Understanding the Death and Lovers Tarot Cards

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You’ve pulled the cards, you’re ready for guidance, maybe crossing your fingers and toes for the Two of Cups or the 4 of Wands and you pull…. The Lovers and Death.

Love, we all get love! But then there is also a skeleton on a horse with a dead dude laying on the ground.

Okay, you tell yourself, death isn’t literal, maybe this just means….? Our love is dead?! Commence panic and pulling one million clarifier cards!

Fear not, dear reader, if this was your guidance. The Death and Lovers tarot combination may actually be giving you a lesson on how to love each other, and ourselves, better.

In this article, we’ll explore the Lovers card, the Death card, and what this combo may mean for you in a reading.

Both the Lovers and Death card are Major Arcana cards, which means we are dealing with significant life lessons and archetypal themes. The Lovers card is number 6 and the Death card number 13. So let’s dive into each of these cards individually before interpreting them together.

The Lovers Card

Firstly, let’s explore the Lovers Cards. In the Rider Waite Smith deck, we see an Adam and Eve picture. A naked woman, Eve, stands on the left with the tree of knowledge and a snake behind her. Adam stands to the right with a burning tree behind him. Above them both in the center is an angel opening their arms to them.

Looking closer at the imagery, you’ll notice the direction of their gazes. The Eve figure looks up to the angel, and the Adam figure looks to Eve.

Lovers Meaning

This artwork shows us that we’re being guided to make a choice, and it needs to be done by connecting to our higher selves. The Eve figure represents our receptive, content, intuitive side. This is the part of us that receives guidance from Spirit. Adam represents our driven, goal-oriented, linear side. This part of ourselves looks to what our receptive side has received from our higher selves, represented by the angel, and then acts on it. In this way, our receptive side has received guidance from Spirit, or guidance of love, and our linear, action-oriented side acts on it.

The Lovers teaches us that when we listen to our higher selves, or to Spirit, when we embrace our receptive side and our active side, and we follow our loving guidance, we walk paths of love and make choices that are truly in our highest good.

Lovers and Devil Cards

If you look at the Devil card in the same deck, you’ll see the same figures as the Lovers card, only they’re chained to the Devil. In this case, we are making choices that trap us instead of liberate us. In the Lovers, choices of love liberate and heal us, making us whole. We all must learn what our demons are when the Devil appears to recognize where it is our demons making the choices for us, instead of our higher selves.

Death Card

In the Death card, we see a skeleton on a white horse standing above a group of people. The king lays on the ground at the horse’s feet, a religious figure raises their arms to Death, a woman is on her knees, and a child offers Death flowers. The sun sets in the background between two towers. To read more about the Death card, head over to our article here!

Death Card Meaning

What the Death card represents is the “death,” or the ending, of the grip of our egos on our lives. Like the Lovers card, notice that the spiritual entity is above the people in the cards. The angel above the Lovers, Death above their little crowd. These cards teach us to get out of our heads and that things are not all about us. They teach us that there is a bigger picture, and it’s not all about the ego. It’s not all about our way and how we want things.

In alchemical imagery, the death of a king often represents the death of our inner tyrant, which is the control of the ego. Pride, fear, judgment. Kings have the most power and the most control. They can make people do things, they create laws, they punish, they rule. Death teaches us that we do not have total control over the world, we do not have dominion over everything. We must surrender to change, as change is the only guarantee in this lifetime.

More Lovers and Death Tarot Cards

Here are the Lovers and Death tarot cards from a few other tarot decks so you can see how other artists have approached the artwork of these powerful cards.

Death and Lovers Tarot Combination

Death and Lovers together may be telling you that your ego, the part of you that wants to control everything, may need to be put aside so that you can connect with your higher self and make a better choice. It may be asking you where you are trying to control or micromanage everything, or where you are resisting change.

Remember that time is not viewed as linear on a spiritual path, but rather cyclical. What follows death is birth, or rebirth. This ending in the Death card may be necessary for a rebirth that is more in alignment with what is truly in the highest good of all.

We can view changes in our lives as death and rebirths. When someone becomes a mother, it is the death of their pre-parent life and their birth into parenthood. When someone gets a divorce, it is the death of a marriage and the rebirth of a new single path. There are many changes that happen in our lives that involve endings that lead to new beginnings.

The Lovers is about making choices from a place of love, not fear, selfishness, or anger. The Lovers may be encouraging you to open yourself up to love so that you see what has to end in order for a better beginning to be born.

A Message of Self-Love

Self-love is often associated with the Lovers, and with the Death and Lovers combination, something might need to end in order to love yourself more. I realize this sounds like a self-help term that has been tossed around endlessly on the seas of social media, but loving and accepting ourselves is important. Like the saying goes, we can’t love in slices. The Lovers and Death cards may be asking you where your ego is making you think only parts of yourself are lovable. Where are you loving yourself in slices? This doesn’t mean that we don’t make changes or that since we love ourselves, we’re perfect. From a place of self-love, we generally make the choices and changes that are truly in our highest good.

Lovers and Death Card in Relationship Reading

If the Death and Lovers tarot combination came up for you in regards to a relationship, you may want to examine if fear is controlling your choices, and if you need to surrender to love to see the best choice.

It may also be showing you that something has to end in the relationship in order for the path of love to be lived. Perhaps one partner is overworking, or you’re always on your phones and not connecting, or you only ever watch TV. Death may be asking you what needs to end so that a more loving path can be born. And then to make the choice to follow that more loving path.

Similarly in making choices from fear or selfishness for ourselves, this may be happening in a relationship with this card combination. It would be helpful to check in and see where fear is controlling your choices, or where surrender is necessary, or where we can be more compassionate and accepting in our relationship.

For a happy relationship, we do have to put the ego way of me me me aside. A relationship is teamwork. Selfishness generally does not yield happy results. Each person’s perspective matters. We have to listen, we have to compromise, we have to forgive. We can’t control each other, like our inner Kings may want to do. Like the child in the Death card, we can only face the unknown with flowers and faith, or else we will get knocked on our butts like the King if we try to control everything and everyone.

Relationships Matter

In a romantic relationship or not, this combination reminds us that we are in relationship with ourselves, each other, and the whole world around us. Death and the Lovers tarot combination may be a spiritual assignment in connection. When we’re in our egos, we see things in a very black and white way. Good, bad. Yes, no. This, that. When we are walking the path of the Lovers, we see ourselves in each other, we see that life is often both/and as opposed to either/or. We allow ourselves to be a dance of polarities without trying to stuff everything into tidy, separate, little boxes. This path teaches connectivity and oneness. Therefore this combination may also be asking you to reflect on where you are leaning into separateness, and how this may need to end.

An example of this is seeing ourselves as separate from nature. We are nature, and what we do to nature, we do to ourselves. This illusion of separateness has caused great suffering and damage to nature, including people, plants, and animals. The illusion of separateness allows us to create hierarchies of value and decide who goes where in ranking of worthiness. The Lovers defies that, embraces differences, while encouraging connectivity. If we truly knew we were all connected, how differently would we show up?

Lovers and Death Cards are Powerful Together

As you can see, there are many possibilities with these two cards. Remember that these are just suggestions, and that your own intuition may be guiding you down a different path. Know that you do not lose when the Death card appears, rather you surrender what is ready to meet twilight so that it can be reborn in the dawn of a better day. The Lovers will guide you, to help you connect to your higher self, so that you’re always making choices from a place of love for the highest good of all.

The post Lovers and Death Cards appeared first on Forging Magic.

Understanding the Mysteries of the Death Tarot Card

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Scorpio season is here, bringing us the energies of passion, power, and transformation. Is it any surprise that Samhain, the season of honouring our ancestors and the dead, occurs during Scorpio season? For more on Samhain, check out our article here!

Transformation can be seen through the tarot in a number of ways, including Scorpio’s tarot card, Death. Read on to learn more about the Death tarot card, its imagery, its meaning, and how to work with these energies for transformation.

Generally, the Death card means an ending. Something has to “die” in order for the new to be born. Death is seen as a transformation. This is the part of the transformation when we must let go of something, where we must embrace some kind of ending and surrender.

For more information about the tarot in general, check out What is Tarot?

Death Card Keywords

Upright

• Transformation
• Change
• Beginnings
• Endings
• Letting go
• Transition
• Rebirth
• Reimaging
• Fresh start

Reversed

• Being stuck in a rut
• Stubborness
• Resisting change
• Refusal to let go

Death Card Numerology

Death is the 13th card in the major arcana in the tarot.

13 is associated with lunar cycles and energies since there are 13 lunar cycles in a year. The moon is often symbolic of cycles, growing, and shedding. It can represent our own cycles of life, death, and rebirth.

Just as the moon waxes and wanes, so do we go through our own cycles of growth and release, of death and rebirth, many times in our lives. The number 13 reminds us of our cyclical nature, and brings this information into the death card.

Imagery and Artwork

The Death card is rarely a card of literal death. Death is an ending that makes way for a new beginning. This card really refers to the death of the tyrannical control of the ego, which we see in the imagery of the Rider-Waite Smith tarot deck.

In this imagery, we see a skeletal knight on a white horse. Underneath the horse lies the king, their crown knocked off their heads. There is also a religious figure looking up at death, a young woman on her knees turned away from death (who may possibly be the figure from the Strength card), and a young child holding up flowers to death.

Death Card Meanings and Interpretations

The King

The King represents the part of ourselves most ruled by our egos. This is that tyrannical overlord we must overthrow in the Death card. The part of us that thinks we have ultimate power over our lives, that wants to control everything, that wants to be on top.

We see the crown symbol in another card, The Tower, symbolizing the illusion of control being blasted away, but that’s another article for another time. For the Death card, know that the crown represents our egos and all the fears and desires associated with it.

The King, the part of us that wants to be in ultimate control, has the hardest time with death. Death is surrender to the unknown. This is the part of us that has the hardest time with surrender and change. Yet this is the part of us that must “die” in order for our transformation to occur.

The King can be our more arrogant selves, the part of ourselves that refuses to let go of where we feel things must go our way. There is a message of humility in Death, to remember that though we do have control over many parts of our lives, there is much we do not, and cannot, control.

Children

Children in the tarot represent the more authentic, pure parts of ourselves. This image returns again in the Sun card, which carries the messages of enlightenment and authenticity. Our inner child, the true part of ourselves, greets Death with flowers because our true self knows that this death brings growth. Flowers in the tarot often indicate growth, and are seen in various other cards in the deck.

Our true self is the spiritual part of ourselves that never dies. This is the part of us that that holds our inner wisdom, our purpose, and our authentic light. In the Death card, what is dying is what is holding us back from being and connecting with our true selves.

Kneeling Figure

The figure on her knees may represent the Strength card, which is the part of ourselves that knows how to be compassionate, brave, and vulnerable. Though she turns away, she is on her knees and has surrendered to death. This change in our lives will likely require the traits of the Strength card, which are patience, compassion, perseverance, gentleness.

Spiritual Person

Finally, the spiritual figure has their arms raised to death, possibly beseeching Death or praising Death. Spiritual figures are who we often turn to for guidance when it comes to death, fear, or change. This figure looks right at Death and stands to face it, whether beseeching or accepting it.

Alchemical Associations

The white rose on the flag may be an alchemical symbol. In alchemy, the white rose is said to be associated with innocence and purity. Again, what is dying is the rulership of an old way of thinking or being (the King) so we may return to our spiritual natures, or our true selves.

The black flag may be another alchemical symbol. In alchemy, the goal is to transmute lead into gold. While this has, and can, be applied to literal metal, in spiritual alchemy it is the process in which we cast off what is not true to ourselves, the lead, and transform into our truest selves, the gold.

There is a phase in alchemy called the blackening, which is the beginning of the great work (another name for the alchemical process). In this phase, we see explore our shadow side. This is the part of ourselves that we are not conscious of, so it’s not good or bad. Our shadow holds both our shame and our dreams. That which is too terrible or too great for our minds to deal with, we push into the shadows. We must plumb the depths of our shadow in the blackening in order to discover any impurities, aka traits or beliefs that are not in alignment with our highest good, so that we can transform them into gold.

In the Death card, the white rose on the black flag may be a symbol of our need to dive deep into our shadows, to learn what must be released, so that the essence of our true selves (seen in the white rose) may be freed. Read on to learn about a Shadow Work Ritual I created to go with the Death card.

Death Card Artwork in other Tarot Decks

Let’s take a quick look at the artwork in a variety of other Tarot decks. This is a wonderful way to gain a greater understanding of the Death Card.

Astrological Associations

As mentioned, the sign associated with Death is Scorpio, who is ruled by the planet Pluto in modern astrology. Pluto is the planet of transformation, again bringing these energies into the Death card. Pluto is the Roman god of the dead who rules the underworld. This shows us that, like Scorpio, in the Death card, we are going deep to realize where we must let go and surrender.

There is a power aspect to Pluto as well, showing us where we seek power. This invites us in the Death card to explore what power really means. Being the King and trying to control everything has not worked, hence the King being the most dead in this photo. Death gives us an opportunity to truly feel empowered by releasing the illusion of ultimate control that the ego seeks, which is usually driven by fear.

The bones of the skeleton suggest that with the energy of Scorpio & Pluto, we are diving deep to the bones of the matter. What truly lies beneath the issue at hand. We are guided to let go of the extraneous and get to the heart of the issue. Scorpio leaves no leaf unturned, making them excellent sleuths. We too in the Death card have to go right to the heart of whatever is going on.

Elemental Associations

Scorpio is a water sign, bringing with it the energies of intuition and emotion. In the west, we are so in our heads that we sometimes analyze our feelings instead of actually feeling them. Feelings, like water, are meant to flow. When we don’t allow them, they become stagnant within us, again like water. In the Death card, we may have strong feelings emerge. Though we are not meant to stay drowning in them, we must feel them so the waters can clear and we can therefore see more clearly. Life, water, and our feelings are meant to flow, not to stagnate. Death calls for these flowing feelings so that our lives and our energies do not become stagnant.

Planetary Associations

The traditional ruler of Scorpio is Mars, the planet of war, conflict, and drive. There is a fiery energy present in Scorpio through this, and in the Death card as well. Fire is the great transformer, as nothing that goes into fire comes out the same. Here we are burning away the old to transform us into the new.

Crystal Associations

Crystals you may wish to work with when the Death card appears would be any crystals that help with shadow work, letting go, surrender, feeling your emotions, and connecting to your true self. Here are a few suggestions, but always trust which crystal calls you when you work with them.

Smoky Quartz

Smoky quartz can be a protective stone that helps us to have a warrior spirit. A warrior spirit isn’t about attacking, rather about discipline and inner peace so that we can be of service to ourselves and our communities. These energies may help you to explore your shadow with strength and patience so you can bravely let go of what is no longer serving you.

Blue Calcite

This crystal can help us with our throat chakra, which is the center of speaking our and living our truth. Working with this stone can also calm anxieties, helping you to see what is not in alignment with your truth and what is.

Black Obsidian

Working with this crystal can help you become aware of where you are stuck or what needs to be released. It’s also very protective, helping you feel grounded and safe.

Sodalite

This crystal brings spiritual information into our awareness and helps us to see clearly and to understand what we are processing when working with the Death card.

Learn more about Crystals and Tarot

Death Card Yes or No

While tarot generally isn’t the most helpful with yes or no questions, the Death card may either be a no, or it might mean that something has to end before a yes is possible. Remember, the future is not set in stone. Tarot helps us to channel information from our higher selves and our guides so that we can forge our path in the best way possible.

Death Card Reversed

Reversed, the death card has a few different meanings. As with all the cards, it depends on where the reversed Death card is in your tarot spread.

Reversed, it may suggest there is resistance to the change that needs to occur. We may be refusing to let go or see the truth.

It may also suggest that the ending is internal and has less to do with the outer world or with others.

There may be something blocking you or inhibiting the ending that has to happen.

It could mean your ego is too much in control of your life and you must surrender for healthy change to occur.

As with all readings, read what the cards mean, but ultimately trust what your intuition is telling you about the Death card reversed in your reading.

Lovers and Death Card

Pulling these two major arcana cards together can cause some anxiety, but it can actually be a very powerful pair in a reading. It was too much to cover in this article, so I wrote a special piece just on Lovers and Death Tarot Card Meanings.

Death Card Shadow Work Ritual

If you’d like to work with the Death card for shadow work, here is a tarot activity that help you shine your light into the crooks and crannies the Death card wants you to explore.

Separate your court cards (pages, knights, queens, kings) from the rest of your deck.

Go through your court cards. Pick out your favourite figure. There doesn’t have to be any rhyme or reason. Just pick out who you really like.

Next, pick the court card you do not like. Again, no rhyme or reason. Whichever one you like the least or even actively dislike.

Do the same with the rest of the deck. Pick a card you love and a card you either fear or dislike.
Take the cards that represent what you dislike. Write out everything you fear or don’t like about these cards.

Take the cards that you really like. Write out everything you like about these cards.

These lists represent your shadow. What you don’t like represents fears or traits of yourself you have disconnected and stuffed in your shadow. What you do like represents your true self, that alchemical gold, the essence of who you really are.

Place the Death card somewhere you can see it. Write out everything you feel you need to let go of in order to shine your true light. Fears, grudges, unhelpful beliefs, etc.

If possible, burn the list in a fire-safe dish or an actual fire. Never leave flames unattended! Fire safety is magical. If fire is not possible, rip the list up and flush it down the toilet.

Visualize yourself embodying all of those wonderful traits you just discovered. Do this until you feel yourself shining your true light. Then endeavor to actively make choices that align with your true self.

Final Thoughts on the Death Tarot Card

Don’t panic when you see the Death card. Endings are a part of life and have much to teach us. When the tyrannical King of our egos is toppled, it is a liberation of our true selves. We can be brave and compassionate here so that the old may die and the new may be reborn.

We may wish to take a page from Anaïs Nin, who said, “I must be a mermaid, I have no fear of depth and a great fear of shallow living.” The Death card encourages us to be brave mermaids, to dive deep into the oceans of ourselves to let go of what keeps us shallow. Dive deep, be brave, let go. This is the magic and the medicine of the Death card.

The post The Death Tarot Card appeared first on Forging Magic.

Magical Mocha Fudge Brownies

Disclaimer: This article may contain commission or affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

I am obsessed with chocolate. To me there is nothing better than really good chocolate. So when it comes to baking, I often work with chocolate.

But there is something else I love too, that I had to give up years ago due to health reasons, and that is coffee. I loved a cup of really strong black coffee. But I haven’t had coffee in many years, so when I discovered I could work that amazing coffee taste into my chocolate creations, and it made the whole thing even better? I was over the moon!

The Magic of Baking

When it comes to baking, it isn’t really surprising that I have found my happy place in the kitchen. Just like our ancestors working over their cauldrons, my pots are my cauldrons where I can brew up my magic.

It also uses my other love, which is science. There is so much incredible science behind good baking. Understand the science, and you can create almost anything! This recipe took me a long time to develop. The brownie would be too dense, the icing would be too sweet, the topping would fall off the bottom… there was a lot of sweet disasters. But because I understood the science I was able to adapt until I found perfection!

But I will add a big caveat here… I love to bake where my energies take me. Especially with this recipe. I don’t measure things exactly. I tend to change things all the time based on my whims and where I feel called. Some days I may add more of an ingredient, then next time less. Another time I might decide to throw in something new… maybe some cinnamon or chocolate chunks, or even cherries or a swirl of caramel. This recipe is very forgiving. Just follow your heart, bake with love and magic, and it will taste delicious!

What Makes this Recipe so Magical?

Imagine sinking your teeth into a rich, melt in your mouth brownie that not only captivates your taste buds but also transports you to a world of pure indulgence. It’s like your favorite café mocha decided to have an elicit affair with a brownie, and let’s just say, the chemistry is electrifying!

The true magic of this recipe though is how it brings people together and spreads happiness. I recently made a batch to share with my fellow vendors at a witchy market and it was the perfect pick me up to help all of us through the long days with a smile. Everyone was raving about these brownies! I was asked so many times, I figured it was time to share my recipe.

The Magical Mocha Fudge Brownie isn’t just a treat, it’s a little bit of magic. And we love to share the magic around here.

So my witchy friends, join me in the kitchen and let’s make some magical brownies!

Mocha Fudge Brownie Ingredients

I can’t stress this enough… good food comes from good ingredients!

Get the really good eggs and cream from your local farmer. Only use the best butter. Lately they have changed our shop butters and they simply do not work well in baking anymore. Get the good stuff!

Source really good chocolate. I have a lot of allergies. Probably comes from being a redhead, so I have to be really careful with chocolate to avoid allergens. I prefer to use Callebaut chocolate in all my baking. Not only does it taste superior, but it doesn’t trigger my allergies and bakes up beautifully.

Brownie Ingredients

1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 cup white sugar
2 large farm eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 tbsp espresso powder
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder

Mocha Fudge Topping Ingredients

1/3 cup cream*
1/3 cup unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups sugar*
1 cup chocolate chips (milk or dark depending on your preference)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

*A quick note about these ingredients. You can use any type of cream or even milk (including lactose free milk). Also, caster sugar is super fine sugar and is sometimes called berry sugar, which I prefer for fudge. You can use regular sugar if you can’t find super fine sugar.

Directions

Before I start baking I like to set the mood. The energy we bring into the kitchen goes into the food that we create, which in turn feeds our bodies, minds and souls. Turn on some music, light some candles, and fill yourself with love. Because any food made with love is instantly 1000% better!

Feeling the vibes? Perfect, let’s bake!

Mocha Brownie

First we need to make the brownie. I know people have their preferences for whether they prefer a dense brownie or a more cake like brownie. This recipe makes a more cake like brownie.

Preheat the oven to 350 F (175 C) and line a 9 x 14 brownie pan with parchment paper. Make sure the parchment comes all the way up the edges on all sides.

In a medium sized pot melt the butter.

Once melted, remove it from the heat and stir in the sugar, then the eggs. It is important to do the sugar first to cool the butter a bit before adding the eggs. We don’t want scrambled eggs! Add the vanilla.

Next beat in the cocoa powder and espresso powder, until it is completely combined.

Finally, add the flour, salt and baking powder and mix until completely incorporated. It should be nice and thick but smooth.

Spread the batter into the prepared pan and bake on the middle rack for 25 minutes.

Mocha Fudge Topping

When there is about 10 minutes left on the brownies, start the mocha fudge topping.

In a medium pan add the cream, butter, espresso powder, and sugar and turn it on to medium heat. Stir constantly, making sure to scrape down the sides as the butter melts and everything combines.

Let it continue heating until it comes to a rolling boil. Until it hits the rolling boil make sure you are scraping the sides and the bottom of the pan to break up any crystallization.

Once you have your rolling boil, stop stirring and let it continue at a boil for 30 seconds.

Remove from heat and add the chocolate chips and vanilla. Beat it all together until the chocolate chips are all melted and the mixture is smooth.

Your brownie should be done around now, pull it from the oven.

Spread over the hot brownies immediately. Make sure to spread it into the corners so it covers evenly.

Let set for 2 to 4 hours before cutting into squares.

Enjoy your Mocha Fudge Brownies!

Adaptions

You can add chocolate chips or nuts to the brownie batter if you like.

Prefer a more fudgey, less cakey brownie? Reduce the flour to 1/2 cup.

For a festive look you can also add sprinkles to the top of the brownies. Or maybe a swirl of caramel.

Need dairy free? I have made this with dairy free milk and it worked great.

Love coffee? Add more espresso powder for extra kick. I’ve made a few batches that had so much espresso they would leave you buzzing after just a couple of bites!

Print

Magical Mocha Fudge Brownie Recipe

A decadent cakey brownie recipe with a fudgey icing, with a magical espresso kick

Course Dessert

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Setting Time 2 hours hours

Total Time 2 hours hours 45 minutes minutes

Ingredients

Mocha Brownie

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1 cup white sugar
• 2 large farm eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• 1 tbsp espresso powder
• 3/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking powder

Mocha Fudge Icing

• 1/3 cup cream
• 1/3 cup unsalted butter
• 1.5 cups sugar
• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

Make the Brownie

• Preheat the oven to 350 F (175 C) and line an 9 x 14 brownie pan with parchment paper.
• Melt the butter in a pot on the stove. Remove from heat once melted.
• Stir in sugar.
• Stir in eggs. Add vanilla.
• Beat in cocoa powder and espresso powder.
• Add flour, salt and baking powder. Mix until completely combined and smooth.
• Pour into prepared pan and bake for 25 minutes.

Make Fudge Icing

• In a medium pan add the cream, butter, espresso powder, and sugar. Cook on medium heat, stirring constantly.
• Once it comes to a rolling boil, stop stirring and let boil for 30 seconds. Then remove from the heat.
• Add the chocolate chips and vanilla. Mix until the chocolate is all melted and the mixture is smooth.
• Immediately pour over warm brownies fresh from the oven.
• Let set 2 to 4 hours before cutting into squares and enjoying!

The post Mocha Fudge Brownie Recipe appeared first on Forging Magic.

Exploring the Magic of Samhain

Disclaimer: This article may contain commission or affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Samhain Pronunciation

First, let’s make sure we are pronouncing it correctly. Samhain is a Gaelic word pronounced “sow-in”. Now as someone who learned most of my words by reading them, my brain wants to pronounce it as “Sam-hane”, but it is important that we say the word correctly, no matter how much my brain likes to fight me on it!

What is Samhain?

Now we know how to say it, what exactly is Samhain?

To put it simply, it is the Celtic New Year. Often celebrated from the evening of October 31st to the evening of November 1st. It is a very important sabbat that marks the end of the harvest season and the beginning of the dark half of the year and the arrival of winter.

This is the third and last harvest sabbat, the first was Lughnasadh and the second was Mabon.

Samhain is a time when the veil between the physical world and the spiritual realm is at its thinnest. In many traditions, it’s a moment to honor ancestors, connect with departed loved ones, and gain wisdom and guidance from the spirit world.

Samhain is also a time to reflect on all that has happened during the previous turning of the wheel and set your intentions for the new year ahead. To manifest our desires, first we need to understand where we have come from and where we want to go. Reflect, listen, learn, and visualize. Samhain is the perfect time for this type of work.

Although Samhain is the traditional Celtic name for this sabbat, over the years and across cultures it has been called many other names. Obviously the most popular name used for festivities on this day in modern times is Halloween, but it has also been called: All Hallows Eve, Day of the Dead, Celtic Winter, Celtic New Year, Witches New Year, and Shadowfest, to name just a few.

The History of Samhain

Why is Samhain so important to so many pagans and witches? Originating from ancient Celtic traditions, this festival marks one of the four Greater Sabbats in the Wheel of the Year, along with Beltane, Lammas/Lughnasadh, and Imbolc. The Celts believed that on Samhain, the boundary between our world and the “Otherworld” could easily be crossed, allowing for communication with spirits and divinities.

The Christian church later took many of these practices, transforming it into what we commonly know as Halloween. But for those who follow Pagan paths, Samhain has retained its deeper spiritual significance. It’s a day to respect the cycle of death and rebirth, to honor the wisdom of the Crone aspect of the Goddess, and to prepare for the darkness of winter with a strength and purpose built through reflection and intention setting.

As for its significance in paganism and witchcraft, the rituals and traditions surrounding Samhain are diverse, reflecting the richness and vast variety of spiritual paths. Wiccans may celebrate by invoking the God and Goddess, while Druids might focus more on the connection with nature and the elements. But no matter the path, Samhain is a time for connection with loved ones here and through the veil, and for deep spiritual work. Whether you’re a solitary practitioner or part of a coven, the themes of transformation, renewal, and honoring the past are universal.

Samhain Rituals and Traditions

Dumb Supper Ritual

A popular ritual is the Dumb Supper Ritual, also known as the Silent Supper or Feast of the Dead. Like all the sabbats, a feast is a big part of the celebrations. It can also be a time of pain and grief as we miss those we have lost. For many of us, food and meals are a very deep memory we associate with those we have lost. With this ritual we set out a spot at the table for our loved ones who have passed on (you can also do this for your ancestral guides).

How you chose to do this ritual is incredibly personal, do what feels right for your customs, traditions, cultural practices, and traditional feasts with loved ones. This is a time to invite your departed loved ones to be with you. You want the ritual feast to reflect you and your loved ones in a meaningful way. Do this by cooking a favourite food, burning a candle with a specific scent that reminds you of the person, or by setting out pictures or objects that connect you with them. You can do this as a solitary ritual, or you can do it with your loved ones who are still with you in body. No matter what specifics you include in your dumb supper ritual, when you are done your feast, send your love back through the veil as you thank your loved ones for being present.

Reflecting and Releasing Ritual

With all sabbats, I love to include a fire element. As this is the end of the year, I like to write myself a letter or even just short notes. This writing is about what I need to let go and release from the previous year. To move forward we need to make space and that requires that we free ourselves from those things that no longer serve us. Once I have written down my thoughts, I meditate, grounding myself firmly into the moment. Then, when I am ready, I toss the paper into the fire and not only physically let it go, but also spiritually, mentally and emotionally. You can do this with a bonfire outside, an indoor fireplace, in a burning bowl, or you can scribe your intentions into a candle and burn the candle.

Explore how you can use the Death tarot card in a powerful releasing ritual in this resource on the Death card.

Divination Ritual

Divination can be a powerful addition to your practice during Samhain. Tarot readings, rune castings, and pendulum work are fantastic ways to seek guidance for the coming year. It can also be a wonderful way to connect with your ancestral guides and loved ones who have passed.

You don’t need to be fancy with this. You can create your own divination tools using items you find in nature, like fallen leaves or acorns, or spend time watching the skies for messages. Often I am sent messages through the stars, clouds and especially the birds.

Symbolism

With Samhain being a celebration of both endings and beginnings, the cycle of death and rebirth, it’s only fitting that its symbols echo these transformative themes.

You’ll often find symbols like the pentacle or pentagram, representing the five elements, and the Triple Goddess symbol, emphasizing the Crone aspect at this time of year, but there are more symbols that reflect this time of year.

Crystals

Let’s start with crystals. I love to incorporate crystals into my altar and my spiritual practices. In fact, I also have pocket crystals, purse crystals, office crystals… crystals everywhere! But I like to change them out with the sabbats and seasons to help align them with the energies I am seeking and my needs at certain times.

For Samhain, Black Tourmaline is one of my favourites to add to my altar and rituals. I have a piece that fits so beautifully in my hand. It provides a powerful point for grounding, reduces fear, brings happiness and it balances energy. Tourmaline is also considered a bridge to the spiritual realm, making it a powerful crystal for when the veil is thin.

Obsidian is my go-to for protection and grounding. It is especially useful when you’re doing any form of spirit communication. Use it during your divination rituals or dumb supper.

My birthstone and favourite crystal (mainly because it’s purple!) is the Amethyst. It can assist with opening your third eye and enhancing your intuitive powers. Wonderful when connecting with your guides or doing divination.

Don’t forget quartz, the versatile “master healer,” which you can use to amplify your intentions for the new year and enhance your manifestation energies. It can also be helpful when navigating grief and loss.

Foods

As the last harvest festival, feasting is a big part of the sabbat. So let’s explore some of the foods you may want to include.

Apples are big during Samhain, symbolizing knowledge and the harvest. You can bob for them, or make a delicious apple pie as an offering to your ancestors. You can also do an apple ritual which we shared during Mabon.

Pumpkins, aside from being awesome to carve, also symbolize abundance and fertility. I dried two pumpkin stems and use them on my altar every year.

Foods like nuts, pomegranates, and root vegetables are also connected to the season and make great offerings or additions to your feast.

For my personal practice I like to include tea as well.

Plants and Herbs

Plant-wise, sage and mugwort are powerful allies at this time of year. Sage is for cleansing—great for clearing out old energy to make way for the new. Mugwort aids in divination and dreamwork, perfect for those midnight meditations or journeying to the “Otherworld” in your dreams.

Samhain Altar

Like all sabbats, I always set up a special altar.

Natural Connections

For Samhain I like to include natural elements representing the season and harvest, such as pine cones, leaves, harvest fruits (I have a cool 5 point gourd that I have nicknamed Gord for my Samhain 2023 altar), and berries from my Rowan tree.

Crystals

I always include crystals, mainly Amethyst, Tourmaline and Obsidian. Then to aide in connecting with my ancestors and loved ones, I will include a crystal that reminds me of them. For my father it is the beautiful rainbow fossil crystal Ammonite.

Ancestors

Connecting with lost loved ones is such a powerful part of this season, I will not only use crystals, but I will also include more items reflecting my loved ones. It could be pictures, items that belonged to them, or an item they gave me. I like to include a little antique tea pot that belonged to my grandmother. One of my greatest memories of her is having tea while she did my hair. Find what connects you with your loved ones.

Divination Tools

During this time I like to work with the cards a lot, so I will also include a tarot or oracle deck on my altar. For Samhain, my favourite tarot deck is True Black Tarot. I also place my scrying mirror where I will be doing readings. I love to aim my scrying mirror where I am doing my spread and look for the cards or images on the cards that are reflected back at me. Often this there is a message in this reflection from my ancestral guides. The scrying mirror reminds me to pay attention and listen.

How you set up your Samhain altar is very personal. There is no right or wrong way. Do what feels right for you. And, if you feel called, change and adjust things throughout. Whatever you do with setting up your altar is perfect and right for you.

Celebrating Samhain

As you prepare for this magical season, really sink into what Samhain means for you. Make this time completely and utterly personal. Follow your intuition and use that to manifest the perfect Samhain celebration for you.

How can you honor your ancestors?
What wisdom are you seeking?
Who do you wish to honour during this season?
What are you ready to release?
What are you eager to manifest?

With the veil so thin, the spirit world is just a whisper away, waiting to guide you. Take the time to meditate, to consult the cards, to whisper affirmations, and to connect both with your spirit within and with the great energies around us.

As you prepare your altars, craft your rituals, or simply sip some warm cider by the fire, remember the transformative power of this season. Feel the ancient wisdom coursing through the symbols, the rituals, and even the cooling winds. Open your heart and soul to receive so you are ready to manifest for the upcoming year.

Your spiritual journey this Samhain is what you make of it. It’s time to forge your own magic and make it magical!

Wishing you a Blessed Samhain! May your season be filled with magic, wisdom, and bountiful love.

The post Celebrating Samhain – The Celtic New Year appeared first on Forging Magic.

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I am not sure when it started. Perhaps as a child, when I would see adorable little mushrooms pop up in stories like Alice in Wonderland and the illustrations of my favourite fairytales. Or maybe when I was out on the trails with my horses and the most incredible looking mushrooms would appear, then seemingly disappear almost over night.

Wherever it started, my love of mushrooms has followed me throughout my life. In fact, all the photos in this article were taken by me on a recent forest walk.

Why Are People Fascinated with Mushrooms?

So what is it about these little fungi that fascinates us so much?

Mushrooms offer a unique combination of medical benefits, culinary appeal, scientific and environmental advances, plus cultural and folklore references. And in a sprinkle of risk, superstition, and the forbidden (knowing that some mushrooms are hallucinogenic and toxic), and we have a combination that makes mushrooms absolutely fascinating.

Mushrooms are the tricksters of our forests. One minute they are there, the next they disappear. Many have strange shapes, sometimes they have wild odours, and some of them grow in the most fascinating places.

When you go out into the forest, finding mushrooms is natures best form of a hide and seek game. There is an immense thrill and excitement when you discover mushrooms. Some years there seems to be mushrooms everywhere, other years, they are hard to find. One year the forest floor might be covered with one type of mushroom, the next year a different mushroom will push its way from the soil.

There is such an unknown when it comes to mushrooms. Once you start noticing these fungi on your nature walks, it is hard not to become completely fascinated!

Foraging for Mushrooms

Recently, mushroom foraging has gained huge appeal.

Hunting for wild mushrooms, known as foraging, has become a very popular with online groups exploding with newbies joining and posting pictures of their finds. Often asking for identification and the dreaded… “can I eat it?”

Foraging is a powerful way to connect with nature. It encourages people to get outdoors and explore, and provides that amazing dopamine hit when you find a rare species or particularly exciting or unique growth.

However, to really become good at foraging, you need to spend some time doing your research and learning, as well as spending time in the forest and fields. Find a good field guide for local mushrooms to help you with the identification process. Plus, look into joining a local group that goes out on mushroom walks and forages together. One of the best ways to have success as you forage, is by learning from experts.

Mushroom Identification

Mushroom identification is not easy. It takes a lot of practice, and requires knowing a lot of information. Including knowing:

• What does the cap look like? This is usually the first part of the mushroom that most people notice.
• Gills – What kind of spore producing structures does it have under the cap? Gills, pores, teeth? And how are they attached?
• Stalk type
• Spore colours (and how to take a mushroom spore print)
• Does it bruise?
• Habitat – Where is it growing? What is it growing on (trees, soil, insects, etc.)? What has been the recent climate and weather?
• Time of year is also important as certain mushrooms only appear at specific times of the year.
• Smell and taste can tell you a lot about the type of mushroom, however unless you are highly knowledgeable and skilled, don’t taste random mushrooms. As I mentioned, some can be fatally toxic.

Even with all of this information, it can still be very difficult to identify certain mushrooms. Always use caution when identifying mushrooms.

Next time you are doing some forest bathing, and connecting with nature, why not take a look around and see if you can spot some mushrooms? It will definitely help you slow down and be very present with the nature all around you.

The History of Mushrooms and Humans

Mushrooms and humans have a history that goes back thousands of years, with some cave paintings depicting mushroom use. The Tassili Mushroom Figure is one example of famous mushroom cave art.

Throughout this long history, and in cultures all around the world, mushrooms have held a powerful and often mystical and sacred spot in ritual practices.

Here are a few references I found and thought I would share.

Siberian Shamanism and Amanita Muscaria

In Siberian shamanism, the Amanita muscaria mushroom, commonly known as the fly agaric, holds a special place. Shamans would consume this mushroom to induce altered states of consciousness, believing it allowed them to communicate with spirits and access the spirit world.

Amanita is probably the first mushroom (after the ones at the grocery store), that comes to mind for most people. It is often depicted in stories and fairytales as having a red cap with white spots. When we think of mushrooms having magical powers or connections with the fae, those red and white caps are the traditional image. However, as an interesting note, where I live in Canada Amanita actually has a yellow cap.

Mesoamerican Cultures and Psilocybin Mushrooms

Ancient Mesoamerican civilizations, such as the Aztecs and the Maya, used psilocybin-containing mushrooms (commonly referred to as “magic mushrooms”) in their religious ceremonies and rituals. The Aztecs believed that consuming these mushrooms allowed them to communicate with their deities and gain insight into the spiritual realm. Montezuma II, the last ruler of the Aztecs, is said to have eaten copious amounts of “Teonanacatl” (flesh of the gods) at his coronation ceremony.

Magic Mushrooms in Mexico

Starting in the 1500’s, Spanish missionaries saw mushroom use as a threat to Christian salvation. They felt the devil was speaking though the mushrooms, and the rituals using ‘magic mushrooms’ and ‘flesh of the gods’ were forbidden. The conquistadors severely punished anyone using them.

Despite the conquistadors attempts to squash mushroom use, the descendants of the Aztecs and Maya kept the mushroom cult alive in Mexico. Keeping it quiet and sacred. That is until the 1950s when hallucinogenic mushrooms experienced a renaissance.

In 1955, US mushroom researcher R. Gordon Wasson became the first outsider to attend a sacred ceremony among Mexico’s Mazatec people. It was led by a shaman named Maria Sabina.

Wasson published an article about his experience with Sabina in 1957 in Life magazine. It was called “Seeking the Magic Mushroom”. In the article, he described his experiences and the magical effects of the “Teonanacatl” (the same mushroom believed to be used by Montezuma II).

The article triggered a wave of counter-cultural tourism to Sabina’s home village of Huautla. Scientists and hippies and even celebrities made pilgrimages to Mexico. Sadly, they were all less interested in the sacredness of the rituals, and many just wanted to get high.

European Folklore

In European folklore, mushrooms (sometimes called toadstools) often appear as enchanting entities. Tales of fairies, elves, and other supernatural beings living in or near mushrooms are common. With many children’s stories depicting mushrooms as magical, wonderous creations. Alice in Wonderland is one modern story that famously depicts the Fly Agaric.

But, as with many Christian cultures, there was also many who distrusted mushrooms and fungi. They believed they were associated with witchcraft and evil, which is also reflected in the names given to many types of mushrooms (Devil’s Fingers, Witches’ Butter or Satan’s bolete). Naturally occurring arcs of mushrooms, known as fairy rings in English and witches’ rings in German, were seen as hazardous and evil places where witches had gathered to dance on Walpurgis Night. People avoided walking into them and did not let their cows graze in pastures where they were found, as they believed it would affect their milk. Today you can still find some people that refuse to eat mushrooms due to these long held negative beliefs.

Chinese Tradition and Reishi Mushrooms

Reishi mushrooms are highly revered in traditional Chinese medicine and folklore. These mushrooms are believed to have various health benefits and are associated with longevity and spiritual potency. They are often depicted in art and literature as symbols of prosperity and divine connection.

There are so many more examples, at the bottom of this article I will link to some additional reading you can do if this fascinates you as much as it fascinates me!

For now, let’s dig into more modern magic uses of mushrooms.

Pagans and Mushrooms

In many modern pagan and wiccan practices, mushrooms have a sacred and spiritual role. The symbolism of mushrooms is extensive and applies in many areas of ritual practice.

The Magic and Mysticism

For myself it is the mystical nature of mushrooms. They remind me of the magic all around me. How they can appear and disappear overnight, it reminds me that so much is unseen, and we simply need to be at the right place, at the right time, with an open heart to find these magical wonders.

Connecting to Nature

They also feed into my deep need for connection to nature. Scientists are still studying the mycelial network (the mushroom is simply the fruiting body of a massive hidden network), and how mushrooms play a critical role in the diversity and interconnectedness of natural habitats. They are a key member of the ecosystems, even though we don’t often see them. They continue to do their work, unseen.

A Symbol of Transformation

This growth from the hidden mycelium to the visible fruiting body is symbol of personal and spiritual transformation. Just as mushrooms emerge from the darkness into the light, individuals can undergo personal growth and enlightenment. Mushrooms invite us to do the shadow work, to spend time in the darkness, so we can move into the light stronger and healthier. For it is from our darkness and shadows that we grow, just like the mushroom.

Mushrooms play a very important role in the natural cycles of nature. They help to breakdown and decompose waste, returning it to fertile soil. Their role in the circle of life is a constant reminder of the cyclical nature of life, death, and rebirth.

Folklore and Mythological Connections

Earlier I spoke about the rich history between humans and mushrooms. Many Pagan traditions incorporate these elements of folklore and mythology into their rituals and practices. Mushrooms have such a rich history of symbolism and myth across cultures, pulling on this history, we can weave these into more modern spiritual lessons and practices.

Harvest Festivals and Seasonal Celebrations

Mushrooms are often associated with specific times of the year, particularly in autumn when many edible and wild mushrooms are more readily found in nature. Often mushrooms are incorporated into altars or feasts to celebrate Lughnasadh, Mabon and Samhain.

How to Bring the Magic of Mushrooms into your Practice

No matter the time of year, I love to bring the mystical and magical energy of mushrooms into my life. There are so many ways they have enriched my life, my health and my spiritual path.

I have used mushrooms for healing. My local health store has a wide variety of mushroom treatments to help with so many different issues from anxiety to problematic menopause symptoms.

Feasting is one of my favourite ways to bring mushrooms into my life. I love to buy mushrooms from my local grower/forager (so I can support local and know they are safely identified), and incorporate them into all my meals. They are one of my favourite meat replacements in a meal. One of the things I am hoping to try soon is Mushroom coffee. I don’t drink coffee anymore for health reasons, but mushroom coffee sounds very intriguing to me!

Crystal mushrooms are also one of my favourite things to collect. I love to put them in my plants. I have one Amethyst mushroom that has a place of pride in my Aloe plant.

When I am feeling creative and crafty, I like to make clay mushrooms. It is a fun and easy little art project I can do to help me calm my mind, while making something I can take some pride in.

My mushroom collection also extends to mushroom ornaments, art pieces, mushroom candles, clothing with mushrooms on them, and even a pair of shoes with mushrooms!

Mushroom Books

Here are a few of my favourite books on the magic of mushrooms.

Mystical Mushrooms – Discover the Magic & Folklore of Fantastic Fungi by Aurora Kane

Magic Mushrooms – The Holy Children – Shamanic Plant Medicine by Ross Heaven

Plants of the Gods – Their Sacred, Healing and Hallucinogenic Powers by Richard Evans Schultes, Albert Hofmann & Christian Ratsch

Mushroom Magick: Ritual, Celebration, and Lore by Shawn Engel

National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Mushrooms (National Audubon Society Field Guides)

And for those that know about my LOVE of Adam Oehlers artwork from Oak, Ash & Thorn Tarot and Smoke, Ash & Embers Dragon Tarot, he has a book called The Mushroom Garden that I have on my wish list. It looks so stunning!

As you probably noticed, I am a wee bit obsessed with mushrooms! But I think once you start exploring the magical and mystical mushroom, you will understand why I find them so sacred and special.

Next time you are walking in the forest and you come across a mushroom, take it as an invitation to stop for a moment. Let yourself feel your connection to nature, to something greater. Slow down and be present. Take a deep breath. Then thank the mushroom for its blessings and bring that incredible energy with you for the rest of the day.

I hope your days are filled with happy mushies!

The post The Magical and Mystical Mushroom appeared first on Forging Magic.

The Magic of Mabon
The Equinox Celebration of Abundance

Disclaimer: This article may contain commission or affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

What is Mabon?

Mabon is a Pagan harvest celebration and one of the eight Wiccan sabbats. As a seasonal festival it marks the autumn equinox (the beginning of fall), and is also the second harvest festival.

There are three harvest festivals: Lughnasadh, Mabon and Samhain.

This time of year is a time of balance, marked by cooler temperatures and vibrant colours that invite us to spend time connecting with nature and her natural cycles. For me, it is in invitation to spend as much time outside as possible. Being wrapped in the loving embrace of the trees and forests before the cold, darker months of winter arrive.

As a celebration of both harvest and the new season, the focus is on balance, abundance, thanksgiving and food! Fruits, vegetables, grains and more are all being gathered as the growing season starts to slow. So we celebrate with feasts, give thanks for the year’s bounty, reflect on the balance in our lives.

When is Mabon?

Mabon, being a celestial event, is determined by the precise balance of the Earth’s tilt. At this moment there is a unique equilibrium between day and night. As well as between the sun and the moon. This celestial occurrence marks the transition into a period where days gradually shorten, nights lengthen, and temperatures start to cool. We are entering the darker half of the year.

In the Northern Hemisphere, Mabon typically takes place between September 22nd and 23rd. In the Southern Hemisphere, Mabon falls around March 20th to 21st. While the one hemisphere is celebrating Mabon, the other hemisphere is celebrating Ostara (Spring Equinox). This celestial alignment signifies the beginning of autumn in the Northern Hemisphere and the start of spring in the Southern Hemisphere. Both marked by the shifting balance of light and dark.

In 2023, Mabon will take place on September 23.

Mabon Pronunciation

The pronunciation of Mabon varies slightly based on where you live, but in general it is pronounced: May-bon. However in some places, people will pronounce it Ma-bon or Mae-boon.

Mabon Meaning

The sabbat names often come with long history, but the use of Mabon to celebrate the fall equinox is actually a more recent term that first appeared around the 1970s.

The name Mabon is derived from Welsh mythology and folklore. It is linked to the figure of Mabon ap Modron, a Welsh God found in the medieval Welsh tales collectively known as the Mabinogion. In these stories, Mabon ap Modron is a heroic figure associated with youth, rebirth, and the eternal cycle of seasons.

Mabon ap Modron translates to “son of Modron.” Modron is the Mother Goddess in Welsh mythology. She is often revered as a guardian of the natural world and the changing seasons.

The use of the name “Mabon” for the autumn equinox celebration by modern Pagans and Wiccans is a relatively recent development. It’s part of the broader effort to draw upon ancient mythologies and folklore to infuse modern celebrations with a sense of connection to the past and the natural world.

Celebration and Foods

Traditionally Mabon celebrations focus around two main themes: feasting/harvest and giving thanks. My favourite way to celebrate is to gather with loved ones and enjoy a hearty warm stew made from locally grown ingredients with freshly baked bread. Is there anything better than freshly baked bread???. Then we give thanks for all of the blessings and abundance in our lives. This is followed by a bonfire or walk in nature.

A popular recipe at this time of year is Pumpkin Spice. Although it may feel like a modern invention, pumpkin spice has been around in some variation or another for centuries. When it comes to the magic, pumpkin spice is created using a blend of cinnamon, cloves, ginger, nutmeg, allspice and sometimes other items. These spices can increase our physical and mental energy, provide us with a shot of courage, banish negativity, and provide protection. So indulge in your pumpkin spice treats and tap into the magic of the season.

Mabon Rituals

Change, Reflect, Meditate, Plan

The rituals you chose to perform for Mabon are a very personal choice. For many people this is a wonderful time to reflect and meditate. Then consider what you are ready to let go of to make room for new opportunities. As we enter the dark season, it is also a powerful time to turn inward and consider what changes you wish to make in your life so you can prosper in the spring. Many plants seed in the fall so they can flourish in the spring. Now is the time to sow your own seeds of growth.

As a business owner, this is also a time of big changes. We are approaching Q4 and the final wrap up of the year. Mabon is a time to explore the changes that have occurred over the last year in business and plan ahead for what is needed as we close out the year. The wheel continues to turn, and with it we must move through the cycles, changing and adapting.

Apple Ritual

Apples are often associated with Mabon as the trees are hanging heavy with this luscious fruit. To perform an Apple Ritual, slice an apple horizontally to reveal the hidden pentagram or star inside. Hold the apple in your cupped hands, then focus on each point of the star independently. For each point, think of one thing you are grateful for or a blessing in your life. After you have done all 5 points, use your finger to trace the star, repeating each blessing, and feel the positive energy filling you. When you are finished, eat the apple slowly. Savouring each bite and feeling it feeding your mind, body and spirit. Take the remaining core and bury it outside as you give thanks for all the blessings in your life.

Harvest Rituals

Since this is the second harvest sabbat, many rituals centre around the harvest. Consider drying fresh herbs (Sage, Rosemary and Thyme are Powerful allies of the season), then use them to make your own incense, herbal sachets, wreaths, teas, or crafts.

As I mentioned above, my favourite ritual is to make a harvest soup and bread, pouring all my love into the process. Then have a feast where we share our thanks and gratitude.

Candle Rituals

As the days become shorter and nights longer, candles become our guiding lights. Begin this new season by performing candle magic. Carve your intensions for the new season (whether you want to draw things to you, or release to make space for new opportunities), then dress and burn the candle. You can learn more about Candle Magic here. For Mabon, I use candles that are natural beeswax and love to incorporate candles that are shaped as pumpkins.

Another ritual I perform for every sabbat is to make an altar.

Mabon Altar

When preparing an altar to celebrate Mabon you will want to embrace everything this season offers. I love to include things like colourful leaves, Rowan berries, pine cones, pumpkin stems, wild forged mushrooms, grains, plus crystals and candles. Candles become increasingly prominent in my altar and practices starting on Mabon. With the days getting shorter and the nights longer, burning candles provides a flame that offers warmth and light. It also provides a strong focal point.

Another aspect I like to incorporate is to use Tarot or Oracle cards. Sometimes I will pull one card to place on my altar, other times I do a tarot spread to help provide me with guidance through the changes of the season.

