Understanding the 4 Elements & Using them to Shift Your Energy

The four elements, earth, air, fire, and water, are physical materials and energies that comprise the world around us. If you don't already work with the four elements in your practice, you've likely heard of them because they're rather tricky to avoid as so many spiritual practices refer to them in some way.

There are countless ways to deepen your relationship with the four elements and bring them into your practice. In this post, you'll learn a bit about the history of the four elements, common correspondences for them, how to work with them physically and energetically, calling them in for protection, and using them in your home or on your altar. 

I want to quickly touch on the element of Spirit because I'm sure some of you may be wondering if I'll discuss it as well! I will touch on the fifth element, often referred to as Spirit, aether, or Akasha, especially in the history section. However, I will save a deeper dive into the fifth element of Spirit for a post of its own. Much of this share will be dedicated to the four elements as I see them as slightly separate from Spirit and very foundational. 

Listen to this post on my podcast, Rooting into Wholeness here.

07 The 4 Elements & Using Them to Shift Your Energy

Rooting into Wholeness with Cassie Uhl

A brief view of history and the four elements

As usual, I do like to cover some history. I think it's an essential part of having a complete view of different spiritual practices. That said, I always research with an understanding that this history is rarely the whole picture, but rather one piece. This is especially true when you're reconstructing a spiritual path that's not clearly recorded, was attempted to be eradicated, or if you hold multiple cultural heritages (like many of us do!). 

The deeper I dive into my spiritual roots, the clearer it becomes that building a meaningful practice combines historical facts, inference, oral traditions passed down, and personal experience. Each of these pieces, in my opinion, serves a useful purpose while building a spiritual practice. Here's a very brief history of some of the earliest mentions of the four elements. 

One of the first written examples of the four elements comes from the Greek philosopher Empedocles in the fifth century BCE. Empedocles refers to them as the four roots and assigns each element or "root" to a Greek God or Goddess as follows, Hera with earth, Zeus with air, Aidoneus with fire, and Nestis with water (though there is some debate over this, this is the consensus.) The Gods and Goddesses Empedocles associated with each element is less important (to me) than the fact that he did associate them with Gods and Goddesses. Because Empedocles gave these elements spiritual significance by corresponding each with a God or Goddess, it indicates that he viewed them as having a deeper meaning than mere elements on a periodic table.

In Buddhist practices, we see the first written mention of the four (sometimes five) elements in the Pali Canon in 29 BCE. However, these were recorded based on oral history that had been previously passed down for possibly hundreds of years. We also have Vedic texts that speak to the five elements, or Pancha Bhootas, in Hinduism. These were first recorded in the Taittirīya Upanishad is unknown, but some think it could have been even earlier than Empedocles and predate Buddhist practices at around 500-600 BCE. If you've studied practices that have become more commonplace in the West, like Yoga or Ayurveda, these are the elements referred to in these practices. 

In all of these cases, I'm simply talking about the written records. I believe, as do others, that the four elements have been worked with and used by many pagan and indigenous practices long before the written evidence was created.

As far as Celtic practices, the four elements were likely not a part of their practice. The number three was sacred to the Celts, so the elements they honored were the land, sea, and sky, or earth, water, and air. In witchcraft and other earth-based practices, the four elements became much more commonplace with the introduction of Wicca in the 1970s, which relies heavily on the four elements (sometimes five.) 

Explore The Soul Discovery Journal for more on the elements

There's certainly reference to working with the four elements in pagan, shamanic, and indigenous practices worldwide. However, many of these practices have been passed down orally. 

Elen Sentier teaches and practices British Shamanism, or the "old ways," as she calls it, shares about the four elements concerning the world tree. She explains this below, in this excerpt from her book, Following the Deer Trods.

"The World Tree holds the vertical axis on which the three worlds spin (Upperworld, Middleworld, and Lowerworld.) The vertical axis is like the warp-threads in weaving; these are threads on which the pattern is woven. Middleworld holds the horizontal axis of the four elements. These are the weft threads that weave the pattern of life. 

The four elements - earth, air, fire, water - are the weft-threads. 

These two, the warp and the weft, are the basis of the duality which enables life to be."

This explanation from Elen Sentier is hardly the only reference to the four elements in earth-based spiritual practices. I'm confident that wherever your cultural roots lie, you will be able to find reference to three, four, or five elements there as well. This is where inference and personal experience come in. When we examine the written history, we have one piece of the puzzle; however, when we explore the personal experiences from those who've lived and experienced lines of knowledge passed down, we receive a different part of the puzzle. For example, even though I walk a Celtic and British path primarily, I choose to work with the four elements because they have been an integral part of my practice, through my introduction to them with Yogic philosophy but in my witchcraft and shamanic work as well. 

As always, work with what speaks to you, your experiences, and your heritage. Perhaps you prefer to work with three, four, or five elements. There are seeds of truth and wisdom in all of them. 

For this post, I will be focusing on the four elements through my unique lens of witchcraft and British earth-based spiritual practices. However, my introduction to the four elements was through my Yoga teacher training in 2012, which will color my unique lens. 

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The elements and correspondences 

Each element has a unique essence, which carries both positive and shadow attributes. No element is positive or negative, but rather a conglomerate of different energies. For example, we can see the soft and gentle flame of a candle or a roaring forest fire. Each has value and purpose. Each element also relates to a host of other energies and objects, called correspondences. Correspondences are energies that match and play well together. 

Once you understand how the four elements relate to other energies, it creates a strong foundation for understanding magical correspondences on a broader level. Explore an in depth exploration of the four directions and elements by journeying to them here.

Keep in mind. These are my beliefs based on my research and experiences. If something I share about an element doesn't fit into your practice or even goes directly against your practice, no worries, just leave it. As we already discussed in the history section, spiritual practices using the four elements span the globe, so differing opinions are bound to come about. 

Air card from The Ritual Deck.

Let's go through each element and discuss some of the most common meanings and correspondences for them. 

• Air relates to intellect, ideas, inspiration, and the mind. It corresponds with the East, the color yellow, the suit of swords in the tarot, the throat and heart space, wind, sound, smoke, smells, feathers, birds, and unseeable forces that influence our minds. In astrology, the three air signs are Gemini, Libra, and Aquarius. 

• Fire relates to transformation, action, power, and the ego. It corresponds with the South, the color red, the suit of wands in the tarot, the solar plexus area, flames, heat, candles, the phoenix, dance, and the destructive forces that ultimately encourage new growth. In astrology, the three fire signs are Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius. 

• Water relates to emotions, intuition, feelings, and the subconscious mind. It corresponds with the West, the color blue, the suit of cups in the tarot, the sacral area, springs, the ocean, tears, shells, aquatic animals, things in a liquid state like melting wax, and the forces that move us to feel so we can cleanse and heal. In astrology, the three water signs are Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces. 

• Earth relates to safety, protection, the material world, and the physical body. It corresponds with the North, the color green, the root space, dirt, trees, rocks, food, bones, ancestral wisdom, and the physical energies that support and sustain us. In astrology, the three earth signs are Taurus, Virgo, and Capricorn. 

I discuss this a lot in my Tarot Correspondences course and my new book, Understanding Tarot. As you can see, once you have a firm understanding of each of the elements, it will help you better understand Astrology, Tarot, and a host of other magickal practices. 

This is a peek into each element. We'll go deeper into each of these, their positive and shadow sides, different tools to connect with them, and wisdom from each in the following posts:

Water

Air

Earth

Fire

Let's move on to some ways to begin working with the four elements collectively. 

Connecting with the elements in the physical and energy body

As Elen Sentier stated in the excerpt from her book above, the four elements are the "weft threads that weave the pattern of life." The four elements affect each of us physically and energetically here in physical form. We can feel them in the body and connect with them in the subtle body.  

If you want to form a deeper relationship with the four elements, this is where I'd invite you to begin, connecting with them within your body. There are many ways to start doing this, and it will be an ongoing practice because our relationship with the elements is not fixed and is constantly evolving and growing.

Earth card from The Ritual Deck.

Here are three ways I've learned to deepen my relationship with the four elements. 

1. Notice the elements in the natural world and when you do, notice how they make you feel. For example, When I go on my regular walking meditations outside, this is one way that I tune in to the environment and the elements. I notice how the sun's heat feels on my skin. I notice the wind and any sounds it may be creating in the trees. I notice any water (which here in the desert is usually just the dew on the grass leftover from sprinklers). I notice the supportive earth beneath my feet. You can even imagine this in your mind right now. What feelings come up within you when you think about a stream vs. a fire? Each brings a different energy that is palpable within my mind's eye.  

2. Notice how the four elements come up within your physical body. When you experience different sensations in your body, can you associate them with a specific element? For example, I'm someone who becomes ungrounded and anxious easily. I know what anxiety and dysregulation in my nervous system feel like. My mind races, I get a tingling sensation in my neck, my hands and feet sometimes get tingly, and my breath becomes shorter and moves to the chest. These sensations can come up due to an event outside of me or me merely not making time to care for my body, mind, and Spirit. 

For me, I recognize this as an overabundance of air. Air corresponds with the thinking mind, intellect, and ideas. When I'm stuck in my head, and it's literally pulling me out of my body, I know I need to ground and bring in more earth. If I find myself in this place, I make sure to do things that bring in more of the earth element, like getting outside and feeling the support of the earth below my feet, or perhaps I meditate and visualize a connection to the earth. This is why my regular walking meditation practice is so imperative for me. Of course, this is not a cure-all nor an excuse to not seek out professional help. I've also relied on therapy and medication for my anxiety at different times in my life, but I find that a daily practice such as this helps support me in different ways.

Can you bring to mind some common emotions or sensations in your body? Perhaps you lean towards too much earth and often feel sluggish, tired, or heavy? Or, too much water, and you find yourself overly emotional and often in a puddle of tears. Or too much fire, which could feel like a need to be forceful or constantly doing. As I mentioned, each element is neither good nor bad. They each have both positive and shadow sides to work with and recognize. It's in finding a balance between them that we can move towards more equilibrium. 

Water card from The Ritual Deck.

3. There are also ways to work with the elements on an energetic level. This is great if you don't have access to elements you want to work with or do some healing work during meditation or journeying. 

I rely heavily on the four elements while working alongside clients for energy work. I see each element as an ally or helping Spirit to aid in giving each client what they need for healing. Of course, there are so many ways to do this for yourself as well. Here are some ways that I've learned over the years to work with each element energetically. 

For earth, one of my favorite grounding techniques is to imagine that beam of energy or even a root coming from the base of your spine and connecting with the energy of earth (you can do this outside for extra potent earth energy!) In energy work, I will often pull in earth and mud (energetically within my altered state of performing energy work) to place on top of people if their energy feels dysregulated or "buzzy."  

For air, I visualize air blowing around me and through my body. When performing energy work, I will sometimes blow air into certain parts of the body to clear or bring in more air. I also work with feathers similarly. 

For water, I love to visit and visualize sacred springs and work with the water for healing for myself or with my clients. Spring waters are one of the most common tools, next to earth, that I pour into parts of people's bodies to bring cleansing and healing. 

For fire, I love dance, either physically or even visualizing it. I'll imagine certain issues or things being burned up within me. I'm cautious with fire for energy work as it's so intense, so it's something I don't often use unless someone is very low energy. 

I encourage you to explore your relationship with each element through meditation or journey work to find ways to work with them that work for you. 

I hope this gives you some guidance to begin working with the elements both physically and energetically. As I mentioned, I will dedicate a post to each of these elements to explore each one on a deeper level. 

Spellwork and Protection with the Elements

The four elements are often used in both spellwork and protection. Let's discuss some ways to work with them in these ways. As we discussed, each element carries specific energy, and you can call upon those energies through the elements to better facilitate particular outcomes in spellwork. 

Fire card from The Ritual Deck.

Here are examples for each element. If you are conducting a spell to bring in mental clarity, the element of air would be appropriate, and you may want to incorporate feathers or plants that blow in the wind to honor air. Fire is your friend, and candle spellwork would be ideal if you are conducting a spell to energize you or facilitate a transformation. If you are performing spellwork to connect with your intuitive mind, bring some water into your spell by implementing water, shells, or aquatic materials. If you're working on manifesting something physical into your life, call upon the element of earth by working with stones, crystals, or earth objects to help bring about material possession. 

There are so many different items that correspond with each element, so you truly have a bounty of various tools when it comes to representing the elements in your spellwork. You could rely on different tarot cards, plants, crystals, Gods, Goddesses, etc., to bring in an element. If you're learning the correspondences for the elements, I designed my oracle card deck, The Ritual Deck, to be a learning tool specifically for this! Each card has a correspondence bar at the bottom that shows the corresponding element for each card/symbol. Beyond this deck, I also love "Llewellyn's Complete Correspondence Guide." It's a big book but one I think any witch or person who dabbles in spellwork should have!

When it comes to protection, I love working with the four elements! If you've ever had a session with me, you know that I begin each session with some drumming and invoke each of the four elements to create a sacred container for our work. I also do this mentally whenever I journey. In Wicca, this is often referred to as "Calling the Quarters." But, you certainly do not need to consider yourself a Wiccan to work with the elements in this way. Working with the elements in this way for protection is something we see in many earth-based and shamanic practices. 

To work with the elements in this way for protection, you can call in each element aloud or in your mind. It's common to start at the East with air, and move clockwise around the directions, Fire of the South, Water of the West, and Earth of the North. I like to visualize each element swooping in to create a barrier around me as I work. You could also place a physical representation of each element around you in this same order. 

In witchcraft, this is often referred to as casting a circle. However, there are many other ways to cast a circle, and you do not have to consider yourself a witch to use the elements in this way. The next time you feel like you need extra protection for spellwork, meditating, journeying, etc. I encourage you to try either of these techniques and notice how you feel. 

Using the four elements on altars and living spaces

One of the most common ways people work the elements into their practice is through an altar. This is another tool that we can see across cultures and traditions. It's a widespread practice to represent all four elements present on an altar for balance, protection and to show gratitude for each of the elements. We've touched on this a bit, but I'll share here some suggestions for ways to represent each element on your altar. 

Air: Feathers, images or sculptures of birds or flying insects, smoke, fans, herbs or plants that blow in the wind, any cards from the suit of swords in the tarot, the color yellow, labradorite, amethyst, musical instruments like singing bowls, chimes, rattles, drums, etc. 

Fire: Candles, burning charcoal, burning herbs, incense, lava rocks, obsidian, yellow jasper, any cards from the suit of wands in the tarot, a wand, phallic symbols, symbols, or images of the God (could be any God you're comfortable with.) 

Water: water, shells, images or sculptures of any aquatic animals, opal, moonstone, aquamarine, any cards from the suit of cups in the tarot, chalices, cauldrons, symbols of the Goddess (could be any Goddess you're comfortable with.)

Earth: stones, wood, plant material, living plants, herbs, symbols or sculptures of trees, petrified wood, the Greenman, Gaia (or any earth God or Goddess in your practice), any card from the suit of pentacles in the tarot, money, different metals. 

Some unique items can serve as all four (or five) of the elements. 

Smoke cleansing with a shell or chalice-shaped bowl can serve as a representation of all four elements. The shell or chalice shape represents water, the plant material represents earth, the burning herbs represent fire, and the smoke represents air. 

Candles are another one. The flame represents fire, the smoke represents air, the wick represents earth, and the melting wax represents water. I'm sure there are others that I'm not aware of or familiar with! 

You can modify these same suggestions for your altar to help balance the energy of your living space. For example, if you're going through a transition as a family unit, you may find it helpful to bring in some grounding elements to your home to offer you and your family a greater sense of safety and support. Alternatively, suppose you recently had a visitor in your home who left some unwelcome residual energy. In that case, you might benefit from bringing more of the air element through smoke cleansing, or simply opening the windows, to bring in an energetic fresh breeze, if you will. 

As you can see, there are so many meaningful and important ways to work with the four elements in your spiritual practice! 

I'd like to note one last thing, especially when discussing using items from the natural world, both physically and energetically, is to be reciprocal with these elemental energies. When you call on them, thank them for their assistance by taking a few quiet breaths and offering your thanks and gratitude. If you take items from nature, consider leaving an offering as a token of your appreciation. This can be simple, but it's important and can genuinely help you form a much deeper relationship with the elements and nature. 

If you enjoyed this share, I invite you to share it with someone else who may enjoy it as well. I'm excited to do deep dives into each of the elements soon!

In love and gratitude, Cassie

Befriending Discomfort & Transforming with Fire of the South

Summertime shifts us towards the south and the element of fire on our sacred seasonal wheel. The fire of the south offers a time of passion, growth, culmination, action, transformation, and, less frequently talked about, discomfort.

In this share, you'll learn more about the element of fire, some of the wisdom it has to offer, its connection to discomfort, common correspondences for south and fire, and three ways to engage in ritual and magic alongside fire. Before we dive in, let's explore the position of the south and fire on our seasonal wheel, and what it means.

Listen to this post on the podcast, here.

The South and Summer Solstice is the full moon of the year on our wheel of seasons, and the neighboring celebrations, Beltane and Lughnasadh, are the peek of the waxing and waning energy of the seasonal year. We live amidst fiery energy until we reach the Autumn Equinox and shift fully towards the West and the element of water.

campfire, bonfire by the sea, sunset

Astrologically, the Summer Solstice moves us into Cancer season and then later into Leo. The Summer Solstice and Cancer season alignment is one that confused me for a long time. I had difficulty seeing the connection between the water sign of Cancer, the south, and the element of fire. I recently listened to the Summer Solstice episode on Tarot for the Wild Soul by Lindsay Mack. She did a good job of breaking down these overlaps, especially in relation to the Chariot card, which is the card that corresponds with Cancer. 

The Chariot card offers a side of water that encourages action, movement, and being in the flow. The fire connected with this season inspires this Cancerian energy to come out of its safe and cozy crab shell and begin taking action, and tap into any wells of emotional energy you may be harboring as fuel. You can visualize the stagnant pond vs. the flowing stream as an example. It's like a marriage of water and fire. This season's fire forces us out of our comfort zone, and the water of Cancer season encourages us to be in a state of flow with all that arises and the discomfort of it all. It's a call to feel and act, act, and feel, and to not get stuck and stagnant amidst it all. 

