the Bible about divination, “sorcery,” and mediumship that have been translated to be a condemnation of all occult, divination, and spiritual tools outside of Christianity.

This myth is also often perpetuated by the media, whose portrayals of tarot readers and cards have often been abysmal. Media is intended to be sensational, which means tarot cards are portrayed as evil or used for devil worship. Common tarot scenes show the “scary” cards with literal meanings - like the death card when someone is going to die or the devil card when something evil is going to happen.

This myth is easy to debunk when I ask myself a few questions:

• Who benefits from me believing this myth (whether it’s dogmatic religion that wants me to rely on their truth rather than find my own through a tool like the tarot or a TV show that wants to make interesting TV and get viewers)? 

• Do I really think that Barnes and Noble are selling a tool to connect with the devil? 

• What have my experiences with the tarot been like?

Like with most things, we can use tarot in helpful ways and not so helpful ways. But the cards are not inherently evil, and we can use them in ways that support ourselves and our highest good.

MYTH 3: THE DEATH CARD MEANS YOU’LL DIE

Ah, another TV myth. Like I mentioned above, this card is often portrayed as a super scary card, and when it shows up in a reading, it could mean you’re going to die. 

All tarot cards are neutral. There are no good or bad cards. Some cards may be more uncomfortable than others (and this will change depending on every person!), but no cards are in and of themselves bad. 

So no, the death card doesn’t mean you’ll die. Usually, it means a transformation of some kind. It refers to deaths of a different kind - deaths of relationships, ways of being, of selves you have been, dreams, etc. 

In the United States, we have a cultural aversion to the idea of death, and I think we disconnect from the idea of death happening all around us all the time throughout our lives. The death card breaks this fiction and reminds us that death is a natural process unfolding throughout the seasons and throughout our lives and that it clears the way for our evolution and growth. 

That can be scary, too, of course - change is often hard. But next time you pull the death card, you can lean into that kind of scary and not worry that you’re going to die literally. 

MYTH 4: TAROT IS ONLY USED TO TELL THE FUTURE

Tarot can certainly be used to predict the future. But in my belief, the future is not set. The future is always changing, and we are actively creating it with our energy and our decisions each day. 

When I pull more predictive cards, I like to remember that I have the power to change the future and make different decisions if I don’t like the outcome card in front of me. This is a way to use tarot that feels more empowering and more honest.  

But more often than not, I’m not using tarot cards to tell the future, and I think many modern readers will tell you the same. Fortune telling is one powerful way to use the tarot. Still, there are many other ways to work with the cards that can be even more powerful, in my opinion: to connect with yourself, to understand your inner world, to process feelings, to understand current energies, to make support decisions, to connect with your intuition, to heal, and more.

MYTH 5: YOU NEED TO BE PSYCHIC TO READ THE TAROT

I think this myth is rooted in the previous one: that tarot is only used for fortune-telling. When we know that tarot has many purposes, we understand that you don’t need to be psychic to read the cards. 

You don’t need to be psychic to connect with your intuition, which is the most important piece of reading cards, in my opinion. Intuition can sometimes require some uncovering and trust work (click here for 3 daily actions to improve your intuition and here for 5 tips to learn how to trust your intuition), but it is innate and available to us all. 

Reading the cards with your intuition could look like noticing how you feel about certain cards, paying attention to memories or images that come up around cards when you pull them (even if they don’t match with the traditional meaning of the cards), or meditating with cards to receive messages from them. 

But regardless, tarot cards have meanings. You can study those meanings from different books and teachers and develop a rich and fulfilling tarot practice this way! As you learn to trust your intuition a bit more, weaving that practice into your work with your cards can add another meaningful layer.

MYTH 6: YOU CAN NEVER LET ANYONE ELSE TOUCH YOUR TAROT CARDS

This myth is rooted in the idea that the cards themselves contain magic or are magical. In my opinion, the cards themselves are a neutral tool and conduit. They don’t contain their own magic; youare the magic. So it doesn’t matter if other people touch them because they can’t take anything away from them. 

If you don’t like other people touching your cards, that’s totally fine! But there’s no need to keep others from touching your cards out of fear that it will take away the deck’s magic or shift the cards' energy irreversibly. 

In fact, many readers (myself included) like to have the querent shuffle the cards to infuse their energy and intention into the deck for a more powerful reading. If you feel the same, a regular cleansing process with your deck (click here to learn how to cleanse your cards) is all you need to keep your deck’s energy clear. 

MYTH 7: REVERSED CARDS ARE BAD

When a card is reversed, that simply means it came out of your deck upside-down. Reading reversed cards in the first place is a matter of preference: some readers read them, and some will just flip the cards right side up and go with that meaning. As with most things tarot and intuition, there’s no right or wrong answer. Just do what works for you!

But whether you choose to read reversals or not, reversed cards are not inherently bad. They bring a different energy, certainly, and can add a layer of clarity to a reading, but they’re nothing to be afraid of. Reversed cards can mean blocked energy, more introspective energy, a softer meaning of the card, or maybe some fear around that card’s theme. 

WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE TAROT?

Check out some of our other tarot blog posts:

• Getting Started with Tarot

• Tarot Vs. Oracle: What’s the Difference and How to Choose

• How to Learn Tarot Card Meanings Quickly

• 6 Ways to Work With the Tarot Besides Divination

• The Ultimate Guide to Caring for Your Tarot & Oracle Cards

6 Tips to Learn the Tarot Card Meanings Quickly

So you got your first tarot deck, did a couple of solo readings, and then never picked it up again? Or, you work with tarot regularly but find yourself frustrated with being so reliant on the guidebook? One of the biggest hurdles people face when getting started with tarot is learning the card meanings. This kept me from diving deep into the tarot for years, too; I get it!

There are much easier techniques to learning the meanings of all of the cards besides memorizing a guidebook word for word for 78 different cards. Not only is memorizing a guidebook of 78-card meanings not very feasible, but it’s also an intuitive disservice in working with the tarot.

What if I told you that you could have a robust knowledge of all 78 cards by learning only 36 correspondences? I know 36 is nothing to sneeze at, but here’s the thing, the 36 correspondences I’ll layout in this post will not only help you understand the energy of each tarot card but will also help you in nearly all other facets of spellwork and magick.

What are correspondences?

Correspondences are simply energies that play well together or match. Each card of the tarot has at least a couple of correspondences, and when you better understand each card's correspondences, you’ll also understand the energy of each card. The correspondences associated with tarot are not unique to tarot and relate to numerology, astrology, witchcraft, and more. Plus, there’s a good chance that you’re already familiar with some of the correspondences that I’m going to outline in this post. If you are, that’s great! You’re already a step ahead. 

Before you dive in, correspondences and their meanings can be rich and deep. They can also vary somewhat from person to person. What I share here is enough to get you started to build a strong foundation, but I recommend digging deeper into the ones you’re less familiar with. 

Dive deeper into tarot correspondences in my book, Understanding Tarot. You might also find that reading an introductory book on numerology or astrology will really deepen your understanding of those specific correspondences. You can also read up on numerology and the four elements right here on the blog! Click here for more on the elements and here for more on numerology. 

Let’s dive in. Here are 6 tips to help you learn the tarot card meanings quickly. 

1. Understand your learning style! 

Before we jump into understanding the correspondences of tarot, you need to get super clear about how you learn and use that method as we dive into the correspondences. If you’re a visual learner, get a journal and start drawing and writing down what the correspondences below mean. If you’re an auditory learner, consider listening to an audiobook about the correspondences listed below. If you learn by doing, continue working with your tarot deck to weave this knowledge into your readings. Not sure how you learn best? Try a few different ways listed above and see what sticks. 

2. Understand Basic Numerological Meanings 

The largest part of a tarot deck, and for many, the trickiest cards to learn, are the numbered suit cards of the Minor Arcana (think 2 of cups and 4 of wands, etc.) Understanding the basic numerological meanings will make you feel MUCH more confident with these cards. There are ways to use numerology in the Major Arcana too, which you’ll be able to learn more about in my new book. For the minor arcana, use these numerological meanings to give you clues about what each card means.

1. New beginnings

2. Balance

3. Creativity

4. Foundations

5. Change

6. Partnership

7. Intellect 

8. Mastery

9. Endings

10. This one is kind of unique to tarot because, in traditional numerology, you always reduce down to a single-digit between 1-9. Fortunately, the meaning often in regards to the tarot is pretty obvious. It points to an end of a cycle and transitioning to a new phase. It has a slightly different feel than 9 in that it signals a willingness to move on. 

3. Understand the 4 Elements

Earth, air, water, and fire are, in my opinion, foundational in any magickal or divination practice. The elements are the energies that we’re made of and can be utilized in nearly all facets of a spiritual and magickal practice! Each of the four elements corresponds with a suit of the minor arcana, shown here.

• Cups- Water

• Pentacles- Earth

• Swords- Air

• Wands- Fire 

Now that you know more about the meanings associated with the numbered cards of the minor arcana, you can also apply the corresponding element. Now you have two things to go off of to understand the energy of each card better. Here’s a list of how the energy of the elements express themselves. 

• Water- Emotions, intuition, subconscious

• Earth- Work, money, materiality

• Air- Communication, the mind, expression

• Fire- Action, energy, momentum

There are ways to apply your understanding of the elements to both the minor arcana's court cards and the major arcana. I discuss these more in my book, but this is a great place to start! 

4. Understand Zodiac and Planetary Meanings

We’ll begin to transition more to the major arcana for this one. Each of the major arcana cards corresponds with either a planet or a zodiac sign, giving it a unique energy.

1. The Fool - Uranus

2. The Magician - Mercury

3. The High Priestess - The Moon

4. The Empress - Venus

5. The Emperor - Aries

6. The Hierophant - Taurus

7. The Lovers - Gemini

8. The Chariot - Cancer

9. Strength - Leo

10. The Hermit - Virgo

11. Wheel of Fortune - Jupiter

12. Justice - Libra

13. The Hanged One - Neptune

14. Death - Scorpio

15. Temperance - Sagittarius

16. The Devil - Capricorn

17. The Tower - Mars

18. The Star - Aquarius

19. The Moon - Pisces

20. The Sun - The Sun

21. Judgment - Pluto

22. The World - Saturn

Here are examples of how these energies express themselves. Zodiac Signs

• Aries - Leader

• Taurus - Grounded

• Gemini - Charming 

• Cancer - Feeling

• Leo - Outgoing

• Virgo - Organized

• Libra - Balanced

• Scorpio - Deep 

• Sagittarius - Growth

• Capricorn - Hardworking

• Aquarius - Eccentric

• Pisces - Intuitive

Planetary Meanings

• Sun - Ego

• Moon - Subconscious

• Mercury - Communication

• Venus - Love

• Mars - Warrior

• Jupiter - Expansion

• Saturn - Restriction

• Uranus - Revolutionary

• Neptune - Dreams

• Pluto -  Transformation

5. Learn how Astrological Energies Correspond with the Elements

I imagine correspondences as a web of intersecting energies that play off of each other. When you understand how these different energies match up or repel each other, it will take your understanding of the tarot cards' meanings to a deeper level.

Each of the zodiac signs and planets corresponds to an element. Now, with your understanding of the elements and basic astrology, you can weave these meanings together. Here’s a list of how the planets, zodiacs, and elements correspond with one another. 

• Aries - Mars - Fire

• Taurus - Venus - Earth + Water

• Gemini - Mercury - Air

• Cancer - Moon - Water

• Leo - Sun - Fire

• Virgo - Mercury - Earth + Air

• Libra - Venus - Air + Water

• Scorpio - Pluto - Water

• Sagittarius - Jupiter - Fire

• Capricorn - Saturn - Earth

• Aquarius - Uranus - Air

• Pisces - Neptune - Water

With this information combined, we can see that the Empress corresponds to Venus, the earth element, and Taurus. Therefore the Empress card relates to love, beauty, and creation from an earthly and material perspective. 

6. Pair this Knowledge with your Intuition

Think of all of this correspondence knowledge as a way to bolster your intuition. They’re not the end all be all of learning the tarot, but they go a LONG way! The more comfortable and confident you become in understanding these correspondences, the easier it will be for you to intuit the card meanings for yourself and others without a guidebook. The correspondences are better than a guidebook because they give you nudges and insights about what the cards have to tell you, rather than a definitive answer.

Learn more about building up your intuitive muscles here in this previous post. 

Now it’s time for you to put these tools into practice. Find a way to learn them that works for you, and watch your ability to understand the tarot card meanings flourish! 

Dreamwork 101 // What is Dreamwork and How to Get Started in 5 Steps

Dreamwork is the practice of tending to our relationship with our dreams. We’re dreaming every night, but many of us barely remember our dreams, or if we do, don’t spend much time thinking about them or working with them.

(How often have you dismissed a dream as, “oh, it was just a dream?”)

But dreams can have a lot to teach us and offer us when we enter into a deeper relationship with them. The dreamworld is rich with feelings, desires, needs, and possibilities. Our understanding of what the dreamworld evokes and presents can support our physical lives and our connections to ourselves. 

In this blog post, I’ll share a bit about how to start a dreamwork practice of your own.

Dreamwork Lineage

First, I’d like to share my dreamwork lineage. What I know about dreamwork comes from the work of these folks in particular, as well as my own intuition and my ancestors:

• Blanca Villalobos

• Toko-Pa

• Robert Moss

• Tara Burke

• Sanyu Estelle

These are wonderful people to go deeper into dreamwork with if you feel so called.

1. Support Dream Recall + Sleep 

The simplest of ways to begin supporting your dreaming is by supporting sleep and dream recall. It’s difficult to consciously work with our dreams if we’re not sleeping well or can’t remember our dreams when we wake up. Everyone is different, but here are some things you might like to explore to support your sleep:

• Set screen time boundaries for a certain amount of time before bed 

• Drink a tea to support your sleep, like chamomile (always do your own research and check with a professional before ingesting herbs) 

• Create your own sleep ritual that helps you shift into rest mode 

• Meditate and/or do a gentle, restorative yoga practice

• Take a few minutes to journal brain-dump style to help clear your mind. 

