The Meanings & Origins of the Triple Goddess Symbol

With the current rise in popularity of the moon phases, it can be easy to overlook the meaning and history of these symbols. The Triple Goddess symbol, comprised of a waxing crescent, full moon, and a waning crescent, is often thrown into the mix of trending moon imagery but has deeper roots and more profound meaning than you may have expected.

The Triple Goddess symbol has been adopted by most witches, Pagans, Wiccans, and Neopagans as a sacred symbol. Perhaps you’re already quite familiar with the Triple Goddess symbol, and it already holds deep meaning to you, or maybe you’ve always felt pulled to it but don’t know why. Here is a past post where I talk about the Triple Goddess and also give you a free printable wall hanging, check it out!

Triple Goddess Symbol Meaning

If you’ve been curious about its purpose, that’s just where I’m going to start. I’ll be sharing the meaning behind this symbol and will also touch on its rich, and somewhat controversial, origins as well.

The most common meaning assigned to the Triple Goddess symbol is the maiden, mother, and crone. Each phase of the moon correlates with a phase of a woman's life. Here’s a breakdown of each phase.

The Maiden: Represented by the new moon. The maiden embodies purity, youth, creation, pleasure, naivety, and new beginnings. The maiden invites you to explore your spirituality, sensuality, and creativity.

The Mother: Represented by the full moon. The mother embodies love, fertility nourishment responsibility, patience, gratitude, power, and self-care. The mother invites you to master giving and receiving love.

The Crone: Represented by the fading waning moon. The crone embodies endings, wisdom, death, acceptance, and culmination. The crone invites you to accept that without death there is no birth.

The mother, maiden, and crone is not the only way to honor and connect with this symbol. Here are some other meanings of the Triple Goddess symbol.

• Planes and realms: Earth, the underworld, and heaven

• Cycles: Life, Birth, Death, and ultimately rebirth as the moon phases continue

• Goddesses: Demeter, Persephone/Kore, Hecate

• A connection to all women and womanhood

• A connection to the divine feminine

What are the origins of the Triple Goddess?

Many support the theory that author Robert Graves spurred the origins of the Triple Goddess with his book, The White Goddess, published in 1948. It was after this that some believe the Triple Goddess, as we know it today, was born. Though there’s evidence that supports this theory, many think documentation of the Triple Goddess can be found much earlier in our history.

I’ll try not to nerd out on you too much in this post, but if you want to dig deep into some of the current literature and theories, I highly suggest reading John Halstead’s three-part series on the history of the Triple Goddess. Here’s part one, it’s long but well worth the read!

A variety of other scholars, practicing Pagans, and practicing Wiccans have also found clues that point to a Triple Goddess well before Graves’ time. Here’s a quick synopsis of my current understanding of the links from the past to our present Triple Goddess:

1. In the 5th century BCE, the Goddess Hecate was depicted in sculpture as three Goddesses in one.

2. From this time through the 2nd century CE a variety of texts can be found that reference triads of Goddesses and different phases of life, though none explicitly link them to the moon. Demeter, Persephone, and Hecate are all mentioned. See Halstead’s article for writings from some of these texts.

3. The 3rd century CE Demeter is associated with the moon, and two different phases (new and full).

4. 4th century CE a full connection is made between the moon and the Triple Goddess in a text by Servius. You can check out the translated excerpt in part 3 of Halstead’s writings.

As I said, this is my basic understanding of some of the theories that branch off from Graves’ hypothesis. I recommend you read up on it further if the topic has piqued your interest!

Why wear or use this symbol?

You don’t have to subscribe to Paganism or Wicca to enjoy this symbol. But if you’ve been sporting it, it’s sure nice to know the meaning behind it.

Wearing the Triple Goddess symbol can be a powerful reminder throughout the day of your connection to the divine feminine and all it represents. Personally, I enjoy wearing the symbol for its remainder of the constant flow of life, birth, death, rebirth. Using the symbol on your altar or in a sacred space can help call in this same energy.

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!

The Importance of Sacred Space & How to Create One

I think of sacred space as being very root chakra related. A sacred space feels like home. It feels safe to do your most vulnerable work and have your deepest breakthroughs there. It feels safe to put your worries, your fears, your joys, your disappointments, everything that you have and are on the altar there.

The best part is that you don’t need anyone to hold this sacred space for you. You can hold it for yourself.