Mabon Symbols

This sabbat is associated with many different symbols including:

• Apples
• Grains
• Pumpkins and Squash
• Corn
• Grapes and Wine
• Acorns
• Oak Leaves
• Thistle
• Sunflowers
• Pomegranate
• Horn of Plenty (Cornucopia)
• Scales (items representing balance)
• Sun and Moon
• Besom (Broom)
• Mushrooms
• Candles
• Sickles, Scythes and Traditional Harvest Tools
• Baskets

Mabon Crystals

Crystals are a very personal choice when deciding which ones to use for your rituals and sabbats. To help you get started here are my top picks for Mabon.

Citrine is associated with abundance and prosperity. Use it during Mabon to attract wealth and positive energy for the coming season.

Carnelian is a stone of motivation and courage, something we often need a little boost of when setting intensions for personal growth and transformation as the seasons change.

Clear quartz is a versatile crystal that can amplify the energy of other stones. It’s excellent for enhancing the intentions you set during rituals.

Yellow or Orange Calcite are associated with the sun and harvest. You can also use sunstone.

Moonstone is linked to the cycles of the moon, making it a suitable crystal for Mabon rituals that focus on balance and transition. For a powerful balance during Mabon I like to use both Moonstone and Sunstone to balance each other.

Amethyst is known for its calming and spiritual properties, making it a powerful crystal to use during your meditation and reflections during this transitional time of year.

Different types of jasper, such as Red Jasper, can be used to connect with the earth’s energies and the cycles of nature. They are grounding stones that can help you feel more rooted in the season.

Peridot is often associated with the harvest and abundance. It can be used to attract prosperity and wealth during Mabon.

Labradorite is known for its mystical and transformative properties, can help you tap into your inner wisdom and intuition during this reflective time. I have a labradorite owl that I love to include in my altar. It carries such a powerful energy with it.

Mabon Colors

The colours of Mabon are exactly what you would expect: golds, browns, yellows, oranges, reds. Those fiery and vibrant colours of fall that surround us.

Mabon Blessing

This is a blessing I like to use for Mabon. It helps me focus my energy and prepare for the intense changes that can come with this season.

On this day of cosmic balance, I honour and celebrate Mabon. The wheel of the year turns, and for just a moment, day and night stand equal, in perfect balance.

Just as the leaves change color, we are invited to embrace change and move through it boldly and beautifully. Like the trees releasing their leaves, may I have the strength to release what no longer serves me, making space for new growth.

Through these seasonal changes, I seek balance in my daily life, harmony in my heart, and the wisdom to navigate the ever-turning wheel of time. As the days grow shorter and the nights grow longer, may I never stop striving for inner peace and inner light. For it is this inner light that will always guide me through the darkest days.

Blessed be the changing seasons, and blessed is the beauty of transformation. I open my arms, my heart and my spirit, welcoming change. As I stand at this crossroads, I embrace the lessons of Mabon, knowing that with each ending comes a new beginning.

Mabon is a reminder that even in the midst of change, there is beauty in balance, and in the dance of light and shadow. And by embracing gratitude, we discover the enduring magic of Mabon.

Happy Mabon!

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What is the Empress Card?

The Empress Tarot card is number 3 in the Major Arcana of the traditional Rider Waite Smith deck, right before the balancing force of the Emperor card. It comes after the High Priestess, who challenged us to look inwards and face our own truth to move forward. Now it is time for a little nurturing and loving.

The Empress is the first of the Major Arcana that is strongly connected to another card in the Tarot. Just as the Empress is about feminine, the Emperor is about masculine. Creative energies vs Authoritative energies. It is all about that cosmic balance.

When the Empress card comes up in one of my readings, the first thing I think of is that powerful nurturing energy. You could think of it as mothering, but it isn’t just about raising children. It is also about that incredible creative spirit that nurtures and brings art to life. A green thumb that makes plant flourish and grow. It’s that feeling people get when someone listens and cares. Or that moment when you step through the door, you are home. It’s about the sharing of energy for the betterment of others. This is a love that promotes growth and comes from a pure place of light.

This is a feel good card that inspires us to chase those passions, to care, to have hope, and to love deeply.

Keywords

When working with the Empress card, it helps to have a list of keywords to associate with the card. This can be very beneficial in a reading or when just working with Empress energy.

Empress Upright Keywords

• Abundance
• Femininity
• Beauty
• Contentment
• Peace
• Harmony
• Comforting
• Safe place
• Fertility
• Desire
• Sensuality
• Pleasure
• Nature
• Nurture
• Financial growth
• Unconditional love

Empress Reversed Keywords

• Jealousy
• Obsession
• Manipulation
• Gaslighting
• Creative or writers block
• Dependence
• Fertility problems
• A loss or grief
• Financial struggles

The Empress Imagery

First, let’s explore the imagery of the Empress card from the Rider Waite Smith deck.

When the Empress card pops up the immediate feeling I get is a big hug from mom. The Empress imagery provides that feeling of comfort, safety and connection.

The first thing you will notice is our beautiful Empress sitting, but unlike the High Priestess who was very stiff and upright on a throne, the Empress is calm. She is relaxed, leaning back into a pile of lush fabrics and cushions. She exudes peace, comfort and a welcoming vibe.

Flowing around her body is a gorgeous robe is adorned with pomegranates, which symbolize fertility, life, and the cycles of nature.

But take a closer look. She may be relaxed, but she is still a queen, and she wears her power symbols with grace and ease. On her head is a crown adorned with 12 stars, a symbols of the twelve signs of the Zodiac and the 12 months of the year. She also wears a necklace of 9 pearls symbolizing the 9 planets. She wears the universe on her body, representing spiritual insight and connection to the cosmos.

The Mother

This is Mother Nature and although she is nurturing, she can also be powerful and fierce. With her is a heart-shaped shield engraved with the symbol of Venus (this symbol is also often used for feminine or female), representing love, beauty, and femininity. She also holds a scepter topped with a globe symbolizing authority, power, fertility and connection to Mother Earth.

The Empress is surrounded by lush forests and fields. Beside her, is a field of wheat, symbolizing fertility, growth, and abundance. Then behind her is a flowing river and trees. The river signifies the flow of energy, emotions and creativity, while the trees suggest life, stability, and connection to the natural world.

Empress Art in Tarot Decks

Just like I have done with The Fool, Magician and High Priestess tarot cards, I like to share the Empress cards from a variety of tarot decks. Comparing the art of these different cards can provide some wonderful insights into the meaning of the cards. See the captions for details on the tarot decks each of these decks comes from.

The Empress Tarot Card Meanings

The Empress card is the Mother of us all. She is the Mother Nature archetype, provider of our beautiful home. She is that soft place to land after being out in the storm. That guiding light that gently reminds us of the power of love.

Depending on the question, the querent and surrounding cards, the Empress tarot card can have some different meanings in tarot readings.

It is time to get creative! This could mean creating art, building a new business, starting a family, or nurturing your own passions to pursue something new. That idea that has been bouncing around in your mind, it’s time to bring it out and give it some serious consideration. Look for mentors and aides who can help you reach your goals.

It can be about belonging. Knowing your place in a relationship, family, community or the greater cycles of our universe. We all have our place and our role. The Empress reminds us of that connection and that we are all cherished.

The Empress may also be calling on us to find a safe place to rest. To recharge. Think of that homemade chicken soup, that heals your body and spirit. You may be called to seek out that respite, and give yourself time to heal.

The Empress signifies abundance when she appears. Life’s pleasures and luxuries surround you. You have everything you need to live a comfortable, fulfilling lifestyle. Everything you have dreamed of is coming to fruition. Take time to reflect on the bounty that surrounds you and offer gratitude for all that you have created. Focus your intention, so you can continue to build on this energy and manifest even more abundance in your life.

The Empress Card in a Reading about Love

When referencing love, sensuality, desire, the Empress is feeling her oats! She is all about that feel good shimmer that races through your body you realize, “I am all that, and a bag of chips!” I am cherished, I am loveable and my feminine energy is flowing!

The Empress is Mother Nature and she is all about love, caring and nurturing. In readings about Love, the Empress is a beautiful card to pull.

The Reversed Empress

When the Empress card appears in a reading reversed, it is when all of that nurturing and creative energy goes awry. Depending on the question, this could present in a few different ways.

Loss of Self

When giving so much of yourself to benefit others you lose sight of caring for yourself first. Think of the mother who loses her sense of self, and her own goals and passions, because she is giving everything to her children. The artist who becomes so obsessed with perfection in their art that they are unable to complete any pieces. The person who gives so much of themselves to a relationship that they lose all independence and control over their own journey or path. When reversed, the Empress is telling us we need to put on our own oxygen mask first.

I’ve been there. Motherhood is hard and it can be easy to discover an imbalance in your life. This is not a fun place to be and it can be hard to break those habits and patterns that bring you to that trapped, disconnected point. It can be a struggle to realize that by helping others, you are harming yourself. It is time to realize that only by loving yourself first can you truly love those around you. The Empress is calling on you to focus on some self-care.

Passivity and Lack of Drive

Our beautiful Empress is lounging regally in her chair. When upright it is important not to mistake this for a lack of strength, determination, drive, or passion. But when reversed, that all important forward momentum and energy, is lost or perhaps being directed in the wrong way. This can present as writer’s block or an in ability to start (or finish) projects.

A Disconnect from Nature

The Empress is about Mother Nature and this amazing home she provides us. When reversed, we may be called to spend more time respecting our home and being present. Spend some time grounding yourself. Take a walk or hike, spending time breathing the fresh air, touching the grasses, even hugging a few trees to bring yourself back to that place of oneness.

Lack of Abundance

When the Empress appears flipped, it can also indicate a lack of abundance. Financial struggles, failing health, depression, fertility struggles, insecurity, or it could be the failing of an idea, business or project. Right now, things are not thriving.

The Empress Yes/No Card Pull

Since the Empress card is usually associated with creation, abundance, growth and nurturing, the answer to a single pull yes/no question is usually Yes when the Empress appears. Especially when you are asking about tapping into creativity to manifest or pursuing a new idea.

Numerology

The Empress card is card number 3 in the standard Rider Waite Smith deck.

It’s a super creative and nurturing card and it’s all tied to the number 3. Three is all about creativity, communication, and bringing stuff to life. So, when you see the Empress card, it’s a nurturing energy that’s all about abundance and creativity. It’s like the universe saying, “Hey, let your creative juices flow, and embrace the awesome things that can come from it!” Just like the Empress encourages growth and nurturing, the number 3 is like a creative cheerleader, urging us to express ourselves and make things happen. It’s time to manifest those ideas into reality with the lively, dynamic and expressive energy of the number 3.

This numerology association enriches the Empress card’s themes of fertility, abundance, nurturing, and creative expression, as the number 3 resonates with the idea of bringing ideas and visions to fruition. This strongly aligns with the Empress’s role in nurturing and bringing forth new life, both in a literal and symbolic sense.

Planetary Astrological Correspondence

The Empress is associated with earthiness and therefore with Taurus. In astrology, Taurus is concerned with stability, abundance, and finances. Taurus is ruled by Venus, the planet of attraction, beauty, and also abundance. This means the ruling planet of the Empress is Venus.

Elemental Association

The Empress is associated with the element of Earth. As the true Mother Earth, her connection to nature is the grounding force and energy of this tarot card.

The Empress Daily Affirmations

I love to incorporate tarot cards and affirmations in my daily mediations and manifestation work. When it comes to daily affirmations, you may find one that sticks with you, or you may change it daily. Find what works for you.

There is a place and a purpose for everything.

I am loved, I am safe, I am cherished by the universe.

When everything is in balance, I am whole and strong.

I am stardust, my being has danced amongst the stars.

My heart is open and accepting of the loving energies around me.

I am open to receiving and giving love in all its forms.

I nurture myself and others with compassion and kindness.

Embracing nature’s cycles guides me through transformation and change.

My intuition is worthy of trust and guides me on my creative journey.

I am in tune with the cycles of nature, and let the cycles inspire my own change and growth.

I celebrate the beauty of life and find joy in simple pleasures.

Radiating love and kindness nurtures the world around me.

I am deserving of abundance, and I attract it effortlessly.

I am a source of comfort and support for those around me.

Abundance flows to me effortlessly and in unexpected ways.

I honor the beauty within and around me.

Nurturing myself allows me to nurture others.

Harmonizing with the rhythms of life fuels my growth.

I am filled with boundless vitality, embracing each day with energy and enthusiasm.

Expressing my unique creativity empowers my journey.

I connect to my heart, soul, senses and through that inner connection, I connect with the power around me.

Life’s abundance is a reflection of my inner abundance.

Every act of kindness nurtures the collective heart.

Tarot Books

Here are some of my favourite Tarot Books that I find myself pulling from the shelf regularly. These are fantastic for learning, as references during a reading, and even as entertainment. The Tales Behind Tarot in particular is a beautiful story taking us on the Fool‘s Journey through Tarot.

The post The Empress Tarot Card appeared first on Forging Magic.

Exploring the High Priestess Card

Disclaimer: This article may contain commission or affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

What is the High Priestess in Tarot?

The High Priestess is card number 2 in the Major Arcana. We have some tools from the Magician Card who is number 1, now it is time to figure out what the heck we are supposed to do with them. But far from being able to rush forward, the High Priestess sits in silence.

When I reflect on the High Priestess, I feel a strong need to stop rushing forward. To pause. To reflect. It is time to draw inwards and be really still so I can tune into my intuition.

Now is the time to go deep and face inwards. The High Priestess invites us to find the knowledge we seek, within ourselves. To tap into our Higher Self.

In Tarot de Marseille the High Priestess card is called La Papesse (The Popess).

Keywords

When doing a reading it can help to have a list of keywords. Here are keywords I prefer to use for the High Priestess upright:

• Intuition
• Subconscious mind
• Psychic forces
• Power of the moon
• Spirituality
• Wisdom
• Clairvoyance
• Perceptivity
• Premonition
• Awareness
• Sacred Knowledge
• Silence
• Potential
• Divine Feminine
• Introspection
• Meditation
• Clarity
• Self belief and trust

Keywords for the High Priestess reversed:

• Secrets
• Deceit
• Failure to act
• Ignoring your intuition
• Jealousy
• Duplicity
• Hypocrisy
• Withdrawal
• Fear of the unknown
• Manipulation
• Disconnect from self
• Frantic action with no purpose

The High Priestess Imagery and Artwork

Let’s explore the imagery and artwork of the High Priestess in the standard Rider Waite Smith tarot. Obviously there is a wide variety of artwork to depict the energies and message of the High Priestess, and we will get to some of those representations in a moment.

In the standard RWS tarot deck, the High Priestess sits in front of a thin veil decorated with pomegranates. The veil represents the separate conscious and subconscious realms, the seen and the unseen, and serves to keep those unworthy from the sacred temple of knowledge. Only the initiated may enter. The pomegranates on the veil are a symbol of abundance, fertility and the divine feminine. They are also sacred to Persephone.

On either side of The High Priestess stand two pillars. The one on her right is black and marked with a letter ‘B’ for Boaz symbolizing passivity and mystery. The one on her left is white and marked with a ‘J’ for Jakin symbolizing action and consciousness. The pillars symbolize duality (masculine and feminine, darkness and light). Stating that knowledge and acceptance of duality are required to enter this sacred space.

The High Priestess wears a blue robe with a cross on her chest and a horned diadem (or crown), both a symbol of her divine knowledge and her status as a divine ruler.

In her lap, she holds a scroll with the letters TORA, signifying the Greater Law (according to A. E. Waite). It is partly covered, signifying that this sacred knowledge, it will only be revealed when the student is ready to look beyond the material realm.

The crescent moon at her feet symbolizes her connection with the divine feminine, her intuition and subconscious mind, and the natural cycles of the moon.

Other High Priestess Imagery from Tarot

Let’s take a look at the High Priestess card from some of my other tarot decks. I always find this a fascinating exercise as I dive deep to learn more about a specific card. The themes and consistencies, and the differences can teach you a lot about a tarot card.

The High Priestess Meaning

What is the High Priestess card meaning? It’s a secret! Well no, not really, but this card is about those intangible things you can’t see. The secrets within. The High Priestess is a card of mystery, intuition, and inner knowledge. It encourages you to trust your instincts, explore the hidden aspects of life, and seek spiritual understanding and connection with your highest self.

The Magician has given us tools, and like excited children we want to race ahead on our journey to enlightenment. Because the faster we run, the quicker we get there… right?

The High Priestess is sitting there, still and silent, reminding us that we need to pause and reflect. We need to slow down, so we have time and space to listen and understand our own inner knowledge and intuition. We often forget, one of our greatest tools is ourselves. Our spirit. Our inner knowledge that is within all of us.

Often in life we are sprinting through our days, distracted by screens and outside intrusions. Our worlds are so noisy and chaotic. The High Priestess tells us that the most sacred wisdom is within us and only available if we slow down. Stillness and silence allows us to connect with our inner knowledge, which is vital as we walk our path. We guide not only our feet along our path, but also our minds and hearts.

The High Priestess Reversed

When the High Priestess appears in a reading reversed, there are things happening in the shadows. Secrets you may not be aware of that are affecting things around you (for good or bad). It may be a signal to be more attentive to subtle messages or to explore your subconscious for insights.

It can also indicate a complete disconnect from your inner knowledge, intuition and a failure to listen to that gut feeling. There could be a lack of clarity and confusion that needs to be addressed before you can move forward with confidence. Or it may simply be that you don’t trust yourself and it is time for some shadow work.

Reversed, the High Priestess can sometimes signify deception, hidden agendas, or illusions at play. Be cautious about trusting people or situations without thoroughly examining them. There may be hidden motives at play or emotions may be overwhelming clouding the issues.

Numerology

The High Priestess tarot card is associated with the number 2.

Two is considered a feminine, receptive, and intuitive number. It embodies the energy of balance and duality, often symbolizing the union of opposites and the harmony that can be found in embracing both aspects of a situation or experience. The number 2 is closely connected to cooperation, diplomacy, and finding common ground with others.

Planetary Astrological Correspondence

The ruling planet of the High Priestess card is the Moon. The Moon is a symbol of intuition, emotions, the subconscious mind, and the natural cycles of life. It also represents the depths of the psyche and our inner world.

These lunar energies bring our attention to the importance of intuition, dreams, and the mysteries that lie beneath the surface. Like the Moon, the High Priestess illuminates the path to hidden knowledge and the power of the unconscious mind.

Elemental Association

The High Priestess is strongly connected to the element of Water. And we all know water means emotions! Water is also associated with intuition and the subconscious mind.

Water is a fluid element, and it represents the ever-changing nature of life and emotions. The High Priestess’s association with Water signifies her ability to adapt, change and flow with the tides of life.

Water is also a receptive element, and the High Priestess card invites us to tap into the wisdom of the subconscious mind and access hidden truths.

The High Priestess Card in a Reading

The meaning of the High Priestess cards varies depending on the context of your question and the other cards in the spread. This is not a card with a clear positive or negative message. Upright it could mean that the querent needs to find stillness and tap into their own inner knowledge and connect with their intuition. But it could also mean that there is a passivity happening (possibly out of fear of the unknown), and in order to proceed, action needs to occur which requires bravery.

If you are asking about love, the High Priestess may suggest that you need to work on yourself and what you want from the relationship. It is calling on you to be patient with love.

If you are asking about career or an opportunity, the High Priestess may encourage you to follow your passion and creativity, and dare to step into the unknown. Great things come to those who are willing to be brave in the face of the unknown.

Her appearance in a reading can signify that it is time for you to listen to your intuition rather than prioritizing your intellect and conscious mind. The balance between the conscious and subconscious may be off and you need to work to regain a healthy balance. The High Priestess represents someone that is intuitive, and beginning to open to their spirituality. Meditation, prayer and new spiritual work is indicated. She may also be calling you to do shadow work.

Shadow Work

The High Priestess card is a perfect guide for shadow work and pulling this card can indicate it is time to do some shadow work before moving forward.

If you are new to Shadow Work, shadow work is the process of acknowledging, accepting, and integrating the parts of yourself that you have repressed, denied, or rejected. These parts are often seen as negative, shameful, or unacceptable by yourself or others. Those things you hide “behind the curtain.” But these facets of you are what make you unique and special, and they can be a source of power, creativity, and healing. Within these shadows you can find strength within yourself that you had previously never known you possess. And the High Priestess can guide you through the shadows.

Shadow work can help you heal your wounds, transform your fears, and embrace your whole being… warts and all. Working with the High Priestess card, she encourages you to look beyond the surface and dive into the depths of your psyche, mind and spirit. She helps you to access your intuition and your dreams, which are powerful tools for revealing your shadows and bringing them to light. She also teaches you to balance the light and the dark, the conscious and the unconscious, the masculine and the feminine within yourself. Through this balance we find strength, power and wisdom.

The High Priestess Yes/No Card Pull

When this card appears in a single card pull for a Yes/No question, the answer is not always completely clear, but it still provides some guidance and information.

The High Priestess represents higher power, intuition, and spiritual knowledge. It is a card of trusting your intuition and stepping away from the narrative to draw on possibility and instinct. The High Priestess is often a YES card for a ‘yes or no’ question. It is a sign that you’ve got what it takes to be successful, as long as you stay true to who you are and listen to your inner wisdom.

However, if the card is reversed, it means NO. This indicates that there is a disconnect between you and your intuition. The High Priestess reversed also suggests that there are hidden elements, secrets, or uncertainty in the situation. This lack of clarity means that no definitive answer can be given.

High Priestess Daily Affirmations

One of my favourite ways to work some tarot magic is to bring the energy of a specific tarot card into my daily practice through tarot inspired affirmations. Here are some affirmations you can use with the High Priestess.

What hidden parts of me do I need to acknowledge in order to move forward? Tales of Tarot

My feminine energy is fierce and gives me strength.

I trust my intuition and will not ignore it as I walk my path.

My shadows are my power source.

I believe in myself.

I trust my intuition.

My greatest strength is always me.

I know I have the answers within.

The divine is within me.

The greatest knowledge is only hidden from those who don’t have the patience to seek it and earn it.

Sometimes I need to quiet my mind and body, to hear the most important things.

Enjoy bringing the magic of the High Priestess and her lessons into your journey!

The post The High Priestess Tarot Card appeared first on Forging Magic.

What is Lughnasadh?

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When is Lughnasadh?

Lughnasadh is celebrated on August 1st or 2nd in the Northern Hemisphere and February 1 or 2 in the Southern Hemisphere. On the Wheel of the Year it falls between Litha (Summer Solstice) and Mabon (Fall Equinox).

During my research I found references to other names used for this sabbat, including: Lammas, Lughnasa, Lúnasa (the modern Irish Gaelic name for the month of August), Lùnastal and Luanistyn.

As the first of the three harvest festivals (the second is Mabon and the third is Samhain), it marks the beginning of the much anticipated harvest season. It is a time for giving thanks for the abundance of the earth and for honouring the Celtic sun and blacksmith god Lugh. So it isn’t a surprise this is a favourite sabbat for us. You will usually find us in the forge celebrating the way Lugh would want us to… by crafting and creating with fire and metal!

Pronunciation

One of the most popular questions people have, is ‘how do you pronounce Lughnasadh?‘ Although it looks complicated, it is actually a very simple word to say. It is pronounced: loo-nah-sah.

For Lammas it is pronounced: luh-mAAs

Lughnasadh vs Lammas

Another question that often comes up is around the confusion of the two most common terms used for this festival. So what is the difference between the two names: Laghnasadh and Lammas, and which one should be used?

Lughnasadh is the original Celtic name for this Sabbat. It is named after the god Lugh and is a major festival in the Wheel of the Year marking the beginning of the harvest season. The festival has been observed in Ireland, Scotland, Isle of Man, Wales, Cornwall and other Celtic regions for thousands of years.

Lammas, on the other hand, is the Anglo-Saxon and Christianized name for the Lughnasadh festival. The word “Lammas” comes from the Old English phrase “hlaf-mas,” which means “loaf mass” or “bread feast.” Lammas is the term used by early Christians who sought to take over this pagan festival (and the tradition of baking bread from the first harvest) for their own communities. Often you will see it referred to as Lammas Day.

You may find that many use the names interchangeably. However, in many modern Pagan and Wiccan communities, the name Lughnasadh is usually preferred to honor the festival’s Celtic roots and its association with the god Lugh.

Since this is a festival celebrating the mighty Lugh, let’s learn more about this talented deity.

Lugh, the Blacksmith God

Lughnasadh is named after the Celtic god Lugh.

Lugh is a popular deity in Celtic mythology, associated with the sun/light, craftsmanship, master of skills, and the harvest. He is often revered as a god of both fertility and harvest, embodying the cycle of life, death, and rebirth. This festival is about honouring this talented deity to bring abundance and prosperity to the land and its inhabitants.

Lugh, is also known as Lugh Lámhfhada or Lugh of the Long Arm. He is a solar deity and a god of illumination, intelligence, and inspiration. He is also a provider of abundance, sustenance and prosperity through the harvest.

As a master of all skills, Lugh is also associated with arts, crafts, and warfare. In particular, he is a master blacksmith who forged weapons, tools and intricate metalwork. When looking for divine inspiration for craftsmen, skills and creativity, turn to Lugh.

Lugh is also celebrated as a warrior god, known for his bravery and military prowess. In Celtic mythology, he is described as a highly skilled warrior who fights against the forces of chaos and oppression. Lugh is often invoked for protection, courage, and victory in battles. Whether your battle is big or small, ask Lugh for guidance on your path.

According to mythology, Lugh established a series of contests and games known as the “Táin Bó Lúgha” (The Cattle Raid of Lugh) to honor his foster-mother, Tailtiu. These games were held annually as part of the festival of Lughnasadh and included athletic competitions, music, storytelling, and other forms of entertainment. Very much like the Olympics!

Other Deities Honoured During Lughnasadh

Tailtiu

Tailtiu is an Irish goddess of the land and the harvest. She is often honored during Lughnasadh as the foster mother of Lugh (and for whom Lugh created the Táin Bó Lúgha games) and as a symbol of the fertile earth and its abundance.

Demeter

Demeter is a Greek goddess of agriculture, fertility, and the harvest. Some individuals and groups choose to honor her during Lughnasadh.

Ceres

Similarly to Demeter, Ceres is a Roman goddess of agriculture, grain crops, and fertility. She is often celebrated during harvest festivals and may be included in Lughnasadh celebrations.

Celebrating Lughnasadh Traditions and Rituals

Most of the traditions and rituals for this sabbat centre around either the harvest or Lugh. For simplicity, I have divided up these ideas into those two themes.

Feasts and Harvests

First Fruits Offering

One of the central aspects of Lughnasadh is giving thanks for the first fruits of the harvest. Gather fresh fruits and vegetables and present them as offerings to the gods or spirits, or use them in communal feasts. If you don’t have the ability to pick your own fruits locally, visit a local farmers market for a beautiful selection.

Additionally, if you have access to a garden or a natural space, perform a ritual to honor and bless the land. Offer prayers and blessings for a successful harvest and a fruitful season ahead.

Baking Bread

Bread holds significant symbolism during Lughnasadh, representing the first harvest. A popular tradition with this festival is baking bread with the first grain harvest. In some traditions, this first loaf of bread was blessed, then broken into four pieces and each piece was placed in a corner of the home. It was believed that this provides protection and brings good fortune.

Bake a loaf of bread using locally sourced ingredients if possible. There are plenty of recipes available, find one you like and give it a try. I prefer a really herby bread when celebrating Celtic festivals. As you knead the dough and shape the loaf, infuse it with your intentions and gratitude for the harvest. Ensure you share your magical bread with those special to you.

Harvest Rituals

Harvest rituals are done to honor the land, the deities, and the spirits that have contributed to the successful harvest. These rituals often involve prayers, offerings, and expressions of gratitude.

Prepare a special altar or space outdoors where you can offer the first fruits and grains of the season. Be sure to include crystals, herbs and other items as appropriate (I’ve shared a list for inspiration for you to check out below). Spend time connecting with the land and sharing energy.

Water Ritual

As the sun’s strength wanes and the days gradually become shorter, perform a ritual to honour the importance of water in sustaining life and growth. Offer thanks and blessings to lakes, rivers or oceans near you, acknowledging their role in supporting the harvest and all life.

This is a particularly powerful time to harness the energy of the full moon closest to Lugnasadh, and make Moon Water. Once made, use it to nourish your plants, rituals and self as summer wanes and crops mature.

Gatherings and Festivals

Like every sabbat, this was a time for gathering together to celebrate as a community.

Organize or attend a community gathering or festival with like-minded individuals to celebrate Lughnasadh together. Always ensure that you push yourself out of your comfort zone so you can grow. Participate in workshops, rituals, and other festivities to strengthen the sense of community and connection. Use these as opportunities for personal growth and to develop new skills that Lugh would be proud of!

Gratitude Ritual

Write in a gratitude journal where you take time to reflect on the abundance in your life. Express thanks for the gifts you’ve received throughout the year. Above all, ensure you are acknowledging the growth and accomplishments you’ve achieved.

Honouring Lugh

Bonfires

Lighting bonfires is a traditional way to celebrate most sabbats.

Using intention, light a bonfire as a symbol of the sun’s strength and energy. Write down any negative thoughts or unwanted habits you want to cleanse from your life on pieces of paper. Take a moment to meditate on what you want to remove from your life and how removing that will open space for new blessings. With this in mind, toss them into the fire, releasing and purifying yourself from those aspects you wish to leave behind.

Competitions and Games

Lugh was known for his many skills and talents. As a tribute to his incredible feats, various competitions and games are organized. These could include athletic events, storytelling contests, or music performances.

To demonstrate your own skills, why not organize friendly competitions or games with friends and family? These can include athletic activities, storytelling contests, or musical performances to honor the spirit of Lugh. Why not try either participating in or spectating some traditional sports such as long or high jump, running, spear throwing (axe throwing would be a modern twist), archery, wrestling, boxing, swimming or even taking in some horse racing.

Crafts and Handmade Items

Lughnasadh is a time to celebrate creativity and craftsmanship. This is the perfect time to engage in crafting activities, making handmade items, and creating artwork.

Create symbols or representations of the sun, grain, or the Celtic god Lugh to honor the festival’s themes. I highly recommend looking into attending a workshop to learn traditional crafts from artisans, or attend markets and support your local creators.

Another popular activity for Lughnasadh is making wreaths using wheat, corn, or other grains. These wreaths symbolize the circle of life and the cyclical nature of the seasons. They also make wonderful decor for the home or altar going into the fall.

Nature Walks and Pilgrimages

Spend time in nature during Lughnasadh, going on walks, hikes, road trips, or pilgrimages to appreciate the beauty of the earth and connect with the agricultural cycle. Where I live the fields are alive with tall crops in beautiful colours. It is truly magnificent to see and experience.

Take a nature walk to appreciate the beauty of the season and connect with the earth’s bounty. Pack a picnic with fresh produce and bread. During your walk, enjoy all the beauty your natural surroundings share with you. Whenever you are ready, take a moment to acknowledge the connection between nature and nourishment.

Anvil Dust (Blacksmith Dirt)

In honour of Lugh’s passion for blacksmithing, incorporate some Anvil Dust into your altar or rituals. I’ve shared one of my favourite candle magic rituals using anvil dust in this resource.

Lughnasadh Blessings

I love a powerful blessing that I can use during a sabbat as my guiding words in ceremony. These also work as wonderful inspiration for affirmations to use during the coming season.

Harvest Blessing

May the first fruits of the season bless your table with abundance and nourishment. May your harvest be bountiful and your heart be filled with gratitude.

Bread Blessing

As you break this bread, may you be reminded of the cycles of nature and the interconnectedness of all living things. May it sustain you with the energy of the sun and the earth’s loving embrace.

Sun Blessing

May the warmth of the sun’s rays fill your days with light, joy, and renewed hope. May you find strength in its golden glow, just as the earth finds strength in its embrace.

Gratitude Blessing

With hearts full of thanks, we honor the land that sustains us and the spirits that guide us. May gratitude be our constant companion as we journey through the seasons.

Community Blessing

Like the sheaves of wheat gathered together, may we find strength in unity and support in our community. May we celebrate each other’s successes and share in life’s blessings.

Abundance Blessing

May your life be a tapestry of abundance, woven with threads of love, laughter, and prosperity. May the seeds you’ve sown bear the sweetest fruit.

Creativity Blessing

As the god Lugh was known for his many talents, may your creative endeavors flourish and bloom like wildflowers in the summer fields.

Protection Blessing

On this Lughnasadh, may you be surrounded by protection and love. May you walk your path with courage and wisdom, knowing you are supported and guided.

Ancestral Blessing

In the footsteps of our ancestors, we stand strong. May we honor their memory and draw on their wisdom as we navigate life’s journey.

Lughnasadh Symbolism

Scythe

A scythe or sickle is a popular symbol for this sabbat and associated ceremony or altars. Traditionally, this tool was used to harvest crops.

Harvest Grains and Fruits

This festival is about the first harvest. When setting your altar consider including items from the first harvest such as apples, wheat and other grains for bread making, corn or grapes. Always look to your local ecosystems and cycles for what is ripening at this time of year where you live. Connecting with Mother Earth where you have your home is so important.

Herbs

Some herbs associated with Lugnasadh and that you can incorporate into your festive bread recipe include: parsley, sage, basil, rosemary, thyme and oregano.

Colours

The colours associated with celebrations of the first harvest include:

• Gold (creativity, abundance, luck)
• Orange (success, luck, opportunities)
• Red (passion, sexual energy, fire),
• Yellow (the sun, happiness, hope)
• Light Brown (stability, reliability, wisdom)
• Bronze (strength, loyalty, motivation)

Crystals

I love incorporating special crystals into all of my festive altars or when doing special crystal gridding for the sabbat. For Lughnasadh I love to include a Carnelian flame, Citrine, and Sunstone to represent the sun and solar energies associated with Lugh as a Solar Deity. Tiger’s Eye and Garnet are excellent for connecting with the fierce and protective warrior energy of Lugh.

A Special Blessing for Lughnasadh

The following is a special blessing for a Lughnasadh ritual.

The post Celebrating Lughnasadh (Lammas) appeared first on Forging Magic.

What’s the Difference between Oracle and Tarot?

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Perhaps, like my sister, you have visited a magick shop or browsed online, looking for a deck of cards to guide you. The world of magical cards intrigues you, and you want to open yourself to learn the lessons from the cards. To dive deeper into your own mind and spirit, to find ways to better yourself. To be a stronger, healthier you.

Both Oracle Cards and Tarot Cards can help you on this journey!

They can provide insight, clarity, guidance, wisdom, perspective, knowledge and personal growth. But they do it in ways. Once you understand the differences between Oracle Cards vs Tarot Cards, you can find the perfect card deck for you.

What are Tarot Cards?

First let’s explore Tarot Cards. Tarot has been around for hundreds of years. There is some debate on where exactly they started, but most place their origins in the 15th century, Italy where it started as a parlour game before being used for divination.

Tarot decks have a very strict structure of 78 cards that depicts beautiful imagery. The symbolism within the art may draw from Western esoteric traditions, astrology, numerology, Kabbalah, mythology, pop culture, or any other influences that fit the theme set by the tarot deck creator. Basically if there is something you love, there is probably a tarot deck with that theme!

Tarot is divided into the Major Arcana (22 cards) and the Minor Arcana (56 cards).

Major Arcana

The archetypal themes depicted in the Major Arcana cards reflect universal human experiences and spiritual lessons. I personally find it fascinating, that no matter how much our world changes, these lessons still apply. Each card in the Major Arcana has powerful imagery, is named, and numbered (0-21, with The Fool being the 0 card).

Minor Arcana

The Minor Arcana is divided into four suits, similar to traditional playing cards. These suits are commonly called:

• Wands (associated with fire and creativity),
• Cups (associated with emotions and relationships),
• Swords (associated with intellect and challenges),
• Pentacles (associated with material aspects of life).

The specific names for suits can vary across decks (such as Coins instead of Pentacles), but typically they use these four names.

Each suit has ten numbered cards (Ace to Ten) and four court cards (Page, Knight, Queen, and King). In some tarot decks the Minor Arcana contains very simple repetitive art, but many decks, especially more modern decks, have wonderful art continuing through the Minor Arcana.

On a personal note, I much prefer decks that have gorgeous artwork throughout the entire Major and Minor.

Using Tarot

Doing tarot readings requires knowledge of the card meanings (which involves a lot of study and learning), plus personal intuition and interpretation. Even after many years of study, and a very full shelf of Tarot books, I constantly feel that there is more to learn.

Readings are done by creating a tarot spread. A tarot spread is a specific placement of cards after shuffling. It can be a simple spread, such as a three card spread, or much more complex such as the Celtic Cross or Wheel of the Year spread.

The spreads are then interpreted by the reader to gain knowledge or insight into a central question that guides the reading. The question could be themed around personal growth, guidance in life, insights into a spiritual journey, or as a divination tool.

With Tarot cards, the meaning of the cards can change based on the orientation of the card, the question, and most importantly, the spread. If two cards are positioned a certain way in a spread, it can completely change their meaning. Tarot involves study and learning meanings and structure. For some, this ancient practice is fascinating and a rabbit hole they happily fall down, often for many years. For others, the long journey of learning tarot is daunting.

Learning tarot takes time, and requires study and practice.

What are Oracle Cards?

Oracle decks are a simplified, modern twist on tarot cards.

It has many similarities to tarot but with a more simple structure and purpose. While tarot decks have a specific set of cards and a structured system with the Major and Minor Arcana, oracle decks are more flexible and can vary widely in terms of card numbers, themes, and styles.

Oracle decks often have a unique vision and symbolism that focuses on a specific theme such as angels, animals, goddesses, astrology, crystals, affirmations, nature, etc. The cards usually feature artwork, and keywords/short phrases on each card that convey the intended meaning. This makes them wonderful decks for beginners.

Where Tarot Decks follow a fairly strict set of rules around structure, number of cards, and meanings, Oracle decks are each unique and different. They follow no set rules. They can have 20 cards, or 100 cards. Best of all, there is full flexibility in reading the cards. You can follow your own intuition and interpret the cards however you like.

This can be both a positive and a negative. For someone like my sister, who does not want to spend a lot of time learning Tarot, an Oracle Deck provides her with the perfect medium for her goals. She has found a couple of decks that resonate with her. Now she can do daily pulls for inspiration, meditation, spiritual guidance, and daily guidance for personal growth.

Oracle Cards vs Tarot Cards Which are Right for Me?

The big question of the day is Oracle cards vs Tarot cards, which one should you use? Well, it all depends what you are seeking from the cards.

In Tarot cards, you have hundreds of years of history, numerology, and astrological symbolism that is infused into the tarot card meanings. The layers of meaning you can gain from the cards continues to deepen the more you work with them. This allows for a more in-depth understanding and knowledge of situations, timing, and people. This is something that isn’t available to the same degree with Oracle card decks.

With an Oracle card, the meaning is very clear, and usually written on the card. So you don’t even need to reference a guidebook. You can pull multiple oracle cards if you wish, but even in a spread, the meanings are usually quite clear and can be read intuitively. Oracle decks are perfect for beginners.

For single card daily pulls, Oracle Cards are wonderful. I personally love to use Raise Your Vibration Oracle for a daily affirmation, or Stellar Visions Oracle Cards for astrological guidance.

Check out this flip video of Stellar Visions Oracle to see this beautiful deck.

But when it comes to digging deep, doing shadow work, tarot spellwork, and approaching more complex questions about past, present and future, I always turn to Tarot. The knowledge and lessons that come from Tarot are always much more profound and deeper.

You can learn more about some of my favourite Tarot Decks: True Black Tarot, Smoke, Ash & Embers, and Oak, Ash & Thorn. Plus see flip videos of these beautiful decks.

Find the Right Cards for You

Both Tarot and Oracle cards provide an incredibly diverse opportunity to work with the cards. There are stunningly gorgeous decks of both types out there, that appeal to so many different areas of interest. So at the end of the day, whether you chose oracle or tarot (or both!), find the deck that speaks to you, then open your heart and mind to the beautiful world of magical cards.

The post Oracle Cards vs Tarot Cards appeared first on Forging Magic.

Smoke, Ash & Embers Tarot
Magical Dragon Tarot Deck

Disclaimer: This article may contain commission or affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

As most tarot lovers do, I belong to a number of tarot groups online. I love hearing about tarot decks, chatting about interpretations and meanings, and generally being around other lovers of tarot. It was in one of these groups that I started hearing a lot of love for Oak, Ash & Thorn Tarot. I was intrigued by the artwork, it was beautiful with an ethereal, fairy tale vibe, but then I noticed a teaser card for the next deck. The card was called Possibilities, and featured… a DRAGON!

I waited until the preorder, then happily ordered both Oak, Ash & Thorn (OAT) and Smoke, Ash & Embers (SAE). I couldn’t wait for them to arrive! Since it was a preorder though, I had to summon up my patience… and wait. But the wait was worth it!

I did a full review of Oak, Ash & Thorn that you can check out, so today I am going to focus on Smoke, Ash & Embers.

Smoke, Ash and Embers Tarot Deck Flip Video

To give you a glimpse of the gorgeous artwork in this dragon deck, check out this quick flip video I did of my deck.

The Creators

As I mentioned, Stephanie Burrows of Three Trees Tarot is the creator of this deck and OAT. She has an incredible imagination and skill as a tarot storyteller, and I am thrilled that she has shared her vision for tarot. Adam Oehlers is the vastly talented artist behind the gorgeous images. And each card is truly a stunning piece of art. There is something magical about what Stephanie and Adam create as a team. Perhaps selfishly, because their creations resonate so deeply with me, but I hope they continue to work together on future projects. Their creativity together is simply magical!

Why Dragons?

Smoke, Ash & Embers Tarot is a continuation of the story started in the Oak, Ash & Thorn tarot deck. You might be wondering: Why Dragons? The first deck is about adorable woodland creatures frolicking in the forest. How do dragons play into this story?

It’s all about the magic and going a little deeper beyond what we see when we first walk through the forest on our journey.

OAT shared with us a world that was filled with foxes, hares, squirrels and ravens. SAE invites us to wander a little deeper into the forest. To be still and let our senses heighten. As we take a closer look we might notice a dragon perched in the thick branches of a tree or curled up in a bed of moss, tucked up and out of sight. Still there, just out of reach for most. I know I have spent many hours out in the forest, waiting for dragons. I find this imagery to be perfection.

In Smoke, Ash & Embers the dragons have come out of hiding and we are invited into their magical world, to learn from their teachings, and be guided towards knowledge as only a dragon can do.

If you want to learn more about the inspiration for this deck, Stephanie Burrows provides more details in the digital guidebook.

The Deck

Once again this deck uses the popular Rider, Waite, Smith (RWS) format, making it very intuitive and easy to ready right away if you are familiar with RWS.

It has 78 cards, 22 Major Arcana and 56 Minor Arcana. It also has an extra 10 of Swords card. This extra card is an alternative artwork so you can pick which card you wish to use in the deck. One card depicts a dragon laying dead on the ground with swords in it, which some may not wish to use, so a more neutral artwork is on the alternative card with a dragon curled up surrounded by swords. Both are profound and impactful, but I like that you can pick which one resonates best with you.

The tarot cards have the same specs as OAT at 70mm x 120mm (2.75″ x 4.75″), with white borders and rounded corners. The cards are a nice thickness and have a wonderful feel in the hand and shuffle beautifully.

Continuing with their green magic mission, the deck has the same eco-friendly features as its predecessor. It is printed sustainably on 400 GSM, FSC accredited, carbon balanced paper with veggie inks. The cards are also protected by matte, anti-scuff laminate which gives the cards a wonderful feel in the hand. The deck comes in an embossed light green cardboard tuck box, which is perfect for storing the cards. You also get a certificate of authenticity, and when your deck arrives it will be packaged with two blank cards to protect the deck as it travels.

Guidebook

As part of keeping the deck as good for the planet as possible, the deck comes with 2 double-sided reference cards with keywords for each card instead of a physical guidebook. These are great when you need a quick reminder of the meaning of a card.

If you need more in-depth information on a card, there is a digital guidebook provided that provides descriptions and meanings for each card, both major arcana and minor arcana.

At first I wasn’t sure how I felt about not having a guidebook, but I have found I rarely use guidebooks that come with my tarot decks (the one exception is True Black Tarot). So I actually am quite happy the creators went this route.

The Artwork

OK, let’s chat about the beautiful artwork in this stunning tarot deck!

The back of the cards feature a dragon and foliage. It is not reversable, but I find the art on the back of the cards stunning and does not affect my ability to have reversals in my readings, due to the way I do card draws.

If there is one thing that immediately struck me about the deck, it was the artwork. I love the mystical, vintage, dark fairy tale feel to the art. It is like stepping into a world that has this incredible energy.

The dragons in this deck are portrayed in so many different ways, from cute to majestic. They all have their own very distinct vibe and lessons and messages. There are also lots of details in each card, allowing you to really tap into your intuition during readings.

The Major Arcana

The Major Arcana feature dark and mystical skies across most of the 22 cards. In fact, the artwork of Smoke, Ash & Embers is a much darker than used in OAT. It is kind of like OAT represents the Hobbits in Hobbiton, all bright, fun and nostalgic. Then Smoke, Ash & Embers feels more like their journey after leaving Hobbiton. More moody and dark with an ethereal feel.

The dragons in the Major Arcana are strong forces. Each card is illustrated to reflect the standard RWS meaning, but with the creators own special twist. If you are comfortable with other RWS decks, you will find this one very intuitive and easy to read.

I love the variety of dragon types in the deck. From the tiniest precious dragons, to majestic powerhouses, each dragon is unique and delivers its messages in its own special way.

The Minor Arcana

The four suits in the minor arcana are referred to as Cups, Pentacles, Swords and Wands. Which is standard for most RSW decks.

Each minor arcana has a theme and special style of dragon featured throughout the suit. The style of dragons tie in beautifully to the meanings of the suit and cards.

The Cups feature water-based, playful dragons with a heart-centered spirit. They have webbed feet, gills, and a frog-like appearance. This suit features lots of warmer colours.

The Pentacles dragons are earthy and grounded with a bountiful spirit. Many of the dragons in this suit have leafy scales and are the dragons you will find in the forest. The Pentacles uses a similar colour palette to the Cups cards, but with a bit of purples thrown in.

The Swords tarot cards feature dragons that are serious and often in flight with an intelligent spirit. Similar to the Major Arcana this suit features lots of dark colours and the dragons are black and winged.

The Wands dragons are fiery and curious with an adventurous spirit. The art features lots of smoke, fire, and fog with lots of reds as the main colour palette.

What I found interesting, was that with Oak, Ash and Thorn, I felt a strong connection to the Swords suit in the Minor Arcana that features Ravens. However, with Smoke, Ash and Embers Tarot, the suit that I connect with strongly is Pentacles. There is something particularly powerful about the Pentacles suit in this deck. So I often turn to it when I want to do readings relating to business, money matters, creativity and crafting, plus matters relating to my home.

Smoke, Ash & Embers Tarot Deck

I’ve loved dragons all my life. They have been a constant for me and show up everywhere. I grew up reading books filled with fantastic dragons. Even when we started the blacksmith shop, one of the first things I asked my hubs to create was a line of dragon products. If there is one thing I will always surround myself with, it is dragons!

Smoke, Ash & Embers does not disappoint for dragon lovers coveting a dragon tarot deck. It has all the magic, the artistry, the storytelling, the strength and the beauty that I associate with dragons. It has become one of my go to decks and I always have it close at hand. There is something very special about these cards and I have a strong connection to this tarot deck. It is like they took the best parts of Oak, Ash & Thorn Tarot and sprinkled in the magic of dragons to create tarot perfection.

If you are looking for a dragon tarot deck, I highly recommend Smoke, Ash & Embers. You can get your copy directly from the creators, Three Trees Tarot. (Be wary of knock offs from other places. I highly recommend ordering direct from the creator.)

Want more Tarot Dragons?

Check out Tarot of Dragons or Celtic Dragon Tarot. Celtic Dragon Tarot was one of my first tarot decks and a wonderful introduction to tarot cards.

The post Dragon Tarot – Smoke, Ash and Embers Tarot appeared first on Forging Magic.

Disclaimer: This article may contain commission or affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

What is Litha?

Litha, also known as Midsummer or the Summer Solstice, is a holiday marking the longest day (and shortest night) of the year. As an ancient celebration of the sun it has been a time of celebration for many cultures and societies around the world. The history of this sabbat is long and fascinating, and it continues to be a popular celebration.

For word geeks like me, the word solstice itself comes from the Latin, from sol (sun) and stare or sistere (to stand or stop).

Personally, I feel Litha is such a huge turning point in my year, as it marks a time when nature is at its most welcoming (sorry, but this girl does not like outdoor rituals in Canadian winters!) and I can spend my time outside healing and celebrating.

When is Litha?

Litha is celebrated on the Summer Solstice between June 20th and 22nd in the Northern Hemisphere and between December 19 and 23rd in the Southern Hemisphere.

In 2023 it falls on June 21, 2023 in the Northern Hemisphere, and for the Southern Hemisphere will occur on Dec. 22, 2023.

The Summer Solstice is a minor sabbat for Pagans that falls between Beltane in May and Lughnasadh/Lammas in August on the Wheel of the Year.

Midsummer Celebration Themes

Let’s explore some of the main themes of Summer Solstice celebrations. This is a great way to explore how you want to celebrate.

Celebration of the Sun

Litha marks the longest day and shortest night of the year in the Northern Hemisphere, and it symbolizes the peak of the sun’s power and abundance. This is a time to honor and celebrate the sun’s energy and life-giving qualities.

Connection to Nature

I mentioned earlier that this sabbat is one I love to celebrate by getting out into nature to foster a deep connection with the natural world. Litha represents the height of the summer season, when nature is in full bloom, and the earth is teeming with life. It is a time to connect with the cycles of nature, to appreciate the beauty and abundance of the natural world, and to recognize our own place within it.

Harvest and Abundance

After a busy spring of planting, the solstice is time for the first harvest, as crops begin to ripen in the fields. It is a time of abundance, when the fruits of the earth are juicy and fresh. The perfect time for gathering and sharing fresh produce, creating flower crowns, and decorating homes and altars with vibrant summer flowers and fragrant herbs.

The Waxing and Waning of Light and Dark

Litha is always on the day when the sun reaches its peak, before gradually waning. Summer Solstice is the longest day of the year, and in some parts of the world, the sun does not set at all. Where I live, we get about 4 hours of dark on the solstice. However, after Litha the days start to shorten and the nights begin to lengthen. Many celebrations focus on acknowledging that darkness and light are necessary and interconnected, creating a balance that flexes and changes, just as we must flex and change over time if we are to grow.

Rituals and Magic

Litha is a time for rituals and magical workings focused on growth, abundance, and protection. It is believed that the veil between the physical and spiritual realms is thin during this time, making it an opportune moment for spellwork, divination, and connecting with spiritual energies.

The History of Summer Solstice

The Summer Solstice, has a rich, long and fascinating history. There is evidence of it being celebrated for thousands of years by various cultures.

In ancient times, people recognized the solstice as a turning point in the seasonal cycle and a significant event in the agricultural calendar. Many cultures held festivities to honor the sun, fertility, and the abundance of the earth.

In Europe, the Summer Solstice was widely celebrated by Celtic, Germanic, and Scandinavian peoples. The Celts observed the festival of Midsummer, also known as Alban Hefin or Light of the Shore, honoring the sun and the power of nature and the Celctic goddess Danu (Anu) who represents earth and fruitfulness. This was one of four Solar Festivals that marked the seasons. Bonfires (aka Balefires) were lit to celebrate the sun’s energy and to provide protection against malevolent spirits. People would also gather herbs and flowers believed to possess magical properties on this day.

For more on Celtic mysticism, folklore and traditions I highly recommend Celtic Mysticism – Your Personal Guide to Celtic and Druid Tradition by Tracie Long. So good!

