Category: Discussions

How to Find the Perfect Tarot Deck for You

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Reading tarot cards is often considered a stable of magical practitioners. Lots of people read tarot cards though (and many magical practitioners do not) so there’s about eleventy-billion ways to learn how to read tarot and even more reasons to read tarot.

First, let’s get that troubling superstition about buying your own deck out of the way. It might work as a superstition for you, but it’s fairly new in the realm of superstitions and likely doesn’t apply now. You can buy your own deck. The deck will read perfectly well and will not carry negative energy because you bought it.

More importantly, the criteria for your tarot deck is one that needs to be considered carefully. Each person will want different things out of a deck. Ask yourself these questions to help narrow the field.

 

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Do I like the art?

This is, by far, one of the most important criteria. It’s really hard to connect to a deck which has an art style you don’t like. I have all sorts of decks in all sorts of art styles and I can read with many of them but there’s a few I don’t use as often because I’m not super fond of the art style. I keep them often due to sentimental reasons or because they work well for a particular thing but otherwise, I could live without them.

Look at the art. Glance through google images for more pictures and check reviews. There’s some decks that have a fantastic cover or a handful of cards I love but I couldn’t stand the rest of the deck. Sometimes it’s the colors or something else. It’s a personal choice and don’t discredit that when it comes to a selection. You’re doing the reading so your aesthetic should matter.

 

 

Do important cards resonate with me?

Many  readers have particular cards that resonate with them. They might always look at the High Priestess or the Fool to determine if they like the deck. I usually check the Tower, Magician, and Hermit myself because those are the cards I like the most. If those cards don’t work for you, how does that diminish the deck’s quality or importance? I know there’s a deck that has a nice if kind of weird Tower card that I’m unsure about. Something’s not right with it for me so I end up not using that deck quite as often as I might otherwise.

Don’t forget to check the court cards too. The whole Arcana is important, not just the Major. Check the leaders of the Minor Arcana too. I know what happens with the Kings and Queens can make or break how I feel about a deck.

 

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Is the content up to par for me?

This is both a personal decision and an aesthetics  decision. I have a deck that covers all sorts of places in the world at all sorts of eras. But it largely settles in the medieval and Renaissance eras. But Chariot and World, with a handful of other cards, are thoroughly modern images with cars, computers, and so on. Every time I see one of these cards, it throws me because there’s so few of them compared to the rest. It made me change how I use the deck because of this.

You’ll want to consider the tone and content. Are a few cards really graphic? Do they show a lot of nudity? Are their children everywhere? What doesn’t work for you?

As said, some of this comes down to artistic choice with the creator. Some decks just aren’t designed well or use the creator’s own understanding of the cards rather than the traditional meanings people generally expect.

 

 

What do I want to do with the deck?

Are you focusing on love readings? Personal questions? Spiritual questions? Do you want a deck you can connect with or one that just the job done without a lot of fuss? I find that decks have an energy to them almost (or exactly) like a spirit. My Heart of the Faerie Oracle is so sassy and always wants attention whereas my Claude Bludel’s Classic Tarot is Grumpy the Grandpa Grumpasaurus. I’ve used my Heart of the Faerie Oracle for most everything but it doesn’t like financial questions. My Classic Tarot likes business questions but not business questions that relate to the heart or passions. It’s strictly business.

Reviews will help you determine a general deck usage typically but also check out the creator’s own words. The Heart of the Faerie Oracle was designed for relationships of all kinds and that purpose is abundantly obvious.

 

 

Will this deck be hard to learn?

Some decks are not beginner friendly. They might have small or intricate images or only have subtle hints at what they’re suppose to be rather than spelling it out on the card. My Deviant Moon Tarot, for example, doesn’t display the words “Cups” or “Swords” so you either have to pay attention or know the deck. I have numerous decks that just give numbers for the Major Arcana, which may not even work since some decks swap out the numerical placement of the Fool, World, and a handful of other cards.

Many decks expect you to know stuff. For example, the Sherlock Holmes Tarot is wonderfully but if you’re not overly familiar with a great deal of the Sherlock Holmes writing, you’ll have a challenging time with it. The Ghosts and Spirits Tarot takes from stories all over the world relying on you to either know the stories from the images or memorize the stories associated with the cards. Fairy Lights seems to have a hidden story or knowledge expectation, perhaps just merely being familiar with fairy tales as a whole helps or maybe there’s a specific real life fairy court life being referenced. This tends to only happen in themed decks but it’s something to be aware of.

Others might take the creator’s personal knowledge of the subject, skewing traditional meanings which makes it difficult to remember if you’re just learning stuff.

Originality versus RWS traditional meanings also may come into play here as well so keep that in mind.

 

 

Is it a RWS clone? Based off of RWS? Original? Does that matter?