What is it, exactly? It’s any space that you set aside as sacred or holy. It’s a place where you can meditate, do magic and ritual, and connect to your highest self. This might look like an altar, or it might not. If you are interested in creating your own sacred altar, check out this blog post.

Your space is personal and unique to you. This blog post is all about creating sacred space in your home, but remember that you are sacred, too, and any space you hold for yourself can be a sacred space. Divinity doesn’t have to be experienced just at your altar.

With that being said, here are a few ideas for things you might like to include in your sacred space:

A Window

Having your sacred space by a window can be a beautiful way to connect with nature even from the inside. See the sun, the stars, and feel the breeze right in your space.

A Moon Calendar

Connecting with the phases of the moon can help anchor you and connect you with nature. Having moon ritual cards in your sacred space where you do rituals and other healing practices that you might base around moon cycles is ideal.

Crystals

Crystals can raise the frequency of your space and bring in specific energies you want to work with. The options are endless, but some crystals you might like to have in your sacred space are:

• Amethyst to help you connect with your intuition and boost your mood

• Clear quartz (the ultimate crystal!), the ultimate healer, balancer, manifestor, and energy amplifier

• Rose quartz for heart opening

• Labradorite for self-discovery

• Citrine to bring in energizing and creative energy

• Fluorite to cleanse your aura and draw off negative energy

• Obsidian or black tourmaline for grounding

• Selenite to access higher guidance and open your crown chakra

Candles

Candles and their colors have all different types of uses. You can use them in spell work, rituals, burning ceremonies, or just to bring some soft light into your space. Here are some different candle color meanings (source):

• Blue for harmony, peace, and tranquility

• Red for passion and action

• White for purifying, cleansing, and clarity

• Purple for psychic abilities and spiritual awakening

• Yellow for inspiration and creativity

• Orange for energizing, joy, and success

• Pink for love, compassion, and forgiveness

• Green for nature, growth, and fertility

• Brown for grounding, Earthy energy

Learn more about candle magick here.

A Feather

You can use your feather to direct the flow of smoke when cleansing with a smoke wand or herb. For example, when cleansing yourself you might want to circle the smoke around the top of your head or other parts of your body. A feather will help you do that!

Plants & Herbs

Plants and herbs have so many practical and magickal uses. You can use herbs in your sacred space for burning or tea-drinking, and you might like to also have dried or fresh flowers, or other plants that you feel connected to.Learn more about herbal magick here.

Essential Oils

Like plants and herbs, essential oils also have many practical and magickal uses. Use them in your sacred space for ritual, to anoint your candles, to assist in meditation, or to massage your body. Some go-tos you might like to have are:

• Geranium oil for self-love

• Juniper for protection and purification

• Cilantro oil for releasing negative energy

• Lavender oil for peace and healing

• Frankincense and myrrh oil for meditation

• Yarrow oil to connect with your psychic abilities

Tarot or Oracle Decks

Your sacred space is the perfect place to keep any divination tools you use such as tarot cards, oracle cards, or runes. Display the card or rune you’re working with at the moment on your altar as a visual reminder of the energy you’re working to create, or the intentions you’re working to manifest.

Visual Representations of Goddesses You’re Working With

This could be a printed photo, a statue, an oracle card, a painting, or another creative representation that resonates with you. Everyone’s needs are different, so choose a goddess that you feel drawn to work with. That likely means that she has a message for you.

Salt Lamp

Salt has been touted for its magical properties for a long time. Practically, having a salt lamp in your space releases negative ions (which actually make you feel good, despite the name!) and detoxifies the air. But magically, salt also purifies and protects against psychic attacks. If you don’t want to go for a lamp, you can also opt for a small bowl of sea salt.

Additional Representations of the Four Elements

You don’t actually need additional representations of the four elements (fire, earth, water, and air), since you likely already have them on your altar. But feel free to add any other elements to your space that you’d like, such as a bowl of water.

Learn more about the four elements here.

Any Sacred Possessions

Anything that feels sacred and holds special meaning to you, even if it doesn’t make sense to anyone else, can also go in your sacred space. Maybe it’s photographs, special objects, or mementos. Whatever it is, feel free to add it.