The Oak King and Summer Solstice

For Witches, Wiccans and Pagans, the Wheel of the Year is representative of a battle between light and dark. During each Solstice Pagan folklore tells us that the Oak King and the Holly King battle for power and the balance between light and dark shifts. The Oak King rules from the Yule (Winter Solstice) to Litha (Summer Solstice). During his rule, the days get longer until the battle at Litha. During this battle the Holly King wins and the balance starts to shift back into darkness. With that, the days get steadily darker until Yule. When they battle again, and we shift back towards light. And so the wheel turns in a beautiful cycle.

By honoring the Oak King during Litha, practitioners celebrate the abundance, vitality, and strength of the sun and light.

Ancient Monuments

One of the most famous ancient sites associated with the Summer Solstice is Stonehenge. I’ve been blessed to visit Stonehenge and walk among the stones twice in my lifetime. It is truly a magical, energy filled placed and I highly recommend going into the inner circle which is open to only a small handful of people at sun rise and sun set daily. However on the Solstice they open Stonehenge for worship and gathering.

During the solstice, the rising sun aligns with the Heel Stone and shines directly into the center of the stone circle. This alignment suggests that Stonehenge was built with the solstices in mind and that it served as a celestial observatory and sacred site for ancient people to mark the changing seasons. However, there is still some debate, as there is so much still unknown about the history of this monument.

Other ancient monuments linked to the Summer Solstice include:

• The Temple of Karnak, Luxor (formerly known as the Temple of Amun in Thebes),
• Pyramid of Chichen Itza, Mexico,
• Temple of the Sun at Machu Picchu, Peru,
• Mnajdra Temple, Malta

The connection between Litha and the alignment of sacred sites like Stonehenge and others highlights the deep reverence ancient cultures held for the sun’s movements and the cyclical nature of the seasons. It also underscores the significance of astronomical observations in their spiritual and cultural practices.

How to Celebrate Litha

There are so many ways you can celebrate Summer Solstice. This is a holiday of joy, sun and celebration. Bring that joy into whatever you plan for yourself, or with friends and family.

Bonfire Gathering

Organize a bonfire gathering with friends and family. Build a bonfire and gather around it to honor the sun’s energy. You can share stories, sing songs, dance, and enjoy the warmth and light of the fire. As part of your bonfire celebration you can do symbolic burnings. My children love to take all of their old schoolwork (the school year ends right around Summer Solstice conveniently), and burn it in a bonfire. Another idea is to do the ancient rite of Jumping the Bonfire.

Outdoor Meditation

Find a serene outdoor location, such as a park, forest, or garden. You can sit, stand, do a soothing yoga sequence such as sun salutation, or whatever works for you. The goal is to find peace and meditate, to connect with nature, feel the warmth of the sun, and connect with Mother Earth. Through your meditation offer gratitude for the abundance of the earth and set intentions for the coming season.

Sunrise or Sunset Observation

Wake up early to witness the sunrise or stay up late to observe the sunset on the day of the solstice. Find a scenic spot with a clear view of the horizon and take in the breathtaking colors and the shifting light. Reflect on the power and beauty of the sun.

Make Flower Crowns

Gather flowers, leaves, and other natural materials to create beautiful flower crowns. Adorn yourself or your sacred space with these floral wreaths as a way to honor the vibrancy and fertility of the season.

Harvest Feast

Prepare a feast using fresh, seasonal ingredients and share it with loved ones. Herbs harvested on the solstice are believed to have magical properties and will make a powerful addition to your Litha feast. You can also include traditional Litha foods, like honey, mead, and bread made with summer herbs. I love a herby bread cooked from scratch, it is one of my favourite things to make!

Nature Walk or Picnic

Take a leisurely walk, or if you like the challenge do a hike, in nature. Pack a picnic and feast as you take in the sights, sounds, and scents of the natural world. Connect with the flora and fauna around you and appreciate the beauty of the summer season.

Litha Rituals

Whether you are a solitary practitioner or work with a coven, performing rituals and magical rites on the solstice can be a very powerful experience. Here are a few simple rituals for the sabbat.

Build a Litha Altar

As with all the sabbats, I love to build an altar that brings together the energies of the season and provides a focus for all of my celebrations and rituals. Include flowers, crystals, the Sun Tarot Card, herbs, candles and anything else that fills your heart with love for the season.

Water Blessing Ceremony

With the droughts and wildfires that have plagued my corner of the world, this ritual is such an important one as part of my practice. I am forever thankful for the rains and never take them for granted. Visit a natural body of water, such as a lake, river, or ocean, to perform a water blessing ceremony. Dip your hands or feet in the water and offer gratitude for its life-giving properties. Speak words of appreciation for the water’s cleansing and purifying abilities. You can also release small, biodegradable offerings into the water, symbolizing the release of what no longer serves you. If you feel comfortable, gather some water to use during the next full moon to make Moon Water.

Candle Magic Ritual

I love incorporating candle magic into all my magical work. Light candles in honor of the sun’s energy and to symbolize the light within you. Set your intentions for growth, abundance, and personal transformation. Meditate or engage in other spiritual practices in the presence of the candles. As the midpoint of the year, this is a wonderful opportunity to plan for and make your intentions and goals, for the rest of the year. Add in manifestation journaling to help solidify your intentions.

Solar Dance

Find an open space outdoors, preferably during the golden hours of sunrise or sunset, and create a dance or movement sequence that celebrates the energy of the sun. Move and sway your body in sync with the sun’s movements, allowing its radiant energy to flow through you. Consider inviting others to join in the dance to create a collective experience for your coven.

Mandala Creation or Crystal Gridding

Collect various stones or crystals that resonate with the energy of the summer season, such as citrine, carnelian, or sunstone. Working on a large piece, you can arrange them in a circular mandala pattern on the ground, representing the cyclical nature of the seasons. As you place each stone, visualize the qualities and blessings you wish to cultivate during the summer. Sit within the mandala and meditate, allowing the energy of the stones to amplify your intentions. Can’t find a large area to work outside? You can do a similar ritual with crystal gridding.

Fire Release Ritual

Write down any fears, worries, or negative patterns you wish to release on small pieces of paper. Build a fire or use a candle flame as a representation of the sun’s fire. One by one, burn the papers, offering them to the fire while stating your intention to let go of those burdens. As the papers turn to ash, visualize the release and transformation of those negative energies. I mentioned earlier, this is a powerful part of our summer solstice celebration each year as the kids participate and burn all of their school work from the year. They LOVE this ceremony and it is incredibly empowering for them!

Litha Symbolism

The Sun

As the beginning of summer it is not surprising that the most popular symbol of Litha is the sun. Weave representations of the sun throughout your ceremonies and rituals to celebrate this great life giver for our planet.

Flowers

Flowers are everywhere at this time of year and a powerful symbol of this season, representing life and vibrancy. The type of flowers will vary by region but could include: sunflowers, roses and daisies.

Herbs

There are many herbs associated with Litha, it is such a bountiful time of year with herbs growing easily and readily available. Some more common associations include: mugwort, vervain, chamomile, lily, oak, lavender, fern, thyme, daisy, and honeysuckle.

Colours

The colours of Litha represent the sun and gorgeous blue skies of summer.

• Gold (creativity, abundance, luck)
• Blue (peace, clarity, water)
• Red (passion, sexual energy, fire),
• Yellow (the sun, happiness, hope)

Crystals

I love incorporating special crystals into all of my festive altars or when doing special crystal gridding for the sabbat. For Litha I love to include a Carnelian flame, Citrine, and Sunstone to represent the sun and solar energies. Also, Green crystals such as Peridot and Emerald connect to the bountiful gifts from the Earth at this time of year. Finally, bring in some blue crystals such as Lapis Lazuli or Blue Celestite to represent the beautiful blue skies.

Bonfires

Bonfires or balefires as the Celts called them have a long association with Litha. If you are unable to have a bonfire, consider using candles to represent the powerful energy of fire.

Happy Summer Solstice! And many blessings for a wonderful Litha!

The post Celebrating Litha (Summer Solstice) appeared first on Forging Magic.

Self Care for a Magical Life that is Free

Mind, Body, Spirit Magical Connections

Your ability to do magic and connect with the greater energies of our universe requires that you care for yourself first. You are your own vessel and within you is a pathway and ancient connection to all that has ever been and all that will be.

In order to truly practice magic and rituals on our mystical paths, first we need to care for ourselves. If we are rushed, stressed, carrying immense mental loads, or simply struggling, it becomes very difficult to manifest our desires. The ability to be still enough, to calm our own energies so we can feel those around us, requires us to be strong and resilient within ourselves. With a little self care we can truly be open to embracing a magical life.

Grant Yourself Permission

Giving ourselves permission to look after our bodies, minds, and souls is just as (if not even more) important than ticking off yet another item in our never-ending to-do list. Not only will self-care help you feel healthier and happier, but it will also change the way you work by making you feel more productive and ready to take on the day instead of feeling burned out and stretched thin.

Self-care has a positive impact on our physical, mental, spiritual and magical selves.

That said, often self-care is advertised as a luxury. Not everyone is able to purchase the latest fancy skincare kit, find the time to attend regular yoga classes, pay for expensive massages, or go on a spa weekend getaway.

That’s okay, though! For me, self-care is more about the little actions and habits that make our day a little bit brighter, many of which won’t cost you a dime! In this post, I share a few (simple but extremely effective) ideas to practice self-care when you’re on a budget. Some of these are perfect to do just before you do an rituals or manifestation work.

Most of all, I want you to give yourself permission to care for your greatest divine gift, yourself. Embrace that inner goddess!

How To Practice Self-Care When You’re On A Budget

Journal

Journaling is one of the most powerful acts of self-care. Not only is buying a journal an inexpensive, one-time expense that can last you several months (some of my favourite came from the dollar store!) but creating a habit to sit down every evening before going to bed will be a huge life-changer.

You can also make your own journal using a binder and our free journal pages.

Writing helps us make better sense of the emotions we experience throughout the day.

Research has shown that journaling our feelings and thoughts helps us release them, which in turn helps with anxiety, depression and stress. It has also been shown to help boost your immune system.

Make it a habit to set 5 to 10 minutes aside every night to sit down and write your thoughts down – the good and the bad. Don’t worry if you miss a day, even doing it just a couple of times a week can have a big impact.

Exercise

Exercise is not only good for your physical body, but it can also have an amazing effect on your mental health, so we’re hitting two birds with one stone here.

Whether it’s an hour-long workout session at the gym or a quick 20-minute at-home yoga break doing a Moon Salutation, moving and getting your heart rate up is key! Not only will it make you a healthier, stronger person, but it will also boost your mood and energy levels.

I totally get that going for a run or hitting the gym might not be everyone’s idea of fun, but there are so many other options available that will make exercise something to look forward to. Try going for a walk or hike in nature. Not only will you get some exercise, but you will enjoy fresh air and reconnecting with nature. Some of the greatest magic I have experienced has been out in nature, all without any ritual tools or expensive items. Just myself and Gaia.

Pro Tip for those with chronic illness

I suffer from a number of chronic illness conditions, plus I recently had major surgery. I don’t feel comfortable in group classes as I find most instructors do no understand my conditions. Plus, where I live in the world (Canada), has long cold winters, and this witch does not like the cold! But I found a solution! I have been really enjoying doing fitness videos on YouTube. I found a physiotherapist who specializes in my particular health needs and every day I find a few minutes to do an exercise session with one of her videos. The best part is that she combines a lot of meditation, affirmation and other magical aspects into her physical practices. If you are interested, the YouTube Channel I am following is Vibrant Pelvic Health with Dr. Bri.

We are Divine – Mindset Tip

Don’t look at exercise as a way to have tighter abs or be skinnier. Instead, think of it as something you do because you LOVE yourself and you want to take care of your vessel that was gifted to you. I realize not everyone loves their bodies, especially when it can feel like our bodies are failing us, but if you consider your body a divine gift, and treat it as such, your whole mindset will shift. This is a much better perspective and one that will make your workout something to look forward to instead of body-shaming yourself, which is something we are constantly programmed to do.

Practice affirmations in the morning

Repeating positive affirmations is an easy, yet extremely effective way to change your life around and give yourself some self-care. Be it by setting intentions to achieve your goals or improving your self-worth through words.

Choose a set of affirmations you feel strongly about, and repeat them to yourself every day. You can also make a special affirmation mirror like the Moon Mirror we made. Decorate it with post it notes with all your favourite affirmations. Then spend a few minutes every day looking in the mirror and repeating your affirmations.

Tarot Affirmations

Tarot Affirmations are a wonderful approach. Find the tarot card that resonates with what you need in your life right now, the come up or research some affirmations that go with the tarot card. Spend a minute each day with the chosen tarot card and saying the affirmations. You can also carry the tarot card with you to reinforce as needed throughout your daily activities. Our articles on specific tarot cards always include some affirmations, check out The Fool or The Magician, or The High Priestess.

Although you can repeat your affirmations any time of the day, I usually recommend setting aside a few minutes every morning before starting your daily routine. It is a powerful way to start your day and can have an amazing impact on your overall mood and help you tackle whatever the day throws your way!

There are also some incredible Oracle Decks you can use for daily affirmations. If you are unsure whether a Tarot Deck or Oracle Deck is right for you, check out this resource.

Set Intentions

Even though it might feel silly at first, adding intentions to mundane tasks can have an extremely powerful effect on your life. Not only will it help you make every day activities more enjoyable, but it will also help you become more present instead of doing things on auto mode.

For example, while showering, imagine you’re under a silver waterfall and every drop is washing away your stress. Every time you cook breakfast, think of how that action is a way to nurture your body and mind.

When you take the stairs, think of each step as lifting you up as you strengthen your body and mind.

This is a fantastic way to work on gratitude and mindset throughout your day.

Meditation

The ability to relax and meditate is something that does not come naturally to many people. Some may not even realize how difficult this seemingly simple activity can be. There are a number of apps, YouTube videos and online resources you can use to help you through a guided meditation but I believe the best meditation comes from when we unplug completely. Here is my simple meditation plan:

Start by finding a place where you can disconnect. This can be as simple as stepping out of a busy room and finding a quiet corner, taking a moment out in nature, sitting with crystals or tarot, or finding a sacred space that makes you feel safe. I sometimes find it helpful to use essential oils or creams to stimulate my sense of smell and help me centre and relax. You can be seated or standing. Your eyes can be closed, or gently focused on something.

Now breathe. I like a simple box breath. In for the the count of 3, hold for the count of 4, out for the count of 5. My preference is to also breath in through the nose, out through the mouth. As I do this I focus on my breath or a specific mantra. If my attention starts to wander, I gently bring it back to my breath or mantra. To start spend just 5 minutes in meditation, then slowly build up.

Meditation benefits include:

• Reducing stress
• Increasing self-awareness
• Being present
• Increasing ability to focus
• Reducing negative emotions and thoughts
• Increasing imagination and creativity
• Increasing patience and tolerance
• Lowering resting heart rate and blood pressure
• Improving sleep quality
• Improving immune function and general health and wellness

Develop a morning routine

Mornings are opportunities to start a brand new mindset, so I like to think of them as a way to reset. For me, mornings are the most important time of the day as they can have a huge effect on how the rest of your day will go. Create a morning routine that makes you feel good about yourself and works with your schedule.

It could include:

• cooking a healthy breakfast, I love these muffins!
• kicking in a workout session,
• dancing to some favourite music,
• a meditation or journal session,
• reading an uplifting book,
• or listening to an empowering podcast while commuting.

Find what makes you feel strong and uplifted, and make it part of the start of your day, everyday.

Magical Self-Care

Self-care is not only necessary, it’s magical and a key part of your spiritual practices. Your road to self-care can be a sacred and mystical journey that leaves you feeling more confident, determined, and ready to accomplish all of your dreams and manifest your desires. And it doesn’t need to cost anything!

I hope these creative ways of living a heart-centered, mindful, and magical life through concrete self-care actions inspire you to start your own magical self-care journey today. It is my hope that you will find the right tools that empower you to pursue physical and mental wellness with curiosity, confidence and a touch of the divine.

The post Magical Self-Care on a Budget appeared first on Forging Magic.

The Balance and Harmony of Metatron’s Cube

Disclaimer: This article may contain commission or affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Before we dig in, this is a complex geometric symbol with a long history and layers of meaning and interpretation. I have done my best to share what I have learned about this popular symbol, but I am still learning and exploring teachings. As I learn more, I will update here.

What is Metatron’s Cube?

Perhaps you have never heard of Metatron’s Cube and are wondering what the heck we are talking about. So let’s start at the beginning. Metatron’s Cube is a sacred geometric symbol that has its roots in ancient mystical and esoteric traditions. Various cultures throughout history consider it to be a map of creation. It represents balance, harmony, creative opportunities, and energy flow throughout the Universe. Many use it to ward off negative energies and provide protection, or to connect with the divine and cosmic energies of creation.

What does Metatron’s Cube Look Like?

Metatron’s Cube is a seemingly complex pattern, but that is actually surprisingly simple. It is believed to contain every shape that exists in the universe and those shapes are the building blocks of all physical matter

It is a two-dimensional symbol consisting of 13 circles all connected by 78 lines. Within the symbol you will find the 5 Platonic Solids, which we will explore more in a moment.

These connections represent the flow of energy between everything in the Universe and Nature. Metatron’s Cube is the manifestation of time, space, and energy… which is kind of Timey Wimey in a Doctor Who kind of way!

What are the 5 Platonic Solids?

Within Metatron’s Cube there are the 5 Platonic Solids. These are geometric shapes that were first described by the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle Plato. They are unique in that all their faces are congruent regular polygons, and the same number of polygons meet at each vertex.

The five Platonic solids are:

1. Tetrahedron (also known as a Star Tetrahedron) is a three-dimensional shape with four faces, each of which is an equilateral triangle. It has four vertices and six edges.
2. Cube (Hexahedron), a three-dimensional shape with six square faces. It has eight vertices and twelve edges.
3. Octahedron, a 3D shape with eight faces, each of which is an equilateral triangle. It has six vertices and twelve edges.
4. Dodecahedron is a three-dimensional shape with twelve faces, each of which is a regular pentagon. It has twenty vertices and thirty edges.
5. Icosahedron, a 3D shape with twenty faces that are all equilateral triangles. It has twelve vertices and thirty edges.

These five Platonic solids have been studied for their mathematical and geometric properties and have held symbolic and philosophical significance throughout history. They are considered to be the building blocks of all physical matter, with each representing an element in the Universe.

Want to really geek out? Take a look at Vitruvian Man and imagine laying it over Metatron’s Cube. The symmetry is pretty cool!

Who is Metatron?

Metatron’s Cube is named after the Archangel Metatron. He’s been spoken of (or an equivalent of him) in Jewish mysticism (Kabbala), Islamic, Egyptian, and Christian Middle Age writings.

Metatron holds significant roles and symbolism in various religious and mystical traditions. The name “Metatron” is derived from Greek and is believed to mean “beyond the throne” or “one who serves behind [or alongside] the throne.”

Metatron is believed to be one of the highest-ranking angels. He is known as an intermediary between the divine and humanity, bridging the realms of heaven and earth, divine and humanity. According to Jewish mystical teachings, Metatron is associated with divine secrets, knowledge, and the transmission of spiritual insights. Learn more here or here.

The Tree of Life

In certain mystical traditions, Metatron is believed to be closely linked to the Tree of Life, which is a central symbol in the Kabbalah. The Tree of Life is a conceptual map that represents the divine emanations and the pathways through which the divine energy flows.

Metatron’s association with the Tree of Life stems from the belief that he serves as the celestial guide or ruler of the realm of Malkuth, which is the final sphere on the Tree of Life representing the material world. Metatron is considered to be the bridge between the divine and the earthly realms, and his connection to Malkuth signifies his role in bringing divine energy and consciousness into manifestation.

Additionally, in some Kabbalistic teachings, Metatron is associated with the sefirot, which are the ten emanations or spheres on the Tree of Life. It is said that Metatron represents the highest level of the sefirot, known as Keter (Crown), which represents the divine will and pure consciousness. Metatron’s presence at the top of the Tree of Life symbolizes his proximity to the divine source and his role as a mediator between the divine and human realms.

Metatron’s connection to the Tree of Life highlights his role as a guide and facilitator of spiritual ascent and enlightenment. He is seen as a guardian of mystical knowledge and the pathways to divine understanding. Through his association with the Tree of Life, Metatron represents the integration of the earthly and heavenly realms and serves as a link between the divine and human consciousness.

How to Draw a Metatron’s Cube

Now if we are going to use this amazing symbol in our practice, we need to know how to draw it. The key to understanding this symbol is to recognize how the lines connect to the circles.

The first thing you need to do is lay out the equal circles which form a symbol called the Fruit of Life or Flower of Life. Then, draw a line connecting the centre of each of the 13 circles to all of the other circles. There will be 78 lines when you are finished and within the symbol you will now have all 5 Platonic Solids inside. Pretty simple and profound!

The Spiritual Meaning of Metatron’s Cube

Metatron’s Cube is associated with some remarkably powerful spiritual and metaphysical significance. It is believed to contain the secrets of creation and the underlying structure of the cosmos. It is also seen as a powerful symbol for meditation, healing, mind-soul transformation, and energy work.

Sacred Geometry

Sacred geometry is the study of shapes and mathematical formulas that appear in nature. These natural secrets are all around us. Just like magic is all around us.

Metatron’s Cube represents the fundamental principles of sacred geometry. It is believed to contain the basic shapes and proportions that underlie the creation of the universe and is a powerful visual tool for understanding the harmony and interconnectedness of all things.

Divine Creation

Metatron’s Cube is associated with the concept of divine creation. It is believed to reflect the geometric patterns and energetic forces through which the universe was brought into existence. The symbol represents the blueprint of creation, expressing divine intelligence and order that governs all aspects of existence. By meditating with this symbol you can reveal inner knowledge of the divine.

Unity and Wholeness

The interconnecting lines and shapes within Metatron’s Cube symbolize the interconnectedness and interdependence of all life forms and dimensions. It represents the idea that everything in the universe is part of a greater whole, and that all aspects of reality are intricately connected. No matter how small or insignificant, everything is truly connected and part of a greater whole in the cosmos. Spending time with this symbol will help you open yourself to feeling that greater purpose and connection.

Balance and Harmony

This mystical symbol often represents balance and harmony. The geometric patterns within the symbol are believed to create a sense of equilibrium and coherence. It is associated with the idea of finding balance between opposing forces, achieving inner harmony, and aligning oneself with the natural rhythms of the universe. Use this symbol as a way of connecting with your higher self.

Spiritual Protection

Metatron’s Cube is a protective symbol. It is believed to shield and purify, warding against negative energy, attracting positive energy, and promoting spiritual well-being. The symbol is often used for energy cleansing, ridding one of negative thoughts, crystal gridding, and spiritual practices aimed at creating a protective and harmonious environment.

Meditation and Enlightenment

Metatron’s Cube can be used as a focal point for meditation and spiritual contemplation. By meditating on the symbol, individuals can seek a deeper understanding of the natural patterns, connect with higher consciousness, tap into personal power, and access spiritual insights and enlightenment. Reference the wonderful book: Sacred Geometry – Your Personal Guide for a wonderful meditation practice.

This is just brushing the surface of the many ways this symbol has been used and what it represents. It holds incredible spiritual significance across many cultures and beliefs. It is no wonder this popular symbol is popping up in so many places, even in tattoos! For many, this symbol can be a guide and source for personal transformation. Especially for those interested in sacred geometry, metaphysics, and spiritual development.

For me personally, this symbol holds a lot of power and is present throughout my spaces. In particular I love to use it for crystal gridding, as a protective and inspirational image, and for meditation.

Enjoy learning how you can use this symbol in your own spiritual practice!

The post Metatron’s Cube Sacred Geometry appeared first on Forging Magic.

The Magician Card

Disclaimer: This article may contain commission or affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

The Magician Tarot Card is the first card of the Major Arcana. Yes, you may think of the Fool as the first card, but the Fool is card zero, while the Magician is card one.

When I think of the Magician card I reflect on skills, talent, and that energy and passion that comes from starting something new. You know those butterflies that fill you when you are about to embark on a new adventure, a new relationship, a new job, or a new path? It’s that feeling of hope, optimism and forward thinking that is so intrinsic to this card.

Think of our Fool, young and enthusiastic, embracing a new adventure as they travel through the world of tarot. Focused on new opportunities and their personal development as they grow and evolve as a person. They are vibrating with energy. As they take those first steps into action, the first person they encounter is the Magician. A magnificent, powerful figure.

“I am the Magician; I am master of my own destiny, and these are the tools of my trade.”

The Tales of Tarot by Alison Davies

The Magician Card Keywords

Keywords for the Magician upright:

• Manifestation
• Inspired action
• Creative impulses
• Power
• Consciousness
• Resourcefulness
• Action
• Creation
• Possibilities
• New beginnings
• Growth
• Confidence
• Create change

Keywords for the Magician inverted:

• Self doubt
• Lack of accountability
• Lacking self belief
• Poor planning and preparation
• Destruction
• Greed
• Manipulation
• Illusions
• Untapped potential
• Revolution

Magician Tarot Card Description and Imagery

In the traditional Rider-Waite Smith tarot deck, the Magician is depicted as a powerful, confident man standing at a table surrounded by symbolism.

He stands with one arm stretched upwards towards the divine or universe, and the other pointing down to the earth. Both receiving and directing energy and power. This stance represents a connection to both the spiritual and the material realms. It also corresponds to the saying, “As Above, So Below”.

The Magician’s robe is white, which symbolizes purity. Over top he wears a cloak in red, which represents passion, worldly experience, and knowledge.

On the table in front of him are a variety of tools including a cup, a sword, a wand and a pentacle. These are the symbols of the four Tarot suits, and also symbolize the four elements – water, air, fire and earth. These tools represent all the tools the Magician needs to manifest intentions and they also represent the different aspects of his power and abilities.

Above his head is the infinity symbol and around his waist is a silvery snake biting its own tail. These are symbols of unlimited potential, eternal life, and the cycles all humans go through. These also hint at the journey through Tarot, which is a never ending cycle of growth and development.

Along the top and bottom of the card in the foreground there is greenery with red and white flowers, which reflect the colours of the robes. Just as the flowers bloom and grow, so do your own powers and dreams.

More Imagery

I love comparing the imagery across various tarot decks. It provides some incredible insight into the card meanings, plus, some are just stunning artwork. Here are just a few Magician tarot cards from various other decks.

Numerology

In numerology, the Magician tarot card is associated with the number 1, which represents new beginnings, individuality, and leadership.

As the first card in the Major Arcana its number is often seen as a symbol of initiation or a fresh start. It represents the power of manifestation and transformation, as well as the ability to bring ideas into reality.

The number 1 is also associated with self-confidence, independence, and creativity, which are all qualities that the Magician embodies. This card is often interpreted as a call to action, encouraging the you to take charge of your life and use your skills and resources to achieve your goals.

Astrological Correspondence

In astrology, the Magician tarot card is associated with the planet Mercury. Mercury is the planet of communication, intellect, and creativity, and is often associated with the power of the mind. A perfect fit for our Magician.

The Magician also corresponds to the Zodiac sign, Gemini.

The association with Mercury reinforces the message from the Magician that there is a powerful connection between the power of the mind, the power of communication, and the ability to manifest one’s intentions through focused effort and willpower.

Elemental Association

The Magician is also associated with the element of air, which represents intellect, communication, and rational thinking. The element of air is often associated with the mind and with the power of thought, which is another reason why the Magician is associated with Mercury and Gemini.

The Magician Tarot Card Meanings

Upright

The Magician is a master of manifestation, personal power, and creativity. As the first Major Arcana card, it represents the start of a journey and new adventures.

Now is the time to take action on that idea that’s been bouncing around in your mind. Embrace the potential and the possibilities, and apply your focused intention to see what manifests.

You have everything you need within you to manifest your dreams and desires. You have the skills, talent and ability that you have grown over your lifetime. They have led you to this moment, this opportunity. Now is the time to focus and put in the time and effort to make things happen in your life.

Your journey will be smoother if you have a strong spiritual connection to your goals, desires and dreams. Focus on balancing the spiritual and the material when creating your goals. Yes, we all need money, but material needs can’t be the only driving force behind your intentions. By finding that perfect balance, you become a powerful conduit of the energy between the divine and the physical. Allowing you to act like a battery, powering up your dreams and goals. Manifesting them into existence.

By embracing your inner power and creativity, you have an opportunity to align with your Higher Self. When you discover your soul purpose and follow that path, magical things happen.

Working with this card, we are guided to take ideas, apply our own strengths, and turn them into reality. We are encouraged to embrace our power and the tools we carry within us, and put them into action. The Magician reminds us, that with focus and determination, you can achieve anything. Now is the time for doing!

The Magician Reversed

When the Magician card is reversed in a tarot reading, it can indicate a blockage or imbalance in the areas of manifestation, personal power, and creativity. There are a few different ways this may present.

It may indicate that you are struggling to take action and make things happen. Perhaps you are feeling stuck or powerless to create the outcomes you desire. Maybe there is something blocking your path that needs addressing. It could also be that your intentions and desires do not have a healthy balance between the spiritual and material. Identify the issue so you can start to find new paths to achieve your goals.

We all have power, but how we use that power is key. When reversed, it could indicate there is an abuse of power or misusing skills in a way that could be harming. It may be time to examine your intentions and process.

Perhaps it is revealing an inability to manifest desires. Negative beliefs, self-doubt, loss of confidence or a lack of clarity are creating a blockage that is preventing you from achieving your dreams. Consider doing some shadow work.

It may also indicate a breakdown in communication or a lack of clarity in expressing your ideas, thoughts and intentions to others or yourself. Find new ways to clarify your message and open the lines of communication.

When reversed, the Magician card in a tarot reading can indicate a need to address blockages or imbalances in personal power, creativity, and ability. By bringing your attention to these issues, you can clear those blockages so you may begin the work to manifest your desires. This may mean it is time to reassess your goals, beliefs, and values and make necessary changes to overcome any obstacles and move forward towards your higher self.

The Magician Card in a Reading

Like all Tarot cards, the meaning of the Magician card in a spread depends on the question, the surrounding cards, the placement in the spread and the interpretation by the reader.

Here are some key themes to consider when interpreting the card.

New beginnings

The Magician is often associated with the start of a new journey, a new project, or a new chapter in one’s life. The card suggests that the person has the tools, skills, and resources needed to manifest their desires and make things happen. Now is the time to put in the work.

Action and initiative

The Magician represents the power of the will and the ability to take action. The card suggests that the person needs to be proactive and use their abilities to create the outcomes they desire.

Creativity and imagination

The Magician is a symbol of creativity and innovation. The card suggests that the person should think outside the box and use their imagination to come up with new ideas and solutions.

Manifestation

The Magician is associated with manifestation techniques such as visualization, affirmations, and intention setting. The card suggests that the person has the ability to create their reality and manifest their desires through these techniques.

Communication

The Magician is a master of communication and persuasion. The card suggests that the person should use their words and influence to achieve their goals.

When the Magician card turns up in a spread it represents the power of will, creativity and the ability to manifest desires. It encourages the person to take action, use their skills and resources, and think outside the box to achieve their goals.

The Magician Yes or No

When doing a simple Yes or No tarot reading, the Magician card can be a bit ambiguous, however in most cases I see Magician as a Yes… with a “but”.

It may indicate that you have the skills and tools needed to achieve your goals, but you need to take action, and apply focus and determination to make things happen. Taking a passive approach will not be enough to manifest your desires.

If you are asking if your desired outcome will occur, the Magician says Yes… but you will need to put in the time and effort to obtain the goals you seek. If you are not willing to put in the energy, the answer is no.

In the end, it will really come down to the question and your interpretation of the card.

Daily Affirmations

Use daily affirmations to harness the energy of the Magician card, and bring that into your daily life.

I am doing. – Kitchen Table Tarot
I am called to step into my power. – Tales of Tarot
Everything I need to make my dreams come true is within me.
Now is the time to manifest.
I am enough.
I have the tools within me.
Confidence and self belief is my super power.
I manifest my desires.
I use my power for the greater good.
Willpower, drive and ambition will bring my goals into alignment.
My dreams are possible.
What I need is at my fingertips waiting to be unleashed.
I am the connection between the divine and earthly realms.

The Magician Tarot

The Magician tarot card is a powerful card that leads us to take action and use the tools we already have to manifest our dreams and desires. It is all within us. The time for excuses is over. The time for taking action is now. With your talents, skills, determination, focus and energy, you can manifest your goals. The Magician is telling you to start doing!

Next we meet the High Priestess Tarot Card.

The post The Magician Tarot Card appeared first on Forging Magic.

Disclaimer: This article may contain commission or affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

You would struggle to find anyone who doesn’t associate candles with spiritual and ritual practices regardless of their path. Around the world, across cultures and religions, candles are a powerful part of spiritual work.

So it isn’t surprising that this young witch who was exploring many paths, including wicca, but who also grew up attending Catholic school, would be drawn to candle magic.

Candles help push back the darkness, to light our path, and for many witches (and other religions) it is a way to bring us closer to the divine. Fire can warm us, feed us, but it can also ravage and destroy with unfathomable power.

Candle magic adds strength and power to ritual work, spellcasting and spiritual practice unlike anything else.

What is Candle Magic?

To put it simply, candle magic is using candles as the focal point for spell work, rituals, intention setting, manifestation, meditation, plus divine and spiritual connection. Think of the candle like a power cell, uplifting and powering up any work you are doing.

It is inexpensive and can be very simple or as complex as you want to make your ritual. Perfect for everyone.

All you need is a candle, a way to light the candle, and your own intentions. From there you can add oils, herbs, special candle colors, scribing, even the shapes of the candles to power up your candle magic rituals further.

What do you need for Candle Magic?

This is where things get fun with candle magic! Personally I love the creativity that I feel in working with candles. There is something powerful yet centering about wax and flame.

To do a candle magic ritual you will need:

• A Candle
• Matches or lighter
• Your intentions, energy, and goals

To do a candle magic ritual you may want add:

• Candles of various sizes, shapes and/or colors
• Special candle holders (you don’t want just any candle holder, pick something with great intention that aligns with your ritual goals)
• Candle scribe
• Candle snuffer
• Essential oils or oils blends
• Anvil Dust
• Dried herbs
• Crystals
• Tarot cards
• Wand (for casting a protective circle)
• Incense, herb bundle, or Palo Santo (for space cleansing) with burn safe bowl
• Any ritual tools, symbols, or altar items that will aid in your magic work

What you may want to add to your ritual will depend on your goal, preferences and comfort level.

The Candle

So of the must have items, obviously the most important item is the candle. There are so many different ways you can approach this part of your magic.

You can buy special candles that are already charged and dressed from many witchy stores. Simply find a candle maker that resonates with you, then ask them for a candle that fits your needs.

Chime candles are widely available. These are small candles, usually sold in multi-color packs and are fantastic for spells where you want to burn the entire candle in one sitting.

Jar candles are also popular. They usually come in a tall glass jar and you burn it once a day for a certain number of days focusing your intentions and meditating on your goals. These are sometimes also called Prayer Candles.

Other candle styles also work including tapered candles, pillar candles, votives, tealights, and even candles with intricate shapes that hold special meanings. These could be in the shape of certain deities, guides you are working with, or some other shape that aligns with your goals or practice. Often you can find these special candles at a witchcraft or metaphysical store.

You may also want to spend some time thinking about the kind of wax used in the making of your spell candles. My personal preference is to only work with beeswax. I prefer the burn of beeswax and I find other candles, soy in particular, triggers allergies for me and I struggle to connect with the energies of other wax candles. This is just my preference, you do you!

Candle Magic Color Meanings

One of the most powerful ways you can enhance your magic is by carefully picking the color of your candles for your ritual. Each color has different meanings.

Color Symbolism

Here are some keywords associated with each color. Use this as a guide to find the color for your purposes, but also tap into your own intuition. Feel the vibrations and energy you get from a candle. Trust in that most of all to find the right candle for your ritual.

Red

• passion,
• survival,
• energy,
• action,
• strength,
• courage,
• sexuality,
• inner fire,
• vitality,
• element of fire

Pink

• friendship,
• love,
• connections,
• tenderness,
• self-love,
• compassion,
• nurturing,
• the heart

Orange

• positivity,
• opportunities,
• opening doors,
• warmth,
• creativity

Yellow

• joy,
• happiness,
• success,
• attraction,
• communication,
• knowledge,
• learning,
• growth,
• element of air

Green

• luck,
• prosperity,
• business,
• money,
• wealth,
• career,
• abundance,
• connection with nature and fae

Blue

• peace,
• intuition,
• harmony,
• clarity,
• healing,
• wisdom,
• trust,
• blessings,
• element of water

Purple

• psychic abilities,
• spirituality,
• empowerment,
• truth,
• divination,
• higher self

Brown

• grounding,
• justice,
• stability,
• safety,
• balance
• connection with Gaia,
• element of earth

Black

• release negative energy,
• protection,
• banishing,
• shield,
• breaking patterns,
• transformation,
• grief

White

• purity,
• new beginnings,
• cleansing,
• blessing,
• attract positive energy,
• healing,
• connection with ancestors,
• moon magic

How to Make Magical Candles

Learning how to make your own candles is not difficult. In fact, I find it incredibly fulfilling making my own candles. As I am making them, I charge them so they are ready to go whenever I need them. Aligned with my energies and intentions.

There are many ways you can make a candle, here are three different simple ways to make candles.

Customize a Candle

One of the easiest things to do is take a regular candle like a pillar or taper or chime candle and customize it. There are a few different ways you can do this:

• scribe it with sigils or words or images
• anoint it with oils
• dress it with herbs or anvil dust

Making Spell Jar Candles

You could also make your own magic spell candles. I love to save the leftover beeswax from spent candles to make new candles. I often burn candles just because I love having a candle going at all times, but they often leave left over wax that I hate to waste.

To make my candles I simply remove the old wicks, then melt the wax down, add a wick to a candle jar, then pour the wax into the jar. It is very easy to customize it with oils, herbs or even crystals.

Rolled Candles

This was the first way I learned how to make candles over 30 years ago. You can buy sheets of beeswax and long coils of wicks. Cut the wick to length, then warm the wax a little bit (I do this with a hair dryer), then roll the sheet around the wick. Keep it tight as you roll until your candle is finished.

If you wish to customize a rolled candled, simply sprinkle oils, dried herbs or small crystals onto the wax sheet as you roll.

Remember when making your own magical candles, the key is your intentions and energy you are putting into the creative process. Focus on your goal and work to manifest it through the wax.

How do you do a Candle Ritual?

There are so many different ways you can do candle magic. The key is to find the rituals that resonate with you, that connect with your spirit, and free you to be open to the divine energies. Your rituals and spiritual practices will also vary based on your goals. As with any magical practice, find what works for you!

Prepare

The first thing you will want to do is prepare the items you plan to use in your ritual. Make sure your space is fire safe and you have burn safe area with nothing flammable near by. Ensure everything is cleansed and ready to go. Plus, have enough time and space to really focus on your work without distraction.

Sacred Space – Altar

Set up your altar or ritual space. An altar is something sacred and unique to the practioner. You can set up your altar based on planetary alignment, to work with sabbats or seasons, as a tribute to your ancestors, for a full moon or whatever works for you. When doing a ritual, it is best to adjust your altar space to work with the intentions of your spell. This could involve adding talismans, crystals, etc. Or it could be simply a small area with a candle and you.

Cleanse

Cleanse the area. This can be done with a wand, smoke, sound, crystals or simply visualizing the cleansing of the area. If you wish, you can cast a protective circle and cleanse the circle. Take a moment to take a cleansing breath yourself.

Grounding

Ground yourself. It is so important that you are grounded and in the moment while doing your ritual.

Dress the Candle

This is where you can use a candle scribe to carve symbols, sigils or words into the wax of the candle. Anoint it with oils and roll it in dried herbs or incense. In my resource on Anvil Dust I share a special candle magic ritual.

Intention

Speak your intention. Depending on the spell, I also like to write my intention on a piece of parchment paper. Then I can either set the candle holder on the paper, hold it in my hand, or burn it. Close your eyes if that works for you. Feel your intention and goal filling your being. Feel that energy rise up in you.

Light the Candle

Now light the candle.

Scrying Fire

While the candle burns, spend time watching the flame. See if any messages come to you as you meditate on the fire.

Conclude your Ritual

At the end of your ritual you do not want to blow out your candle. Instead use a candle snuffer, a wick dipper, or snuff it with your fingers. If you are using chime candles, you can let them burn to completion. For larger candles, or more complex rituals you may want to repeat your ritual for a certain number of days or until the candle is spent.

I always say thank you at the end of my ritual to my guides.

This is a very simple practical magic ritual with a candle. For more specialized rituals I highly recommend adding some candle magic books to your collection.

Candle Magic Books

Here are a couple of my favourite books on candle rituals on my magical shelf.

Candle Magic by Minerva Radcliffe – this is a beautiful book that provides a wonderful introduction to candle magic. It’s small size is perfect for carrying around and makes a fantastic gift for someone learning candle magic.

The Book of Candle Magic by Madame Pamita – this is another gorgeous book with beautiful imagery that goes into a lot more depth and detail if you are looking for a more comprehensive resource.

Enjoy your journey working with wick, wax and flame as you walk your own magical path!

The post Candle Magic – Colors, Rituals and Meanings appeared first on Forging Magic.

Disclaimer: This article may contain commission or affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

What is Beltane?

So let’s dig into this bright and colourful festival!

Beltane is a Gaelic festival celebrated in the spring. It is observed in many cultures around the world (often known as May Day), but it has its roots in ancient Celtic traditions. This Sabbat is a celebration of fertility, growth, and abundance, with strong associations with the awakening of the earth after winter, and the blossoming of flowers and trees.

When is Beltane?

Beltane is a one of four cross-quarter days in the Wheel of the Year. It is celebrated on May 1st in the Northern Hemisphere and November 1 in the Southern Hemisphere, and marks the midpoint between the spring equinox and the summer solstice.

On the Pagan Wheel of the Year, featuring the 8 Sabbats, it falls after Ostara (Spring Equinox) and before Litha (Summer Solstice).

In Ireland and Scotland, this festival was seen as the beginning of summer.

What are other names for Beltane?

Beltane (pronounced Bel-tain) means “bright fire” or “fires of Bel” in Celtic. The word comes from the combination of the Celtic words “bel” meaning bright one and “teine,” which means fire, so it is not surprising that it is also referred to as Fire Festival.

This is a celebration of the god Belenus, the Celtic god of fire. He was believed to ensure fertility and prosperity of the land and the herds, plus offered healing and light to the ancient Celtic pagans.

Through history there have been many variations on the spelling of of Beltane and the name, including: Beltaine, Belltaine, Bealtaine, Beltain, Beltine, Bealteine, Bealtuinn, Boaldyn.

In some cultures, this spring festival is popularly called May Day.

Beltane Pagan Holiday

In pagan traditions Beltane celebrates the time of year when the God and Goddess are equal in power and the masculine and feminine energies are united. The holiday celebrates their union, the union of Earth and Sky, through traditions such as fertility rites, fire festivals, and dancing around the maypole.

At Beltane, we celebration creation and the union of the God and Goddess. Spring makes us feel young again. It gives us hope and marks new beginnings as the world around us is coming alive. Creation is at its peak as Earth renews. One very popular pagan Beltane tradition is to jump over a bonfire. At Beltane we jump over the fires of vitality and youth and allow that vitality to enliven and heal us.

How to Celebrate Beltane?

The festival is typically marked with various customs, rituals, and festivities, which may vary depending on regional traditions. If you are able, attending the Beltane Fire Festival in Scotland would be an incredible experience. Some common elements of Beltane celebrations include:

Bonfire

Beltane is known for its bonfires, to honor the sun and promote fertility and abundance. People may jump over the bonfires for luck and protection. The smoke is also believed to provide purification and blessings. Traditionally farmers would drive their cattle and other livestock through the smoke of the bonfires to cleanse and protect them during mating season and through the summer. Have an outdoor fire, or if that is not possible, burn a candle for the fire festival.

Maypole Dancing

An iconic image of Beltane is the bright and colourful Maypole. It is a tall pole with one end buried in the ground. Then festival goers dance around the pole holding colourful ribbons. The men go one way, and women another, weaving their ribbons around the Maypole, all while dancing and singing. The Maypole symbolizes the intertwining of the masculine and feminine energies, and celebrating fertility and union. You may be able to find a local festival to attend that has a Maypole, or make a small one to include on your Beltane altar.

Greenery and Flowers

Beltane is a time to decorate homes and outdoor spaces with greenery, flowers, and other symbols of spring and growth. It is common to create floral wreaths, garlands, and bouquets, and to wear or hang them as decorations. Make a flower crown, as the Ancient Romans did to celebrate the goddess Flora.

Feasting

What festival would be complete without food! With the warmer weather many love to include picnics, barbecues, and communal meals as part of their celebrations with friends, loved ones and their community. One popular activity is to make Bannock over the fire.

Rituals and Blessings

Beltane is a time for performing rituals and blessings to promote fertility, protection, good fortune and abundance. These may include prayers, invocations, and offerings to deities or spirits associated with the season. This can also include having incredible ritual sex with your partner, as a way of honouring the divine within each of you.

Connect with Ancestors

Many believe the veil is thin during Beltane, just as it is during Samhain. This is a wonderful time to connect with your ancestors. Burn a candle for them. Meditate and reach out asking for their guidance and love. Spend time bathing yourself in their love.

Beltane Symbols and Symbolism

Flowers

Flowers are the most popular symbol at Beltane and represent life and vibrancy. The type of flowers will vary by region but could include: daisies, violets, wild roses, coneflowers, and elderflowers. Focus on using those native to your region that are early bloomers.

Trees

Trees are another symbol of Beltane as they are budding out and awakening as they turn green and flower. Some trees of Beltane include: Mayday Tree, Rowan, Hawthorn and Birch.

Colours

Colours play a big role in Beltane. In fact, in my experience it is one of the most colourful festivals. Although I love to bring in a full rainbow of bright, vibrant colours, the main colours of this fire festival include:

• Green (fertility, growth, abundance, earth),
• Red (passion, sexual energy, fire),
• Yellow (the sun, happiness, hope)

Crystals

I love incorporating special crystals into all of my festive altars and Beltane is no exception! For Beltane I love to include Rose Quartz, especially a point or pillar, to symbolize masculine and feminine energy and their union. I also love to include crystals such as a Carnelian flame (all red and fiery!), Prehnite (green and earthy), and Citrine or Sunstone to connect with solar energy.

The Green Man

In the Wiccan tradition, it is time to celebrate the sexual union of the Goddess and the God. Mother Earth is being impregnated by the seed of the Green Man.

The Maypole

The maypole is a phallic symbol of the masculine energy which is then joyfully embraced by colorful ribbons, symbolic of the beautiful abundance and diversity of our living world.

Beltane Tarot Spread

One of my favourite ways to celebrate the sabbats is with a tarot reading for the coming season. Here is one you can do.

More Beltane Resources

If you are looking to learn more about Beltane, one of my favourite books is: Beltane: Rituals, Recipes & Lore for May Day (Llewellyn’s Sabbat Essentials, 2). This is a great resource that provides a wealth of wisdom.

Beltane is a time of joy, vitality, and renewal. This is when we celebrate Earth as she is warming, bringing abundance for the year, and renewing. It’s a time of fertility and love, and honouring that beautiful connection we have to others through our powerful emotions. The veil is believed to be thin at this time, allowing us to connect with our ancestors and those loved ones who have moved on.

More than anything, Beltane is a celebration of hope, love, and growth. Enjoy celebrating this special sabbat!

The post Beltane – Rituals and Traditions of the Spring Fire Festival appeared first on Forging Magic.

The Fool Card Meaning

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The Fool is the start of our journey through tarot, acting as our guide through the cards. As the zero card of a tarot deck it represents beginnings, hope, joy, starting a new journey and unlimited potential.

When I think of the Fool, I reflect on those powerful years when one is just starting their life. Those young adult years when I was filled with so much energy, excitement, passion and a drive that just did not quit. I thought I knew everything and I was ready to set out on my adult life!

I had friends at my side that were equally excited and dreaming big. Happy to cheer me on, just like the little dog friend in the RSW artwork.

This connection is powerful for me with the Fool card, especially as I now see my own children entering that young adult, Fool, stage. That innocence and idealism as they start their life journey is so captivating.

Fool represents that time when things are new, exciting, and you feel ready to take on the world! You may not know it all, but you don’t care, you are ready to take that big leap based on blind faith and passion.

This card represents a powerful time in a journey towards wisdom and fulfillment. The very beginning. The moment of that all important first step.

Keywords

Keywords for the Fool card upright include:

• Optimism
• Enthusiasm
• New beginnings
• Childlike wonder
• Spontaneity
• Innocence
• Clear conscience
• Free spirited
• Leap of faith
• Potential
• Possibilities

Reversed keywords:

• Foolishness (makes sense!)
• Naivety
• Indiscretion
• Chaos
• Inexperience
• Recklessness
• Lack of inhibitions
• Lack of preparation
• Fear
• Refusal to take the first step

Fool Tarot Card Meaning

The Fool is a card filled with incredible hope, joy and energy. Our fearless explorer has the courage to face the unknown with a purity of heart and boundless energy of youth. There is a vitality and awe as the fool is ready for new things to come their way, their mind filled with innovative ideas. As they step off that that cliff they are ready to take the plunge into a new career path, new romance, starting their own business or any other path that leads to a fresh start. But the Fool needs to be careful not to become foolish. When chasing dreams it can be easy to become fall prey to carelessness, distraction or stupidity. Exploration is a powerful tool in learning life’s lessons, but one must always embrace a mixture of anticipation and caution.

The lesson and guidance of the Fool is that new beginnings are exciting times, the passion of a new opportunity is intoxicating, but be cautious and move forward with both your heart and your mind to ensure you don’t miss an obstacle that could literally be right at your feet.

The Fool Upright

The Fool represents new beginnings, potential, and the start of a journey. It is a card that suggests taking risks and stepping into the unknown with faith and confidence. The Fool encourages us to embrace our inner child and to approach life with a sense of excitement, curiosity and openness. Now is the time to go on a new adventure or learn a new skill.

Reversed

However reversed or in the context of certain readings, the Fool can also represent naivety and recklessness. It is important to balance our enthusiasm with practicality and caution, so as not to rush headlong into a situation without considering the consequences. It can also indicate a lack of commitment and enthusiasm.

The Fool in Tarot Readings

When the Fool card is pulled during a reading it is overwhelmingly a positive card. It indicates new beginnings and that enthusiasm and excitement that comes from fresh starts and opportunity. Just be sure you don’t let yourself develop tunnel vision or forget to pay attention to other things that matter.

The Fool Yes or No

When doing a single card pull for a yes or no question, and the Fool is drawn, the answer is Yes. This draw means it is time to embrace spontaneity and trust that it is time to move forward with confidence and enthusiasm. This card is about New Beginnings and saying yes means embracing a new start. Let go of worry and doubt, things are going to work out in your favor.

The Fool as Feelings

When doing a reading about feelings, the Fool is a fun card to pull. Whether you are asking about how someone else might be feeling, or exploring your own feelings, this is a card that embraces big, thrilling, optimistic and positive feelings. It is an overwhelmingly positive card, but it does call for a bit of caution. As the card about new beginnings, this is that first stage of infatuation and excitement in a relationship. It is lots of passion and big feelings, but sometimes you need to remember to slow down, take off those rose coloured glasses, and take a step back. Make sure you aren’t about to leap without looking first.

The Fool Tarot Card Description

Imagery and Artwork

When studying the tarot I find it fascinating to examine the artwork and imagery used across a variety of decks. It tells me a lot about the meanings behind the card.