To support your dream recall, there are a few things I find helpful:

• Set an intention to dream and to remember your dream(s) before you go to sleep (you can write this down, say it out loud, or just tell it to yourself silently)

• Take a few minutes in bed in the morning before you get out of bed (or look at your phone) to give yourself space to remember your dream.

• Create a dream altar and meditate at it before bed to welcome your dreams to come 

• Pay attention to the dreams you do receive by tending them (more on that below!)

2. Start a Dream Journal 

This is probably the number one tip anyone you ask about dreamwork will give you, and with good reason! A dream journal creates a container for tending your dreams, helps solidify your intention to connect with your dreams, and helps you understand your dreams.

I recommend choosing a dedicated journal for your dreamwork and placing it on your dream altar when you’re not using it if you have one. As soon as you wake up (definitely before you look at any devices), put pen to paper and record your dream. Try recording your dreams in the present tense to honor its aliveness (for example, instead of "I was walking by a river,” try “I’m walking by a river). 

If it feels available to you, you might like to marinate in the dream in bed for a few minutes before actually getting up and reaching for your journal to record.

3. Explore Dream Feelings & Textures

After you record your dream, there are many ways to work with it more deeply and explore the messages it might have for you. 

I like to explore the dream textures: what are the textures, sights, smells, tastes, sounds of the dream? What do those senses mean for you and evoke for you? How do they make you feel? How does the dream, in general, make you feel?

4. Understand Dream Associations

As you work with the dream you’ve recorded, notice what stands out to you. Maybe your red dress feels particularly alive, or the hawk sparks something for you, or you feel curious about a figure in your dream. 

Whatever you feel curious about, do a bit of freewriting about it. List out: what does this thing make you think of? How does it make you feel? 

For example, some associations that come up with hawks for me:

• Hawk feather

• Maggie Smith’s poetry book Good Bones

• Mothers

• Protecting your children 

• Imagination

• Play 

Notice how I’m not so focused on the hawk itself, but I follow the threads of what each thing is associated with! Now I have something interesting to work with and can ask myself questions like, "what’s my relationship with play right now?" 

Some of the associations you make might really surprise you and can offer deeper insight into your dream. 

5. Assign Dream Correspondences 

As you continue to work with your dreams, you start to develop some personal symbols and correspondences. 

Like you saw above in my example with the hawk, I could make a section in my journal where I note that hawk led me to mothers and children and play. When I see a hawk again in my dream, I have that reference and can ask myself if/how it applies to this dream. 

Over time, you can deepen your understanding of your own personal dream symbols and correspondences. I love this practice so much because, to me, it’s not about what a certain symbol means but about what it means to you, how it feels in your body, how it resonates with your ancestry. That’s what feels potent and powerful!

Dreams Aren’t Your Personal Vending Machine 

It feels important to state that working with dreams isn’t just asking a question and receiving an answer. Generally, it’s not a simple or linear way of working. There isn’t one true or hidden meaning that we need to uncover. 

In my eyes, dreams and the dreamworld are alive. So it truly is a practice of engaging in relationship with, of exploring. You might like to ask yourself, "how can I be in equal exchange with my dreams?" How can I honor the dream world and not just extract from it?

Dreams have such potential to expand us out of binary thinking and into visionary possibilities, especially if we acknowledge that power and allow them to take us there!

Going Deeper with Your Dreams 

Another way to explore dream tending and go a bit deeper is by asking for a dream. I share how to do this in the dreamwork ritual I shared for Pisces season, which you can find here.

Feel free to contact us and share: how is your dream practice going? How is your relationship with your dreams evolving? 

Your spell's over, now what? 3 Ways to release or repurpose your ritual items

You waited for the perfect moon phase, gathered your supplies, and sent your magic out into the world. Now, you’re left with the remnants of your magical workings. What can be done with your leftover jars and bowls of notes, rocks, herbs, and candle wax?

Whether your magical workings have come to fruition or not, you have quite a few options when it comes to releasing or reusing your past spells. In this blog post, I’m going to share three different ways to honor and release your sacred spells and objects. 

It is the very act of your spell and ritual work that releases your desires out into the universe. The remnants left behind can serve as helpful reminders, but repurposing or releasing your spell will not break or reverse anything. There are certainly some practices that may require you to keep the components of your spell intact, however, if that’s the case, you’ll undoubtedly know. Trust your inner guidance system. 

As you read through these options, know that you can use one or all of these methods to repurpose or release your spell objects. Some objects may not work for certain methods outlined below, in that case, it’s okay to combine. You can also check out this quick video I created for our Instagram page. 

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1. Burning Ceremony

Fire is a transformative tool, so this method goes beyond simply making space for new spells. If your spell has ended it may be time to let it transform in new ways. This method can also be helpful to aid you in detaching from the outcome of your spellwork. Fire is powerful!

A burning ceremony is a great option for spells that include paper, herbs, candle wax, and other burnable objects. Most candle wax is paraffin, which means it’s not ideal for burying in the ground, and reusing it can be time-consuming. If your spell has leftover wax, burning it is one of the easiest and safest ways to release it. 

For this method, you’ll need a large cauldron, fireproof dish, or outdoor fire. Depending on what the contents of your spell were, you’ll likely want to do this outside to prevent a huge plume of smoke from inhabiting your house. As you release your items into the fire, trust that the energy will continue to transform and benefit yourself and others. 

2. Release to the Earth

A gentler option is to release your items back into the Earth. For this method, it’s imperative that you only release items that are natural and biodegradable. For example, most candles are made from paraffin wax and are not suitable for this method. I also do not recommend burying glass jars or bottles. Herbs, plants, biodegradable papers, and crystals are ideal for this method. If your spell was contained in a jar or vessel of some kind, I recommend reusing it, see the next section for tips on this. 

Items that should not be given back to the Earth:

• Salt: salt can harm or even kill plants

• Candle wax: most candles are made with paraffin wax which is not biodegradable

• Anything that is not 100% biodegradable

You can bury your items in a meaningful location or in your backyard, the location itself doesn’t need to be special. If you live near a natural body of water, releasing them into the water is a great option as well. This method can be transformative like the fire but in a gentler way. I find this method is great for inspiring a sense of gratitude and giving thanks to Mother Earth.

3. Cleanse and reuse

For all the objects you want to reuse like meaningful crystals and items that don’t burn or biodegrade, you’ll want to energetically cleanse them. Because spell and ritual work evokes such strong emotions, it’s important to energetically cleanse items before reusing them for another purpose. Unless, of course, the energy you imbued your items with is something you want to keep around. However, if you performed a spell for letting go of a past relationship, and then want to use the same jar or tools for helping you gain a new career, it’ll be best to cleanse your items.

There are a variety of ways to cleanse physical objects. Here are a few simple techniques. 

• Place your items in salt overnight.

• Hold your items in cleansing smoke like rosemary, cedar, lavender, or some other herb in line with your spiritual heritage. 

• For rocks or other items that are waterproof, hold them in running water.

• Hold your items in your hands and call on any guides, spirits, or energies you work with to cleanse your items. 

No need to let your sacred space fill up with spellwork from the past! I hope you enjoyed these tips to keep your spell and ritual practice open and flowing.

Honoring Imbolc and Brigid

Imbolc is our collective season of hope and renewal. I liken it to the star card after the tower. We've been deep in the cauldron throughout Samhain and Yule, and with the arrival of Imbolc, we can start to see the slightest stirrings of life and an increase in sunlight. Imbolc brings a palpable sense of renewed energy in the air.

In this share, you'll learn more about Imbolc, common correspondences, and ways to connect with the Goddess Brigid through rituals for the season. 

What is Imbolc?

On the wheel of the year, Imbolc is the midway point between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox. It occurs on February 1st and 2nd in the Northern Hemisphere and August 1st and 2nd in the Southern Hemisphere. Imbolc translates to "in the belly," which refers to a couple of things for this season. This season is often called "the quickening," which relates to the time in utero when the mother first begins to feel movement from her baby. The earth is starting to show signs of first stirrings as well. The second reference is that ewes often gave birth during this season, which was of utmost importance to our ancestors as it provided nutrient-rich milk to those in the community.

Imbolc is a time to tend to your hearth, home, and physical well-being on a personal and energetic level. It's also a time to tune into feelings of hope and renewal. Imbolc energy aligns with the early stages of a freshly waxing moon. It's a time to explore what's inspiring you and cultivate more of that inspiration. If you have specific goals or intentions in mind for the year ahead, this season is the time to form a solid plan and begin taking action. Like all seasonal celebrations, there's also a theme of community that weaves through Imbolc, which I find is often overlooked but important. 

Listen to this post on my podcast, AwenGuided by Spirit, here.

The Goddess Brigid, who we'll discuss in more detail, is strongly tied to this season. She is a Goddess of healing, fire, and the hearth. She brings inspiration and a renewed sense of hope like the season itself. 

I encourage you to honor these shifts when you feel called. There are no hard rules for honoring the wheel and the seasons. Trust your intuition. Your connection with nature is the most important part of working with the wheel. Each season is unique to you and your climate. 

I live in Arizona, and people often ask how I connect with the seasons here when it's just sunny all day, every day. Especially for seasons like Imbolc, when my ancestors were likely dealing with bitter cold and snowfall. The short answer is that I can assure you that if you're spending regular time outside, you will see shifts and changes for every season on the wheel. 

For example, not all trees lose their leaves here, but many do, and it is around Imbolc that those trees begin sprouting new growth. Another way I notice the shifts in each season, which has nothing to do with the temperature outside, is the length and orientation of the sun. No matter where you live, the sun begins to shine a little longer each day. In my house, I can see the sunrise from our kitchen window, and for a couple of hours every morning, we have to close our blinds a bit because the sunlight comes in so brightly. It's a physical reminder that the season of Brigid is coming. If you live in a climate that differs from Northern Europe, I invite you to begin noticing subtle changes, like where the sunlight comes into your windows at different times of the year. 

Now, let's take some time to explore the Goddess Brigid and her role in this season. 

Who is Brigid

Imbolc belongs to the Goddess Brigid, the Goddess of home, healing, fire, and smithcraft (among many other things.) Brigid is one of the Celtic pantheon's most well-loved and recognized Goddesses. So much so that she survived the test of time and Christianity, she even was adopted into Christianity as St. Brigid. She goes by many names, and you'll likely hear other pronunciations, including Brigid, Brighid, Brigantia, and so many others. All of them are options. I'll be referring to her as Brigid here today. 

One way to deepen your connection with Brigid is to connect with her in a guided journey. Get a pre-recorded exploration of Brigid and a guided journey to connect with her here.

There are two translations associated with Brigid. One is "exalted one," and the other is "fiery arrow" as you'll see, she lives up to both of these names. She was said to have been born with light radiating out from around her and fed milk from a sacred cow as a baby. Both milk and light are sacred to Imbolc and Brigid. She is a Goddess of birth and fertility and is often called upon during childbirth as a protective aid. Healing is another strong theme for Brigid. There are sacred fires and healing springs dedicated to Brigid throughout the British isles. 

Here's an excerpt from the book Brigid by Courtney Weber that beautifully captures Brigid's robust and contrasting energy.

This is the Goddess of the forge and the anvil, of poets, painters, and prophets. She is a Goddess of healing as well as battle, of fire but also water, love and death. She blesses small animals, guards orphaned children, and challenges authority. She has crossed the chasm of regional land Goddess to Christian saint and back again to contemporary Goddess of global scope. Distinct as the multitude of tongues that speak her name, and deeply rooted in creation, destruction, regeneration, and sometimes contradiction - this is Brigid.

Courtney Weber, Brigid

Brigid essentially took a "demotion" to continue to live on as St. Brigid as Christianity spread throughout Europe. Perhaps she knew she'd be reborn again in her full sovereignty in the hearts and minds of people across the globe. Another interesting point about Brigid is her connection to the sun and fire, which are often associated with Gods and masculine energy. She offers us a reminder not to become so rigid in the masculine vs. feminine energy binary or perhaps to let it go completely. We all contain these elemental energies regardless of how we identify ourselves. The forceful and action-oriented energies associated with fire can and should be owned by all. Brigid holds the power of fire, the inspiration of air, the healing powers of water, and the regenerative power of earth. She uses these elements from a seat of power and wisdom and invites us to do so. 

Copyright Cassie Uhl 2022, please credit when sharing.

We'll discuss more ways to connect with Brigid through ritual this season but first, let's explore common correspondences because they will very much come into play for the rituals. 

Correspondences for Imbolc

Understanding the correspondences of each season brings in so many additional layers. It also empowers you to craft your own rituals each season. In this section, I will share some common correspondences for the season and dive a little deeper into the overlaps between Imbolc, tarot, and astrology. 

Think of this list as a buffet of options to choose from to help you build personal meaning around the season of Imbolc. As always, if there are seasonal things unique to your environment, add that to your list of correspondences for the season. For example, here in the desert where I live, all of the citrus trees are fruiting and ripening at this time. Citrus fruits are certainly not a standard correspondence for this season, but they are for me. 

Themes: Renewal, new beginnings, hearth, home, cleansing, health, inspiration

Colors: White, green, yellow

Moon phase: waxing crescent

Herbs & Plants: rosemary, basil, bay leaf, angelica

Crystals: moss agate, quartz, green aventurine, kyanite, citrine, green opal

Foods: Milk, cheese, butter

Tools & items: Brigid's cross, white cloth, candles, fire, besom

Elements: Fire, earth, air

Cardinal direction: North East

Runes: Uruz, Kenaz 

Ogham: Birch, Rowan, Ash

Tarot card: The Star

Zodiac: Aquarius

Goddess: Brigid

Most of these come from my book, Understanding the Wheel of the Year. Grab it here if you'd like a handy physical guide of the correspondences for each season. 

Bringing in physical objects, like the ones I mention, in your altar or even as decorations in your home is a way to invite in the energy of the season. Working with altars in this way is a powerful way to build relationships with each season.

There are ways to work with these correspondences on an energetic level. At the beginning of this share, I brought up how Imbolc is much like the start card in the tarot. I find that Imbolc carries the same energy as the star card. Imbolc also falls within Aquarius season, the astrological correspondence for the star card. In the tarot, the light increases after the tower card. We start with the star, the moon, and then the sun. If we compare this to our seasons, we have the sun's increasing light with Imbolc, the Spring Equinox, and Beltane. 