You can customize your sacred space or altar depending on where you are in life and what you’re trying to manifest. For example, you might create an abundance altar centered around money, photos of abundance goddesses like Lakshmi, tarot cards like the 10 of pentacles, and herbs or spices that promote abundance when you want to manifest material wealth.

The most important thing to remember is that this space is for you. All of the above are just options and suggestions. Create a space that feels sacred to you, and you will have created a sacred space.

Manifesting with Runes // With Free Rune Printable

Being a master manifestor is a skill that many seek. There are endless techniques and tools available when it comes to manifesting like a pro and I’m sure you’ve tried some of them. Dream boards, visualization, mantras, and crystals are a few popular manifesting tools.

While there’s nothing wrong with these techniques, there’s one powerful manifesting tool that’s often overlooked, Runes.

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.

Author Lisa Peschel explains this in her book, A Practical Guide to The Runes.

Before this time [being used as a form of language] runes were primarily a magickal system of pictographs representing the forces and objects in Nature. It was believed that by calling upon the appropriate rune one could thereby make contact with the force in Nature the symbol represented.

Each Runic symbol creates a specific type of energy and some lend themselves to manifesting more than others. Here’s a list of the most powerful manifesting Runes and what they’re most aligned with manifesting.

Search this list to identify the perfect Rune(s) to aid your current manifesting project!

The Best Runes for Manifesting

Fehu for abundance:This fast-acting Rune is perfect for helping you manifest wealth. It is great for initiating new monetary ventures and circulating abundance.

Uruz to keep you going: Employ the use of Uruz to bolster your strength and remove self-doubt during manifesting. This Rune will also help you with stamina while manifesting goals that take more time

Thurisaz for change: The original meaning of this Rune is “thorn” so it’s not surprising that the meaning of it is all about breaking through. Use this Rune when you’re working on manifesting big changes in your life and you need a powerful and directive catalyst. This Rune can also help you overcome blocks while manifesting.

Gebo for partnerships:This Rune is all about manifesting partnerships. That could be friendships, business relationships, relationships, or marriage. Gebo helps create a balance of energy and is all about equal exchanges. Use this Rune anytime you’re manifesting goals include working with others.

Wunju for happiness: Looking to manifest some more peace and harmony in your life? Wunjo is your Rune! Wunjo is a beautifully powerful Rune that’s great at helping you fulfill wishes, peace, joy, and happiness.

Jara for material objects: If you have your manifesting eye on a material object that requires specific steps to acquire Jera is your Rune. Jera is a great aid for turning dreams into tangible results.

Teiwaz to win: This Rune is all about being victorious. If you’re in the process of manifesting a specific outcome this Rune will be helpful, especially when it comes to competitions. This Rune seeks justice.

Berkana for creation: My personal favorite! Berkano is here to help you birth your big ideas into reality. Recruit Berkano to help lay the fertile ground needed while manifesting new ideas.Now that you know which Runes are your manifesting besties, here are some key ways to work them into your manifesting toolbox. These methods pair perfectly with other manifesting tools mentioned above, so don’t be afraid to mix them up. Already have a vision board for a manifesting project? Put a bird on it! Just kidding, we’ll be using Runes today ;)

Need some Runes to get going? Click here to get your free printable Rune sheet.

5 Ways to Use Runes for Manifesting

1. Put your manifesting Rune in a visible area like your altar, meditation space, bathroom mirror, or on a vision board.

2. Carve your manifesting Rune into a candle that you light regularly as a reminder of what you’re working on manifesting.

3. Wear a Rune talisman. Having a daily wearable reminder is a powerful way to not only be reminded of your manifesting goals but carry the potent power of the Runes with you.

4. Create a Runescript. Linking Runes together in a specific order can have a positive effect on your end results. Learn more about creating a Runescript here.

5. Visualize or meditate on the rune(s) that you’re working with. Hold the image of the Rune you’re using in your mind's eye and try to embody its energy as you meditate or visualize.

If you’ve been unsure about how to use Runes in the past I hope you’re feeling excited to jump in now! Put these powerful symbols to use and start manifesting.

Ways to Connect to Your Divine Feminine Energy (And Why You Should)

Divine feminine energy has a lot of names: yin, lunar, shakti, and passive, to name a few.

But they’re all the same thing. Divine feminine energy is the goddess energy within. It’s the energy of flow, of being, of intuition, of the moon.