Rider Waite Smith Fool Card

In the traditional Rider Waite Smith decks the imagery features a young man standing at the edge of a cliff. He is leaning forward, eyes to the skies, as if on the verge of stepping off solid ground.

On his shoulder he balances a long stick or staff with a small sac tied to the end holding all their worldly possessions. One doesn’t need much more than themselves when jumping into the unknown!

Their eyes are to the sky, not focused on the cliff at their feet, as they delicately hold a white rose in their outstretched hand. They are blossoming as they move forward on their path.

At his heels a small white dog jumps happily. The dog represents protection and loyalty. It is also that all important friend, cheerleader and companion for the Fool as they set out on their journey.

Both the rose and the dog are white representing purity, freedom and innocence.

No matter which tarot deck you are using. There is a consistency to the energy of this card. The Fool is portrayed as carefree and optimistic, with a sense of wonder and curiosity about the world. Here are pictures of the Fool from some other Tarot decks I own.

Numerology of The Fool Card

So let’s start with the basics. The Fool tarot card is Card 0 (zero) in the Major Arcana. Zero is the number of unlimited potential. Having the number zero, means that the Fool does not have a specific place in the Tarot sequence. Although common to place it first before the Magician Card, it can also be placed at the end of the Major Arcana cards. Many view the Major Arcana as the Fool’s journey of growth through life. With each Major Arcana representing a major life moment. Due to this, the Fool is always present throughout and does not need a number. Sometimes having no number, is the most powerful number of all.

Astrological Correspondence

The Fool astrological correspondence is Uranus. Although some work with different correspondences, use what works for you and your deck.

Uranus is all about expecting the unexpected, revolution, reform, and destruction, all in the name of progress. Sudden changes and movements out of our comfort zone exist here. Uranus looks to the future and examines how to be innovative, independent and forward thinking. So there’s rebellion, but there’s also revelations regarding how the world can be better.

Daily Affirmations with the Fool Card

Meditating and working with individual cards is a wonderful way to foster a deeper connection with the card. One way to do this is to practice daily affirmations with the card. Here are some daily affirmations you can use to work with the energy of the Fool card in your daily spiritual practice.

• Curiosity and passion allow me to lead with my heart.
• I let go and I trust that the path I am meant to walk will be laid before me.
• My life is filled with unlimited opportunities and potential.
• I am boundlessly determined and open to what may come.
• Trust in the universe that I am walking the path meant for my feet.
• Expect the unexpected, and be open to the unseen.
• I am free, I am excited, I am filled with joy.
• When I take risks, and trust in myself and the universe, great things happen.
• My life is a journey filled with joy and excitement.
• I live in the moment with no fear of the future.
• “All possibilities are open to me as I boundlessly experience the here and now.” (Source: Tarot for Yourself)
• Keep your head up and step boldly into the future! (Source: The Tales Behind Tarot)

The Fool Card – Final Thoughts

The Fool suggests that you’re beginning your journey, or starting something new in at least one aspect of your life. It can also indicate it’s a good time to take a leap of faith. It encourages us to trust our intuition and take chances, but also reminds us to be mindful of our actions and decisions.

Most of all, enjoy learning and growing through the guidance and wisdom provided by the Fool Card. We are all the fool at times and it is so important to embrace the energy and knowledge offered by this card.

Next we move onto card 1 in the Major Arcana – The Magician

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The 8 Pagan Sabbats – Wheel of the Year

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Why a Wheel of the Year?

When looking at the Wheel of the Year, the circle is such a perfect representation of the cycles of our planet and the festivals celebrated by pagans as the seasons change. The wheel divides the circle into Quarters or Lesser Sabbats which align with the seasons and the Solstices and Equinoxes.

Then in between the Quarters we have the Cross Quarters or Greater Sabbats (also known as Fire Festivals). These mark the midpoint between the solstices and equinoxes. The Greater Sabbats have their origins in Celtic traditions. As the wheel turns so do our seasons.  

The solstices and equinoxes represent exact astronomical moments, so the exact dates move slightly every year. For solstices, this is the exact moment when night and day are at their extremes (longest night or shortest night), while equinoxes represent when night and day are balanced or equal.

The 8 Pagan Holidays

The Pagan Sabbats or holidays, also known as the Wheel of the Year, are the eight seasonal celebrations observed by many modern Pagan and Wiccan traditions. Not all traditions celebrate every holiday. Each Sabbat marks a significant point in the agricultural and astronomical calendar, as well as in the spiritual journey of the practitioner.

The eight Sabbats are:

1. Samhain
2. Yule (Winter Solstice)
3. Imbolc
4. Ostara (Spring Equinox)
5. Beltane
6. Litha (Summer Solstice)
7. Lughnasadh/Lammas
8. Mabon (Autumn Equinox)

Samhain

This festival is popularly known as Halloween. Pronounced “sow-en”, Samhain is celebrated on October 31st or November 1st, this Sabbat marks the end of the harvest season and the beginning of the darker half of the year. It is also considered the time when the veil between the worlds is thinnest, making it a time for honoring ancestors and communing with the dead. This is the Celtic New Year or Witches New Year. Learn more about Samhain here.

Yule

Celebrated on the winter solstice, usually around December 20 – 22 in the Northern Hemisphere and June 20-22 in the Southern Hemisphere. This popular sabbat marks the longest night of the year and the return of the sun. It is a time for lighting fires, exchanging gifts, decorating trees and celebrating the rebirth of the sun. From this day forward, the nights start getting shorter and the days longer. Learn more about Yule.

Imbolc

Pronounced “im-bolk”, Imbolc is celebrated on February 1st or 2nd in the Northern Hemisphere and August 1 or 2 in the Southern Hemisphere. Also known as St. Brighid’s Day or Candlemas this Sabbat marks the halfway point between the winter solstice and the spring equinox. It is a time for purification and renewal, and is associated with the goddess Brigid/Brighid. Many rituals for this date include candles, light, fire and feasts.

Ostara

Celebrated on the vernal or spring equinox, usually around March 20 – 22 North of the equator, September 20-22 south of the equator. This Sabbat marks the balance between light and dark, and the beginning of the growing season. It is a time for planting, fertility rites, and celebrating the renewal of life. This is a celebration of renewal and abundance. In Wiccan traditions this is a celebration of the goddess as Maiden. Learn more about Ostara.

Beltane

Also known as the Fire Festival or May Day. This fiery festival is celebrated on May 1st or May Eve in the North and October 31 in the South. This Sabbat marks the halfway point between the spring equinox and the summer solstice. It is a time for celebrating fertility and the greening of the Earth. A popular ritual at Beltane festivals is dancing the maypole. The maypole and the twirling of ribbons around it represent fertility and the spiral of life. Bonfires are also a popular part of the celebrations. Many beliefs follow that, like Samhain, the veil is thinner at this time of year. In Wiccan traditions this is when the god and goddess come together. Beltane is a very popular festival in many cultures and is known as a time to celebrate love, weddings and romance. Learn more about Beltane.

Litha

Pronounced “lee-tha”, Litha is celebrated on the summer solstice. This falls on June 20-22 in the Northern Hemisphere and December 20-22 in the Southern Hemisphere. This Sabbat marks the longest day of the year and the height of the growing season. It is a time for celebrating the power of the sun and the abundance of the earth. Learn more about Litha.

Lughnasadh (Lammas)

Pronounced “loo-nah-sah”, this sabbat is celebrated on August 1st or 2nd in the Northern Hemisphere and February 1 or 2 in the Southern. This festival marks the beginning of the harvest season and is the first of the harvest festivals. It is a time for giving thanks for the abundance of the earth and, in some traditions, for honoring the Celtic sun and blacksmith god Lugh. So it isn’t a surprise this is a favourite sabbat for us, and will usually find us in the forge. A popular tradition with this festival is baking bread with the first grain harvest. Learn more about Lugnasadh.

Mabon

Celebrated on the autumn equinox, usually around September 21st in the Northern Hemisphere and March 21st in the Southern Hemisphere. This festival marks the balance between light and dark, and the second harvest of the year. It is a time for giving thanks for the blessings of the earth and for preparing for the darker half of the year. In Wiccan traditions it his when the goddess grows from mother to crone. Learn more about Mabon.

Celebrating the Sabbats

How you celebrate the Sabbats is a highly personal decision inspired by your worship practice, your beliefs, and your spiritual needs. If you are part of a coven you may have certain rituals or festivals that you do together. As an individual practitioner, your path will likely dictate how you want to mark the festivals. For many, the Sabbats are a time for reflection, connection, education and personal growth. In many communities you can find like minded people to celebrate together.

I personally love to spend Sabbats with loved ones, meditating, making and burning candles, working with tarot, cooking and baking, and getting out into nature (including night sky gazing). I wish I lived near sacred monuments like Stonehenge. Although I have been blessed to walk amongst the stones twice in my lifetime, I have never been at a sacred site on a Sabbat. Maybe one day!

For now, my spiritual practices stay close to home and are a special time when I get to step back from the rush of the world and spend time with my faith and beliefs.

No matter how you decide to celebrate the Sabbats, enjoy this powerful connection to the natural cycles of our planet and cosmos.

The post Wheel Of The Year – Celebrating the 8 Pagan Sabbats appeared first on Forging Magic.

Ostara and The Spring Equinox

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What is Ostara?

Ostara, also known as the Spring Equinox or Vernal Equinox, is a festival that celebrates the arrival of spring in many pagan and Wiccan traditions. It usually occurs around March 20th or 21st in the Northern Hemisphere, and September 20th or 21st in the Southern Hemisphere, when the day and night are roughly equal in length.

In astrology, the vernal equinox happens when the sun enters the Zodiac sign of Aries.

The festival is named after Ostara (also known as Eostre), an Anglo-Saxon goddess of the dawn, spring and fertility. Traditionally, it is a time of new beginnings, growth, and renewal. Ostara is also associated with balance. Balance between light and dark, masculine and feminine, and life and death. It is a time to honor the cycles of nature and to connect with the earth and its rhythms.

The term “equinox” comes from the Latin words “aequus” which means “equal”, and “nox” which means “night”. The word “equinox” refers to the time of the year when the length of day and night is approximately equal and balanced. Ostara marks this moment in the wheel of the year where the light that was rekindled at Yule (Winter Solstice) balances the darkness (equals it) before overtaking the night as the wheel moves towards Litha (Summer Solstice).

When is Ostara 2023?

Ostara takes place on the Spring Equinox every year. In 2023, it falls on March 20th in the Northern hemisphere and September 23, 2023 in the Southern hemisphere.

Wheel of the Year

The Wheel of the Year features eight sabbats or holidays that are observed by many modern Pagan and Wiccan traditions. Each sabbat marks a significant point in the agricultural and astronomical calendar, as well as in the spiritual journey of the practitioner. Ostara falls between Imbolc and Beltane and is celebrated on the Spring (Vernal) Equinox.

Light and darkness are in perfect balance on this day, with day and night being equal in many places around the world. Moving forward from the equinox, daylight will continue to grow and nights will shorten. It is a time to celebrate balance and the arrival of Spring.

Ostara Goddess

The origins of Ostara hail from Germanic and Celtic traditions. Eostre/Ostara is the goddess of fertility, the dawn, and spring. Eostre means East for where the sun rises. 

For modern pagans and wiccans, Ostara is the time when the maiden Goddess meets her reborn consort in the form of Pan or the Horned God.

This time of year is one of celebration across many cultures and traditions. Other deities symbolizing spring include:

• Asase Yaa of the Ashanti people of Ghana,
• Cybele the mother goddess of Rome,
• Freya the Norse fertility goddess,
• Osiris of Egypt,
• Persephone the ancient Greek goddess of spring,
• Flora the Roman goddess of flowers and spring,
• Kono-Hana-Sakuya-Hime the Japanese goddess associated with the Springtime and cherry blossoms,
• Saraswati, the Hindu goddess of art.

Symbols of Ostara

The popular symbols of Ostara are ones you might recognize from another popular holiday in other religions at this time of year, Easter.

Rabbits and Hares

Rabbits and hares are one such example. In medieval times in Europe, the March hare was seen as a fertility symbol, and a sign of spring. This species of rabbit is nocturnal most of the year, but in March it is mating season. During this time, March hares are seen all day long. Additionally, females of this species can get pregnant with a second litter while pregnant with their first litter. This explains why they were used as symbols for fertility. Of course, the wildly popular representation of this is in the modern day Easter bunny.

Eggs

Another popular symbol is eggs. Eggs are a symbol of fertility, birth, resurrection, and new life. The “dying of eggs” tradition may have its roots in the ancient Zoroastrians’ Spring Equinox ritual of painting eggs. Painting eggs is a common activity at various times of the year for many countries, including Ukraine, the U.S., Austria, Germany, Poland, Russia, and Bulgaria. Of course, this is also a common practice for Easter.

Flowers

Flowers are another popular symbol as they represent the new growth that comes with spring. The bright colours are also uplifting and provide hope. This brightness and colour is so welcome after a cold, dark winter. Dandelions, daffodils, tulips, violets, and crocus are all wonderful choices.

Trees

The trees of Ostara are the birch, and ash. The birch tree in particular is one of the first to bud each spring and produce leaves. The goddess Eostre is said to have been celebrated around a birch tree.

The ash tree is very important among Norse pagans, as Yggdrasil is said to be an ash tree. It represents fortune telling, fate, and the link between the physical world and the spiritual realm.

Colours

When it comes to colours for Ostara, embrace light and bright. Yellow, purples, green and pinks are all colours associated with this time of year.

How to Celebrate Ostara?

There are many ways you can celebrate this festival and the arrival of springtime with these Ostara rituals. For many it is such an important time in the Wheel of the Year. Winters can be very hard for many people. The arrival of spring means sun, warmer weather, growth, rebirth and new beginnings. No matter how you choose to celebrate this holiday, take a moment to mark this important time in the year.

Spring Cleaning

Spring cleaning is a practice practiced around the world. It is a fantastic time to clear out everything stagnant from the winter months and bring in that fresh air and sunshine. Consider doing a cleaning of your home, both physically and spiritually. Do a cleansing of your tarot decks and crystals. Or embrace some self care and do a physical and spiritual cleansing of yourself with a ritual bath.

Nature Walk

Getting out into nature is the perfect way to celebrate Ostara. You could go hiking, prepare the gardens, take a walk amongst the newly budding trees, or simply walk where nature calls you.

Picnic or Feast

As with any holiday, feasting is a popular way to celebrate. If the weather permits, head out and have a picnic. Or plan a wonderful feast. Consider incorporating foods associated with Ostara such as eggs, lamb, dairy, spring greens, asparagus, honey and berries. Another popular food to include in your feast is Hot Cross Buns.

Decorate Eggs

Decorating eggs whether you are dying the eggs or painting them, is a popular activity across many traditions at this time of year. Why not consider making natural egg dyes from berries for a special offering for the season?

Start seeds

Starting seeds is traditionally very popular at this time of year as we prepare for the new growing season. Another fun option is to make seed paper or seed bombs.

Prepare an Altar

The Sabbats are a wonderful time to refresh your altar or create a new altar to mark the season. Since this holiday is about balance, consider working that into your altar.

Some ideas to include in your Ostara altar:

• Spring flowers
• Candles
• Eggs
• Oracle Cards with messages for the season
• Seedlings or seeds
• Crystals
• Images of rabbits or hares (Oak, Ash and Thorn Tarot would be a wonderful addition)

Work with Dandelions

Spring is about Dandelions. Incorporate these yellow orbs into your rituals. You can add them to your altar, make tea, use them in bath bombs or homemade soap. Check out our tips on how to love Dandelions for ideas and recipes.

Spend Time Crafting and Creating

There is something really special about being creative. Whatever lights up your passion. Consider this time of year, your permission to try something new.

Make Candles

Candles are a popular addition to Ostara celebrations and rituals. Consider making your own. You can easily buy beeswax sheets and make rolled candles. Or one of my favourite creative activities is to save the left over wax from candles I have burned, melt it down, and pour new candles. You can also colour your candles for the season with yellows, greens, purples or pinks. Or add herbs like lavender.

Meditation

I am a big believer in the power of manifesting and meditation. Whether permitting, head outside for a meditation session. While meditating, listen for guidance or those tugs that lead you where you need to go in this new season. As always, journal and embrace gratitude.

Moon Water

Depending on where the moon is at in its cycle, making moon water or using moon water created during the full moon prior to Ostara is a powerful way to incorporate lunar energies into your work. Ostara is about the balance between night and day, sun and moon, use that energy in your work.

Ostara Tarot Spread

Another activity you may wish to do for Ostara is a tarot reading. Here is a special tarot spread for Ostara.

1. Light – What is the light in my life?
2. Dark – What is the darkness in my life?
3. Balance – What can I do to cultivate balance in my life?
4. Spring Cleaning & Fertility – What do I need to let go to create room for abundance?
5. Growth – What seeds do I need to sow to create new beginnings and growth?
6. Guidance – A message for this season of rebirth.

Happy Ostara!

The post Celebrating Ostara: Rituals, Symbols, And Spiritual Practices appeared first on Forging Magic.

10 Techniques for Purifying a Tarot Deck

Disclaimer: This article may contain commission or affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

First, if you are brand new to tarot don’t miss our resources on a Beginners Guide to Tarot and How to Pick Your First Tarot Deck.

What Does It Mean To Cleanse a Tarot Deck?

Cleansing or purifying a tarot deck is the sacred process of removing negative or unwanted energy from the cards and preparing them for a reading, meditation or spell work. No matter which method of cleansing you choose to use, the most important tool is you and your intentions. Ensure your mind is clear and focus your intentions when using any of these approaches to achieve the best results.

When to Purify Tarot Cards

A cleansing should be done with a new deck, a “new to you” deck, in between readings, after someone else touches the cards, or if you have taken the deck into a new space.

You can also do a cleansing anytime you feel an off energy from the deck, when readings are clouded or confusing, or when the cards feel stuck.

There is never harm in doing a cleansing, and many of these don’t take much time at all. So when in doubt, clear that energy out!

Here are a few methods for cleansing a tarot deck. Simply pick the one that works best for you.

The Intentional Shuffle

This is something everyone should do before a reading. Shuffle the deck repeatedly and rhythmically. This is a simple way to cleanse a tarot deck and prepare it for use. You want to shuffle the cards thoroughly, focusing on releasing any negative or unwanted energy that may have accumulated in the deck. To do this, as you shuffle, set an intention to cleanse and clear the deck and visualize bright energy washing over the cards. Do this before every reading. Once you have done the cleansing shuffle, you can set the intention for the reading and do another shuffle focusing on the questions of the reading.

Clear the Energies with Smoke

Another popular method for cleansing a tarot deck is to use smoke from herbs or incense. You can hold the deck over the smoke and visualize the negative energy being released and replaced with positive energy. Some popular herbs for cleansing include sage, cedar, and palo santo.

Purification with Sound

Sound can be an incredible tool to cleanse a tarot deck. You can use a singing bowl, a bell, or a chime to create a vibration that will help release negative energy from the deck. You can even use your own vocalizations. As you sound the instrument, focus on the intention of cleansing and picture the sound waves moving through the deck, washing away unwanted energies.

Sorting a Deck

One way to help clear out the energies and rebalance the energy of a deck is to lay it out in order. This is a favourite techique of mine, especially with a new deck.

This is how I do this technique. Start with the Fool then go through the entire Major Arcana. Then I do each of the Minor Arcana suits in order. I like to do this order: Cups, Wands, Swords, and finally Pentacles. I love to end on the grounding energy of Pentacles.

Once I have placed all the cards in order, I pass each card individually through a smoke cleanse while visualizing a purifying, bright white light infusing the card with beautiful energy. Then I spend a moment opening my mind and letting the card speak to me. This is also a powerful way to connect with a new deck.

Clarifying Salt

One approach some people like is to bury the deck in salt which traditionally used as a cleansing agent. This method involves placing the deck in a small container filled with salt and leaving it for a period of time, usually overnight. The salt will absorb any negative energy from the deck and leave it feeling refreshed and renewed.

Full Moon Tarot Deck Purification

This is something I like to do with any new ritual tool, including my tarot decks. On the night of the full moon, place the cards in the moon light. Use your wand, staff, athame, or even your hand, and visualize the powerful energy of the moon entering your tarot and clearing it of any unwanted energies. If you wish, you can leave your cards in the moonlight overnight. This full moon ritual is a wonderful rite and way to cleanse every month.

Use Crystals

There are many crystals that help remove negative or unwanted energy from a deck. Tarot and crystals are such a natural partnership, this is a great way to keep your cards clear of unwanted energies.

1. Clear Quartz: Clear Quartz is a popular crystal for cleansing and purifying energy. It is known for its ability to remove negative energy and amplify positive energy, making it a versatile crystal for many different purposes.
2. Black Tourmaline: Black Tourmaline is another popular crystal for cleansing. It is believed to help absorb and transmute negative energy, making it useful for protecting against negative influences and promoting grounding and balance.
3. Selenite: Selenite is a translucent white crystal that is often used for energy cleansing and purification. I keep a disc of selenite on my altar for quick cleansings of cards and tools. Selenite not only clears negative energy, it promotes a sense of calm and tranquility.
4. Amethyst: Amethyst is one of my favourite crystals. Not only is it purifying, it helps promote spiritual growth and awareness, and facilitates the release of old patterns and beliefs. I have a large geode on my altar that I just LOVE!
5. Citrine: Citrine is a yellow crystal that is believed to help cleanse and energize the aura. It is thought to help promote a sense of joy and abundance, and to assist in manifesting positive intentions. It can also be used to help clear energies.

It’s important to choose the cleansing crystals that resonate with you and your specific needs. When using crystals for cleansing, remember to cleanse and charge your crystals regularly, as they can absorb negative energy over time.

The Cleansing Power of Iron Pentacles

This is my preferred method of cleanings the cards and one I use all the time with my go to decks like True Black Tarot and Smoke, Ash and Embers. Between readings I keep my go to tarot decks on an iron pentacle. Not only is iron grounding and cleansing, but the pentacle is also known for clearing negative energies. The power of these two together makes a perfect tool for your tarot to help purify and ground your cards.

Learn more about Pentacles.

Learn more about Iron.

Silk

For my decks that I use more rarely, I love to store them wrapped in silk. This helps to keep their energy clear. When it comes time to use the cards, I can rub the deck with the silk to wake up the cards and clear away any stagnant energy. If they require a deeper cleanse I will move on to one of the other methods.

Earth Cleanse

If you have a particularly troublesome deck that needs a deep purification. Wrap the deck in a silk cloth, then place it in a wood box. I like to include a piece of quartz and nail the box closed with iron nails. Then bury it on the full moon and leave it in the Earth for 7 days. To increase the cleansing power of this rite, I recommend making moon water on the full moon and spritzing the earth over the box nightly until you unbury it.

Learn how to make Moon Water.

So there you go! 10 ways to purify and cleanse tarot cards. It is important to note that cleansing a tarot deck is a personal practice, and different methods may work better for different individuals. You may want to experiment with different methods until you find the perfect approach for your practice.

Happy Tarot Reading!

Explore More Tarot

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Iron, Paganism and Spiritual Practices

Disclaimer: This article may contain commission or affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

“Can you make me a ritual piece from pure iron? I want iron, not steel.”

I hear this a lot. Iron has a long history of being used in magic practices for spiritual protection and defense. So it is not surprising that we get this question a lot, but there is some misunderstanding behind this question, and I strongly believe in being completely honest with our customers. So I am going to share today the knowledge I share with people when asked this question. Hopefully it gives you a greater appreciation for your “iron” ritual tools.

Let’s start with a short and quick summary.

First, steel is still essentially (and overwhelmingly) made from iron. It varies but is usually in the range of 97%-99%+ iron! Think of it as a sleeker, more efficient form of the iron talked about by our ancestors. Second, not all steels are equal. The type of steel used during the forging process is dependent on what is being forged.

In a nutshell, if you are buying a traditionally forged piece from our Forge, it is a very high percent iron. But why can’t it be 100% iron? That’s a longer answer that took me down a lot of rabbit holes. Remember, people go to school for years to study metallurgy. What I am sharing today barely scratches the surface of this fascinating field.

What is Iron?

Iron, classically known as the Metal of Mars, has been universally perceived as the symbol of human strength, obstinacy, fortitude, honor, courage, sharpness (of body and mind), tenacity, and confidence in power.

National Library of Medicine

First, we need to provide some clarification around the term “iron”, because it is used in so many different ways, that it creates confusion for many people.

Iron is a chemical element with the symbol Fe and atomic number 26. It is one of the most abundant elements in the Earth’s crust and is found in a variety of minerals and ores, including hematite, magnetite, and taconite. It is also found in space!

Fe is a metallic element with a silver appearance. It is easy to work and shape because it is quite soft. In fact, you could cut it with a knife. It is able to conduct both heat and electricity. Iron is also ferromagnetic, which means it is strongly attracted to magnets and can be magnetized.

But “iron” can have a variety of different meanings depending on the context. Let’s explore a few of these more interesting uses of the term.

Iron and Biology

Iron also plays an important role in biology and is an essential element for life. Just ask anyone with anemia (low iron), it is very important to our bodies! Why? It is a key component of hemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body. Iron is also involved in many other biological processes, including the synthesis of DNA and the functioning of the immune system. It is so important to our health!

Iron and the Cosmos

I love these tidbits about iron in the universe. This was a very deep and fascinating rabbit hole!

• It is found in the cores and atmospheres of some stars where it is created through nuclear fusion reactions. When these stars eventually run out of fuel and explode as supernovae, they release iron and other elements into space.
• It is the most abundant element in the Earth’s core. Scientists believe it is responsible for generating the planet’s magnetic field.
• Iron meteorites, which are made up almost entirely of iron and nickel, are thought to be remnants of ancient asteroids or planetoids that were destroyed in the early Solar System.
• Iron oxide, aka “rust” is what gives Mars its characteristic red appearance and why Iron has the planetary association of Mars.
• Interstellar dust contains iron and is scattered throughout the galaxy. This gives a whole new meaning to the concept that we are all star dust!
• Iron plays a significant role in the formation and composition of celestial bodies and is an important element in understanding the evolution of the universe. It is carrying the energy of all existence! This makes it a powerful tool for magic and spiritual practice.

The History of Iron

Let’s circle back to iron the metal. Archeologists believe that iron was discovered by the Hittites of ancient Egypt somewhere between 5000 and 3000 BCE. It is possible the first iron discoveries were from meteorite impacts. These discoveries changed the lives of people as they were able to make better tools and weapons.

The Iron Age began around 1200 BCE in the Mediterranean before spreading to other parts of the world. During this time, humans developed new techniques for extracting and processing iron from ores. Soon iron and the local blacksmith became key figures in communities. Often with the blacksmith being seen as having almost supernatural powers, with the way they could create using fire and metal.

Forging Iron

Here is where the pedal hits the metal… so to speak! It is not possible to forge pure iron. As we learned earlier, pure iron is a very soft and malleable metal that is quite simply not suitable for forging.

Instead, iron is alloyed to create a stronger and more durable material that is suitable for forging. The other components of the metal vary based on the purpose of the item. The most common addition is carbon to create a stronger and more rigid material. Other elements, such as chromium, nickel, and manganese, may also be used.

In traditional blacksmithing, metal is heated to a high temperature in a forge, then using a hammer, anvil, tongs and other tools the smith shapes it into a variety of creations. These techniques have been used for millennia, making blacksmithing a wonderful link with our ancestors and history.

So after all of this rambling, the takeaway is that pure iron (Fe) can not be forged. Forged ritual pieces are not pure. They are a type of steel, but many people still use both terms interchangeably.

The most important thing to know for magical purposes, your ritual pieces are powerful tools for connecting with the Earth, the Cosmos and our Ancestors.

Witchcraft, Paganism and Iron

So now we know all of this history and cool technical information, let’s chat magic!

Iron has played a significant role in spiritual beliefs and practices for thousands of years, often associated with its properties of strength, grounding, and protection. Here are some ways you can incorporate it into your ritual practice.

Sacred Element of Earth

In many pagan traditions, iron is considered a sacred metal that represents the element of earth. It is believed to possess a strong spiritual energy. Use it on your altar to bring in the element of earth and foster greater connection with spiritual energies. I love to use an iron candle holder or burning bowl. This brings the magic of the fire, which forged the iron, back full circle to the element of earth. Thus completing the energetic circle and bringing a strong grounding and balance to my work.

Warrior Spirit

Iron has the planetary association of Mars. Mars is associated with will power. If you are looking to start something new, change paths, complete something or seeking victory, Mars can support you on your quest. When doing any work invoking Mars planetary associations, iron ritual tools are a powerful ally.

Traditionally the metal of the warrior, use it when you want to invoke your inner warrior and strength. A true warrior knows when to hold back and be powerful within their strength (think of the quiet power of the Major Arcana Strength Tarot Card), it is not always the time to charge headlong into battle. Working with iron on your altar can aide you in tapping into that warrior fortitude and wisdom when dealing with situations.

Energy

Iron is extremely strong and stable. It is a fantastic energy conductor but has the unique ability to not take on negative energies. This allows it to be naturally cleansing and protective during ritual workings.

Iron is often used in the creation of ritual tools like athames and wands. These tools are used to direct energy and create protective circles during rituals.

Protection

Iron is a fantastic protective talisman. This is why many people wear it iron pendants as a protective charm. Any negative energy or magic will be attracted to the pendant then safely dispelled, protecting the wearer.

It is also believed to be a powerful tool to counteract the power of the evil eye.

You can also place nails over the entrances of your home and at the four corners to create a ward of protection. It best to use maiden nails for this practice. These are nails that are newly forged by the smith, that have never touched the ground.

In certain paths, it is believed that faeries can not touch iron. Children would be protected from being snatched by malevolent faeries by placing a nail in their pocket or on a string around their neck.

Luck and Prosperity

Horseshoes have been used for centuries for protection and to draw luck. Growing up my parents always insisted on having iron horseshoes over the entrance, points up to keep the luck in!

Anvil dust, which is a byproduct of the forging process, has traditionally been used as a talisman to draw luck in love and money.

Grounding

Iron ritual items are very grounding. Use it in rituals and ceremonies as a way to connect with the natural world and the element of earth. It will help you feel more connected to the earth and its energies.

Cleansing

Iron can be a powerful tool for cleansing. An iron burning bowl used with the smoke to cleanse energy from a space. Or an iron pentacle can be used to cleanse a tarot deck or crystals.

It’s important to note that the use of iron in witchcraft and paganism varies among different traditions and belief systems. Now you know more about iron, find ways to incorporate it into your practices and see how it works for you.

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What is the difference between a Pentacle and a Pentagram?

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While the pentacle and the pentagram both feature a five-pointed star, the pentacle specifically refers to the symbol that is enclosed within a circle. Sometimes people use the terms pentacle and pentagram interchangeably, but it is important to note the difference between the two when discussing spiritual or magical symbolism.

What is a Pentacle?

A pentacle is a symbol that consists of a five-pointed star enclosed within a circle. The word “pentacle” comes from the Greek word “penta,” meaning “five,” and the Latin word “circulus,” meaning “circle.” It has also been linked with the middle French word “pentacol” (around 1328) which meant “talisman”.

Pentacles have been used as symbols for centuries in various cultures and spiritual traditions, including Wicca and Paganism. In these traditions, pentacles are often used as protective talismans or symbols of power and balance.

Pentacles can be made from various materials, including wood, metal, and stone, and may be inscribed or decorated with symbols or images that are meaningful to the individual using the pentacle. In our forge, we create beautiful iron pentacles that are then fire painted into a stunning, natural rainbow of colours.

Some people use pentacles as tools for ritual and magical purposes, such as casting spells or invoking certain energies or spirits. A pentacle talisman, especially an iron pentacle, can be a powerful cleansing tool, for cleansing tarot decks or crystals. Many pagans use a pentacle as an altar tool to hold items that will be ritually consecrated.

Pentacles in Tarot

In tarot there are four suits in the Minor Arcana, and one of the suits is commonly called Pentacles (it may also be referred to as Coins or Discs).

Pentacles in tarot are associated with the element of Earth, which represents the material world, practicality, stability, and abundance. The imagery of the Pentacles suit is often depicted with images of coins, pentagrams, or other symbols of wealth and prosperity.

The Pentacles suit represents material possessions, finances, work, career, and the physical realm. It can also represent the practical skills, talents, and abilities that we use to create abundance and stability in our lives. This suit can indicate financial stability, security, and success, as well as the hard work and effort required to achieve these things.

In Tarot, the Pentacles provide a holistic view of life and the human experience. It acknowledges that, while spiritual and emotional aspects of life are important, the material world is also a vital part of our existence. The Pentacles suit provides a framework for understanding our relationship with the material world, including our finances, possessions, and work.

The use of Pentacles in Tarot also reflects the historical and cultural context in which Tarot developed. Tarot has its roots in Renaissance Italy, a time when trade and commerce were flourishing, and wealth and prosperity were highly valued. The use of Pentacles in Tarot reflects this cultural emphasis on material abundance and success.

Overall, the Pentacles suit represents our relationship with the material world and our ability to manifest abundance and stability in our lives. It can indicate both the rewards of hard work and the challenges of financial or material instability.

What is a Pentagram?

A pentagram is a five-pointed star that can be drawn with a single continuous line and is commonly used in spell work.

The word “pentagram” comes from the Greek words “penta,” meaning “five,” and “gramma,” meaning “letter.”

Each of the five points of the star are associated with a different element, direction, or meaning depending on the tradition and context in which it is used.

In some spiritual and magical traditions, pentagrams are used as tools in rituals and magical practices. They can be used for invoking or banishing energies or spirits, casting spells, or creating protective talismans.

Pentagram Use Across Cultures

Pentagrams have been used as symbols in various cultures throughout history going back thousands of years. It is popular as a symbol of the five elements (earth, air, fire, water, and spirit), as a mathematical symbol, and as a symbol of various religions and spiritual traditions. Let’s explore a few of these different uses and meanings for the pentagram throughout history.

In geometry it is a polygon composed of 15 line segments with 10 points.

Sumerian cultures dating back to 4500 – 1900 BC, used the pentagram for the word “ub” which means cavity, angle, corner, nook, or small room.

Pythagoras used the pentagram as a symbol of man. The top point as the head, the sides as the hands, and the bottom angles as the legs. Ancient Greeks also used the pentagram as an illustration of the golden ratio and it was highly regarded as the symbol of perfection.

Ancient Judaism used the symbol to represent the five books (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy) of the Torah.

During the Middle Ages in Christian tradition, the five pointed pentagram star symbolized Christs’ five holy wounds which suffered during the crucifixion.

Ancient Celts used the pentagram as a symbol of the powerful ancient Celtic goddess, Morgan. She represents healing magic, battle, fertility, and sexuality.

Chinese Tradition used the symbol to stand for the five phases which are fire, earth, metal, water, and wood.

What is an Inverted Pentagram?

When a pentagram is inverted or upside-down it changes the meaning of the symbol. Some refer to this as a Satanic Pentagram.

An inverted pentagram is simply a five-pointed star with one point facing downward, instead of upward like a traditional pentagram. Inverted pentagrams are often associated with the occult and Satanism. They are popular as a symbol of rebellion and anti-Christian sentiment.

It’s really important to note that the inverted pentagram is not inherently evil or negative. Like all symbols, its meaning depends on context and intention. In some cases, it may be used as a symbol of personal transformation. With the downward-pointing triangle representing the descent of the divine into the human realm.

In some modern Pagan and Wiccan traditions, the inverted pentagram is used to represent the element of Earth and Matter, while the traditional upward-facing pentagram represents the element of Spirit. However, this usage is not common across all practices, and is not recognized by all Pagan or Wiccan paths.

The inverted pentagram gained popularity when it was used by the Church of Satan in the Sigil of Baphomet. Due to this and other associations, the inverted pentagram can be a controversial symbol.

Pentacle vs Pentagram in Magical Practice

Although uses and practices vary, here are a few ways you can use pentacles and pentagrams in your practice.

Place a pentacle on your altar. You can buy one made of iron, wood, crystal, precious metals or stone. Or you could make your own using something as simple as branches ethically harvested from a sacred tree. Use the pentacle to cleanse or protect. I have a special iron pentacle that I keep on my altar and place my tarot deck on it between readings.

When conducting a ritual, draw a pentagram on the ground or on a piece of paper to call on the elements of earth, air, fire, water and spirit.

Where a pentacle necklace as a protective talisman.

Create a tarot spread or rune reading using the pentagram form.

Scribe a pentagram onto a candle as part of a candle magic ritual or spell.

The use of these magical symbols continues to be popular today, especially in pagan practices. With an understanding of the pentacle and pentagram, you can use these symbols to further your magical path.

The post Pentacle vs Pentagram, What’s the Difference? appeared first on Forging Magic.

The Lovers Tarot Card Meaning

Disclaimer: This article may contain commission or affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Talk to any tarot reader and they will tell you, the most common questions they get are around love and relationships. So it is no wonder the Lovers tarot card is such a popular card. For many, when they see the Lovers turn up during a reading, especially one framed around love, their eyes light up. But should they be thrilled to see this card? Or is the message in the Lovers something else entirely?

The Lovers Card Imagery and Artwork

You can watch a video of the Lovers Tarot Cards on the Forging Magic YouTube Channel.

Rider Waite-Smith

First, let’s take a look at the imagery on the Lovers card in the traditional Rider Waite-Smith Tarot Deck.

The traditional Rider Waite-Smith deck features a man and a woman on either side, completely naked. The man is looking at the woman, while the woman is looking up at a glorious angel filling the sky. Their arms and wings outstretched, dressed in a heavy robe. Above the angel the sky is filled with a blazing sun. Below the angel is fluffy clouds.

The two humans are standing on barren ground, their heads in the clouds. Behind each is a tree. The tree behind the woman is filled with ripe, red fruit, but among the branches is a yellow snake or serpent. Behind the man is another tree, but this one has all of its branches in flames.

In the distance, we see a single mountain, or perhaps a volcano waiting to erupt (sometimes tarot is very on the nose!).

Other Imagery

Across different Tarot decks we see a wide range of imagery, but it always comes back to connection and love. Check out the art on these Lovers cards from various Tarot decks.

Tarot de Marseille – Johann Hess 1750

True Black Tarot

Oak, Ash and Thorn

Smoke, Ash and Embers

Witches Tarot

Nameless One

Children of Litha

Celtic Dragon Tarot

The Lovers Card Meaning

In the Major Arcana, the Lovers is card number 6, right between the Hierophant and the Chariot. Six is the symbol of balance and harmony. In Numerology, the number 6 represents the energies of love, nurturing, and family.

Themes and Keywords

The themes and keywords of the Lovers card are:

• Love
• Relationships
• Romance
• Passion
• Attraction
• Decisions and choices
• The choice between two paths
• Commitment
• Unity
• Duality

Astrological Correspondence

The Lovers Card corresponds with Gemini, symbolizing twins, duality, choices and air. Air is associated with communication, which is key for healthy, loving relationships.

Lovers Tarot Card Crystal Associations

When working with the Lovers card or building a love altar, you can use crystals to enhance your tarot work. Here are some crystal associations you can use in your practice.

• Rose Quartz – the crystal of love
• Blue Agate – to enhance communication in relationships
• Amethyst – a healer of the heart
• Emerald – the stone of successful love and domestic bliss (this is what I have in my engagement ring)
• Carnelian – for fiery, passionate love (get that volcano erupting!)

The Lovers Card Angel

The angel is Raphael, the angel of air, who is of the same element of the zodiac sign that governs this card: Gemini. Raphael appears to be giving his blessing for the union and provides a bigger, cosmic energy to the card.

In the Tales Behind Tarot, the story of the Lovers Card includes a special message from the Angel to the Fool. “It all starts and ends with love, and every decision, if made with love, is the right decision at the time. I must follow my heart and love myself – that is the key. It may take me away from here and down a new path, but I must be true to myself.“

The Garden of Eden

The naked man and woman, the fruit tree =, the snake or serpent, along with the tree of flames, reminds us of the Garden of Eden and the biblical story of Adam and Eve with the apple tree. Eve’s tree is the Tree of Knowledge, while Adam’s tree has 12 flames representing the 12 zodiac signs. More than a warning, the trees offer enlightenment about the temptation of sensual pleasure which can distract you from the divine path. They show that with every choice comes risks and rewards. One must consider their choices carefully, but lead with their intuition and heart.

The Lovers Card in a Tarot Spread

When the Lovers card appears in a Tarot reading it usually refer to the importance of love and connections in a persons life. This could be the importance of a specific relationship, but look beyond just a romantic relationship, it could be a business partnership, soulmate or friend or family member. Or it could also reference self love. The value and key role love plays in the situation will be based on the question asked and the surrounding cards.

Don’t forget that our people are sky-clad with everything hanging out. The Lovers card reminds us that to truly experience love and a powerful bond with another we need to be vulnerable, open, and trusting. That both parties need to be all in when it comes to working together, to make each other the best they can be. They need honesty, compassion and to empower each other. Together they are confident, united and filled with passion as they navigate the world. Their union blessed by a greater cosmic force.

But before the Lovers unite, they need to make a choice. Is this the right time (and person) to fully let go, strip down, and trust in this person? Or do they need to work on other things first to establish a sound and healthy foundation upon which they can build those connections? Or perhaps there is a greater choice between following ones heart or head. But when your head is in the clouds, can you really make the best decisions?

Lovers Reversed

Reversed Lovers refers to a damaging or destructive love. It could be in the form of unhealthy relationships, a lack of self-love (or even self hatred), or the lack of maturity to form true love bonds. Reversed, the message may be a warning… the fiery passion could come back to burn, if caution is not taken and the right choices made. When the Lovers card appears in a reading reversed it could indicate disharmony, imbalance or a misalignment of values. When looking for areas to improve ourselves, the reversed Lovers tells us to watch for disconnection, detachment, trust issues, a lack of vulnerability or the need to set boundaries.

Incorporating the Message of the Lovers into Daily Practice

The Lovers tarot card is about love and choices. Set this card on your altar to remind yourself to focus on self-love first. Focus on building a deeper understanding of who you are, your personal beliefs, and connection with your divine, spiritual self. To be vulnerable and open when forming connections with your tribe. Always be generous in your support and empower those you love be the best they can be. To make choices and decisions, knowing the risks and rewards, but always following your heart.

Place the lovers card beside a special mirror. Then look in the mirror so you can see yourself and the Lovers Card, and repeat the lovers affirmations that resonate with you.

Lovers Card Affirmations

When working with the Lovers card and bringing that energy into your daily work, here are some affirmations you can use.

• I am worthy of love.
• I deserve nurturing, fulfilling, healthy love.
• I love myself.
• My inner self is strong, my heart is faithful, and my love is unconditional.
• I am deserving of help, affection, and support.
• I let go and I trust that love will find me.
• I release all past hurt and am ready to be vulnerable in love.
• True love starts within.
• I open myself to the love of the Divine.
• My heart is open and ready to love all around me.
• I love myself without judgement.
• I chose love over fear.
• I am responsible for my happiness.
• I surrender to the flow of love bonds as they wax and wane.
• I embrace the journey of deepening my connection with myself and my guides.
• Devoting my energy to healing myself, heals others.
• In the end, love is what matters.
• I will love myself without regret.
• We are all connected. We are all star dust.

If you are looking for a tarot spell to do using the Lovers card, I highly recommend The Tarot Spellbook. They have a wonderful spell for each card, including the Lovers Card. You can read our review of the Tarot Spellbook here.

The Lovers Card in tarot is a very special card to many. May your journey to connect with this card lead you to greater love, joy, peace, and happiness.

More Fun Tarot Love Resources

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Discovering Your Own Spiritual Path

Disclaimer: This article may contain commission or affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Embracing your spirituality is something anyone can do. Here are a few ideas to get you started.

Step One: Find Your Traditions

No matter what your beliefs are, you need to find some traditions that work for you. You may want to do something every day, like a daily tarot or oracle card pull or reciting affirmations, or just on holidays and special occasions, like Full Moon Rituals. There is no right answer, and you can change your rituals as you grow and change.

The traditions you grow up with can be a valuable source of comfort later in life. Reflecting on meaningful times and reusing them from one generation to the next can provide clarity, understanding and love in your life.

Step Two: Meditate

Meditation can be a spiritual practice, an excellent way to clear your mind of clutter before starting something new or making important decisions.

Meditation is like the ultimate reboot for both body and brain: it calms you down and helps you think more clearly. It’s also been shown to have physical benefits such as lowering blood pressure, reducing stress levels, improving immune function- all things everyone can use more of in their life!

Step Three: Give Back

One thing that all religions have in common is the idea of doing good deeds for others and giving back. This is also an idea that is worth introducing into your day even if you are not religious.

When you do good deeds for others, it is like giving a gift to your community and our planet. When we give back we are improving the collective and making our world a better place. This benefits not only you, but those you love and future generations.

Step Four: Find Your Purpose

If you are feeling lost, it can be helpful to reflect on what is important and meaningful to you. What gives your life meaning? What do you want people to remember about you, and what will be your legacy?

Sometimes finding your way in life and discovering your purpose can be tough. But just like when you’re lost, sometimes the best thing to do is stop and take a deep breath and reflect on what really matters most to you. What brings you joy? What fills your bucket? Reflecting on these things may help provide some guidance as we move forward with our lives.

Step Five: Practice Gratitude And Acceptance

What are you grateful for? Gratitude can be a spiritual practice because it helps to put things into perspective and helps us find peace with what we have.

The practice of gratitude reminds us that there are many things about which we should feel thankful – from small pleasures such as waking up feeling rested or walking outside in the sunshine-to bigger events such as graduating college with no student loans!

You can easily start a Gratitude Journal to help you embrace gratitude as a daily ritual.

Step Six: Get Outside

Take a walk in nature. For many, it is important to do this alone if possible. Many of us, especially parents, find ourselves constantly surrounded by distractions. Taking time to be alone with your thoughts is an excellent way to clear away the clutter of life before starting something new or making important decisions. If you can do this by going into nature the results are even greater.

Being in nature is so important for us as humans. We need to connect with the land and with the skies above. It is easy to lose that connection in our indoor, concrete filled societies, which is why it is so important to find ways to get back into nature and foster that connection with Gaia.

Step Seven: Start A Journal

It is both therapeutic and helpful for you to learn how to write down what’s on your mind so that it doesn’t weigh you down with negative thoughts.

There are many different approaches you can take to journaling. Our favourite is to create a Manifestation Journal. The goal is to help you manifest your dreams and desires into reality.

Another option would be to start a Tarot Journal and do a daily reading.

We are big believers in the power of daily journaling. To help you on your journey we have provided free journal pages to help you get started. You can access our free journal pages by joining the Forging Magic mailing list.

Step Eight: Make Time For Yourself Every Day

We all need a little time for ourselves to take care of our mental and emotional well-being. Every day, spend at least 10 minutes doing something that makes you happier — it could be reading your favourite book, connecting with friends, or taking deep breaths while meditating. Whatever it is that makes you happy, find a bit of time for it every day. I personally love to read and bake.

Step Nine: Acknowledge That You Aren’t Perfect And Give Yourself Permission To Make Mistakes

Acknowledge that mistakes happen, and it’s okay to make them! It is much better than living in fear of making the same mistake over again. Allow yourself acceptance for your failures too, so you can learn from what went wrong without crippling anxiety or sadness about not being perfect all the time. It is only by taking risks and making mistakes that we can truly grow and reach our full potential.

Step Ten: Focus on Quality Sleep

Self care is so important. From eating well, exercises, embracing positive mental health practices to sleeping well.

The benefits of a good night’s sleep cannot be overstated. Sleep not only influences your mental state and concentration levels, but it also impacts physical health in many ways. Not enough sleep can lead to weight gain or put you at risk for diabetes or heart disease.

The effects of insufficient rest are felt both internally and externally: from the increase in appetite that comes with being tired to decreased muscle strength because of inadequate recovery time; therefore getting 7-8 hours every night will make all the difference.

Step Eleven: Learn From Others

Some people find that talking to someone who has had similar experiences is a good way of feeling less alone and getting guidance. You might be introduced to new practices you may never have heard about otherwise. You can do this by joining local groups, joining online forums, or consulting a professional. Building a village takes time, but with effort you can find yourself surrounded by people that fill you up and aid you on your journey.

Step Twelve: Follow Your Intuition

Always trust your instincts and intuition. Pay attention to that flutter in your stomach, or that change in your heart rate. Listen to your body and heart. Find the paths to spirituality that speak to you, and give you a sense of hope and purpose and joy. The more positivity we can create in our own lives, the more we have to share with others.

A Spiritual Path

We can all lead a more positive, spiritual life. Be open to the idea of changing your perspective and try it for yourself. Even just trying a few of these ideas can make a huge difference.

Let nothing stand in your way of living a spiritual life that fulfills you and makes you a better person. By becoming more connected with your spirit, your path will have greater clarity, your days filled with more peace, and your life filled with blessings.

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Oak, Ash & Thorn Tarot

Disclaimer: This article may contain commission or affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Back in early 2020 as the world was turned on its head, many of us sought the guidance of tarot to help us through a wild and crazy time. Personally I was also struggling with grief after he loss of my father, adding to the tumultuous time for me. It was during this period that I turned to tarot in a big way. I joined many online tarot groups and started to really dive into the world of tarot.

Although it had been 30 years since I bought my first tarot deck, I quickly realized the world of tarot has changed a lot and there were so many amazing new decks available. It was very exciting seeing tarot being reimagined in so many different ways.

It was during this time that I started hearing about a Kickstarter for a tarot deck that had a lot of people talking – Oak, Ash & Thorn or OAT. Although I didn’t join the Kickstarter the artwork struck a cord with me and I often thought about the deck. I followed the creator on social media and even joined their mailing list.

It wasn’t until they came out with a second deck, Smoke, Ash & Embers, that I finally took the leap. This second deck was teased when OAT was released with the Possibilities’ card, which was a bonus card featuring a dragon.

I am dragon obsessed! So I was excited to see the second deck was completely dragon themed.

As soon as they were available on the special preorder, I ordered both Oak, Ash & Thorn and Smoke, Ash & Embers from the UK.

And when the decks arrived, it was so worth it! Here I explore Oak, Ash & Thorn, but you can read my thoughts on Smoke, Ash & Embers Tarot as well.

The Creators

The creators of the deck are Stephanie Burrows and Adam Oehlers. Both reside in the UK with Stephanie being the creator and Adam the artist behind the gorgeous images.

Stephanie’s inspiration for this deck was the English countryside including the beautiful old trees and woodland creatures. She grew up with her mother reading tarot for friends and family, but Stephanie’s own passion for tarot didn’t start until the passing of her father.

This really resonated with me. I dabbled with tarot on and off since my teen years, but it was the passing of my father that really drew me to the cards.

Adam is the artist behind the bespoke and beautiful artwork in this tarot deck. According to Kickstarter, he loves classic illustrations, old stories and fairy tales. His goal is to tell a story with every illustration. His work is truly magical.

The combination of Stephanie and Adam has produced a truly unique and special tarot deck.

Tarot Deck Flip Through

If you are anything like me, you love to see all the artwork before committing to a deck. So I created this video showing you all the gorgeous cards.

About Oak, Ash & Thorn Tarot Deck

Drawing from local English folklore, it is said that when an oak, ash and thorn tree grow entwined on a hillside, it marks a portal to the otherworld or the dwelling of spirits. The magic of these three trees inspired the name of the company that created this deck, Three Trees Tarot.

RWS Deck

OAT is based on the popular Rider, Waite, Smith format, making it easy for anyone familiar with Tarot to use, and you can use most Tarot books to help with understanding the cards and their meanings if needed.

Reference Cards

Instead of providing a large guidebook, which does not align with the minimalist, eco-friendly approach the deck creators have embraced, there are two additional cards included with the deck. They are double-sided reference cards featuring keywords for each card. These simple prompts work with the art to help you read the cards intuitively.