Many of the decks you’re probably going to run into are Rider-Waite-Smith based decks (RWS) referring to the acknowledged creators of the tarot deck popularized today. This deck is also known as the Rider-Waite deck but Smith was the artist and her contributions shouldn’t be forgotten either so there’s been considerable movement to include her in the name/titles.

The RWS decks are the standard when it comes to tarot cards. Some decks are flat-out clones where even the position of the characters are exactly the same. A good example is the Tarot of the Magical Forest. It’s certainly pretty to look at and different with the animal characters but if you compare it to a RWS deck, you’ll see it’s a clone.

Many decks just take the RWS traditional meanings and put their own spin on it. You get some great themed decks out of this as well as some fantastic classics too. But, you’re at the mercy of the creators’ understanding of the cards and how they learned the cards. The Devil is a good example here: some people will immediately draw it as a classic devil and debauchery kind of scene and others go for a wholly different approach.

Original decks may have some inspiration from RWS or they might take inspiration from older tarot cards (tarot was a playing card game before it was a divination tool) or they could invent some new stuff. This is far rarer and often swings into the realm of oracle cards rather than tarot cards.

Oracle cards are different in that the meanings are entirely dependent on the creators. These decks are typically extremely original with their content and often are themed. The Mermaids and Dolphins Oracle comes to mind as does the Sacred Creators Oracle. Since there’s no standard in meanings, you’ll either have to use the book or intuition to read the cards.

There’s also Lenormand cards which are a whole different system of card reading. They have even stricter meanings than tarot cards, have a few hundred years less history, and have designated spreads. They’ve seen an upswing in popularity of late and many people use them now as oracle cards in addition to Lenormand cards.

I have all these styles of decks and I use them all fairly often. I’m an intuitive reader so it doesn’t matter to me which system I use in the end. I just pick the best tool for the specific question at hand. If you’re not an intuitive reader, a Lenormand or RWS deck might be a better choice. If you have trouble with memory, are an intuitive reader, or you dislike classic occultism, an oracle deck might be a better choice for you.

I honestly suggest one of each if you’re going to do a lot of divination reading. Don’t break the bank but a RWS, Lenormand, and oracle will each have different approaches to the same problem and can reveal different aspects of the same question. Or pick your favorite. It’s up to you.

 

 

Do I like the size and feel of the cards?

Not all tarot decks are created equally when it comes to materials. Card thickness, sheen, card material, shape, and the mere size can all change. For example, all of the Blue Angel Publishing decks I own are huge – I have trouble shuffling them at time with my tiny hands. My Enchanted Lenormand? Fits in a pair of women’s jeans pockets (a claim that has either confused you or highly impressed you, I’d wager) and is about the height of a tube of lip balm.

Each reader will have a preference. For example, I like small to medium sized cards, slight to matte sheen, and a bit thicker than a playing card but not so thick you can’t easily shuffle them. I have a friend who loves large cards and another that adore shiny ones. It definitely comes down to personal preference but it’s something to be aware of. Look for these details in reviews.

 

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My favorites! The Queen of Swords, Page of Swords, the Hermit, and the Tower from the Dreaming Way Tarot

 

Do I want a companion book? What does it come with?

Most tarot decks comes with a tuck box which is exactly like a playing card box and a little white book with maybe a sentence to explain each card (also known as the LWB). Some tuck boxes and LWB are awesome and others are completely useless. Deviant Moon’s tuck box caused me so many issues when I got it that I spent the next day crocheting a bag for the deck just so I didn’t have to use the tuck box. Why? It was too tight and made closing the box and fitting all the cards difficult, risking even damaging the cards just to close the box.

Some decks have heavier cardboard boxes which are intended to house the deck permanently. And some others go completely overkill with their boxes and completely waste space. (I’m looking at you Heart of the Faerie Oracle and Enchanted Lenormand.) Often these decks include a companion book of some kind which makes up for the box size, usually.

I’ve also gotten decks in bags before which, like the heavier boxes, are intended for permanent storage but might not wholly protect the cards if dropped.

Companion books are a thing now and they’re pretty awesome. I’m not really a super fan of selling a companion book separately from a deck unless the deck comes with a LWB too but that’s just my opinion. Companion books are more complete LWBs, going into details about each card, usually a page or so, and often include a spread or two and some sort of introduction or forward from the creator(s). Some books are better written than others and they might be hard or soft covered. It varies from deck to deck.

 

 

Is the deck worth the price it’s being sold at to me?

This is more aimed at collectors than anyone else. I keep a list of decks I want and I periodically go through and examine the items on there, deciding if I want them for the reasons above or if the cost is worth what the deck offers. A RWS copy isn’t going to mean as much to mean as an oracle for example as I prefer original decks for the most part.

I see a lot of readers buy decks that they later sell off because they didn’t meet their needs. Sometimes, they wholly regret the purchase. Decks can be bought for the $25 price or under but many decks hover in the $35-45 range which, combined with shipping, can be a bit pricey if you don’t budget it. Many are more than even that and out of print or limited edition decks can go for hundreds of dollars.