I find that this season, and the coming seasons, are a potent time to explore themes surrounding the increasing light after the tower card in the tarot. There are a lot of layers to explore, and I think exploring the star card more deeply through meditation, journaling, or reading, can be a great place to start. I know that was a bit of a departure from the rest of this share, but I wanted to bring it up.

Let's talk rituals for this season because there are so many! You can already find a few Imbolc rituals on past blog posts. Here are some favorites. 

Rituals for Imbolc

In this section, you'll learn a few ways to connect with the energy of this season through ritual. We'll discuss candle magic, a ritual to connect with the Goddess Brigid, and some suggestions for cleansing yourself and your space in preparation for this season. 

Candle Magick for Imbolc

Imbolc has a strong theme of fire and inspiration, which makes candle magick a powerful option for this season. The sun's light is finally increasing at this time, it's a season of inspiration and taking action, and the Goddess Brigid embodies the energy of fire. 

One of the simplest and most powerful ways to connect with the energy of this season and Brigid is through candle magic. Something as simple as lighting a candle with intention can help you call in inspiration, honor Brigid, and honor the sun. Last year, I shared a full blog post and reel with steps to perform an inspiration ritual to call on Brigid for inspiration. Find the past blog post here and the reel here. If you're feeling uninspired, don't know what direction to go, or are experiencing a creative block, I encourage you to explore themes of inspiration through working with candles.

Watch a reel of this candle ritual here.

Here's an excerpt from The Magical Year by Danu Forest about working with candles of this season. 

To call in inspiration is to begin to see our life infused with spirit, to discover a new or renewed vision for greater creativity on all levels. To call in healing is to resolve the things that hold us back or limit our potential. We all have parts of our lives and bodies that need healing, and to give this aspect of ourselves a boost at this time of the year sets us up for a more empowered and happier future. To call in the blessings of the hearth or the forge at this time summons greater positive energy for our families, friends, and communities, with all our relationships, strengthened and blessed. 

Danu Forest, The Magical Year

Who doesn't need a little bit of that right now? This is one of the reasons I love candlework so much. Candles are such a powerful way to foster inspiration. Working with candles for ritual can also be so creative. You can keep it simple, or you can anoint your candles with oil, dress them with herbs, or add crystals on it or around it. There's a lot of room for play and experimentation with candles. If working with candles is new to you, I have some great past posts on the blog to get you started. Click here to check them out. 

Brigid Healing Ritual 

As we discussed above, Brigid is also a Goddess of healing. One of the many reasons she was associated with the Imbolc season was that it was a very challenging time for our ancestors living in Northern Europe. It is still quite cold for many people at this time of year. Our ancestor's food may have been in short supply at this point of the year, and disease may have been spreading as well. Imbolc is a season of hope because nature shows its first signs of waking up. Our ancestors would warmly welcome a celebration dedicated to the healing powers of Brigid at this time. 

A common ritual at Imbolc is to place a white cloth outside on the eve of Imbolc. Brigid is said to bless and infuse these white cloths with her healing energy. The cloths may then be used as comfort, healing, and a reminder of Brigid. Try this for yourself by placing a white cloth outside on the eve of Imbolc for Brigid to bless. You could use the white cloth as part of your altar spread, sleep with it, hold onto it to clean wounds or give it to someone sick. 

Renewal Bath 

The final ritual I'd like to share with you is a renewal bath. I love using baths as a form of ritual and energy clearing, and this is a beautiful season to use baths for this purpose. It's common to cleanse your space and yourself for the arrival of Brigid at Imbolc. This is one way to offer yourself a profoundly nourishing and cleaning experience, both physically and spiritually. 

This ritual is adapted from a "Lustral Bath" recipe in "The Magical Year" by Danu Forest, which I highly recommend! I made some additions to my version. Don't sweat it if you don't have everything you need. Use what you have. A bath with some table salt, a candle, and an intention to be renewed can be just as powerful. 

Watch a reel of the bath ritual here.

Renewal bath recipe

1. Fill a cloth bag with cleansing herbs of choice. About a 1/4 c. will do. I used lavender, sage, and mint. Let the bag soak in the tub as you fill it or hang it from the faucet to let the water run over it.

2. Light some candles to call upon the healing powers of the Goddess Brigid or to honor the increasing light of the sun. White, green, or yellow candles are great options. I adore the beeswax candles by Lit Rituals. 

3. Add about 2 cups of dried milk powder. Use coconut milk powder to make it vegan. Give it a good stir. Milk is strongly associated with Brigid and Imbolc. It will also make your skin super soft!

4. Add some fresh spring water, structured water, or charged water. Just a little will do. Water talks to water. By adding it to the bath, it will have a positive influence on all of the water in your bath. 

5. Add 1-3 cups of Epsom salt or any salt you have available. Plain or a scented blend works. I love the bath salt blends by Herbonyx.

6. Optional, make it extra decadent by adding some fresh flowers. Whatever is in season or you can find is great. 

7. Set an intention to be cleansed and renewed. Enjoy!

8. Add some cleansing smoke if you feel called. I used a renewal wand you can find in our shop here. 

9. When you're done, collect the herbs and flowers, thank them, and consider using them as an earth offering or compost.

There are so many ways to honor this season and Brigid. I hope you're feeling as excited about this shift as I am and empowered to bring it to life with ritual. I wish you a bright and hopeful Imbolc. 

How to Dress a Candle for Spellwork

Candles are included in spellwork, and there’s a reason why. Fire magic is powerful — it can help transform energy, focus your desires, send intentions into the universe, burn away what you want to release, and more.

Candles are powerful on their own, but dressing a candle for spellwork can help amplify and intensify your spell. In this blog post, I’ll be breaking down how to dress a candle for spellwork. To get more of an intro to candle magick, check out this blog post.

WHY DRESS A CANDLE FOR SPELLWORK?

Dressing a candle spellwork can mean rubbing a candle in oil and/or rolling a candle in herbs. Using herbs and oils that support the intention you’re working with can help you amplify your spell, making it more powerful. 

Below, I share some correspondences for oils and herbs to help you decide how to dress your candles most effectively. 

HOW TO DRESS A CANDLE FOR SPELLWORK

Here are some loose guidelines for dressing your candles for spellwork:

1. Cleanse your candle. You can cleanse your candle with salt, smoke, sound, or any other cleansing tool that feels good to you.

2. Rub your candle in oil. As you do, focus on the intention of your spell.

3. Roll your oiled candle in herbs if you’re using them. Again, direct your energy towards your spell’s intention as you roll your candle. Stay present, breathe, and focus on connecting your intention to your candle.

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OILS, HERBS & CORRESPONDENCES FOR CANDLE MAGICK

Before I get into correspondences, a note about oils: you can feel free to use neutral oils like sunflower seed oil or coconut oil. When you work these oils, they act more as a vehicle for your herbs than an intention amplifier on their own.

Explore the Radical Candle Magic class.

If you want to use an oil that brings its own amplifying qualities, you’ll be using essential oils. If you decide to use essential oils, I invite you to be really intentional with them, buy small amounts only, and research as much as you can to find companies that are making them in the most sustainable and ethical ways possible. The same goes for herbs - do your research and make sure you’re gathering any herbs you use ethically. 

Featured deck is The Ritual Deck. 

For pleasure spells - Use red or orange candle colors. Use clary sage, lavender, or sandalwood oil with rose petals or other flower petals, ginger, or calendula. 

For abundance spells - Use green, brown, or gold candle colors. Use basil, cinnamon, or frankincense oil with cinnamon, basil, or ginger.

For creativity spells - Use orange, yellow, blue, or purple candle colors. Use tangerine or peppermint oil with verbena, bay leaves, or angelica. 

For intuition spells - Use blue, purple, or silver candle colors. Use myrrh, or clary sage oil with mugwort, chamomile, or rose petals.

For protection spells - Use brown, black, or blue candle colors. Use clove, cypress, or juniper oil with mugwort, mullen, or comfrey. 

For releasing spells - Use yellow, orange, or black candle colors. Use bergamot or geranium oil with cloves or rosemary. 

For love spells - Use red, orange, or pink candle colors. Use cardamom, jasmine or ylang-ylang oil with yarrow, oregano, or fennel. 

Want more on spellwork? Check out these blogs:

• Getting Started with Candle Magick

• Four Candle Magick Spells + Free Printable

• Spellwork and Witchcraft Ethics

• Your Spell’s Over, Now What? 3 Ways to Release or Repurpose Your Ritual Items

Inspired Growth Candle Ritual for Imbolc

The Celtic Sabbat of Imbolc honors the midway point between the Winter Solstice and Spring. The Earth is starting to wake up, and even though it may be quite cold still, you can start to see glimmers of nature waking up. On a personal level, this is a season to allow inspiration to stir within you. Imbolc is a call to allow your inner transformations so you can grow into the highest and best version of yourself. Danu Forest says it best here.

"To call in inspiration is to begin to see our life infused with spirit, to discover a new or renewed vision for greater creativity on all levels. To call in healing is to resolve the things that hold us back or limit our potential. We all have parts of our lives and bodies that need healing, and to give this aspect of ourselves a boost at this time of the year sets us up for a more empowered and happier future." - Danu Forest from The Magical Year

The Goddess Brigid is closely associated with this sabbat. Brigid brings light, inspiration, and healing and aids in childbearing. It’s her whispers which begin to rouse both you and Mother Nature during this time of new beginnings. Brigid connects deeply with the fire element and is often referred to as the “Flame of Ireland.” For these reasons, candle work is especially fitting for Imbolc. Learn more about Brigid here and more about candle magick here.

For this Imbolc ritual, you’ll be calling on the Goddess Brigid to stir inspiration within you. The ideal time to practice this ritual is on the evening of February 1st or anytime on February 2nd. Brigid is associated with the color white, so a white candle will be best for this ritual. As with all ritual work, use what you have. Your intention is the most powerful part of any ritual or spell. If you don’t have one of these items, leave it out, it will still work. 

Inspired Growth Candle Ritual for Imbolc

For this ritual, you’ll need:

• A white candle 

• Rosemary for cleansing (optional)

• Bay leaf for success (optional)

• A sharp tool to inscribe your candle with

• Anointing oil for your candle (whatever you have on hand works, such as almond oil or even olive oil. For an extra layer of energy, try rosemary oil, chamomile oil, or basil oil.)

• Safe space to burn your candle

• Dedicated time to connect with your candle

1. Prepare all of your items and take a moment to center yourself. 

2. Using your carving tool, write “inspire me” on your white candle. As you carve your candle, visualize yourself opening up to receiving insight and wisdom. 

3. Rub your anointing oil over your candle and continue to visualize yourself opening up to receive inspiration from spirit. 

4. Roll your candle in any herbs you’re using, or sprinkle them on top.  

5. Place your candle in a fire-safe dish or holder and light your candle. 

6. When you light your candle, call on the Goddess Brigid to join you, inspire you, and heal you. You might say something like, “Goddess Brigid, I welcome your light into this space. I am open to your inspiration and healing. So it is.”

7. Stay with your candle as it burns. Take 2-5 minutes to sit with your candle and softly gaze at the flame. 

8. As the candle continues to burn, you can continue to meditate and connect with Brigid, you can write down any ideas that come to your mind, or you can simply rest and enjoy the healing light of Brigid. 

9. When the candle is done burning, take a moment to thank Brigid for joining you and thank yourself for taking the time to connect with the season. 

Just like nature grows without force, so will you. Trust that the stirrings of inspiration that you received are exactly what you need to grow into the highest and best version of yourself. Imbolc blessings, dear one!

Learn more about Imbolc and how to connect with this season here. 

Winter Solstice & Yule Spell Jar for Rebirth

The winter solstice, also called Yule in Germanic traditions, is the longest night and shortest day of the year. It is the time we have the most darkness, and after the winter solstice, the sun returns — growing each day.

Because of this darkness and the return of the light, the solstice is deeply associated with rebirth. A kind of new year for witches, if you will. In this blog post, I’ll share how to make a DIY spell jar for rebirth in honor of the winter solstice. This would be a great practice to do on the winter solstice or in the days after it! 

So what are spell bottles or jars? Spell jars are a form of folk magic that can be used for many different purposes. I share more about spellwork below - keep scrolling to read it!

A LITTLE ABOUT SPELLWORK

To me, spells are about directing energy in a specific direction. They’re about using magick, which Dion Fortune defines as “the art of changing consciousness at will,” for healing, manifestation, and connection. 

I believe that they can be simple, and all you really need is yourself and your energy. Other items, like the ones we’ll use in this spell, are supportive in infusing some extra magick and energy into the work — but you don’t need them to do spells.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

For this spell, you’ll need:

As with all spells, use what you have. Feel free to substitute items, and don't worry if you're missing something from this list. Your intention is the most important part of any spell!

• A glass bottle/jar of any size 

• Salt of any kind for protection

• A piece of paper and pen to write your intention

• 3-5 drops of oil that supports rebirth like eucalyptus or peppermint 

• Stones that represent rebirth to you like moonstone, green aventurine, and howlite for peace as you transform. Other stone options could include malachite, citrine, moss agate, or quartz.

• Dried or fresh herbs that support rebirth like spruce, pine, or nettle.

• Dried or fresh rosemary for clarity and protection.

• Cinnamon stick for luck

• Dagaz rune, which represents dawn. This can be placed inside your jar or drawn/painted on the outside of your jar.

• White candle

• Any other representations of rebirth for you 

Let yourself be intuitive with your spell ingredients, and feel free to use what you have around you! 

SPELL STEPS

1. Like any spell, you’ll want to center and ground yourself before working the spell. You might spend a few minutes meditating, letting your eyes drift around your space, or doing breathwork or anything else that feels grounding to you. Find ideas for grounding here. 

2. When you feel ready, cleanse each of your items. You can use smoke, sound, salt, or another cleansing technique you align with.

3. Write your intention for the spell on the paper to add into your bottle.

4. If you’d like, you can paint your bottle with symbols that represent rebirth to you.

5. After your bottle is ready, take your time to place each item inside your bottle intentionally. Raise energy as you do this, either with deep breaths or chanting. I recommend coming up with your own chant that focuses energy on connecting to your intuition and developing your intuitive abilities.