Due to the incredible, detailed, and well thought out artwork, it is very easy to read these cards. Each one does a beautiful job of telling a story and evoking the spirit, wisdom and nature of each card in a traditional RWS deck. All with stunning, mystical art. However, if you need additional help, a PDF guidebook is available with the purchase of the deck.

Tarot Deck Specs

The tarot cards are standard sized at 70mm x 120mm (2.75″ x 4.75″), with white borders and rounded corners. The cards are a nice thickness and have a wonderful feel. I have very small hands and do find it difficult to shuffle the whole deck at once, but this is a common problem I have with a lot of tarot decks. So I simply adjust my shuffle techniques.

The back of the cards are not reversible due to the medallion in the middle which includes the creatures from each suit. It is a fairly small detail though, so I feel the deck can still be used if you read reversals.

The Artwork

For me, one of the draws of new tarot decks is stunning artwork. Oak, Ash & Thorn delivers in a big way when it comes to the art.

The illustrations are so magical and transport readers to a whimsical woodland filled with creatures to inspire and share wisdom. There is an old vintage feel to the art, which is comforting and feels incredibly familiar and safe. I realize safe might be a strange word to use when talking about a tarot deck, but that is the word that comes to mind when I look at this artwork. The messages are being delivered with a beauty and warmth that makes it feel safe to open yourself to what you are being told by the cards.

When I use this tarot deck, I feel like I am in the arms of my grandmother, listening to her tell me stories and sharing her wisdom and knowledge. It is that kind of warmth and safety that I feel from this deck.

The Major Arcana

The major arcana in Oak, Ash and Thorn is filled with an entire forest of magical creatures. Each card is beautifully represented by this collection of woodland animals, from the spindly legged fawn for the Fool Card to the stag presenting a glowing world to his new fawn, the journey is perfectly presented.

I pulled a few of my favourite Major Arcana Cards from OAT. The artwork on the Hierophant Card and the Wheel of Fortune Card are particular favourites of mine.

The Minor Arcana

The minor arcana continues with the rich messaging and powerful imagery. Each suit has an animal theme, with the animal chosen embracing the spirit of the suit.

• Hares for Pentacles representing the material world and a grounded, bountiful spirit.
• Squirrels for Cups representing feelings, emotions and relationships with a heart-centered spirit.
• Ravens for Swords representing intellect, thoughts and state of mind, with a logical and intelligent spirit.
• Foxes for Wands representing creativity, inspiration and passion with a bold and adventurous spirit.

A Tarot Deck that Cares for the Environment

When looking at tarot decks, the environmental impact of your deck may not be something that comes immediately to mind. But it is a very important part of this deck, which aligns beautifully with the nature based nature of OAT. Oak, Ash and Thorn Tarot is printed sustainably on 400 GSM, FSC accredited, carbon balanced paper with veggie inks. The cards are also protected by matte, anti-scuff laminate which gives the cards a wonderful feel in the hand.

Tarot Greeting Spread

When I get a new tarot deck, after cleansing and getting to know the deck, I like to do a Greeting Spread. I did a three card pull and thought it would be fun to share it as part of this review.

Questions

1. What should I know about this deck?
2. How can I best work with this deck?
3. What can I expect from working with this deck?

The Cards

1. Ten of Pentacles – Security and Family Matters. This deck is going to focus on what truly matters, those we love and helping foster those important lifelong connections. It will help build a strong foundation upon which I can grow. This will be done in a secure and safe way.
2. Two of Cups – Sharing and Togetherness. OAT is going to work best for me if I put in as much as I want to get out of my time with the deck. The more time I spend together with this deck, the more little details and messages pop out. Connections are key and I need to focus on building that connection with the deck to gain the most from my practice with it.
3. The Magician – Influence, Resourcefulness, Opportunity. This card is all about learning to tap into our tools, our powers, our talents, and learn how to use what we have to create those opportunities that will aid us on our journey. The Magician speaks to using our tools to manifest our dreams and desires into reality. Through working with this deck it will help me become stronger, better, more in tune and ready when those opportunities come. Working with OAT will help me manifest my dreams and desires. Talk about an amazing card pull!

When I revisited this this reading after using the deck for a few months, and thought about the cards, it was exactly what I should have expected from this magical deck that provides such a safe space for learning and growth.

Final Thoughts

Oak, Ash & Thorn is a truly unique tarot deck. It is inviting, it is whimsical, and it has a special magic that makes you want to dive into the world of the woodland creatures featured on each card. This tarot deck is ready to take readers on a wonderful journey and provide a truly joyful experience.

If you are interested in buying Oak, Ash & Thorn Tarot, you can purchase it directly from the creator on the Three Trees Tarot website.

More Tarot

The post Oak, Ash and Thorn Tarot Deck Review appeared first on Forging Magic.

Discover the power of Tarot Spells for Manifestation and Magick

Disclaimer: This article may contain commission or affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

When it comes to tapping into our inner wisdom, one of the most powerful tools is tarot. Over the years of my study of tarot, it has become a passion of mine.

What is Tarot?

You can learn more about Tarot is our resource: What is Tarot? but here is a quick summary. 

Tarot is a form of cartomancy, which is divination using cards.

The most popular type of tarot is called the Rider, Waite, Smith or RWS Tarot.

Tarot is a deck of 78 cards usually with elaborate and profoundly emotional imagery. The deck has two arcana: 22 major arcana cards which are named cards and follow the major themes of one’s life journey. Plus, 56 minor arcana cards which are numbered cards ace through ten, with court cards in 4 suits, usually called swords, wands, pentacles and cups.

Tarot is often used for fortune telling, spiritual guidance, manifesting your higher self, or to gain clarity on the questioner’s life issues.

Learning to read tarot and tap into the lessons taught by the cards is a lifelong journey, but it is also something anyone can explore. Often, we start by learning the meaning of cards and simple tarot card spreads. But today we want to explore a new way to work with tarot and tap into the energy and power of tarot through tarot spells.

How to do Spells with Tarot Cards

Each tarot card has its own energy, messages and meanings. This makes them a powerful ritual tool.

Looking for love? Work with the Lovers or Two of Cups.

Are you seeking your purpose? Work with the Star card.

Want to manifest your desires? The Magician card is the one calling to you.

The list goes on as each card in the deck speaks to different issues. Simply find the card that resonates with your desires to start tapping into that soul searching, inner wisdom.

A Simple Tarot Spell

You can create a simple tarot spell by:

• Cleanse your area, yourself and your mind.
• Pull the tarot card you wish to work with in this spell.
• Focus on one word that encapsulates your desire or focus, this could be the name or energy of the tarot card, for example: 9 of Pentacles could be Abundance or Success.
• Choose a candle for your spell. You may want to pick a specific colour of candle that aligns with your spellwork.
• Using a candle scribe or pin, scribe carve the word or name of the tarot card into your candle. For minor arcana you can simply use ‘9ofP’ for 9 of Pentacles.
• Optional – Anoint the candle with herbs and oils that resonate with the purpose of your spell.
• Set your tarot card in front of the candle. Focus on the imagery, then as you recite the word, light your candle.
• Meditate on card. You can look at it, hold it, whatever works for you.
• Focus on the energies, emotions and thoughts that come to mind. Let the messages come to you.
• You may wish to ask a question of tarot to help make sense of the messages.
• When your meditation is done, take a cleansing breath, give thanks, and snuff the candle.
• You can leave this set up and return until the candle is finished or your desires have been achieved.

The Tarot Spellbook

Learning how to incorporate tarot into your spell work and rituals may feel a little overwhelming at first, but I have a powerful resource to help you get started.

The Tarot Spellbook by Sam Magdaleno is a fantastic book that explores each individual tarot card and how you can use it in ritual work and spellwork.

This gorgeous book begins with a brief overview of spell work, including:

• how to set up your space
• cleansing
• casting circles
• magical timings including moon phases, days of the week, and time of day so you can find the perfect time for your spellwork
• sigil magick
• plus intentions and mindset

From there it provides two pages on every tarot card in both the major arcana and minor arcana.

These pages are GOLD!

They include gorgeous imagery, a brief summary of the card including keywords, then a detailed tarot spell to do with the card. This is followed by some journalling prompts.

Thoughts on Tarot Spellbook

The bulk of the pages are dedicated to the spell which I felt was fabulous. However, some may feel they need to supplement this book with additional resources that provide more information on the meaning of the cards, crystals, magical timings, sigils, etc. that are being used in the spells.

I feel like this book is like ‘grandmas recipe book’. It doesn’t go into details on the techniques, the assumption is that you already know the basics and techniques. Grandma simply provides the ingredients and some basic directions. But those recipes, if you can learn the techniques, provide incredible results!

If you feel you need more details to make the most of your tarot spells, definitely pair this book with other resources to make the most of it. You will not regret it!

What I love about The Tarot Spellbook is that most of the spells go beyond basic spell work and simple spells. They are carefully researched, and are more in depth than many resources. On top of that the artistry is stunning and it is extremely well written!

One thing many of the spells require is the consumption of the tarot card. If you are anything like me, you likely have multiple tarot decks, so you may have one that you are willing to sacrifice to these spells. If you don’t, and don’t wish to purchase a deck for spell work, you could draw your own or photocopy your cards.

This book is a fabulous guide for doing tarot spells for everyone from those new to tarot, to seasoned pagans, mediums and mystics who have been using tarot for years.

Why Do Tarot Spells?

So why even bother with doing tarot spells?

Tarot spells are a powerful way to work magick. Using tarot in your ritual work, you can tap into the incredible manifesting energies and knowledge of tarot.

This is also a wonderful way to learn more about Tarot. With each spell you are connecting with that card in new and profound ways. You will find yourself discovering new messages and meanings, and manifesting a greater connection with your own inner wisdom and soul through your extensive work with each card.

I highly recommend using tarot in your rituals and the Tarot Spellbook makes a wonderful guide along the path of manifestation and enlightenment. Definitely add this one to your list!

More on Tarot

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Working with Celestial Energy – the Full Moon Ceremony

Disclaimer: This article may contain commission or affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

If you find yourself running a bit slower, if the world seems noisier, if your energy is a feeling out of sync with the world before and after a full moon, don’t worry. You’re not alone.

I often describe it as if my spirit feels raw during this time. Like when something has been rubbing against your skin over and over again until it turns red and the skin is irritated.

The full moon can be a time of struggle and chaos, but with the right intentions and work, you can turn it into a powerful time of reflection, recharging, reconnecting and new beginnings.

What is a Full Moon Ritual?

A full moon ritual can be an elaborate ceremony or a simple act of self-care. It can be done as a group with your fellow moon lovers, or you can work with the moon energies in a solitary ritual. Whether you have all night, or just a few minutes, you can commit to a full moon ritual every month and start to see the benefits of moon rituals.

In general, the focus is on aligning yourself with the rhythms and energy of the universe and something greater than your existence here on Earth. The goal of your specific moon rituals may vary. You may focus on manifesting your dreams and desires, self-care and connection, love, healing for yourself, community or the world.

Moon Magic is about working with celestial energies and nature. We know the moon phases have a profound effect on our oceans and planet, so it only makes sense that our human bodies, with their high level of water, are also affected on a smaller scale. A moon ritual harnesses that influence and brings our attention to the cycles it creates.

Why do a Moon Ritual?

In many ways nature provides us with everything we need to live a healthy, fulfilling life, but increasingly we are finding ourselves disconnected from the natural world.

For many people, the discovery of Moon Rituals has enabled them to tap into the magic of nature, and the moon, as part of their spiritual practice, self-care, and wellbeing. Using the phases of the Moon to commit to regular rituals into your monthly routine helps you become more in tune with the natural cycles of our universe and ourselves.

Doing a monthly Moon ritual can help you:

• disconnect from the busyness of life (and those screens!)
• get back in tune with nature and your body
• manifest your dreams and desires
• build stronger connections
• improve your wellbeing
• live life with more intention

Think of doing Full Moon Rituals as natures alarm clock, reminding you every 29.5 days to take some time to focus on yourself.

When to do a Full Moon Ritual?

The obvious answer to this is: during the full moon. Full moon energies are associated with energy, abundance, fruition, gratitude, new beginnings, cleansing and letting go of the things that no longer serve us.

But when is the moon full?

The moon cycles every 29.5 days. During that time, it goes through eight phases: new Moon, waxing crescent, first quarter, waxing gibbous, full Moon, waning gibbous, third quarter and waning crescent.

There are a number of different sites or apps you can use to track the lunar cycles. I like to use My Moon Phase which is available for Android and IOS.

What if you can’t do a full moon ritual on the night of the full moon?

Although it is best to do your rituals on the night of the full moon, doing it the day before or after is not the end of the world. Work with what feels right for you.

I truly feel it is better to do something imperfectly, rather than always stressing about perfection, and then not doing the things that are important. Embrace imperfection!

Full Moon Names

The full moon has different names depending on the month, and which culture you are working with. Working with the energy of these full moons and their seasons can influence your rituals. Commonly used moon names with the lunar calendar in North American are:

January – Wolf Moon
February – Snow Moon
March – Worm Moon
April – Pink Moon
May – Flower Moon
June – Strawberry Moon
July – Buck Moon
August – Sturgeon Moon
September – Harvest Moon
October – Hunter’s Moon
November – Beaver Moon
December – Cold Moon

What is a Blue Moon?

A Blue Moon has nothing to do with the colour of the moon. A Blue Moon is simply the second full moon in a month.

The moon completes a cycle every 29.5 days, which means it takes just 354 days to complete 12 lunar cycles. So every 2.5 years or so a 13th full moon is observed within a calendar year. This moon is called the Blue Moon. This is where the term, “once in a blue moon” comes from when referring to something rare.

Full Moons of 2023

Plan ahead for all the full moons in 2023.

January 6 – Wolf Moon
February 5 – Snow Moon
March 7 – Worm Moon
April 6 – Pink Moon
May 5 – Flower Moon
June 3 – Strawberry Moon
July 3 – Buck Moon
August 1 – Sturgeon Moon (Super Moon)
August 30 – Blue Moon (Super Moon)
September 29 – Harvest Moon
October 28 – Hunter’s Moon
November 27 – Beaver Moon
December 29 – Cold Moon

So what rituals can you do to work with the incredible full moon energy? Here are some ideas that anyone can use.

Full Moon Rituals for Connecting, Manifesting and Empowering

Make Full Moon Water

One of the first things you can do to celebrate the Full Moon and embrace those lunar energies is to make Full Moon Water. This is a simple ritual, which will provide you with moon water so you can enjoy those full moon energies all month long in your other spells and rituals. All you need is a jar, water and the full moon. Our popular How to Make Moon Water instructions can help you make the most of this ritual.

Full Moon Cleansing Ritual

The full moon is a fantastic time to perform a cleansing rite. This could be on yourself, your space or on special items.

Cleansing Space

For my space I do a regular clean using natural cleaning hacks, then use a besom (broom) to sweep negative or stagnant energy out the door. Finally, I cleanse the space with smoke, setting intentions for a peaceful, joyful, loving sacred space.

Cleansing Yourself

To cleanse yourself, draw a ritual bath complete with candles, essential oils, bathing salts or bath bombs, your fluffiest towels, and beautiful music. While you soak focus on your body, starting with your toes and work your way right up to the top of your head. As you focus on each part of your body, direct loving energy to it until your whole body is filled with love and positive energy.

Cleansing Items like Tarot or Crystals

To cleanse my items, for example cleansing a tarot deck, I will take each card and cleanse it with smoke, then I set the entire deck on a pentacle, protective cloth, or selenite plate. If the weather is clear and still, I will take the tarot deck outdoors into direct moonlight. If the weather is not suitable for taking the item outside, I will use a windowsill that still provides direct moonlight. I then use my wand or hands to direct the moons energy into the item.

No matter what cleansing ritual I am doing with the full moon, I will take a moment at the end to close my eyes, meditate and ask the moon to clear away any negativity, and imbue myself, the space or item with beautiful lunar energies.

Tarot Full Moon Ritual

I am quite obsessed with tarot, so incorporating it into my full moon ritual is a natural fit. My favourite full moon tarot ritual is to set up my sacred space. I cleanse it, set out crystals and candles, then shuffle. For my tarot spread I like to do a simple three card spread:

1. What energies am I bringing with me from the previous moon cycle?
2. What current influences are affecting me as we begin the new cycle?
3. Where should I place my focus in this new lunar cycle?

Since the full moon is a powerful time to cleanse, I will sometimes pull a fourth card asking, “what thoughts or ideas do I need to let go?”

Make sure you journal your reading!

Crystals for the Full Moon

Creating a crystal grid on the full moon is a magical way to use crystals and the full moon energy to set your intentions for the month. If you are new to crystal gridding, we have a resource introducing this sacred geometry approach to using crystals.

Some crystals you can use during the full moon are:

• Moonstone – new beginnings as you start the new moon cycle
• Ammolite – believed to have absorbed cosmic energy shown by its vibrant colours, this fossil also draws abundance and prosperity.
• Amythest – connect with your intuition
• Aquamarine – connect with the ocean and tides affected by the moon cycles
• Onyx, Tourmaline or Obsidian – assist in letting go and grounding
• Citrine – for manifestation and self confidence
• Quartz – amplify your intentions

Find more crystals for your practice with the Crystal Bible.

Moon Meditations

The full moon is the perfect time to meditate. It doesn’t need to take long, 5 minutes is perfect. Find a place to sit or stand, if possible in the moonlight, then once you are comfortable practice deep breathing and stilling your mind. Your mind will wander, but gently bring it back to your breathing.

For some people they need a focal point during meditation. If you need a focal point, you can use the tarot Moon card (or pull a card for your meditation) or use a crystal. Moonstone is a great choice but use what attracts you. Trust in yourself.

Full Moon Manifestation Ritual

The full moon is about new beginnings and a powerful time for manifestation rituals. Here is a simple manifestation ritual you can do.

Start by creating an altar or sacred space where you can perform this ritual. Fill this altar with inspirational objects such as moon water, crystals, tarot cards, photos, handwritten notes, items from nature (feathers, leaves, flowers), candles, wands, keys, anything that aligns with your manifestation goals and the energies you want to bring to your ritual.

Sitting or standing in front of your altar, meditate and relax your mind for a few moments. Focus on grounding yourself and allowing the energy of the full moon to enter you. Then bring your focus on to your intentions and goals. Focus until they are very clear. If it helps your focus, write your goals in a journal and have it open on your altar.

Close your eyes, silence any negative thoughts. Visualize the moonlight bringing you the energies you need to manifest your desires. Visualize yourself attracting exactly what you want and your goals becoming reality.

When you are finished journal your thoughts and experiences. If you wish, leave your altar up and spend a few minutes every day at your altar meditating. You can do this for a few days or until the new moon. Do what feels right for you.

Candle Magic Full Moon Ritual

To do a candle magic moon ritual you will need paper and pen, a candle and lighter, essential oils for dressing the candle and a snuffer. You can also use a candle scribe.

Start by writing your intentions or manifestation goals for the upcoming lunar cycle on a small piece of paper. This should be simple and to the point. One word may be all that is needed. Examples are:

• abundance
• strength
• resilience
• prosperity
• fertility
• bravery
• love

You can then scribe the word (or a symbol of your word) into your candle or place the paper under the candle (ensure you are using a burn safe candle holder or container).

Dress the candle with essential oils that align with your intentions. Light your candle while asking the moon to bring the energies of your intentions and goals into your life. Meditate on the flame. When you are finished, snuff the candle and give thanks. Light the candle daily and reflect on your intentions until the candle is finished.

Journaling

Many enjoy the process of journaling, but it is one of those things that can often get pushed to the side. I find writing after my moon rituals to be very powerful. Whether you want to do a manifestation journal or gratitude journal or tarot journal, work through your emotions, thoughts and sensations that come up during your moon ritual.

Use your journaling time to focus on celebrating your achievements and growth from the previous moon cycle. Give gratitude for blessings that have come your way. Explore that which no longer serves you and set intentions of cleansing and letting go where necessary. Include an affirmation that celebrates the abundance and positive energies in your life. Harness the unique power of the full moon and journaling to bring clarity to your life.

To help with your practice we have some free Journal pages you can use.

Full Moon Affirmations

Affirmations can be done as their own ritual, but usually it is best to incorporate them into your other rituals, such as moon walks, journaling, or after a self-cleansing ritual.

Some powerful affirmations that work with the full moon energies are:

• I am grateful for all I have achieved and the abundance in my life.
• I let go and I trust.
• I am successful, even if I fail.
• I celebrate the body, life and love I have been gifted.
• I am strong, even when I struggle.

Add additional power to your affirmations by creating a sacred moon mirror and say your affirmations to your reflection.

Self-care, Self-love, Self-reflection Moon Walks

During the full moon one of the best things you can do during a full moon is get outside and bath yourself in the moonlight. This can be done as a walk, simply standing or dancing in the moonlight. As you are being bathed in the moonlight reflect and bring your attention inward. Then open yourself to the moon’s loving energy.

Embracing Celestial Energy to Improve Your World

No matter what full moon ritual you choose to do, the most important thing is to be intentional in what you do. The goal is not perfection. Your timing may not be perfect, the weather may not cooperate, perhaps you are sick or life throws a curveball at you and your energies feel off. No matter what is going on, setting the intention of doing a full moon ritual every month, and committing to making it happen, is key.

Spend a few moments on the full moon every month disconnecting from the chaos of life, focusing inward to your spirit and upward to the moon.

Just breathe. Be in the moment. Feel your connection to something higher.

Becoming in tune with natural lunar cycles will help you achieve deeper connection with yourself, our world and the Universe. Allowing you to follow your path with greater intention and clarity.

More Resources on the Moon

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Astrology for the Cosmic Soul Review

Disclaimer: This article may contain commission or affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

The book has great beginner knowledge if you’re just getting into astrology. If you’ve ever found yourself being like, “rising what? Moon who?” then this book will help you out without overwhelming you. 

As with their instagram page, the book is a feast for the eyes. Bell bottoms, berets, go-go boots, and their signature full-lips and full-lashes look. Informative and fashionable with an emphasis on fun.

Introducing Astrology for the Cosmic Soul

The Pulp Girls present information on beginner astrology. Your big three, the modalities, the planets, elements, and how to get your birth chart. It’s plenty to get started understanding astrology, your chart, and the charts of your friends.

They include the traditional and modern planetary rulers of the signs, which I love. These are the planets that ruled the signs when we only knew of seven planets in our solar system. Knowing both planets gives us a more complete, nuanced understanding of our astrological placements, so I thought it was great they included them.

The big three (sun, moon, and rising) are described so you know what they are. Then each sign is described in the sun, moon, and rising placement.

They also include the major arcana card which is associated with each astrological sign and give a brief explanation. Learning the astrology of the tarot is a powerful way to learn about the cards with more depth and nuance.

Check out their stellar tarot deck and our review of it here!

The first half or so of the book is educational (and adorable, fashionable, and fabulous). The second half has their cute and sexy images and hot-takes on the signs that we all love so much from their online content. It’s a fun mix of informative and creative, with lots of visuals to enjoy.

My Faves

Something that I really liked is their section that focuses on stereotypes vs reality. With so many of us getting a lot of info about the signs from memes and reels, it’s easy for confusion to occur. This section gives you an idea of what is true and what is just said. 

Some of their more playful takes on the zodiac (such as Never Tell A Sign…) are not only fun, they’re also helpful ways to remember the info you’re reading. These sections are entertaining ways to see the signs in action instead of only reading about their characteristics. 

The Signs as Classic Halloween costumes is cheeky and fun. Not only that, the info feels well thought-out and accurate, not just random or cute for the sake of being cute. It’s a creative way to read about our signs and to learn about ourselves.

How I Felt About My Placements

I can see how fabulous the imagery is, I see the far out fashion, and I see the accessibility of the information. Now let’s see how I feel about the Pulp Girls’ description of my placements!

Virgo Sun: I loved Virgo’s feature in the Classic Costumes section. A vampire who sips red wine out of a fancy chalice? I literally have fancy red chalices for red wine! Fun and accurate!

Virgo’s thought in the feature Late Night Thoughts section: “Is there a more efficient way to fit sleep into my schedule?” My goodness, I feel SEEN and shooketh! Well played, Pulp Girls!

Aries Moon: Describing this placement as being the definition of a mover and a shaker was, for me, on point! And pointing out that if our fiery passion isn’t well managed it can burn itself out was a great reminder to tend to my flame with some patience and perseverance. 

Cancer Rising: They hit the nail on the head when they described this placement as being sensitive to the vibes of things! This cancer rising is energetically sensitive, as are most of those with this placement. They point out that our moods shift as the mood around us shifts, and that is something I have for sure felt before.

The Pulp Girls did a bang up job of describing my big three in ways that brought attention to the strengths of my placements and their challenging aspects, as well. It’s a great way to learn about ourselves that reminds us of our natural abilities, as well as our blind spots. 

Should Astrology for the Cosmic Soul be on your Magical Shelf?

This book is for you if you are into fun art, fabulous cartoon fashion, and creative ways of exploring astrology. The art is another way to remember the info you’re learning. This is much more fun than just trying to memorize all the signs!

If you’re a beginner, then this book is a solid resource to help you learn the basics. It provides you with fun, accessible content upon which you can build your foundation. Everything starts at the beginning, and this is a truly fun beginning to embrace!

If you’re experienced, then this is a playful book that will bring colour and fun into your astrology library. No matter how much we know, there is always more to learn. And what better way than with astrology cats, bell-bottoms, and flowers?

Wherever you are on your journey, art is fun, creativity is in, and the Pulp Girls know how to work both to teach you about astrology in their own radical way. Enjoy their far out threads and nifty vibes by adding this book to your magical library. 

Jenny McCargar

The Mystic Mermaid

Jenny is a professional shamanic practitioner and tarot reader. Her academic background is in French and Spanish translation studies. Through her academic and spiritual studies, she realized we are all spiritual translators, translating our feelings, experiences, and messages from spirit. Jenny endeavours to help people see the light within themselves, each other, and nature, to dream a healed dream into being for ourselves and the world.

The post Astrology for the Cosmic Soul by The Pulp Girls appeared first on Forging Magic.

Disclaimer: This article may contain commission or affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

When I was sent a copy of this tarot deck to review, I was thrilled. The Pulp Girls are known for their instagram page with colourful, cute, quirky, retro memes about astrology, magic, tarot, and other spiritual topics, plus female empowerment and inclusion. The page is fun and sexy, and the Pulp Girls Tarot Deck does not disappoint.

Pulp Girls Tarot is now available!

Pulp Girls Tarot Deck Review

The Tarot Format

The Pulp Girls Tarot Deck is based on the artwork by Pamela Colman Smith featured in the Rider Waite Smith tarot. Many books and resources available today are based on the structure of the RWS deck, making the Pulp Girls Deck excellent for both beginners and experienced readers.

The cards are standard size at 2.75 inches x 4.75 inches. Cardstock is flexible without being flimsy, solid without being stiff. Great for shuffling and easy to handle.

The deck comes in a solid box that opens up with a ribbon inside, keeping your cards safe while making it easy to pull the deck out when it’s time for your tarot reading.

The booklet that comes with the deck gives a description of a few different tarot spreads as well as how to do a tarot reading. Again, great for beginners to learn, and great for experienced readers to continue learning.

Each card has a brief description in the book so you don’t need to purchase other resources if you’re just getting started on your learning adventure. The upright and reversed meaning is included, as well as an affirmation and a reflection question. 

With the solid box, the accessible and creative guidebook, and the out-of-sight artwork, this deck is not only a feast for the eyes, it’s practical to learn from, too.

Favourite Tarot Cards from Pulp Girls

The fashion in this deck wants me to don my go-go boots and bust out my paisley mini-dress. Not only that, many of the outfits help bring out the meaning of the card. I love that they have incorporated fashion with tarot! While I can’t pick a favourite, here are some cards that that really popped out to me from Pulp Girls Tarot.

The Hierophant

This card feels a bit sticky for a lot of folks. The traditional imagery features the pope, which doesn’t sit right for people with challenging religious experiences. In this deck, there’s a fabulous witch, complete with pointed hat, flashing you the peace sign. The authority is present, and the magic and teachings that can be overshadowed by the pope figure come through nicely.

Page of Swords

The Pages have WINGS, which is brilliant, as they’re the messengers of the tarot. Besides looking magical, it lends to the energy of the card, making them easier to read intuitively. The Page of Swords has a mini dress, go-go boots, and fish-net thigh highs. It’s a fun, flirty, edgy outfit that pairs well with the meaning of the card.

Temperance

The dress on this figure is so flowy, free, and fab, it works perfectly with the meaning of Temperance. The butterflies on the dress bring our mind to the energy of transformation, lightness,and rebirth. This is perfect for Temperance, as it’s the card that follows Death in the Fool’s Journey.

Three of Wands

OBSESSED with this pink and orange bell-bottom onesie. An exciting, daring, fun outfit for a bold and adventurous card. A feast for the eyes AND a helpful indicator of the meaning of the card.

Pulp Girls Tarot – A Fun and Sexy Deck

The Pulp Girls tarot is sexy and fun. A great deck for beginners and experienced readers with funky outfits to inspire and helpful messages to ponder. Janeane Garofalo from Now & Then would totally dig it, and so do I.

More Pulp Girls!

Check out our review of the Pulp Girls book – Astrology for the Cosmic Soul.

Jenny McCargar

The Mystic Mermaid

Jenny is a professional shamanic practitioner and tarot reader. Her academic background is in French and Spanish translation studies. Through her academic and spiritual studies, she realized we are all spiritual translators, translating our feelings, experiences, and messages from spirit. Jenny endeavours to help people see the light within themselves, each other, and nature, to dream a healed dream into being for ourselves and the world.

More Tarot Deck Reviews

The post Pulp Girls Tarot Deck Review appeared first on Forging Magic.

Disclaimer: This article may contain commission or affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

When it comes to connecting with a goddess, it can sometimes feel overwhelming, especially for beginners. But by putting in the time to research, meditate, connect, listen and learn, you will find yourself growing in ways that will astound and thrill you.

I was reminded of this recently as I stumbled along my path.

My Goddess Connection

Recently, I was struggling and found the knowledge and solace I needed by turning to a book that connected me with many goddesses. Both old connections and those that were new to me. Through that connection I found the wisdom and strength I needed to get through a very difficult time.

Let me explain.

For most of my life, I felt like my feminine power, my inner goddess, held that power in my uterus. I believe this bias came from the proliferation of art associated with goddesses that feature the uterus or talk about fertility being a core essence of goddesses and the divine feminine.

I had taken in those messages and they formed part of the fabric for my practice and beliefs.

So when I was facing a major surgery, that included removing my uterus, I was struggling. I was about to lose my connection to my feminine power. With the energy source that had been part of my being my whole life. I felt like I was losing what made me a piece of the greater path forged by the goddesses.

I was about to be broken and worried I would lose what had been such a significant part of my identity and journey my entire life.

Goddess Magic by Aurora Kane

It was during this time I was sent the book, Goddess Magic – A Handbook of Spells, Charms and Rituals Divine in Origin by Aurora Kane.

I curled up and started reading.

This book offers a wonderful introduction to the world of goddesses and how a practitioner can work with a goddess to help unravel their path and discover their inner power.

It then goes on to introduce the reader to an incredible array of goddesses from all over this world. However, this is where I stumbled again.

In the beginning it talked a lot about fertility and goddesses of family and pregnancy. I started working through a LOT of emotions. Mostly anger, frustration, sadness. Was that really all the goddess was about? A uterus?

My Brokenness

I almost put the book down and walked away. The pain was just too much.

Why was my body so incredibly broken? If my uterus is the seed of my power and energy, how could it fail me so severely? Without my uterus, was I worthy of working with these goddesses and walking this path?

But with all the big emotions, I also felt like I was being guided. So I kept reading.

Discovering True Divine Feminine Power

As I kept reading, I discovered more goddesses. Goddesses of knowledge, of war, of poetry, of strength. I met new goddesses as well as reacquainted myself with old friends.

Through the pages of this book I learned about: Kamala, Marie Laveau, Saint Lucia, Yemaya, Venus, Eros, Lady Xian, plus reconnected with Hecate, Bastet, Kali, Cerridwen, Rhiannon and Brigid. And that only lists a few of the many goddesses explored in this tomb.

At the end of the book there is a large variety of spells and rituals to help you along on your journey.

I went from feeling closed off by all the big emotions that threatened to drown me, to freeing myself from the shackles of my own misguided beliefs and bias.

My divine power has nothing to do with whether or not I have a specific body part. It comes from my heart and my mind. My power comes from gaining wisdom and putting in the time and hard work to connect with my guides, listening. Then doing the hard work to improve myself and walk my path. No matter how rocky it becomes at times.

I feel that this book embodies the energies of the High Priestess Tarot Card.

At that moment everything changed as I faced my surgery.

Moving Forward with Conviction and Strength

I went into my surgery feeling surrounded by love of the divine and ready to move forward into my greater good. I felt strong. My path was clear.

I wasn’t about to become broken. I was broken and now I was finally moving forward on a path of healing and growth. A new life where I could embrace my strength and power, without being hindered by certain body parts that were harming my whole body. My divine feminine power comes from love and all you need for that is a heart.

Sometimes a book comes into your life for a reason. The clarity I have from having Goddesses come to me at exactly the right time is incredible.

I am so thankful for Goddess Magic. It is gentle and loving and beautiful. It provides a roadmap to a wide variety of goddesses, empowering readers to learn and discover the guides that can help them along their path.

If you are seeking guidance but unsure about your next steps, I highly recommend checking out Goddess Magic. It is a valuable resource as we move along our path, connecting with the incredible power, knowledge and wisdom of the goddesses.

Embrace your inner goddess!

The post Connecting with Goddess Wisdom & Magic appeared first on Forging Magic.

Crystal Grids and the Power of Sacred Geometry

Disclaimer: This article may contain commission or affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Before we get started, let’s clarify a few terms that are important when crystal gridding. Specifically, what is Sacred Geometry and what is a Crystal Grid.

What is Sacred Geometry?

Sacred geometry in the simplest terms is the study of the spiritual meaning of shapes that are found in nature. It can be applied to the forms, numbers, and patterns seen throughout the natural world. The spiral of a snail’s shell, the unique design of a single snowflake, and the branches or inner rings of a tree are all examples of sacred geometry.

Learn about the sacred geometry of Metatron’s Cube.

What is a Crystal Grid?

For this definition I consulted The Crystal Grids Handbook by Judy Hall.

“Based on the subtle energy dynamics of sacred geometry, a crystal grid is a precise pattern laid using empowered crystals for the purpose of manifesting a desired outcome, or for cleansing and safeguarding a space.”

Crystal gridding is an incredibly beautiful and wonderful way to practice mindfulness, self care, and connecting with your higher self, by taking time to connect with the crystals and shapes, and fully ground yourself in the process.

How to Create a Crystal Grid

In essence, creating a grid is simple. You can even buy a premade crystal grid board that guide you in the placement of crystals, but I also encourage you to use your intuition and learn about sacred geometry to create crystal grid patterns that align with your higher self.

There are essentially four steps to making and setting up a crystal grid.

1 – Set your intention

What is your goal for your grid? Are you looking to connect with your higher self? Is your goal to manifest new opportunities? Or perhaps you want to create a protection grid for your sacred space. Whatever your intention, make it crystal clear in your mind. You can even write it out and burn it to help fully set your intention.

2 – Crystal selection and shape selection

Next you need to choose your crystals and the sacred geometric shape for your grid. This is where having a good resource comes in handy. You want to have some knowledge of crystals to ensure you are selecting ones that align with your intention and that will work together with other crystal selections to empower your grid.

The sacred geometry you select is also important. If you have a premade grid board, you can use that, or reference a book to find the shape that aligns most with your intentions.

Both the Crystal Grids Handbook and Sacred Geometry – Your Personal Guide, are fantastic resources to have at your side as you learn about crystal gridding.

3 – Setting up the grid

Now you have your intention, crystals and shape, it is time to layout your grid. As you place each crystal into the grid shape repeat your intention and feel the energy building through you.

4 – Activating the grid

Once the last crystal is place it is time to activate your grid. You can do this with your voice by simply stating, “with my words I activate this grid with my intention” then state your intention. I like to hold my hands over the grid as I do this.

Another option is to use a wand. To use a wand, slowly draw it across each crystal in the grid, ending with the keystone or central stone. Envision your intention and energy flowing into the grid then being amplified out into the world. End by stating your intention.

Dismantling a Crystal Grid

When you are finished with your grid, if you used a wand, reverse the process you used to activate it. If you didn’t use a wand, simply place your hands over the grid and thank the grid for the work that was done. Then with intention, slowly remove each crystal visualizing the energy coming back into the crystals, and then back into you.

Cleansing the Crystals and Space

After setting a grid it is important to cleanse the crystals and space. I like to use smoke to clear the space and I pass the crystals through the smoke to cleanse them. I will also use a cleansing spray like Florida Water to provide a final clearing and uplifting to the space.

You can also cleanse your crystals by setting them on an selenite plate or an iron pentacle. Or set them out to be cleansed under a full moon.

Once cleansed, I like to wrap my crystals in black silk to store them until I use them again for my next crystal grid.

The most important thing to remember with using crystal grids is to trust your own intuition. Your connection to your intention, crystals and the shapes is the most important part of creating and using crystal grids and sacred geometry.

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I don’t know about your neck of the woods, but around here my skin has been so dry lately! In an effort to be more healthy, not only for myself, but also the planet, I decided it was time to make some of my own body butter. It turned out so amazing! So today I am sharing my DIY Lavender Body Butter recipe with you all.

DIY Body Butter with Lavender

So why go through all the hassle of making my own body butter? Well there are a few reasons I decided this was one DIY I needed to do.

My Health

First, I have become very aware of everything I am putting on my body. I have sensitive/allergic skin, and I have struggled with formulas constantly changing in products that I buy.

Just when I thought I had a great new body butter, something in the reciepe changes and once again I am covered in red splotches and hives.

It’s not pretty or fun.

By making it myself I am in control over the ingredients and can ensure they are of the best quality.

Environmentally Healthy

The other reason I like to make my own is to reduce waste and damage to the planet. I can ensure the ingredients I am using are ethically sourced. My containers are reused and recycled.

Simply make sure they are washed well and sanitized before refilling them. You can do this by boiling them or some dishwashers can sanitize jars too.

It is a small thing, but anything we can do to reduce our footprint helps.

Why Lavender?

Lavender is one of the most important essential oils in my kit. For me it is incredibly relaxing and helps me with my anxiety and insomnia. If lavender does not appeal to you, simply replace the essential oil with the one of your choice.

Lavender Body Butter Recipe

This recipe makes approximately 8 oz of body butter.

Supplies and Tools

¼ cup shea butter
¼ cup cocoa butter
¼ cup coconut oil
¼ cup sweet almond oil
25 drops lavender essential oil
Mixer (stand mixer or handheld)

Directions

To start, chop the cocoa butter into small pieces so it is easier to incorporate. Repeat with the shea butter.

Next, add the cocoa butter and shea butter to a large bowl or a stand mixer bowl if you are using the stand mixer.

Whip on high for 1 minute, using the wire whip attachment if using a stand mixer. Then whip on low for 4 minutes.

Add the coconut oil and sweet almond oil. Whip on high for another 1 minute, then on low for 4 minutes.

Pour the mixture into a glass bowl, and set the whole thing in the refrigerator for 1 hour to set up and chill.

Return the mixture to the large bowl or stand mixer.

Add your essential oils.

Whip on low for one minute, then whip on high for 5 minutes, until the mixture is light and fluffy.

Store in an airtight jar and enjoy the luxurious body butter as it nourishes your skin.

Using Body Butter

This Lavender Body Butter is perfect for using before bed. I also like to use it on my hands when I am about to head into a stressful situation. Simply take a bit from the jar on your fingers and rub it into your skin. Your dry skin will soak it right up, leaving it feeling moisturized, supple and healthy.

This DIY Body Butter is a great addition to your self care routine.

If you are making affirmations for strength, peace and overcoming anxiety, apply some of this body butter before making your affirmations. You can also carry some on you. Use it as needed throughout the day and the scent will help remind you of those affirmations.

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Tarot Deck Review – La Flora

Disclaimer: This article may contain commission or affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

In Walter Benjamin’s essay The Work of Art in the Mechanical Age, he describes the aura of a piece of art. It’s “unique existence” that cannot be copied. Though copies are made.

I remember a professor explaining this to us by discussing the Mona Lisa. We can all google images of the Mona Lisa, but there is something about being there. Seeing the original piece of art. That personal connection creates a different experience than telling Siri to show you the Mona Lisa.

While the essay goes on to discuss and critique other aspects of society and technology, the concept of the aura of a piece of art stuck with me.

The Power of Creativity

I’m sure you can all think of a time that you witnessed something special in the realm of creativity. The first time you heard a certain song. The first time you saw that movie in the theater. Where you were when you read a certain part of a certain book.

Me? I will never forget watching the first Lord of the Rings film in theaters when I was a teenager. Instantly, I knew I had just witnessed something special, a labour of love that doesn’t come along every day.

I still remember where I was (eating sushi) when I read a certain famous scene in The Godfather. The aura of brilliance pulsed through that movie and that book.

As I sat down to open and examine this deck, that same pulse quieted all other sounds around me. Time stopped. I remember feeling the cards, my jaw dropping at their beauty, and I had that same realization. I knew I was experiencing a work of art. A labour of love and brilliance, that does not happen every day.

You can sense the love and work that someone has poured into a creation. While Benjamin may have been critical of creating copies, I could only feel grateful for this technology, as it enabled this deck to find its way into my hands and heart.

From the moment I opened the box, examining each card and diving into the wealth of wisdom and perspective in the guide book, I knew one thing.

I had added La Flora to the list of creations who’s aura would stay with me.

General Overview

La Flora Tarot is a deck based on the Rider-Waite deck’s symbolism. The creator, Iara Côrtes, is an illustrator and lover of plants. Each card in the deck features a different plant with the latin name of the plant to the left and the english name to the right.

Côrtes says in the guidebook that she sought to connect plant symbolism to the meaning of the tarot cards, so each plant has a connection with the meaning of that particular tarot card.

Fear not, you do not need to know about each plant to read this deck! The guidebook explains each card through the lens of both the meaning of the tarot and the plant.

The cards are slightly larger than standard tarot cards, measuring just shy of three inches by 5 inches. The card stock is satisfying, providing flexibility while shuffling without feeling paper thin.

Even the box is a treat, as upon opening it you see that the artwork continues from the outside of the box to the inside of the tuck box it comes in.

The Guidebook

Available as either a PDF or a softcover book, the guidebook adds even more depth and beauty to the La Flora tarot experience. In fact, you may find that your experience is not the same without it.

Complete with quotes from various writers and artists throughout the centuries, artwork depicting the deities and plants associated with the tarot, this guidebook is a wealth of information in the form of both words and art.

While this is not a deck for beginners, I cannot bring myself to dissuade anyone new from exploring this deck. Just know that you may also need a beginner book on tarot to help with your foundation.

However, if this deck and book was included in your learning adventure of tarot, you may find your foundation rich with history, lore, and the wisdom of plants. Just know that it is not designed with beginners and mind, and give yourself patience to enjoy this experience.

A tarot deck normally has 78 cards, but Cortes has added an additional five to this deck. Their explanations can be found in the guidebook. They capture not just the history of plants and tarot, but also our current situation in this global pandemic, adding both a historical and modern energy to the deck.

A Few Cards

While I don’t think I could actually pick cards that I like more than the others, I have a few examples for you to give you a look into La Flora.

The Hanged Man

The plant associated with the Hanged Man in this deck is Mandrake, mandragora officinarum. Combining a scientific explanation of the plant, a quote from Shakespeare, and the meaning of the tarot card, Cortes spins a web of literature, science, and magic to illustrate the meaning of this card. As various doses of this plant can provide either a sedative or a hallucinogen experience, we see the meaning of the Hanged Man through this fog. This card suggests altered perceptions, surrender, and enlightenment through its associated planet Neptune. The magic of the mandrake, and its potential poison or break from reality, seeps into the artwork and the aura of this card.

The Tower

This card not only features a plant, but also an animal. Hibiscus & Serpent, hibiscus rosa-sinensis. The imagery alone evokes a sense of beauty and danger, of fragrance and destruction, as the serpent winds its way around these seemingly delicate flowers. In this she captures an important component of the Tower, which is the necessary albeit painful destruction that provides medicine, change, and rebirth in our lives.

The Magician

The plant associated with this card is the Opium Poppy, papaver somniferum. The Magician is associated with manifestation, willpower, and creating our life. I have always thought of poppy as a painkiller, so this pairing intrigued me. Cortes goes on to describe the processes of the plant when it produces opium, which is over a shorter period of time than I realized. As to why this plant produces opium, she cites information about this plan that suggests a certain level of brilliance and magic that could only be associated with the Magician.

La Flora Tarot Final Thoughts

La Flora tarot is a love letter of science, literature, alchemy, spirituality, and art. It possesses the brilliance of writers, scientists, philosophers, poets, and the creator herself.

In a world in which we suffer through the fragmentation of attempting to separate every part of life, including ourselves, into little boxes, La Flora tarot bridges these gaps to show how deeply connected life is.

From the past to the present, from science to art, from poetry to flowers, this deck is a symphony of symbolism that pulls you out of what you think you know.

This deck shows us that tarot can be used for so much more than seeking answers. Tarot can help us to ask meaningful questions. At the beginning of the guidebook, Cortes writes “the questions you ask will shape your life.”

Perhaps we can consider that it is not the answers that provide us with wisdom, but the questions inspired in us.

La Flora tarot, I found, inspired many questions and curiosities, opening my eyes to new worlds of inquiry and magic.

If you are looking for a true adventure, a language that opens your eyes and your soul, you will find it in La Flora tarot. You may find yourself not just a reader, but a seeker of questions. Questions for which the answer is not as important as the journey.

May you all ponder the best questions, and may they bring magic to your life.

If you are interested in purchasing La Flora Tarot, you can find the deck here: La Flora Tarot

More Tarot

Jenny McCargar

The Mystic Mermaid

Jenny is a professional shamanic practitioner and tarot reader. Her academic background is in French and Spanish translation studies. Through her academic and spiritual studies, she realized we are all spiritual translators, translating our feelings, experiences, and messages from spirit. Jenny endeavours to help people see the light within themselves, each other, and nature, to dream a healed dream into being for ourselves and the world.

The post La Flora Tarot Review appeared first on Forging Magic.

True Black Tarot

When it comes to Tarot Decks I admit I am a bit of a collector. For me it is about not only the metaphysical insights but the different sensory experiences of the decks, plus the gorgeous art work.

I am a sucker for a gorgeous deck of art based tarot.

And with the True Black Tarot deck I got one of the most unique and special decks I have ever owned.

True Black Tarot Flip Video

I made a quick video of this deck because I really just love it that much! You can also hop over to the Forging Magic YouTube Channel and watch it there.

Sometimes when I get a new deck there is this timeframe where I am enamoured with a deck but over time that passionate connection wanes. That hasn’t happened at all with True Black. In fact, over time it has become a companion in my practice and a trusted advisor. It is one deck I go to over and over again, especially when I am looking for guidance on shadow work.

It connects with me on so many levels: spiritually, psychologically, physically and mentally.

Yes mentally, this deck contains so many historical, scientific and cultural references, it makes my geeky witch heart sing!

So let’s talk about the True Black Tarot Deck.

History of the True Black Tarot

This deck has quite the history and story behind it. It is the creation of Arthur Wang who is a designer and illustrator.

Originally it was offered on Kickstarter where it faced so many delays and challenges before eventually being released and became available through the True Black Tarot website.

I ordered my deck directly from the artist at the True Black Tarot site. Since they are locally printed in small batches, sometimes you may need to wait for decks to become available. To ensure I got my deck, I simply joined their newsletter list and was notified when new decks became available. Through the newsletter list you can also hear about a new deck they will be releasing later this year!

The Box

The True Black Tarot comes in a sturdy matte black paperboard box with black foil embossing depicting the stars and cosmos. From the moment you see the box with the starmap, there is a sense of our interconnectedness with something greater.

The box is beautifully crafted and feels sturdy and solid. Even after a year it still looks brand new and has held up beautifully. It has an amazing invisible magnetic closure that is built into the lid to help make sure your deck stays safe and secure inside, even when carrying it around.

Inside the True Black Tarot deck box is the booklet, title card, and, of course, the True Black Tarot deck.

The Booklet

This deck comes with a compact booklet that has just two pages about each Major Arcana, and only one page about each Minor Arcana.

It is brief, to the point, and provides just enough information to help the reader really connect with the artwork and deeper meaning of the cards.

If you are a beginner to tarot and require spreads and greater detail on the standard meaning of the cards, you will need to reference other Tarot books. In this sense, this deck is best for readers with some knowledge and experience.

The Deck

This is where my heart does a little leap. This deck… oh this deck! It is something amazing to hold and work with. I get so much pleasure from working with this deck. My connection with it is intense, and I feel it speaks to me on so many levels.

The Basics

It is a standard RWS deck with 78 cards, 22 Major Arcana and 56 Minor Arcana in four suits: Pentacles, Cups, Swords and Wands. Plus it has one bonus Major Arcana which I will discuss in a moment.

Paper Stock Materials

Now, let’s talk about the materials. It is a standard tarot size deck of 2.75”x4.75” printed on 18pt stock which makes the cards about 50% thicker than normal tarot cards. This is where I run into my only issue with the deck. I am a very petite person with small hands, and I find it a little difficult to shuffle the whole deck due to how thick it is. It is not impossible, but definitely a bit of a challenge. Often I divide the deck and shuffle it in parts.

The edges of the deck are all hand painted by the creator and his wife and I love this special touch.

One of the most unique things I love about these cards is that they are incredibly soft, almost velvety, and have a scratch and splash resistant finish. After a year I can say that the cards have held up very well and are extremely durable. Even after cleansing my tarot deck many times with smoke, moonlight and even once a light spritzing with moon water, they still feel amazing!

The Art

The Black Tarot is a minimalist deck with a very simple colour scheme. All black cards with the art done in white, gold, bronze and some highlights of red, green and blue.

The deck for the most part depicts ambiguous gender fluid figures, with no specific culture represented. I find the humans depicted in the deck are very celestial. As if they have come from the gods and cosmos. Taking a form familiar, yet not, as they try to communicate their messages.

This other-worldly vibe is something I really enjoy. It adds to that feeling that this deck is connecting us with something so much greater.

One thing I appreciate with this deck is how consistent the feel is in the artwork across all the cards, both Major and Minor Arcana. The True Black Tarot stays true to its esthetics throughout, providing a consistent, comforting feel.

The Black Foil Art

When I first started learning about this deck it was the “hidden” foil designs that really captured me. That connection between the metaphysical and science and history and culture, is something I never knew I was seeking in a tarot deck until I used True Black Tarot.

Each of the Major Arcana cards has this hidden artwork that is done in black foil on the black card, so you need to move it in the light to reveal the art.

This hidden art connects to themes of mythology, astronomy, physics, Earth Sciences, psychology and more. From Chaos theory to the constellations, Oxytocin to the decent path of the Apollo Lunar Module… the depth of meaning and connection is profound. Adding so much to the messages in the cards.

Card Changes

There is one big change in this deck from the standard RWS 22 Major Arcana cards. The Wheel of Fortune card has been renamed Destiny.

Destiny represents an unknowable, uncontrollable force that affects the mortal world. It is about the nature of things out of our control.

Bonus Card – Anant

In addition to the standard 22 Major Arcana, there is a bonus card. The “Anant” card is unnumbered but ordered in the booklet as the last card in the Major Arcana. This card reminds us that the journey of the Fool is always ending where it began. The Anant is symbolized by a fetus wreathed in an ouroboros snake. The Anant calls us to remember that we are but small parts in the endless cycle of existence and experience.