Remember to take a second to think before purchasing. Many sellers don’t allow returns in this field so be aware before you buy what your options are if you don’t like the deck.

 

 

Does it have a companion app?

Some decks have their own companion apps. The mobile apps are sold separately but if you really love a deck, you can get the companion app and use the deck digitally on the road. Companion apps often also help you learn the cards.

Another good thing about companion apps is they’re often cheaper than the decks themselves so you can view all the cards without paying full price for the deck. Plus their ultra portable which can be a huge bonus if you’re a big traveler or aren’t public with your practice.

 

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What do others say about this deck?

Check reviews. Google up some reviews, ask around on social media, haunt the review section of retailer’s websites. Aecletic.com is a great place to start for this. Asking favorite bloggers is a good idea too. If you get a tarot reading from other readers, you can ask them how they feel about the decks used. There’s a good chance they’ll be happy to answer the question.

 

 

Those are good questions to ask if you’re looking for a deck. There’s a lot of choices out there so it can be tricky to find the right deck for you. Good luck and happy divining.

 

Decks featured (in order of appearance):

  • Dungeon Solitaire: Labyrinth of Souls by Matthew Lowes & Josephe Vandel ©
  • Heart of the Faerie Oracle by Brian Froud and Wendy Froud with Robert Gould © Harry N. Abrams
  • Fairy Lights Tarot by Lucia Mattioli © Lo Scarabeo
  • Classic Tarot by Claude Burdel © US Games Systems
  • Deviant Moon Tarot Borderless Edition by Patrick Valenza © US Games Systems
  • Scrying Ink Lenormand Oracle by Siolo Thompson © Bay & Willow
  • Dreaming Way Tarot by Rome Choi and Kwon Shina © US Games Systems
  • Tarot of the Magical Forest by Hsu Chi Chun, Leo Tang, Pietro Alligo, Giovanni Pelosini © Lo Scarabeo
  • Linestrider Tarot: Kickstarter Edition by Siolo Thompson ©
  • Halloween Oracle by Stacey Demarco © Blue Angel Publishing
  • Sacred Rebels by Alana Fairchild and Autumn Skye Morrison © Blue Angel Publishing
  • Sacred Creators Oracle by Chris-Anne © Chris-Anne.com

The Myth of Buying Your First Tarot Deck

There’s this superstition that you cannot buy your first (or any) tarot deck for yourself. It should be bought for you, given, or stolen but you should never buy it for yourself. If you do, the deck won’t work for you, or it’ll have negative energy, or bad luck, or whatever.

It’s not a superstition I ascribe to. In fact, I find it kind of rubbish.

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Heart of the Faerie Oracle by Brian Froud, Wendy Froud, Robert Gould, & Harry N. Abrams. 

Don’t get me wrong. I’m superstitious at heart. I studied major in folklore in university so it’s my thing. But, uh, I’ve tested this and I’m calling it: it’s not true.

First, let’s get to the root of this superstition. It’s not a historical superstition and I’m prone to believe it’s only a few decades old – perhaps calling back to an era where tarot cards weren’t published regularly and therefore were hard to come by. The decks would have been passed down like treasures. In this theory, it makes sense that people would believe that these decks held more power because they’re proven reliable and held sentimental value. (That doesn’t mean those decks are better than one you’d buy, by the way, just more personal.) My theory suggests that this tradition morphed into a superstition over time due to grandstanding and ignorance.

There’s a second reason why this superstition might have come to prominence. That reason is research. Back in the 90’s when the internet was still young but the New Age and Neo-Wicca movement was strong, you could buy decks fairly easily. But just because you picked up a deck didn’t mean…

A) You would know how to read it. Those little white books are infamously useless and many tarot reading books at the time were hard to get or steeped in occultism. Peer-learning was definitely a thing but you never knew if you were getting the complete education.

B) That deck or style suited you. I know many people from that area that just bought decks because they were the only ones they could find, not because they liked the art or how the deck read.

C) The resources were there for reviewing the deck before purchase. These days, if you want to buy a deck, all you need to do is hop on your social media to ask friends what they think or google up a review. That wasn’t easily available in the past and rarely did you have the time to do that before purchasing. These days, I can check multiple reviews in the store on my phone within five minutes.

So if you bought a deck and it didn’t seem to work for you, it could be for any one of those reasons and not because you simply bought the deck.

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Another source is possible. It could simply be one of those things published or spoken of by one group and then taught to their readers/followers and that passed along like a terrible game of Telephone until we have the superstition as it stands today. I haven’t been able to track it back that far but it’s definitely a reasonable theory.