The Chariot card featured from Journey Tarot . Water card featured from The Ritual Deck.

It makes me think of the famous quote by Anais Nin quote "And the day came when the risk to remain tight in the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom." These south-facing seasons are asking us to notice where we must come out of our shells and blossom in new ways. I don't know about you, but I have never gone through an easy or painless transformation. 

Every transformation has been uncomfortable in my spirituality, business, and relationships, but they've also been necessary, inspired growth, and made me a better person. And it will be like this on a collective level, which can feel scary and uncomfortable. The deep transformations we're facing require many of us to face and look at parts of ourselves we'd rather not look at and that, in many ways, we've been trained not to look at, especially folks in white bodies like myself. 

It may feel enticing to sink back into those still waters or the cozy crab shell, but the gifts of growth are calling each of us in unique ways needed to create the changes we need on an individual and collective level to create a more equitable and sustainable world. The element of fire is waiting to be called upon to assist. Because if we do not, the wildness of fire will, eventually, create the transformations that need to happen whether you're ready or not. Here’s a sweet message about the need for fire from the book, The Great Work by Tiffany Lazic.

Passion is the energy of fire that propels us toward that which activates our Spirit. In 

order to create any new thing, there needs to be a spark—something that leaps across 

the gap between the material and the ethereal, bringing the two together and 

transforming them both in the process. Fire is the motivator, both the soft flame that 

gently guides and the blinding conflagration that changes all in an instant.

The Great Work by Tiffany Lazic

How can what's dear to your heart be used as a spark to bring about transformation or change? This is a time to notice what's arising for you, your family, and your community. What is calling out for attention to be more closely examined with the light of a fire or burned up and transformed? Let's explore some of the wisdom fire has to offer us.

Wisdom of South and Fire

To understand the scope of fire, we must honor all of its faces and abilities. Like all of the elements, fire can nourish and destroy. It's easy to see the nourishment and the destruction of fire, especially in the summertime. The nourishing warmth of the sun inspires plants to grow and thrive. Fire is also the seat of the hearth and home because it offers us warmth and nourishment. Yet, we can also see the capacity for fast-acting destruction that fire holds, 

The multifaceted nature of fire is reflected in its corresponding colors, red and green. Red holds the energy of passion, intensity, and the ability to destroy and transform, while green holds the energy of nourishment and growth. Like all the elements, fire offers a spectrum of wisdom. It offers both destruction and sustenance.

Having been embedded in various spiritual spaces for over two decades, especially in white spaces, I can confidently say that there's a focus on the more "positive" aspects of fire like passion, growth, and action and far less on themes like destruction and discomfort. I'll be focusing on the latter for this section. Though destruction is often lumped into the "negative" side of the spectrum, it also has a lot of important gifts to offer. Destroying or burning up is a necessary part of the transformational process. We cannot transform without letting something fall away or die. Wrapped up in this process, for some of us, is a need to be with discomfort and build a greater capacity to hold discomfort. Fire can be the spark that inspires us to continue facing our discomfort and bolsters our ability to act alongside it. 

Transforming and Expanding Our Capacity for Discomfort 

As we move deeper into this conversation around expanding our capacity for discomfort, I want to share a quote from a little book I often reference, "The Sacred Wheel of Our Ancestors" by Roberta Lee. She is one of my mentor's mentors. 

Noon. The Summer Solstice. Heat all about us. The sun beating down upon our heads.  

Thirst. Fire. This is the place to come face to face with ourselves for sure. Modern 

society seems to be obsessed with comfort. And sacred suffering is feared and frowned 

upon. We all suffer. Let us not waste it by trying to avoid it… Let us not resist the heat, the hard 

times; let us embrace them and this time of year, this part of the Wheel, this part 

of Life and in doing so, we notice that the pain is abated and becomes our history and 

joins the other drops of water in our well of experience.

Roberta Lee, Sacred Wheel of 

our Ancestors

The fire of the south does not lie. It is truth at its core. It burns away and exposes us. It makes us naked and vulnerable and brings us face to face with our truths. It can be painful when you approach fire with a desire to transform. Like the frame of a house revealed after its exterior has been burned away, fire shows you what's on the inside. Each layer that is burned away offers different stories and wisdom. Stories and wisdom that beckon you to look at and feel everything on a soul level, the good, the ugly, and everything in between. Each layer gives more wisdom and fuel to transform. 

Herein lies much of the discomfort associated with fire, which is two-fold. First, we have the discomfort of being with, witnessing, and feeling the pain and the truth of what is no longer working or that you can no longer view as acceptable. The second, I'd argue, more illusive part of the discomfort brought about by fire is the discomfort of not knowing what's on the other side of a transformation. When we decide to return to ash from the fire, what happens next? What's on the other side?

I think collectively, we are sitting in a time of transformative fire, on the precipice of something new, but still unsure what it will look like and how exactly we will get there. So many of us, myself included, are feeling the intense discomfort of this time. Knowing deep down that more needs to happen, much faster to save ourselves, our more than human brothers and sisters, and the planet. 

It is uncomfortable to witness the suffering and to suffer right now. It is also uncomfortable not to know what's on the other side. We are in the throws of a significant and profound transformation. However, the not knowing, the mystery of where we're headed does bring one gift—a gift of unlimited possibilities. These limitless potentialities are part of this collective transformation bringing me a sense of peace and the fire to keep going. There are so many solutions, and outcomes are yet to be discovered. The unknown is uncomfortable, yes, but there's also hope there. 

Most transformations we embark upon are sparked by an unwillingness to allow a certain action or feeling to persist. As we collectively sit in the heat and discomfort of this time, I invite you to continue to sit with the discomfort while reserving space for all the unknown solutions and outcomes yet to unfold. I'd further invite you to continue working towards a more equitable and sustainable planet as that's where those unknown solutions and outcomes live. We won't know what's on the other side of this current transformation until we walk through it together. 

Fire element card featured from The Ritual Deck.

It's important to note here that the discomfort of this time has not been evenly dispersed. Large groups of people have been sitting in the discomfort of this transformational time since the onset of spreading patriarchy, imperialism, white supremacy, and capitalism. White-bodied folks, like myself, have been taught to avoid this discomfort, separate ourselves from it, and seek comfort at all costs, even at the expense of other's lives and our planet. In contrast, many BIPOC communities around the world have been forced to become comfortable living in discomfort. 

I want to take a moment to give credit to one of my teachers, Thérèse Cator, whom I had recently completed her course, Embodied Allyship. Comfort, discomfort, and nervous system regulation were big themes in the course. I want to credit her for how I've made many of these parallels between the element of fire and this time. 

What if the constant seeking of comfort is what's keeping you small, keeping you from growing, and keeping you disconnected from your power? I want to offer that it is. Sitting in discomfort builds resiliency, a kind of resiliency that many folks with black and brown bodies have been forced to build and that myself and fellow white-bodied kin have been lulled into avoiding. I'd argue that for many of us, our proximity to comfort is what's keeping so many silent and complacent. The transformation we're in is going to happen one way or another. We can sit back and let it happen, or we can work together to ensure that when we come out the other side, we'll be more equitable and sustainable. 

I'm not advocating that you should be a masochist. I'm advocating that we're in an opportunity calling us in, especially white-bodied folks, to build our capacity to hold more discomfort and bolster our resiliency. With that also comes a greater need to make space for joy and pleasure. We must become more comfortable being in discomfort and simultaneously recognize when we need to pause and step into joy and pleasure. We need to become the pendulum moving from side to side, not remaining stuck only in the comfort that keeps us small and tame. 

Some questions to consider and that I've also been sitting with.

• What's making you uncomfortable right now?

• What areas of discomfort have you been avoiding?

• What might that discomfort have to teach you?

• In what ways could you lean into play and pleasure more deeply to build your resiliency and explore your discomfort more deeply?

I will share some of the fire rituals I've been leaning on to help with this in the ritual section later in this share. Let's take some time exploring common correspondences for south and fire.

South Correspondences

Correspondences are ways to honor and invite in specific energy. They're also a way to layer in specific energies to spellwork and magical practices. Understanding common correspondences, or similar energy, gives you the tools to craft your own magic and rituals with fire and the cardinal direction south.

• Moon Phase: Full moon

• Phase of life: Motherhood / Adulthood

• Themes: Fulfillment, action, transformation, magic, confidence, strength, passion, discomfort

• Color: Red, green

• Element: Fire

• Time of Year: Summertime

• Time of day: Midday

• Energy center: Solar plexus

• Items and tools: fire, candles, wand, brass items, anything that personally represents fire or summertime for you

• Crystals: Sunstone, yellow jasper, red jasper, rutilated quartz, sodalite

• Plants: Rosemary, cinnamon, clove, ginger, sunflower, anything in bloom near you during summertime

• Tarot: Suit of Wands, the Sun card, Strength card

• Ogham: Hazel, Apple, Vine

• Runes: Sowilo, Wunjo

• Planets: Sun, Mars, Jupiter

• Zodiac: Aries, Leo, Sagittarius

Artwork featured from Zenned Out Guide Series by Cassie Uhl with Quarto Knows.

Rituals to Connect with South

Here are some ways to work with and honor fire in your spiritual practice. These are all tools and rituals that I've personally used or plan to and have found helpful. As always, take what you like and leave the rest. I'd also like to read an important reminder from the book The Path of Druidry by Penny Billington before we embark on this section. 

Each element can harm, but fire is the most mercurial of the elements; it is lightning-fast 

and operates to its own rules. Treat any naked light with respect and never leave it 

unattended. Fire is living. Think carefully about an appropriate way to extinguish a flame 

and stick to it. Many Druids pinch out a candle flame rather than use the breath of life to 

extinguish it. Choose a method, and make it a mindful action each time. 

When you light fire, you are connecting to an action shared by our ancestors, often with 

prayer and gratitude. Some of these ritual customs still survive in the old prayers from 

the highlands and islands. Devise your own simple ritual words or phrases to be part of a 

living chain of devotion.

Penny Billington, The Path of Druidry

I think that respect is something I've not discussed enough in the previous episodes on the cardinal directions and elements. It is essential for all of the elements. All of them have the power to nourish or destroy, especially fire. 

Dance Meditation to Connect with Fire 

When I think of the energy of fire, I think of dance. Like creating visual artworks, many of us have an idea of what "good" dance or movement is intended to look like. Allowing our bodies to move in ways that don't match what we've seen as "good" dance or movement can be uncomfortable. I love to dance, but I am not a professional or trained by any stretch of the imagination. Becoming more comfortable with my body's organic and natural movements has taken time. I say this to remind you that wherever you're at with your relationship to dance or whatever accessibility you have to move your body, there's wisdom and magic to be found. 

Anytime I write these episodes for the directions and elements and hold space for guided journeys to them, I spend a long time journeying to the direction and element. When I journeyed to the south to connect with fire, it asked me to move and shake my body. I was overtaken by the energy of the fire working through my body. I let go entirely and gave myself over to the process of connecting with its power. Having a private sacred space or being surrounded by folks you love and trust to do this work can be helpful. 

Something important to remember when engaging with elemental energies is that, more often than not, insight and wisdom are offered to us not through oral dictation but through states of being fully embodied and in communion with different energies. Why would fire speak to you in words? That is not the language of fire; fire flickers, dances, and moves. This is the medicine fire offers. This goes back, again, to get uncomfortable. Held in the discomfort and vulnerability of giving your body over to being with fire, you open yourself to embodying and holding new truths. If dance and movement feel like they're going to push you out of your comfort zone, I think the medicine will be even more potent!

If you feel called to connect with fire in this way, here are some simple suggestions to get started. 

1. Carve out 20-60 minutes for yourself. 

2. Spend about five minutes connecting with your breath and body (or any other rituals that help you root into your body) to soothe your nervous system.

3. Create sacred space in a way that feels good to you. This could be casting a circle or calling on guides, Gods, or Goddesses you work with. 

4. Optional: light a candle to honor fire and assist you in connecting with it. 

5. Go within or stare at your candle flame and state your intent to connect with fire. 

6. Imagine yourself meeting the fire element. What does it look like, and how does it make you feel?

7. Take this time to connect with the fire and learn from it. Perhaps it will inspire you to move. Maybe it will not. Trust what comes through and stay with it for as long as you'd like. Your experience may be different than mine, which is normal and okay. 

8. When you feel complete, be sure to thank the fire before leaving and ask if there's anything you can do to reciprocate your time with it and any wisdom you received. 

9. Close your space and consider journaling about your experience. Spend some time reconnecting with the world around you and perhaps have some food and drink. 

If this is something you feel you'd like support with, click here to join me in a guided journey to the south to connect with the element of fire. 

Candle Magic for Transformation 

If you've been hanging out around me for much time, you probably already know that I'm a big fan of using candles in my practice. Candles are a simple but powerful tool, especially when wanting to connect with the element of fire. I also think they're a great introductory tool to spellwork. You can make your candle magick as simple or complex as you want; all you need is a candle, matches, and some time. 

This is a topic I've covered extensively on my blog and in previous episodes, so I'm not going to go into much detail here. Check out the show notes for direct links to previous blog posts on candle magick. 

If you're new to working with candles or would like a simple ritual to start. I'd invite you to select a candle color in line with your intentions, hold it while infusing it with your intention, and sit with it as it burns. As you sit with it, notice the movement of the fire and how it dances and moves. Working with candles can be helpful while practicing dance or meditating on fire. 

I've been using paraffin wax chime candles for about six years, as long as I've been practicing candle magick. I usually recommend these, but after further research, I plan to switch to beeswax candles. Unfortunately, paraffin candles are a by-product of fossil fuels and are therefore harmful to the environment and unsustainable. I have quite a stockpile of paraffin candles from my store, so it's going to take me a while to work through them before I switch to beeswax. 

If you are starting out, I'd recommend rolling your beeswax candles or finding a supplier for premade beeswax spell candles. I found a few lovely and affordable beeswax spell candle options on Etsy with a quick search and bought some for Lugnasadh while writing this post, haha! Beeswax candles are more expensive, but they are lovely and a sustainable and less harmful choice. 

If you'd like step-by-step instructions for a candle spell, click here to check out a previous post. 

Building Fire and Fire offerings 

I'm wrapping two up into this section because they can be used in tandem or separately. Another obvious way to build relationship with this season and the element of fire is to spend time building fires, especially in ways our ancestors did. I have built fires in the past while camping but do not have experience building fires in ancestral ways. This is something I look forward to exploring this fall. There's a lovely article by Dana O'Driscoll of Druids Garden that you can check out here where she discusses the power of learning how to build fires in ancestral ways to connect with fire and our ancestors more deeply. Dana writes in her article, 

In every way, fire reconnects us to our roots, to those ancient ancestors who gave us 

such an important gift. When I look at the fire from this perspective, I realize that fire is 

my most important ancestral gift, and thus, one of the best ways to honor my ancestors 

is to learn and understand fire, to work with fire as they might have, to learn to start and 

build fires, and honor them through this practice.

Dana O'Driscoll

If building fires isn't accessible to you, it certainly wasn't for me in my Arizona home. I'd encourage you to build this kind of ritual relationship by lighting candles or incense to connect with fire in this way. One thing I've learned from one of my teachers, Danu Forest, is to treat each flame as a unique fire spirit. Each candle I light invites in the presence of a unique fire elemental that I can learn from and connect with. Seeing each fire as an individual, living entity helps me take more time and care in engaging with fire. 

Our new house has space for a fire pit, and we plan to build one before the Autumn so we can enjoy it this fall and winter. I'm looking forward to connecting with fire more deeply in this traditional way. My fire magic is about to get a serious upgrade! 

Finally, and this goes for any interaction with elemental energies or spirits, finding ways to be reciprocal and give offerings is a powerful way to build relationship. Song, dance, art, chant, poems, and herbs can all be beautiful offerings to the fire. Consider asking your fire what it would like as an offering. The article I mentioned above by Dana O'Driscoll also gives some wonderful suggestions for fire offerings. 

For example, my recent fire interactions prompted me to write a poem for the fire. I placed it on my altar and have read it aloud daily as a further offering and a form of connection. Building a relationship with fire through reciprocity is yet another tool for learning from fire and building our capacity for the discomfort associated with transformation. 

I hope these offerings have stirred your internal embers and perhaps even sparked a fire of powerful resiliency within you! If you'd like to explore the element of fire more deeply, I encourage you to join me or purchase the replay, "Journey to the Fires of Transformation." 

Opening to the Wisdom of East, Air, and Springtime

The Spring Equinox shifts our seasonal wheel to the East, the home of the element of air, inspiration, and new beginnings. 

In this share, you'll learn all of the delicious correspondences for this season, the significance of the season, how to deepen your connection with this season, and why you'll want to. This is a continuation of a larger series of exploring the wheel by seasons. 

If any of it sounds foreign or new, I encourage you to go back to read or listen to the episode about the North here, where I dive a little deeper into sacred wheels and their uses across cultures. 

Listen to this episode on my podcast here.

Every seasonal shift is an invitation to see the natural world as a mirror to our own lives and a call to notice how you are reflected in the natural world because you are the natural world. No matter how separate you may sometimes feel, you are nature. You are earth. Each shift is a call to remember this truth and attune yourself to these natural rhythms. 

Do you ever feel like you want a roadmap for life? Living cyclically offers a map. A map that reminds you to allow for times of expansion and growth as well as times of rest and even death and destruction. The roadmap of living cyclically with the seasons may not always be fun and exciting, but that's because life isn't always fun and exciting. Life is fucking hard sometimes, and living cyclically normalizes that truth. 

The season of Springtime, governed by the cardinal direction East, begins at the Spring Equinox and spans Beltaine until we reach Midsummer or the Summer Solstice. There are so many juicy things unfolding in this season. It's a season of action, play, and expansion! Let's explore the wisdom of the East and what this season has to offer. 

Wisdom of the East

On the sacred wheel, we shift East as we shift to the Spring Equinox. This shift also brings the beginning of a new zodiac year with Aries season. An immense burst of energy happens as we move into this season, and it's often easy to see in the natural world. It's getting warmer, the days are getting longer, and plants are starting to wake up. The earth is fertile for new life, and so are you. 