Every human, regardless of gender, has both divine feminine and divine masculine (solar, yang, shiva) energy within them. Much of our modern culture focuses on the divine masculine: doing, pushing, producing, going.

Just like yin and yang, you need both energies: they complement each other. But sometimes you can get so caught up in your divine masculine that you forget to nurture the divine feminine, too, and you suffer.

You miss out on your intuition, on compassion, self-love, presence, and just simply being in silence.

Imagine the radical revolution in the world if more people moved from that divine feminine space. Imagine if more people were connected to their intuition, loved themselves deeply, lived compassionately, and allowed themselves to be present.

That can happen, and it starts with you—as within, so without.

Connecting to your divine feminine is always important, but especially this month. Your divine feminine energy reminds you that you are whole, that everything you desire is within you, and that you are worthy of love from yourself and from others.

Read through the list below to get some ways to connect to your divine shakti.

Pranayama

It all starts with your breath. Chandra Bhedana (Moon-Piercing Breath) is a version of alternate nostril breathing that connects you to lunar energy by inhaling only through your left nostril and exhaling through your right.

For this breath, find a comfortable seat. Bring your thumb and middle fingers to third eye center. Close your right nostril with your thumb to inhale through your left nostril, then close your left nostril with your right and pinky fingers to exhale through your right nostril.

Continue to breathe this way for at least twenty rounds of breath. Inhaling in through only your left nostril activates your lunar energy (which runs on the left side of your body) and exhaling only through your right nostril releases your solar energy (which runs on the right side of your body).

Yoga Poses

Divine feminine yoga is all about connecting with your intuition, creating, and being present. Allow yourself to get on your mat with no expectations, listen to your body, and get creative with a flow.

The poses below are some ideas to help you connect with lunar energy. Use them as a starting point for your own creativity!

Fetal position on your right side. The first yoga pose. Not only does this pose help you feel safe and cozy, but it also activates your lunar energy by having your left side only facing up.

Child’s pose, Balasana. Use this gentle pose to offer yourself some nourishment. Get still, get quiet, and be present.

Half moon pose, Ardha Chandrasana. Cultivate balance, a deep sense of confidence, and creativity completely grounded in your divine feminine in this pose.

Pigeon pose, Eka Pada Rajakapotasana. Breathe and allow yourself to feel everything you need to feel in this more intense hip-opener. Let any emotions that you need to release here release, and surrender them to your breath.

Crescent lunge, Anjaneyasana. Crescent lunge is part of Chandra Namaskar, moon salutations. Incorporate a mudra like one of the ones below to make it extra powerful.

Tarot Card Pull

Each of the questions below will give you insight into your relationship with your divine feminine. Get quiet, open your mind, and pull a card for any or all of these questions.

• How can I create more flow in my life today?

• How can I open my heart chakra?

• How can I open my third eye chakra?

• How can I connect with my divine feminine energy?

• What is holding me back from connecting with my divine feminine?

• What is my relationship with my divine feminine?

• What is my relationship with my divine masculine?

The archetypes from the major arcana that most represent the divine feminine energy are the High Priestess (deep intuitive understanding) and the Empress (deep connection with feminine energy manifesting as creativity, fertility, abundance, and sensuality).

Mantra Meditation

The Kundalini "Adi Shakti" mantra is said to tune you into the frequency of the energy of the divine feminine, eliminate fears and fulfill desires, get you in touch with your own power, and become Shakti, the feminine energy of the Universe.

Adi Shakti, Adi Shakti, Adi Shakti, Namo NamoSarab Shakti, Sarab Shakti, Sarab Shakti, Namo NamoPritham Bhagvati, Pritham Bhagvati, Pritham Bhagvati, Namo NamoKundalini Mata Shakti, Mata Shakti, Namo Namo

Chant this mantra as many times as you’d like, and then sit in silence for a few moments to allow yourself to feel the change in your vibration.

Crystals

Some of the best crystals for connecting with your divine feminine are:

• Labradorite, for intuition, self-discovery, and universal harmony

• Kunzite, to open your heart chakra and connect with the element of water to create more flow

• Rose quartz, to open your heart chakra and remind you of your capacity to both give and receive unconditional love

• Selenite, to access your inner goddess and connect with Shakti

• Peridot, to create abundance and flow by channeling Lakshmi’s manifesting power

• Moonstone, to connect with the energy of the moon and with your intuition

• Amazonite, to balance both the masculine and feminine energies within you

Mudra

Mudras, hand gestures or “seals,” can be a powerful way to shift your energy. Click here to learn more about how mudras work with the elements of the hands and the gunas to create different energies.