It’s also likely to be at least partially a corruption of other bartering myths of which there are thousands. Superstitions of these kinds generally works like this: You should not buy X for yourself but it should be given as a gift or bad luck will follow. It might also have a condition, like you shouldn’t buy it on a Thursday in October or a neighbor has to buy it for you. These sorts of superstitions typically start in a regional area and build momentum as people move into new areas of the world. It’s a pretty common style of superstition. I’ve seen this style of myth attributed to just about everything from tallow candles, to eggs, to cattle. Historically speaking, these myths are likely partially existent to circumvent community bylaws that disallow various behaviors within a small community. For example, you can keep chickens in my state’s capital city which is across the river from where I live but you cannot in my city. I can read tarot in almost any city in my state but one next door to where I live. And in the capital city, it’s illegal to throw pickle juice off the back of a trolley. The bylaws might or might not make sense but you can bet there’s some sort of history to them. These superstitions may be born from these sorts of laws.

Whatever the source, the fact is that many, many, many tarot readers including myself buy their own decks. Many readers have bought their first decks for themselves, including myself. And I’ve never heard a case of someone who suddenly cannot read their tarot cards or claims to have bad luck because they bought their own tarot cards. Continue to hold to the superstition if you like but it seems highly irrelevant to do so in this day and age of consumerism.

You do you, but be critical in what you hear and read, OK?

 

Heart of the Faerie Oracle by Brian Froud and Wendy Froud with Robert Gould © Harry N. Abrams

Halloween Oracle by Stacey Demarco © Blue Angel Publishing

Sacred Rebels by Alana Fairchild and Autumn Skye Morrison © Blue Angel Publishing

Sacred Creators Oracle by Chris-Anne © Chris-Anne.com

Patreon | thiscrookedcrown.com

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Enchanting Your Weight Loss

I think the number one New Year’s resolution is weight loss. But it’s hard to get on the yoga mat or hit the gym everyday. We lead busy lives and sometimes we don’t feel like exercising. Or, you’re recovering from injury or illness and it’s hard to get motivated. Add in body self-consciousness and there’s a whole host of reasons why you might not make your fitness goal.

And that’s OK. Keep trying. It might take longer than you want it to and it’s probably harder than you imagined but it can be done. You have to try. That’s all you have to do. Try and keep trying. And that’s so much harder than it sounds.

There’s a lot of witchy ideas for helping yourself remember to exercise (and a few non-witchy ones worth trying). Here’s a few.

 

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Infuse energy into your exercise equipment and clothes

Sit down with or on your exercise equipment. This could be a yoga mat, hand weights, or even you exercise clothing and shoes.

Push energy into the items. Think of your goals and health. Say or speak what you want to happen. Be as specific or vague as you’d like. For example, I try to do yoga or stretching everyday as it helps reduce injury connected to my chronic illness. I made sure to add those kind of thoughts and expectations to my energy. Add your reasons in there too. Are you doing this to lose weight? To be more flexible? For your health? To meet your fitness goals? Are you trying to shift your body into a particular shape?

I also threw in lots of “notice me” energy. Make the exercise equipment or clothing extremely noticeable to you psychically. You know how some things just are more easily noticed than others, even when buried in a bunch of stuff? You’re making that happen with your stuff. (By the way, doing these spells on your vitamins or medications are a huge help)

You might also want to add diminutive or scheduling qualities to your enchanting. Energy to reduce the desire to snack between meals or to use the equipment regularly will also help.

Try to be perfectly clear in your wording. Flowery language has it’s place but be clear cut here. It’s not necessary for the spell to be pretty. I think the bluntness adds to the power of the enchantment for something like this.

 

 

Things you can enchant: your clothes, shoes, shoe laces, gym bag, water bottle, towels, earbuds, phone case, exercise equipment, cleaning solution for exercise equipment, the building you exercise in, and your gym pass.

 

 

Color symbolism

Which colors reminds you of exercise? Buy clothing or equipment in those colors. If that’s not possible, tie fabric in those colors around a stability bar or some out of way place. And do it with everything. Put in colored shoes lace, buy hair ties, water bottles, or ear buds. If you use it for exercise, try an add that color in there somewhere.

You can even do a spell to link a specific color or color palette to exercising for you. If you want to do this, make sure that you always envision exercising with this color or color palette in mind. It reinforces the enchantment that way.

This has an added bonus of tying everything together in an aesthetically appealing way and that means you can probably store your stuff in a less out-of-the-way place. If you see it regularly, you might actually use it regularly.

Don’t make this difficult on yourself. Pick two or three colors and allow some leeway in color shade difference. There’s a lot of teals out there in the world so trying to match everything to a specific teal can get expensive and frustrating. This is to make your life easier, not harder.

If you go about this the right way, then you can lay out your gym clothes the night before and hit the gym early before your brain fully wakes up and realizes that magic has influenced it.

Super bonus: Every time you see this color outside of the home, do something exercise-y when you get a chance. Maybe touch your toes in the guise of tying your shoes or do a squat when trying to get something on a bottom shelf.