6. When you’re done filling your bottle, seal it, hold the vessel in your hands, and keep chanting or breathing as long as you’d like.

7. Light your white candle and place it on top of or next to your spell bottle. Be mindful of your candle surroundings and never leave your candle burning unattended. Tip: Melt the bottom of your candle with a flame to make it stick to the top of your jar.

8. Spend time meditating on your intention as your candle burns. Connect with the feeling of rebirth. Visualize rebirth moving through your cells, making you whole. What would it feel like, look like, even sound like, to be reborn?

9. Ground the energy after your meditation by placing your palms on the ground and returning any excess energy to the Earth.

I recommend placing the bottle on your altar, keeping it at the forefront of your consciousness while it works its rebirth magic. Keep your Yule spell bottle out for one lunar cycle, until Imbolc, or when you feel ready to take it down.Want more ways to connect with the season of Yule? Check out these articles from our blog: 

• Oracle or Tarot Card Spread for Yule

• 4 Ways to Honor the Winter Solstice

• 3 Ways to Bring Meaning to the Winter Solstice

Seeing the unseen // Scrying 101

Scrying is an ancient divination practice where you connect with your intuition and work to make the unseen seen by gazing onto a reflective surface.

Scrying is a broad practice, therefore mentions of it pop up in a variety of places throughout history. Scrying is referenced in ancient Egypt, England, Greece, and Persia (to name a few.) Nostradamus reportedly relied on scrying for many of his predictions as well. 

The tools you can use for scrying are as vast as its history. You can use crystals, water, the moon, fire, smoke, a mirror, or really any reflective surface. 

Artwork copyright Cassie Uhl 2020-infinity, please credit if shared.

Though clear crystal balls work for scrying and are commonly shown as a scrying tool, it is not the only kind of crystal used for this practice. Black obsidian mirrors are commonly used for scrying, but really any crystal with a reflective surface will do. You may even decide that you'd like to use a specific crystal in alignment with your desires for a scrying session. Sphere, larger palm stones, and flat mirrors or slabs all work well for this practice. 

As varied as scrying is, the piece that remains consistent is the desire to reach an altered state to receive visions. The visions you receive from scrying could be from spirit or your subconscious. That’s for you to decide. 

I love scrying for its power and simplicity. In this post, I’ll be sharing how to scry! Keep reading for five steps to try scrying for yourself.

A note on working with the moon. The full moon and the dark moon are ideal times to try this practice. I like scrying with the full moon to help illuminate and the dark moon for going within and accessing intuition. Don’t let the phase of the moon stop you from trying this practice; these are just suggestions. 

Getting started with scrying:

1. To begin your scrying practice, create a ritual space for yourself, and gather your bowl and water. (As I walk you through scrying, I’ll be using the example of a bowl of water, but remember that there are many other ways to scry that I shared above.) 

2. You’ll want to be in a dark room with only one or two candles lit. 

3. Once your space is ready, enter a trance state through meditating, energy work, drumming, chanting, breathwork, or any other practice that helps you drop into your subconscious mind. 

4. Once you feel like you’re in an altered state of consciousness, relax your eyes and gaze into your bowl of water. Breathe deeply, let yourself soften, and ask a question silently (for example, what is holding me back in X situation? Or what do I need to know about Y?). 

5. Gaze into the bowl and let yourself see what you see. It may take time for images to come up, but if you stay focused and present, they will. Allow the images, words, and sensations to flow, rather than holding on to them tightly.

When you feel like you’re done, you’re done! Spend some time journaling about what you felt and saw to help you answer the questions you came to receive answers for. 

Remember, the subconscious mind works with symbolism, so don’t discount anything that you see even if you’re not quite sure what it means at first! Think of the information you receive, like the symbolism in dreams: sometimes we are left with more questions than answers. Sometimes the questions are the answers. Sometimes a thread is what you are offered, and you can choose to follow it or not. Sometimes symbols may not mean anything at first but are asking to be engaged with over time. 

Let the process unfold, and see what comes up for you! 

Sinking into acceptance // 4 Rituals for the Waning Moon + Card Spread

The waning moon phase is nature's way of calling you inward. How can you truly know what you need to release, shed, or let go of if you haven't allowed yourself time to go inward and fully experience your emotions? This phase is your invitation to feel and allow.

The waning moon phases occur after the peak of the full moon to the dark moon. Energetically this phase represents a time of allowance, acceptance, and shedding.

Growing up, most of us are taught to bottle our feelings up rather than sinking into them and accepting what is. Acceptance doesn't mean rolling over and taking it or being okay with the status quo. Not by a long shot. Acceptance of the current moment means allowing yourself to fully experience whatever is bubbling up in you at the present moment. 

If things in your life, or the world at large, are not aligned with your desires and want them to change, you don't have to accept them as they are. What you do need to accept is your feelings about these situations. It's in the allowance and acceptance of situations that healing, growth, and change can occur.  

There's an opportunity to grow from every situation you're presented with, and this phase asks you to be open to the learning and evolving process rather than pushing against it. Imagine the energy of this lunar cycle as a big unconditional and loving hug. 

Here are a few keywords to understand the basic energy of this lunar phase. 

Energetic Themes for the Waning Moon

• Passiveness

• Acceptance

• Allowance

• Releasing

• Shedding

• Letting go

• Resting

The rituals outlined below will work well together, but if you don't have the time or tools to perform all of them at once, that's okay, do what feels most aligned with your needs. Keep reading for four ritual suggestions for the waning moon phase. 

1. Candle Ritual for the Waning Moon

Candles are an ideal ritual tool for this moon phase because they can be used as a very passive tool. I suggest using this candle ritual suggestion in tandem with one of the ritual suggestions below so your candle can burn as you sink into a ritual. There's more than one candle color that will work for this lunar phase, here are three suggestions, go with what feels best for where you're at, or use all three!

Pink candle: Pink candles offer soft and loving energy. This candle color is ideal for bringing in self-love and acceptance. This candle color is often suggested during the waxing moon phase to call in romantic love. For the waning moon phase, its energy will be used as a tool to call in self-love. 

Blue Candle: Blue candles offer peace and respite. If you've been in a cycle of overwhelm and feel like you can't catch a break, this is your candle. The energy of this candle can help you soften into the present moment to access your emotions better. 

Purple Candle: Purple candles offer inner wisdom and perspective. If you're in a place of allowance with your emotions but struggling with accepting them, the energy of a purple candle can help open you up to a higher perspective and shed light on why you feel the way you do. 

If candle magick is new to you, and you'd like to learn more about how it works and the process I outline here, check out this past blog post on candle magick basics. 

Once you've selected your candle color(s), you may want to anoint your candle with a specific oil. I suggest lavender, bergamot, rose, or geranium work well with the energy of the waning moon. If you don't have any of these available, a simple carrier oil, like almond or coconut oil, will work just fine. 

Anoint your candle with your oil, hold it in your hands, and impress it with your energy. Repeat this intention or something like it that feels good to you, "I love and accept myself as I am. I am allowed to feel the fullness of my emotions and will let them flow through me. I trust that Spirit will show me what needs to stay and what needs to go. So it is."Light your candle(s) and stay with it as it burns. 

2. Waning Moon Meditation

If you're going to do any of these waning moon rituals, meditation is my top suggestion. I covered this topic in-depth in a previous post, so I'm not going to spend too much time discussing it here. But, if you've followed me for long, you know that I adore meditation. 

Meditation opens you up to your inner world, which is step one in allowance and acceptance. As I said above, you have to take the time to explore your inner landscape before you can truly know what needs to be released. Meditation and internal reflection is the first step in this process.  

Click here to get my free waning moon meditation or here to read my previous blog post on meditating with each moon phase. 

If you'd like to add some supportive crystals to your waning moon meditation, I suggest rose quartz and a grounding stone of choice like obsidian, black tourmaline, or garnet.

3. Waning Moon Card Spread

Use this card spread with your favorite oracle or tarot card deck. These questions can offer guidance on finding more acceptance in your life and suggestions for releasing anything holding you back from your highest good.

If you didn't begin with the candle ritual or meditation suggestion above, take a moment to connect with your breath and ground yourself. 

1. In what area of my life do I need to soften my resistance?

2. What lesson does my resistance have to share with me? 

3. Where can I focus my energy to bring more acceptance into this area of my life? 

4. How can I integrate these lessons into my life?

5. How will I hold myself back if I am unwilling to explore my resistance?

6. What old ideas do I need to shed to come into more wholeness?

Be open and honest as your cards reveal guidance to you. The next ritual can help you uncover any confusion you may have about your reading. If your reading is initially unclear, leave it, be open to signs from Spirit, and revisit it at a later time. 

4. Write and Release

This ritual suggestion works well after performing either the waning moon meditation or waning moon card spread because you should be fresh with emotion and insight. Take some time to write about what came up for you. Alternatively, if tarot and oracle cards aren't your thing, you can use the card reading questions above as journal prompts. 

Writing is a powerful tool for exploring, feeling, processing, and releasing your emotions. Here's a conclusion from a study conducted on the healing benefits of writing: "There is power in written expression and the personal sharing of one's story. Writing shows promise not only as a therapeutic tool during intervention, but as an ongoing avocational activity with many personal and health benefits." 

Try to write without judging what you're writing and let your thoughts and feelings flow. 

Choose to release your writing in a way that feels good to you. You can burn the paper in a fire-proof vessel, bury your text in the earth, release it into a flower body of water (ensure that your paper is compostable if you do this method!), or something else that feels good to you. You cannot do wrong; the purpose of all ritual is to bring meaning and healing to your experience, so trust that the releasing method you select is what will serve you best.

 I hope you feel empowered to love and accept yourself fully, emotions, and all. Dance with all aspects of your being. Know that in each moment, even the uncomfortable ones, there is an opportunity to go deeper and find wholeness.

Spellwork and Witchcraft Ethics

When we understand how powerful witchcraft and spellwork can be, we know that there is as much potentiality for causing harm as there is for healing.

I don’t believe that ethics in this area (or any, really) are black and white or something that can be written in a post and passed right along to you. I think ethics are both nuanced and personal. 

So in this blog, I’ll be sharing a bit of my own thoughts about spellwork and witchcraft ethics, and offering some different areas of reflection for your own spellwork and witchcraft ethics.

CULTURAL APPROPRIATION + CONSUMPTION

Ijeoma Oluo, author of So You Want to Talk About Race, wrote for Medium, “Cultural appropriation is the misuse of a group’s art and culture by someone with the power to redefine that art and, in the process, divorce it from the people who originally created it.”

Cultural appropriation is rampant in the spirituality, new age, and witchcraft communities. Sacred indigenous plants are bought and sold by white folks, indigenous knowledge is whitewashed, repackaged and sold, and practices are stolen from cultures of color. 

The impacts of cultural appropriation are not just personal, they widely function to continue to funnel power towards white folks and away from Black folks, Indigenous folks, and other people of color. 

I also personally feel that working with tools and practices from our own ancestry are always going to be more powerful than working with tools and practices that are not from our own ancestry! 

Some reflection questions for your own practice around cultural appropriation:

• What tools are you using in your magical practice, and where do they come from? If they are from cultures other than your own, how are you giving back, uplifting and supporting those cultures and peoples? 

• Are they sourced in ways that feel good to you and aligned with your values (for example: are your crystals mined by children? Are trees being chopped down for your Palo Santo?)?

• What are the lineages of the practices you use? If you don’t know, do some research. 

• How were your ancestors practicing witchcraft and magic? What are their traditions? What tools were they using? What were there beliefs? (These are big questions and incredibly important ones, especially for white folks to be asking. It can be hard to find information when much of European folk magic traditions were stolen by Christianity when the religion swept over the continent, but it’s out there. To start ancestral research, I recommend checking out Sanyu Estelle’s Ancestral Altars: Europa Edition recorded class as well as Megan McGuire’s work. Cassie also loves Elen Sentier’s work on British Shamanism.)

CAUSING HARM WITH MAGICK

Just as we can do spellwork to attract love and abundance, we can also practice curses, hexes, and other kinds of spellwork to manipulate and cause harm to others.

It would be easy for me to tell you here: never use curses or hexes, never practice magic that causes harm. There are Wiccan creeds around this that you may be familiar with, the Threefold Law and the Wiccan Rede. 

The Threefold Law states that whatever energy you put out will come back to you times three. The Wiccan Rede states “An it harm none, do what ye will.” There are different ways to interpret the Wiccan Rede, but most agree that it means as long as your workings harm no one, do what you feel called to. 

I tend to agree with these ideas personally, but it’s not so black and white. Some Black magical traditions like Hoodoo have no such rules and use cursing and crossing in alignment with their own ethics. I think it’s important to stay in my own lane when it comes to passing blanket statements about what it is and isn’t okay to do with magic, when there are deeply rooted traditions that incorporate some of these practices. 

We can expand this out and ask, too — is it truly unethical to curse or hex a person who does evil in the world at a large scale?

I don’t have answers for you, but I invite you to reflect on these questions. What settles in your body and heart when it comes to causing harm with magick?

JUSTICE

This brings me to justice. Witchcraft is intrinsically linked to justice and is inherently political, no question about it. 

I invite you to ask yourself: how are my spells and magical workings contributing to justice in the world? Or are they functioning to amplify privilege and get only myself ahead?

One of my favorite practices around this was shared by Amanda Yates Garcia, the Oracle of LA. She invites us to send out any spell we do for ourselves for the collective, too. For example, a spell to attract money would also include something like, “as it is for me, as it is for all,” to ask the spell to attract money for all of us. A spell for a new home for yourself might include housing justice for all. A spell for a lover for yourself might include safe and healthy relationships for all. And so on!

CONSENT

One of the key principles in energy work is always getting consent. Energy work has real impacts, and people deserve the opportunity to be able to opt-in to receive it. 

For me, this is true regardless of our best intentions - even if we want to send healing to someone we don’t know (who can’t consent) because we think it would really help them. 

What is true for you? Ask yourself: what are my consent boundaries with others when it comes to energy?

