5 Quick Tips to Improve Your Intuition

Intuition goes by many names: sixth sense, inner knowing, gut feeling. I’m sure you’ve had at least one experience when you “JUST knew.” Maybe it was a safety concern, a work issue, or about a relationship.

If you look back you probably didn’t say, “hey intuition, can you please give me some information about…” Nope. The insight came in a flash and you knew exactly what to do.

What if you could call on that flash of knowing anytime you wanted? This post will help you do that with 5 simple tips on how to improve your intuition. If you want to learn 3 daily actions you can do to support your intuition, check out Cassie's post.

Acknowledge Intuition Exists

It’s innate in everyone, so even if you don’t feel like you have it, know you do. Make a declaration like, “I have a clear and strong intuition,” and observe how your body adjusts.

Clear Some Clutter

Getting rid of junk in your house and mind will create space for new information. Seem overwhelming? Start with just one small area of your house. Try to keep that area neat and tidy (maybe it’s your nightstand or corner of your desk).

Mental and emotional stuff got you weighed down? Dump all that stuff onto paper. No need to analyze or ponder, just freely write down what you are feeling and all the tasks you have to finish. You’ll be amazed at how light you will feel.

Know Your Colors

Here’s a quick exercise to help you connect with your inner knowing. Try this before you get out of bed in the morning. Ask your intuition to give you a color for “yes.” Stay away from the traditional stop light green. That’s too easy. Ask for your individual color for “yes.” Maybe it’s a light orange, or a deep purple. Then ask for your color for “no.” Again, watch for another color aside from red. Maybe it’s grey or bright pink.

Sit with this new information for a few quiet moments and be open for it to appear throughout your day.

Start Small

Now that you have your colors, let’s see how you can use them in everyday scenarios! Your intuition is like a muscle, it likes to be worked out, but you can’t start lifting 100 pounds right away. So start with asking about what shirt you should wear, or which road to take to work. Ask for your “yes” or “no” colors. Go with it!

Trust

Your intuition will get clearer with time and patience. One thing to keep in mind is following your intuition doesn’t mean that life will always go the way you want.

Your intuition is serving as your guide for a deeper purpose for reasons you might not see. Maybe that bad traffic your intuition lead you into was to keep you from something worse. Maybe those “yes” shoes you tripped in means you’ll get to tell a funny story to a new person!

The most important step is to have fun! Don’t worry about getting it right or wrong. Your intuitive power is supposed to bring you closer to who you are, not stress you out.

Developing your inner knowing just takes a few minutes a day. Clear some clutter, use your colors, and trust in your developing “muscle.” Your intuition is the inner gift that keeps on giving so have fun listening to what it has to say! If you are looking to play with your intuition some more, check out my funny and in-your-face oracle cards at www.rebeldeck.com.

Set Your Intentions with DIY Spell Bottles

Looking for a powerful and portable way to bring your intentions to life? Spell bottles offer the perfect solution to having all of your favorite intention-setting tools in one attractive and portable place. I also love that, unlike charm bags, you can add liquids to your spell bottle much easier and they’re pretty to look at!

What is a Spell Bottle?

Spell bottles are simply a spell that has all of its contents enclosed in a bottle. I like to think of them as little portable altars! You can add energetic materials into a vial or a bottle that relate to the intention you’re working on and have a reminder in your purse, your car, your desk, or wherever you want.

Today, I’m going to give you three recipes to create your own spell bottles and all of the tools you’ll need to create your own recipes!

Here are the basics to getting started with spell bottles. Read on to see my recipes for spell bottles to help with intuition, abundance, and deflecting negative energy.

What you’ll need to create your own spell bottle:

• Glass bottle or vial with a lid or cork, can be small or large.

• Piece of paper and pen

• Herbs, crystal in a size that will fit in your bottle or vial, essential oils, symbols (optional), and anything else you feel moved to add to it.

Creating your spell bottle:

1. Gather any herbs, crystals, essential oils, symbols, or other items that will align with and attract your intention.

2. Cleanse your materials by the light of the moon, the sun, or with crystals used for cleansing.

3. Write your intention on a paper.

4. Meditate on your intention for a few moments.

5. As you add your materials to your spell bottle speak your intention allowed.

6. Close your spell bottle.

Once your spell bottle is closed, don’t open it again until your intention has come to fruition. Place your spell bottle where it makes the most sense to you. If it’s a spell bottle for deflecting negative energy at work, place it in your workspace. Once your intention has been fulfilled, you can read this blog post for some ideas of what to do when your spell is over.