 

 

Use sigils

Create a magical symbol or sigil in whatever system or method you like best. Create the sigil so you will want to consistently exercise. Draw that on your exercise equipment. I used sharpies in the same color as the equipment but you can do it with water, chalk, or whatever else.

You can also use the sigils to help reduce injury from a piece of equipment. Sigils are also a great way to add a little magic to your gym routine. It’s hard to enchant public equipment but quickly tracing a sigil onto the machine to give you a good workout as your program it can be a lifesaver.

 

Magnets and Water

Soak a magnet in some water. Use that water to wash the exercise equipment. Some magnets absorb water and become somewhat toxic so it might be best to pour the water on a napkin , rub it over a bit of the equipment you don’t touch.

You can also skip the magnet and just wash everything in enchanted water. I especially recommend this if you have trouble remaining hydrated or want to increase your water intake.

You can also make a tisane of herbs and wash your equipment with that. Be careful and aware of allergic reactions and make sure to do your research before using them, even topically like this.

Energy boosting herbal combinations might be citrus, paprika, cayenne pepper, ginseng, ginger, cinnamon, oatstraw, and nettle. If you’re looking to relax or relieve stress or anxiety, try oatstraw, chamomile, catnip, lemon balm, or valerian root. Want to add in some healing? Herbs like calendula, plaintain, rosemary, or sage might be a good option.

 

 

Sun Power

Soak your equipment in the sun. The sun is a great for energy boosting and this is probably one of the easier methods for stuff. Just lay your equipment out in the direct sun for a few minutes.

Remember that some fabrics, colors, and dyes don’t do well in the sun so don’t let these items sit out for very long. Enough to get the energy but not enough to ruin them.

 

Pay Yourself

Set up a jar with a slot in the lid in an obvious place near your equipment or by the door and pay yourself every time you exercise. Every time you meet a goal, be that losing five pounds or doing a hundred push ups, go and spend that earned money on something.

I generally put pocket change in these kind of jars but I know some folks put a dollar in each time. Treating yourself to something nice can be a huge motivator for some people so if motivation or accountability is a problem for you, this might be an answer.

 

 

Schedule and keep track

Remember to write in your planner or schedule with a Calendar app your exercise times. Look into exercise management apps and maybe keep an exercise journal.

Get a  friend involved and have that accountability there – the friend doesn’t have to be a gym buddy. Tweet or update tumblr every time you go to the gym to track your progress and ask friends to send motivation if you miss a day. Sometimes you just get busy and forget to do your thing and other times you just aren’t feeling up to it. A friend’s encouragement can really help.

You might also want to look into classes, joining groups, or making friends at the gym. A rock climbing group might help you get more into the sport and make more positive connections. Taking a class will give you a teacher to help you with form. Friends can help encourage you and give you a reason to go to the gym, beyond even exercising.

Another tip is to go to the gym even if you don’t want to exercise.Sometimes, just making it part of your daily routine will help you keep with your goals. This is also super useful for people who have weird schedules and need to add structure to their lives.

 

 

And, hey, don’t get super mad at yourself for missing a day. It happens. Just make sure you do it the next day. I don’t recommend trying to make up for the lost exercise. Too much exercise can lead to all sorts of problems. Go slow and focus on doing exercises properly, rather than quickly. Time yourself so you don’t overdo it, keep hydrated, and set mini goals. Reward yourself for your mini goals just like major goals.

Please remember that everyone starts somewhere. Be kind to beginners. Be kind to people who are working out next to you. Not everyone exercises for the same reasons or even feel the need to exercise so don’t be an ass and shame people because they don’t fit your criteria. We’re doing this for ourselves. Let’s encourage each other to reach our goals.

 

Adapted from “Enchanting your yoga mat (or exercise equipment) to increase usage”over on tumblr here.

Witchcraft Checklist for 2017

2017 is nearly upon us. Are you ready yet? 2016 had been a tough year and I’m betting some of you aren’t enthusiastic for 2017 either. And some of you are so ready for it.

Whatever you’re feeling about the upcoming new year, here’s a list of witchcraft related chores and spells to get you on the right foot in the new year.

 

2017-witchcraft-checklist-by-this-crooked-crown

 

01 Cleanse & cleanse your home

This, really, should be the first thing on your to-do list come the new year.

January’s a great time to take part in a big household cleaning. You’ll get rid of all the junk you’ve held onto this long, you can re-home items you no longer want in your life (or holiday gifts you didn’t like), and starts the new year in a clean place. It also makes it far easier to keep up as the year goes on.

If you aren’t combining your cleansing and cleaning spells, you might want to do some. Check out Cleansing & Cleaning 101 for ideas and a how to or this ritual for cleansing.