As you can see, ethics is a murky field but an important one to consider for any witch! My advice is: Work from your own value system. If you’re not clear on what your values are, start there. Let your witchcraft practice reflect your ethos, and know that we all have different values & ideas of what is right or wrong.  

At the end of the day, we all have to be able to sleep at night from a place of knowing the truth, not from ignorance of the impacts of our actions. What do you need to change or lean into in your practice to make that so? 

How to Cast a Circle and Why You Want To

Casting a circle is a foundational, powerful practice when it comes to ritual. It creates an energetic and psychic container - a safe, protected space - for magic and healing to take place. When you cast a circle, you are said to be in a space between worlds - void space, magic space, spiral space beyond linear time.

Why would you want to cast a circle? Casting a circle has many purposes. Keep scrolling to read and watch more. 

Featured deck is The Ritual Deck

CREATE INTENTIONAL SPACE

Part of casting a circle is about mindset. It allows us to shift out of the mundane world and into the sacred. As you get used to casting a circle, it will start to signal to your body and brain that you’re entering into a ritual space, and your energy will likely begin to shift automatically.

Learn more in this video from Eryn J.

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PSYCHIC PROTECTION

When you open yourself up to working with energy, it’s important to protect yourself from unwanted energies. Working with magick and ritual, especially trance, can leave us vulnerable to unwanted energies coming in. When you cast a circle, you’re weaving a spell of protection to keep unwanted energies out. We have a whole blog post about psychic protection here if you’d like to read more about other ways to protect yourself! 

FOCUS THE ENERGY OF YOUR SPELL OR RITUAL

Casting a circle isn’t just about keeping unwanted energy out; it’s also about keeping the desired energy in. Our magick is more powerful when we can focus it in a specific direction, rather than let it scatter and diffuse. An energetic circle helps us gather and concentrate more energy to support the purpose of our magical workings!

You don’t need to cast a circle every time you meditate or do ritual. But when you feel like you need extra focus or protection, or intuitively feel like a circle would support your workings, it’s a great tool to use.

HOW TO CAST A CIRCLE

There are so many ways to cast a circle. It’s my belief that magical practice is always more powerful when it’s intuitive, so take what you’d like from what I share below and let your intuition guide you to the unique method that’s right for you.

However you choose to cast your circle, you’ll work with visualization and the four directions (which are associated with the four elements). Here is an example of how to cast a circle:

1. Center yourself with a few deep, grounding breaths.

2. Let your eyes close and start to call on the elements.

3. Starting in the East, with the element of Air, speak aloud to invite the energy of Air, of breath, of voice, of mind, to hold the circle.

4. Then turn your focus to the South, the element of Fire, and speak aloud to invite the energy of Fire, of transformation, of passion, of the sun, to hold the circle.

5. Turn your focus again to the West, the element of Water, and speak aloud to invite the energy of Water, of feeling, of surrender, of the ocean, to hold the circle with you.

6. Lastly, turn your focus to the North, to the element of Earth, and speak aloud to invite the energy of Earth, of holding, of soil, of forests, to hold the circle. 

7. Feel the shift in your body and your space as the circle forms. Visualize a golden circle of light around you, supported by the powerful energy of each of the elements, holding a sacred and safe container for you.

8. When you feel ready, say out loud: “The circle is now cast.”

OTHER WAYS TO CAST A CIRCLE

You can make casting a circle as simple or as complex as you’d like! Here are some other ways to cast a circle, remembering that the most essential thing is visualizing and feeling the energy. You can substitute the suggestions below for the beginning of the example I gave, knowing that you’ll still want to take time to feel the shift in your body and visualize the circle around you:

• Place your Ritual Deck element or direction cards around you in each of the corresponding directions.

• Place physical items representing each of the elements around in you the corresponding directions. Learn more about how to represent each of the elements here.

• Place four crystals around you in each of the corresponding directions. Hematite or snowflake obsidian work well for Earth/North, amethyst or kyanite for Air/East, citrine or pyrite for Fire/South, and moonstone or carnelian for Water/West. 

• Place four lighted candles around you in each of the corresponding directions. A black or brown candle for Earth/North, a yellow or purple candle for Air/East, a red or orange candle for Fire/South, and a blue silver candle for Water/East.

• Walk the circumference of the circle.

• Use a wand or athame (ritual knife) to draw the circle around you.

I hope this supports you in casting circles of your own.

3 Herbal Recipes to Enhance Your Intuition

With so many herbs available to enhance your intuition, I wanted to share a few quick DIY recipes so you can put them to use! This is my last post in a more extended series about the intuition if you missed any of the previous posts and want to check them out first, click here.

Our ancestors have used herbs for more than just healing; a variety of plants have been used to connect with the psychic realm and experience spiritual awakenings since the beginning of time. The herbs suggested in this post are of the gentler variety, no peyote today!

As with any herb you choose to ingest, do your research, and consider consulting your health care provider first. 

Cards are featured from The Ritual Deck

Let’s take a closer look at each of the herbs I’m going to suggest for these recipes or keep scrolling to go straight to the recipes.

• Lavender and Chamomile: Both of these plants are nervines and antispasmodics, which means they can calm both the nervous and muscular systems. You’ll be better able to access intuitive messages when your mind and body are calm.

• Blue Lotus: Blue lotus was prized by ancient Egyptians and Mayan people for its beauty and medicinal effects. Similar to lavender and chamomile, blue lotus is a nervine and antispasmodic, which will help calm you. It also contains alkaloids that have a subtle psychoactive effect, which the ancients no doubt were aware of as well! 

• Mugwort: Mugwort is associated with the Goddess Artemis (the Latin name for this plant is Artemesia Vulgaris!) and the moon. These lunar ties give mugwort a strong connection to femininity, psychic work, and all things sleep-related. Mugwort is also extremely protective, making it an ideal herb to protect you while you’re opening up to the psychic world. Mugwort is not safe for pregnant or lactating women. Learn more about mugwort here.

• Frankincense: Frankincense has long been associated with accessing meditation, focus, and cleansing negative energy. Often found in resin or essential oil, frankincense can be burned or diffused to clear your mind and your space for optimal intuitive connections. 

• Rosemary: Rosemary is one of those herbs that comes with a host of valuable benefits, including amplifying your intuition. Rosemary correlates strongly to the area of the head and will help clear out thoughts related to any worldly woes. Use rosemary to help cleanse your mind and focus on your spiritual connection. Rosemary is also helpful for clearing negative energy. 

• Peppermint: Peppermint is a common herb that can help you access your psychic gifts. Peppermint, similar to rosemary, is extremely uplifting and clearing for the mind. It can also help to bring you some inspiration. Peppermint is especially helpful if you’re feeling a little sluggish or having trouble focusing on your intuition.  

• Cedarwood: Let us not forget the necessity to stay grounded while practicing psychic work! Anytime you’re accessing higher states of consciousness or your intuition, it’s imperative to stay grounded, and cedarwood can help you do this. Cedarwood also helps to soothe and relax the third eye area. Similar to peppermint and rosemary, cedarwood will also help you clear your mind, but more soothingly because it is also antispasmodic (like lavender and chamomile). 

These recipes can be used together or separately. If you feel called to one, in particular, go with that. If you want to go for a trifecta of intuitive herbal magic, try all three! Don’t be deterred if you’re missing a specific herb, and feel free to modify. Many of the herbs suggested are powerhouses all on their own. 

Intuition Tea 

Try this tea recipe in a warm mug or your next bath. One of my favorite ways to enjoy herbs is through a tea bath. Your skin is super absorbent; placing your herbs directly into your bath is a wonderful way to soak them up. 

Anytime you’re using dried herbs for teas, you want to ensure that they’re food-grade and preferably organic. Lavender and chamomile are easy to come by at most grocery stores in tea bags, blue lotus flower, on the other hand, will likely need to be purchased online. I love everything from Anima Mundi, and they offer blue lotus flowers here. 

This tea is seriously calming! I suggest drinking a cup of it before practicing psychic or intuitive work in the evening when you don’t have to go anywhere.

To make your intuition tea you’ll need: 

• 1t. Dried Blue Lotus Flower

• 1t. Dried Lavender Buds

• 1t. Dried Chamomile flowers

1. Pour boiling water over your dried herbs. 

2. Cover the mug as it steeps (this helps to keep the benefits of these plants in your tea rather than evaporating out).

3. Steep for 3-5 minutes. 

4. Cool and enjoy!

Intuition Smoke Blend

This smoke blend can be used to help center your mind and create a protective forcefield around you while you practice your intuition. This smoke blend is to be used to waft around yourself and your environment before psychic or intuitive work. 

I like to use an abalone shell for burning herbs, but any fire-proof dish will work. Many use a shell for burning herbs because it represents the water element. With the addition of the water element, all four elements are represented in the herb burning process (smoke- air, herbs- earth, and fire- well, from the fire). Iron cauldrons are another tool that is often used for herb burning that works well too. 

Please, use caution when working with herb burning. Never leave your herbal smoke burning without supervision, always use fire-proof dishes for burning, and ensure you have proper ventilation. 

To make your herbal smoke, you’ll need: 

• About a 1t. Dried Mugwort

• About a 1t. Dried Lavender

• 5-10 pieces of Frankincense resin

• Charcoal tablet

• Sand

• Fire-proof dish

• Match or lighter

1. Place sand in your herb-burning dish; this helps to insulate the charcoal tablet and disperse the heat. 

2. Light your charcoal and place it in the sand. You’ll know it’s lit when it starts sparking, 

3. Place your dried herbs onto the charcoal tablet. This method of herb burning creates a substantial amount of smoke, so start with just a pinch of each herb. 

4. Waft the smoke around yourself and your space. 

Check out this video to see how it’s done. 

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Intuition Spray

This recipe is similar to the High Priestess Mist that Eryn shared on the blog a while ago, with a few modifications. Rosemary and peppermint are often-overlooked herbs that are quite effective at working with the third eye chakra because they help to clear the whole head area. Cedar has a similar effect but is also soothing and grounding.

I love to use this spray when I’m feeling a little lethargic or have some thoughts whirling around my mind that could impede my intuition. Spritz some of this around yourself and your space before practicing intuitive work for an uplifting and inspiring psychic aid. 

To make the intuition spray, you’ll need: 

• Glass spray bottle

• 5 drops of Rosemary essential oil

• 3 drops of Peppermint essential oil

• 5 drops of Cedarwood essential oil

• Enough witch hazel to fill ½ of your glass bottle

• Enough high vibe-water of your choice to fill the remainder of your bottle. High-vibe water could be moon water, natural spring water, vortexed water, energy-infused water, or any combination. 

• Optional, amethyst, moonstone, or quartz crystals

• Optional, dried blue lotus flower and lavender buds

1. Combine all of your liquid ingredients into your bottle. 

2. Add any optional dried herbs or crystals. 

3. Shake, spray, enjoy!

I hope you enjoy these recipes! Be sure to tag @cassieuhl if you make them; I’d love to see your creations. Learn more about honing your intuition in these past blog posts.

Unlocking the Power of your Pineal Gland // 8 Tips

If you're interested in opening your third eye chakra and expanding your psychic abilities, understanding the pineal gland is essential. Ancient cultures were well aware of the power of the pineal gland. It's referenced and depicted in a variety of texts and artwork around the world. Furthermore, a variety of breathing techniques, chants, and exercises from ancient cultures are dedicated to activating this tiny gland inside your brain.

Somewhere in our evolutionary process, we've forgotten about the power of this pea-sized intuitive aid. For many of us, our pineal gland has gone unused and become calcified. Don't worry, there's hope! Science is slowly catching on to this forgotten gland, and there are so many tools (both ancient and modern) to help you activate your mighty pineal gland. Bonus, the tips I'm sharing don't all involve eating copious amounts of seaweed and green leafy vegetables.

In this post, I will cover what the pineal gland is, how it functions in our body physically and energetically, and tips for decalcifying the pineal gland for optimal psychic sight and third eye activation. I’ve linked several studies and resources in this post to help you out along the way! Keep scrolling for a video and more tips. 

Science is slowly learning more about the pineal gland. However, many doctors and scientists still dismiss it as a useless gland after sexual maturation. New studies are starting to pique the interest of the scientific community and are shedding light on what many ancient cultures and spiritual communities already know to be true. For starters, did you know that microscopic calcite crystals were recently discovered inside of the pineal gland? I’ll dive into this a bit deeper later in the blog post. 

The study of the pineal gland from a scientific and spiritual perspective is deep and complex. I’ve covered as much as I can in this post in a digestible format. However, if you feel called to research further, I encourage you to do so because there is much, both recent and ancient, to be learned about this topic. 

What is the Pineal Gland? 

The pineal gland is a tiny cone-shaped gland in the center of your brain. It’s about the size of a grain of rice, when not fully utilized but can grow in size when used properly. Its location inside of the brain lines up with the area of the third eye chakra, in the center of the brow bone.

At a quick glance, the pineal gland is responsible for regulating melatonin, circadian rhythms, and spurring sexual maturation. It actually has light receptors in it that function much like an eye, which enables the pineal gland to keep your circadian rhythms in check. 

Recent Discoveries About the Pineal Gland

Here’s where things start to get a bit more woo-woo and compelling...

• A recent study indicates that DMT, a psychoactive, may be produced in the pineal gland. Though the jury is still out on whether or not DMT is produced in the pineal gland, the implications are intriguing. Many describe the effects of DMT as feeling like an out-of-body experience or a feeling of being connected to all things. Both of these descriptions sound quite similar to being in deep states of meditation. 

• Another recent study found tiny calcite crystals inside the pineal gland! They are tiny and can only be seen with a microscope. That said, it is one of only two places where natural crystals are found inside the human body, the other being the inner ear. The calcite crystals in your pineal gland are piezoelectric (conduct electricity) when they vibrate. Yes, you read that correctly, there are tiny crystals in your pineal gland that can create energy when they vibrate. Because these crystals are so small, it doesn’t take much to make them vibrate.

• Your pineal gland is not protected by the blood-brain barrier and unlike most of your brain and has frequent contact with your blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). In fact, the blood supply to your pineal gland is higher than almost any part of your body! Your cerebrospinal fluid is highly structured water (extremely pure and energized water), which you can learn more about in this wonderful blog post by Jen Isabel Friend here. 