As a collective, oh, how we need some East energy! As I prepared this episode, something that stood out to me was the word humility. Being in a space of humility is very much associated with the East. There is action here, but there is also an openness and willingness to be open and allow new wisdom to permeate your being. It's a space that encourages us to be okay with not knowing. Humility seems to be something we've been missing deeply in our divided society. There's so much time and energy claiming to be the correct person with the only correct answer. I don't say this to point fingers; I certainly get caught up in it at times as well. This season reminds each of us that no one knows everything and to be open to new ideas. 

You know what I love more than anything is when someone says, "I don't know." What a breath of fresh air. This is the home of the East, the humility to continue to be open to continue to learn. We are each given this opportunity during this season to honor the not-knowingness, to sit in it, and to be open to what gifts of wisdom may want to come through.

Air Element Card from The Ritual Deck

Just as the plants begin to form buds and burst forth with life, your inner world is fertile for new growth. On a personal level, this season encourages you to open yourself up to new paths and to begin taking action. Feelings of uncertainty are a natural part of taking steps towards building something new; the East reminds us of this, that part of beginning a new path requires a certain amount of trust.

You don't wake up knowing everything that will transpire throughout your day; there are always certain unknown or out-of-control elements. The East invites you to honor this and embark on your day regardless. The tree doesn't know that it won't be struck down by lightning or some other unforeseen force as new buds and leaves grow, but it grows anyway. The tree does not sit wondering how I will grow these leaves, even amidst all the pain in the world. Rather it tends to its needs, supports life around itself, and continues to grow. We can apply this same thinking to new endeavors. Even when the path ahead is scary and unknown, you can move forward with what you do have and trust that you will know how to address situations as they arise. 

Here's a snippet from a book by one of my mentor's mentors called "Sacred Wheel of Our Ancestors" by Roberta Lee. I don't think it's in print anymore, and it's more like a pamphlet than a book, but you may be able to do some digging to find a used copy. In the chapter about the East, she says.

"It is in the East that we can call out and beg to know our paths. For this is the first step of many on this journey. However, be aware that while you search for your path, you're probably on it. If you cannot see it, it is likely that it is because you walk it. If you do see it, perhaps you are not there as yet. So take that step.

This is the place of surrender, of abandonment to the Great Mystery, of life itself. It is a commitment; certainly, a sense of risk accompanies us as we face the East. Dare to look into that sunrise, sense the warmth and healing of the sun as it begins its daily journey across our sky."

Sacred Wheel of Our Ancestors by Roberta Lee

East Correspondences

There are so many beautiful ways to connect with the energy of the east. Springtime itself is something that so many look forward to, so it's the ideal season to simply enjoy nature. If it doesn't yet feel like spring where you are, or you'd like to get in touch with the energy of the East in a different season, here are some ways to honor this season through corresponding energies or energies that match each other. 

• Moon Phase: Waxing crescent

• Phase of life: Childhood / the Maiden

• Themes: Play, joy, curiosity, fertility, growth, expansion

• Color: Yellow

• Element: Air

• Time of Year: Springtime

• Time of day: Dawn

• Items and tools: Flowers, eggs, herbal smoke, feathers, fresh herbs, rabbits, and hares

• Crystals: Kyanite, citrine, quartz

• Tarot: Suit of swords

• Ogham: Nuin/Ash and Huathe/Hawthorne

Air and East oracle cards from The Ritual Deck

Rituals to Connect with East

1. Honoring your inner child with play

Opening ourselves up to new ideas and wisdom can be hard. As we grow older, we tend to get more and more set in our ways for most of us. On a physiological level, our brains are less able to learn new things. It takes more of a conscious effort to open yourself up to learn new things. One of the secrets to being able to do this is allowing yourself to be open and receptive, and play is a powerful way to get into this receptive state of being. 

We already know that young children learn through play. Why is that? Play forces us to be in the moment, which opens us to new ideas and ways of being. It allows us to temporarily let go of all of the things we feel we need to carry as an adult—the money, job, responsibilities, and so on. Play is an opportunity to distance ourselves from all of these storylines and be present in a different way. Play is unpredictable and therefore fosters experiences of new insights. It cracks us open in a way. 

Explore "Journey to Your Inner Child" guided journey and workbook.

I'm fortunate to have two 3-year-olds in my life, so I'm frequently given opportunities to engage in play. Even with my two little busybodies, I still have to remind myself to let go of all the weights and stories I'm carrying and just be with them. Like everything, play can take some practice too. 

The way you decide to engage with play, children or not, will be unique to you. I encourage you to take some quiet moments to reflect inward and ask yourself what would feel like a playful and freeing activity to engage in. It may be on your own, with your kids, or with a partner. Consider thinking about what your favorite playful activities were when you were young. There's no wrong way to do this and no desired outcomes. Your only goal is to allow yourself to be in the energy of play, whatever that looks like for you. 

Here are some soft suggestions if you feel stuck. 

• Draw, paint, or color with no desired outcome 

• Cook or bake a new dish that excites you

• Turn on some fun music and move your body

• Make something with recycled materials

• Learn a new song and sing it to a friend or some plants

• Play a game solo, with family or friends

• Explore a new area of your city 

• Draw, paint, or color with no desired outcome 

• Cook or bake a new dish that excites you

• Turn on some fun music and move your body

• Make something with recycled materials

• Learn a new song and sing it to a friend or some plants

• Play a game solo, with family or friends

• Explore a new area of your city 

Another way to honor your inner child is to bring healing to your inner child. So many of us carry wounds related to trauma that happened to us as young children. There are several ways to approach inner child healing, one way is therapy, but there’s also a lot you can do on your own. Personally, I found a lot of healing through EMDR therapy, but I’ve also approached my inner child healing from a spiritual perspective as well by journeying to parts of my childhood that needed healing.

If this is an approach you’d like to try I held a group guided journey for this that’s now available in the shop. Of course, you can do this on your own as well, but if you’d like some support there’s a workbook and recording to help guide you through it. Click here to explore it. 

2. Connecting with the maiden of the Triple Goddess

We have the maiden, mother, and crone in our triplicity of Goddess archetypes. Each phase carries its own unique energies with both negative and positive attributes. The maiden aligns with the waxing crescent moon, steeped in exploratory and expansive energy. The maiden honors seek to expand, learn and grow in new ways. They do not shirk away from pleasure and rather lean into it. 

You do not need to be a particular age to lean into this energy; it can be called upon at any time in your life regardless of age and gender. This season is an opportunity to notice your relationship with the maiden and lean into it. How do you feel when in the presence of someone who feels safe and empowered in their sexuality and pleasure? Does it make you feel uncomfortable, angry, or do you celebrate them? The way you respond or feel when presented with the energy of the maiden can be a big indication of what your relationship is like with yourself in this area. 

Aphrodite card from The Goddess Oracle

There are many ways you can connect with the maiden energy. One way is to connect with maiden Goddesses. Every culture has maiden Goddesses, and I encourage you to explore Goddesses in line with your heritage. Here are some of my favorites that I often work with at this time. 

Eostre is a Germanic and Norse Goddess of the Springtime. The first written history of Eostre did not come about until a Christian monk named Bede wrote about her in 725 AD. This doesn't mean she wasn't around before this, but we don't have any evidence that she was. Eostre embodies the energy of fertility and growth. She's strongly associated with eggs and hares, both symbols of fertility. 

Freya and Frigg, a Norse Goddess (who some separate as two separate Goddesses) associated with pleasure, sexuality, and magic. Freya simply means lady, while Frigg comes from a root word for "beloved." We can even see Freya's connection with love and pleasure even today on our weekdays. Friday, the day of the week corresponding with love and romance, comes from the "day of Frigg."

Aphrodite and Ishtar are also associated with love and pleasure, which can be powerful to connect with or learn about at this time. Aphrodite is a Greek Goddess who many believe was modeled from the Middle Eastern Goddess of love, sexuality, and battle. 

There are so many ways to connect with and honor different Goddesses at this time. Consider meditating or journeying to connect with them. You could set up an altar to honor and celebrate them or learn about them. If you're feeling overwhelmed with which Goddess to connect with, I encourage you to go within and open yourself up to connecting with a maiden Goddess to see who and what comes through. We all have connections to different deities through our heritage, and sometimes the best way to connect is by honoring your inherent wisdom. 

If connecting with deities isn't in your practice, consider meditating during the waxing moon phase, exploring your sexuality, or working with magical tools that invoke a sense of pleasure and fertility to connect with the energy of the maiden.

3. Connecting with the element of air

The element associated with this season is air, so honoring and connecting with this element is a potent way to feel into this season. Air is such a unique element. Unlike the other elements, we can't see air. We can see its effects as it swirls about, but we cannot see air itself. This truth brings a unique energy to this element and how we connect with it. 

The air element is an active and outward-facing force that sets things in motion. It is also clearing but not the same healing way that water is. Rather, it brushes aside things so that we may be permeated more deeply. Air aims to mix and swirl about our perceived realities so we can see things from a new perspective. 

I think it's important to note that as we shift into Springtime and East on the wheel, we simultaneously move into the fire sign of Aries. We all know what happens with fire gets some extra air; it grows, it gets bigger. I see it as another beautiful expression of the power of this season. 

When out of balance, air can push us towards overthinking, anxiety, and lack of focus. Air can be overwhelming. We can see this quite easily in the suit of swords in the tarot, which corresponds with the element of air. In many ways, the suit of swords is one of the more feared suits. There's so much pain and mental anguish present on the cards. 

It's as powerful as a sword when you learn to engage with air in a more controlled way. Wielding the force of air allows you to cut through perceived realities and see new pathways. Air is the gracious idea bringer, and your job is to discern what's for you and what isn't. Air gives you the voice to say what needs to be said with truth and compassion. Air, though invisible, has the power to knock over buildings or subtle enough to blow out a candle. 

A powerful exercise to cozy up with the element of air and the tarot is to spend some time with the queen and king of swords. Notice how they appear so sovereign in their ability to control their chosen tool. This tool goes for any of the elements. The Kings and Queens of the suits show us what each element looks and feels like in its most exalted form. 

Beyond the tarot, I love experiencing the element of the air outside. Notice how the air feels against your skin, what it stirs within you, and how it makes you feel. I start so many days looking outside and noticing how the trees are moving from the air. I use it as a form of divination, a little nudge to be more still or to get busy. I've received so many messages from my "tree friends" by way of how the air moves them. I love visualizing the air clearing away blocks and stuck energy so that I may see and know more clearly. 

With spring upon us, I hope you can find time to be outside amidst the air, to feel it blow through your hair and over your body. I hope you can allow it to push aside any stories you need a break from so you can see things from new and playful perspectives. I hope you can honor your inner child and the maiden within you, calling out for play and pleasure. 

Understanding the Element of Earth

On the sacred wheel, the North encompasses the element of earth, winter, death, rebirth, and your ancestors. The North is the still and sacred portal where we can break down and shed to rebuild for a new cycle. It is the seat of deep wisdom where the ancestral knowledge from all those who've come before you resides. The North encompasses endings, new beginnings, and the space in between.  

In this post, you’ll be able to explore the wisdom of the earth element and the North. You'll also learn common correspondences and ways to build relationship with the North. Because this is the first in a series of posts, I'll also spend some time discussing sacred circles and wheels in various cultures and how they're used with the directions and elements. 

Listen to this on my podcast here.

I started working with the cardinal directions in my practice years ago, initially to cast a circle and create sacred space. My work with the wheel has evolved, and working with the directions and wheel has become an intrinsic part of my practice. I use the wheel as a tool to connect with the seasons, the cardinal directions, the elements, and all of the wisdom each section encompasses. Circles similar to the seasonal wheel used by many Celtic, Druidic, and Wiccan spiritual practices are sacred across many cultures and have a lot of overlap in meaning. 

If you'd like a frame of reference for the sort of wheel I'll be referring to throughout this share and series, you can find one in my book "Understanding the Wheel of the Year." The wheel I created for the book shows each season's color, direction, elemental, lunar, and zodiac alignments. If you don't have the book, I've shared an image below, and if you're listening, feel free to pause and look up this share on my blog. 

Understanding The Wheel of The Year by Cassie Uhl.

It's a common framework used by cultures worldwide, though you will find subtle differences from practice to practice. Let's start there and look at how other cultures work with sacred wheels. 

Sacred Wheels Across Cultures

The medicine wheel or sacred hoop is a tool and symbol used by many First Nations and Indigenous cultures from the land referred to as Canada and North America. Stone structures that have been used for ceremonial purposes dating back as early as 3200 BCE have been found in Canada. Though stone structure dates back far into the past, medicine wheels and sacred hoops are still alive today with many Indigenous people and communities. They can be used for ceremony, ritual, and to connect with the four directions, elements, animals, and more. 

In Mongolian Cosmology, the ger often referred to as a yurt here in the West represents a sacred wheel. The ger is viewed as a microcosm, or a map, of the universe. Each direction has a unique significance related to who and what resides in that location and what takes place. For example, the entrance of the ger always faces North, the fire is always at the center, women sit on Eastside, and men on the West. 

In yogic practices, the directions hold significance as well. It is not uncommon to face specific directions for specific asanas and meditations. There are myths, Gods, and Goddesses associated with each direction which each share insights about the significance of each direction in yogic philosophy. I'm always intrigued by the overlap in different cultures around common spiritual tools and symbols. Here, in an article from Pandit Rajmani Tigunait of Yoga International, he shares a bit about the direction of the North in Yogic tradition, "The North is determined by the polar star, the symbol of stability; it is the fixed goal that never wavers. It represents unshakable conviction." I love this because it's similar to my understanding and relationship with the North. 

Of course, these are just little snippets of each of these sacred practices. 

There are symbols and practices throughout Europe that use sacred wheels, although, as usual, with little historical reference. The sun cross or solar wheel, a circle with a cross in the middle, is a common symbol found throughout prehistoric Europe. However, even the name that was given to this symbol, the "sun cross," is relatively new, which shows how little we truly know about its true significance. Between the sun cross and circular structures like Stonehenge and Woodhenge, it's not difficult to see that wheels were sacred to many throughout Europe. 

Today many practices like Wicca and Druidry use the wheel in different ways like connecting with the seasons, elements, cardinal directions, creating sacred space, and more. This is how I connect with the wheel in my practice and the lens through which I'll be sharing from here. 

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Before we dive into the bulk of this share, I want to give you a little bit of a reference of my process for this share and how I intend to craft future shares in this series. The North is an important topic because it encompasses many other significant issues like the element of earth, Wintertime, our ancestors, and more. My goal with this share and the future directions is to give you a framework to begin building a relationship with the North and its many facets. Much of what I share will be from my personal experiences building a relationship with the North. As always, remember that your experiences may differ based on your cultural background and personal gnosis. 

I've been spending a lot of time connecting with my local nature spirits and journeying about the topic for this post. This share has not come easily to me. I have a deep reverence for the North and a feeling of not wanting to get it wrong. The North and the earth element are our sacred foundation and the home of our ancestors, and it feels relevant that I stress the importance and sacredness of the North.

Let's begin exploring the wisdom of the element of earth and the cardinal direction, North.

The Wisdom of Earth & North

Earth and North are the cauldron of creation encompassing death, birth, and the space between these realms. It is the simultaneous end and beginning of the dark moon phase. I think our linear human minds sometimes struggle with this. We're so used to endings and beginnings that a pause between the two, or the idea that endings and beginnings live in the same space, seems somewhat foreign. But, of course, we can always find glimpses of this in nature. 

cardinal direction north in the ritual deck

Even here in the desert, I find subtle reminders of the wisdom of the North and those in-between spaces. There's an oleander plant I often notice on my walks. It seems to be always blooming. However, since around the time of the Winter Solstice, it's dropped its flower and, as of recently, has formed tiny buds. I've enjoyed noticing how long the buds have been there, waiting, as the plant rebuilds and absorbs more nutrients to bloom again. I've used it as a bit of a marker for myself as I find myself in a similar space of rebuilding. It's been a comforting reminder to pay more attention to plants in their death and "in-between" phases this winter season. People often ask how I connect with the seasons being in the desert, and I'm here to tell you that the seasons are very much alive, even in the desert, albeit on a smaller scale. 

Wintertime, the season of the North, also coincides with our shift into Capricorn season. It makes my heart sing when these seasons overlap so perfectly. Capricorn is a cardinal earth sign and corresponds with the planet of Saturn. The cardinal earthy energy signals a time to build a solid foundation upon which we can build. The Saturn correspondence invites in structure. These themes fit perfectly into the realm of the North and the element of earth. 

Understanding what tools you need to build a strong foundation requires time and introspection. I'd say there's even a thread of shadow work that weaves through this space. To create a solid foundation, you'll need to take stock of what's working and what's not working in your life, assess where you need to set different boundaries and notice where you may need to ask for help or call in reinforcements. Deep processing, shedding, and collecting happen in the North. 

Your body and physical wellbeing correspond with the North and this season as well. You are the earth of the North. We often forget that our bodies are nature itself. This space is an invitation to notice how you're tending to your body or your physical foundation. The North is where we address the physical body's needs, so you feel safe and supported during this incarnation. The earth and all its inhabitants live within the realm of the North. Everything comes from the earth and will decompose back into the earth. The earth is the foundation for all life. 

This is where your ancestors come in. You have centuries of ancestral knowledge living within your blood, bones, and DNA. Outside of your physical body, there's ancestral knowledge within the soil, stones, and water as well. Of course, not all of our ancestors have left positive influences that will be for you to parse out, work with, and hea. But there's wisdom and learning nonetheless. On a very physical level, the earth below your feet holds the wisdom of every ancestor who's come before you. When you connect with the power of the North, you connect with this wisdom and knowledge. 

We often think of connecting with those on the other side as somewhere outside of us or up in a heaven of sorts. While it may be that the spirits of our ancestors are in a different realm, their blood, bones, and all of the wisdom therein have been absorbed back into the earth. This is why we connect with the ancestors in the earth and the wisdom of the North on a very physical level. That is where their wisdom lives. 