 

 

02 Check your protection spells

Protection spells periodically should be checked, cleansed, and restored. Sometimes spells get worn and don’t protect as well as they should. Now’s a good time to go through your protection spells and cast them again.

It’s also a good time to set up new protection spells. Maybe you missed something in a previous protection spell or maybe circumstances have changed and your spells need to adapt. January’s a good time to do all of that.

 

03 Toss out expired ingredients

Herbs do expire. If you’re only using your herbs symbolically, then maybe the expiration doesn’t matter but if you also use them herbally or your consume them, you’re going to need to check over your herbs, spices, and other ingredients. Some of them might have become pale, lost flavor, or became moldy.

Many companies will have an expiration date listed on the packaging. Otherwise you might need a google search to give you a hand.

Toss or compost the expired ingredients and buy new ones. Did you discover a jar of herb that you rarely or never touched? Maybe skip buying that until you really need it.

This is also a good time to check any herbs you’ve had left out to dry and process them into a more handy size and bottle them. Remember to sanitize your bottles /jars and let them dry completely before use.

 

04 Stock up on candles & incense

Sort through your candles, incense, and related goodies. Put aside broken candles for melting down into new candles and make a list of what you’re out of or running low of so you can buy them next time they’re on sale. Remember to check scents, sizes, and colors for this.

Double check your candle holders and see if you have enough holders. Clean out any candle holders that are full of wax. A crappy knife and some oil make getting wax out a bit easier.

You’ll also want to consider putting aside anything you didn’t like using. Maybe a candle never burned properly or the scent of a certain incense was horrible to you. Put them aside and re-home them with another practitioner or friend. Remember to ask online. A lot of people are willing to pay shipping to get an item free and you’ll know it goes to a home that really wants it.

Stock up on lighters, matches, and non-flame candles too. LED lights might not burn stuff but they can be really handy in a pinch with some spells.

 

05 Check spell jars

Spell jars are some of the easiest forms of magic. Just throw a bunch of ingredients in a jar, seal it up, and call it a day. But, spell jars are also some of the easiest to screw up with.

Spell jars can get moldy if they were wet when the dry components were put in it. Or the wet components molded the jar. Or the ingredients became so noxious you risk yourself if it becomes broken.

Check the spell jars you’ve made. If they’re good, then put them back (or remake them). If they’re no longer needed or have become gross, dismantle them carefully! Use gloves if you have to. Toss the ingredients in the garbage and put the garbage outside. Wash the jar and sanitize it. If you don’t want to keep the jar, recycle it.

 

 

06 Check other spells

You might have a dream pillow that’s gone flat or an herbal sachet that no longer smells of anything but you. Time to get rid of them or remake those items.

Considering dismantling and burying all cursing poppets, spells, etc. It’s a new year and maybe it’s time to let that grudge die? If not, renew the curse.

 

07 Check magical concoctions

If you’re an intermediate or advanced practitioner, you’ve probably got a whole shelf of magical oils or waters you use or make.

Double check them all. They probably need a good shaking and to be topped off. You’ll also want to see if they’ve gone rancid, cloudy, or moldy. Toss what ones are no longer salvagable and re-bottle as needed.

 

08 Check up on your houseplants and garden

Check your plants. Which ones need re-potting or new soil? What plants need a little help?  Which ones died? This serves as a good reminder to care for your plants and consider how to better care for them in the future. Try not to re-pot anything until the thaw comes around. You’ll risk shocking the plant to death.

Make a list of what you’ll need for the upcoming spring. New soil? Bigger pots? A different type of basil? PH monitor? Making this list will allow you to get a jump on the spring sales when they come around.

This is also around the time that plant catalogs start coming out so planning your garden’s a good idea too.

 

09 Examine your altar set up

Check over your altar dishes and see if they need to be replaced. Maybe the rim of your glass chalice is chipped or cracked. You might need to save up for a new one so knowing ahead of time before sales pop up is a good thing.

Give your altar statuary a nice bath and/or dust them. Clean the glass and frames of hanging pictures and clear off the altar itself to wipe it down. When you set it up again, maybe place some fresh flowers on it to signal the new year in addition to a slightly larger than average offering.

 

 

10 Buy a new broom

Remember to enchant your household broom to cleanse and bring prosperity. Clean out the vacuum cleaner and do the same sorts of spells.

 

3 Tests to Strengthen Your Protection Spells

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One of the questions I get from new witchlings is how they can know their protection spells are good enough. It’s a really important question to address. We all want to feel safe. It’s one of the things we need in order to survive. Our safety needs to be secure so we can flourish. But if you’re not sure on how good your protections are then things can get dicey.

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But how DO you determine how strong your protection spells are? There’s not a device you can purchase that will do it for you and you’ll probably want to make sure that things are up to snuff before some big bad comes along.

Here’s three ways to test those protection spells of yours. Some might be doable right now as you sip your cup of coffee and others may need you to tap a friend.