Yoni Mudra. Use yoni mudra to quiet your mind, connect to your divine feminine energy, and call on the energy of the goddesses.

Bring your palms together with your fingers pointing down. Open your palms up into an upside-down triangle with your thumbs as the base. Then turn your pinky, ring, and middle fingers in so that the backs of the fingers are touching and thumbs are pointing slightly upward.

Kali mudra. This mudra invokes the power of this fierce goddess of destruction and transformation. Kali mudra is a beautiful reminder that the divine feminine can be a fierce force for change.

Interlace your fingers in front of you, placing your left thumb over right. Lengthen your index fingers, press them together, and point them away from you.

Trimurti mudra. Use trimurti mudra to flow and connect with your inner healer.

Place both palms flat on your navel with fingers facing down, and bring them into a triangle pointing to your toes with tips of thumbs and index fingers touching.

Pay Attention to the Cycles of the Moon

Like the moon, you go through phases. Knowing the cycles of the moon and your own corresponding cycles helps deepen your connection to lunar energy and the divine feminine.

Scents & Herbs

Use the herbs and scents below in a variety of ways: to burn, drink, or soak in as herbs or to diffuse or roll on your skin as oils.

• Dried violet, to stimulate creativity

• Brahmi, to calm and cool your mind

• Hibiscus, to assist you in psychic growth and promote tranquility

• Lavender, to soothe, calm, and promote the energy of being

• Rose-hips, to promote healing, compassion, and self-love

• Juniper, to connect with your inner wisdom

Click here to get an herbal bath recipe to connect with your divine feminine.

I hope you find some tools within this blog that you can use regularly to connect to this energy. You certainly don’t have to do all of these to connect with the energy of the divine feminine. Do what feels good and calls out to you! I hope you feel more in tune with the divine feminine energy that’s already within you.

7 Self-Love Rituals for Valentine’s Day

It’s that time of year where everything is about love, but the most important thing you can remember about love is this: Love is not outside of you.

Love is within you. Love is your divine nature.

It’s easy to forget that, but it’s true. The rituals below will help you connect to the love already within you, and most importantly give it to yourself.

For all of these rituals, you might like to incorporate:

• Rose quartz, to open your heart chakra

• Clear quartz, to amplify the energy

• Myrrh incense, a healing scent associated with feminine energy, the moon, and the water element

Try just one of these rituals, or try them all throughout the month. Each of these rituals will be more powerful the more you do them, so find one you like and make it part of your routine this month.

Create Something

Nothing gets the energy of love flowing like creativity. Do a coloring meditation, make a vision board, cook a nourishing meal, write a poem, paint with watercolors, play an instrument, or create your own yoga flow.

Whatever you’d like to do, create a sacred space and tap into your creative energy.

Get this coloring page here

Here's also a fun idea for a self-love ritual where you can play with your creativity:

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A post shared by Cassie Uhl (@cassieuhl)

Tarot or Oracle Card Spread

Tarot and oracle cards are amazing magical tools for self-reflection and connecting with your intuition. Try this three-card spread with your favorite deck:

1. What is holding me back from loving myself right now?

2. What might I experience if I give myself the love I desire?

3. How can I deepen my love for myself?

Don't know how to get started? Check out this blog post for tarot, or this post for the ultimate tarot guide. If you feel called to try oracle cards check out this blog post.

Burning Ceremony

What holds you back from loving yourself more? What limiting beliefs do you hold onto that keep you small? What things about yourself do you struggle to love? What parts of yourself do you hide from yourself and from the world because deep down you believe in their unworthiness?

Get quiet, get your journal, and allow a stream-of-consciousness type of writing to flow until you feel like you’ve got it all out on the page.

Once you’ve poured your heart out, light a single white candle and hold your paper over the flame. Allow the negative energy, limiting beliefs, and your dislike for any part of yourself to burn up with the page.

Then, free-write to these questions: What do I love about myself? What is amazing about me? What am I grateful for? What parts of myself am I working on loving?

When you’re done, place this page on your altar and return to it anytime you feel those sticky, negative beliefs trying to creep back in.