These three facts indicate that the pineal gland is an incredibly important point in your brain. The fact that it aligns perfectly with several ancient descriptions of the third eye or spiritual eye is not a coincidence. 

Ancient cultures clearly understood the importance of the pineal gland, which is evident by the frequent depictions of third eyes, single eyes, and references to a singular eye in ancient texts. Many ancient pranayama techniques and chants are intended to push your cerebrospinal fluid up to your pineal gland and vibrate the tiny calcite crystals inside. If you’d like to learn more about third eye references in history, I suggest this digital short read by Manly P. Hall.

Based on these few facts, it sounds like we have an energized antennae in our brain. The more important question is, is your pineal antennae working? 

Calcification of the Pineal Gland

Now for the downside. It’s estimated that 40% of American’s pineal glands are calcified (this percentage varies from country to country). Calcification of the pineal gland has been seen at ages as young as two! To a certain extent, the calcification of the pineal gland is natural over time, many parts of our body calcify as we age. However, the extent to which our pineal glands are calcifying is likely much greater than what nature intended and certainly makes it harder for us to utilize the full potential of this gland.

Several outside factors can cause the pineal gland to calcify. The top offender is fluoride intake. Most countries add fluoride to their water, with claims of helping tooth decay. Fluoride can aid in cavity prevention, when used topically, but does not appear to add any benefit when ingested and is actually toxic. Read more about this here. Beyond fluoride consumption, processed foods and age also play a role in the calcification of the pineal gland. 

Tips for Decalcifying and Activating the Pineal Gland

You can find a host of suggestions online for decalcifying the pineal gland. Many of them may require huge lifestyle changes, which I also share here. I would also like to offer some more realistic suggestions, that, I believe, are just as valuable. 

These suggestions work best when they’re combined. Taking a supplement and ignoring the rest of the tips may not yield the results you’re hoping for. Start small and do what you can. I’ve placed the suggestions at the top that I find to be the easiest (and most cost-effective)

.1. Hydrate with High-quality Water

Remember how I said your pineal gland is bathed in cerebrospinal fluid daily? Well, this can’t happen if you’re dehydrated, which most of us are. Try drinking naturally structured spring water or learn techniques for creating your own structured water. Structured water, among other things, does a much better job of hydrating us. Learn more about structured water from my favorite water guru, Jen Isabel Friend, here. 

2. Practice Conscious Breathing Techniques

Conscious breathing and pranayama exercises are the simplest and cheapest way to cleanse and activate your pineal gland. Breathing consciously, especially sending the breath deep into your belly, helps push CSF (cerebrospinal fluid) up your spine and up to your brain, bathing your pineal gland in highly charged and clean water. 

Three-part breath and the breath of fire are two great options to get started. If you’re not familiar with them, you can find a plethora of videos with instructions with a quick internet search. If you’d like some more advanced suggestions beginning to work with the bandhas (pranic locks) as you practice your breathwork can be helpful. Dr. Joe Dispenza also offers a variety of meditations with breathing designed to push CSF up the spine (I’ve been using the Break the Habit of Being Yourself meditations and enjoying them).

3. Meditate Regularly

Before you run off and say you don’t have time to meditate daily, I want you to know that even ten minutes a day will have a big impact. I also want to emphasize the daily aspect of this step. Regular, consistent meditation will help you access and activate the pineal gland. Learn more about how to start and stick to that meditation practice here. If guided meditations resonate with you, check out my guided meditations here. 

4. Add Some Chanting to Your Meditation Practice

Chanting can help vibrate those tiny calcite crystals inside of your pineal gland and wake them up a bit. This is best used once you’ve started the process of decalcifying your pineal gland. Once you’re in a good groove of giving your pineal gland some love, add in some chanting and see if you notice a difference. My favorite meditation to use this “AHHH” meditation by Dr. Wayne Dyer. I always feel AMAZING after completing this meditation! 

5. Reduce Fluoride Intake

I’m not saying you have to stop going to your dentist and stop brushing your teeth with fluoridated toothpaste. I am saying to be aware of how much fluoride you’re consuming. Using it topically is one thing, but ingesting it from tap water on a daily basis is something else entirely. Do your research and find out how much fluoride is being added to your local water supply. 

Here are a couple of companies that offer great fluoride filtration systems, including fluoride removing straws and water bottles. Check out PWF here for fluoride removing straws and Clearly Filtered here for a variety of fluoride filters, including fluoride removing water bottles. I’ve used PWF’s filters and can attest to their quality. Again, these aren’t sponsored, simply products I’ve used or that look helpful.

6. Eat Mindfully

As I mentioned above, processed foods are another calcifying culprit for the pineal gland. In a fast-paced world, it can be tough to limit all processed foods. I’m just as guilty of relying on easy-to-make processed foods to get me through the day. I invite you to simply become more aware of what you’re putting into your body and how it makes you feel. Opting for whole foods and less processed foods will have a cleansing effect on not only your pineal gland but your entire body. 

7. Dark and light

Try minimizing light pollution in your room at night. Your pineal gland controls your circadian rhythm. Consider dimming lights and avoiding screens after sunset, and give yourself time in total darkness before bed. Both of these things will give your pineal gland cues that it’s nighttime and help it maintain normal function.

Alternatively, some ancient practices (that are still practiced today by some) suggest sun-gazing to invigorate your pineal gland and third eye chakra. It’s advised to gaze at the less intense light of the rising or setting sun and not the bright midday sun. Of course, please do your research on this and practice caution. Some also suggest candle gazing as an alternative. 

8. Suggested Supplements and Foods

There’s a slew of supplements that can be used to help decalcify the pineal gland. Bonus, they’re also pretty great for your entire body! As with any supplement suggestion, be sure to run it by your healthcare provider and do your research before consuming any supplements. 

Here’s a list of supplements to help in combination with the other steps outlined above. Many of these will cause your body to detoxify, please take these with caution and start with just one. I don’t recommend taking all of these at once, as it could leave you feeling pretty awful. 

• Spirulina 

• Chlorella

• Green leafy vegetables

• Turmeric

• Apple cider vinegar 

• Iodine supplements and iodine-rich foods. (Iodine can significantly affect the thyroid. Please, exercise caution and discuss with your healthcare provider before taking iodine supplements.)

There are some great supplement options created by trusted natural herbalists. One product that I’ve been using and enjoy for the purpose of decalcifying my pineal gland is this blend by Anima Mundi Apothecary. This isn’t a sponsored ad, I just really love all of their products! 

As I said, doing all of these things at once could be completely overwhelming and unnecessary. Start small and be kind to yourself. Bonus, all of these suggestions are pretty great for your entire body ;) 

Want to learn more about the third eye chakra? Check out this previous blog post all about opening the third eye chakra.

Enhance Your Intuition DIY Spell Bottle

Spell bottles are a form of folk magic that can be used for many different purposes. In this post, I’ll be sharing how to make a spell bottle to deepen your connection to intuition. Keep scrolling for directions and a video.

Not sure if spellwork is for you? To me, spells are about directing energy in a specific direction. They’re about using magick, which Dion Fortune defines as “the art of changing consciousness at will,” for healing, manifestation, and connection. They can be simple, and all you really need is yourself and your energy - other items, like the ones we'll use in this spell, simply infuse some extra magick into the work. 

Keep scrolling to learn how to create an intuition spell bottle!

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

For this spell, you’ll need:

• A glass bottle / jar of any size 

• Paint and brush (optional)

• A piece of paper and pen 

• Clary sage oil 

• Crystals for intuition (suggestions: amethyst, labradorite, lemurian quartz, moonstone)

• Herbs for intuition (suggestions: mugwort or yarrow)

• Any other representations of intuition for you 

THE SPELL

Like any spell, you’ll want to center and ground yourself before working the spell. You might spend a few minutes meditating or doing breathwork, or anything else that feels grounding to you.

When you feel ready, cleanse each of your items. You can use smoke, sound, salt, or another cleansing technique you align with. If you’d like, you can paint your bottle with symbols that represent intuition to you. You’ll also want to write your intention for the spell on the paper, to add into your bottle. 

After your bottle is ready, take your time to intentionally place each item inside your bottle. Raise energy as you do this, either with deep breaths or chanting. I recommend coming up with your own chant that focuses energy on connecting to your intuition and developing your intuitive abilities.

When you’re done filling your bottle, keep chanting or breathing as long as you’d like. Seal your bottle and spend time meditating on your intention. Connect with how it would feel to have clear access to your intuition, to receive and understand intuitive messages, and to have deeper intuitive abilities. Visualize yourself already having these desires, and feel this energy move through your body. 

Ground the energy after your meditation by placing your palms on the ground and returning any excess energy to the Earth. 

I recommend placing the bottle on your altar, keeping it at the forefront of your consciousness while it works its magic.

Want more spells? Check out these articles from Cassie Uhl Blog: 

• Four Candle Magick Spells [with Free Printable]

• The Only Three Love Spells You’ll Ever Need

• Three Dark Moon Rituals

5 Tips to Learn How to Trust Your Intuition

When was the last time you felt a little nudge to do something? Did you trust it immediately or question it a bit before acting? Maybe, you doubted it so much that you ended up dismissing the internal whisper. Maybe you wondered, “What if that little voice is my ego or fear, not my intuition?”. When working with your intuition, it can feel difficult to sift through fear, ego, and other people’s energy. How can you know that what you’re sensing is really your intuition?

We all want to be able to rely on our intuition more. The truth is everyone is intuitive, even psychic, yes, even you! Like anything, your intuition is a muscle, and the more you use it, the easier it will be to rely on it throughout your day. One of the biggest hurdles for working with your intuition will likely be knowing when to trust or dismiss the nudges you sense. 

I hear this so often from others, “how do I know when it’s really my intuition trying to guide me?”. This is so common and something I catch myself doing as well! Fortunately, there are several ways to identify whether or not those nudges you feel are your intuition. There are also a variety of tools available to you to dive deeper into your intuitive nudges, which can help you learn how to trust your intuition.  

As a highly sensitive empath, discerning my intuition from other people’s energy, fear, or ego, is something I’ve become quite good at. I’m going to share five of my favorite ways to learn how to trust your intuitive nudges when you receive them once and for all!

1. GET QUIET

Quieting your mind is the first and most important step for tuning into your intuitive nudges. If you receive an intuitive nudge, get quiet, close your eyes (if it’s safe), and focus on your breath. This is one of the fastest and easiest ways to ensure that your intuitive nudge is coming from your intuition, not from fear or ego. This doesn’t need to be a full-on meditation session, just take 20-30 seconds to go inward and quiet your mind. If you do this, and you’re still getting the same intuitive nudge, trust it!

2. GET INTO YOUR BODY

As an empath, I know that I can pick up the feelings of other people easily, which can interfere with my intuition. For example, if I’m around someone having a hard time, I might feel the urge to overstep my boundaries to help them out. Initially, I might think this is my intuition telling me to be kind, and sometimes it is. Other times it’s just the energy I’ve picked up from the other person. This is where going inward and tuning into my body can help. 

If there’s one thing I know for sure, it’s how my intuition vs. other people’s energy feels in my body. This will be different for everyone, so this is something you will need to experiment with! For me, if I go inward, my intuition feels like a pleasant warming sensation in my heart center. If I have an intuitive nudge that is based on someone else’s need that might not be for our higher good, the energy will often reside in my stomach and feel more frantic. As I said, the way that you feel your intuition in your body may vary from mine. The next time you’re faced with a decision, get quiet and tune into your body. Notice where you feel it in your body. Start doing this every time you use your intuition so you can begin to trust your intuition based on how it feels in your body. 

3. WAIT FOR MORE

I’ve found that if I don’t listen to my intuition or am unsure of the nudges I’m receiving that the universe always makes itself known! For me, this often turns up as thinking or feeling the intuitive nudge often if I ignored it the first time. The other way this shows up for me is numeric messages. For example, I might start seeing 11:11 or 1:11 every time I look at the time. If you’re unsure about the intuitive hit you received, give it some time and see if spirit has more to say. As I said, if it’s crucial, spirit will definitely continue sending you intuitive nudges! 

4. RECRUIT PSYCHIC TOOLS

There are so many amazing tools available to work with your intuition! Oracle cards, tarot cards, pendulums, and scrying are a few of my favorites. If I have a question for my intuition that I’m feeling a little unclear about, I always recruit some psychic tools. Think of psychic tools as another way for your intuition or spirit to talk to you. If you’re seeking guidance about something that’s very painful or difficult, it might be challenging to sift through your intuitive nudges and ego. This is a great time to rely on psychic tools. I suggest trying all of the techniques mentioned above. If you try everything above, you can pull an oracle or tarot card to see if it helps clear up any questions you may have. 

Featured card from The Ritual Deck. 

5. CALL ON YOUR GUIDES

As you’re learning how to trust your intuition, you may find it helpful to ask your spirit guides or anyone you work with on the other side, to show you a sign when you’re on the right track. Asking your guides for signs along the way can make trusting your intuition feel a lot easier, and take out the guesswork. 

Anytime you’re working with your guides, you must be clear about what you want. I suggest asking for a very specific sign, so you know it’s your guides. For example, when I ask for signs, I might ask for a white feather to appear at some point in the day or a specific numeric pattern. Once you receive your sign you can trust your intuitive nudges 100% and know that you’re in an intuitive flow. Read more about working with your spirit guides here.

I hope these tips help you feel more empowered to work with and trust your intuition! Learn more about honing your intuition in this blog post about the third eye chakra.

Understanding Waxing VS Waning Lunar Energy + How They Relate to Full Moons

The moon’s influence over the tides serves as a constant reminder of its continuous push and pull of energy. Each phase of the moon imparts a specific kind of energy onto you and any magickal workings you perform. When we zoom out and take a more straightforward look at lunar energy, we can understand it as expansive vs. contracting energy.

I’ve been sharing an annual moon phase calendar with my newsletter subscribers for the past five years. One of the most common questions I receive is how to use the moon phase calendar. This simplest and most effective way, in my belief, is to weave the waxing and waning energy of the phases into your life. 