 

 

Read up on others’ spells

This might seem like a weird suggestion to start off with but it’s actually the most useful one on the whole list.

Reading what other practitioners are doing may inspire you to add, alter, or adjust your protection spells to accommodate situations you may have never even heard of. Reading about their spells and techniques means you can hone your own abilities and spells to be as best as you can be.

There’s a second part to this. You should also read up on people’s curses and hexes. Let’s be completely honest here – people are going to curse other people. It’s been happening since the dawn of humanity and it will continue to happen until the dusk of it. You can elect not to use curses in your own practice but that’s not going to stop people from cursing you if they want to curse you.

So reading up on the potential curses they might use will help you program your spells against those curses. It’s a preventative measure that every practitioner, no matter who they are, might want to consider in their protection spells.

 

 

Set up an emergency protection kit

You know those storm kits or bug out bags you’re suppose to have? You know the one that contains food, water, and a whole bunch of stuff in case there’s some emergency or terrible storm? You can set one up for witchcraft too.

An emergency protection kit should include ingredients for protection spells, cleansing spells, and banishing spells. Everything should be prepared as much as it can be in advanced.

Use plastic bottles, even through they’re not as pretty as your glass. They’re not breakable, they’re lightweight, and you probably won’t damage much you need to hurl it at a spirit. I find the plastic spice jars are perfect for this. One container each for protection, banishing, and cleansing.

Handmade cone incense might be fantastic on the altar but shitty stick incense can be held, waved around, and stabbed into just about any relatively soft material to make it stand still (a cake, mud, rice, sand, etc.). Plus it’s cheap so you don’t need to be shy about using a bunch of it. Aim for one incense scent that can be used in all three scenario’s. I like Sandalwood but use whatever works for you.

Tealight candles are absolutely perfect for this. They’re short lasting but they have their own metal holders so you don’t have to deal with wax everywhere. Which is good because when shit goes down, who’s got the time to handle spilling wax?

Print out your spells. Even if you’re into handwriting all your spells out, type up the spells for these situations (just select a few; one or two for protection, banishing, and cleansing)

Throw in a quartz crystal, a cheap pendulum, a lighter, some string, a small bottle of water, and maybe a bell and you’re ready for all kinds of situations. I keep all of this in a zipper pouch in my witch kit but sticking it in a drawer works just as well. It saves time and you’re less likely to waste your more expensive ingredients when you’re in a hurry.

 

 

Write out your strengths and weaknesses

if you’re very self-aware, you probably can identify some strengths and weaknesses in your practice. I known mine, for example. Do you know yours?

If you don’t, try to come up with some. If you can’t, ask some friends what they think your personal weaknesses and strengths are and see how that compares to your practice. Sometimes they’re related.

Knowing what your weak at means that you can compensate for them and you can play to your strengths. Ideally, you should try and keep a balance but that’s not always easy.

 

 

Test them directly

Depending on what you’re protecting, you can go about this in a few ways.

If you’re alone and aiming to test household protections, leave the building and hurl a spell at it. Try a curse or some energy manipulations. See what happens. Since you’re the one casting the spell, you’ll be able to know what spell to unravel and dispel in case your protections fail.

If you have spirit friends, they can test your personal and household protections. Depending on what kind of protections you have set up, they may not even be able to pass through your protection spells, thus proving them effective. If they fail, your spirit friends may be able to offer advice or assistance in altering the spells.

If you have witchy friends, you can use them in a similar way as above to test your household and personal protection spells. How? Host a Faux Hex War or Faux Curse War. Also known as a witch war.

A curse of hex war is just like it sounds – it’s a war fought with curses and hexes. They can get nasty very quickly, especially when there’s more than two practitioners involved. Usually the ultimate goal is to destroy the other practitioner’s protections and damage them. Why? Who knows. Reasons vary. Maybe they don’t like each other personally or they’re morally opposed to something. People fight for lots of reasons.

Ideally, faux curse or hex wars will work similarly. Faux curse or hex wars will have you throwing out curses (or other damaging spells) at a specific target. Your target should deflect them and if that doesn’t happen, then you cease your attack and offer the counter-curse (or tell them what spell you used so they can counter it). Then they’ll do the same for you.

Some practitioners of this will specify what spells can and cannot be used, to be gain control in case one of the participants isn’t as trustworthy as others wish they were. It’s also a great way to test offensive spells. It’s something of a game and can be a lot of fun.

(By the way, you don’t need to use offensive spells. You can use witch wars to bless people too.)

 

 

If you feel you’re really, truly protected, then you’re probably safe. Sometimes overdoing protection spells will cause you to miss out on wonderful spirit opportunities. If you’re looking to talk to faeries or work with spirits, then making your house Fort Knox isn’t going to be very welcoming to them, is it?

But, it’s better to know what you can do to make yourself safe in case you feel like you need it. I hope you never do.