Are you're starting to see and feel the layers of this sacred space emerge? 

Correspondences for Earth & North

You could probably pick up on several correspondences from what I shared above. Here are a few more common energetic connections for the North. A quick note before I dive in: as I shared earlier, the cardinal directions and the elements are spiritual practices that show up across cultures. It's also important to remember that you may have unique connections to the directions and their correspondences. Suppose the way you connect with each direction varies from what I share here. That is normal and certainly not a reason to discount your connections or mine, whether it be from another culture or a personal connection. 

Correspondences for the North

Element: Earth

Season: Winter

Time of day: Midnight

Moon Phase: Dark moon

Tarot: Pentacles

Colors: black, brown, green, white

Animal: bear or any other earthy animal you connect to the North

Other: dirt, stones, plants, bones, clay

Working with corresponding tools is one way to help honor and connect with the energy associated with the North. Tools and symbols can draw our awareness to where we are trying to focus. I will also share ways to use these correspondences in the following section. 

Three Ways to Connect with the Earth Element

Now my favorite section! You hear me say this often because it's been so true for my practice. For there to be a connection or learning to happen, there must be relationship. So before any deep work can be done within the North and its many corresponding energies, I encourage you to build a relationship with the North. 

Understanding each direction on the wheel has far less to do with what I share here and much more to do with how you experience them. 

There are so many ways to begin building a relationship with the North and the earth, and I find it is a beautiful starting point because it is a place of foundations. The North is the infrastructure for the rest of the wheel and your spiritual practice and an ever-present touchpoint you can come back to at any time to feel supported and to tap into a deep well of wisdom. That said, there are many who also like to start in the East as it is a place of new beginnings. For example, when I cast a circle, I begin with the East and end with the North. I'll leave it up to you, but in my opinion, there are no strict rules about this, especially when deciding where to begin forming a deeper relationship. 

If you are looking for more personal guidance, as I mentioned earlier in this share, I am offering my "Journey to the Ancestors," which will provide a more robust look at connecting with the North with even more tools, including journal prompts a card spread, and guided journey meditation. 

Here we'll focus on connecting with the earth and your local natural environment, tuning into your physical body, and journeying or meditating on the North. 

1. Connecting with the earth 

Because the North encompasses the element of earth, connecting with the earth is a powerful portal to experience the North and its wisdom. There are so many ways to connect with the earth, and you likely already have some beautiful practices to help you do this. For me, the most powerful way I've found to connect with the earth is through regular connection with my natural environment. I do this by going on regular walking meditations, usually 15-30 minutes 4-5 times a week. As always, I encourage you to try whatever feels like a doable and sustainable amount of time for you and your unique schedule.

When I walk, I try to focus my full attention on the environment around me. I say try because, just like sitting meditation, my mind tries to remind me of all of my to-do's and interject with other random thoughts. To help me stay present and aware, I have a process to become more engrossed in my surroundings. I do this by noticing the temperature, the speed of the wind, the warmth and location of the sun, how the ground feels beneath my feet, how the air feels in my mouth and lungs, varying sounds of the animals, and any changes in different trees and plants.

I've found that connecting with nature regularly and intentionally creates a very natural pathway to forming a deep relationship with the earth and your environment. You'll soon see patterns and cycles of death and rebirth all around you, perhaps in ways that you hadn't previously noticed. You'll begin to feel more connected to the plants, animals, and soil. These relationships can then initiate a more profound unfolding and help you to form a deeper relationship with the element of earth, your ancestors, and the realm of the North. 

2. Connecting with the physical body

Another way I enjoy connecting with the realm of the North and the element of earth is by focusing on my physical body. Your body is a deep well of wisdom. Sometimes we discount this wisdom, especially when our physical bodies do not feel or perform the way we want them to or think they should.

The North reminds us that the body is a living vessel of cyclical wisdom, just like nature. Just like the oleander plant I mentioned earlier, you are not intended to bloom at all times either, nor are you intended to be a picture of perfect health at all times. Like nature, our bodies encounter seasons of sickness, decay, and growth. There is not one stage that is more spiritual than another, and you are not less spiritual if your body or mind experiences temporary or long-term illness. Have you ever looked at a tree losing its leaves and thought, "what a stupid tree? It must not have absorbed enough of the right kind of nutrients. Otherwise, it wouldn't be losing its leaves." I gather you probably haven't, but how often have you had thoughts like this about yourself or another person? 

It might seem like an unusual concept to build a relationship with your body, the very vessel you reside in, but I think, much like the earth, it's something we often take for granted. Our bodies always give us signs and nudges about what we need and don't need, but we don't always listen. When you permit yourself to connect with the body more regularly, you create a pathway to build a relationship with it and learn from its wisdom. 

Connecting with my body in a very intentional way is something I usually do before any meditation. You can add another layer of energy to this practice by facing North for a body meditation, either lying down with your head pointing towards the North or by sitting up and facing the North. I like to start at my feet and work my way up through the body. I try to notice each area, how it feels, and what the energy of each space is bringing up. 

I think a lot of us become accustomed to certain sensations so much so that we don't even notice when our body is trying to tell us it's time to pause or try something different. I'd also like to point out that I'm 100% not implying here that meditation can be a cure-all for all physical ailments. Nope, sometimes the sensations you tune into may indicate that it's time to see a doctor. But, in this instance, it helped me draw my attention back to my body to start using some tools to tend to my nervous system and body in ways that I previously hadn't been doing. 

The wisdom from the North here is that when we tune into the body, it will often tell us what it needs to feel better supported. Sometimes this looks like allowing more time for rest, eating nourishing foods, moving the body more, or reaching out for support from a doctor. Our bodies are wise beyond what our human brains can even fathom. 

If you'd like to explore a body-focused meditation, my "Meditate with the Moon" guided meditation package offers a body scan meditation for the dark moon phase that is a great way to tune into your body and connect with the North. 

3. Journeying and meditation

Another way to deepen your relationship is to journey to the North or meditate on the North. This can be a really powerful way to deepen your relationship with the North. The previous invitations can also help pave the way to connecting through meditation and journeying. This technique can be especially helpful when you want to connect with your ancestors. 

First, a bit about meditation vs. journeying, because they are different and often interchangeably, even by myself. I've mentioned journeying here in this space, but I haven't spent much time going into detail about what it is. 

There are likely others who will have a different opinion than I do, but these are my thoughts. I think of meditation as an umbrella term for training the mind to be more present and aware. However, there are many different kinds of meditation. I think of journeying as one kind of meditation. Journeying is akin to astral travel in that you focus your awareness on journeying to somewhere in the astral plane. Though it can be like an out-of-body experience, it often occurs within the mind's eye. 

This is a brief introduction to journeying, I could spend an entire post on what journeying is and different techniques, and I probably will someday. I think the best place to get started when wanting to learn how to journey is to meditate regularly and begin building your anchor point or the location within the astral realm that's your home. The better you visualize and hold the visualization, the more natural journeying will come to you over time. You can also get a taste for journeying in my free guided mediation to meet your spirit guides. That's a free offering for joining my email list, which you can find here. Or join me in my monthly journey, which this month is to your Ancestors in the North. 

If journeying is a part of your practice, I encourage you to try this method for connecting with the North. If journeying is new to you, I encourage you to try a meditation on the North. There's still deep wisdom there as well. To do a meditation to the North, I'd invite you to bring in some physical elements representing the North, like a black/brown candle or a stone, and to face the North. I'd also suggest stating aloud or in your mind that you desire to connect with the North. Then, close your eyes, connect with your breath and body and see where your mind takes you. How do you feel, what do you see in your mind's eye, and do any messages come through? This may take more than one go, and that's okay. Remember, building a relationship takes time. 

Meditating or journeying to the North can be a powerful tool when you need wisdom around matters of the North, like death, birth, the physical body, and ancestral healing. 

I hope in reading this you already feel more connected with the North and all its wisdom and that it's encouraged you to start building a deeper relationship with this "space." Getting this share out feels like a birth for me. It took me a long time to gather my thoughts around this big topic, so I hope you enjoyed it! I plan to explore the East around the equinox when our wheel shifts to the Spring. 

Sources

The Ger and the Sacred Circle: http://buryatmongol.org/a-course-in-mongolian-shamanism/mongolian-cosmology/the-ger-and-the-sacred-circle/

Four Elements, Four Directions: Is that Celtic or Druidic:

https://www.oocities.org/rainforest/canopy/2178/celtic2.html

The Significance of the four directions in practice:

https://yogainternational.com/article/view/the-significance-of-the-four-directions-in-practice

Lakota Medicine Wheel:

http://aktalakota.stjo.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=8592

The Moon as Shadow Work // How Aligning with the Moon Invites Shadow Work and Tips to Make Lunar Work a Daily Practice

The moon comes after walking through the tower and the renewed spark of inspiration from the star in the tarot. The moon serves as a portal between worlds, sitting in between the star and the sun. The star is the inspiring rebirth and the sun is the ego-self, shining bright. But in between them, the moon shows up to call you inward. It's an invitation to explore everything that's come to pass at the subconscious level.

It's within this portal that shadow work comes in, which could go by so many other names: soul work, subconscious work, "dark night of the soul," or emotional exploration, etc. Shadow work calls you in to peel away the surface and explore the parts of yourself that you often ignore, hide, or push away. 

Listen to this post on my podcast, Rooting into Wholeness, below.

The moon's light is not her own. Its light is reflected by the sun. The moon is the mirror. What shadowy areas within your soul need to have a mirror held up to them? 

Shadow work, like the moon, is a portal to wholeness. One cannot exist without the other. Your shadow work is still there even if you are not addressing it. It does not just go away. It remains untouched and undiscovered. A powerful healing tool waiting to be utilized and waiting to bring you to wholeness. 

So many want to skip over this important portal. Here's the thing, though. You can't. The opportunity will keep repeating itself until you decide to walk through the shadowing realms of your subconscious. In my experience, I've learned that if you ignore your shadow long enough, it will come crashing down and force you to examine what needs to be learned and seen. No amount of love and light can keep you from knowing all facets of life. We're human. It's why we're here.

How to work with the moon to honor your shadow

How can you embody the energy of the moon, her wisdom, to approach this inner shadow work? It starts as noticing the moon in her phases and turns into allowing these phases to influence your rituals. The shifts will be subtle, but eventually, shadow work will become a regular part of your life. Here are three ways to start weaving more lunar energy into your daily practice.

Much of this work is observational and feeling work that needs to happen within the mind and body. All other tools (crystals, herbs, cards, etc.) and are ancillary allies. Use them if you feel called, but do not let them be prohibitive to your growth if you do not have them handy. 

1. Become more aware of the moon. Let's first start by connecting with lunar energy regularly. Track her, notice her, and notice how you feel in her different phases. If working with the moon is new to you, start by solely noticing when the moon is in her waxing phase vs. waning phase (I find this more helpful than tracking the new/full moon.) Learn more about waxing vs. waning lunar energy in a past post here.

When you begin to adopt the moon's cycles into your daily life, you will begin to understand the necessity of living more cyclically. Rather than shaming yourself for needing to go within, you will appreciate it as a natural phase. Here's a non-exhaustive list of some ways that I connect with lunar energy regularly. 

• Look for the moon anytime you are outside at night or consciously decide to go outside and seek her out regularly. You will soon learn where the moon lives in the sky during different parts of her cycle. 

• Track her with an app. I like to keep a pulse on when the moon shifts from waxing to waning phase and vice versa. Using an app is an easy way to know when these shifts happen. I also like to know what astrological sign the moon is living in as this also affects her energy. My favorite app is The Moon App. The free version is great, but I prefer the paid version. 

• Wear a specific piece of jewelry is a reminder of whether the moon is waxing or waning. I have a moon-shaped ring that I flip, so the moon is facing inwards or outwards according to whether the moon is waxing or waning. However, there are many ways to do this. You could wear a specific necklace, ring, or bracelet for waxing vs. waning energy. Doing this brings the energy of the moon into the physical and offers you a daily reminder. 

2. Bring the moon into your rituals. If your ritual practices only include rituals to make you feel good or to manifest, you're missing out on some big growth opportunities and magick-making. When you invite lunar energy into your rituals, you open the door to more profound transformations through shadow work. The moon does not stay stuck in her growth, waxing, manifesting phase, and neither should you.

Everyone's ritual practice varies, but there are ways to bring lunar energy into just about any ritual. Bringing lunar energy into your rituals will require you to be more mindful about your ritual practices. Here are a few ways to work lunar energy into common ritual practices.

• Burn candles and herbs in line with lunar energy. If candle magick, incense, or herbs are a part of your ritual practice, this is an easy place to honor the moon. How can you be more mindful about what candle colors or herbs you're working with? For example, I would avoid more energizing plants and colors like peppermint, citrus, and candle colors like red, orange, and yellow during a waning moon phase. I will often burn a simple white candle during a new moon, and during a dark moon, phase black. 

• Invite lunar energy into your meditation practice. Honoring the moon in your meditation practice can be done for each phase or just waxing and waning energy. If you already have a meditation practice, this will be a simple way to begin engaging with the moon's energy on a deeper level. In my meditation practice, this looks like doing more energy clearing at the end of the waning moon phase, being more open to guidance from Spirit at the start of the waxing phase and around the new moon, and focusing on gratitude during the full moon. I wrote a full post about it here.

• Place specific items on your altar or sacred space for certain moon phases, or consider an altar refresh for specific moons. If an altar is a part of your ritual practice, be open to how you can weave lunar energy into your sacred space. I usually update my altar based on the seasons. However, some lunar events warrant a full altar refresh. I invite you to trust when you feel called to do this. Even if you don't want to refresh your altar completely, placing specific herbs, candles, or tarot/oracle cards on your altar for specific phases can also be a powerful way to connect with the moon. 

Simple changes like these begin to make working with the moon a part of life and a way of living. You can find many blog posts here about working with the specific energy of each moon phase. However, I do find some of these basic things just as impactful as they make honoring and connecting with the moon more of a daily practice rather than something you only do on new and full moons. 

3. Study the moon card in the tarot (any deck.) While studying the moon card, notice what comes up for you? Each deck will bring a different kind of flavor, but the energy of the moon card will remain consistent from deck to deck, as will the placement of the card amongst the Major Arcana. This may not be true if working with moon card in an oracle card deck (learn more about the difference between tarot and oracle cards here.)

Notice the cards around the moon in the tarot and the story they tell. Where does the moon sit in the Major Arcana? What cards are nearest to it? I discussed this a bit in the introduction. But one way to view its placement is as a portal between the star and the sun. Like all wisdom from the tarot, allow yourself to be open to different teachings and ideas. This is just one viewpoint. The wisdom in this step will come from finding your own meaning from the moon card in the tarot. Here are some ways to work with this card.

• Place the card on your altar or somewhere else where you'll see it regularly. 

• Journal or meditate on the moon card. What comes up for you when you look at it? What stands out? What does it mean to you at this moment? 

• Read about the meaning of the card from different perspectives. Some of my favorites are Rachel Pollock's book 78 Degrees of Wisdom and teachings from Lindsay Mack on her podcast Tarot for the Wild Soul. 

• Draw your own version of the card. What comes to your mind when you think about creating your own version of the moon card? Allow yourself to be a channel for its wisdom. 

If you find these offerings overwhelming, begin implementing what feels the most aligned and appealing to you. Or, if you feel up for a fun shift in perspective, select the one that feels the scariest to you! 

Working with the moon as a spiritual practice is an invitation to honor all phases of life, including death, shadow, and transformation. These are necessary phases of all life, even yours. When you open yourself up to being in alignment with all of these phases, you open yourself up to being whole, flawed, and simultaneously perfect. The shifts and changes to living alongside the moon will happen slowly over time. Until one day, you realize you allow and honor all of your phases. 

This shift is the magick of embodying shadow work, living cyclically, and aligning with the moon. For more on shadow work, check out these past posts. 

Crystal Cleansing & Charging 101 // 8 Ways to Care for Your Crystals

Perfectly structured lattices of molecules repeat and layer until a crystalline structure begins to emerge. Crystals are the magical and living offspring of earth, heat, and pressure. Viewing your crystals in this way can help you sense their aliveness, at least it does for me.

The perfect structures within crystals make them masters at storing and emitting energy. Because they’re so easily impressed upon, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that they will require energy maintenance, just like you and me.

Aside from honoring your crystals as the entities that they are, charging and cleansing them will also make them more useful. Like all energy beings, your crystals may hold onto unintended frequencies or could be charged with energy that’s not in alignment with your desires. 

Before we dive into some actionable steps for crystal care, I’d like to pull apart the differences between cleansing and charging. Even though these terms are often used interchangeably, they are entirely different facets of crystal care.

Here's a breakdown of the differences between crystal cleansing and charging. 

Now that you understand the basic functions of cleansing vs. charging crystals, let’s dive into some steps you can take to care for your crystals. 

These suggestions are by no means an exhaustive list of ways to cleanse and charge your crystals! Learn more in my new book, The Zenned Out Guide to Understanding Crystals. I also recommend you run everything through your intuitive filter and only practice what feels like a good fit to you. 

Crystal Cleansing 101

Here are a few reasons why you might want to cleanse your crystals: 

• It’s new

• You let someone else handle it  

• You no longer need to use it for a specific purpose 

Your cleansing schedule can be as regimented or as intuitive as you like. You might decide to cleanse your crystals every time you receive or purchase a new one, or you can wait until the crystal feels like it needs cleansing. I lean towards the more intuitive method, but both are valid. 

5 Ways to Cleanse Your Crystals

1. Direct sunlight for 10-20 minutes. This method works best with bright midday sunlight. Sun cleansing is one of the simplest and most effective cleansing methods. Caution: some crystals can fade in sunlight. Here are some of the most common ones: amethyst, citrine, celestite, and fluorite. Short periods in the sun, will be okay, but do not leave crystals susceptible to fading in the sun for more than ten minutes every few months. 

2. Hold in running water for 2-5 minutes. Fresh running water from nature is ideal, but tap water will do in a pinch. Water from nature will require less cleansing time. 