It can feel overwhelming to keep track of every single moon phase and its ever-changing astrological sign. Working with each phase (new, waxing crescent, first quarter, waxing gibbous, etc.) is more nuanced but isn’t necessary to fully benefit from the effects of lunar energy. 

In a busy world where self-care is shouted from the rooftops, shouldn’t we be finding ways to connect with ourselves and nature in easier ways? Rather than skipping the ritual or the meditation because it seems like "too much"” I want to offer you easy methods to honor lunar energy. 

Cards featured from The Ritual Deck.

Waxing Energy Vs. Waning Energy

When we break down lunar energy into its purest forms, we have waxing energy and waning energy. Waxing energy is in alignment with growth, expansion, and abundance. Waning energy is in alignment with releasing, surrendering, and resting. 

When does the waxing phase happen?

The waxing phase of the moon cycle begins at the new moon and ends at the peak of the moon’s fullness. 

When does the waning phase happen?

The waning phase begins the moment the moon starts decreasing in light and ends at the dark moon. If you’d like some clarity about the dark moon vs. the new moon, check out this previous blog post I shared. 

Waxing Moon Energy Correspondences

• Elements: Fire and Air

• Yang 

• Action

• Growth

• Abundance 

• Celebration

• Accumulation

• Seeking

• Motivation

WaningMoon Energy Correspondences

• Elements: Water and Earth

• Yin

• Passive

• Releasing

• Letting go

• Surrender

• Acceptance

• Peace

• Review

• Integration

• Reflection

• Rest

Working With Waxing & Waning Energy Daily

Once you begin working with the phases of the moon in this way, you’ll likely feel more in tune with her energy. Rather than looking up the specific dates for each new moon and full moon, you’ll be in flow with the entire cycle of mama moon. You may begin to feel so in sync with her energy that you instinctively recognize waxing vs. waning energy on a soul level. 

In my practice, I rely on the energy of the waxing or waning moon for basic decisions throughout my day. Throughout my day, I may decide to do or not do certain things based on the moon being in a waxing or waning phase. 

Aid in Decision Making 

When faced with the decision to push forward or let it go, notice what moon phase you’re in for guidance. If you’re in a waxing phase, push on; if you’re in a waning phase, consider letting it go. This idea can be applied to interactions with people, manifesting work, and projects. Of course, there are times when you may not have the option to “let go” of a project that genuinely needs to get finished. If you’re in a waning moon phase and really need to complete something, you can still make a mental shift to let go of expectations and desired outcomes. It’s a subtle but powerful shift.

Burning Candles

Candle magick is one of the easiest ways to shift your energy. When you align it with lunar energy, it is even more potent. When I say “candle magick” in regards to daily energy work, I simply mean lighting a colored candle that’s in alignment with lunar energy, that’s it!

Candle colors that align with waxing energy: white, red, yellow, orange, green, gold

Candle colors that align with waning energy: black, blue, purple, pink, brown, silver

Here’s an example of how to apply this to a real-life situation. If you’re trying to bring more financial abundance into your life and it’s a waxing moon phase, light a green candle to expand your wealth, if it’s a waning moon phase, light a blue candle to bring in a sense of peace and acceptance around your desire to increase your financial abundance. 

Adding and Clearing Energy

When you get in tune with the cycle of the moon, you may find that you enjoy cleansing the energy of yourself and your space more during the waning moon phase. Because the energy of the waning moon is associated with releasing, clearing, and letting go, it will amplify your desires to cleanse and purify. Alternatively, if you feel the need to add energy to yourself or your space, the waxing moon phase will be in better alignment. 

Wearing specific crystals

One of my favorite ways to stay in sync with waxing and waning energy is to wear specific gemstones that are in alignment with the current energy of the moon. Here's a list of crystals that align with waxing vs. waning energy.

Waxing Moon Crystals: citrine, tiger's eye, green moss agate, sunstone, pyrite, sodalite, lapis lazuli, green aventurine, garnet, rainbow moonstone, turquoise, fluorite, kyanite, carnelian, and malachite.

Waning Moon Crystals: obsidian, snowflake obsidian, hematite, black tourmaline, rose quartz, smoky quartz, rhodonite, prehnite, larimar, black moonstone, onyx, jasper, labradorite, and bloodstone.

Full Moons & Waxing and Waning Energy

The different energy associated with the waxing vs. the waning phases of the moon is especially relevant for the full moon. The full moon is the most intense point of the lunar cycle, so understanding the waning vs. the waxing side of it is really helpful! The full moon can be broken down into three parts, waxing side of the full moon, 100% lumination (which only happens for about one minute!), and waning side of the full moon. If you are going to perform a more in-depth ritual, knowing which side of the full moon to perform it on will add a very intense and specific kind of energy to your ritual. 

I hope this breakdown of waxing vs. waning lunar energy helps you feel more confident in your ability to connect with the moon daily! You can find more in-depth rituals to work with lunar energy in the blog posts below:

• How to Journal with the Moon Phases + 10 Journal Prompts

• Meditations for Each Moon Phase + Free Guided Meditation

• 4 Rituals for the Waning Moon + Card Spread

• Rituals for Every Moon Phase // Free Printable Moon Cards

• New Moon Card Spread

• Yoga, Mantra, Pranayama for the Full Moon

• More Full Moon Suggestions

• Three Dark Moon Rituals

3 Rituals for Letting Go

What is your relationship with letting go?

Ritual and magical practice can help us with more than manifesting, attracting, and calling in. It can also help us shed, let go, and transform ourselves and parts of our lives. The winter season invites us to incubate, release, and hibernate. It is an ideal time for release work (as well as the fall!). The phases of the moon that correspond to release are all the waning phases - the waning gibbous moon, the last quarter moon, the waning crescent moon, and the dark moon. Learn more about the phases of the moon with The Ritual Deck (pictured below.)

Before we get into the rituals, I also want to add that we can put a lot of pressure on ourselves to let go of things, and I want to honor that letting go can be really hard. Especially if what we’re letting go of has been something we have loved and cherished but is no longer a fit, feels comfortable, and/or feels safe. 

So please, be gentle with yourself, be kind to yourself, and let release happen on your own timeline. 

Keep scrolling to find a few rituals to support you in letting go.

MOON RITUAL FOR LETTING GO

Our sweet, gorgeous moon is more than just an archetype, a deity, or energy. She is a real living body just like the Earth that we can go outside and look at, connect with, and talk to. I think sometimes we forget this but this is one of my favorite practices! 

This is ideal to do when the moon is in its waning phases but still visible (so not the dark moon). 

For this ritual, what you’ll need is yourself, an offering for the moon, and clarity on what you’re releasing. Your offering could be anything - a plate of your dinner, a glass of water, a branch, a flower, a drawing, a song - let your intuition guide you and go with what feels right. 

When you have your offering, it’s ideal to go outside and sit or stand under the moon. If it’s really cold out or you don’t have space outdoors to do this, you can also sit by a window - that works just as well! 

Take some time to center and ground yourself, entering a ritual space. Turn your gaze to the moon, ask to connect with her, and share your offering with her. Spend some time gazing at her and share your offering with her in whatever way feels good to you.

When you’re ready, tell her what you’re desiring to release. Ask for her help letting go. Sit in meditation, drawing down her energy and light through your crown and your whole body, letting this energy fill you up and either help you release whatever you’re desiring to release internally (blocks, fears, internal limits, ways of talking to self, etc), or charge you with the courage and power to release externally (a relationship, a job, a situation, project, etc.). 

When you feel the energy shift, you know you’re finished! Thank the moon, ground yourself again, and spend some time journaling and processing afterward. 

TAROT OR ORACLE SPREAD FOR LETTING GO

For this ritual, you’ll need your tarot or oracle deck and journal. Take some time to create a ritual space, whatever that means to you, and ground yourself before working with your cards. Set the intention to communicate with your highest self, spirit guides, ancestors, intuition, or any other deities or beings you had a relationship with.

Once you’re fully present, shuffle your deck and pull cards for the following questions:

1. What do I need to let go of at this time?

2. Why do I need to let go?

3. What is on the other side of this release?

4. Supportive energies to connect with to help me let go.

Take your time with each card, really letting its messages move through you. I find it incredibly helpful to either meditate with my cards or journal about each card and what the spread means to me. I always get more information and a deeper understanding this way.

When you feel complete, it could be nice to add the cards to your altar - particularly the first and third cards - to support you throughout the release. 

CANDLE MAGICK FOR LETTING GO

I love working with fire in spells and rituals, so naturally, I love candle magick! Fire is such a powerful element with its ability to transform and transmute - think of how fire turn logs into ash. It helps things change shape, die, and transform. 

For this spell, you’ll need a black candle, a tarot card or oracle card representing what you’re releasing, and a safety pin to carve your candle.

Start by grounding yourself and casting your circle. Call in any supportive deities, guides, or other beings you have a connection with to join your circle and help you.

Next, you’ll want to intentionally choose the card from your deck that most represents what you’re releasing at this time. Take your time with this and really make sure you’re clear on what you’re desiring to release.

Once you have your card, it’s time to carve your candle. Carve into your candle any words and/or symbols that represent letting go to you. For example, I like to carve the glyph for Pluto into my candles when I work with releasing spells. Pluto represents change, rebirth, and transformation. Symbols and words work best when they’re personal to you, so don’t worry as much about the technical meaning and just intuitively choose what feels right to you!

Once your candle is ready, set it up with your card under it and take a few deep breaths. Speak your intention aloud as you light your candle, saying, “As I light this candle, I release X.” You might like to spend some time gazing into the candle flame as you focus on this intention.

Then, it’s time to raise energy. You can raise energy however feels good to you - you might chant, sing, dance, do breathwork, or use any other tool that feels good to you. As your candle burns, you are raising energy in order to support this release.

When you feel the energy is at its peak, direct it with your intention towards releasing whatever it is you are releasing from your body, from your life. 

When you feel complete, ground yourself again. Let the candle burn all the way down, thank any beings who joined you to help facilitate this release, and re-open your circle. Spend some time processing in your journal afterward, writing down what came up for you and what you felt.

Full Moon High Priestess Mist

The High Priestess is the archetype in the tarot’s major arcana, who reminds us that we have all the answers we need within us. Ruled by the moon and associated with the triple goddess, divine feminine, and the story of Persephone’s descent into the underworld, the High Priestess, brings us deep within to awaken our connection to our wisdom and intuition.

I love working with tarot archetypes in different ways, and one of those ways is by making mists. In this post, I’ll be sharing how to create a High Priestess mist to connect you to your intuition - a connection that is your birthright. High Priestess card from The Starchild Tarot.

High Priestess card from The Starchild Tarot.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

• A spray bottle

• Small tumbled crystal chips of amethyst or another stone you intuitively connect the High Priestess to (note that some stones dissolve or lose their luster in water) 

• Water charged under the full moon

• Witch hazel 

• Essential oils of frankincense, clary sage, and/or sandalwood 

HOW TO MAKE YOUR MIST

The ingredient that may or may not take the longest to get (depending on where the moon is as you’re reading this!) is water charged under the full moon. I recommend charging your water on the night before the moon is technically full - so for example, if the moon is full at 8:30 am on Saturday, charge your water on Friday night, not Saturday night. 

All you need to do to charge your water is to place a bowl or glass of water under the full moon and leave it out overnight. Place some amethyst in your water if you'd like, but it's totally optional. You can drink your excess water or use it in rituals and spells! 

Once you have your full moon water, I recommend creating this spray on the day of the full moon. Here are your steps:

1. Fill half the bottle with witch hazel 

2. Add 25-30 drops of essential oils (if using multiple oils, split up the drops according to whatever scents you prefer!)

3. Add your crystal chips

4. Fill the rest of the bottle with the full moon charged water

5. Close the bottle and shake!

If you’d like, it can be nice to spend a little time meditating with the mist to set intentions for it to connect you with the High Priestess within you. Use the mist before doing divination work to infuse your space with High Priestess Energy, before meditation, and in ritual and spellwork around intuition.

Let your intuition inspire your use and enjoy! Click here to share your mist with us on Instagram. 

Vibrational Healing 101

What sounds are part of your daily life?

For many of us, those sounds may be things like cars honking, sirens blaring, alarms and timers beeping, and music on the radio. 

Those sounds can be incredibly harsh on our nervous systems. Think about it: how do you feel when you hear a horn honking or a siren blaring? Startled, anxious, on edge, heightened, nervous? 

Most of the sounds we hear on a daily basis aren’t soothing or healing, and many of them are also inevitable. Many of these noises simply go along with living a modern life. But that’s where sound healing comes in as an incredibly helpful tool for resetting the nervous system and realigning our energy centers.

Keep scrolling to learn more about some of the science behind sound, the benefits of sound healing, and ways to weave sound healing into your life each day.

WHAT IS VIBRATIONAL HEALING?

Vibrational healing, also called, sound healing, frequency healing, or vibrational medicine, uses the vibration of objects that resonate (such as bowls, tuning forks, gongs, and other instruments) as well as the human voice to soothe the body and mind, access a deeper state of meditation, and stimulate healing. Sound healing is definitely having a moment right now, but it’s far from new. Cultures around the world have used sound for healing for centuries.

THE SCIENCE OF SOUND

An article for the New York Times shares this:

“…Healers, sometimes called sounders, argue that sound can have physiological effects because its vibrations are not merely heard but also felt. And vibrations, they say, can lower heart rate variability, relax brain wave patterns and reduce respiratory rates.

When the heart rate is relatively steady, and breathing is deep and slow, stress hormones decrease, said Dr. Mitchell L. Gaynor, an oncologist and clinical assistant professor of medicine at Weill Medical College of Cornell University in New York and the author of "The Healing Power of Sound." That is significant, he said, because stress can depress every aspect of the immune system, "including those that protect us against flu and against cancer.”

A study where participants received about 35 minutes of sound therapy (some in person, and some via an online recording) found that “Statistically significant, highly significant and extremely significant data was produced in the domains of Physical Relaxation, Imagery, Ineffability, Transcendence of Time and Space, Positive Mood, Insightfulness, Disembodiment and Unity across both live and recorded studies.”