Spell Bottle Recipes

You can use as much or as little of each of the ingredients as you’d like, it’s just important that they’re each represented. If I list more than one herb, crystal, or symbol you don’t have to use each one, but they do each serve a specific purpose. The intention written on the paper can be changed based on your specific needs, so feel free to change it.

Spell Bottle Charms

Improve Your Intuition Spell Bottle

• Herbs: Bay leaf and star anise

• Crystal:Amethyst

• Essential Oil: Frankincense

• Symbols:Third eye symbol

• Intention:Intuitive

Full Moon Energy Spell Bottle

• Herbs: Cinnamon and lavender

• Crystals:Moonstone, peridot, and citrine

• Essential Oil: Myrrh

• Symbols:Moon or Goddess symbol

• Intention:Abundant

Negative Energy Deflection Spell Bottle

• Herbs: Dill

• Crystals: Obsidian and hematite

• Essential Oil: Rose and lavender

• Symbols:Hamsa with evil eye

• Intention:Protected

4 Ways to Embrace Your Light for Litha

I’m sure you’ve heard of the Summer Solstice, but are you familiar with Litha? Litha is the pagan holiday that is celebrated on the Summer Solstice, also referred to as Midsummer. The Summer Solstice brings with it the longest day of the year when the sun appears to hang in the sky all day long reminding us of its life-giving light. Litha is all about embracing and celebrating this light.

This year Litha falls on Tuesday, June 20th. Invoke the energy of the sun and embrace your own radiance with these Litha inspired rituals.

Enjoy Some Solar Water

Harness the life-giving power of the sun in a solar water elixir. Place a covered clear glass cup or clear glass pitcher of water outside for five hours. Fresh fruit is often enjoyed during Litha, so feel free to add some slices of your favorite fruits into your water for a tasty addition. Drink and enjoy your solar water throughout the day in honor of Litha.

Bonus, some believe that soaking your water in the sunlight can give you a subtle energy boost, and have an ionizing and antimicrobial effect on your water. Though there’s no hard proof of these benefits, it’s certainly worth trying and won’t do you any harm.

Goddess Amaterasu “Beauty Bath” Ritual

“Amaterasu is here to tell you to bask in the radiance of your own beauty.” -Amy Sophia Marashinsky, The Goddess Oracle.

For the ultimate act of accepting your own light invite the Goddess Amaterasu into your day for Litha with this powerful “beauty bath” ritual from The Goddess Oracle:

All you need for this ritual is a mirror and the willingness to see your beauty.

Find a time and place when and where you will not be disturbed. Sit or lie comfortably with your spine straight. You may remove your clothes or do the ritual with your clothes on, whichever is appropriate for you. When you feel ready, take a deep breath and release it letting everything go . Then take four more deep breaths, focusing on the rhythm of your breathing. If at any time during this ritual you feel uncomfortable or are afraid of doing anything suggested, just take a deep breath, experience the feeling while continuing to breathe deeply, then slow down and continue at your own pace.

When you feel relaxed and ready, pick up the mirror. Look at your face. Just look. If judgments or criticisms come up acknowledge them, then let them go. Focus on the uniqueness that is you, reflected in your face. Look at your face and allow yourself to feel compassion, tenderness, acceptance, and love.

Next look at your eyes. Say to yourself: "My eyes are beautiful." Look at your nose and tell yourself: "My nose is beautiful." Then your forehead, cheeks, mouth/lips, teeth, ears, skin, bone structure. When you are finished enjoying the beauty of your face, go on to the rest of your body. When you have acknowledged your entire body, take a deep breath and look in the mirror. Tell yourself: "I (name) am beautiful." Say it over and over. Allow yourself to bathe in your appreciation of your own beauty, till you feel a tingle of appreciation and delight.

Love Spell Bottle

Many regard Litha as a time to honor the power of light over darkness, and the idea that love and light will always win. Litha is a time when marriages would often take place (and still is!), and is the perfect time to invoke some love magic. Any spells or rituals you hold on the Summer Solstice will be amplified in power.

I adore this love spell because it is easy and open-ended. It can be used for bringing more love of all kinds into your life.

Love Spell Bottle from Spell Crafts: Creating Magical Objects

You’ll need:

• Rose water

• Dried rose petals

• Dried lavender

• A glass vial or bottle (size of your choice)

Hold each of the dry ingredients in your hands before placing them in your vial and imbue them with love. Fill the rest of the bottle with rose water. Close the bottle, hold it against your chest and say these words:

Flowers drenched with love,
drench me with love.