3. Bury in the earth for 1-5 days. The burying method is gentler, so it requires a bit more time. 

4. Hold your crystal in cleansing smoke of your choice. Frankincense, lavender, rosemary, or even a cleansing incense will work. 

5. Hold your crystal in your hand and call upon your guides, ancestors, and angels (or any other force you connect with) to cleanse your crystal. Visualize a white or rainbow light enveloping your crystals and cleansing away any unwanted energies. 

Crystal Charging 101 Here are a few reasons why you might want to charge your crystals. 

• You want to use it for a specific purpose. 

• You feel as though it has lost its effectiveness. 

• You feel intuitively nudged to charge the crystal or feel as though the crystal is requesting to charging in a specific way. 

You don’t have to charge your crystals to work with them, but it will undoubtedly enhance their effectiveness and increase your connection with your crystals. There are similarities between the techniques used for cleansing and charging; the most important distinction is that charging is adding specific energy to your crystal. There are a variety of ways to do this, but understanding your intention is critical. 

3 Ways to Charge Your Crystals

1. Place your crystal under the light of the moon phase of your choice for 1-2 nights. Working with the moon phases is one of my favorite ways to charge my crystals. Each moon phase has specific energy; you can learn more about that here. For example, if you’re working with a crystal to give you energy, you’ll want to charge it under the light of a waxing moon. The waxing moon is the growth phase of the moon and corresponds to action and energy. Alternatively, if you’d like to charge a crystal to help you rest, you’d want to charge it under the dark moon, which is a restorative moon phase. 

2. Place your crystal in the morning or evening sun for 20-30 minutes. Our life-giving sun can be used for both cleansing and charging. I do suggest being mindful of what time of day you use the sun for either charging or cleansing. This method works well if you feel like your crystal needs a little boost of energy. 

3. Charge your crystals with your hands. The heat and warmth of your hands alone are enough to charge up your crystals. Charging with your hands is an ideal method to use when you’re working with crystals for massage or bodywork. Hold or rub your crystal in your hands for 1-2 minutes for a quick charge. 

I hope you feel empowered to start connecting with your crystals using these tools! Your crystals will thank you, and the more you connect with them, the better they’ll work for you. 

You can dive much deeper into this topic in my new book, The Zenned Out Guide to Understanding Crystals. In this new book, I share how crystal energy works, how to program a crystal, and how to use crystal grids. This book also contains a fully illustrated crystal guide! 

Meditations for Each Moon Phase + Free Guided Meditation

There are so many ways to tune into Mother Moon. But did you know, there’s a powerful tool you can use to align yourself with lunar energy that requires nothing more than your mind?

Meditation is the ultimate tool to tap into the cycles and energy of the moon. 

Meditation grants you the opportunity to shift your energy on a deep level. During meditation, you can visualize and experience your desires on a physical and energetic level in a way that produces real change. Now, line these powerful energetic shifts up with Mama Moon, and you’ve got some real magick. 

In this post, I’m going to breakdown meditation techniques for the five primary moon phases, including the new moon, waxing moon, full moon, waning moon, and dark moon. 

I include a free guided meditation for the waning moon that you can get access to here. To purchase guided meditations for all five moon phases, click here. 

For each moon meditation, I offer you a meditation script, a suggested mantra, and a list of optional tools. Please, don’t feel like you can’t perform these meditations without the optional tools! Your mind is incredibly powerful, and the meditations alone will have a powerful effect on your energy and intentions. 

Keep in mind; you don’t have to perform these meditations at night, when the moon is out. Feel free to perform your moon meditations any time of the day during the moon phase. Just like the stars in astrology, the effects of the moon can be felt even when it’s not visible. As above, so below. 

New Moon Meditation

The new moon is a time to cleanse, prepare, have hope, and be open. The new moon invites you to welcome fresh energy and be aware of guidance and direction. One of the best ways to tune into the energy of the new moon is, you guessed it, meditation. When you quiet your mind, you enable yourself to tune into the flow of information from your guides, higher self, and the universe. It’s within the realm of spirit that you can receive guidance.

New moon card featured from The Ritual Deck

The meditation for the new moon is all about cleansing your energy and allowing yourself to receive guidance from spirit. The new moon is less about taking action and more about tuning into your highest truth and receiving guidance. 

New Moon Mantra: My energy is clear, and I am open to receiving guidance. 

New Moon Optional Tools: Selenite wand, white candle, cleansing herbs like cedar or rosemary. 

New Moon Meditation: 

• Sit in a chair or on the ground with your spine upright.

• Say aloud: New moon, I ask you to help cleanse and clear away any energy no longer serving me. 

• Quiet your mind, and become aware of your breath.

• Start sending each inhale deep into your belly. 

• Begin extending your inhales, and your exhales. 

• Visualize white cleansing light coming from the new moon softly surrounding your body. 

• Imagine that this white cleansing energy is gently clearing away energy no longer serving you. 

• Continue to focus on your breath and imagine the cleansing energy cleansing your aura for a few minutes. 

• When you feel that your energy has been cleansed, thank the new moon. 

• Say aloud: New moon, I ask that you and my guides share guidance with me about what I should focus on this lunar cycle. 

• Continue to focus on your breath. 

• Be open and receptive to information that may come to you.

• Trust any sensations you experience as truth.

• Continue to focus on your breath. 

• Stay in this receptive space for as long as you’d like. 

• Thank the moon and your guides for any information they shared with you. 

• Release any control of your breath.

• Open your eyes, connect with your body, and jot down any information you received. 

Waxing Moon Meditation

The waxing moon invites you to grow and take action. While the new moon is focused on receiving guidance, this phase beckons you to act on the information you received during the new moon phase. The lively energy of the waxing moon intensifies as it nears closer to the full moon. The waxing moon phase includes the waxing crescent, the first quarter moon, and the waxing gibbous moon phases.

Moon cards featured from The Ritual Deck.

The meditation for the waxing moon focuses on activating your energy center and solar plexus chakra. This is a great time to focus on completing tasks you’ve been putting off or finishing a difficult project. With the combination of the wave of energy from the waxing moon and your internal energy, you will be unstoppable at accomplishing your goals.  

Waxing Moon Mantra: I have everything I need to accomplish my desires.  

Waxing Moon Optional Tools: Tiger’s eye, sunstone, or citrine, a yellow candle, and a spicy cup of tea (chai is a great option).

Waxing Moon Meditation: 

• Sit in a chair or on the ground with your spine upright. 

• Say aloud: Growing moon, I ask you to spark a fire within me to give me all of the energy and wisdom I need to accomplish my goals. 

• Quiet your mind, and become aware of your breath.

• Start sending each inhale deep into your belly. 

• Begin extending your inhales, and your exhales. 

• Visualize a golden yellow light coming from the moon and connecting with your solar plexus region (below your sternum and above your belly button). Visualize this light sparking a fire within your solar plexus area. With every inhale, the fire and the golden light grow bigger and brighter. 

• Begin the breath of fire to move this energy throughout your body. The breath of fire is conducted by taking a sharp and fast inhale followed by a quick and forceful exhale. You should see your low belly moving up and down for this breath. If you feel lightheaded at any point, stop the breath of fire. 

• As you breathe, visualize the golden yellow energy flowing throughout your body. 

• Complete three rounds of 30-60 breaths of fire

• Release all control over your breath and allow your breath to return to its normal state. 

• Say aloud: Growing moon, I ask that you give my signs over the coming days to indicate that I am taking the right action.  

• Continue to focus on your breath. 

• Be open and receptive to information that may come to you.

• Trust any sensations you experience as truth.

• Continue to focus on your breath. 

• Stay in this receptive space for as long as you’d like. 

• Thank the moon for its energy.

• Release any control of your breath.

• Open your eyes, connect with your body, and jot down any information you received. 

Full Moon Meditation

The full moon is a time of celebration, fulfillment, and gratitude. Even if you haven’t reached your goals, the full moon invites you to pause and celebrate all of the abundance you do have in your life. The full moon is also an ideal time to perform magick work of all kinds as it is the most potent moon phase and affects us the most.

The full moon card is featured from The Ritual Deck

The moon is completely full for about a minute. Aside from this one minute of total fullness, the moon is either at its peak waxing or waning phase. These peak phases are the most potent times for action or release. You can read more about waxing vs. waning lunar energy here. This is something to keep in mind during this meditation, as it may change the time and purpose you decide to use this meditation for. 

Full Moon Mantra: I am grateful for all that has come, and all that is still coming to me.   

Full Moon Optional Tools: Rainbow, white, or peach moonstone, purple candle, dried mugwort. 

Full Moon Meditation: 

• Sit in a chair or on the ground with your spine upright.

• Say aloud: Full moon, I ask you to fill me with gratitude and reveal the magick all around me. 

• Quiet your mind, and become aware of your breath.

• Start sending each inhale deep into your belly. 

• Begin extending your inhales, and your exhales. 

• Visualize the bright white light of the full moon bathing you in sparkling white light. 

• Bring something to mind that you’re grateful for. Allow yourself to experience your gratitude fully. Continue bringing things to mind that you are grateful for. 

• Sit in this place of gratitude for as long as you’d like and continue to focus on your breath and the sparkling light of the full moon. 

• You can stay in this place of gratitude for the remainder of the meditation or continue and connect with spirit. 

• Say aloud: Full moon, I ask that you help me open up to the spirit realm. 

• Continue to focus on your breath. 

• Be open and receptive to information that may come to you.

• Trust any sensations you experience as truth.

• Continue to focus on your breath. 

• Stay in this receptive space for as long as you’d like. 

• Thank the moon and any spirit guides for any information they shared with you. 

• Release any control of your breath.

• Open your eyes, connect with your body, and jot down any information you received. 

Waning Moon Meditation

The waning moon invites you to release anything that’s no longer serving you and accept your current situation as is. This energy may also require you to reevaluate your previous desire and let go of any expectations you might have or control of your current situation. Download my free waning moon meditation here.

Last quarter moon card featured from The Ritual Deck.

The waning moon is a potent reminder that The Universe doesn’t always work on our timeline. Things might look or feel out of control, but it all has a purpose. Beyond the harsher side of letting go, the waxing moon has a soft side of acceptance of what is. Though this phase might seem quite active, it is actually more passive. I invite you to imagine waves gently removing what needs to go. Love and accept everything that remains. 

Waning Moon Mantra: I release what no longer serves me and accept myself as I am. 

 Waning Moon Optional Tools: Obsidian, rose quartz, black candle, and cedar.

Waning Moon Meditation: 

• Sit in a chair or on the ground with your spine upright.

• Say aloud: Waning moon, I ask you to show me what needs to go and what needs to stay. 

• Quiet your mind, and become aware of your breath.

• Start sending each inhale deep into your belly. 

• Begin extending your inhales, and your exhales. 

• Visualize a soft pink light coming down from the waning moon and weaving all around you. Imagine that this soft pink light is whisking away any stagnant energy, old beliefs, or cords connected to other people that are no longer serving you. Imagine it’s sending anything it takes from you down into the Earth to be transformed into useful energy for someone else. 

• Some things might stay that you want to go and that’s ok. 

• Imagine this soft pink light is now surrounding you like a soft cloud of love. 

• Say aloud: Waning moon, I ask you to help me love and accept myself where I am right now.

• Continue to focus on your breath. 

• Be open and receptive to receiving love and acceptance. 

• Trust any sensations you experience as truth.

• Continue to focus on your breath. 

• Stay in this loving space for as long as you’d like. 

• Thank the moon for the release and love that it shared with you. 

• Release any control of your breath.

• Open your eyes, connect with your body, and jot down any information you received. 

Dark Moon Meditation

The dark moon is a time of rest, integration, and restoration. This moon phase beckons you to do very little. This is a time to reflect on everything that transpired during this moon cycle so you can integrate it into your being. Without proper integration, cycles will continue to be repeated. 

Dark moon cared featured from The Ritual Deck.

The dark moon phase happens right before the new moon when the moon isn’t visible in the night sky. You can learn more about the difference between the dark moon and the new moon here. 

Dark Moon Mantra: I am allowed to rest. Rest is necessary for growth.

Dark Moon Optional Tools: black tourmaline, blue or black candle, dried lavender. 

Dark Moon Meditation: 

• Sit in a chair or on the ground with your spine upright. 

• Say aloud: Dark Moon, I ask you to guide me to deep rest so that I can integrate everything that has happened. 

• Quiet your mind, and become aware of your breath.

• Start sending each inhale deep into your belly. 

• Begin extending your inhales, and your exhales. 

• Visualize a dark blue sparkling light coming from the dark moon and meeting you at the top of your head. Imagine that this blue energy is warm and heavy. Visualize the energy gently touch each part of your body, from the top of your head to the tips of your toes, covering you like a warm blanket. 

• Notice thoughts that come up and ask if they need anything to be resolved. You may have thoughts and feelings that come up that will require you to purge emotions. Let your emotions come and go as they need. 

• Say aloud: Dark Moon, I ask that you help me experience the light and shadow of any emotions that come up. 

• Continue to focus on the breath and the warm blanket of energy from the moon. 

• Stay in this receptive space for as long as you’d like. 

• Thank the moon for its comfort and restoration. 

• Release any control of your breath.

• Open your eyes, connect with your body, and jot down any information you received. 

The phases of the moon can be used as a guide to manifest, trust, release, connect, and rest. Each phase offers you a reminder to tune into different kinds of energy and different aspects of your life. Meditation is a powerful way to put this energy into practice. 

If you’d like to learn more about working with lunar energy, you can check out lots of free content from our blog here or purchase my Meditate with the Moon bundle of guided meditations here.  

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. 

3 Simple Protection Rituals

Those of us who are energetically sensitive, connected to the spirit realm, or in a process of opening up our psychic abilities may find ourselves feeling drained or sometimes connecting with negative, unwelcome energy. That’s where protection rituals come in, to help protect us from unwanted energies and spirits.

This time of the year when the veil between the physical world and the spirit world is the thinnest is ideal for all of us to do protection rituals!

I’ve got you covered in this blog. Keep scrolling to find three rituals for protection.

ANCESTORS + GUIDES PROTECTION RITUAL

This protection ritual is intended to help you call on the protection and guidance of your spiritual support team: your well ancestors, spirit guides, angels, and any other energies who have your highest and best interests at heart. You’ll need:

• A black candle

• Salt

• Rosemary

• Bergamot oil or a simple oil like grapeseed

Before you begin, prep your candle. Cover your candle in oil and roll it in a mixture of salt and rosemary. Then, start your ritual by grounding yourself and casting your circle. Sit in meditation, focusing on your breath, or do a little breathwork to bring yourself into a clear, open, receptive state.

• When you feel ready, light your candle. Speak aloud and ask these spirits and energies, one at a time, to join your circle:

• Well ancestors from your mother’s lineages

• Well ancestors from your father’s lineages

• Spirit guides

• Angels

• Any other helpful beings who have your highest and best at heart

When you feel them arrive, thank them. Ask them to protect you, ask them if they have any messages you need to receive right now and ask them if they have a symbol of protection to offer you. Take as long as you’d like here, breathing and listening.

Ask these helpful beings what you can offer them as thanks for their protection. Maybe it’s a sweet treat, some wine, a prayer, or a song. If it’s a physical offering and you have what you need, gather the offering and place it on your altar. If not, return to your altar tomorrow with the offering. If it’s something like a prayer or a song, offer it to them.

Thank your ancestors and guides for their help and let them go as you let your candle burn all the way down. Begin working with the protection symbol offered by these helpful beings in whatever ways feel right to you. Maybe you paint it and hang it in your space, write it in your journal, carve it into candles, customize it as a necklace, or invoke it in future rituals.

CHARM BAG FOR PROTECTION

If you’ve been reading the blog for a while, you know I love charm or spell bags! Here’s what you’ll need:

• A small bag (If you want to use a colored bag, opt for black)

• Yarrow or rosemary

• Smoky quartz, black tourmaline, or malachite

• Kundalini protection mantra Aad Guray Nameh

• Symbols: Hamsa Hand, Eye of Horus, a pentacle, crossed spears, and/or any other personal symbol of protection

Gather your items and ground yourself. Place each item in your bag one by one, visualizing protective energy pouring into your bag and swirling around you, creating a flexible bubble of protection that only allows in the most loving, helpful energies.

Once each item is in the bag, I recommend placing your hands on the bag and chanting the mantra Aad Guray Nameh until you feel complete. You know your bag is ready when you feel an energy shift. Carry the bag with you as you move through your day or place it by your bed for protection as you sleep.

SALT BATH RITUAL FOR PROTECTION

Salt has long been known to have powerful protective energy. For this simple salt bath ritual, you’ll need:

Pure salt

A black pillar candle

Optional: yarrow or another favorite protection herb

Start running your bathwater. As the tub fills, sit in meditation to ground yourself and create an internal ritual space. A few deep belly breaths in through the nose and out through the mouth is a beautiful way to ground and come into your body.

When you feel grounded, add the salt and herbs if you’re using them to your bath. Sprinkle a little salt and any other herbs you’re using into the top of the black candle and light it near your bath.

Spend time meditating in your bath, invoking the four elements and any other protective energies you connect with to surround you, support you, and help you. Stay present and really feel how it feels to be surrounded by loving energy. Ask the elements to create a protective field around you as you emerge from the bath, keeping any harmful energies and spirits away.

To complete the ritual, light your pillar candle every day for the next 3 days until it burns all the way down.

WATER MAGICK 101

Water is associated with the moon, the direction of the west, the Cups suit in the tarot, and the zodiac signs of Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces. Water signifies intuition, surrender, dreams, emotions, and psychic abilities. It is oceans, rivers, ponds, the moon, waterfalls, light rain, hurricanes, and tsunamis. It extinguishes fire and floods Earth. It cleanses and purifies, and connects us with the deepest parts of ourselves.

We can use the element of water in ritual, spellwork, and spiritual practice and that’s what I’ll be talking about in this blog. Keep scrolling to learn what water magick is and find different ways to practice it.

WHAT IS WATER MAGICK?

My favorite definition of magick comes from Starhawk, who said: “Magick is the ability to change energy at will.” So water magick is simply changing energy using the element of water and all that it represents, as I shared above.