There is also some fascinating research being done about the power of sound to help us access alpha brain waves, the brain waves associated with daydreaming, mindfulness, and meditation. Alpha waves, according to studies conducted by neuro-electric therapy engineers Dr. Margaret Patterson and Dr. Ifor Capel, boost the production of serotonin in the body.

There aren’t a ton of studies available, but as you can see research has been done and hopefully will continue to be done to explore the science behind sound healing.

THE BENEFITS OF SOUND HEALING

Some of the benefits of sound healing can include: 

• Access a deep state of meditation

• Relief of physical pain 

• Lowering stress

• Soothe anxiety 

• Decrease in mood swings

• Improved sleep

• Improved creativity

• Heightened self-awareness

Personally, I find sound healing to be incredibly relaxing and heart-opening. It helps me connect with my intuition, open my heart, and access a deeper meditative state. It definitely helps me release stress and relax as well, letting my body truly restore itself. 

HOW TO WEAVE SOUND HEALING INTO YOUR LIFE

Now that you know how amazing sound healing is for you, how can you weave sound healing into your life? Here are a few ways:

• Meditate with sound frequency meditations on Spotify - here and here are a few sound healing playlists I like 

• Buy a singing bowl and play it for yourself

• Attend a local sound healing event in your area - often called a sound bath or sound meditation

• Listen to binaural beats, music that specifically works to generate alpha waves

• Chanting OM

• Buy tuning forks and use them at home 

• Vocal toning to open your chakras (this website shares a simple vocal toning practice)

Have you tried sound healing? If you haven't, I hope you now feel inspired to give it a try!

Water - The Living Liquid Crystal

In every culture throughout history, water has been worshipped and revered. Water plays a starring role in creation stories and ritual customs from every indigenous tribe and even features in ceremonial practices from every organized religion as well. She plays a vital role in every aspect of spiritual life from birth to death.

And throughout all these many practices in all these many cultures throughout the ages, we see a similar theme echoed: People treated water as an intermediary between the human and the Divine. Whether sending prayers upon her, using her to cleanse their spirits, or asking her for wisdom through water divination (aka hydromancy), there’s always an understanding that water acts as a go-between for this world and the heavenly realms.

So here’s the question… did ancients use the messenger (liquid water) to represent the unseen sender of the message (The Divine)?

This concept of water as a mediator is as old as time. But how would it work?

To answer this, we can look to both ancient myths and modern science.

For the Kogi people of Colombia, for example, water is the origin of reality. For them, the structure of the world is sustained by water - every river, runoff, and raindrop maintains the world. Kogi know that within water is the metaphysical blueprint of existence, it holds the map of reality. All “worlds” of reality, from dreams to the structures of daily life, to psychic visions in medicine journeys, all are maintained by water.

This makes a lot of sense when you consider that water is actually holographic in nature. The internal arrangement of her molecules can imprint, store, and transmit information faster than the speed of light. Encoded in every cluster of water molecules is a record of everything that water has experienced. In fact, water is like a sensory organ of Mother Earth - she feels and remembers everything.

“A drop of water, if it could write out its own history, would explain the universe to us.”– Lucy Larcom

The Maori word for water is Wai which also means remembrance. Water stores the memory of all that has ever been or will be. They say water remembers its journeys through space and time, among the stars, and into the many places in earth's body. And they consider the Ocean to be a planetary scale crystal.

And in fact, much like a quartz crystal, water molecules join together in hexagonally structured matrices. But unlike quartz, the matrix is flexible and moves independently, as it’s not glued together by protons. And just like a crystal, structured water can store and amplify electromagnetic frequencies. But not all water has structure. In fact, most water we encounter is incredibly chaotic and unstructured. In fact, the difference between bulk vs. crystalline water is so extreme, that even though they both appear to be clear liquid, they are considered two different phases of water! As molecularly different as ice and vapor. But to the naked eye, they are identical.

Dr. Rustam Roy, one of the world’s foremost water experts, explained it like this: Molecular structure is like the alphabet of water.  Molecules are like letters. When water is unstructured, aka “bulk” water, it’s a nonsensical jumble of letters, and the hydrogen bonds form and break apart billions of times per second! So there’s no time for them to snuggle up and talk to each other. But if the water is structured, the letters fit together. And depending on how they're arranged (just like with the alphabet) they can carry an infinite amount of information. So is water’s structure, the alphabet for communicating to and from etheric realms?

Each water molecule has 440,000 panels on it that each sense, store and transmit information. So when molecules form a crystalline pattern, water transforms from a random liquid into a sentient and sensitive Being.

It’s sensitive to even the most subtle visual and auditory stimuli, electromagnetic frequencies, even astronomical events. In fact, besides being wet, maybe the most recognizable quality of water is its ability to transmit waves. Sound travels four times faster in water than in air. And water can communicate across vast distances, faster than the speed of light, it’s called Quantum Coherence. When it's structured, the hydrogen bonds form long tunnels that channel protons through, it's called jump conduction and it literally allows water to communicate, just as the ancients all agreed.Interestingly, Russian researchers have found that the MOST influential factor in shaping water’s structure is human emotion. While water does respond to sights and sounds, it will respond to human emotion more quickly and powerfully than anything else.

Consider the experience of thoughts and emotions - they are a cascade of electrical signals, neurochemical hormones and neurotransmitters with electromagnetic signatures. As Dr. Joe Dispenza says, thoughts are electrical and emotions are magnetic. And every one of these electromagnetic signals resonates with your body waters. Water is a powerful conductor of vibration, and your body water is constantly conducting the energy of your Being. It is resonating to the frequency of YOU, and you are patterning the crystalline structures of your body water with every thought, word, and emotion.

You are a body of water. Not just any water, but highly structured crystalline water. Your body contains vortices that spiral and structure the water within you. We’ve all heard that we’re 70% water, and that’s true by volume. But molecularly, you are 99% water molecules!

So what does this mean, biologically and spiritually? If crystalline water is the mediator between heaven and earth, between etheric and physical, then what does that imply about the greater purpose of your perfect and divine-human form?Your cerebrospinal fluid is some of the most structured water in your body, and it spirals along your spine from your crown to your root once every 12 hours. Along the way, the pattern of the molecules become imprinted by the electromagnetic frequencies of your 7 main nerve plexuses, located right where the ancient yogic texts describe chakras of coiled energy. Perhaps this is why Paramahansa Yogananda said that the spine is the highway to the infinite because your cerebrospinal fluid is a conduit to divinity. This rhythmic pulse of crystalline body water culminates in the center of your brain, bathing your pineal gland in a concentrated broth of electrically conductivity, resonating with all the vibrational information it gathered along its journey through your energy centers. Your pineal gland is the seat of intuition and clairvoyance, often considered the third eye. It even contains light receptors, just like your eyeballs do, so when it’s well hydrated it can perceive realms beyond what we typically see. So the health of your cerebrospinal waters are crucial for etheric connection and spiritual perception.

And your DNA is like a tightly wrapped electrical coil which is wound in upon itself in concentric vortexes just like an antenna. Each DNA coil is surrounded by a pocket of extremely structured water, with enormously strong hydrogen bonds. This water and, in turn, your DNA, receives vibrational patterning for your continued evolution when the surrounding water is healthy. A drop in your level of dehydration can even cause a shift in the integrity of the DNA helix spine. You want to stay hydrated with the highest quality water so your helixes can stay tightly twisted, keeping your genes young!

So if, as so many ancient cultures believed, water is a mediator between etheric and worldly realms and your body is 99% water, then your body is actually a portal between heaven and Earth! And it seems, from the latest research, that vibration moves in both directions, from water to ether, and also from ether to water. In other words, water mediates the vibrational transfer of energy between seen and unseen realities, carrying messages from the physical to the nonphysical and from the nonphysical to the physical. In this way, water is the key medium of manifestation. It’s how the Divine Blueprint becomes manifest into earthly life. And when we understand this process, we can become more powerful creators in our own rights, by working with the creative capacities of water in manifesting our reality. Water is the driving force behind the Law of Attraction and the Biology of Belief. It is the dwelling place of consciousness, as well as the tool with which consciousness acts upon the world.

“Water occupies A median position between the earth and the universe and is the port of entry through which cosmic peripheral forces pass into the earthly realm. Is it not this wisdom itself that has created the element of water, a tool for its own activity? The laws of the Etheric world are mirrored in the world of water and they carry on a constant creative dialogue“~ Theodor Schwenk

But not all water can mediate or communicate in this way. Because water is a living body, she can be healthy or sick, alive or dead. In many ancient traditions, living water was distinguished an extra-ordinary form of the liquid that imparts life, not just “ordinary“ water that sustains life.

The Mandaeans, for example, a gnostic sect indigenous to southern Iraq, say that Living water is the link between earth and what they call the world of “light“. They say only one 9th of water on the planet is living. The other 8/9ths they call black water and, while fine for mundane use, it can’t mediate between the two worlds. Only when black water is infused with living water can communication occur. Which aligns with modern research showing that adding a little structured water to bulk water will structure it, a property known as “epitaxy".

Harnessing its mysterious movements and crystalline properties can turn ordinary water into pure medicine. When we drink living, crystalline water, we not only get hydrated, we also become more resonant channels of vibration. We also nourish our pineal glands and keep our DNA young. Water may seem like the most simple and ubiquitous substance, but the truth is that she is the most complex and mysterious substance in the Universe! Inherent within the physics of water are the answers to the mystery of the mind/body/spirit connection, the laws of Karma, and the potential for enlightenment. Our ancestors knew this, and they passed along clues and stories as to the vast wisdom inherent in water. By following this trail of breadcrumbs, we can reclaim our birthright to thrive as bodies of water, living on a body of water. Learn more about my vision at waterislife.love.

Three Dark Moon Rituals

The dark moon is one of my personal favorite times of the cycle. It’s the last few days of the waning time of the cycle, when the moon continues to shrink and eventually disappears from the sky.

Different traditions honor the dark moon at different times. Personally, I honor the dark moon when you can’t see the moon at all in the sky--which is technically the new moon. Others honor the dark moon the last few days before the new moon. I recommend using your intuition and noticing how you feel during these days to understand when to honor the dark moon versus new moon.

So what is the dark moon all about?

The dark moon is our time for radical rest, for deep clearing and releasing, and turning within. This is the time to cancel plans, to do shadow work, to go to sleep early and wake up late, and to pull tarot or oracle cards to tune in to your inner voice.

Keep scrolling for a few rituals to consider working with at this time.

WATER SPELL FOR CLEARING

One of my favorite spells to work during the dark moon is this simple water spell. Water is a helpful element for cleansing and purification, and this spell works especially well when the dark moon is in a water sign--Pisces, Cancer, or Scorpio. You’ll need:

• A large glass of water

• A piece of paper and pen

To start, choose what you’re focusing on releasing. Maybe there are blocks to self-expression, fear of being rejected, shame around your path, or blocks to abundance. Once you’ve decided what you’re ready to release (you’re welcome to spend some time journaling on this to get clear), start making a list of all the limiting beliefs and stories that you hold associated with this block.For example, let’s say you’re working with clearing blocks to abundance. Your list might hold beliefs like:

• I can’t make money doing what I love

• People with money are jerks

• It’s wrong to have money when other people have so little, etc.

Keep letting the beliefs flow! I tend to fill up a whole page when I do this spell.

Once you have your list, it’s time to work the spell. Ground yourself, cast your circle, and pick up your list. You’re going to say the first belief out loud, starting with “I clear the belief that ________ from my body” and then taking a big sip of water. Pause and notice, feeling and visualizing the water moving through your body, cleansing this belief from your system on every level.

Repeat this for each belief on your list, taking your time and really feeling the beliefs move out of your body.

Card featured from The Ritual Deck

When you’re done, use the energy of your palms to charge your last sip of water with what you do want - abundance, healthy self-expression, creativity, etc. - and feel your whole body being charged with this intention by the power of the element of water.

Give thanks to water and the Universe for their help, ground yourself again and open your circle.

CANDLE MAGICK FOR RELEASING

For this spell, you’ll need:

• Black taper candle

• Carving tool like a sharp point crystal, toothpick, or athame

• Black tourmaline, smoky quartz, or petrified wood

• A simple oil like grapeseed or bergamot essential oil

• Rosemary

Start by cleansing all of your items for the spell. This can be done by wafting rosemary smoke over them or visualizing light cleansing them.

For this spell, you’ll be carving what you’re releasing into your candle as well as the glyph for Pluto, the planet that helps things die and be transformed. For your words, keep them simple and powerful by carving the basics of what you’re releasing like “fear” or “self-doubt.”

Anoint your candle with your oil and roll it in your dried rosemary. As you carve and anoint your candle, visualize your all of whatever you’re releasing - your fear or your self-doubt as in the example above - pouring into the candle.

Place your crystal(s) and candle on your altar, light your candle, and start meditating on the flame. Continue to visualize all that you’re releasing pouring into the candle, and watch as it burns and turns to smoke. Stay with this meditation until you feel a shift in your energy - until you really feel a release.

Let the candle burn out if you can or snuff out the candle and continue the same spell each night until the candle has burned completely.

SHADOW WORK TAROT OR ORACLE SPREAD

The dark moon is a deep invitation into shadow work.

What is shadow work?

Simply put, it’s an intentional exploration of our shadow side - the parts of ourselves that we reject, that we’re ashamed of, that we stuff down and hide. Click here to learn more about shadow work if you’re new to it!

For this ritual, you’ll want to create a ritual space - whatever that means to you. For me, it usually means cleansing my space with smoke beforehand, lighting incense, and lighting candles. Maybe you also like to take an essential oil bath beforehand, or sprinkle herbs in a circle around you.

All you’ll need for this ritual is:

• A journal and pen

• Your tarot or oracle cards

Spend a few moments grounding yourself, then shuffle your cards and pull a card for each of these questions:

• What part of my shadow is rising to the surface to be worked with?

• How has rejecting this part of myself manifested in my life?

• How can I show this part of myself more love and integrate it into my whole self?

Give yourself the gift of sitting with your cards after you pull them. Spend time meditating on your cards, journaling about them, or even painting with them to process and understand what their messages are for you.