Write a Self-Love Mantra

Writing your own self-love mantra is incredibly powerful because while there are many beautiful affirmations and mantras for self-love, you are unique and your journey with self-love is unique.

Write your own mantra that tells you exactly what you need to hear. Something kind, nonjudgmental, and compassionate that you might say to your sister or your best friend to let them know that you love them and they’re not alone.

Say it to yourself.

Write it on your mirror, on a piece of paper to tuck in your bag or place on your altar, or paint it in a picture (see ritual #1!), and return to it whenever you need it. Learn more about embracing the power of mantras here.

Heart Chakra Meditation

Inhale deeply into your heart chakra. Exhale out of your mouth, releasing all that doesn’t serve you. As you inhale, visualize a bud of green light glowing in your chest, blossoming bigger and brighter with each inhale as you strengthen this chakra. Allow the unconditional love to wash over you with your breath. If you'd like a guided meditation, you can click here for a meditation bundle done by me.

Herbal Bath for Self-Love

Turn bath into a ritual by using herbs, lighting candles, and playing whatever music or sounds help you relax and turn inward.

Try using rose-hips, lavender, elecampane, and balm of gilead to promote self-love. Rose-hips promote healing, compassion, and self-love. Lavender balances and calms while elecampane opens the heart chakra. Balm of gilead promotes love and helps you manifest your desires.

Simply fill a muslin bag with about a third of a cup of the herbs, loop the bundle onto the faucet, and let your tub fill with hot water as it runs through the bag. When it finishes filling, drop the bag into the water and let it infuse with the herbs for about 20 minutes.

For an extra dose of self-love, add a rose quartz crystal to your bath. For more herbal bath recipes, check out this blog post.

Create a Goddess Altar

Creating a goddess altar is a beautiful way to honor the divine feminine energy of the universe and the divine feminine energy within. Make this altar your own! Buy a statue of a Goddess who resonates with you, or just print out a photo online. If you’re not sure which Goddess you’d like to use, do some research! What Goddess energy would help you love yourself more? Some suggestions are:

• Greek Goddess Aphrodite for love, gratitude, and beauty

• Hindu Goddess Lakshmi for abundance and wealth

• East Asian Goddess Kuan Yin for mercy and compassion

• Hindu Goddess Kali for destruction, creation, and transformation

• Greek Goddess Artemis for independence, strength, and fearlessness

• Egyptian Goddess Isis for magic, healing, and protection

• Greek Goddess Athena for wisdom and courage

• Sumerian, Babylonian, and Phoenician goddess Inanna for sensuality and divine femininity in all its forms

Once you choose your goddess, add a white candle, incense, and maybe a cloth to your altar. Choose some objects that represent love to you and ask for help loving yourself. You can also put fresh flowers or a piece of fruit on your altar as an offering to the Goddess.

Goddesses are beautiful archetypes and energies to work with because they remind you that you, too, have this energy within you. You possess the abundance of Lakshmi, the compassion of Kuan Yin, the magic of Isis, and the transformative energy of Kali.

Tap Into the Wisdom of Your Ancestors with Meditation and Breathwork

Samhain, the sacred festival of the dead, occurs on October 31st and the 1st of November. It marks the beginning of winter and the season of the crone. This holiday reconnects us to the cycle of death and rebirth.

It is believed that the veil between the spirit world and our world is thin during Samhain, making it easier to communicate with spirits. That’s why it is the best time to honor the wisdom of your ancestors during this time.

This meditation and breathwork will take you within, to honor the wisdom you possess inside and the wisdom from those whom you come from. 

1. Set the stage for your meditation with crystals and EO’s (optional)

There are many different crystals you can use to help you connect with your ancestors. Your energy is unique, so choose the crystals that have worked for you in the past or that you feel drawn to.

Here are 8 crystals that can help you connect to your inner wisdom and wisdom from your ancestors. Choose one or several of these stones to wear or place next to you for your meditation.

Lepidolite will help you get into a calm state and connect you to your third eye chakra, the center of intuition.

Celestite opens your energy to connect with the spiritual realm by helping you relax and transition into a dream state. Rose quartz a crystal of love, creates a safe and welcoming space for both you and the spirits. Amethyst helps to open your third eye chakra and can help you connect to your intuition.