We can do magick with any of the elements. There is air magick, fire magick, and Earth magick as well. But in this article, we’ll be exclusively exploring water magick.

SCRYING

Scrying is an ancient divination practice where you connect with your intuition and make the unseen seen by gazing onto a reflective surface. Some common reflective surfaces to use are the full moon or a black bowl filled with water.

You can do scrying with other substances such as fire, a crystal ball, or a mirror, but when working with water magick you want to choose something associated with water like the options I’ve shared above.

To begin your scrying practice, create a ritual space for yourself and either go outside and find a view of the moon or gather your bowl and water. As I walk you through scrying, I’ll use the example of a bowl of water. For this practice, you’ll want to be in a dark room with only one or two candles lit.

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.

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?).

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 after 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!

CLEANSING SPELL

This simple spell helps us use the element of water to release and is best worked during the waning and dark moon times. You’ll need:

A large glass of water

A piece of paper and pen

To start, choose what you’re focusing on releasing. Maybe is blocks to self-love, fear of being seen, a harmful way of speaking to yourself, or self-judgment.

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 fear of being seen. Your list might hold beliefs like:

I’m not good enough

If people see who I really am, they won’t love me

I’m too weird

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.

MOONGAZING

Personally, this is one of my favorite practices. It’s best done when the moon is full or around fullness. All you need is yourself, the moon, and your creativity for this practice.

In its simplest form, simply go outside, sit or stand under the moon, and gaze up at her beauty. Beam a heart full of love towards her, and feel her filling you up with her lunar energy.

You might like to take it further in a number of ways:

Drawing down the moon (opening up your arms and visualizing your crown opening to receive lunar energy

Singing to the moon

Writing poems to the moon and reading them to her

Asking her questions and sitting in meditation under her light to receive answers

There’s no right or wrong way to moon gaze. Let your intuition and creativity be your guide!

CHARGE WATER UNDER THE MOON

A powerful form of water magick is charging water under the full moon at night and then using it. In its simplest form, you simply drink the water. You can also use the water in spell workings, water your plants with it, or add it to your ritual bath (which we’ll explore below).

You are welcome to charge just a glass of water under the moon. However, you could also add a crystal to your glass that’s related to your intention for extra power. Here are some suggestions:

Rose quartz for a love infusion

Green aventurine for an abundance infusion

Amethyst for clear sight and intuition

Citrine for personal powerObsidian for protection

Carnelian for creativity

Clear quartz as an amplifier for any intention. Use alone or with another crystal!

You can work with any crystal you’d like, just remember that some crystals are water-soluble so check first to make sure it won’t dissolve in your water overnight.

SPEND TIME IN BODIES OF WATER

If you’re lucky enough to live near a body of water, going to that body of water whether it’s a lake, river, or ocean and immersing yourself in it for cleansing and purification is one of the most powerful forms of water magick there is. Turn a simple dip into magick by using your presence, breath, and intention to receive the medicine of the water.

Card featured from The Ritual Deck.

RITUAL BATH

If you can’t get to a body of water or it’s too cold to get in, a ritual bath is a beautiful way to immerse yourself in the power of water. In this blog post, I share some herbal bath recipes for specific intentions to help make your bath extra magical. But again, if all you bring to your bath is your presence, breath, and intention - that’s all the magick you need. Everything else is just an extra amplifier!

Using the Cardinal Directions in Ritual

The cardinal directions, North, South, East, and West, can help you with more than navigation. Each direction holds a meaning of its own and corresponds to one of the four elements. There are both simple and complex ways of using the cardinal directions in ritual.

A variety of cultures honor the cardinal directions. This article is looking at them from a Pagan and Wiccan perspective. The four directions are often used by Native Americans on the medicine wheel. Neither way is wrong or right, just different, and for different purposes.

Read on for meanings and three ways to start using the cardinal directions in your magickal practices.

Connection to the Four Elements

Each direction corresponds to one of the four elements; understanding these connections can help you better understand the energy of each direction.

• North corresponds to Earth

• East corresponds to Air

• South corresponds to Fire

• West corresponds to Water

A quick note about these correspondences. The elemental correspondences can vary depending on your location, cultural background, or intuition. Catherine Beyer explains this in her article The Five Element Symbols of Fire, Water, Air, Earth, and Spirit.

The Golden Dawn originated in England, and the directional/elemental correspondences reflect a European perspective. To the south are the warmer climates, and thus is associated with fire. The Atlantic Ocean lies to the west. The north is cold and formidable, a land of the earth but sometimes not a lot else.

If these correspondences don’t feel right to you, that’s ok! For example, if you live in the Southern Hemisphere, you may find that the correspondences feel off. You can reassign the elements in a way that feels natural to you or is in better alignment with your cultural background.

Direction meanings

Here’s a more in-depth look at some meanings and correspondences of each direction.

North

• Physical body

• Health

• Chakra: Root

• Element: Earth

• Color: Green

East

• New beginnings

• Change

• Transmission of information

• Chakra: Third Eye and Throat

• Element: Air

• Color: Yellow

South

• Hardships

• Challenges

• Willpower

• Chakra: Solar Plexus

• Element: Fire

• Color: Red

West

• Emotions

• Endings

• Self-worth

• Chakra: Heart and Sacral

• Element: Water

• Color: Blue

Three ways to use the cardinal directions in ritual

1. Add a layer of meaning to your ritual

The easiest way to start implementing the cardinal directions into your magickal practice is by facing the direction that makes the most sense for what you’re doing. This idea can be applied to oracle and tarot card readings, candle magick, ritual, spellwork, meditation, or working with the moon.

Here are a few examples:

• Face North if you’re doing a meditation focused on your health.

• Face East if you’re performing a card reading for the new moon because the new moon represents new beginnings.

• Face South if you’re asking your guides about how to overcome a problem.

• Face West if you’re doing a ritual to help you let go of something.

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2. Calling the quarters for protection

The next time you’re practicing a ritual or psychic work start by calling on the four directions, this is also referred to as “calling the quarters.” Calling the quarters will bring you protection and the energy of all of the elements during your practice. It’s also said to create a sacred space that is connected to the spirit realm.

There’s more than one way to call the quarters. A quick google search will offer you a variety of options, but here’s one way:

Imagine each direction as a wind that you’re invoking into your space. You can even imagine a specific Goddess or God for each direction. As you call in each direction, stand facing the direction you’re calling in and ask it to join you for your ritual practice. Many like to start by calling in the North winds first because it will keep your ritual grounded. Rotate in a circle, going through each direction, asking it to join you. When you’re done performing your ritual work, release the winds, and thank them for their assistance and protection.

3. Altar placement

Whether you’re creating a new altar or updating your current altar, the direction it’s facing will have an effect on it. Try to place your altar in a direction that matches the season of life you’re in or want to be in.

Has your altar or sacred space been in the same location for a long time? It might be a time to rearrange and face your altar in a direction that’s in better alignment with your life. Check the meanings for the directions above and note which one feels like where you’re at or want to be right now.

Four Abundance Rituals

Do you want to call in more abundance? You’re in the right place! Abundance can come in so many forms and means many different things to different people. Abundance could be time, money, freedom, or anything else that makes you personally feel abundant!

In this blog post, I’ll be sharing four rituals to help you connect with the abundance that’s always available to you. Keep scrolling to read them!

ABUNDANCE CRYSTAL GRID

Crystal grids are a beautiful tool for manifesting more abundance in your life! The ideal time to set up your abundance grid is at the new moon, and you can leave it up until the full moon.

Start by gathering your stones and cleansing them. Your abundance besties in the crystal kingdom are aventurine, citrine, quartz, moss agate, tiger eye, and kyanite! Try one of each stone, although if you have more than one, that’s great, too.

You’ll place your citrine stone in the center and arrange your other stones radiating out around the citrine in a way that feels good to use. Use the crystal grid in the Goddess Discovery Book or place your stones on a cloth or table.

As you place each stone, keep an image in your mind’s eye of what you’re trying to attract. Ask yourself how you’ll feel when you receive the abundance you’re requesting.

After all your stones are in place, trace your crystals with a pointed quartz. Imagine the quartz connecting your crystals and unifying their energy. Try to connect with your grid daily until the full moon!

ABUNDANCE SPELL BAG

Spell bags, known in Voodoo as “gris-gris,” or to Native Americans as “medicine bags,” are one of my favorite ways to make magick. The waxing moon is the best time to do any abundance spell work, so try to do each of these rituals then if you can!Here’s what you’ll need to make a spell bag for abundance:

• Basil or a sprinkle of cinnamon

• 10 of Pentacles tarot card (or a copy of this tarot card if you don’t want to put the actual card in the bag!)

• A knob of ginger

• Honey calcite, pyrite, citrine, or green aventurine

• Anything else that represents abundance to you. For example, if you work for yourself you might include a printout of an email where a client booked a session with you.

Spend some time with your spell bag to infuse your energy into it. Hold it in your hands as you meditate on abundance, and breathe into it before you pull it closed!

ABUNDANCE CANDLE MAGICK

You can work with the magic of fire to help you call more abundance into your life! If you’ve never done candle magick before, read this blog to learn how to get started.For this spell, you’ll need:

• Green candle

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

• Tiger eye, citrine, and green aventurine

• Patchouli or frankincense oil

• Coins or money

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

For this spell, you’ll be carving the Fehu Rune into your candle. Fehu is a powerful symbol of abundance. If you’d prefer to carve a specific dollar amount or item you’re hoping to attain you could carve this into the candle too.

Anoint your candle with the oil of your choice. As you carve and anoint your candle, visualize your abundance goal.

Arrange your crystals, money, and candle in a place where you can leave it up for a few nights. Light your candle and meditate on the flame. Visualize your abundance goal clearly, imagine yourself reaching your goal and what it would feel like to attain it.

You can continue this until the entire candle burns or snuff out the candle and continue the same ritual each night until the candle has burned completely.

Bonus! You can get this spell as a free printable spell card (along with spells for love, letting go, and connecting with your intuition) here.

ABUNDANCE TAROT or ORACLE CARD SPREAD

Turn to tarot or oracle to understand your blocks to abundance and what you can do to connect to more abundance. You can create a ritual space by grounding yourself first, lighting candles, burning herbs or incense, or doing anything else that feels right to you.

Cards from the Journey Tarot Kit

When you feel grounded and centered, shuffle your cards while holding the intention to connect with the wisdom of your highest self. Draw cards for each of the following questions:

• What belief system or patterns blocks me from the abundance I desire?

• How to release this belief system or pattern

• How to open myself up to greater abundance

• My mantra for calling in abundance

Spend some time journaling with your cards and meditating on your mantra card. If you’d like, you can place your mantra card on your altar!

When’s The Best Day For Your Ritual? // Days of The Week & Magick

You know all about the moon phases and the best phases for specific rituals and spells (if you don’t learn more here) but did you know that the days of the week also play a part in the energy of your rituals? Each day of the week has an energy of its own that will affect any rituals or spellwork you’re doing.

Of course, it can be easy to become overwhelmed with all of these magickal “rules” but rest assured your spellwork won’t be ruined if you miss the perfect day. Think of using the energy of the days of the week as an added layer of energy. Just like a specific stone won’t make or break your ritual, the day of the week won’t either, but it can help push your intentions in the direction you desire most.

Each day of the week carries the energy of a planet, an element, and masculine or feminine energy. These factors give each weekday its magickal energy. Here’s a rundown of the energy each day of the week carries.

Want to adorn your space with a beautiful reminder of the energy of each day of the week? Click here to receive the printable featured below! 

Sunday

• Planet: Sun

• Element: Fire

• Energy: Masculine

• Key Words: Growth, personal power, goals

Get excited! Sunday is your day to plan big and expect to conquer all of your goals. This is the perfect day to set the wheels in motion for anything you’d like to accomplish in the week ahead. Set up your special altar, start your candle spell, or place your crystal grid on Sunday to get the energy of your intentions set in the right direction.

Monday

• Planet: Moon

• Element: Water

• Energy: Feminine

• Key Words: Intuitive work, increased psychic abilities, emotion

Want to hone your intuitive abilities or connect with spirit on a deeper level? Monday is your day. If you’re planning to do a ritual with the moon, try to implement it on a Monday for an extra boost of moon vibes. Save your special oracle or tarot card readings for Monday to connect with the special intuitive energy it brings.

Tuesday

• Planet: Mars

• Element: Fire

• Energy: Masculine

• Key Words: Strength, courage, leadership

Invoke your inner warrior on Tuesday because this day is all about fire and intensity. Feeling stuck or need some inspiration? Try a ritual or spell to light your internal fire on this day. Maybe you just need an extra boost of energy, try lighting an orange candle on a Tuesday. The strong fire energy of the day can help give you the boost you need.

Wednesday

• Planet: Mercury

• Element: Air

• Energy: Masculine

• Key Words: Creativity, change, communication

This is your day to express yourself. Let your words, needs, and desires flow freely from you. Have you been holding back with someone, not letting them know how you really feel? Try to schedule your hardest convos on Wednesdays. Have a spell or ritual based around making a big change that requires you to speak up? Wednesday is your day.

Thursday

• Planet: Jupiter

• Element: Earth

• Energy: Masculine

• Key Words: Abundance, wealth, success

Smile, Thursdays are all about happiness and harvesting your desires. Save all of your abundance rituals for this day to take advantage of Thursday vibes. Whether it’s money, a new house, or an abundance of friends you’re looking for if you’re looking to multiply something in your life this is the day you’ll want to plan your magick work for.

Friday

• Planet: Venus

• Element: Water

• Energy: Feminine

• Key Words: Love, romance, fertility

Friday is the perfect time to slow down and offer some love to yourself or another. Try drawing a luxurious bath for yourself and lighting a pink candle to invite more love into your life. If you desire to have a baby, Fridays are the ideal time to set an intention to be open to new life dwelling within you.

Saturday

• Planet: Saturn

• Element: Earth and Fire

• Energy: Feminine

• Key Words: Protection, cleansing, endings

Saturdays are the ideal time to cleanse your space. Invoke both the Earth and the Fire element by burning herbs to cleanse yourself or your home. If you intend to perform a ritual for protection Saturday is the ideal time to do this. Any kind of cord-cutting or detachment ritual could be performed at this time too.

Again, don’t stress too much over the day you perform your rituals. It’s certainly better to devote some quiet reflection time to ritual any day rather than not at all! Your timing will sync up perfectly at times, sometimes it won’t, and that’s OK. Perhaps you’ll even be inspired by this list to plan some rituals for specific days.

How to journal with the moon phases + 10 journal prompts

Your mood, physical body, and spirit body all go through phases, and journaling with the moon is an ideal way to track all of these. You may find that you’re more synced with the moon than you thought!

Why You Should Try Moon Journaling

Wouldn’t it be nice to know which moon phases make you feel the most intuitive, expressive, or reserved? The way you relate to each moon phase is reflective of you alone and experiences will vary from person to person. You may find that your diet, intuition, and menstruation are affected by the phases of the moon. Keeping a moon journal will enable you to track any patterns to better understand all of your cycles. 

How Often Should You Write in Your Moon Journal?

Take notes in your moon journal as often as you like! Journaling once a week will ensure that you hit each of the main phases of the moon: new moon, waxing moon, full moon, and waning moon. Moon journaling twice a month, on the full and new moon, can also be enlightening.

Starting out, I suggest making a quick note in your moon journal for 30-60 consecutive days. Making a quick note daily, in the beginning, will help you catch any obvious patterns right away.

What You’ll Need to Start Your Moon Journal

1. You’ll need a moon phase calendar, digital, or a hard copy.

2. You’ll also need a writing utensil and a journal or notepad. That’s it!

10 Topics for Moon Journaling

Here’s a list of suggested moon journaling topics. Read through the whole list. What topics call out to you the most? You can journal on all or some of these topics, it’s completely up to you.

Start your moon journaling by recording the date, the moon phase, and the zodiac sign for the phase (optional).

1. Record how you feel emotionally. Check-in, do you feel content, happy, sad, jealous, excited, energized, grateful, anxious, or angry? Record your mood for the day or overall week. This can be as simple as writing one word.

2. Record how you feel spiritually. How connected and intuitive do you feel? If you meditate regularly, was it easy for you to “drop-in” or did you find your meditation to be a struggle (this is always a good indicator of my spiritual well-being).

3. Record how you feel physically. How are you sleeping, your energy levels, and your diet? Are there any particular foods you're craving? If you exercise regularly, was your activity easy or more forced?

4. Record when you start and end your menstrual cycle. You may also decide to notate what each menstrual cycle feels like to help unearth patterns. If you’re particularly in-tune with your cycle or trying to conceive (or not conceive!) you might also find it helpful to track your ovulation with the moon.

5. Note any goals, intentions, and manifestations you’ve initiated and when they manifest. New intentions are best to set on a new or waxing moon.

6. Note any habits, people, outcomes, or things you’re trying to let go of and when you feel you’ve shed them. Releasing and letting go is best to initiate during a full or waning moon.

7. Notate the zodiac sign the moon is in. If you want to take your moon journaling to the next level you can notate what zodiac sign the moon is in. The moon is always positioned in a zodiac sign and cycles through them every 2-3 days. The sign the moon is in will also have an effect on you too. Try looking for even broader patterns by notating what sign the moon is in when you journal. I like this online resource for tracking the zodiac sign for each moon phase.

8. Track your triumphs! Did something happen that was totally out of the blue and made your day? Maybe you received an unexpected promotion, landed your dream job, or ran into an old friend, write it down!

9. Track your worst days. Did you have one of those days where nothing seems to go as expected and you just can’t shake it? These days aren’t as fun, but being able to estimate when they may come up can sure be helpful.

10. Note your dreams. Dream journaling is an insightful activity on its own. Notating the moon phase for your dreams can shed even more light on what your subconscious is trying to tell you. You might be able to identify times when your dreams are most active so you can plan to have a notepad ready on your nightstand.

Moon journaling can be as simple or in-depth as you’d like and can be tailored to suit your needs and schedule.

What crystals, symbols, and scents do you need most?

It can be overwhelming to know what crystals, symbols, scents, and other tools to rely on for different purposes. Here’s a quick guide for a variety of situations you may be seeking support for or, perhaps, you have a friend who needs support in a specific area?