When you’re finished, place your love spell vial in your bedroom.

Embrace Sunny Symbolism

Want a quick and easy way to honor your light and Litha? Place some of these sunny and powerful symbols on your altar, desk, or around the house.

• Fire element symbol or symbols of the sun

• Shells, or any other earthy bits that remind you of the summer sun

• Light a red, yellow, or orange candle to honor the sun

• Place fresh herbs and flowers out as a reminder of the gifts of the sun

• Light incense or diffuse EO’s containing lemon, pine, and/or myrrh

I also created an infographic for those of you who love visuals!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Cassie Uhl (@cassieuhl)

Embrace your light and honor your beauty so you can reflect it back into the world! I hope you found one or two tips to help you celebrate Litha and honor your light. Here in Arizona, we’re looking to top the day at 120°, though it seems fitting, I hope your Summer Solstice temperatures are a little more conducive to enjoying the outdoors! Find more rituals for Litha here and meditations for the Wheel of the Year here.

DIY Crystal Powder Uses

Need a good excuse to fit in some self-care and buy crystals? First and most important, you don’t need an excuse for either. Second, I’m going to go ahead and give you 3 really good reasons to invest in some serious self-care time and my new favorite use for crystal, crystal powders.

Wearing crystals is always nice, and I’m usually wearing a point crystal necklace or a gemstone ring that has a meaning behind it. Crystal powders can expand your crystal benefits even more by using them in body care products.

These products can come for pretty steep prices, but I’ve got three recipes to get you started with crystal powder products that will leave you some cash to spare.

Garnet Love Oil

Connect to your earthy sensual side with this garnet love oil. Red garnet is a great stone for promoting loving relationships, and has even been used in the past as a stone to attract a lover! Rub the oil into your skin for a sensual glow and delicious scent or use it as a massage oil.

What you’ll need:

• 1 oz. garnet powder, finely ground.

• 3-4 oz. sweet almond oil

• 6-8 drops of essential oil. Any of these will work wonderfully: Plant Guru’s “Love Potion,” rose, sandalwood, ylang ylang, and/or jasmine. I used “Love Potion” with a couple drops of rose oil, which made a heavenly combination!

• Small funnel or folded card stock to get your crystal powder in your bottle mess-free

• 3-5 oz. glass bottle

• Garnet chunks (optional, but, again super cute)

• Craft labels (optional)

Directions:

• Combine all of your ingredients into your vessel and give it a good shake.

• Apply oil to your skin fresh out of the shower or anytime you’re wanting to feel extra sexy! This blend is also an ideal sensual massage oil.

Quartz Body Scrub

Need some balancing? This scrub is for you. Quartz is the ultimate balancing stone so I love it for the body scrub. Click here if you want to learn more about the ultimate crystal. Scrub with intention as you visualize your chakras while receiving the energetic balancing from the quartz crystal, and a nice glow from the exfoliation!

What you’ll need:

• 1-2 oz. quartz, medium ground

• 10-15 oz. of organic cane sugar (amount can vary depending on how much quartz you intend to purchase and the size of your vessel)

• Coconut oil, enough to cover your sugar and quartz sand

• Essential oil of your choice (optional). I used Plant Guru’s “New Beginnings” for an uplifting and invigorating blend. Quartz is a balancing stone so any scent you want will work well for this one!

• Large glass vessel, I used a 16 oz. amber jar

• Kraft labels (optional)

Directions:

• Combine sugar and quartz powder, give it a good shake.

• Poor enough coconut oil in to cover the sugar and quartz.

• Add your EO’s and stir it up.

• Keep this concoction in your shower for an exfoliating glow and energetic balancing.

• Store in an airtight container.

Amethyst Foot Soak

Already love amethyst? Prepare to become obsessed with it.  This mix has stolen my heart! There are SO many amazing benefits to this combo. If this is your first time hearing about this amazing stone, click here to learn more. Some believe that amethyst can actually help remove toxins from the body. In fact, you can even purchase detoxifying foot pads with amethyst in them. I say, save your $$$ and use this recipe for a more cost-effective amethyst detox!

What you’ll need:

• 1 oz. amethyst powder, finely ground

• 1-3 oz. Himalayan salt, small to medium ground

• Amethyst chunks (optional, but super cute)

• Essential oil of your choice, I used lavender for this soak

• 2-5 oz. metal or glass container

• Craft labels (optional)

Directions:

• Combine all of the dry ingredients into your vessel and give them a good shake.