Charoite will help you connect with your ancestors. It is another powerful stone for communicating with and channeling spirits. It helps you receive information from them using your intuition.

Blue Lace Agate raises your vibration to make a connection with the spirit world easier. It helps you connect with the spirits as it keeps you balanced, allowing you to receive messages without getting overwhelmed.

Selenite increases telepathy and opens the crown chakra, making it a great stone for spirit communication.

When using any of these crystals, make sure you also have obsidian, hematite, black kyanite, or black tourmaline for grounding and protection. These crystals will keep you safe and rooted to the Earth, leaving your mind and spirit free to wander.

You can also use essential oils in your meditation. Mix them with water for a mist to spritz around the area, dilute with a carrier oil such as coconut or olive oil, and massage into the skin, or even burn these scents as candles.

Here are a few essential oils to recruit for this meditation. Use one or all of them during your meditation.

Clary Sage for connection to the divine.

Rosemary for remembrance and love.

Cedarwood for purifying, grounding, and calming.

2. Start with the breath

Start with Nadi Sodhana, also called alternate nostril breathing, to balance the nadis, or energy channels, in the body. This breath brings you into the present moment, calms and centers the mind, and helps you release fear.

Sit in a comfortable seated position and place the left hand on the knee with the palm facing upward. This hand position creates an energy of receptivity. Place the index finger and middle finger of the right hand on the third eye center between the eyebrows, with the ring finger and pinky finger on the left nostril and thumb on the right nostril.

Throughout this breath, use the thumb to open and close the right nostril, and the ring finger and pinky finger for the left nostril. As you exhale, close the right nostril and breathe out of the left nostril. Inhale through the left nostril, and then close the left nostril to exhale through the right. Alternate breathing in this way for ten cycles of breath, holding your inhales and exhales steady and even.

3. Sink into Meditation.

Once you’re centered in a place of presence and balance, begin the meditation by taking a few deep, cleansing breaths. Follow these steps to tap into the wisdom of your ancestors for this meditation.

1. Visualize the support of the Earth underneath you, connecting you to the vast wisdom of Mother Nature. Feel her energy enter your body as you inhale, and run down the spine as you exhale.

2. Think about who you are and where you are in this moment. Remember that every part of you has been woven together by the fabric of your ancestors, the good and the bad. Their blood, their experiences, their pains, their joys all run through you and shape you.

3. Begin to visualize your family line, starting with a parent. Traditionally this is the father, but allow either parent to come to mind. Visualize them in front of you. As you inhale, they breathe the white-hot light of their wisdom within you. As you exhale, you breathe the white-hot light of your gratitude into them.

4. Ask if this spirit has anything they need to share with you.

5. Continue moving up your family line with this conversation, receiving knowledge, and offering gratitude by exchanging breath, taking as many breaths as you need with each spirit.  

6. When you reach the end of your family line as you know it, sit in silence as long as you like and allow the messages to come to you. These can come in the form of images or sounds in your head, a feeling, or even a smell.

7. End with this simple phrase: “I thank all those who have helped shape and create me. I honor your divine wisdom.” Take a few moments after your meditation to let out your thoughts and emotions in a journal. Release anything that came up for you onto the page, and continue to sit with your crystals for as long as you need.

You can find meditations for the Wheel of the Year here.

The Divine Feminine & Cauldrons // 5 Uses & Meanings

What do you think of when you imagine a cauldron? Witches, Halloween, and deathly potions perhaps? Along with witches, cauldrons have been given a bad rap, but their mystical meanings and uses go way back and might have a more spiritual meaning than you originally thought!

If you’re always on the hunt for meaningful additions to your altar, search no more, the cauldron is a staple and I’m going to share 5 reasons why. First I want to share some history behind its use so you have a complete understanding of what it represents.

History of Cauldrons

Cauldrons of varying types can be traced back to a variety of cultures. In fact, one found in Denmark has been traced back to between 200 BC and 300 AD. So basically, they’ve been around for a long ass time.

No surprise, cauldrons started out as a cooking tool. Warm soups and stews were concocted in them to give nourishment to families. They were the heart of the home and life-giving in cold seasons. As cauldrons became more commonplace and important to families, mothers and grandmothers started using them for healing herbal blends and eventually potions.