Happiness

Who doesn’t want to be happier? Scroll through the tools below for symbols, crystals, scents, and herbs that can help you cultivate more happiness in your life.

Symbols & tools

Wunjo Rune is the rune of joy, pleasure, and harmony. Get The Ritual Deck to get your Wunjo Rune oracle card, a great reminder of joy to place on your altar or carry with you throughout the day.

Crystals

Citrine, a crystal of happiness, emits positive energy and can help you stay positive, attract your desires, and be more present in your life. That’s where the joy really comes from after all, right?

Scents & herbs

Brahmi, an ancient Ayurvedic herb, can help promote feelings of well-being. Try burning it in the morning as you do a gratitude meditation.

Grounding & Protection

There are so many reasons grounding and protection are important. For those of us who do energy work and psychic work, grounding can help us bring our energy back into our body, back into the lower chakras. Protection can help protect you from absorbing the energy of others, either in spiritual work or just in general as you go about your life (especially for anyone who lives in the city!).

Regardless of your work with magick, grounding and protection help bring you back into your body, feeling safe, supported, and cared for.

Get more tips for psychic protection here.

Symbols & tools

There are many symbols of grounding and protection in the magical world. Some of my favorites are:

• Algiz Rune, the shield rune for protection

• Salt, a tool that has been used as protection for centuries

• Root chakra, your energetic center of safety and grounding

• Dark moon, an invitation to ground into your body and shed negative energy

The Ritual Deck includes representations of each of these symbols, which can act as energetic stand-ins in rituals or on your altar.

Crystals

Use snowflake obsidian, a stone of cleansing negative energy and releasing blockages, or smoky quartz, the ultimate stone for grounding and balancing.

Scents & herbs

Clove is your go-to for protection. Spruce will help you ground, bringing you deeply into the present moment.

Anxiety Relief & Peace

Many of us struggle with anxiety in the modern world. It’s so easy to get caught up in what has happened and what might happen or could happen. The tools below help you relieve anxiety and connect with a sense of inner peace.

Symbols & tools

Blue is a soothing color that can help restore tranquility and peace. Try lighting a blue candle or working with the blue candle card in The Ritual Deck.

Crystals

The crystal kingdom has an abundance of stones to help soothe your anxiety and restore your inner peace. We love blue lace agate for its calming vibrations, labradorite to keep you from absorbing too much of other people’s energy, and howlite to help relieve stress and get better sleep.

Scents & herbs

Lavender can be used as aromatherapy to soothe mild anxiety, and chamomile has long been used to reduce stress and anxiety.

Abundance & Wealth

Who doesn’t want to call in more abundance and wealth? The tools below will help you connect with the abundance you desire to manifest in your physical reality.

Symbols & tools

The color green is associated with abundance, wealth, good fortune, and success. Light a green candle on your altar or work with the green candle card in The Ritual Deck.Fehu Rune is your Rune for bringing abundance of all kinds into your life, whether it be financial or other. Fehu can also be used as a useful tool to tap into the abundance already surrounding you. If you’re having a difficult time tapping into gratitude for all of the gifts you already have, Fehu can help fill your heart with gratitude. Check out a ritual to work with Fehu in this blog.

Crystals

Citrine is also known as the success stone. It’s associated with the solar plexus chakra and can be a powerful aid in manifesting wealth and abundance.Green aventurine is another stone well-known for attracting abundance, success, and luck. It’s also associated with the heart chakra, helping you to open to receive the abundance that is on its way to you.

Scents & herbs

Cinnamon has its roots in many cultures as a powerful plant for attracting abundance as well as success and healing. Try adding it to your coffee, blending it in your smoothie, and sprinkling it over a banana or your favorite dessert!

Love & Compassion

Turn to these tools when your heart chakra needs some healing. They’ll help you cultivate unconditional love and compassion for yourself and others. Find rituals to cultivate self-love here.

Symbols & tools

Use a pink candle when you’re working with self-love and compassion, or a red candle when you’re working with passionate love involving someone else.

Crystals

Rose quartz is your crystal ally for unconditional love and compassion. It’s a gentle healer for your heart chakra, a space where we can store so much fear and doubt.Carnelian is another beautiful stone of love, as well as faith and devotion. Use carnelian when you want to devote yourself to a healing practice or when you need to deepen your faith and trust in yourself.

Scents & herbs

There are many scents and herbs that help promote love and compassion! Try hawthorn, rose petals, lotus petals, or motherwort. Mixing a few herbs together into a tea or a bath can be lovely.

Cleansing Negative Energy

Sometimes, we’re not able to protect ourselves from negative energy. Life is life, and negative energy is sometimes inevitable. Use the tools below to cleanse yourself and your space of negative energy, especially after a difficult conversation, a break-up, or a stressful day.

Symbols & tools

Salt is an amazing natural tool to absorb negative energy. Use a representation of salt from The Ritual Deck, take a salt bath, use a salt lamp, or place a bowl of salt in your space.

Crystals

Black tourmaline, a dark stone for protecting and cleansing, is your go-to for cleansing negative energy. Try meditating with black tourmaline, visualizing all of the negative energy being absorbed into the stone.All-purpose quartz, the ultimate balancer, is another great crystal to have on hand for cleansing negative energy. Learn more about the magical properties and benefits of clear quartz here. Labradorite is also available to help you cleanse your aura. If your aura is weak, has tears, or holes in it labradorite can help. Keep your aura squeaky clean by meditating with a piece of labradorite or going around your entire body with a piece of it in your hand.

Scents & herbs

Rosemary and cedar can all help you cleanse negative energy. Burn them over yourself or in your space to cleanse, purify, and release.

Intuition & Psychic Abilities

These tools will help you open your third eye chakra, to connect with your psychic abilities and center of intuition. (We have a whole slew of blog posts to help you in these areas as well -- check out 5 Quick Tips to Improve Your Intuition,You Are Psychic! How to Determine What Psychic Gift You Have, and 3 Daily Actions to Improve your Intuition to get started.)

Symbols & tools

Your third eye chakra is the center of your intuition. It’s associated with the color purple, so try burning purple candles or connecting with the color in other ways like wearing it or including it in your space.

Crystals

Amethyst is a classic stone for your third eye chakra. It’s like a cool bath for your intuitive center, gently opening and awakening it to deepen your connection.Labradorite connects strongly to your third eye, making it ideal for honing your intuitive abilities. It can also help you connect with spirit guides and angels, and open the doors to the other side by helping you with astral travel. A multi-purpose stone for your intuition and psychic abilities, indeed!

Scents & herbs

Experiment with mugwort, lavender, juniper, and bilberry to open your center of intuition.

Connecting to the Moon

Symbols & tools

Work with representations of the moon in all her phases to connect with the lunar, divine feminine energy of the moon. The Triple Goddess is also here to connect you with the moon and its cycles, as well as the mother/maiden/crone cycle of life. Download your Triple Goddess free printable here.

Crystals

Moonstone, just like the name implies, is your crystal ally for connecting with the moon. It’s a dreamy goddess stone that channels the energy of mama moon into your energy field.Selenite received its name from the Greek goddess of the moon, Selene. Selenite offers the water element, connecting you to emotions, intuition, your highest self, and of course, the moon.

Scents & herbs

Mugwort is your go-to to harness the intuitive and psychic power of the moon. Burn it in your space to connect with the moon’s energy and your own inner Selene.

Femininity

Symbols & tools

The Earth element, represented as an upside-down triangle with a line across the bottom, and the Water element, represented as an upside-down triangle with no line, are both beautiful representations of the divine feminine, womb healing, and receiving. Work with the representations of these elements in The Ritual Deck.

The triple goddess symbol that I mentioned above, shown by two crescent moons with one full moon between them, is another beautiful symbol of the divine feminine. Besides the phases of the moon, it also represents the phases of womanhood we cycle through: maiden, mother, and crone.

Crystals

Rainbow moonstone is here to connect you to your inner goddess and divine feminine energy.

Strawberry quartz can also connect you to feminine energy as a gentle, loving stone here to fill you with the healing energy of love and open your heart center to give and receive love unconditionally.

Scents & herbs

Hibiscus, the flower associated with the Hawaiian goddess Pele, connects you with Pele’s fiery, passionate, and yet nurturing energy.

The lotus, whose petals represent the yoni, can connect you with your feminine energy and feminine center, the space of creation within you.

I hope you find this guide helpful for quickly finding tools to help you!

5 Powerful Rune Meanings & Rituals

Runes are symbols that each carry unique universal energy. These special symbols were used by Nordic and Germanic cultures in Northern Europe as forms of language, for religious purposes, and as tools of magick and divination.

Runes an extremely versatile spiritual tool. You can use Runes together as a set, like an oracle card deck, learn more about using Runes in this way here. You can also hone in on the energy of specific Runes for specific purposes, that’s what I’ll be covering here.

Most Rune sets are comprised of 24 Rune characters, though this can vary some depending on the set used. I’ll be referencing five of the most frequently used Elder Futhark Runes here.

The cards shown in the images and rituals are from The Ritual Deck®, an oracle card deck I created based around rituals.

The Runes I’ll discuss today are Algiz, Fehu, Berkano, Wunjo, and Tiwaz. Keep scrolling for ways to tap into the energy of each one.

Algiz for Protection

Think of Algiz as a spirit guide or connection to your Higher Self always watching over you. This Rune is not only a symbol of protection but goes much deeper and wants to offer you guidance on your journey. Tap into the power of this Rune anytime you’re feeling lost, scared, or like you need additional protection.

Algiz Ritual

Create an Algiz wall hanging to protect you and to remind you of your connection to your Higher Self. This activity is ideally performed on the night of the dark moon, but it can be done during any moon phase. You’ll need one long stick (this will be used as the center of the Algiz symbol, so any size you’d like will do), two shorter sticks that are the same size (about half the size of the longer stick), and string. Place the two shorter sticks in a “V” shape at the center of your longer stick. The wall hanging should look similar to the Algiz symbol on the card. Wrap your string or twine around the three areas where the sticks meet until they’re stable, and then tie a knot. You can hang this symbol on your wall or place it on your altar.

If you are interested in creating another wall hanging for protection, check out this past blog post.

Fehu for Abundance

Fehu is here to shower you with abundance! This is your Rune for bringing abundance of all kinds into your life, whether it be financial or other. Fehu can also be used as a useful tool to tap into the abundance already surrounding you. If you’re having a difficult time tapping into gratitude for all of the gifts you already have Fehu can help fill your heart with gratitude for all of the abundance you already have.

Fehu Ritual

During the next waxing crescent, or any growth phase of the moon, create a Fehu carved candle. You’ll need a green candle, a toothpick, and a lighter. Using the toothpick, carve the Fehu symbol into your candle. As you carve the symbol, imagine yourself being showered with wealth, provisions and blessings. If your well is already full, think about your gratitude for all of your blessings as you carve the candle. Light your candle and gaze at it for short while, inviting the energy of Fehu into your space. Extinguish your candle when you’re done. Light this candle as often as you’d like throughout the waxing moon phase until the full moon.

Berkano for Manifesting

Bring your gifts and goals to life with the help of Berkano. This Rune is all about birthing new things into the world, this could quite literally mean birthing a child into the world or a new project. Whatever it is you’re trying to bring to fruition, Berkano is here to help bring it to light.

Berkano Ritual

To connect with the energy of Berkano, create your own Berkano charm during the next full moon. You’ll need a medallion of wood or a small stone, and paint or a permanent marker. Visualize the goal or desire you’d like to fulfill as you draw or paint the Berkano symbol on your wood medallion or stone. Once you’re done, take a few quiet moments to visualize what you’ll feel like when your goal is manifested. Place your Berkano charm somewhere you’ll see it regularly, or carry it with you.If you would like to learn more about manifesting with runes, click here to read a past post.

Wunjo for Happiness

Need more reasons to smile? The Wunjo Rune is here to help you make the decision to live in joy. This is a great Rune to use if you’re feeling down or anxious because it will help you see the good in things around you even if you’re going through a hard time.

Wunjo Ritual

Create an altar or sacred space for Wunjo as a reminder to find the joy in each day. You might find that Wunjo’s jubilant energy starts to bring more optimism into your daily thinking. This is a great ritual to perform on the day or night of the full moon. Use the Wunjo card from The Ritual Deck® or draw it on a card to place on your altar. Collect objects that bring you joy, such as pictures of happy memories, joyful flowers, or trinkets that make you happy. Other items to consider are green aventurine and a yellow candle. Get creative and have fun with this! Your Wunjo altar should make you smile anytime you gaze at it. Keep this altar up for as long as you’d like and try to make contact with it daily for one complete moon cycle.

Tiwaz for Strength

If you’re going through a challenge with another person or have a difficult decision on the horizon, Tiwaz is here to help you through it. Consider this Rune the warrior Rune. The energy of Tiwaz wants to help you find truth and justice, which is not always easy. Rely on the strength of Tiwaz for help during disagreements, legal battles, or making difficult decisions.

Tiwaz Ritual

Create a Tiwaz candle for any disagreements, difficult decisions, or legal encounters you have coming up. If you need a fresh look at the situation a white candle will serve you well. If you need momentum to help you make a difficult decision a red candle will serve you well. During the next first quarter moon or any waxing moon phase, gather your candle, a toothpick, and a match or lighter. The addition of a sodalite stone will help for speaking your truth and a tiger eye stone for energizing your solar plexus chakra. Carve the Tiwaz symbol into your candle and light the candle. Invite the just energy of Tiwaz into your situation. Sit with the lit candle as long as you like, and once you’re finished extinguish the candle. Continue to sit with the candle daily until the moon grows full, you’ve reached a decision, or your issue is resolved.

Getting Started With Candle Magick

If you’re on the fence about getting started with spellwork and magick, candle magick is the best place to start. Candle magick is simple, you don’t need much to perform it, and it’s powerful. You may even be using forms of candle magick in your home already and not even realize it!

I’m going to cover everything you need to know to get started with candle magick here.

How and why candle magick works

How often do you have a fleeting thought of acquiring a new object or setting an intention but neglect to follow through with it? Performing candle magick requires that you focus on specific goals and visualize them clearly. This often brings up emotion, connecting you even more to your desire. Think of the candle itself as a communication medium between yourself and The Universe. As your candle burns it is sending your request out into The Universe.

Candles also represent all four elements which make them a potent source of intention setting. The solid wax and wick of the candle represent earth, the flame represents fire, the smoke represents air, and the melting wax represents water.

All of these reasons combined make candles the ideal tool for spellwork and magick.

What kind of candles to use?

Any kind of candle will work, but you may find that you prefer specific kinds of candles for specific spells. I prefer to use 100% paraffin wax spell candles. They’re made specifically for candle magick, are easy to come by online or in new age shops, reasonably priced, and they come in a variety of colors.

Another great option is beeswax candles. They can be a bit pricier and harder to find but are a luxurious option because they’re 100% natural. Beeswax candles are said to emit negative ions (like a salt lamp), which is an added bonus.

If you don’t have either of these available, any candle will do, just be mindful of the color and scent of the candle as they will have an effect on the outcome. I cover candle color meanings in the last section of this blog post.

Preparing your candles

Before you start with any candle magick you’ll want to physically clean the candle and cleanse any negative energy from it. You’ll also want to anoint or “dress” your candle with oil. Keep reading for tips to perform both of these tasks.

Always begin with cleaning your candle first. To cleanse your candle start by inspecting it for any physical signs of dirt or dust. Next, you’ll want to cleanse the energy of your candle. You can do this by placing it under the light of a full moon, wafting cleansing herbal smoke around the candle, or by wiping it down with water.

Anointing your candle is an important step because it gives you the opportunity to imprint your energy onto the candle after it’s been cleansed. Select an oil that resonates with you or lines up with your intention. An essential oil or a simple baby oil will work. Put a couple of drops of the oil on your candle or your hands and rub it on the candle. As you rub the candle with oil focus on your desired outcome and imagine your energy and desire being absorbed by the candle.

Learn more about how to dress your candle for spellwork here.

Candle color meanings

These are basic meanings for each color:

• Red: Strength, passion, intensity

• Orange: Sensuality, vitality, expression

• Yellow: Inspiration, confidence, clarity

• Green: Renewal, abundance, prosperity

• Blue: Peace, respite, psychic protection

• Violet: Intuition, attunement, psychic ability

• White: Newness, purification, hope

• Black: Stability, perseverance, negativity shield

• Pink: Love, romance, friendship

Getting started

1. Safety first! Please ensure that you burn your candles in a safe space and never leave a candle burning unattended.

2. Select a candle color that is in alignment with your intention. It’s always best to perform candle magick with a new candle.

3. Cleanse and consecrate your candle keeping your intention in mind as you do this.

4. Light your candle and watch it burn while focusing on your intention. Sit and gaze at the candle for as long as you’d like or space the candle burning out over several nights. If you space out your candle burning, don’t blow out your candle, instead, snuff it out with a candle snuffer. The candle snuffer will help seal your intent rather than blow it away.

5. Be mindful over the next day(s) of how this exercise makes you feel about the intention you’ve set for yourself.

This is the easiest way to get started with candle magick. Get comfortable performing these simple steps and then check out this blog post with more detailed candle magick spells and receive a free candle magick printable.

3 Ways to Use The Ritual Deck

The Ritual Deck is here! Here are tips and tools you can use to jump in and start using your deck as soon as you receive it. Update 2022: The original Ritual Deck is currently discontinued but we’re working on having a similar version eventually!

Ritual has the power to ground you, help you manifest your desires, and unlock your intuitive abilities. I created this deck to help you tap into the power of ritual on a regular basis without needing to purchase several supplies.
There are three main ways to use The Ritual Deck.

1. As a traditional oracle card deck for regular guidance from the cards.

2. Unique card spreads designed specifically for performing the rituals you need most.

3. The cards themselves act as energetic stand-ins for ritual, perfect for spell work or placing on your altar.

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I’m going to share a few ways to start using your deck here but keep in mind, The Ritual Deck comes with a robust guidebook that goes into greater detail on all three of these methods. The guidebook includes much more than I can offer here in one blog post! Beyond the guidebook, this deck is incredibly versatile, and I’m sure you’ll be able to find more uses than what is outlined in the guidebook.