A Connection to Blacksmithing

In addition to the incredible Black Foil Art hidden in the Major Arcana, the other thing that I truly love about this deck is the Swords suit. Most of the Swords cards depict a special blade from history. As blacksmiths, this connection to the incredible forge work done across cultures and ages, is something I really connected with and I enjoy the way it has been incorporated into this deck. The 8 of Pentacles is also a wonderful reference to blacksmiths. It is this attention to details that really sets this deck apart. It has been researched and developed in a way that is truly unique.

The True Black Tarot Final Thoughts

After a year with this deck, I can confidently say this is one deck I will always cherish deeply. It is one of the best quality decks I have ever had the pleasure of using. It is luxurious, providing a wonderful sensory experience. The artwork is been incredibly well researched and thought out, providing connections and meanings that go so much deeper than I have ever experienced working with a Rider Waite Smith deck. It has true, real depth and energy, with layer upon layer of meaning.

This is a very special tarot deck and one I highly recommend for those looking to connect in very profound ways with the messages from tarot.

More Tarot Resources

The post True Black Tarot Deck Review appeared first on Forging Magic.

Amethyst Meaning and Symbolism

Disclaimer: This article may contain commission or affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Amethyst is a popular and readily available crystal that can be easily found at any crystal or metaphysical shop. Being such a popular stone, means that it tends to be very reasonably priced, making it a fantastic crystal for general use and those just starting their collections on a limited budget.

In fact, if you are looking for a large statement piece, an Amethyst Geode is a fantastic addition to a home or office, and can be quite reasonable. I have a large geode in my office to help maintain a sense of calm and positivity while working and creating.

Let’s dig into this gorgeous purple crystal and learn more about why it is so special.

Meaning of Amethyst and History

The name “amethyst” derives from the ancient Greek word “amethystos“, which means: a remedy against drunkenness. Because of its wine-like purple colours, early Greek mythology associated the gem with Bacchus, the god of wine. So next time you are heading out for some wine with friends, make sure you bring some Amethyst!

Or if you are working with Bacchus, this is an important crystal to use in your ritual work.

Need some help with business… or battle? Throughout history, Amethyst was used to keep the wearer clear headed and quick witted in battle and business affairs.

When it comes to love, this crystal was not left out. Renaissance Europeans thought it calmed lovers overrun by passion.

More popularly, this stunning crystal with beautiful shades of purple coloration has long been coveted by Royalty. From Alexander the Great to Catherine the Great, royals have long admired this crystal and held it in great esteem.

Amethyst can be found as raw pieces, large geodes, polished and even carved. It can be found in many places around the world including: Sri Lanka, Siberia, Brazil, Uruguay, Namibia Namibia, Australia, South America, America and we even here in Canada.

If you are looking to gift a special piece, it is traditionally given for the sixth wedding anniversary and is the birthstone of February.

Amethyst Benefits and Metaphysical Properties

This powerful and popular crystal is believed to have many metaphysical benefits.

Peace

Most notably, it can help calm and relieve stress. This makes it the perfect accessory for someone who wants to de-stress or find peace of mind. Something that was very important for me as a teenager dealing with all the teen years drama and rage as a navigated high school. Very quickly and intuitively, I found that holding Amethyst and carrying it on me, helped me stay grounded and deal more effectively with stressors.

It is also a fantastic calming stone to hold during meditation for its healing energy. At the end of a hard day, I can sit with an amethyst palm stone in my left hand, my right hand over my heart, and feel the tension leaving my body.

Protection

Amethyst stone is a crystal that has powerful protective properties. It can help ward against negative energy and psychic attacks. You can use Amethyst for protection while out in the world by keeping it in your purse or handbag bag or wearing it in jewelry. At home, place Amethyst in the areas where you spend a lot of time and want to create a protective, peace filled sanctuary.

Healing

Amethyst healing properties cover a wide range including spiritual healing, boosting the immune system, plus many feel it has physical healing properties.

We all know how important sleep is when healing, Amethyst can help you sleep better at night and overcome insomnia with its calming properties. Simply place it under the pillow or bed (under where your head will rest), or on the night stand.

If you are experiencing depression, anxiety, insomnia, and other mental health issues after undergoing trauma such as abuse or addiction, then amethyst can help as you move through the healing process.

Creativity and Strength

Amethyst is believed to aide in heightening intuition and creativity while simultaneously boosting one’s self-esteem and sense of inner strength. This can help the user find the confidence to follow their own path and express their true self in a situation.

In a work setting, many business people, especially those in creative industries, find it helpful to have amethyst in their workspace. I keep a number of pieces near me while writing. It can aid in providing greater focus, confidence in decision making, and help with the creative flow of ideas.

Grief

A few years ago I went through a terrible time as my father was diagnosed with cancer and passed away only a few weeks after diagnosis. He was young, still working full time, and so incredibly vibrant. He was a big part of my life and his loss was devasting for me.

Amethyst became a companion for me during this time as I tried to navigate my grief and loss. It can help with centering and balancing emotions, something I desperately needed as I felt like I was on this out of control rollercoaster during those first few weeks and months. Working with Amethyst helped to also remind me during this time that life is to be celebrated and memories to be cherished. I keep a large geode in my office to remind me constantly about this important outlook on life.

Amethyst and the Chakras

Amethyst is a powerful stone with a strong connection to the Crown Chakra and the Third Eye Chakra.

The Crown Chakra is the seat of higher consciousness, bliss and wisdom, and connects us with our own divinity. Amethyst is a powerful spiritual stone. It provides purifying, healing, and protective energies to help clear, open, and balance the Crown Chakra.

The Third Eye Chakra is the place of foresight and intuition. Amethyst is a crystal that helps open one’s mind and foster creativity. Aiding in the ability to see the big picture and move forward with confidence and strength.

Benefits of Wearing Amethyst

Amethyst is a very popular stone in jewelry, such as amulets, necklaces, bracelets, earrings, rings and even brooches. I have even seen some stunning head wear such as crowns and our hand forged Amethyst hair pins over at Daelen Forge. Wearing amethyst jewelry not only looks good, but it also offers benefits such as:

• Calming and relieving stress.
• Promoting inner peace.
• Protecting against negative energy and psychic attacks.
• Protection for the wearer from unwanted energies such as negativity, anger, fear, sadness, and depression.
• Heightening intuition, clarity, and creativity.
• Boosting self-esteem and invigorating inner strength.
• Heightened psychic abilities.

What Is An Amethyst Crystal Bath?

Want to try a truly luxurious way of incorporating Amethyst into your life? Try a Crystal Bath. This is a type of bath where Amethyst crystals will cleanse you physically, spiritually and emotionally, while the warm water soothes your body. It is a great idea to use after a particularly draining experience.

To experience this special bath, place a fairly good sized piece (about the size of your palm) on top of some rock salt at the bottom of your tub. Fill the bath with warm water. I highly recommend adding some lavender essential oil to heighten the benefits of this crystal bath.

Soak for 15 minutes and let the crystal infused waters cleanse and heal you. While soaking, meditate and use positive affirmations if you feel moved to do so.

After bathing, remove the crystals and rinse them with fresh water. Dry them completely, then place them in the moonlight to recharge them.

Amethyst Crystals

Amethyst is the birthstone of February and is an extremely powerful and protective stone with a high spiritual vibration. It helps protect against negative energies and enhances spiritual awareness and higher states of consciousness. Wearing Amethyst helps calm and balance the mind and strengthen resolve. All while transmuting anxiety and negative energy into love and emotional strength.

Amethyst is a powerful crystal offering many benefits for people from all walks of life as they walk their unique path of spirituality.

Want to learn more about crystals? We highly recommend the Crystal Bible!

MORE CRYSTAL RESOURCES

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Celebrating Yule

Disclaimer: This article may contain commission or affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Yule is one of the sabbats (a day of spiritual importance) on the neo-pagan wheel of the year. It occurs on the Winter Solstice, which is the longest night and shortest day of the year. Each year the exact date varies a bit, but it usually falls on December 21 or 22.

This time of year is very special and unique. It is a time of year when people around the world celebrate. The holidays may go by different names, but across cultures, countries, faiths, and times, this time of year is one of great celebration around the world.

Turning of the Wheel

According to Kiki Dombrowski in her book: Eight Extraordinary Days, the word Yule comes from the Icelandic word “jol” meaning “wheel.”

The Winter Solstice is the longest night of the year and was honoured, as it marked a big change. From this day forward the days start growing longer. Yule celebrates the return of the Sun King, or the Oak King in Wiccan traditions. The Holly King has been ruling since the Summer Solstice, when the days were progressively getting shorter. He “dies” to be reborn as the Oak King on Yule. Yule is a celebration of the return of the sun. Of longer days and the growing season, of hope, and merry making.

If you are looking to bring more awareness of the cyclical nature of the seasons into your life, honouring the sabbats is a magical way to do so. Below are some traditions that can help you get started!

The Yule Log

Yes, this can be a chocolate cake. We all need a little chocolate sometimes! But in this context, the Yule Log is a literally burning log lit to clear out the old and to welcome the new. There are various perspectives on how to incorporate the Yule log into your Winter Solstice celebrations. Dombrowski tells us that the Yule log is a piece of wood placed in the hearth and lit on the Solstice. People would tell stories and make merry while the fire was going. If the flames were burning in the morning, your year ahead would be blessed. She also says that taking ashes from the yule log and sprinkling them on your land will bless the coming year’s harvest.

Burning During The Darkest Nights

In her book The Modern Guide to Witchcraft, Skye Alexander describes the Yule log as being composed of nine different types of wood with oak being the main sacred wood. She says that if you place the ashes of the yule log in a cloth under your pillow, you will dream of guidance for the year to come.

Both authors describe the tradition of keeping a piece of the Yule log to light next year’s Yule log with.

While the wood of nine sacred trees sounds magical, for many of us living in cities, this is not always doable. But we adapt! Using whatever wood you wish, place it in your indoor or outdoor fire pit. You could have people over for a party, you could throw offerings of herbs or spices into the fire as offerings, you could say what you’re grateful for and what you’d like to release, or anything else that feels in alignment with Yule for you. Some people turn this into a ritual and cast a circle, going the full magical nine yards. Every practitioner is different, so do what feels right for you.

Mistletoe

There’s a reason we smooch under mistletoe! No, not because it’s delicious, it’s poisonous, so don’t give mistletoe any smooches! Mistletoe is associated with fertility and is said to have been sacred to the Druids. In his book Witches’ Craft, Bruce K. Wilborn tells us that kissing under mistletoe was a Druid marriage ritual. The kiss under the mistletoe would seal the marriage.

Scott Cunningham tells us in his book Cunningham’s Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs that mistletoe is also used for protection. Burning it will drive away evil spirits and kissing under it will help you and your partner to stay in love.

If you wish to incorporate mistletoe into your Yule practice, you don’t have to incorporate kisses! Hang it from your tree, in your bedroom or office, or anywhere else to invite in energies of fertility, love, and protection. Note: when saying “fertility” in this context, that doesn’t necessarily refer to getting pregnant. Fertility can be what we are growing and welcoming into our lives.

Evergreens

Evergreens symbolize everlasting life as they are, as the name tells us, ever green. They are incorporated during Yule to celebrate the life that we still have and the returning of life that will come with the waxing half of the year.

You will see evergreens as Christmas trees (some people call them Yule Trees), as wreaths, and various types of decorations. The wreath symbolizes the turning of the wheel of the year. The never-ending change that is truly the only constant in life. Change is ever present and cyclical. Pine boughs are cleansing when burned. So offering a few to your fire can help you to cleanse your space.

Poinsettias

While normally not associated with Yule, these are associated with Christmas. Their symbolism is so closely related to Yule though, so I wished to include it. In her book Plant Witchery, Juliet Diaz tells us that poinsettias are associated with the return of the sun after winter solstice, making it a perfect plant for the season. They’re also associated with wishes and devotion. With the return of the sun and the waxing half of the year, it is a good time to make wishes and to re-evaluate where we would like to focus our devotion for the year ahead.

Yule Pomanders

One beautiful, fragrant, and family friendly Yule tradition is to make a Yule Pomander. These stunning creations will fill your home with magic, and incredible smells, this holiday season.

Winter Solstice Books

If you are looking to do more reading, and there is so much to learn about this special time of year. Here are a few resources.

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Yule Tarot Spread

Yule is the first sabbat on the wheel of the year. Samhain, the previous sabbat celebrated at Halloween, being the end of the year sabbat. This is a time of celebrating, sharing what we have, letting go of what no longer serves us from the past year, and looking forward to the return of the light.

Below is a tarot spread I designed exclusively for this article to help you get into the Yule spirit.

May your evergreens be fresh, your yule log burn bright, and may the Oak King bless you in the year to come!

More Holiday Resources

Jenny McCargar

The Mystic Mermaid

Jenny is a professional shamanic practitioner and tarot reader. Her academic background is in French and Spanish translation studies. Through her academic and spiritual studies, she realized we are all spiritual translators, translating our feelings, experiences, and messages from spirit. Jenny endeavours to help people see the light within themselves, each other, and nature, to dream a healed dream into being for ourselves and the world.

The post Celebrating Yule with Yule Tarot Spread appeared first on Forging Magic.

Using Tarot To Explore Your Soul Purpose

Disclaimer: This article may contain commission or affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

What Is My Soul Purpose?

In her book Discover Your Dharma, Sahara Rose describes dharma (which can translate to your purpose) as “…your divine purpose on this planet, your soul’s essence, the unique vibration only you can carry out in the world.”

For me, aligning with our purpose feels like the puzzle pieces of ourselves coming together. It’s not just our what, but our why and how. It’s fulfilment, satisfaction, and the peace that comes with knowing we have meaning in our lives that we share with others.

We are at a unique time in history. With the Great Resignation, more and more people are realizing that it’s not just the quest for money and security that fulfils us. It’s change, creation, sharing our gifts, being respected, being able to be ourselves, creating new ways of viewing and being in the world.

More people are really waking up to the realization that we didn’t come here to work one job, retire briefly, and then die. There is more to life. There is more to us. And that’s where our purpose can help us align with that more.

How To Discover Your Soul Purpose with Tarot

Tarot is not only used for divination, but also being embraced as a tool for self-discovery. And to realize what your purpose is, self-discovery is required. While no one can tell you what your purpose is, as a part of your journey is meant to discover this and live it, tarot can help you gain clarity on what you want, your gifts, and your challenges.

What Do You Want?

Isn’t that just the million-dollar question? We can sometimes get so fixated on something that we block out opportunities and paths that could bring us what we want in a different way than we imagined. Alternatively, we can also have no clue what we really want!

I have also noticed, through tarot, reiki, and coaching, that many people know what they want but they don’t believe it’s possible. So, without admitting what they truly want, they go through life wanting what they think they should want or what is safe to want. Basically, a lot of settling is happening.

And these wants aren’t million-dollar homes or ever-lasting life. The wants that people are denying themselves are usually their soul’s desires:

• A happy, loving relationship.
• A job they like where they make a decent living.
• Time to spend being creative.
• Opportunities to share their gift with others.
• Travel.

It is very hard to achieve what we want in life if we do not admit what we want.

How Tarot Readings Can Help Discover Your Soul Purpose

Tarot can help remind you of the essence of what you really want. The essence is how you think you will feel if you have said want. For example, if you want a job that you enjoy and also pays well, the essence of what you want is likely something like fulfilment, creativity, freedom, and ease.

It doesn’t have to be complicated. Clear your mind and your energy, and ask your cards what your top three soul’s desires are currently. Write down the essence of the cards and see how this makes you feel.

You can also ask the tarot to show you your ego’s desires. Ego desires are usually about being accepted by others, being safe, and can come from a place of fear. Your soul’s desires are your soul’s way of showing you where you are meant to go and experience at this time.

Compare your soul’s desire cards and your ego desire cards. Similarities? Differences? Journal or record yourself talking about how this makes you feel.

How Tarot Can Help You See Your Blocks

The subconscious is what is going on below the surface, the programming that is influencing you that you are not aware of. It’s hard to heal beliefs that block our purpose if we are not aware of them. Tarot can help you gain clarity here.

Again, this can be simple. Think of your purpose and your soul’s desires. Ask the cards which subconscious beliefs aren’t in alignment with your purpose. Decide how many cards you’re pulling ahead of time. Think “which three cards represent my subconscious beliefs that aren’t in alignment with my purpose?” Journal about these or voice-memo your feelings about this.

Why Tarot and Soul Purpose?

An important component of your soul purpose is that you connect with your soul, your higher self, and you decide what is fulfilling and meaningful for you. Instead of asking to be told by a higher power, you are the higher power. This is shift from how most of us have been raised. We are used to being told what to do and who to be by our parents, teachers, religion, society, bosses, etc.

When you embrace tarot as the language of your soul, and not an outer authority, you help awaken and recognize your inner wisdom. However, remember that anything can be taken too far. If you use tarot as a guide and not as another outer source of authority, it will be empowering.

How to tell the difference? Don’t read about this every day and remember to tap into your inner wisdom without any divination tools more regularly. Bust out the cards when you really need clarity and guidance.

Beyond Tarot Readings

The imagery in tarot can awaken our soul’s memory of timeless archetypes. If there is a card that really speaks to you about your purpose, you can use the image in a few ways. Take a picture of this card and make it your phone’s background. Place the card on your alter or somewhere special you will see regularly. Meditate on the imagery of the card.

These are ways to help you remember what you are aligning with. Our journeys are not only about learning, but also unlearning. Having this image around can be a reminder to help you embody this energy and make choices in alignment with it.

The Eco-System of Purposes

I view our soul’s purpose as a network of desires that are meant to help us all work together. I call this the Eco-System of Purposes. Just as nature has different plants and animals that play different yet essential roles in their environment, we all have roles to play that feel right for us and help us create a sustainable world.

Some people will feel called to be doctors, mothers, writers, builders, artists, spiritual healers, wood workers, chefs, farmers, etc. I believe that our soul’s desires help us to fulfil a role that feels right within ourselves that has a positive impact on the world around us.

And those roles can and will evolve over your life span. It’s normal that what inspired you in your 20s may have lost its lustre in your 30s. You’ve grown. You’ve evolved. It’s normal that your beliefs and desires will have done the same.

The Role of Tarot in Discovery

Tarot is an amazing tool to help you understand where you’ve been, who you are now, and where you would like to go. It can help awaken those soul’s desires that have been long pushed down underneath your “shoulds” and your fears.

Tarot can help you remember your skills and how to nurture them. It can help you recognize your subconscious blocks.

Remember that it’s a tool. You must make changes, take risks, and do the work yourself.

This is your purpose, not tarot’s.

I wish you all clarity and confidence as you embark on this most meaningful of journeys. May you all remember your magic and share it with the world in your, special way. And remember, tarot is there to help you out, but it is your own inner wisdom and magic that will light the way. So shine bright and shine true. The world needs your own special brand of magic.

Jenny McCargar

The Mystic Mermaid

Jenny is a professional shamanic practitioner and tarot reader. Her academic background is in French and Spanish translation studies. Through her academic and spiritual studies, she realized we are all spiritual translators, translating our feelings, experiences, and messages from spirit. Jenny endeavours to help people see the light within themselves, each other, and nature, to dream a healed dream into being for ourselves and the world.

The post How Tarot Can Help You Live Your Soul Purpose appeared first on Forging Magic.

Green Spirituality to help Mother Earth

Disclaimer: This article may contain commission or affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Eco-Friendly Magic and DIY

Making our own products can save a great deal on waste, particularly if less must be shipped. Not only that, but DIY magical projects can use a great deal of what we have around the house, making it greener and more affordable. To top it off, the magical tools that we make have a stronger connection to our practice, since our energy and intention was infused into the creation of them. Here are some suggestions for DIY magic.

Egg Shells

These are not only good for your garden, but they are also good for protection magic, abundance magic, and fertility magic! Crushed eggshells (also known as cascarilla) can be crushed by themselves or with herbs and then placed around your space for protection. You can also add crushed eggshells to your charm bags for fertility magic, creativity magic, and abundance magic.

Kitchen Herbs and Spices

You don’t often need to go out and buy rare, fancy herbs when you have a lot of magic in your own spice rack. Look up the magical properties of the herbs that you already have in your kitchen. Cinnamon is great for success and raising your vibration, cloves are good for money and protection, allspice is good for abundance, salt is good for cleansing, basil is good for protection and abundance, mint is good for prosperity… you get the point! You don’t need to purchase more (aka more wasted packaging) when you already have a kitchen full of magic and spice!

Make your own Runes

While there are a lot of beautiful runes out there, they are easy to make yourself and this is a very magical and meaningful practice. You can collect rocks from outside and paint the symbols on them. Once the paint chips off, they are done, and you can wash them and return them to the land. You can also draw them onto pieces of wood, carve them onto wood, or wood-burn them. The wood doesn’t have to be treated, and you can give them back to the land once they’ve served their purpose.

Glitter (Eliminating Microplastics)

Most of us love some sparkle and shine, especially when making candles, spell jars, witch bottles, magical ritual items, setting up an altar, or dusting a little sparkle on ourselves. However, most glitter is nothing more than microplastics which are wreaking havoc on our water systems and Mother Earth. Luckily, there are biodegradable options for glitter that are made from plant materials.

Wands

Your wand does not have to be anything more than a special branch that you bless. You can either find one that calls to you on a walk, or you can ask a tree permission and cut a branch off the tree. Thank the tree and consider leaving a small offering (see offering section later in the article).

Reuse your Bottles and Jars

We all know that every magical practitioner loves themselves a good jar! And for good reason! You can re-use mason jars for a multitude of purposes. Besides that, wash out and reuse the jars and containers from your previous purchases. I keep all the bottles from spell oils and sprays that I’ve purchased so that I can make my own abundance oils, protection oils, etc. Most of these can be made with oil and herbs that you find in your own kitchen. You can support your fellow magical practitioners and reuse the bottles, too!

Grow your own Herbs

While not everyone has access to a garden, you may be able to have a potted herb or two from which you can collect your herbs for cooking and magic. This means less packaging, less waste of herbs gone bad (we have all been there), and more money in your pocket, as you don’t need to purchase this herb whenever you need it for cooking or magic.

Plant Flowers

Again, this will depend on your access to a backyard, community garden, or balcony. If possible, planting flowers not only helps the pollinators (you can look up which flowers are best for pollinators in your area) but you can also use flowers for your spells. For example, planting roses in your garden is said to protect your home.

Offerings

Many practices call for food and drink to be left as offerings. This will depend on your spiritual practice. If using these as offerings, consider making sure that whatever you are leaving isn’t poisonous to the wildlife that may stumble upon it. You may also consider donating to environmental charities as an offering, as this gives back to Mother Earth and helps her children. You can also write poetry, sing, dance, or clean up your environment by picking up garbage. All of these are zero waste offerings that are equally meaningful.

Green Ceremony and Ritual Practices

Besides making sure we are reusing, limiting waste, and being good to Mother Earth, we can also honour her through our rituals. Green spirituality will empower your magic and life with an incredible energy. Here are a few simple ways to build rituals around honouring, loving, and healing Mother Earth.

Rituals for each Element

You can honour each or all elements through ritual.

Fire Ritual

Light a candle and thank fire for warming us, cooking our food, and transforming forests. Ask fire to show you what you can do to prevent wildfires. Pray for fire and send it love.

Water Ritual

Water is life. Pour a glass of water and place it on your alter. Think of all the ways that water helps you live. It literally keeps you alive as you drink it, it cleans you and your home, cools down the planet, feeds the plants and animals, keeps our world clean, and cools us down when we are warm. Pray for water and thank it, asking water what you can do to help protect and honour it.

Air Ritual

Without clean air, we know that we are toast. Think of the way the wind carries temperature changes, cools us down, carries seeds for pollination, changes the landscape, and its myriad of other functions. Pray to air and ask how you can honour it in your life.

Earth Ritual

No healthy soil, no food! We know that there is so much richness and abundance to be had from the earth. Think of your favourite flower, the shade from trees, the herbs and veggies that you grow, the sweetness of fruit, and all of the other richness that comes from the earth. Pray to earth and ask how you can honour the earth.

Animals

We often think that only big, rare animals can be guides, but this is not the case. The squirrel that visits your yard may be advising you to save your resources. The magpie may be showing up to help you make the most of your occult knowledge. The moth may be letting you know that a message is coming in soon. The butterfly may be letting you know that you are on the brink of transformation. Learn about the animals that you see daily by researching their spiritual meaning. Different cultures have different associations with animals, so look into your ancestry to see what your culture(s) have to say about different animals.

Environmentally Friendly Magical Spending Choices

Though making our own tools, oils, sprays, and charms is awesome and meaningful, most of us do not have the time to make all our own magical supplies. Here are a few tips to spend your money wisely and greenly!

Shop Local

Buying local food is a great way to offset the pollution that results from shipping our food in from all over the world. Not only that, but supporting our local farmers is a great way to honour mother earth and those who tend her. Plus, if you find farmers who sell their wares from their home, it’s often cheaper!

Besides that, purchasing from local magical practitioners and artists in your area limits shipping and travel pollution. It also keeps your money in your local area, which strengthens the local economy. In addition, talk to creators of any items you are purchasing to learn more about their ethos and how their products and processes are helping to protect the environment.

What are my intentions?

Before making a purchase, ask yourself the landfill question: “Will this end up in a landfill in a year from now?” If the answer is yes, you may want to reconsider your purchase, especially if it made of plastics and non-environmentally friendly resources and processes. Not only will this save you money, it will also help limit extra stuff in your place and limit how much waste is in the landfill. Your magic doesn’t need a lot of small, plastic figurines or disposable tokens to be powerful. Your intent and energy are always the most powerful.

Community Matters

If you do want to order something online (as this is also a great way to support small businesses) you could ask your friends who else wishes to order from this shop. If a few of you order, this is less packaging, less packages shipped, and less shipped fees for each of you.

Shop Preloved

There are so many fabulous vintage and reused shops online right now. I follow quite a few on Instagram myself! This can be a great place to purchase chalices, candlesticks, offering plates, or anything else that speaks to you. And this is a great way to reduce new waste and to save money on both your craft and in your home.

Many artists are also starting to use storied and reused items as part of their creative process. Not only are you purchasing an item with history, but you are helping to keep materials from entering the landfill.

Environmental Fashion

Limit or cut out fast fashion. We all love us some witchy clothes, but many of these are now made with materials that will never break down. Not only that, but many major shopping stores do not donate their damaged material. Because of loosey-goosey return policies, they don’t want to give clothes away to a charity since someone could purchase it there and then bring it back for a refund. Instead any returned items are thrown away! So very wasteful!

As spiritual people, we know that we are all connected, and that what is good for others is often good for everyone. There are more and more local shops using green materials and dyes for their clothes, and it’s getting more and more affordable. Consider supporting these shops for your witchy fashion items, or shopping at consignment stores.

Like our earlier question about the landfill, ask yourself the same question when buying clothes. How often will you actually wear the piece? Will it be something you wear once or twice, then never wear again? It is made of durable, high quality materials? Or is it worth spending a bit more to get quality pieces you can wear for years and years?

Green Magic – The First Steps

One of the best things I’ve ever read about how we can help is from Anne Marie Bonneau who said, “we don’t need a handful of people doing Zero Waste perfectly. We need millions of people doing it imperfectly.” Your job is not to get an A+ and honours with distinction in the class of being green. Our job, together, is to support each other and the earth in whatever ways are available to us. Imperfectly, honestly, together… and with a bit of magic.

More Modern Mystic Resources

Jenny McCargar

The Mystic Mermaid

Jenny is a professional shamanic practitioner and tarot reader. Her academic background is in French and Spanish translation studies. Through her academic and spiritual studies, she realized we are all spiritual translators, translating our feelings, experiences, and messages from spirit. Jenny endeavours to help people see the light within themselves, each other, and nature, to dream a healed dream into being for ourselves and the world.

The post Green Spirituality and Magic Practices appeared first on Forging Magic.

Sacred Space DIY Mirror Project

Disclaimer: This article may contain commission or affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

I LOVE the moon mirror project we did. There is something about having unique and special mirrors around the home that helps a space feel truly magical. They can help increase the light in a space, make a space feel larger, they can be used for positive self affirmations, and mirrors can completely change the energy of a sacred space.

And when a mirror is made with great intention, love and caring, it makes the space it holds even more sacred and special.

For this DIY project I wanted something clean, rustic and with a nautical feel.

I am about to embark on a bit of an adventure and go on a tall ship for the first time in my life. This trip was my father’s deathbed wish for the family, so it is a very special, and emotional time.

It also means that I have all things nautical on my mind right now.

My hope is that this mirror will be something special I can use for reflection and meditation. It is a very clean and simple design that can be easily embellished and made your own if you desire.

That is the true power behind these DIY projects. Instead of copying, use your creativity to make these projects unique and special. Imbue them with your own energy so they become powerful features in your own personal sacred space.

DIY Mirror Frame Supplies

Round wood (20 inches)
Round mirror (13 inches)
Rope (20 feet)
Glue gun + glue sticks
Twine (I used raffia, but any material will do!)
Tape
Jute ribbon (30 inches)

NOTE: You can change the size of the mirror and wood to suit your space and needs. Simply adjust the amount of rope and jute ribbon accordingly.

Directions

Locate the center of the wood and paste the mirror in the center using your glue gun. Depending on how secure you want the mirror, you may also want to add small brackets to hold the mirror. These can be purchased at a hardware store. This is not completely necessary though, as our rope frame will also add some security.

To create the rope coil frame, start coiling the rope around the mirror, taping it down to the surface as you go to keep it in place.

Mark the meeting point of the rope ends, cut, and glue them together.

Coil the next piece of rope, running your glue gun between the two coils. (Note: Don’t glue it down to the wood, only between the ropes).

Mark the meeting point of the rope ends, cut, and glue them together.

Repeat steps 3, 4, and 5 until the rope coils meet the mirror.

Once the glue dries, slide the coils off the wood and remove any tape.

Cut 15 inches of leftover rope, coil it down, and use hot glue to the rest of the frame. Make sure it’s in the same area where the coils meet.

Wrap the frame to the hanger using twine (I used raffia, but any material will do!). It doesn’t have to be perfect as we’ll cover that up on the next step – it’s just to add extra security to make the hanger sturdy.

Wrap 10 inches of jute ribbon around the frame (one just over the hanger, and two at the bottom).

Flip the frame and use your glue gun to attach the whole thing to the mirror.

Finishing Magical Touches

The Mirror Frame is now complete, or you can add some of your own embellishments. Blue crystals such as Amazonite, Aquamarine, Calcite can aid in connection with water elements to add to that nautical feel. Or simply add some quartz, which can be used to amplify your intentions and the energies of yourself and your sacred space.

You may also want to add little features such as anchors, keys, and more. Set your intentions, then bring in elements that reinforce the energies you want to promote in your sacred space.

Once finished, place your mirror in your space.

More Project Ideas

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How to Have a Positive Mindset

We all want to do what we can to feel good within ourselves. Our minds are powerful tools and because of that, our actions are often controlled by how we feel and what we are thinking. If you are not feeling too great right now, there are many things you can do to be proactive with your mental health. But some people assume that this means expensive therapies or other medicated options which don’t always have to be the case. You can change the way you think and feel and have a more positive mindset without it affecting your bank balance. 

There is nothing that can undermine a positive mindset than debt. So it is important to find ways to positively impact your mental health, and your mindset, without spending more than you have.

Are you ready to harness your own inner power through changing your mindset? Here are some simple, budget friendly and free, ways to foster a positive mindset.

Daily Positive Affirmations

If you have never practiced daily positive affirmations, it can be a powerful tool for altering your mindset in a temporary way, but also becomes your default over time. Positive affirmations don’t require anything other than the ability to speak to yourself. Speaks words of power, truth, love and conviction about your own worth. Learn more about using Daily Affirmations here.

Meditation

One of the first things you could try would be meditation. Some people are unsure about what to do when it comes to meditation at first, but actually, there are some guided ones that you can try. This is where you are advised what to do and the next steps to take. There are many apps that you can try that will help you get into the habit of meditation. Making it part of your routine will help you to have a more positive mindset. All you are doing is focusing on your breathing and clearing your mind, helping you to feel calmer and happier. Mediation is great if you struggle with stress and anxiety. 

Gridding

One of my favourite and most powerful ways to meditate is to work with my crystals in a way known as crystal gridding. The best part of this is that you do not need anything special. You don’t even need to have a crystal collection. You can go for a walk and use rocks you find along the way to make a grid on a fallen log. I have a collection of river rocks in my front garden that I love to form into different grids. Simply place them in a pattern, using intention and thought into the designs you form. Set your intentions for love, positivity, self care and joy. And let your grid help you manifest your desires.

Tip: If you do want to get into crystal gridding in a more formal way, Cave and Canyon is my go to for gridding. She has the most beautiful grids and crystals. Many of which don’t cost a fortune.

Moon Salutation Yoga

Taking a few moments every day to work through a yoga salutation can do so much for your mindset and your physical health. The Moon Salutation is a great one to start with. Learn how to do the Moon Salutation and download our free guide so you can work it into your daily routine and start feeling more positive.

Exercise 

Exercise is another great way to help you when it comes to your mindset. It produces those natural endorphins that will help you to feel good. Exercising regularly doesn’t mean you have to head to the gym or pay for an expensive membership, you can simply exercise from home. There are many free workouts that you can do from the comfort of your living room. From yoga, to walking and hiking, to yardwork.

My favourite is to get outdoors, connect with nature and go on walks or hikes away from the busyness of life. There is something about being in nature that makes exercise more of a spiritual experience, rather than just the physical activity.

Making a point of being more active will help you to feel more energized which can have a positive effect on your mindset. This sort of exercise doesn’t need to cost you a thing. 

A Gratitude Journal 

A lovely way to help you feel happier and have a more positive mindset is to start a gratitude journal. This means you are actively taking some time to write down or make a note of digitally some of the things that you have been grateful for that day. It could be as simple as a hot cup of coffee or managing to hit a deadline you have been worried about. The more specific you are, and the more you can feel grateful for, the happier and more positive you will be. It costs you only your time to consider what you are truly grateful for, but it can do amazing things for your mindset. Learn how to start a Gratitude Journal here.

Free Content 

We often don’t realize that there is a lot of free content that we can utilize that can help us to feel better and focus on our mindset. Here are a couple of suggestions. 

Listen to podcasts

If you are more of an audio person then you may want to start listening to podcasts. You can listen to these through many different platforms, and they are on all sorts of topics. However, you may find that there are a lot that are focused on how you feel and mental health. From interviews with celebrities who share how they improve their mindset to normal people talking about their experiences and tips. There is something for people from all walks of life.

Read online blogs

Another great way to utilize free content is to look online. There is a world of blogs out there, (like this one!) on all sorts of topics. Find ones that explore topics that interest you. Even if it is just something you have dreamed about, explore them virtually for free, and see how your passions and happiness grow! 

Think about what you consume 

It is important that you also think about the things that you consume. We often don’t associate our diets and what we drink with our mental health, but having more energy and feeling better on the inside can have a positive effect on how you feel in your mind. Here are some of the things to consider. 

Avoid caffeinated drinks 

Caffeinated drinks are often an option if you are feeling a little low on energy, but they can actually be counterproductive. The more caffeine you have in your system, the more your feelings and emotions can be heightened in a negative way. It can increase stress and anxiety feelings instead of calming you. I gave up coffee and soda pops years ago. Now I drink only teas and water. It has made a huge difference in my overall health.

Cut out the alcohol 

Alcohol is a depressant and while we can associate it with a good time, it sometimes can have a negative effect on how you feel. If you do enjoy an alcoholic drink try and reduce how often you consume. When you do have a drink, do it with intention and celebration. Take your time to enjoy the drink and keep it to just one that you savour.

Increase your intake of water

We sometimes don’t realize how great water can be for our mental health. Not only does it help to feel hydrated, but increased water intake can have a positive effect on energy levels and the quality of sleep we have. Helping us to feel better mentally. 

Balanced diet

Also what you consume in your diet can have either a positive or negative effect on your mindset. The more fruit and vegetables you have, the more energized you will feel. A diet full of junk will have you experiencing sugar highs and lows. 

Baking and cooking

In recent years I have discovered the power of my inner kitchen witch. I have a LOT of issues with food, and by learning how to bake and cook I’ve discovered that I can eat a lot of amazing foods, without feeling ill or having reactions from unwanted additives. Start simple, we have some great recipes here on Forging Magic. Overtime you can find your own power and positivity in the kitchen. Not only will you feel better, but cooking and baking your own food can save a lot of money. Win-win!

Use social media in a positive way 

Social media is important when it comes to our mindset, so try and use it in a more responsible way. Only follow accounts that make you feel good and try and limit the amount of screen time you have. This will help you to only digest content that helps you mentally instead of hinders it. 

One of the most powerful things you can do is turn off notifications on your phone, and set your phone to enter a sleep mode every evening. Forced time away from your phone can do powerful things for your mindset.

Surround yourself with people that make you feel good

Finally, make sure you surround yourself with people that make you feel good. You want friends and family members to support you and not bring you down. I have often been told, “You can’t pick your family, but you can pick your friends. So choose wisely.”. Our ‘family of choice’ is so important to our own mental health.

Take the challenge by implementing just one or two of these ideas, and see how fostering a positive mindset alters the world around you. We all have a special inner power to change ourselves and the world around us with our energy. With a positive mindset, you can affect change that will fill your journey with more happiness, joy and peace. All without affecting your bank balance.

More Inspiration for Joy

The post How To Foster A Positive Mindset On A Budget appeared first on Forging Magic.

MOON WATER

Disclaimer: This article may contain commission or affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Throughout history and cultures the Moon has been revered for its power and influence on the Earth. The duality between the Sun and Moon is a power balance that is recognized by mystics, pagans, astrologers and witches around the world. One does not need to look far to see how people throughout history have recognized and worshipped the immense energy and influence of the moon. 

The lunar energies felt here on Earth are powerful, especially when we look at how they influence tides and water. This power and energy make moon water an incredibly potent tool for manifestation and magic.

The Moon rules over the subtle, subconscious, and intuitive aspects of the inner self. Just as the moon waxes and wanes, we find this pattern reflected in our own energies and patterns. Women in particular can see this alignment in a powerful way with the syncing of their menstrual cycles to the moon cycles. When we intentionally align ourselves with the Moon, we’re tapping into an ancient, universal energy. One simple way to do this is by making moon water.

What is Moon Water?

Moon water, to put it simply, is water that has been charged by lunar energy.

It is created by leaving water in the moonlight to absorb the energies, and is aided by the practitioner’s own intentions and energies.

The moon has such a strong energetic connection with the element of water here on Earth (as can be seen in how it affects the tides), that harnessing that power within our own waters becomes a very simple and intuitive process.

Moon water can be used for a large variety of purposes to foster a greater connection between a person or sacred space and the Luna.

How To Make Moon Water

Supplies

A glass jar (like a mason jar) or glass container (I like to use one with a cork top).

Water (this should be safe to drink, like tap water, if your intentions are to drink it, but it can also be rainwater, lake water or any other source that calls to you.)

Crystals (water safe if you are planning on submerging them).

Essential oils or herbs (optional) Some ideas include: mugwort (ruled by the Moon), lavender (healing), rosemary (protection), or sweetgrass (positive energy), or whatever calls to you.

Cleansing source – this could be herbs or incense or palo santo plus a burn safe bowl. Or could be a cleansing spray such as Florida Water.

Set an intention to focus on. Your intention could be something like strength, harmony, prosperity or love. Or it could simply be the intention of connecting with the energies of the cosmos.

Ritual tools such as candles, a wand or athame (optional)

Timing – Full Moon Water

Moon water is traditionally charged at night under the Full Moon, when lunar energy is at its most potent and we’re easily able to connect to our intuition. I prefer to find the exact moment when the moon reaches its peak and work at exactly that moment.  I usually spend about an hour consecrating my moon waters.

2023 Full Moon Calendar

To help you plan ahead, here is when the next full moon will be for all of 2023.

January 6 – Wolf Moon
February 5 – Snow Moon
March 7 – Worm Moon
April 6 – Pink Moon
May 5 – Flower Moon
June 3 – Strawberry Moon
July 3 – Buck Moon
August 1 – Sturgeon Moon (Super Moon)
August 30 – Blue Moon (Super Moon)
September 29 – Harvest Moon
October 28 – Hunter’s Moon
November 27 – Beaver Moon
December 29 – Cold Moon

Astrology and the Full Moon

Knowing which astrological sign the full moon is in, can guide you in how to work with the specific energies of that moon. Those energies will influence the energies of your moon water.

Each full moon will be in the sister sign of the current astrological season. For example, the sister sign to Virgo is Pisces. That means that during Virgo season, the full moon will be in Pisces and during Pisces season, the full moon will be in Virgo. Once you know the sister signs, you will always know which sign the full moon is in!

Here is some information about how the astrological sign the full moon is in can be incorporated into your moon magic.

Full Moon in Aries:

Aries is the pioneer, the individualist. This full moon carries a lot of those fiery Aries emotions, such as anger. Occurring during Libra season, we see the emphasis on both our relationships with others and with others. This is a good time to release old angers or burning resentments, as well as releasing what holds you back from pioneering what you wish to start in your life.

Full Moon in Taurus:

This full moon is about our physical embodiment of our health, self-love, and spirituality. This is a good time to release stubbornness that you hold in the body. As they say, issues are in the tissues!. It is a good time to reflect on your values, as well as material assets. Taurus builds things to last and they appreciate value in themselves and what they do. Releasing blocks and behaviours that inhibit you from valuing yourself is also beneficial at this time.

Full Moon in Gemini:

There is an emphasis on communication and learning with this full moon. Notice not only how you speak to others, but how you interpret what others say to you. Reflection upon your self-talk is also valuable at this time. Gemini is curious and has an active mind. Resist the urge to be mentally scattered, but do enjoy some curiosity. Releasing unhealthy communication patterns or blocks to learning and mental growth is beneficial during this full moon.

Full Moon in Cancer:

The moon is at home in the sign of Cancer. This is a great time for intuition, honouring your emotions, and nurturing yourself and your loved ones. You may be feeling very sensitive and reflective during this time, so again, nurture your emotions without letting them take you over. Family, home, emotions, and intuition are major themes. Honour your feelings and practice forgiveness and release in regards to blocks in these areas.

Full Moon in Leo:

Leo wants to shine and shine bright, and this full moon is no exception. Where do you shine bright in your life? Honouring the culmination that you currently stand in while releasing blocks to your radiance is helpful at this time. Leo is creative, so feel free to get creative with how you do this! Be mindful that your desire to shine bright isn’t tinged with the desire to shine brighter than others. Leo in alignment understands that when we all shine, the world glows much brighter. No need for comparison or jealousy.

Full Moon in Virgo:

Critical Virgo may help you out with this full moon, as long as you don’t let the critical mind take you over. Critical thinking about your health and your dreams is helpful at this time. However, if you find you constantly think critically about yourself and others, this is an ideal lunar cycle to exercise compassion and forgiveness, releasing unhelpful critical habits that bring you down. Attention to your diet, to-do lists, and basically getting your wellness game in order are all in alignment with these energies. And ideally, you will also experience that Virgo authenticity and independence of spirit that Virgo embodies when they are in their element.

Full Moon in Libra:

Libra craves harmony and love, and this full moon is no exception. Emotions relating to harmony, or lack thereof, in relationships will be brought to light. This moon cycle brings the opportunity to creatively clear out what no longer serves you when it comes to your relationships. How can you facilitate more self-love and compassion? This full moon will guide you there with that Libra eye for beauty and detail. 

Full Moon in Scorpio:

Scorpio is associated with the Death card in the tarot, and these energies of release and transformation are very much in alignment with this full moon. There is a call to your shadow side, your inner darkness at this time. This isn’t scary darkness, rather it’s the part of ourselves that we disassociate from because it is not acceptable or tamed. But that is where true healing and transformation lies. As Scorpio is also associated with mystery, spirituality and divination are powerful tools at this time. Bring up what needs to be released from the darkness and release it so you may transform into the next version of yourself.

Full Moon in Sagittarius:

Sagittarius loves higher learning, philosophy, and adventure. This full moon is a great time to assess your relationship with these. What inhibits you from taking an adventure? How can you view life as an adventure rather than a destination? Seek freedom and release what holds you back from doing so and being yourself. Sag is also known for speaking your truth. If you do not feel you can do this, reflect on why during this full moon. It’s hard to follow an authentic call to adventure when we don’t feel safe to honestly answer the call.

Full Moon in Capricorn:

Capricorn brings your awareness to your emotions around the structures and foundations in your life. This can be applied to not only your material goals (career, finances, etc) but also your relationships and spiritual practices. How are the foundations? Are they built on authenticity and solid knowledge, bound together by love and trust? Or are there cracks? Reflect on and release the flimsy foundations so you may build them better and stronger.

Full Moon in Aquarius:

What makes you unique? How are you very much your own person? This full moon invites you to detach from the idea that you have to be a certain way or follow a certain path in order to succeed. By forging your own authentic path, you will best help the collective, which is an important aspect of Aquarius and this full moon. What is your impact on the collective? What inhibits you from doing it? If you do not know what it is, ask for the blockages to be released so you may better know and pursue it. Wave your freak flag high, and the right people will join you.

Full Moon in Pisces:

Our empathetic and dreamy Pisces energies will bring up many emotions and fears during this time. Pisces has a tendency to try to escape or avoid that which makes them uncomfortable. And yet, it is only by facing discomfort that we can start to become free of its hooks. Releasing addictions at this time is also ideal, as well as releasing any victim stories that are holding you back. This is also a good time for spiritual activities and exploration, particularly focusing on your dreams.

Making Moon Water ~ Moon Water Ritual

On the night of the full moon it is time to charge your water. Start by cleansing your jar with smoke from the herbs or incense, or by spraying it with a cleansing spray such as Florida Water. Visualize a washing away of old energies as you do this. Use this time to also ground yourself. You may also wish to cleanse yourself at this time.

Add water to your container. Next, if you feel inclined to do so, add crystals, essential oils or herbs to the water. While doing this you should state your intentions for how you wish these additions will empower your moon water. Always work with great intention and clarity.

If you haven’t been doing these first steps under the moon, head out now to a place where your waters can absorb the moon’s energy.

I like to set up an altar as part of my own ritual. I use candles (sometimes scribed with sigils and anointed), burning herb bundles, crystals and ritual tools to create my altar and align it with my intentions. Then I place the moon water jar in the centre of my altar.

A note about the weather:

I live in Canada, and many of our moons are very, very cold. I have made moon ice many times! However, you do not need to make your moon water outside, you can do it inside on a windowsill. Also, if it is cloudy, don’t worry, the lunar energies can still be effective. If it is raining you can even collect the rainwater by leaving your open jar in the rainfall and infuse it with your moon waters.

Charging the Moon Water

Once your moon water is charging under the moon take a moment to still yourself and meditate on your intentions and connection to the moon.

Hold your palms face up under the moon and feel the lunar energies entering your being. Feel it entering your hands, turn your face up and feel it flowing into you and through you. Then turn your hands palms down to guide the energies and intentions into your moon water.

If you are using a wand or athame, you can use it to direct your energies in a more powerful and intentional way.

As you work, give voice to your intentions, say a blessing or prayer. Invite the moon’s energies to infuse your water.

When you are finished, ensure you thank the moon and the universe for letting you connect with the cosmos and access these powerful energies.

You can leave your water out to charge if you wish, but ensure you bring it in before dawn. You do not want your moon water exposed to sunlight. Once you do, it starts taking on the solar energies.

Moon Water Uses and Benefits

Now you have completed your ritual you might be wondering how to use moon water? There are so many ways! Here are just a few ideas to get you started. Use your own intuition to find uses that align with your greater good.

• Use it to cleanse your altar, sacred space, crystals, or any ritual tools (ensure they can be safely exposed to water).
• Add it to a ritual full moon bath to connect with lunar energies.
• Use it to cleanse your home. You can add it to your mop bucket, or into a spray bottle to power up your cleaning agents.
• Use it in your creative process in place of plain water. For example, In our blacksmith forge we use moon water in our quench bucket. It has a powerful influence on the energies infused into our creations.
• Water plants with moon water, they love it!
• Use it to create ritual sprays by adding essential oils and alcohol to freshen up your sacred spaces.
• Use it in your essential oil diffuser.
• Drink it or use it to make tea so you can realign from the inside out (ensure you used safe drinking water in your ritual!)
• Use it to anoint your body, as a way of energetically cleansing yourself.

Storing Moon Water

Once your ritual is complete you will want to ensure you are storing your charged moon water properly so you can use it throughout the month. The most important thing is to protect your moon water from sunlight. If you expose your moon water to sunlight it will immediately start taking on the energies of the sun. The sun and moon have this incredible duality that is always working to balance each other. But once exposed to sunlight the lunar energies in your waters will be tempered and weakened. And with enough exposure you will end up with Solar Waters.

Making moon water can be as simple or as complex as you wish to make it. Taking the time to connect with the moon every month, going through the ritual of making moon water, can have a powerful influence on your own energies. This month take the time to make some moon water and see how it energizes you, your space and your month.

More Resources on the Moon

More Manifesting Magic

This article is a joint collaboration between Shelley of Forging Magic and Jenny of The Mystic Mermaid. Thank you so much Jenny for infusing your wisdom into this piece!

The post Ultimate Guide to Moon Water appeared first on Forging Magic.

Meraki Tarot Deck

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Why the Meraki?

Meraki signifies doing something with soul, creativity and love. It represents the essence of who you are and the passion in your work. 

Although I do have a few tarot decks now in my collection, it is far from a large collection. I am quite selective about my decks.

When I found the Meraki Tarot on Kickstarter the first thing that drew me in was the art. I liked the colours and the general whimsical vibe of the cards. I’ve been going through some darker times and the idea of having something that felt happy and joyful appealed to me.

Then when I started reading more about the project I was sucked right in. The deck includes correspondences to crystals, astrology and planets.

As a new tarot reader I am just starting to learn about these correspondences from Jenny (The Mystic Mermaid who writes so many amazing articles on this site!). I am the first to admit, I often find it so overwhelming trying to remember all of the correspondences.

When reading cards you can use a lot of intuition, but when it comes to the correspondences, there is a lot of memorization required.

So when I noticed the Meraki Tarot Major Arcana had the correspondences on the cards, plus little guidance cards, I was intrigued!

The Kickstarter Process

If you have backed a project on Kickstarter before, you know it is a bit of a gamble. In general this project went fairly smoothly, although it was delayed. Delivery was originally scheduled for January, but I didn’t get it until June. But the creator was great at keeping everyone updated on the delays and once shipped, it arrived quickly!

The Meraki Tarot

Once the deck finally arrived I was so excited to check it out.

I’ve had a chance to play with the deck and thought I would share some initial insights.

The Feel

First this deck is a nice size that fits really nicely in the hand. The cardstock feels almost velvety. It is a good thickness, durable while still being easy to shuffle.

But, and this is a big juicy but, the cards are very sticky and like to clump together. So far I am having a hard time with getting a good shuffle from the deck. It is my hope this will improve with use.

The colours are the main thing that really stand out with this deck, they are simply gorgeous and the cardstock compliments the colours beautifully.

The System and Art

The Meraki Tarot is based on the Smith Rider Waite tarot system. However, the artist has reimagined many of the cards, creating new imagery. This can be great, but can also present challenges. Especially for less experienced readers.

As I read with these cards I find the art gives it a very inviting and gentle feel. I simply enjoy spending time with this art and letting my intuition take its time interpreting the imagery.

Although I love many of the cards, one of my favourites is the Hanged Man, which features the coolest little bat just hanging out.