Cauldrons & The Divine Feminine

After being used for centuries as a cooking and healing tool, cauldrons started to take on more sacred and magical meanings. The cauldron began to represent the Goddess, the Sacred Divine, and a vessel for transformation, healing, and abundance.

The timing of when cauldrons started to be viewed as magical tools is unknown but the reasons why are obvious. The cauldron symbolizes life and abundance through nourishment, transformation by turning herbs into healing concoctions, and the shape of the cauldron itself mimics that of an expectant mother. These reasons combined make the cauldron one of the most sacred tools you can add to your arsenal.

What Kind of Cauldron Should You Get?

Before you jump into the meanings and uses of a cauldron, let’s cover what kinds of cauldrons are best to purchase because there’s no shortage of options.

Hands down, the best cauldron to purchase (if you plan on using it for anything other than sitting on a shelf) is a cast-iron cauldron. Pass by anything that says it’s made out of anything other than cast iron or is plated because it won’t last. You can also purchase earth and wear pottery cauldrons that will work well too. If you go with a ceramic cauldron, ensure that it’s food safe before using it for anything you’ll be ingesting.

5 Cauldron Uses & Meanings

At a loss for what to use your life-giving, transformative, and holy cauldron for? Here are 5 ways to put your cauldron to work:

Looking for a way to represent the four elements on your altar? The cauldron has you covered. Placing a cauldron on your altar is an easy way to represent all four elements with one item.

Represent the Four Elements on Your Altar

• Earth: The iron the cauldron is made out of represents earth

• Water: The water used while cooking in a cauldron represents the water

• Fire: A cauldron would traditionally be heated from a fire underneath it which represents fire

• Air: The air around and blow on the soup or potion inside represents the air

The elements are purely symbolic for this use, no need to always have a fire burning underneath your cauldron! You can read more about the four elements here.

Incense, Herbs & Burning Rituals

There are several rituals that call for fire and burning. Whether it’s incense, candles, or burning a piece of paper, a cauldron will not only serve as a sacred tool but will also give you a safe tool for ritual fires. Here are a few ways to use your cauldron for any fire-related rituals.

• A safe and meaningful receptacle to burn incense, herbs, or a candle for rituals.

• Write a letter to your ancestors or lost loved ones and burn it in the altar for them to receive it.

• During the waning moon, write down a habit you’re trying to break or something you’re trying to release on a small piece of paper, then burn it in your cauldron.

• Create a small fire in your cauldron to represent light or a God or Goddess of light for a ritual.

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Transform with the Triple Goddess Cerridwen

Cerridwen is the Welsh Goddess that represents the triple Goddess or the mother, maiden, and crone. She reminds us that life is all about transitions and transformations. Cerridwen is often shown with a cauldron because she brews a magical potion that grants knowledge and inspiration using a cauldron.

Anytime you’re going through a difficult transition place a cauldron on your altar or in your sacred space as a reminder of Cerridwen. As you navigate through your transition take a few minutes daily in front of your cauldron to imagine Cerridwen taking your fears about your transition, putting them in her cauldron, and taking them out transformed into what you need most.

This excerpt from writer Judith Shaw outlines perfectly the magic Cerridwen wants to bring into your life: "When Cerridwen calls your name, know that the need for change is upon you; transformation is at hand. It is time to examine what circumstances in your life no longer serve you. Something must die so that something new and better can be born. Forging these fires of transformation will bring true inspiration into your life."

Divination

Cauldrons can also be used for a variety of divination purposes. The most common being scrying. To use your cauldron for scrying fill your cauldron with water, wait for the surface to become very still, and begin looking for symbolism. To learn more about scrying you can read this post all about scrying, it’s based on using a crystal ball but the techniques are the same as those used for water scrying.

Abundance Ritual

Because cauldrons have been used as life-giving and nourishing tools, they represent abundance and can be incorporated into any abundance rituals you do. The cauldron can represent abundance of all kinds: money, happiness, friends, etc.

If you’re trying to bring more abundance into your life, place your cauldron somewhere you’ll see it regularly. Let its presence serve as a reminder of your goal to bring more abundance into your life. You can incorporate stones, candle colors, or herbs by placing them in or around your cauldron to strengthen your desire for abundance.

Cauldrons are sacred tools that are often overlooked, but I hope the next time you see a kitschy cauldron decoration for Halloween you’ll smile because you have a greater appreciation for it.