Oracle Card Pulls with The Ritual Deck

First and foremost The Ritual Deck is an oracle card deck. Use it for daily card pulls to receive a message for the day or bigger oracle card spreads to find guidance on more significant questions you may have.

The triad card spreads outlined in the guidebook is a common one for oracle card decks because it has so many applications. Apply the triad card spread to any of the situations you’d like more guidance on:

Steps to perform a triad card spread:

1. Hold the cards in your hands and focus on your question.

2. Shuffle your cards.

3. Call in any guides, Gods, or Goddesses you work with to help (optional).

4. Turn over the top three cards in a straight line or in a “v” shape as pictured below. The “v” shape indicates that you’d like to bring more feminine energy into your reading.

5. Apply the chart above to your three cards and reference the guidebook for more information on each card you selected.

As an example, let’s pretend that your question is, “What is holding me back from my goal to find a new job?”. The first card represents your desire to find a new job, the second card represents what might be blocking you, and the last card references how your problem may culminate. You’d then be able to dig deeper into the meaning of each card in the guidebook.

Card Spreads for Ritual with The Ritual Deck

The Ritual Deck offers several unique spreads specifically based around rituals that can help you balance your chakras, follow the phases of the moon, balance the five elements within you or your space, and more. Here are the steps for practicing the five-element card spread.

The five elements are energies within you and outside of you that can help you feel more balanced. They can also be used to bring in a specific kind of energy you’re seeking. For example, if you’re trying to accomplish a goal on a short deadline you may want to bring in more of the fire element.

To perform the element card spread follow these steps:

Place the earth card North, the air card East, the fire card South, the water card West, and the spirit card in the center.

Next, use the correspondences on the bottom of the cards to sort the cards by element. For example, all of the cards with a correspondence of water will go in a pile together.

Place each pile on top of its corresponding element, shuffle the cards, and place them face down.

Starting with the top earth element card pile select a card. This will be the ritual you perform to balance your earth element. Continue around the circle selecting one card from each pile until you end in the center at the spirit element.

This card spread can be modified for just one element, and you can decide to pull as many ritual cards from each pile as you’d like! Space your rituals out over a few days, trying to do all of them at once may be overwhelming.

There are similar card spreads outlined in the guidebook for balancing your chakras and performing rituals for every moon phase.

Using Your Cards as Energetic Stand-Ins

Your mind is a powerful tool. By believing that these cards carry the same capacity as the actual objects, they will. I do not mean to discredit the power of real crystals and tools — they are potent healers that I use and adore, but it may not be convenient or possible to find all of the physical tools you need in a given moment for a ritual. That’s why I created this deck: to provide you with the tools you need to perform regular rituals and be transformed by them.

For example, if you’re trying to bring more feminine energy into your daily practice you could place these three cards on your altar as reminders.

Or, if you’re performing a manifesting ritual and need specific tools to perform a spell or ritual, you can use cards that align with manifesting as stand-ins rather than acquiring several different physical objects.

I hope you enjoy these tips for getting started with your deck! Of course, if you have any questions about using your deck you can contact us. Click here to read a blog post all about chakra readings with The Ritual Deck.

Yoga for the 4 Elements

Fire, water, earth, and air are the four elements of the Universe. They make up all that is, everything we see around us, and everything we are.

None of them are either good or bad, and they each have specific, different properties.

Fire, associated with your solar plexus chakra, is connected with passion and inspiration. Water, associated with your sacral chakra, is all about emotion and intuition. Air, associated with your heart and throat chakras, is about communication. Earth, associated with your root chakra, is connected with grounding and stability.

There are many different ways to connect with and balance the four elements in your body and life: eating certain foods, meditation, visualization, spending time with the elements in nature, such as the ocean, connecting with crystals associated with each element, and more.

But one of my favorite ways to connect with the elements is through using yoga.

There are two ways to use yoga for the elements:

1. To create more of an element you desire.

• For example, if you want to feel more grounded you’ll want to connect with the Earth. If you want to stimulate your creativity or get out of your comfort zone, you’ll want to connect with fire.

2. To balance an element you feel you have too much of.

• For example, if you’re feeling overly emotional, you may want to balance the water element by working with its opposite, fire. If you’re feeling materialistic or too stuck in your ways you’ll want to balance the Earth element by working with its opposite, air.

Scroll down to get ideas for different styles of yoga, poses, and some breathwork to connect with each of the four elements of the universe.

Yoga for Fire

To connect with the element of fire, you’ll want to do a power or vinyasa-style yoga flow focused on stimulating your core, where your solar plexus resides.

Suraya Namaskar. For a fire practice, you’ll want to start off with a series of sun salutations. There are several different variations, but I recommend this one:

• Mountain pose at the top of your mat

• Arms lifted over head

• Hand to foot pose

• High lunge on your left side

• Plank pose

• Chaturanga

• Upward-facing dog

• Downward-facing dog

• High lunge on your right side

• Hand to foot pose

• Arms lifted over head

• Mountain pose

That’s one sequence. Do as many as you’d like! And remember that you can always modify your high lunge by lowering your back knee for a less intense version.

Plank pose. Nothing lights a fire in your belly like a plank pose. Try keeping a slight micro bend in your elbow and lifting from the back of your heart space so you really get into your belly.

Boat pose. There are two variations you can take: knees bent (gentler) or legs straight. Try starting with your knees bent and then straighten your legs after a few breaths if you feel strong and steady.

Chair pose. In this pose, tuck your tailbone and really focus on your core. Bring your awareness to those muscles, and see how the posture changes for you. If you feel like adding a little detoxifying in, take a twisted chair variation.

Agni Sara pranayama. You’ll look weird, but you’ll literally feel yourself getting hot. Start in a standing position with your knees gently bent and your hands on your knees. As you inhale, fill your belly with breath. As you exhale, draw in your lower and upper core muscles, hollowing out your stomach.

Yoga for Water

A hip-opening slow-flow style yoga practice will connect you with the element of water. As you move through each pose, imagine that you are moving through water. What would that feel like? What would that look like?

Low crescent lunge. Keep your back knee lowered to keep this pose a little more gentle, and work on finding a little more balance in your hips. If you’re lunging on the left side, try pulling your left hip back and right hip forward to get you there.

Incorporating a mudra into this pose can be really nice, too. Try flowing through Padma, or Lotus, mudra by bringing your hands to lotus mudra at the heart center, inhaling to lift your hands overhead, and exhaling to cascade your arms down and back to your heart center.

Lizard pose. Time to really get into the hips. Be gentle with your body here and use props like blocks or a bolster as needed! Ask yourself: what do I need to feel good in this pose? And listen to your body’s wisdom.

Child’s pose into cobra flow. Start in child’s pose with your legs parallel instead of knees wide. As you inhale, shift all the way forward onto your belly and into cobra pose. Your exhale brings you back to the child’s pose. Keep flowing with your breath, trying to move as slowly and mindfully as possible.

Wide-legged forward fold. Start standing with your legs wide and hangs to your hips. Inhale to open your chest, and exhale to fold, releasing your palms to your mat, ankles, or to a yogi toe hold. After a few breaths here, you might like to add in a side body stretch by walking both hands to the left side of your mat, and then to the right side.

Reclining cobbler’s pose. Bring one palm to the heart and one palm to the belly, and visualize your breath flowing up and down your spine like water with each inhale and exhale. Connect with your heart space and notice any places that your breath feels shallow or stuck. See if you can make your breath deep, smooth, and fluid.

Yoga for Earth

A grounding yin yoga practice will connect you with the Earth. As you settle in each pose, notice the Earth below you. Notice how it grounds you, supports you, and nurtures you. Spend at least five minutes in each of these poses, connecting with your breath.

Malasana seated on a block. As you sit in a yogi squat with your palms at the heart center, visualize your breath running all the way down your spine and out your tailbone, grounding you and rooting you to the Earth a little bit deeper with each inhale.

Caterpillar pose. Place a block on your thighs at whatever height you need to allow your body to completely relax and round forward over your legs. Instead of trying to stretch your hands to meet your feet, let them fall to your sides wherever they naturally do.

Half frog variation on belly. This is one of my favorite poses. Lying on your belly, turn onto your right cheek and stretch your arms out to a T. Bend your left knee and open your hip out to your left side. Take five minutes on this side, and then switch to your right side.

Thread the needle. Try to completely relax through the hips, spine, and shoulders here as you rest on your shoulder and head. For the gentlest variation, walk your other arm out in front of you and release it completely to your mat. You also have the option to wrap that arm around the lower back for a gentle bind. Just find what feels good for you, and return to your breath.

Seated straddle. Sit up on a block for extra support as you take your legs wide. First turn your torso to your left leg and round your spine over that leg, bringing your forehead to a block or to your knee. Then turn to your right leg, and then walk your palms out in front of you and round in the center.

Yoga for Air

A heart-opening, throat-opening Hatha flow style yoga practice will connect you with the element of Air. As you move through these poses, visualize green light beaming out of your heart chakra, opening you up to a flow of unconditional love, and blue light beaming out of your throat chakra, opening you up to speak your truth freely.

Camel pose. Camel pose opens up both of these chakras beautifully when you allow your neck to drop back. Focus on pressing your pelvis forward and opening the front side of your body rather than bending your back body. Breathe into your heart space, and see that green wheel of energy softening, opening, and expanding.

Bow pose. Bow pose opens both your throat and your heart chakras as well. Notice how your breath sinks you lower onto your mat with each inhale and takes you deeper into the pose with each exhale.

Upward-facing dog. Open your throat chakra with the upward-facing dog. You can try it as part of a flow from plank to chaturanga to upward-facing dog to downward-facing dog to really connect with the element of air.

Heart bench. Set up your blocks on whatever setting feels best for you, and make the block supporting your head lower than the block running along your spine for extra throat chakra opening.

Plow pose. Skip this one if you have any back or neck problems. But if not, it’s a beautiful opener for your throat, heart, and solar plexus (bonus!) chakras. Start with the legs straight behind you (and if you can’t reach your toes to the floor, try reaching them to a chair or another piece of furniture behind you), and feel free to bend your legs around your head as you get deeper into the pose.

Which element do you need to balance or call in more of right now?

What are the 4 Elements and How to Use Them

What are the 4 elements?

The four elements are present all around and within you. They are essential to all life. You and the universe are formed by these four elements: earth, air, water, fire. These elements go beyond the physical and manifest as personality traits and energetic forces too.

The elements are here to bring balance. Fire needs water to be quenched and the earth needs wind to move it. Your personality might contain more fire and less water, contributing to specific distinctions in your outlook on life and how you express yourself. The elements of your personality can be balanced just like nature.

Each element carries its own set of qualities. No element is inherently bad or good. They each carry an equal amount of positive and negative traits.

You can apply the four elements to your life in endless ways. Let’s start with why you’d want to use them!

Why represent the 4 elements?

Balancing your own energy

Did you know that your zodiac sign corresponds with one of the four elements? Check out the chart below to see what element you lean towards based on your sign.

One great way to employ the power of the four elements is to balance your own energy. If you lean towards the earth element you may find that bringing some fire energy into your life may energize you. Try wearing a symbol or object that represents the element you’re needing more of.

Bringing Elemental Energy into your space

Do you live or work in a space that’s really tense or competitive? The energy of the space might be overloaded with fire energy that could really benefit from some balancing water energy. By adding some simple symbols or objects that represent water you may find that the vibe of the space really mellows out.

Magical and ritual practices

Because the four elements are the building blocks of all things, inside and outside of you, they are essential for most rituals and magical practices. Think of them as energetic forces to employ for magical manifesting and ritual. Simply having all four of them represented on your altar or in a sacred space is a powerful balancing force.

How to represent the 4 elements

The four elements can be represented in physical form or non-physical form (a symbol) for different purposes. The symbols and representations of them can be placed in a variety of areas. You can wear them, put them on your altar, on your desk, in your car, or in a room. Here are a few ways that you can represent each of the elements.

Earth

• The symbol for Earth element

• Root chakra

• Earthy stones like jasper, agate, amber, petrified wood, and malachite

• Metal and wood objects

• Green or brown candle

• Plants and flowers

• Pentacle

Water

• The symbol for the Water element

• Sacral chakra

• Vessel of water

• Blue candle

• Moonstone

• Shells, coral, sand dollars, etc.

• Moon symbolism

• Cauldron or chalice

Fire

• The symbol for the Fire element

• Solar plexus chakra

• Candles

• Burning herbs or incense

• Matches or lighter

• Fire opal and carnelian

• Athame

Air

• The symbol for the Air element

• Third eye chakra

• Smoke from resin, herbs, or incense

• Wand

• Yellow candle

• Citrine and smoky quartz

• Feather

• Fan

• Butterfly, birds, fairies, or dragonflies

You may have already noticed that many of these overlap. For example, burning herbs can serve for earth (the plant material), air (the smoke), and fire (as it burns). Add in an abalone shell (water) to the mix and you’ve got all four elements represented very easily!

Magical Meanings & Uses for Triangles & Pyramids

Have you wondered what all the hype is about triangles and pyramids? They pop up in images, tattoos, jewelry, and ritual practices. What do these symbols and objects mean, and more importantly, how can you use them for magical and spiritual purposes?

Triangles and pyramids have a multitude of magical meanings and uses. I’m going to break down what these symbols mean and how you can use them to your benefit.

Triangles

The triangle shape has more mystical meaning than I’ll be able to cover in this blog alone, but I’m going to hit all the highlights to optimize your magical uses for them.

Triangles = Strength

Triangles are the strongest shape! Any weight placed on them is evenly distributed between all three sides. A triangle in any fashion can always represent strength. Place a triangle symbol on your altar or wear one as a reminder of how strong you are.

Triangles & The Elements

The four elements (earth, air, water, fire) are another common use for the triangle. Each element can be represented through the use of triangles and each element has its own meaning.

Here are the shapes for each element:

Here are some meanings for each element:

• Earth: Stability, grounding, and fertility

• Air: Intellect, communication, and imagination

• Water: Purification, healing, and peace

• Fire: Courage, strength, and passion

These symbols are perfect for use in rituals or magic when you need to represent a specific element. Check out this blog post to learn more about the four elements.

Triangles & The Number 3

Three is an auspicious number in numerology, and the triangle can be used as a way to depict the meaning of the number. Here are some of the meanings behind the number three.

• Luck! Have you ever used the term “third time's a charm”?

• Creativity and expression

• Inspiration and optimism

Triangles & Important Trinities

There are many meanings in history, different religions, and spirituality that reference trinities. Here are a few, but there are many others:

• Mind, body, spirit

• Past, present, future

• Maiden, mother, crone

• Father, Son, Holy Spirit

• Life, death, rebirth

• Three bodies of Buddhahood: Dharmakaya or "truth body,” Sambhogakaya or "bliss body," Nirmanakaya or "emanation body"

Triangles & the Sri Yantra Symbol

The sacred geometry symbol, Sri Yantra, is comprised of nine overlapping triangles that create a total of 43 smaller triangles. Sri Yantra can be traced back to Hinduism, and the pattern is said to be the visual expression of OM.

Meditate on this symbol to inspire enlightenment. The Sri Yantra has been referred to as “tuning fork” that can help connect you to the universe. It also correlates to the balance of feminine and negative energy, which I'll dive into more below. Wear a Sri Yantra charm necklace for wealth, strengthened relationships, peace, and alignment with the universe.

Triangles & Male/Female Energies

A downward pointed triangle represents feminine energy, as it mimics the triangle shape of a woman's sacral region. An upward-facing triangle is associated with more masculine energy and is sometimes referred to as a blade. Using triangles to represent male or female energy is another great use for representing specific energies for rituals or magical work.

Pyramids

Triangles are more about symbolism while pyramids are all about action! Sure, they are symbolic too, but the real magic is in using pyramids for charging, attracting, meditation, and healing.

Different levels of research have been conducted on the efficacy of pyramids and their energy. As with most topics in the metaphysical realm, not all things can be proven but are simply felt or known, though there are some interesting finds! I’m sharing what I found to be the most interesting uses, that being said the writing done on the power of pyramids goes deeeeeep. If you’re interested in this topic I encourage you to do more research of your own!

Charging & Cleanse with Pyramids

Small copper pyramids are perfect for cleansing and charging your crystals or any item with some positive and bright energy. Place crystals, jewelry, herbs, fruit, water, essential oils or pretty much anything you want to instill some higher vibes into under your pyramid for a night or day to rejuvenate them.

Attracting & Manifesting with Pyramids

Because pyramids amplify energy they can be powerful aids in manifesting and attracting. This can be done with a copper pyramid but will be easier with a small handheld pyramid. Follow these steps to use a pyramid for attracting and manifesting something you desire.

1. The new moon or waxing moon are ideal times to perform this ritual. Take a few quiet moments to reflect on what you’d like to manifest, so you are clear about what it is.

2. Write down what you’re trying to attract or manifest on a piece of paper.

3. As you write and then place your paper into your pyramid, visualize your end goal. Continue this as you hold the pyramid in your hand for a few moments and continue to visualize what you’d like to attract and manifest.

4. Place any additional herbs or crystals in your pyramid that you feel would amplify your desire.

5. After you’ve placed your paper and any other objects in the pyramid take a moment to thank the pyramid, the Universe, Goddess, or end with any closing sentiments that express gratitude.

6. Your altar will be a good resting place for your pyramid, but anywhere that you’ll see it regularly will work.

7. Make contact with your pyramid daily. Hold it, place your hand over it, or simply look at it at least once a day.

8. Keep your pyramid and its contents intact until your dreams are manifested or you feel it’s time to move on.

Pyramid Meditation

Many claim that meditating in a pyramid shape or with one on your head can have powerful effects on your mental state and psychic abilities. Full triangles to sit in can be rather costly, but smaller ones are much more affordable. If you already have a small pyramid, try placing it on your head for your next meditation and see for yourself!

Some people even sleep under a pyramid form, saying that it can help heal and optimize the body. Though there’s not hard scientific proof about this yet, I sure wouldn’t mind sleeping under one!