That said, there are a few cards with artwork that doesn’t work as well for me and that don’t seem to fit the overall design aesthetic of the deck. I find myself not getting the right pings from the imagery or they simply don’t appeal to me and interrupt the fluidity when I am reading them together. Thankfully that is only a few of the cards.

On a much more positive note though, a common theme throughout the deck is crystals. As a crystal lover, this really appeals to me. Not only does each Major Arcana feature a crystal image in the corner highlighting its crystal association, but many of the Minor Arcana feature crystals in the artwork too. I really love this integration of the crystals into the artwork and although I haven’t spent a lot of time studying the cards, I do wonder if some deeper associations can be drawn from the minor arcana cards by looking at the crystal colours featured. It is something I will need to reflect on.

This is a nature and animal inspired deck. None of the imagery features humans. This works for some people, but not for others.

Also, another divisive issue in the tarot world is the use of borders. This deck has a scalloped border. I am not a huge fan of it, but it is also not a huge negative in my books. It doesn’t add or detract from my readings. Other readers may feel differently. There are some strong feelings around borders in the tarot world!

Bonus Cards

The Meraki Tarot Deck comes with 3 additional cards:

• The Meraki
• Obscurity
• Clarity

The artwork on these cards are beautiful. The Meraki tarot card is an explosion of colour and just exudes hope and happiness. However, I have not used these cards as part of the deck. I prefer to stick to the proper 78 standard deck, but they are a wonderful bonus. When I get decks that have these bonus cards I often use them as bookmarks.

Associations

The big thing that drew me to the Meraki Tarot was the associations. I feel strongly that if I can gain a better understanding of these associations it will really aid my readings.

And this deck fills that need for me beautifully on my tarot growth journey.

With the deck, you get a number of additional guidance cards featuring:

• Astrological Signs,
• Solar System (Planetary) Associations,
• Crystal Associations,
• Astrology and Element Associations.

In addition, the Major Arcana have the Crystal Association shown with a coloured crystal in the corner, and in the other corner is the Solar System Association.

I am finding those guidance cards so valuable when doing my readings. When I pull a major arcana, I can reference those cards (quickly and easily) and immediately gain greater insight by uncovering the astrological, elemental, crystal and solar system associations.

This is opening up a whole new level of insights and understandings for me!

Plus I love working with the crystal associations. When doing a daily card pull from the major arcana, I can use it as guidance for what crystal may benefit me that day. Then I can either carry that crystal with me, or create a crystal grid with it, or work it into my altar.

Final Thoughts on the Meraki

Overall I am really enjoying this whimsical deck. The art is generally very beautiful and the best part is that my intuition and ability to read tarot is growing thanks to integration of the association guidance cards. I am learning more about how to use these associations to provide greater depth to my readings.

Most of all, I am enjoying spending time with this tarot deck. And at the end of the day, that is what I am looking for in a tarot deck. Something that I can connect with and helps feed my passion for tarot.

If you have been reading tarot for a while and are looking for a deck that will help build your understanding of the associations, this is a great deck to work with.

If you are interested in adding the deck to your collection you can check it out here.

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The post Meraki Tarot Deck Review appeared first on Forging Magic.

ANVIL DUST

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What is Anvil Dust?

Anvil Dust is created during the blacksmith’s forging process. Essentially, it is the iron flakes and scale that fall from the metal as the smith hammers. It falls on and around the anvil, hence the term Anvil Dust.

Learn more about the magical properties of iron.

Although most popularly known as Anvil Dust, it has also been called Blacksmith Dirt.

In a normal forge, the anvil dust is often contaminated by other materials in the shop. It can also contain large variety of sizes, from large flakes to fine dust. If you are procuring anvil dust of for your ritual work, ensure you are getting clean dust, or clean it yourself.

Blacksmith dirt is magnetic. Just imagine how people would have viewed magnetic properties in predominately illiterate societies. It would truly appear as if the blacksmith was creating magic and manipulating the energies and forces of our universe.

Essentially anvil dust is blacksmith made dirt. So why is it valued and how does one use it for magical purposes?

Before we explore some modern magical uses for anvil dust, let’s look at some history about why this is seen as such a powerful item.

A History of Anvil Dust

Part of the magic and power of anvil dust comes from the history of the blacksmith as a revered, mystical figure in society.

Throughout pagan history, across many cultures, the blacksmith has been seen as a powerful wielder of magic. Blacksmiths harnessed the awesome energy of fire and with it were able to shape the very elements of our Earth. This skill was seen as divinely granted by many societies. Placing ironmongers and blacksmiths in a revered position where they held rankings at a similar level as druids and even kings.

Having a blacksmith in a community or village meant wealth and prosperity for its members. Thanks to the skills of the smith they would have tools for cultivating the land, household objects, weapons for defending themselves, even the ability to create items for medical care.

Since the blacksmith is seen as such an elemental power icon in history, it is no wonder that even the “dirt and dust” created by the smith in their forge was believed to hold incredible powers.

Gods of the Forge

So why would blacksmith dirt or anvil dust become such a coveted item? It begins with the gods.

Throughout history there have been a number of pagan forge gods. Here are just a few.

Hephaestus/Vulcan

Perhaps the most famous forge god is Hephaestus, a member of the Hellenistic pantheon. The son of Hera and Zeus, king and queen of the Greek gods, Hephaestus was the smith of the gods. Forging their weapons and tools to serve in their divine roles.

The Romans knew Hephaestus as Vulcan.

Goibniu/Brigid/Brigit

In Celtic tradition, the Celtic god Goibniu, is the ‘divine smith of the Túatha Dé Danann, creator of weapons’.

Brigid (Brigit) is a powerful Celtic forge goddess. The Celts believed the blacksmith craft was divinely inspired, and therefore the blacksmith was to be revered for their skills. Through Brigid, they honoured an important connection between the blacksmith and the fili, a class of poet and seer thought to have supernatural powers. Brigid is a Gaelic goddess of poetry, smithcraft and healing. For centuries, the priestesses of Brigid were charged with the tending of a sacred, eternal flame, just as a blacksmith must tend his flames in the forge.

Side note on the power of blacksmith quench water: Brigid was associated with several wells across Ireland. These wells were deemed holy and to possess healing powers. This connection might have influenced beliefs in the healing powers of the blacksmith’s quench water. Quench water is infused with iron and heated to high temperatures sterilizing it. It was often used for its perceived healing properties. NOTE: NEVER DRINK QUENCH BUCKET WATER! Save that for the history books.

These are just a few of the gods associated with the forge and blacksmiths. There are many more across many cultures.

How to use Anvil Dust?

OK, so now we know the history of Anvil Dust, and why it has been seen as magical for so many centuries, how do we use this stuff?

There are actually many uses for Blacksmith Dirt.

Mars and the Warrior Energies

Since Anvil Dust is essentially iron, it has the planetary association of Mars. Mars is associated with will power. If you are looking to initiate, start something new, change paths, complete something or seeking victory Mars can support you on your quest. When doing any work invoking Mars planetary associations, Anvil Dust is a powerful ally.

Iron is traditionally the metal of the warrior. Use Anvil Dust when you want to invoke your inner warrior and strength. This does not always need to be an offensive use, it also has strong protective (defensive) qualities. A true warrior knows when to hold back and be powerful within their strength, it is not always the time to charge headlong into battle. Working with Anvil Dust can aide you in tapping into that warrior fortitude and wisdom when dealing with situations.

Practical Applications of Anvil Dust

So now we know so much about Anvil Dust, what do you actually DO with it?

Well it all depends. Here are a few applications.

• Use it in a protection ritual.
• Anvil dust can used to ground harmful energy.
• Use it in protective charms
• Mischievous fairies, faeries and fae will avoid iron. Sprinkle it in an area to keep them away.
• Add it to divinatory rituals (I love to pair it with my scrying mirror).
• Wear a small amount in an amulet or pendant as a protective talisman and to draw prosperity, including luck in love and money.
• Add it to mojo bags.
• It is a must have to charge lodestones.
• Due to its magnetic properties it is an excellent addition to any attraction spells or rituals.
• Sprinkle it by your front door, the outer edges of your property, or outside windows to aid in protection and guard your home from negative influences.
• Use it as a protective ingredient in ritual powders.
• Use it to dress candles.
• Add it to your witch bottles and jars.
• It is also an important ingredient in Goofer Dust.

This is not an exhaustive list. It can be used in so many ways. Here I have provided a sampling of ways you can get started using blacksmith dirt in your own practice.

Anvil Dust Candle Magic Ritual

This is a simple candle magic ritual you can do to invoke the energies of Mars.

Take a candle, I like to use pure, natural beeswax, or you can use a red candle if you prefer to work with coloured candles in your rituals.

Take a blacksmith nail or forged scribe, and carve the symbol of Mars onto the candle. This is a circle with an arrow pointing off to the right (the typical male symbol).

If required, warm the candle to just start to soften the wax. You only need to do this if your candles are harder or you live in a colder climate. This can be done a few different ways. If I am feeling traditional, I will hold it well above a flame and turn it until the candle warms a bit. My modern witchy way is to simply use a hair dryer. You simply want to warm and soften the wax a bit. You do not want the wax to melt!

Once softened, roll the candle in Anvil Dust to coat it.

If you don’t want to warm the whole candle and roll it, you can skip the whole warming step and simply sprinkle the top of the candle with Anvil Dust.

If you feel drawn to do so, anoint the candle with a protective oil blend of your choosing.

Ground yourself with three deep breaths, feeling yourself drawing down. Then light the candle.

Meditate on the flame as the candle burns, asking for divine guidance on how best to navigate your situation, or how to use your willpower for positive change. Close your eyes, opening your heart, mind and spirit to messages from the divine.

When you are finished, give thanks for the divine guidance and gifts granted to you.

Where to Buy Anvil Dust

If you are ready to add some anvil dust to your ritual and magical practices, you can find high quality offerings at our forge, Daelen Forge.

We only collect the dust when we are doing intentional, ritual forgings. Such as when we are forging wands, altar bowls, athames and other ritual tools. As part of our ritual forgings we quench in quartz infused moon waters, which also provides its own special energies to our anvil dust.

We carefully clean and prepare all anvil dust before packaging it, to ensure you get only the best quality.

Visit Daelen Forge to learn more: Daelen Forge Shop

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The post Magical Uses of Anvil Dust appeared first on Forging Magic.

Café Style Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins Recipe

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There is something about that sour, lemony tang, mixed with a bit of sweet, on a velvety soft muffin that send me to my happy place.

This isn’t one of those dry, dense, tasteless muffins. Oh no!

This muffin is packed with so much flavour. The best part is that it isn’t too sweet. Just the right balance, with a little sweet crunch on top from some raw sugar crystals. Which also means you can control the sweetness.

Sometimes you need a lot of sweet, sometimes you need just a little hit. No matter what you are craving you can easily and instantly customize these amazing muffins to your taste.

Enjoy them with a cup of tea or coffee, while listening to some relaxing music and find yourself melting into the moment. Content. Happy. Satisfied.

Or, if your life is like mine, grab one on the go for that hit of pleasure in the middle of the chaos.!

Oh and my kids love them too. So I have a trick for making sure they last. Read on to discover my tips.

But first, let’s learn how to make these muffins.

Lemon Poppy Seed Muffin Ingredients

Note, I have provided weights then in brackets the approximate cup measurement. If at all possible always use weight. It is more accurate.

Muffins

600 g all purpose flour (3 cups)
200 g sugar (1 cup)
25 g poppy seeds (2.5 tbsp)
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
500 g lemon yogurt (1.5 cups)
6 medium lemons, organic, not waxed
2 large free range eggs
125 g unsalted butter (1/3 cup)
60 g vegetable oil (1/4 cup)
Raw, coarse sugar

Lemon Glaze

1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup berry sugar (aka caster sugar or super fine sugar)
raw, coarse sugar

Instructions

Measure out your butter into a microwave proof bowl. Melt it, then set aside to cool.

In a large bowl, add flour, sugar, poppy seeds, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk together until completely combined.

In a separate bowl whisk yogurt and eggs until smooth. Zest all 6 lemons into the bowl. Yes, all six. Trust me, so worth it! Then juice 3 of the lemons into the bowl. Set the other three lemons to the side. Add the melted butter and oil. Whisk until smooth.

Make a well in the middle of the dry mix, then pour in the liquid mix. Using a spoon, gently fold together. Only fold a few times until just combined. You will still see dry flour. That is OK! Over mixing is what causes dense muffins. Do not overmix, it will ruin these fluffy muffins!

Let the mix sit for a few minutes. The batter will become very fluffy and soft. A really cool texture. While it is sitting, adjust the racks in your oven to the middle and heat to 375F/190C.

Grease a 12 cup muffin tin with butter. You can also use muffin cups if you prefer, but I like the way they bake without the cups better.

Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tin.

Once the oven is warm bake the muffins for 20 to 25 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean, and the tops are turning golden brown. Depending on your oven, you may want to rotate your muffin tin half way through to ensure even baking.

Make the lemon glaze

While the muffins are baking, it is time to make the lemon glaze.

In a small saucepan, juice the last three lemons. It should come out to about 1/4 cup of juice. If you don’t get a enough, add a bit more. Add the berry sugar, which is also known as caster sugar or super fine sugar depending on where you live.

Simmer on low heat for about 5 to 8 minutes, stirring regularly.

Finishing Touches

When the muffins are done, pull them from the oven, remove from the muffin tin and place on a cooling rack over parchment paper.

Drizzle the lemon glaze over the top of the muffins while they are still warm.

Sprinkle with raw sugar.

Let cool and enjoy!

Tips

These lemon poppy seed muffins get devoured at our home. So one trick I learned is to spread the batter into two 12 cup muffin tins. If you only make 12 they are HUGE, but by spreading the batter out into 24 you get lots of perfectly snack sized muffins that tend to last a bit longer with all the snacking my teens do!

The biggest mistake you can make when baking these muffins is to overmix. When you add the liquid to the dry, be very gentle while folding, not mixing, it together. To fold, move your spoon around the edge and under the mix and through the middle. You will only do this about 15 times or so. Yes you will still see some dry mix, but don’t be tempted to overmix. Let it sit. Magic happens while it is sitting and it takes on the most incredible silky, light texture, resulting is a soft, light muffin. If you overmix, you kill the magic and your muffins will end up dense. I know it is sooooo tempting to keep mixing, but resist!

Do you like a sweeter muffin? Double the batch of lemon glaze. The glaze is adding a lot of the sweetness to these muffins. So if you have a sweet tooth, double the glaze so you can really pack in the sweet, lemony flavour.

Definitely double the glaze if you are doing 24 smaller muffins.

If you want to freeze your muffins, Freezer Meals 101 featured this recipe and talked about all the best tips and tricks for freezing muffins (and muffin batter). Check it out here.

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Print

Lemon Poppy Seed Muffin Recipe

Learn how to make the most delicious, café worthy, lemon poppy seed muffin with this easy recipe and tips to ensure perfect results.

Course Recipes

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Servings 12 muffins

Calories 300kcal

Ingredients

Lemon Poppy Seed Muffin

• 600 g all purpose flour (3 cups)
• 200 g sugar (1 cup)
• 25 g poppy seeds (2.5 tbsp)
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 500 g lemon yogurt (1.5 cups)
• 6 medium lemons, organic, not waxed
• 2 large free range eggs
• 125 g unsalted butter (1/3 cup)
• 60 g vegetable oil (1/4 cup)
• Raw, coarse sugar

Lemon Glaze

• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1/4 cup berry sugar (aka caster sugar or super fine sugar)
• raw, coarse sugar

Instructions

• Melt and cool butter.
• In a large bowl, add flour, sugar, poppy seeds, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk together.
• In a separate bowl whisk yogurt and eggs until smooth. Zest all 6 lemons into the bowl. Juice 3 lemons into the bowl. Add the melted butter and oil. Whisk until smooth.
• Using a spoon, gently fold together liquid mix into dry. Only fold a few times until just combined. Do not overmix. Let sit.
• Heat the oven to 375F/190C.
• Grease a 12 cup muffin tin with butter.
• Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tin.
• Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean, and the tops are turning golden brown.
• In a small saucepan, juice the last three lemons. It should come out to about 1/4 cup of juice. If you don’t get a enough, add a bit more. Add the berry sugar.
• Simmer on low heat for about 5 to 8 minutes, stirring regularly.
• When the muffins are done, pull them from the oven, remove from the muffin tin and place on a cooling rack over parchment paper.
• Drizzle the lemon glaze over the top of the muffins while they are still warm.
• Sprinkle with raw sugar.

The post Lemon Poppy Seed Muffin Recipe appeared first on Forging Magic.

How To Get Your First Tarot Deck

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Then, when you get started browsing the internet excitedly searching tarot, you may have read things like, “you have to be gifted your first deck”. Or you see so many options, you’re not sure where to start! In this article, we will break this down for you so you can purchase your first deck feeling confident and excited.

A Brief History of Tarot

Though there isn’t a precise date to give to the birth of tarot, most historians agree that tarot originated as a card game, with the minor arcana possibly based on 15th century Egyptian playing cards known as the Malmûk cards. Tarot was used for gambling as opposed to divination at this time.

The earliest appearance of the major arcana, the 22 trump cards, appears in Italy around the mid 15th century. At this time, these were considered fine works of art, sometimes painted with gold leaf. These were expensive and were generally kept away in fine boxes.

To this day, many decks have been created that feature the most stunning artwork. The art is one of the things that draws people to particular tarot decks.

Examples of these fine art tarot decks have been found in countries such as Italy, France, and Germany. The artwork was influenced by European court life and public figures at the time.

We can speculate about the first tarot deck, but not all tarot scholars agree on this point. However, some tarot scholars suggest the first tarot deck was created for the Visconti family in Italy in 1455, making it at least one of the first decks to have the major arcana as well as the minor.

In any case, we can say that tarot has been around for hundreds of years, has roots in Eastern and Western cultures, and has shifted from a game of playing cards to a tool used for divination, as well as, spiritual and personal development.

Learn more about – What is Tarot?

The “It Has to be a Gift” Notion

Since tarot has been around for hundreds of years, across continents, cultures, and languages, there is much we don’t know. For a long time, many people believed that your first tarot deck had to be gifted to you.

There is some speculation around the origins of this tradition. It may be cultural, suggesting that certain cultures passed down tarot cards in a particular fashion. In this case, this is a culture-specific tradition rather than a general tarot rule.

Other tarot writers suggest that it was in Victorian England that this idea took hold on a wider audience. To keep their cards and the experience more mystical, tarot readers may have taken up the gift tradition to make what they do seem more mysterious and less accessible.

Nowadays, with the printing press and the ability for so many people to create, sell, and purchase tarot decks, the gift notion has been challenged. More people are tuning into their inner guidance, which is important when deciding to embark on your tarot journey.

In short? Some cultures may practice the gift tradition, but if that’s not your culture, then this tradition may not be for you. The world needs more magic and intuitive people seeking healing. If tarot calls to you, heed the call.

Are All Tarot Decks the Same?

While all tarot decks follow an almost identical structure of 22 major arcana cards and 56 minor arcana, there are a few differences between tarot decks. Namely, there are three main deck types after which most decks are modelled. Here I provide a brief overview of the differences between the three types, but you could right an entire book on how the decks differ and compare. But let’s cover some of the high level differences here.

The Tarot de Marseille

This is the oldest known tarot deck used for divination. Created in France in the mid 17th century, the Tarot de Marseille is a great deck to read and to study. There are a few differences, the most important being the artwork in the minor arcana.

The minor arcana roughly translates to “little secrets.” These 56 cards are comprised of four suits, similar to a playing deck of cards. In the Tarot de Marseille, the cards 1 – 10 of the suit are illustrated by the number of the object of the suit being represented on the card.

This is different to other tarot decks, as there is not more specific imagery to help beginners understand the card’s meaning. For example, the 4 of Cups in the Tarot de Marseille is just four cups. In the Smith Rider Waite deck, it’s an image of a bored looking person.

See how the bored person could tell you more about the meaning of the card than just four cups?

However, with all things tarot, trust your intuition and trust where you feel pulled. If the Tarot de Marseille is singing to you, trust that. It just means that you may need to do a bit more memorization. However, the major arcana and the court cards are still wonderfully illustrated.

The Smith Rider-Waite Tarot

Published in 1908, this is the deck that most modern decks are now based of off. Created by Arthur Edward Waite and illustrated by Pamela Colman Smith, this deck changed the way we view and study tarot. Colman Smith also illustrated the minor arcana, changing the deck forever.

Waite was the sometimes leader of the Order of the Golden Dawn and Colman Smith was a talented artist. It is really Colman Smith who we can thank for the lasting impression and messages of this deck. Sometimes known as “The Pixie,” her artistic interpretations gave new life and depth to the cards.

And take it from me, as someone who has been consistently studying about and reading tarot for well over a decade, you can study her tarot artwork for years and still find surprises. It’s the magical gift of study that keeps on giving.

I consider this the best deck for beginners, or at least decks based on this one. Why? Because of the comprehensive illustrations. When you see the 4 of Wands and it’s a celebration, you already know that this card has a message joy and coming together.

The 4 of Wands in the Tarot de Marseille and other decks are just four wands. While this is still great, for the beginner, it does not give the illustrative visual clues to the meaning of the card that are so helpful in the Smith Rider-Waite.

Note: I refer to this deck as the Smith Rider-Waite, but you may find it more commonly referred to as the Rider-Waite. Waite is the author and Rider is the publisher. Some modern readers include Smith’s name to give her the recognition she deserves for her lasting artwork.

The Thoth Tarot

Created by Aleister Crowley and illustrated by Lady Frida Harris in 1944, the Thoth tarot (named for the Egyptian god) of is the newest addition to the main three decks. Crowley was a somewhat notorious occultist, and the opinions range greatly on his antics and his tarot.

Crowley wanted the tarot to be more abstract, having Harris incorporate more symbolism rooted in alchemy, astrology, the Cabala, Ancient Egyptian, and Celtic mythology, among others. Fascinating, but not as easy to identify with off the hop.

There are notable differences between the Thoth tarot and the other decks. For example, Strength is called Lust and the 7 of Pentacles indicates failure. However, Crowley stuck with the previous numerology of the tarot, leaving Justice as number 8 and Strength as number 11.

Waite changed Justice to number 11 and Strength the 8. That is another article for another time.

In short, the Thoth tarot is fascinating but not as accessible as the Smith Rider Waite. However, if it calls to you, always trust that call. It is a fascinating study into other branches of occultism, which a tarot student may find rewarding.

Buying Your First Tarot Deck

Many modern tarot readers subscribe to the belief that if you feel called to read tarot, then that’s all the permission or validation that you need. Feel free to seek out a tarot deck and make that magical purchase.

You can find deck flip throughs on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. This is where someone shows the artwork on each card of a tarot deck. You can just search the deck you’re interested in and you should find an option for a flip through video.

Certain metaphysical stores may have open decks that you can look through so that you can see if the illustrations speak to you. It really is the calling of the illustrations to our subconscious that matters.

Tarot is the language of the soul, and it speaks through feelings and visions. Buying your first deck, and the subsequent decks, is the practice of hearing and responding to the call of your soul.

Quick Summary of the Tarot

A tarot deck is a deck of card used for divination purposes comprised of 78 cards. There will be 22 major arcana and 56 minor arcana cards. There may be additional cards if the creator has felt called to create them. For more information, see my article What is Tarot for more.

You will know it is a tarot deck if it follows this structure. It the deck says it’s a tarot deck but has only 60 cards, then it’s an oracle deck. I am not a fan of deck creators doing this, as I find it misleading. But to each their own.

Learn more about Oracle Cards vs Tarot Cards

The major arcana (roughly translated to “big secrets”) represents the larger energies and lessons that we experience in our lives. The minor arcana represents the everyday feelings, situations, and people that we encounter.

I compare this to the macro vs the micro. While the macro (bigger events aka the major arcana) represents larger energies, we are wise to remember that it is the micro (everyday energies and actions) that makes up the majority of our lives.

TLDR – How To Pick Your First Tarot Deck?

In short, I suggest the Smith Rider-Waite, or decks based on this one, as the best decks for beginners. Aren’t sure if the deck you’re interested in is based on this one? Ask the magical employee at the metaphysical store or contact the deck creator. They will be happy to help and answer your questions. A quick Google search can also come up with loads of information on a deck.

Go ahead and buy your own deck. In a world that has tried to flatten magic so completely, deciding that you will embark on magic and then buying your own deck is a powerful act of magical reclamation.

And above all? Trust yourself and your intuition. Your soul will guide you to the right deck by your feelings. What you feel called to is for you. Enjoy this exercise in trusting yourself. And always, enjoy and trust your own magic with the tarot. Your heart and soul know.

More Beginner Tarot Resources

Check out all of these incredible resources that we love from our magic bookshelves.

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Free Tarot Journal Pages

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Jenny McCargar

The Mystic Mermaid

Jenny is a professional shamanic practitioner and tarot reader. Her academic background is in French and Spanish translation studies. Through her academic and spiritual studies, she realized we are all spiritual translators, translating our feelings, experiences, and messages from spirit. Jenny endeavours to help people see the light within themselves, each other, and nature, to dream a healed dream into being for ourselves and the world.

The post How To Pick Your First Tarot Deck appeared first on Forging Magic.

Homemade Soap With Dandelions

Disclaimer: This article may contain commission or affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

My favourite way to connect with Mother Earth and literally get back to my roots, is to go forging. And one of the simplest items to forge around here in the spring is Dandelions. My yard is a sea of yellow. And I love it!

I am very careful not to use any toxins on our lands. So I know all of my Dandelions are safe.

So after a recent forging session in the yard I decided to make these soaps to preserve that spring fresh experience all summer long.

This soap recipe is very simple and is perfect for those new to soap making.

Ingredients

1/2 pound clear melt and pour soap, cut into cubes
2 tablespoons turmeric powder
2 tablespoons dried Dandelions or 1 cup fresh blossoms (see drying instructions)
1 tablespoon cocoa butter
2-3 drops Argan oil
10-20 drops turmeric essential oil
Oval silicone mold
Spray bottle of rubbing alcohol
2 Microwave safe measuring cups
Mixing spoon

Directions

Forging for Dandelions

If you are forging for fresh Dandelions you will need to collect and dry your Dandelions before you can use them in your soap. It is very important to ensure the moisture has been removed from the plants before using them in soaps.

It is best to harvest the Dandelions a few hours after sunrise. When the flowers have opened and all the dew has just evaporated from the planet. Depending on where you live, this could be late morning or early afternoon.

Drying Dandelion Blossoms

For this project we only need the blossoms. So you can just dry the blossoms, or do the whole plant and use the other parts for different recipes and projects.

Inspect each flower for any dirt or insects and ensure they are removed. Rinse the plants under cool water. Then pat dry with paper towels, before letting them finish air drying for another 30 minutes. You want to remove as much moisture as possible in this process.

There are a few ways to dry Dandelions.

One way is to use a dehydrator if you have one, but if you don’t here is another way to dry them using a “wilt” method.

To wilt dry the Dandelions, spread the flowers out on a tea towel in a single layer where they are out of direct sunlight and drafts. Let the flowers wilt naturally overnight. In the morning, they will be ready to use in your soap.

A faster method is to sun dry them, but you will need to keep an eye on the blossoms with this method. Take your Dandelion flowers and scatter them on a smooth flat surface like a cookie sheet in the full sun. Make sure it is a warm, dry day with no wind. Within 1 to 3 hours your flowers will be dried and wilted. Ready to use! Don’t let them over dry, which is very easy to do with sun drying.

Store any dried Dandelions loosely in an airtight container.

Now our Dandelions are ready, it’s time to make Dandelion soap!

Making Dandelion Soap

If your soap is not already cut up into squares, cut it up into squares. The melt and pour soaps are marked to make this easy. Use a cutting board and sharp knife to make the cuts.

Add the clear soap to your measuring cup. Melt the soap in the microwave in 30 second bursts until the soap is completely melted.

In a different container melt cocoa butter using the same technique we used for the soap. Once melted, add the cocoa butter to soap measuring cup. Now add the argan oil and turmeric essential oil. Mix.

Add the turmeric powder and dried dandelion flowers to the measuring cup. Mix until completely combined.

Spray the soap mold with rubbing alcohol. This prevents bubbles from forming in your soap. Pour the soap mixture into the mold. Spray top of mixture with rubbing alcohol to prevent bubbles on the top too.

Allow the soaps to harden completely in the molds. It is best to leave them for about 24 hours to cure completely.

To release the soaps from the mold, gently push from the bottom and pull the silicone away to pop the soaps free.

Store your Dandelion Soaps in an airtight container or Ziploc bag until ready to use.

Next… Dandelion Bath Bombs

Once you have made soaps why not try your hand at these natural, gentle homemade bath bombs that are also made with our favourite weed, Dandelions!

Have fun using Dandelions in all the things!

More Magic

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How to Read Tarot Cards for Beginners

Disclaimer: This article may contain commission or affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

It’s finally happened. You’ve scrolled through social media, looked up decks online, found yourself in the metaphysical section of either a website or a bookstore, and here you are. The tarot deck is in your hands, full of potential and magic and wonder.
And not to mention 78 different cards with different meanings, layers of signification, scary keywords, and these things called “spreads” to put them in.

Have no fear, my friends, you’ll be making magic and learning about your wonderful selves with the magic mirror that is tarot in no time.

Here are a few tips about how to do a tarot reading to get you started.

What is a Tarot Spread?

A tarot spread is a formation that you place the cards in so that they answer your question and make sense.

If the tarot cards themselves are the messages, or the words, then the spread is the sentence. If I flung a bunch of words at you in no cohesive order, you would not have any clue what I was trying to say. However, take those words and ideas and put them in a sentence, and we’ve got a conversation. That is how spreads help you read the tarot cards.

These can be simple, such as a one card spread or a three-card spread, or they can be complex and include upwards of 20 cards. For my beginner friends, we are going to start with one to three card spreads.

One Card Tarot Spreads

To do a one card tarot reading, it’s simple. Ask an open-ended question either in your head or out loud while you are shuffling your cards.

Why open-ended?

Tarot isn’t a magic eight ball that offers short and snappy phrases. It is offering you wisdom and insight. While it would be convenient, there are no solid yes or no cards in the deck. Asking open ended questions will help you make more sense of your answers.

For example, instead of asking, “will I ever find love?” you could ask, “what can I do at this time to find that special someone?”

Having said that, some readers use the right-side-up/reversal method for yes or no questions. Shuffle the deck so that some cards are reversed, ask your question, then pull a card. If it’s upright, then the answer is yes. If it’s reversed, it’s a no. I find that if you’re going to do this, it’s best to keep it simple. Think “should I go to the cabin this weekend?” instead of “will I ever find my purpose?”

Three Card Tarot Spreads

The three card tarot spreads may become your most used ones. These are simple, straightforward, and pack a ton of into and guidance. Plus, they’re versatile.

A few examples of three card tarot readings are:

• past/present/future,
• situation/suggested action/outcome,
• mind/body/spirit,
• pros/cons/advice,
• or anything else you can think of or find with a quick google search.

Generally, the cards are laid down from the left to the right, but this is not a hard and fast rule. You’ll find with tarot that there are many suggestions, but most authors and teachers will always tell you to trust your intuition when doing this. Just know in your mind how you will be laying the cards before you lay them.

While you’re shuffling, think of the question. If you are using past/present/future, think about the question in that context as you prepare to pull the cards. Then you’ll know that the first card that you pull represents the past, second the present, and third the future.

Setting the Mood

Before you pull your one card or three card spreads, it’s a good idea to get into the right head space.

Some people like to cleanse their space with crystals, a bell, a singing bowl, smoke from an herb bundle, incense, or anything else that you like to use to cleanse your space. This will help keep the energy in the room clear so that you’re not influenced by stressful energy or other lower vibes that may make it hard for you to feel intuitive.

You’ll also want to cleanse your own energy using whatever method you prefer. This can be done as part of cleansing your space, or you could do some yoga, meditation, or even journaling. Whatever works for you to clear your own headspace.

It’s never a good idea to read tarot when you’re sick, angry, super anxious, or upset.

Why?

Those energies are not conducive to receiving messages from your higher self, which is what you are essentially doing.

Think of it like static on a radio station. When you’re grounded and calm, the frequency is clear, and the messages come through. When you’re panicking, things go haywire and it’s all fuzzy. Which can make you MORE anxious.

Clearing your energies and those in your space will help you make the most of your tarot reading. And if you can’t find your centre? Hold off on the reading until you do.

How to Ask a Question, Shuffle, and Pull the Cards

Once your energy is good to go, it’s time to pull those cards.

Most readers (myself included) will have a special cloth that is just for their tarot cards. The cards are energetic tools, which means they will pick up on the energies around them. You can keep the cards in this cloth, or you can keep them in a box or tarot bag. Just remember to use a cloth or mat that is just for your cards when you lay them down.

Shuffling can be done however you like. I love shuffling cards, so I shuffle them like I would with playing cards. Some readers do the overhand shuffle, others put them on their cloth and mix them around. Do what feels right.

Next, you can cut the deck into three piles and then reassemble them back into one. Remember, you’ve been thinking about your open-ended question while shuffling.

Using your non-dominant hand, pull your card(s) from the top of the deck. Lay them in the form of your tarot spread.

Then you will look up the meanings and interpret the message for yourself.

Another option is to spread the cards out like a fan and then let your non-dominant hand float above the cards. When you feel tingles or like it’s time to stop, that’s how you’ll know which card to choose.

A Word on Reversals

Do not feel pressured to read with reversals when you first start. Reversals are when a tarot card is pulled upside-down. Some readers will interpret these cards differently.

Tarot is learnable but is complex. I usually suggest learning the meaning of the cards upright first before incorporating reversals into the mix.

Why?

Because reversals are not straightforward. They can mean that it’s the shadow aspect of the card, or that it’s an energy that is in your subconscious that you’re not aware of, or it can mean that you need to bring these energies into life.

Once you’re more familiar with the cards, you’ll have an easier time interpreting the reversals by leaning into both your tarot knowledge and your intuition.

However, as with all things tarot, do what feels right for you. If you want to start off by incorporating reversals because it feels right for you, then that’s what matters. Some readers never use reversals, others love them, and some even only allow a few cards to be reversed in their deck. Trust what feels right for you.

Walking Through a Tarot Reading

Alright, let’s put this all together!

First, you’re going to make sure you have your cards with you.

You’ll cleanse yourself and your space.

Lay out your tarot cloth and get settled to read your cards. Make sure you have a clear idea of the question you want to ask in your head. Muffled questions equal muffled answers. If you feel like you need guidance but you don’t know what to ask, you can always try a question like, “what does my higher-self want me to know today?” This is open-ended and general without being confused.

I always like to say a little affirmation of love before my readings. Before I ask the question, I will say, “I now align with the unconditional love of the universe, affirming that this reading is in the highest good of all. And so it is.” This is not necessary, but if you like the idea of aligning with this energy first, I suggest trying it out.

Next, clearly think of your question or ask it out loud.

Shuffle the cards. Keep your mind clear or focus gently on your question. If you’re asking about daily advice but you’re thinking about that person you went on a date with, your reading may end up being about that potential relationship.

Clear mind, clear question, clear answers.

Once you feel ready, stop shuffling. Cut the deck into three piles. Put them back together.

Using your non-dominant hand, pull the card(s) for your reading.

Take your time, paying attention to the imagery and what this makes you feel. Tarot is a combination of study and intuition. The more you learn, the more confident you’ll feel, which makes it easier to feel your intuition. However, even in the beginning, trust any intuitive hits that you get when you are reading the cards.

Tarot Journal

You may want to consider recording your readings in a journal while you’re learning. We always think we will remember those readings, but it’s amazing how much we forget. This can be as simple or as in-depth as you like. Some people like to use point form notes to record the readings, others write pages. You do you.

You can download our free journal pages by joining our mailing list here:

Eventually, you’ll have a journal that is basically like your own book of tarot meanings. You’ll see how different cards played out in different ways. This will attach the meaning of the card to your personal memories, which is true learning as opposed to just memorization.

That’s where the magic happens.

Now Start Reading Tarot!

Have fun and be patient.

Reading the tarot is a gift to yourself that will keep on giving. But Rome wasn’t built in a day, and you won’t learn tarot overnight. Remember that learning about tarot is a joy and enjoy the process. This will help you release pressure and will make learning much more fun and magical.

And don’t forget, the cards are a tool. That magic is all within you and your connection to your intuition. Learning tarot will help you awaken to your own magic. If that isn’t worth taking your time, I don’t know what is.

Recommended Reading

Looking for books for your tarot journey? Here are a few we recommend.

More Tarot From Jenny

Jenny McCargar

The Mystic Mermaid

Jenny is a professional shamanic practitioner and tarot reader. Her academic background is in French and Spanish translation studies. Through her academic and spiritual studies, she realized we are all spiritual translators, translating our feelings, experiences, and messages from spirit. Jenny endeavours to help people see the light within themselves, each other, and nature, to dream a healed dream into being for ourselves and the world.

The post Tarot For Beginners appeared first on Forging Magic.

How To Use Dandelions

Disclaimer: This article may contain commission or affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Child Magic and Dandelions

As a child I remember embracing the magic of Dandelions. We would take those golden flowers and rub them until our hands turned yellow. Or hold a blossom under our chin, if it reflected a golden hue against our skin it meant we were magical.

We all passed the magic test. And loved every moment of it!

When we built fairy houses, they were inevitably decorated with Dandelions. Sometimes we would even weave the stems together to create a roof made of golden blooms.

Regularly, we would gather up Dandelions when they grew nice and tall. Careful to preserve the stalks. Then we would carefully sit and weave ourselves a golden crown of Dandelions to wear as we played and ran in the fields.

And when those golden blooms turned to fluffy orbs, we would spend hours picking and blowing those fluffs everywhere.

As children we love Dandelions. They are the stuff of magic.

But as adults we are taught to hate them.

Dandelions and Adulthood

Sometimes adulting sucks. Like when we lose that magic and instead are expected to destroy nature in pursuit of these artificial, manicured yards. By doing that we are working against nature, rather than with nature.

So how can we learn to love Dandelions and work with Mother Nature?

Dandelions and the Bees

First, let’s understand the roll of Dandelions and why they are so important. Dandelions are one of the first flowers to bloom, which makes them a very important food source for bees that are just waking up. And after a long winter they are HUNGRY!

Everyone is connected to nature. And due to that we are connected to the bees. The bees are one of the most important members of our ecosystem. Without them our food chain collapses. We need to protect the bees and that means ensuring enough healthy food is available to them.

In the spring, this could mean leaving your Dandelions to bloom without mowing them down immediately. Many people have embraced the idea of a “No Mow May”. Which means not mowing your lawn at all in May and letting those wild blooms grow and our pollinating insects (like butterflies and bees) feed after a long winter.

It definitely means avoiding the use of any strong weed killers and toxins.

The Health Benefits of Dandelions

I know it seems crazy, but Dandelions are actually a super food! The greens put spinach and kale to shame, as they are packed full of healthy nutrients.

The Dandelion greens (leaves) are packed with vitamins and antioxidants. Half a cup of Dandelion greens has more calcium than a glass of milk.

But the whole plant including root and flowers are edible.

Dandelions are a good source of Vitamins C, A, and K, plus rich in iron, calcium, magnesium and potassium. The roots are also high in fibre.

Here are even more benefits from Dandelions:

• They stabilize blood sugar levels.
• Fight inflammation
• Aids digestion
• Help establish a healthy hydration and electrolyte balance.
• Slows down aging and boosts immunity
• Can help with weight loss
• Helps with HPB (high blood pressure)
• Lowers cholesterol by helping to raise HDL levels and balance cholesterol levels

For more on the health benefits of Dandelions check out these resources: 13 Health Benefits of Dandelion and 10 Health Benefits of Dandelion.

How to Harvest Dandelions

First, make sure you are harvesting Dandelions from an area where there are no toxins being sprayed. Too many people see Dandelions as weeds that must be poisoned and destroyed. Protect yourself by ensuring the ones you harvest have not been treated. You will also want to avoid any that have been sprayed with fertilizer. Natural and organic is the best!

Dandelions, like many plants, can turn bitter and woody as they establish and mature. It is best to harvest when they are young and new, particularly in the early spring or in the fall.

TIP! For best flavour from the leaves, harvest them before the plant flowers.

Remember you can eat the whole plant, so when harvesting pull it up by the root, ensuring you have root, stalk, greens and flower.

Wash all harvested plants well. You can eat Dandelion raw or you can make some incredible recipes.

Dandelion Tea Recipe

Dandelion tea is a simple and quick way to enjoy your Dandelions.

You can use the blossoms to make a Dandelion blossom tea or most people prefer to use the roots. When using the roots they can be fresh or dried (this makes them last longer). Chop the root up very fine and small. Then use a tea infuser.

Tip! I love this one for all of my tea brewing (which is a LOT!). The best part is that you can use it to make one mug or a whole teapot.

Add about a teaspoon of Dandelion to the strainer then pour boiled water over it and fill the cup. Let it steep for 2 to 3 minutes.

Finally, Dandelion tea is quite bitter, so add a bit of honey to your tea to counteract the bitterness. Enjoy!

Want an iced tea? Brew your tea as above, then chill it in the fridge. Serve over ice for a cool treat.

More of a coffee drinker? Try this Roasted Dandelion Root Coffee.

Need a cold drink? Check out this Violet and Dandelion Pink Lemonade recipe for the perfect drink on a hot summer day!

More Dandelion Recipes

It doesn’t stop at tea, here are even more ideas for your Dandelion consumption.

Salads – Add the greens to your favourite salad for a nutritious punch! Or get really fancy with this incredibly delicious looking Caramelized Golden Beet, Kamut, and Dandelion Salad. You can also make your own salad dressing using homemade Dandelion infused vinegar.

Soup – I LOVE a good homemade soup. It is one of my favourite things to make. This year I want to try this delicious Dandelion Soup recipe.

Fried Dandelions – Yup, it sounds crazy but you can add some Dandelion leaves to your morning fry up of bacon and eggs, fry the greens with a bit of garlic as a nutritious side, dip Dandelion leaves in tempura and then deep fry them, or try your hand at this Dandelion Fritter recipe that looks so very moreish.

Desserts – Add Dandelion petals to your desserts for a visual and yummy punch. You can also try your hand at Dandelion & Honey Marshmallows or Dandelion & Honey Ice Cream.

Jelly – Now this idea sounds amazing! I haven’t made it myself yet, but it is definitely on my list. With this Dandelion Jelly I can bring that warm hug of summer sunshine to my morning toast anytime!

More recipe ideas – Why not try your hand at a Dandelion Pesto or Dandelion Capers?

Dandelion Projects

We don’t need to limit ourselves to recipes with this non-toxic powerhouse.

Check out our Dandelion Bath Bombs.

For our soap makers, try our quick and easy Dandelion Soap making project.

Or if you are looking for a more advanced version check out this one.

Kids will love creating beautiful Craft Bouquets with Dandelions in this project.

Are you ready to love your Dandelions this year?

Manifesting Your Best

The post How To Love Dandelions appeared first on Forging Magic.

Homemade Clay Mushrooms for Pots and Fairy Gardens

Disclaimer: This article may contain commission or affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Mushrooms have so much character. Seriously, just take a moment and walk through a forest and look at the incredible variety of mushrooms.

Learn more about the Magic of Mushrooms and see pictures from my own forest walks and mushroom discoveries here

In the last little bit, mushrooms have taken on an even more powerful presence in my life. My dog has been diagnosed with terminal cancer. It is heartbreaking and hard, but we are doing what we can to help her. One of the recommendations from the vet was to add Turkey Tail Mushrooms to her diet. As of right now, my dog is shiny, healthy, energetic and loving life. So I wanted to up that energy and power of the mushrooms by bringing even more mushrooms into our home.

I decided to make the mushrooms using polymer clay. Polymer clay mushrooms are extremely durable and, once cured, waterproof, making them the perfect addition to my little gardens and pots.

Polymer Clay Mushroom Supplies

Rolling pin
Parchment paper
Baking sheet
Polymer clay in a variety of mushroom colours (I used brown, tan, white and black, but next time I am totally using red for my mushroom caps!)
Clay cutting and piercing tools
You can get a polymer clay starter kit that includes lots of clay colours and the tools here.

Optional Items:
Sharpie
Glue
Paintbrush (small)
White paint
Varathane or polyurethane (water based) for sealing

How To Make Clay Mushrooms

Sculpting the mushrooms

These directions will result in mushrooms that are about 2 cm tall. Adjust as needed to make the clay mushrooms of your dreams! And that your fairies will love. Always want to keep the fairies happy!

Roll the brown clay into balls about 4cm thick. These are going to be your mushroom caps. Press and roll them into a flat circular shape.

Roll the tan clay into ½ cm balls, press onto the flat circle. These are going to be the dots on your mushroom caps.

Press the small flat circles onto mushroom cap shapes using a forming tool. If you don’t have a forming tool you can do this very carefully with a chopstick to help place and press the dots into the mushroom caps.

Roll the tan clay into 2-3 cm balls. Then carefully roll them out and form them into long cylindrical shapes that are tapered at the top. These are going to be your mushroom stalks. You can make your stalks thick and solid, or skinny and willowy, whatever works for you!

Attach the stalk to the mushroom cap. You can do this by using your forming tool to gently press the stalk into the cap to attach them. Or you can wait until all the pieces are oven cured and glue them together. Whatever is easiest for you. This is your creation!

Mushroom faces

Now this part is totally optional! If you want to add some character to your mushrooms you can give them cute little faces. There are a couple of ways you can do this.

Mushroom face 1:

Roll tiny black balls of clay for the eyes, add a small circular piece of white clay to the centre to complete the eyes. Press into the mushroom stalk with your forming tool.

Roll another small piece of black clay into a smiling mouth. Press into place.

Bake your completed mushroom to cure it as directed on your clay packaging.

Your mushroom is finished!

Mushroom face 2:

Start by rolling tiny black balls for eyes.

Bake the clay of the eyeballs and the mushrooms as directed in the oven.

Once the clay has cooled, sketch a smile onto the stems using a fine tipped sharpie.

Glue the black balls onto it for eyes. Paint white dots onto the eyes.

Brush on a layer of polyvarathane to seal and let dry.

Your clay mushroom is finished!

Clay Mushrooms – To Seal or Not Seal

You will notice that the first approach does not call for any sealant. That is because we didn’t use any paint on that technique. Since we didn’t use any paint, there is no need to seal. polymer clay, once cured, is waterproof. It doesn’t need anything else.

In the second approach, we are using some paint and the sharpie. Overtime those features will fade if we don’t seal them in. If you don’t mind a little fading of those painted features you can skip the sealing step in approach number 2 as well.

Note: in the sun, polymer clay colours may fade.

These little polymer clay mushrooms are the perfect addition to your potted plants, herbs, windowsill gardens, terrariums, and fairy gardens. Simply place them in the pot, burying the base in a bit of soil. As long as you have cured (baked in the oven), your polymer clay mushroom properly it is waterproof.

Have a great time making your own clay mushrooms and bring some mushroom magic and happiness to your home. And if you really want to explore the mystical world of mushrooms more, I HIGHLY recommend Mystical Mushrooms by Aurora Kane. Sooo beautiful and good!

More Magical DIY Projects

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Polymer Clay Mushrooms DIY Project

Adorable and Magical Polymer Clay Mushrooms DIY Project. Learn how to make adorable polymer clay mushrooms that are the perfect addition to potted plants, herb gardens, terrariums and fairy gardens. This is a great project for learning how to make magical miniature clay sculptures. These mushroom creations will add a whimsical and magical touch to your home. The results are waterproof, making them perfect for your pots!

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Curing 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 1 Mushroom

Equipment

• Rolling Pin
• Parchment paper
• Baking sheet
• Clay sculpting tools
• Paint brush (fine) – optional

Ingredients

• Polymer Clay Variety of lighter and darker colours
• Sharpie optional
• White paint optional
• Glue optional
• Varathane or polyurethane (water based) optional

Instructions

• Cover your surface with parchment paper to protect the surface.
• Roll the brown clay into balls about 4cm thick. These are going to be your mushroom caps. Press and roll them into a flat circular shape.
• Roll the tan clay into ½ cm balls, press onto the flat circle. These are going to be the dots on your mushroom caps.
• Press the small flat circles onto mushroom cap shapes using a forming tool.
• Roll the tan clay into 2-3 cm balls. Then carefully roll them out and form them into long cylindrical shapes that are tapered at the top. These are going to be your mushroom stalks.
• Attach the stalk to the mushroom cap. You can do this by using your forming tool to gently press the stalk into the cap to attach them. Or you can wait until all the pieces are oven cured and glue them together.

Optional Faces

• Type 1 – Roll tiny black balls of clay for the eyes, add a small circular piece of white clay to the centre to complete the eyes. Press into the mushroom stalk with your forming tool. Roll another small piece of black clay into a smiling mouth. Press into place. Place your creations on the baking sheet. Bake your completed mushroom to cure it as directed on your clay packaging. Your mushroom is finished!
• Type 2 – Start by rolling tiny black balls for eyes. Bake the clay of the eyeballs and the mushrooms as directed in the oven. Once the clay has cooled, sketch a smile onto the stems using a fine tipped sharpie. Glue the black balls onto it for eyes. Paint white dots onto the eyes. Brush on a layer of polyvarathane to seal and let dry. Your clay mushroom is finished!

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Crystals and Tarot:

Go together like two magical peas in a magical pod!

Disclaimer: This article may contain commission or affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Tarot and crystals don’t need to be used independently of other tools. In fact, incorporating crystals into your tarot practice is a wonderful way to connect more with your cards, clear your energy, and awaken your intuition. Read on to discover how these two go together like two crystal peas in a pod!

Crystals 101

Entire books are written about crystals, but let’s discuss the basics so that you can get started.

First off, how can these shiny, pretty objects help us out? Crystals are energy absorbers, transmuters, and emitters. They can absorb energies, transmute them, and emit a higher vibration. Ever walk into a room and felt that it was tense? No one told you that it was tense, you just sensed it? That’s energy, and your body is picking up on it. Crystals can help us keep the energy in our spaces feeling peaceful and loving, help our own personal energies stay elevated, and help keep our magical tools cleansed.

Different crystals have different vibes and are known for different purposes.

Quartz, for example, is usually your go-to, all purpose crystal. As an amplifier of energy, you can charge it with your intent to help with any energetic work.

Rose quartz is known for emotional energy, healing our heart chakras and promoting love energies.

Citrine is known for abundance, luck, confidence, and a connection to our solar plexus chakra.

We all have our own energetic identities, and so we will not all respond to the same crystals the same way. I am a huge fan of pyrite, but I know people who feel off when they hold it. Read about crystals, of course, but always trust how you feel. Your body, your energy, will help you know what you need.

Using Tarot and Crystals

Tarot is a tool that works with our energies, aligning with the reader and picking up on the energy of the client. As such, it is recommended that they are energetically cleansed from time to time in order to maintain a high vibration. Crystals need to be cleansed as well, although certain crystals are used to cleanse objects, tarot cards included.

Crystals such as selenite are wonderful to cleanse not just tarot cards, but other magical objects as well. Selenite is a crystal that has a very high vibration. It is associated with the angelic realm and the spiritual chakras, helping us connect with the highest vibrational energy of the universe. Using selenite to cleanse yourself of other people’s energy when you return home is a great way to ensure that you don’t bring home anyone else’s low vibes that don’t serve you. Selenite wands can help us detach energy cords (lines of energy that connect us to someone else) if needed. I’ve known tarot readers who keep a piece of selenite with their deck at all times in order to keep the energy of the tarot deck clear.