• Put 5-6 drops of the EO of your choice in your mix and give it another good shake.

• Create a rad label (optional).

• Add half of your amethyst foot soak into a large bowl of warm water and soak your feet in it for a minimum of 30 minutes.

• When you’re done, pat your feet dry rather than wiping them off or cleaning them off. This will leave some of the salt and amethyst residue on your feet for continued benefits.

• This mix will be good for 2-3 foot soaks, depending on how much salt you end up using. Keep it sealed in an airtight container while not in use.

I hope you found these recipes as delicious and cleansing as I did! One final note, some gemstones, like lapis, are toxic and are not appropriate for body care products! None of the crystals used in these DIYs are, but be safe and do your research before creating your own concoctions.

Cord Cutting a Ritual for Letting Go

What are you holding onto right now that you’re afraid to let go of? Is it a career that you thought was your life’s calling, something hurtful someone said to you, a relationship gone south, or your lack of control over a situation?

If you haven’t already been faced with one of these “letting go” hurdles, it’s likely you will at some point. The need to let go comes in all shapes and sizes throughout life and might be some of the hardest tasks you’ll face.

Why is it important to let go?

Holding on can take up a lot of unnecessary headspaces, leaving you anywhere but in the present moment. When you’re afraid to let go, it’s usually your ego that’s in control, and no one wants that! Refusing to let go means you’re also refusing to trust that you’ll be taken care of and that the universe does have a plan for you.

This week I’m breaking out my favorite ways to help you let go of whatever it is that’s holding you back from your highest potential. These rituals can be done on separate days or all together as one big ritual, your choice! Let’s get started.

Step 1: Burn Baby, Burn

Time to get out your candles and cauldron. The first step is to recognize what it is that you’re trying to let go of and become willing to work on it. A burning ritual can help make this decision more concrete for you.

You’ll need:

• Black and white candle. The white candle is for protective loving light and black candle is to help absorb negative energy, but any candle will work if you don’t have these colors available. Click here to learn more about candle magick.

• Pen and paper

• Cauldron or other fireproof vessels

• Optional: Frankincense EO or incense. Frankincense will help you center yourself and let go. I like using Plant Guru’s Meditation blend.

The best moon phase to perform this ritual is during a waning moon. Set aside some quiet time, and center yourself with as many deep breaths as you need to feel calm and present.

To get started, light both of your candles and incense, if you’re using it. Write what you need to let go of on a piece of paper. Light the paper with the flame of each candle and place it in your fireproof vessel. Watch and breathe as your paper burns, allow any feelings you have to come to the surface. This is also a great time to call upon any angels, deities, or energy you’d like to invite in to help you through this process.

When you feel like this part of the ritual is complete, thank any spiritual energies that you invited in and blow out your candles. You can leave this setup and the ashes of your burned paper out as long as you’d like as a reminder.

Step 2: Cord-Cutting Ceremony

This is my personal favorite ritual for letting go. I discovered it from The Goddess Oracle by Amy Sophia Marashinsky and is the suggested ritual when you receive the Lilith Goddess card.

You’ll need:

• String. Must be strong enough to be worn for a long period of time.

• Scissors

• Candles, incense, EO (optional and can be the same as above)

This ceremony should also be performed during a waning moon. it blends well into the first ritual and I recommend performing them in tandem, though they do not have to be. If you do start this ceremony separately from the above one, be sure to set aside time to quiet your mind and center yourself.

To begin this ritual, start by deciding where your cord should be tied on your body. You’ll want to tie the string somewhere that connects with what you’re letting go of. If what you’re letting go of has something to do with work and you use your hands you might decide to tie it around your wrist, if you’re walking away from something you could tie it around your ankle, if it has something to do with your creative center you could tie it around your belly.

As you tie your cord on your body say out loud what the cord represents and what it is you’re trying to let go of. Wear this cord for the rest of the moon cycle, or longer if you feel it is necessary, as a reminder of your commitment to let go. When you feel that you are ready to let go and cut the cord, prepare a quiet space to do so. Thank yourself for your commitment and willingness to be more present and let go.

Step 3: Visualize & Verbalize

During this process, you may find that your desire to hold on becomes even stronger. It’s normal and is usually your ego screaming at you to stay in control! Here are some tools to use to keep your ego in check through this process.