Other ways to cleanse your tarot deck and crystals include smoke from cleansing herbs, leaving it in the light of a full moon, sound cleansing with a singing bowl or a bell, leaving them to sit in a houseplant or in your garden for a period of time (watch out for rain!) or meditating with them and imaging them cleansed in a healing white light.

Set the Mood

Where you choose to read your tarot cards is up to you, but it is recommended that it is done is a space that feels comfortable and sacred to you. Adding crystals can help raise the vibrations of your room and help your space feel more sacred.

For example, you can use what is referred to as a crystal grid in your room if you wish to protect it. I’ve heard of a few variations with this, so here is what I do and have found to work well. Put a piece of black tourmaline in two corners of the room (corners facing each other) and a piece of selenite in the other two corners. Set the intention that these crystals will protect your space from any unwanted energies, ensuring your space remains sacred and safe.

Crystals can help you consciously create the energy of your space when you read tarot. This can help you feel protected, open, and aligned for your tarot reading.  

Using crystals with tarot readings

Besides helping your ambience for a tarot reading, there are a number of ways that crystals can help you feel more grounded, confident, and intuitive for your reading.

As we discussed in the previous paragraph, crystals can help you set a spiritually comfortable, safe, and empowering energy in your reading space. Just as they can help your space, they can also help you align your own personal energies in the way that is in your highest good.

Amethyst can help cleanse and heal our aura, which is very helpful before engaging in any kind of energy work.

Smoky quartz is very grounding and protective. My reiki teachers told us that when we focus too much on our spiritual chakras (throat, third eye, crown) and ignore our physical ones, we can become what we call in the energy biz “top heavy.” This could mean you feel dizzy, fuzzy or unfocused. Even though we are connecting to our intuition, it is still important to stay grounded and balanced.

There are also crystals (which we will discuss below) that help with confidence. Take it from me, when you first start reading cards for strangers, it’s both exciting and nerve-wracking! Having crystals with you to help ground your energy, feel confident in your messages and aligned with your intuition can make a big difference.

If you’re confident but feel unsure of your communication skills, there are also crystals that help you feel open and trusting in the messages that you receive and communicate.

When seeking a crystal to help with your tarot practice, ask yourself in what area you need help. Then seek out the crystal that can help with that area of struggle.

Finding crystals

One of the best ways to find the crystal you need is to go to a metaphysical or crystal store and spend time with a wide variety of crystals. You may be surprised when you go to the store! A crystal that you may not have expected to connect with, may sing to you. Trust that, because this is your intuition picking up on the crystal that is truly in your highest good.

So many crystals… how do I choose?

You’ll notice that there are many different crystal books and there is a never-ending variety of crystals to be found at your favourite witchy stores or online. To help you get started, here is a list of affordable crystals that are generally easy to find to get you started on your tarot and crystal magic adventure.

Amethyst:

A protective, high spiritual vibration crystal that is calming and can help you be more open to spiritual insight. Learn more about Amethyst in our special resource.

Amazonite:

Filters electromagnetic pollution, promotes calm in the body, diffuses negative energy.

Black Tourmaline:

Helps protect against electromagnetic energies and general low energies, helps with grounding, cleansing, raising vibrations.

Bloodstone:

Helps cleanse lower energies and enhances our connection to our intuition.

Green Calcite:

Helps calm the mind, absorbs negativity.

Carnelian:

Grounding energy, promotes vitality and confidence.

Citrine:

Protective, cleansing, stimulates the crown chakra and enhances our intuition.

Fluorite:

Protective (especially for psychic work), enhances intuition, promotes harmonious energy in group settings.

Hematite:

Grounding, protective, promotes self-esteem, focus, and determination.

Howlite:

Calming, promotes peaceful energy, helps with accessing spiritual realms and general communication.

Labradorite:

Excellent for intuition and all spiritual work as its protective and promotes a connection to higher energies/spiritual realms.

Moonstone:

Good for intuition, dreamwork, delving into the subconscious.

Quartz:

When in doubt, quartz it out. Good for amplifying energies.

Rose quartz:

Helps calm the heart, promotes peace and self-love.

Smoky quartz:

Good for grounding, protecting, raising vibrations.

Selenite:

Good for connecting with spiritual chakras, intuition, cleansing, good for becoming aware of what is in your subconscious.

Sodalite:

Good for mental clarity, understanding your intuition, connecting to our third eye.

Tiger’s Eye:

Good for grounding, confidence, intuition, protection.

Remember, it is always a good idea to charge a new crystal with your intention. This can be as simple as holding the crystal, saying (out loud or in your mind) how you would like the crystal to help you, and then meditating on this for a few minutes while holding the crystals and infusing it with your intentions. This way the energies of the crystal are now focused on what you are intending to feel or create in your sacred space.

Tarot and Crystal Journey

This list is just a small taste of the world of crystals. When you start your collection and working with tarot, try to pick just a few energies that you’d like to focus on during your readings. If you need help with intuition, aim for those stones. If you feel like you need protection or confidence, then you know which crystals to go to. As always though, trust how the crystal makes you feel. If it doesn’t vibe, then there’s a different crystal out there that’s going to feel just right. I always aim for protection/grounding, cleansing, and connection to higher realms. With just a few crystals, you can create a great mood and keep your tarot cards high vibin’ and feeling fine.

Experiment, have fun, and trust yourself. Your magic is in you! The crystals are here to help you make the most of this (and let’s get real, crystal shopping is too much fun). Pick the crystals that feel good, sling those cards, and make some magic.

Additional Tarot and Crystal Resources

More Tarot Magic

Jenny McCargar

The Mystic Mermaid

Jenny is a professional shamanic practitioner and tarot reader. Her academic background is in French and Spanish translation studies. Through her academic and spiritual studies, she realized we are all spiritual translators, translating our feelings, experiences, and messages from spirit. Jenny endeavours to help people see the light within themselves, each other, and nature, to dream a healed dream into being for ourselves and the world.

The post Crystals and Tarot appeared first on Forging Magic.

Handcrafted BFF Key Chains

Wood Burning Project

Disclaimer: This article may contain commission or affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Remember the old school best friends necklaces and key chains that were all the rage in the 80’s? Everyone wanted one of these trinkets to share with their BFF!

Today we are creating a fun version of this idea, while also learning about wood burning.

Wood Burning as a Hobby

Wood burning is a fascinating hobby if you love being creative and working with natural processes and materials. The starter kits are also very reasonable, and open up a whole range of creative outlets.

If you are looking to try a new creative hobby, wood burning is a great option. And this project is a great first project! Once you master the basic skills you can start creating even more masterpieces to gift to those you love.

Wood Burning DIY Key Chain Project

Supplies

Wood Burning Tool

2 Tumbling Towers wooden game pieces (Tip! You can often find these at dollar stores or second hand shops, or you can cut your own wood blocks.)

Wood Burning Hot Stamps. – This project used the letters “x” and “o” and heart symbol, but you can adapt your design to your preference.

Wood Glue

2 Keyrings with eye screws

Metal craft pliers

Directions

Place the game pieces side by side, vertically.

While unplugged, screw the letter “x” onto your wood burning tool.

Plug in and allow to heat up according to manufacturer directions (or about 5 minutes).

Press the “x” into the top of the left game piece, then repeat on the bottom of the right game piece.

Unplug the tool and allow it to cool completely.

Remove the “x” stamp with the pliers and screw the “o” stamp in.

Plug in the tool and let it heat up.

Press the “o” into the bottom of the left game piece, then repeat on the top of the right game piece.

Unplug the tool and allow it to cool completely.

Once cooled, remove the “o” and screw in the heart symbol.

Plug in again and allow it to heat up.

Making sure the pieces are evenly lined up against each other, press the heart symbol onto the middle of both pieces as evenly as you can, so that half of the heart is on one block and the other half is on the other.

Pour a little glue onto a scrap piece of paper. Dip the eye screw on the end of the key ring into the glue. Find the middle top of the block and firmly press the screw into the wood and twist clockwise until tightened and just the loop at the top of the screw is showing.

Adaptations

Our X/O design is great for a set of best friends key chains or to share with a loved one.

You could easily adapt this project by using initials instead of the Xs and Os, or perhaps a date, or any other symbols.

I love the idea of doing a Binary Code set!

Let your creative juices flow and see what you can create with wood burning!

More Hobby Projects

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Hot Chocolate Bombs with Mint

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Have you heard of the latest craze? Hot Chocolate Bombs are everywhere! They are this decadent warm treat that has a fun eruption as it melts in your cup.

Want to know my secret? Hot Chocolate Bombs are also a fantastic way to make a delicious Mocha treat! Instead of milk, simply pour coffee over your bomb.

One of my favourite treats is a Mint Mocha and this Mint Hot Chocolate Bomb makes an incredible Mint Mocha! Plus my kids love their mint hot chocolates, so one batch makes delicious warm drinks for all of us!

Mint Hot Chocolate Bombs Recipe

Ingredients

2/3 cup chocolate candy wafer melts
2/3 cup + 1/4 cup green candy wafer melts, divided
1/2 cup mint chocolate baking chips
3 heaping tbsp hot cocoa mix
1/4 cup miniature marshmallows
2 tbsp of green sprinkles

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Supplies

2 glass bowls
Silicone spatula
3 small spoons
Silicone half sphere mold (I prefer using the largest one, but you can use whatever size suits your preference)
2 small heat safe plates
Food safe gloves (optional)

Directions

First up, the chocolate!

Heat the chocolate candy melts in a glass bowl in the microwave for 1 minute at 50% power. Stir well, and continue heating in 30 second intervals until the wafers are fully melted and smooth/creamy.

Place the silicone sphere mold on a flat serving tray or baking sheet, and spoon approximately a tablespoon of the melted candy wafers into half of the molds. Make sure you leave half of the molds for green! Thoroughly coat the inside of the mold with a small silicone spatula, or the back of a spoon. Make sure to make the edges a little thicker, so that they don’t break when melding together. If the candy is pooled at the bottom, spread again to evenly coat all sides, or your sphere will be less circular, and more flat on the bottoms from the pooled candy.

Place in the refrigerator.

Now green!

Now we need to melt the green candy melts. Heat the 2/3 cup of green candy melts as you did with the chocolate candy melts. Remove the silicone mold from the refrigerator, and repeat step 1, filling the remaining molds with the green candy melts. Pop back in the refrigerator to set for 5-10 minutes.

Remove from molds

Once set, remove the mold from the refrigerator, and begin slowly pulling the mold away from the spheres on the sides first, and then lightly push from the bottom to remove them. You can either place them on the cookie sheet, or I placed them on a piece of parchment paper for the next steps. Try to handle them as little as possible to avoid fingerprints, or melting. (To reduce fingerprint smudges, you can also wear food safe gloves).

Filling the hot chocolate bombs

Place the two small plates in the microwave and heat for approximately 20 seconds. Place a green sphere open side down onto the first plate.

Twist it a little to get the edges slightly melted, and then immediately flip back over and fill with a heaping tablespoon of hot cocoa mix, and about 7-8 marshmallows. Top the marshmallows with about a tablespoon of the mint chocolate baking chips.

Place a chocolate sphere on the second plate and twist. Once the edges are slightly melted, place it on top of the filled sphere. You can twist them slightly to help meld them together. If you have any cracks that didn’t seal, heat a spoon in hot water, dry thoroughly, and use it to smooth around the seam.

Repeat process to make 3 hot cocoa bombs.

Decorating

Place the remaining green wafers in the microwave, and repeat step 1 to fully melt. Dip a spoon into the melted green candy and drizzle back and forth onto the chocolate side of the sphere. Immediately add sprinkles, and top with mint chocolate baking chips. Let set for 2-3 minutes.

Enjoying a hot chocolate bomb

When you’re ready to enjoy your hot chocolate bomb, heat milk in the microwave or on the stovetop. Place your hot chocolate bomb in a mug, and slowly pour the milk over it. Stir lightly to open the bomb and see the hot chocolate bomb explode. Continue stirring until the candy wafers have melted, and enjoy!

Making a Mint Mocha Bomb

Turning your drink into a Mint Mocha with these hot chocolate bombs is super easy. Instead of using milk, brew a nice strong cup of coffee. Add your Mint Hot Chocolate Bomb to a mug. Pour the hot coffee over the hot chocolate bomb. Stir until completely melted and enjoy!

What I love about using coffee with hot chocolate bombs is the incredibly rich and delicious flavours. It is very much like the Mexican Coffee we enjoyed on vacations we were able to take in the before times!

For now, I will kick back and we will enjoy our hot chocolate bombs!

Hot Chocolate Bomb Making Tips

As with many of these types of projects, the key is to simply master the techniques. With a bit of practice, these are incredibly fun and easy to make. If you are running into issues, here are a few tips.

While handling the spheres, wearing food safe gloves will help keep them from melting, and also minimize your fingerprints on them.

If you are having a hard time getting the two spheres to connect to each other, you could pipe some extra melted candy wafers along the seam and smooth with your finger, or a spoon.

Rough or thin edges. If the edges of your spheres are too rough or thin it can be very hard to connect them. Ensure you don’t over melt your chocolates. If your melts are too liquid, they will slide down and pool in the bottom of the mold before setting. If this is an issue, you can chill the mold before adding the chocolate. It will help the melts set up faster and give you a thicker edge.

To melt the sphere edges, you can either use heated plates, or a lightly heated frying pan. I have used both, and both are equally effective.

These will keep for up to 2 weeks if kept in an airtight container in a cool dry place, or up to a month in the refrigerator, but the coloring may change slightly from being refrigerated. Ours never last that long!

With this hot chocolate bomb recipe I have shared how to use candy melts to make your hot chocolate bombs. That is because candy melts are VERY forgiving. But, at the end of the day, I firmly believe in the quality of ingredients being extremely important. If you are comfortable tempering real chocolate, I highly recommend using real chocolate in this recipe (my preference is for Callebaut Couverture). The resulting drinks will be taken up to a while new level of luxurious decadence!

More Magic!

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Mint Hot Chocolate Bomb Recipe

A delicious mint hot chocolate bomb recipe that also makes an incredible mint mocha!

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 3 hot chocolate bombs

Equipment

• 2 glass bowls
• Silicone spatula
• 3 small spoons
• Silicone half sphere mold
• 2 small heat safe plates
• Microwave
• Fridge
• Food safe gloves (optional)

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup chocolate candy wafer melts
• 2/3 cup green candy wafer melts
• 1/4 cup green candy wafer melts reserve for decorating
• 1/2 cup mint chocolate baking chips
• 3 tbsp hot chocolate powder
• 1/4 cup miniature marshmallows
• 2 tbsp green candy sprinkles

Instructions

• Heat the chocolate candy melts in a glass bowl in the microwave for 1 minute at 50% power. Stir well, and continue heating in 30 second intervals until the wafers are fully melted and smooth/creamy.
• Place the silicone sphere mold on a flat serving tray or baking sheet, and spoon approximately a tablespoon of the melted candy wafers into half of the molds. Spread to cover entire inside of the sphere mold, paying close attention to the edges.
• Refrigerate
• Heat the 2/3 cup of green candy melts as you did with the chocolate candy melts. Remove the silicone mold from the refrigerator, and repeat step 1, filling the remaining molds with the green candy melts.
• Refrigerate for 5-10 minutes to set.
• Remove chocolate spheres from silicone mold.
• Place the two small plates in the microwave and heat for approximately 20 seconds. Place a green sphere open side down onto the first plate. Twist it a little to get the edges slightly melted, and then immediately flip back over and fill with a heaping tablespoon of hot cocoa mix, and about 7-8 marshmallows. Top the marshmallows with about a tablespoon of the mint chocolate baking chips.
• Place a chocolate sphere on the second plate and twist. Once the edges are slightly melted, place it on top of the filled sphere. You can twist them slightly to help meld them together.
• Place the remaining green wafers in the microwave, and repeat step 1 to fully melt. Dip a spoon into the melted green candy and drizzle back and forth onto the chocolate side of the sphere. Immediately add sprinkles, and top with mint chocolate baking chips. Let set for 2-3 minutes.
• To make a Mint Hot Chocolate, heat milk in microwave or stove. Add a mint hot chocolate bomb to a mug. Pour milk over the hot chocolate bomb. Stir and enjoy!
• To make a Mint Mocha, brew coffee. Add a mint hot chocolate bomb to a mug. Pour coffee over the mint hot chocolate bomb. Stir and enjoy!

The post Mint Hot Chocolate Bombs appeared first on Forging Magic.

Divine Lunar Energies with Moon Salutation Yoga

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What is Moon Salutation?

Moon Salutation Yoga is the opposite of the Sun Salutation. The Sun Salutation is about powering up, taking in the intensity of the Sun’s energy into our being. Energizing ourselves.

The Moon Salutation is the opposite. It is about embracing the calming energies of the moon. Entering into stillness and peace. Accepting and being receptive to energies that sooth and calm.

It is a series of 8 yoga poses that take your body through a flowing interpretation of the moon’s lunar cycle. Just as the moon waxes and wanes, the Moon Salutation builds up through the different poses along one side of the body, then continues back down to the first pose, focusing on the body’s opposite side.  

This is best done later in the day, especially before bed or retiring for the night.

Tuning into Lunar Cycles

In the Ashtanga Yoga tradition, yoga is not traditionally practiced on the full moon or new moon. These are called “moon days”, which are days to rest due to the energies of these days.

On the full moon, we are all familiar with the change in energy. In Ashtanga, it is believed that there is an overabundance of “prana,” or life force energy on the full moon. This can disrupt the ability to practice fully.

During the new moon, it is believed there is too much “apana,” the life force of elimination. Apana creates heaviness, which can affect practice.

Whether you chose to practice yoga on these moon days is completely up to you. You know how you work best with the energies around you. You do you!

Why Do Moon Salutation?

Ending your day with the Moon Salutation, also known “Chandra Namaskara” (SHAHN-drah nah-muh-SKAR-uh), will help you unwind and quiet the mind by channelizing the lunar energy.

The Moon Salutation sequence can help to improve sleep, reduce anxiety, and lower blood pressure.

Each pose in a Moon Salutation harmonizes with your breathing: inhale to stretch and extend, and exhale to bend and release. The Moon Salutation poses flow into each other, slowly and smoothly, without much hold in each position. This is one reason why the Moon Salutations are used for cooling and quieting the body and mind. 

There are many Moon Salutations variations; the sequence below is a simple one suitable for yoga students of all levels. Don’t forget to listen to your body. It is recommended to work within your range of limits and abilities. If you find yourself struggling to breathe, ease up a bit.

Moon Salutation PDF

To help with your Moon Salutation practice, I have a printable PDF available for Forging Magic mailing list members. This printable includes a visual of each asana to help with your practice. Joining our mailing list is free and entitles you to many free magical resources. We will never share your information and you can unsubscribe anytime.

I recommend downloading this and printing it so you have it handy while doing the Moon Salutation.

Begin with Brief Meditation

Breathe in through the nose, out through your mouth. Calm your mind. Repeat some of your personal affirmations or use this mantra and affirmation statement:

The moon is a constant, strong through never ending change. I too stay strong, calm and in my power. I let go and I trust.

Standing Mountain Pose 

Stand with your feet hip-width apart in the center of your mat facing the long edge, hands in prayer position at the heart center and take a couple of deep gentle breaths. Close your eyes and draw the focus inwards, coming to your breath and perhaps reflecting for a moment on what the moon means to you. Stand in your own power, just as the mountains stand in their majestic power.

Side Bend/Half Moon 

Inhale as you raise your arms from the sides and overhead. Interlace your fingers and point your index fingers to the ceiling. Exhale as you bend your upper torso to the left. Keep your lower belly drawing in and up to protect your lower back. With your feet grounded and your thighs firmly engaged. Inhale, come back to center. Exhale, bend to the right, and then inhale to come back to center. Exhale, bring your hands to your chest. 

Goddess Pose

Goddess pose helps us get in touch with the mystical feminine within ourselves, balancing our energy and strength with deep inner wisdom. With this pose, picture the Empress tarot card in all her divine feminine, earthy strength and beauty. Draw in the energy of the moon and the Empress as you use this asana to tap into your inner goddess.

Inhale and take one giant step with your left foot to the left side. Turn your toes out to a 45-degree angle. Bend your knees so they land directly over the ankles. Drop the tailbone down and sink the hips down. Lift up on the pelvic floor & draw the navel in toward the spine. Feel the lengthening through the spine and lift through the heart. 

Star Pose

Inhale as you straighten your knees and elbows, keeping your feet wide apart. Extend your arms in line with your shoulders, facing your palms upward. Remember to Elongate your neck. Your ears, shoulders, and hips should all be in one line. Keep your breath smooth and even.

Just as the Star Major Arcana card in tarot is about peace after the chaos and storm, take in the peace and tranquility of this movement, letting any stress or anxiety from earlier in your day melt away.

Triangle Pose

Inhale, turn both feet to the left, arms outstretched and parallel to the floor. Exhale, reach long over the left leg. Lower the left hand to the ankle or shin and extend the right arm to the sky. Reach towards the moon, drawing in the lunar energy. Inhale and rotate your chest now towards the moon. Soften your right knee slightly to prevent hyperextension

Pyramid Pose

 Exhale, take your right arm down to frame the left foot with the left hand, rotate the back foot even further and turn both hips forward to fold over your left (straight) leg. Keep a micro bend in each knee so that you are not locking out your joints.

Low Crescent Moon Lunge 

 Inhale, step the left foot back and bend the right knee, so you come into a lunge position. Make sure the knee stays in line with the ankle and push the left thigh up and back. If you have a sensitive knee, you can place a blanket under your knee or double up your yoga mat for more cushioning.

Low Side Lunge 

Exhale, bring both hands to the floor to the big toe side of your left foot. Turn inwards on the left foot’s ball and rotate your body to the front of the mat. The right leg is extended, toes point to the ceiling. If your balance allows it bring your hands together in prayer position, or drop both your hands to the floor for support and shift to the other side.

At this point, we turn towards the left leg and ‘rewind’ the poses we have already done. Just as the moon waxes and wanes, so must we move through the full cycle.

Low Side Lunge 

Exhale, bring both hands to the floor to the big toe side of your right foot. Turn inwards on the right foot’s ball and rotate your body to the front of the mat. The left leg is extended, toes point to the ceiling. If your balance allows it bring your hands together in prayer position, or drop both your hands to the floor for support and shift to the other side.

Low Crescent Lunge 

 Inhale, step the right foot back and bend the left knee, so you come into a lunge position. Make sure the knee stays in line with the ankle and push the right thigh up and back. If you have a sensitive knee, you can place a blanket under your knee or double up your yoga mat for more cushioning.

Pyramid Pose

Exhale, take your left arm down to frame the right foot with the right hand, rotate the back foot even further and turn both hips forward to fold over your right (straight) leg. Keep a micro bend in each knee so that you are not locking out your joints.

Triangle Pose

Inhale, turn both feet to the right, arms outstretched and parallel to the floor. Exhale, reach long over the right leg. Lower the right hand to the ankle or shin and extend the left arm to the sky. Inhale and rotate the chest to the sky. Soften your left knee slightly to prevent hyperextension

Star Pose

Inhale as you straighten your knees and elbows, keeping your feet wide apart. Extend your arms in line with your shoulders, facing your palms upward. Remember to Elongate your neck. Your ears, shoulders, and hips should all be in one line. Keep your breath smooth and even. Remember the Star tarot card.

Goddess Pose

We return to the Empress. Goddess pose helps us get in touch with the mystical feminine within ourselves, balancing our energy and strength with deep inner wisdom. Inhale and take one giant step with your right foot to the right side. Turn your toes out to a 45-degree angle. Bend your knees so they land directly over the ankles. Drop the tailbone down and sink the hips down. Lift up on the pelvic floor & draw the navel in toward the spine. Feel the lengthening through the spine and lift through the heart. You are the Empress in all her glorious, feminine power.

Side Bend/Half Moon 

Inhale as you raise your arms from the sides and overhead. Interlace your fingers and point your index fingers to the ceiling. Exhale as you bend your upper torso to the left. Keep your lower belly drawing in and up to protect your lower back. With your feet grounded and your thighs firmly engaged. Inhale, come back to center. Exhale, bend to the right, and then inhale to come back to center. Exhale, bring your hands to your chest. 

Standing Mountain Pose 

Stand with your feet hip-width apart in the center of your mat facing the long edge, hands in prayer position at the heart center and take a couple of deep gentle breaths.

End with a Short Meditation

Close your eyes and draw the focus inwards, coming to your breath and reflecting for a moment on what the moon means to you. Open your heart and mind in stillness, welcoming any messages the moon may send. Thank the moon for her blessings and guidance.

Namaste.

Harnessing the energy from the moon is a powerful, unique, and magical experience. The energy allows you to start fresh and manifest the things you truly want. The Moon Salutation sequence harnesses this energy and cleanses the soul. Enjoy the lunar energy you just tuned into with your Moon Salutation!

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Adult Hot Chocolate Bombs – Bailey Bombs

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So we all know about the Hot Chocolate Bomb craze that is going on right now. As soon as I saw my first hot chocolate bomb, I immediately had to try making some of my own.

Then after a bit of experimenting I realized there was some serious possibilities with these hot chocolate bombs.

A few years ago we were lucky enough to take a vacation down to Mexico where we were introduced to Mexican Coffee. It was this decadent spiced, alcohol treat that had real chocolate melted into it. It created this incredibly delicious drink that we happily enjoyed every night of our vacation.

So a few weeks ago my brain started drifting off, dreaming about hot, tropical vacations. Then my kids started interrupting my vibe demanding hot chocolates because it minus a million degrees here, and we are always cold.

And it clicked! I suddenly wondered, could I fill a hot chocolate bomb with Bailey’s?

And guess what my lovely readers? You can! And today I am going to share with you all the secrets for making the most incredible Bailey Bomb ever!

Bailey Bomb Recipe

Ingredients

Callebaut Couverture Milk Chocolate (I buy it by the brick but you can buy it in chips too)

Bailey’s (this works amazing with original or flavoured! A favourite of ours is the Salted Caramel Bailey’s)

Callebaut Couverture White Chocolate (you could use more milk too if you wish)

Decorative sprinkles

Supplies

Glass bowl

Pot that the bowl just fits into

Silicone spatula

Small spoon

Silicone sphere molds

Knife and cutting board

Parchment paper

Stove top

Fridge

Oven gloves

Small oven safe plate or small frying pan

Food safe gloves (optional) – help reduce finger prints and melting while handling

Candy thermometer (optional)

Directions

If you have made hot chocolate bombs before, you will be familiar with the concept. Essentially you are creating a sphere of chocolate and filling it with goodness.

But filling it with liquid is a bit more tricky. Plus if I am going to make these and fill them with booze, I want to make sure everything is top shelf! No cheap melts, only real Callebaut chocolate for this girl.

That said, you could do this with melts, but remember, melts are not real chocolate, so the flavour will always be off. Working with real chocolate is more challenging, but trust me, the result of your hard work will be well worth it! And really, you deserve real chocolate, not that waxy stuff!

Tempering the Chocolate

First step, we need to melt and temper the chocolate. There are a few ways you can do this. Once you have done it a few times, you will become more comfortable with the technique.

Start by coarsely chopping up your Callebaut Couverture chocolate. You will need about 1 cup of chocolate. Add 2/3 cup of the chopped chocolate to a glass bowl.

Fill a pot about an inch deep with water. Set the bowl on top of the pot, creating a double boiler. The bottom of the bowl must not touch the water. Any water touching your chocolate will cause it to seize and ruin it! Turn on the stove top to medium heat.

Wait until it starts to melt. Then stir with a spatula to help along the melting. We want to bring it to 115°F or 45°C. If you don’t have a candy thermometer, remove the bowl from the pot (Watch for steam! Use oven gloves), when there are just a few bits of lumps left and it is almost completely liquified.

My English mother always said the best way to test if the chocolate was ready was to touch a bit to your lip. You should feel the heat without it burning.

Add the remaining chocolate and stir it in until it is completely melted. This should bring the temperature down to 80°F or 28°C, but if you don’t have a thermometer, just stir until melted.

Return the bowl to the pot and bring it back up to 90°F or 32°C. This will only take a about two minutes, if you don’t have a thermometer, don’t worry too much. Just warm it back up for about 2 minutes. This should result in a nice shiny, tempered chocolate.

Temper fails?

But if your chocolate it not perfectly shiny, it’s all good. It will still taste great! I will be honest, I rarely use my thermometer. I like to trust my ancestors, kitchen fairies and kitchen witch magic to guide me. At the end of the day, it all turns out fine (maybe not perfect, but perfectly fine!) and it is a lot more fun! So don’t stress about this step, just do your best and have fun!

Just make sure you don’t burn your chocolate or expose it to even the tiniest bit of water, if you do, it’s done and you will need to start again with a fresh batch.

Filling the molds

This is the trickiest part of making Bailey Bombs or any adult hot chocolate bomb that holds liquid. Creating a chocolate sphere that will hold the liquid.

Add a heaping teaspoon of the melted chocolate to each cavity of the mold. Then, using a small spoon, spread the chocolate to cover the entire cavity. Ensure you pull it right up to the edges. You want to make sure the edges are nice and thick and there are no thin spots anywhere in your spheres.

Set it in the fridge for about 15 minutes to set up. During this time set your bowl of melted chocolate back on the pot and keep it over a very low heat to keep it melted and tempered.

Once firm and set up, remove the molds and add a second layer of melted chocolate making sure to fill in any thin spots and building up the edges. Since the chocolate in the mold is not only set up, but also cold, the new chocolate will chill very quickly and get firm. Work fast to fill in those thin spots!

Set in the fridge to set up completely. About 10 to 15 minutes.

Removing the spheres

Once set, remove the molds from the fridge. Set out some parchment paper.

Carefully remove the spheres from the molds. Do this by peeling the silicone away, and pushing up gently from the bottom to pop it out.

Filling the Bailey Bombs

For this next step we need to warm the edges of our spheres. You can warm a plate in the microwave or us a small frying pan on a low heat on the stove. I prefer the frying pan method, but you do you!

Take one of the sphere halves, place the edges on the heated surface and twist slightly to melt. This only takes a couple of seconds!

Flip it over, fill the half with Bailey’s.

Take a second half sphere, and heat it’s edge the same way, then place it on top of the filled half. Twist slightly to adhere the edges.

If there are any gaps you can pipe a bit of melted chocolate along the seam to reinforce it. You want to make sure that seam is leak proof!

Tip! If you flip your molds upside-down you can use the base to hold your completed bombs while they set, so they don’t roll around.

Decorating

The final step is just some extra fun and a chance to reinforce your adult hot chocolate bomb if required.

Go through the same process to melt some white chocolate (you can use more milk chocolate if you prefer). Add it to a small sandwich bag and cut a small piece off the corner to create a quick piping bag.

Pipe the melted chocolate on your Bailey Bomb and immediately add candy sprinkles or other decorations.

Let set up at room temperature or in the fridge.

Storing Bailey Bombs

I store my Bailey Bombs in the fridge. They should be used within a few days. I never keep mine more than a week. Normally they are gone within 2 or 3 days. It is best to use these as fresh as possible!

Using Bailey Bombs – Adult Hot Chocolate Bombs

Now it’s time to enjoy your hard work with a decadent treat!

Brew a pot of nice strong, rich coffee. We find these work best with a strong brew.

Add your Bailey Bomb to your favourite mug. Pour the coffee over the Bailey Bomb. Stir until the chocolate is completely melted.

Enjoy!

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Bailey Bomb – Adult Hot Chocolate Bomb Recipe

Ready for a decadent treat that tastes like dessert coffee from a fancy 5* restaurant? Try this Bailey Bombs, Adult Hot Chocolate Bomb recipe!

Prep Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 4 bombs

Equipment

• Glass bowl
• Pot
• Silicone spatula
• Small spoon
• Silicone sphere molds
• Knife and cutting board
• Parchment paper
• Stove top
• Fridge
• Oven gloves
• Small heat safe plate or small frying pan
• Food safe gloves (optional)
• Candy thermometer (optional)

Ingredients

• 1 Cup Callebaut Couverture Milk Chocolate
• 4 oz Bailey’s Irish Cream
• 1/4 Cup Callebaut Couverture White Chocolate
• Decorative sprinkles

Instructions

• Melt and temper the chocolate. See article for details on how to do this.
• Add tempered chocolate to the silicone molds. 1 heaping teaspoon per mold cavity, depending on the size of your molds. Pay attention to the edges and make sure they are nice and thick.
• Let set in the fridge for about 10 minutes. Keep left over chocolate warm and tempered.
• Remove set molds from the fridge. Add another layer of chocolate, ensuring the edges are nice and thick.
• Place in fridge to set up for 10 minutes.
• Remove from fridge and remove chocolate half spheres from the molds.
• Heat a plate or a frying pan on low. Warm the edges of a half sphere, just until it melts.
• Fill with Bailey's. Heat the edges of another half sphere and connect to the filled base. Smooth the seal with your fingers gently.
• Let set.
• Melt and temper white chocolate. Use a spoon or a small piping bag to add drizzles of chocolate to the top of the Bailey Bombs. Sprinkle with decorative candy sprinkles.
• Add to a mug, pour hot coffee over top. Stir. Enjoy!

The post Magical Bailey Bombs – Hot Chocolate Bombs for Adults appeared first on Forging Magic.

Chocolate Banana Bread Recipe

Disclaimer: This article may contain commission or affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Banana bread is one of those universal favourites. I mean who doesn’t love the sweet deliciousness of this treat? My kids inhale this stuff!

Our favourite way to eat this banana bread is curled up with a cup of hot chocolate or tea. It’s the perfect compliment to a hot drink on a cold wintery night.

The best part, is that this recipe is highly adaptable to your preferences, and simple enough that the kids can learn how to bake. It takes only 15 minutes to prep then 50 minutes to bake.

The result is a rich, flavour packed, moist banana bread, with a crispy crust that is simply scrumptious.

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Recipe

Ingredients

1/2 cup Butter softened

1 cup Sugar (white)

2 Eggs

1 tsp Vanilla extract

1 tsp Lemon Juice

1 tbsp Molasses

1 3/4 cup Flour (all-purpose)

1 tsp Baking Soda

1 tsp Baking Powder

1/2 tsp Salt (table)

1 tsp Cinnamon

1 tsp Ginger

1/2 tsp Nutmeg

1/2 cup Sour Cream

1 heaping cup Chocolate Chips (never skimp on the chocolate!)

3 – 4 medium Bananas (mashed, should equal approximately 1 1/4 cup once mashed)

Butter (for greasing pans)

Tip! For best results your bananas should be over ripe. If your bananas are getting old but you are not ready to make banana bread yet, toss them in the freezer without peeling them. When you are ready to make bread, pull them out and let them thaw on the counter for a couple of hours. Then peel, mash and make bread!

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350F (175C). Grease loaf pans. I use 9×5 normally, but have used other sizes, including disposable aluminum pans when I am making this to gift.

In a large bowl cream together the softened butter and sugar.

Add eggs, vanilla, lemon juice, and molasses. Mix well.

In another bowl, combine the dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger.

Add the dry mix to the butter mix. Combine until smooth.

Fold in sour cream, bananas and chocolate chips. Reserve a few chocolate chips.

Add to a loaf pan until about half full. Sprinkle the remaining chocolate chips on the top.

Bake at 350F (175C) for approximately 50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Let it cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. Then pop it out of the loaf pan and let it finish cooling. Or if you can’t wait, dig in immediately! For us this is like cookies, so good warm right out of the oven!

Customize it to Make it Magic!

What I love about this recipe is that the rich flavour lends itself to some wonderful changes to make it perfect for your preferences.

If you don’t like chocolate (sorry we can’t be friends anymore!), replace the chocolate chips with walnuts. This also gives it a nice crunch.

If you find the inside too soft (we love a crispy crust and soft middle), and want it more firm, increase the flour to 2 cups.

Want it extra punchy, increase the spices to give it a bit more kick! I love to play with spices, waiting for the kitchen fairies to tell me… STOP!

I am a firm believer in the quality of ingredients making or breaking a recipe. It doesn’t matter how good of a baker you are, if your ingredients are not top quality, your baking will suffer. To this end I love to use the best quality chocolate I can find. I also source my eggs from local farmers.

I hope you enjoy this Chocolate Banana Bread treat!

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Chocolate Banana Bread

Try this decadent Chocolate Banana Bread recipe that is rich, flavour packed, and moist with a crispy crust that is simply scrumptious.

Course Dessert

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes

Servings 2 loafs

Equipment

• Mixing Bowls
• Spoons
• Loaf Pans
• Measuring Cups and Spoons

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup softened butter
• 1 cup white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp. molasses
• 1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp ginger
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 cup chocolate chips or chunks feel free to add extra if desired
• 3-4 medium bananas ripe and mashed

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350F (175C). Grease loaf pans. I use 9×5 normally
• In a large bowl cream together the softened butter and sugar.
• Add eggs, vanilla, lemon juice, and molasses. Mix well.
• In another bowl, combine the dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger.
• Add the dry mix to the butter mix. Combine until smooth.
• Fold in sour cream, bananas and chocolate chips. Reserve a few chocolate chips.
• Add to a loaf pan until about half full. Sprinkle the remaining chocolate chips on the top.
• Bake at 350F (175C) for approximately 50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
• Let it cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. Then pop it out of the loaf pan and let it finish cooling.

The post Rich and Delicious Chocolate Banana Bread appeared first on Forging Magic.

Tarot & Love (Makin’ love & magic lol?)

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Love tarot… table for one, please

A love tarot reading can be used for the relationship with yourself, which is the best place to start when you’re seeking to embark on this journey of love.

Before you invite romantic love into your life, you’re going to want to have the right tools to make sure you’re going to ask for what you really want, and not just settle for who shows up. We even see this in the Lovers tarot card.

Though most would think that the Lovers card is speaking to some kind of romance (two naked people with an angel of love behind them gives off a certain vibe) it can actually often refer to our relationship with ourselves. This card highlights our choices, and it asks us to make sure that we are making choices from a place of love as opposed to fear or habit. Not only that, the Lovers card also asks us to honour all parts of ourselves. We cannot love ourselves in slices. Through self-acceptance and allowing our actions to be guided by love, tarot is already showing us how to welcome more love into our lives.

For more information about learning to read tarot, check out my previous article about this subject!

Love tarot: the mirror that shows us our light and shadow

Tarot is such a gem of a spiritual tool, as it not only reflects back to us what we are being guided to work on, it also reminds us that we are awesome and worthy of love. So many people worry that the cards will “say something bad.” Tarot is just mirroring back to you that which is hanging out in your subconscious. Everyone has light and shadow, this is just life. You’re not going to wait until you’re in some kind of pristine state of enlightenment perfection before dating someone. That’s impossible. And no one is going to be your utopia partner. But doesn’t that make life and love so much juicier and more worth living? We aren’t robots programmed for perfection! Tarot can help us do the work and also to enjoy this ride that is life by knowing, and celebrating, ourselves in all of our beautiful complexity.

How tarot can help you know and love yourself

First off, even being open to asking what you can work on is a step in the right direction. So many of us fear inner work because having flaws feels like failure. I say nay, because every human is beautifully flawed. We just have to shine light on these flaws so that they don’t run the show from our subconscious.

Performing a love tarot reading for ourselves, or having someone do one for us, is a great way to identify these blocks. Maybe you are an over-giver, doing everything for your partner in an attempt to make them love you. This energy is wildly draining and creates unhealthy expectations and resentment. You’re a PARTNER, not a maid. You may not even recognize this in yourself because you see so many other people you know doing it. This may be your normal!

Not only can tarot help you to identify this block, it can also help you to understand how to develop different relationship patterns that don’t drain your energy and self-esteem. This takes humility, as we aren’t always thrilled to admit that our behaviour did us no favours. Honestly though, after doing inner-work for a while, you may get to a point where you are thrilled that you are the problem. After over a decade of reading tarot, I am now deeply relieved when I learn that my behaviour or beliefs are acting as a major block. If I am cramping my style, then I can uncramp it!

Tarot and a self-love party

Here’s the part about tarot that we don’t normally talk about: the major boost in self- esteem that will be reflected back to you. It isn’t ONLY work and blocks that will be reflected through the magic mirror that is tarot!

Through a love tarot spread for yourself, you can identify your qualities that are awesome, loveable, and amazing.

Tarot reflects light and shadow. There is no shadow without the light. We can’t always rely on others to remember why we are awesome and inherently worthy of love. When you can remember your worth and celebrate it without relying on others, you know your self-relationship is truly thriving.

You can ask the tarot cards:

“what should I be proud of?” or

“how do I light up the lives of others?” or

“what makes me a wonderful person?”

You will likely be shown parts of yourself that you never even acknowledged, because you may have been too busy thinking about how to “fix” yourself. You could then take those self-love cards and keep them around to remind you that you rule.

Let’s say you ask, “what about me shines bright?” and you pull the Queen of Wands. This fiery queen shines their light not just for themselves, but for all those who cross their path. Through their authentic passion and creativity, everyone in their presence feels like they may have had a sip of champagne sunshine. Put that card somewhere you can see it! Print off a picture of it and put it in your wallet. Tape it to your bathroom mirror. Read about it and endeavour to light up the lives of others. Acknowledge what makes you awesome and then let tarot help you embody and embrace it. To learn more about how tarot can help you be your best self, read my article about Tarot and Manifesting your Highest Self.

Tarot and love… romantic styles

Just as a love tarot reading can help you love yourself, it can also help you in your romantic relationships. This is applicable to either new or potential partners, as well existing partners.

When it comes to new relationships, tarot can help you know how to navigate them in a way that is truly in your highest good. Look, we’ve all been there. We’ve met someone, we are super stoked, and it’s all we can think about. Then we don’t hear from them, or there’s a red flag, or we start to doubt this connection for whatever reason. Is it your intuition? Anxiety? Is that a red flag, or are you so conditioned to only see red flags that everything has a rouge tint? Welcome tarot into this party and get some answers.

The thing is, asking questions like, “does he love me” isn’t the best method, despite what popular opinion would have you think. I know it sounds odd, but that question isn’t as important as it seems. Does he love you? Sure. Will he step up and do the inner work that is necessary for a healthy partnership? If the answer is no, then love is not enough.

If you find yourself unsure about the feelings of your partner, check in with tarot to see if you’re truly seeing red flags or if you’re looking for reasons this won’t work because you’re conditioned to believe it will end. Just remember that your point of power is always with you. You can ask your cards what you can do to help your partner understand your needs, or if there’s anything you can do to help your partner feel safe expressing theirs. And if you’re not sure if you should continue, you can ask the cards. They may suggest that you be patient, or that you cut your losses and run. If it’s the latter, say thank you to the universe and then pack your bags. As they say, rejection can be protection.

Galentine’s Day party with tarot

If you’re looking for some galentine’s day ideas, busting out those tarot cards and doing love tarot readings for you and your friends is a lovely way to spend the day.

I put together a special Tarot Spread and Galentine’s Day Party ideas here.

Wrapping up: The Love Cards of Tarot

You’ve got your self-love plans, your romantic tarot plans, and your galentine’s day tarot party all sorted out! I’ll leave you with a list of the best and worst cards to see in relationship readings and give you an idea of what they mean. Note: tarot is complex, and everyone’s situation is different. Remember to look at the light and shadow of each card in your situation before jumping to conclusions.

The best tarot love cards

The Lovers

Yes, it is about self-love, but it’s also about two sides aligning and coming together through choices made from a place of love and compassion. This would be a promising card to pull for a potential or existing relationship.

The Sun

This is a card of the enlightenment and love that comes from being your most authentic self. It generally suggests love, authenticity, growth, and joy. And all while being true to yourself, which is the best.

Ace of Cups

A promising card to receive for new love, or for a new phase of love and openness in an existing relationship.

 2 of Cups

I actually find that this card represents romantic love MORE than the Lovers tarot card in my readings. However, it can also refer to a soulmate or an extremely beneficial relationship. For example, this card comes up when my best friend and I are reading together, and she is absolutely my soulmate.

9 of Cups

This is called “the Wish card” in the tarot and is considered a sign that your wishes will come true. Heads up, sometimes we don’t wish for what we really want, but rather what we think we can settle for. When this pops up, do be mindful that you are wishing authentically and wisely. Like the saying goes, “careful what you wish for.” But in general, a very positive sign to receive.

10 of Cups

This could indicate that not only this relationship will be joyful, but that other relationships will thrive as well. Could indicate a potential family, or at least a close-knit group of people who love each other.

4 of Wands

This card is sometimes thought of as a marriage card in tarot readings. It’s the celebration of energies coming together and building stability and love. Ring a ding ding! Or at least some form of love, stability, and celebration.

9 of Pentacles

Though the image is of a single woman admiring her vineyard (so like, living the dream) this card is Venus in Virgo, and I have seen it pop up frequently for people who are about to enter joyful phases of their romantic relationships.

The not so hot tarot love cards

The Devil

This card usually pops up when we are spending time with someone who we know isn’t good for us. You know, that babely person who is fun to look at but makes us feel like crap. A relationship that isn’t in our highest good, or at least has issues that need to be addressed (ie addiction, codependency, etc).

3 of Swords

The message here is one of betrayal and heartbreak. Sometimes, tarot descriptions sound majorly dramatic, so it could be past betrayal affecting the relationship. It is good to look deeper if this card pops up, especially if the relationship is new. You don’t need to sacrifice yourself for someone’s past who isn’t willing to work on it themselves.

7 of Swords

This is the card of the sneaky sneaks. It’s not always malicious, as it can sometimes just be referring to someone who doesn’t know what they want. But dating people like this sucks, because they can think they want the same thing as you one minute, and then change the next. Either way, tread carefully.

The Tower

Though this is the card that symbolizes illusions coming crashing down and freeing us from situations that aren’t sustainable or authentic, it can still be chaotic and painful to go through. Something isn’t right here, implying the need to bring the tower crashing down. Best to have very honest conversations here to see if the tower is within you or within your relationship.

Tarot Love Gift Ideas

If you are looking for a special gift that embraces love and tarot and magic, here are some ideas for you!

This is all based off of my own experience as a tarot reader, and other tarot readers may have different opinions. That’s because, as tarot readers, we are all translators of feelings and images. This means that we will all interpret these images and feels differently and will have our own kind of dialect with the cards. Keep an open mind and remember that all worthwhile relationships take work. And if something doesn’t work out, it’s making space for something that does. Start with the relationship with yourself, and then all of the love magic will align for you from there. Let love rule, but let it rule within you first. Then, the sky is the love limit! Ain’t love grand?

Jenny McCargar

The Mystic Mermaid

Jenny is a professional shamanic practitioner and tarot reader. Her academic background is in French and Spanish translation studies. Through her academic and spiritual studies, she realized we are all spiritual translators, translating our feelings, experiences, and messages from spirit. Jenny endeavours to help people see the light within themselves, each other, and nature, to dream a healed dream into being for ourselves and the world.

The post Tarot and Love appeared first on Forging Magic.

Galentine’s Day Party Featuring Tarot

Disclaimer: This article may contain commission or affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

What is Galentine’s Day?

Galentine’s Day is simply women celebrating the women they love! These key friendships, we cherish deeply, are celebrated each year on Galentine’s Day which is held every year on February 13. Originating from the popular TV show ‘Parks and Recreation,’ the holiday is all about declaring love and affection to the girls who make up our support system.

I would venture that we can broaden Galentine’s Day to encompass all friendships and relationships based on platonic love. Friends, family, siblings, all those people who make up our village and support network. The ones that are always there, supporting us. We need a day to celebrate and honour those special relationships and Galentine’s Day is the perfect day to shine a light on these people who bless our lives.

Want to learn more about Tarot and Love? Check out this resource.

What is Tarot?

Tarot is at its base a card game, but it is so much more to many people. Each card contains stunning illustrations, that when paired with our intuition can help with self reflection, understanding of ourselves and our environment, and even divination. You can learn more about tarot in this article, What is Tarot?

Galentine’s Day Tarot Party

A wonderful way to celebrate Galentine’s Day is with a Tarot Party!

You can do this virtually, or in person. The best part is that only one person needs a tarot deck or oracle deck.

Light some red and pink candles, set out some crystals, dim the lights, and open your hearts to love and learning! Red and pink are each associated with love, as red represents passion and romantic love, and pink represents unconditional love. It’s not an accident they’re associated with Valentine’s day and Galentine’s Day!

Ensure you also have wonderful drinks and foods that will nourish your bodies as you nourish your spirits.

When you get together with your friends to read tarot, it’s a great chance to be with the people who know and love you and get their feedback when it comes to your love journey. They can be that extra bit of validation that you may not have given yourself when you’re reading the cards solo. In turn, you can be that person for your friend! You can all write down key points that you learn from your readings and create affirmations of love together. What better way to spend Galentine’s day than with people you love, all learning how to love themselves fully?

Tarot Friendship and Love Cards

While doing readings with your friends, there are certain cards you may want to explore deeper that have strong connections to love. You can learn more about these cards and Tarot Love readings in this article, but here is a brief list to get you started. Chat about and explore these cards together and see what you can discover together.

The Lovers

The Lovers is about romantic love and self-love, but it’s also about two sides aligning and coming together through choices made from a place of love and compassion. This would be a promising card to pull for a potential or existing relationship. Even friendships.

The Sun

This is a card of the enlightenment and love that comes from being your most authentic self. It is connected with love, authenticity, growth, and joy… all while being true to yourself, which is the best!

Ace of Cups

A promising card to receive for new love, or for a new phase of love and openness in an existing relationship or friendship.

2 of Cups

Often this card represents romantic love MORE than the Lovers tarot card in my readings. However, it can also refer to a soulmate or an extremely beneficial relationship. For example, this card comes up when my best friend and I are reading together, and she is absolutely my soulmate. Pulling the 2 of Cups during Galentine’s Day is a wonderful draw!

3 of Cups

This is the ultimate Galentine’s Day tarot card. It is all about friendship and celebrating those that make your life better. Sisterhood, being social, helping the group and letting the group help you. It’s time to celebrate, enjoy life, and be with those who matter. This is the theme card of Galentine’s Day!

9 of Cups

This is called “the Wish card” in the tarot and is considered a sign that your wishes will come true. Heads up, sometimes we don’t wish for what we really want, but rather what we think we can settle for. When this pops up, do be mindful that you are wishing authentically and wisely. Like the saying goes, “careful what you wish for.” But in general, a very positive sign to receive.

10 of Cups

This could indicate that not only this relationship will be joyful, but that other relationships will thrive as well. Could indicate a potential family, or at least a close-knit group of people who love each other.

4 of Wands

This card is sometimes thought of as a marriage card in tarot readings. But it’s more than that, it’s the celebration of energies coming together and building stability and love. Romantic or platonic.

9 of Pentacles

Though the image is of a single woman admiring her vineyard (so like, living the dream) this card is about self love, confidence, empowerment. It also often appears as people are entering a joyful phase in their journey.

Happy Galentine’s Day Tarot Spread

Here is a love spread that I created just for this purpose! This spread is designed to help you acknowledge your self-love blocks, your self-love strengths, and give you suggestions on how to invite more love into your life. Let your friends help give you validation, support, and laughter as you do this reading together.

Galentine’s Day Gift Ideas

If you are having a Tarot Party, why not consider a beautiful Tarot or Oracle deck as a Galentine’s Day gift? Or an inspiring book? Here are some of my favourites.

Your friends can be your companions, guides and voice of reason as you travel down your path of growth and spirituality. Embrace and celebrate those amazing people on Galentine’s Day!

Jenny McCargar

The Mystic Mermaid

Jenny is a professional shamanic practitioner and tarot reader. Her academic background is in French and Spanish translation studies. Through her academic and spiritual studies, she realized we are all spiritual translators, translating our feelings, experiences, and messages from spirit. Jenny endeavours to help people see the light within themselves, each other, and nature, to dream a healed dream into being for ourselves and the world.

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