Voice and movement are powerful tools to reinforce your commitment to let go. Here are my favorite supportive tools to use:

• Woodchopper yoga pose with a loud “HA” exhale

• Lion’s pose

• Allow time to shake it out, dance it out, and/or yell it out

• Wear a reminder of your commitment to let go.

• Create a vision board of what your life would look like if you did let go, and place it somewhere you’ll see it regularly.

• Create a mantra about what you’re letting go of. Write it down somewhere and place it where you’ll see it regularly.

• Journal. Write out all of your fears associated with what you’re letting go of. I find that if I write out my fears and look at them, many of them are pretty silly and things I don’t have any control over in the first place.

• Above all, be gentle with yourself!

Letting go can be hard but I hope my offerings give you the tools you need to move forward in your healing journey. Sending you strength and peace through your process of letting go!

Protection Rituals for Travel

Getting away on an adventure is one of life’s greatest pleasures, but as much as we love it, traveling can be anxiety-inducing too. Setting intentions with rituals, symbolism, and crystals can be a powerful way to ground yourself before travel and offer a layer of protection.

There are so many uncontrollable situations when it comes to traveling, especially if you’re visiting a new place. I’ve got a list of rituals to offer peace and protection during any summertime travels you may have coming up! Read on to learn 4 protective tools for traveling.

Invoke Green Tara

Tara is an adored Buddhist Goddess that is portrayed in many colors, 21 to be exact, each with their own qualities. Green Tara, one of the more well-known of the 21, is your go-to Goddess for protection. She will help shield you from negative energy and soothe your fears and anxiety.

Invoke Green Tara’s protective energy by inviting her into your meditation, carrying around a card or image of her, or repeating her mantra, “Om Tare Tuttare Ture Soha,” (Ah-um Tah-ray Too-tah-ray Too-ray So-hah).

Protective Crystal & Stones

There is a multitude of protective gemstones, but some are better for traveling. Here’s my list of favorite crystals to keep in my bag, on my rearview mirror, on my finger, or around my neck while traveling.

Tiger Eye

This stone has long been used as one of the most powerful stones for protection and warding off evil. My favorite part about this stone is that it can bring confidence and a sense of security when going through anxiety-provoking situations. Tiger eye is perfect for wearing to act as a protective shield during travel.

vYellow Jasper

This stone is specifically helpful for traveling, mentally and physically. It is protective like tiger eye, but it also connects with your solar plexus chakra. The solar plexus chakra often becomes drained during travel, and yellow jasper is ideal for keeping the energy of your solar plexus balanced and energized. Place yellow jasper on your solar plexus chakra (in between your belly button and heart center) to balance and restore your will and power center.

Smoky Quartz

This is your stone for grounding and protecting any valuables as you travel. Put a piece of smoky quartz in your suitcase or purse to help guard them. Between flying and projecting fears about the unknowns during travel it’s easy to throw your root chakra out of balance. If you’re feeling detached from Mother Earth place a couple of smoky quartz pieces in each hand pointing down and take several deep breaths to restore your root chakra.

Wear a Protective Hamsa Hand Amulet

If you prefer to keep your crystals in your luggage or purse wearing a Hamsa Hand is beautiful and powerful alternative. The Hamsa Hand is perfect for traveling because it is said to see all things and ward off evil for the wearer. Beyond protection, the Hamsa Hand is also good for bringing good fortune, blessings, and strength.

The Hamsa Hand has roots in many cultures so its meaning will vary from person to person. Some believe that each of the fingers represents an element, the combination of these elements is said to change the flow of energy within the body and offer healing.

Whatever your beliefs are about this symbol, they all come back to protection!

Protection Magic Charm Bag

Charm bags are one of the easiest magical tools and great for travel because they’re small, powerful, and easy to create. I travel often and like to tuck away a protective charm bag somewhere in my luggage. During my most recent trip back home, I drew a Hamsa Hand on my charm bag for an extra layer of protection and it made it look extra fun!

To create your magic charm bag, put any combination of the following ingredients into your choice of bag color. As you place the items in the charm bag imagine a white shielding light enveloping you and your luggage. This is a perfect time to invoke Green Tara too! Place your charm bag in a suitcase, on your rearview mirror, or in your purse as you travel.

• Bag color: black, blue, or yellow

• Stones: Any of the stones listed above!

• Earth: Pointed shell, black and white feather, pine, acorns, cinnamon

• Amulet or Symbol: Hamsa Hand, Eye of Horus

Now you have all the tools you need to travel with confidence that you’re protected mind, body and spirit. Wishing you a summer full of new and magical experiences!