Inspired by my tumblr post here.

Bewitch Even More of Your Holiday Shopping

Bewitch Your Holiday Shopping is definitely one of those posts I’m proud of. It’s short and sweet but can make a difference in your holiday season.

But there’s so much more you can do! Here’s a whole new second set of charms to bewitch your holiday shopping with.

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Enchant your vehicle

If you’re driving around to get your holiday shopping done, enchant your vehicle. Add a little charm bag to the dash board or a cup holder filled with herbs like rue, basil, orange zest, pine needles, holly, shiny coin, sea salt, mint, and clover. I use this combination to make sure my vehicle stays safe, I save money, and stay cheerful during the holiday spirit.

Not driving? The charm bag can be tucked into a bag or pocket to ensure that you stay safe on public transport.

Get your packages fast

Making sure your packages get to you safely and quickly is always a concern, especially with the holidays. But here’s something you can do. Get an envelope and write “fast” and “safe” or “whole” on the inside in red. Now put instant coffee and rue inside the envelope. Seal it up and tape it to the underside of your mail box. If you can’t do that, stick it under your monitor or computer.

Save yourself from exhaustion

I don’t know about you but fatigue from the excitement of the holiday (or all the walking around) totally exhausts me. I’m an introverted hermit so crowds + me = not good. Enchanting your shoes can make things so much easier. I just splash a bit of enchanted water on the bottom of my heel and stomp my foot three times on the doorstep of my home as I leave.

I found when I use this spell I can go much longer before my feet get tired or my knee acts up.  My enchanted water recipe for this is holly, pine needles, orange zest, purified water, melted snow, clover, and coffee.

Find what you’re looking for

It can be hard to find the perfect gift for someone or get that gift in a price you can afford. Here’s what you can do to help with this. Write down exactly what you’re looking for before you go to bed. Put it under your pillow or under your car keys, or under your keyboard. Go to sleep while thinking of that perfect gift.

In the morning you should have some new inspiration for that gift. Maybe someone will mention a store you haven’t searched or you find a website with the item still in stock. Or you just thought of the most amazing thing ever for that person.

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Emoji spells

I keep my shopping lists on my phone so I can look at them on the go. I’ve taken to adding emoji to my shopping lists to help with it. I might still a less than sign (>) with a price attached to it. Or I might add a gift emoji to something I really want to find as a gift. It’s small. If you’re really good with your emoji, you can chain them into complex spells.

Holiday jar

On December 1st I created a jar spell for the holiday. I write down things I want to happen on white paper. As the month progresses I’ll write down things that did happen but I didn’t expect on green paper and things that happened that I wanted to happen and actually did happen in red. I also add fun things or things I want to do again or make a tradition on gold paper. Then I review it at the end of the month as a final goodbye to the season and year.

Magical practitioners could easily turn this into spells by writing with magical ink or enchanted paper. Or just enchanting the jar or paper as you go.

This could be super fun with roommates or a close family. It’s a good way to share things like what you wanted to happen and remininence on what did happen. I know someone who does somthing similar to this for a Friendsgiving – at the beginning of the night they write out a few things and add it to a jar that’s part of the centerpiece. At the end of the night when they’re all sloshed up from drinking and good times, they read them out to each other. It’s super cute.

Cookies!

Holiday cookies are a personal tradition for me. I make cookies and give them as gifts to friends and family. But I also make a small batch of enchanted cookies throughout the season as “power cookies”. These are usually shortbread cookies with a slight energy boosting magic of ingredients that I can grab as I head out the door. Like an edible char bag. Make sure to taste-test your recipes in small batches.

This idea could easily be swapped out with healthier energy balls or smoothies. Or even coffee or tea in on-the-go cups. The key of this is to have this ready to grab-and-go.

That’s it for this year. Make sure to check out the first set of tips in Bewitch Your Holiday Shopping. And remember be kind to yourself, store employees, and other shoppers while you’re out and about. Be safe and happy holidays!

Book Review: Yule: A Celebration of Light & Warmth by Dorothy Morrison – 4/5

Yule: A Celebration of Light & Warmth by Dorothy Morrison

4/5 – You should be reading this [TCC review guide]

Warnings: Glossing over history, slight Christian passive-aggression, lots of world traditions shared without a mention of cultural appropriation but no cultural appropriation within the book itself.

This book was an extreme surprise for me. Save for the prettied up history and the rest of the warnings, it was actually a solid book. Full of DIYs, recipes, and spells, it’s a good addition to a magical household.

I picked this up in the holiday section of my public library (call # 394.268 Mor) along with another  pagan holiday book. The book was published in 2000 by Llewellyn. You can probably find this in any large bookstore, new age shop, Llewellyn themselves, or online such as Amazon.

Continue reading →

Cleansing & Cleaning 101

Cleansing is kind of the metaphysical version of “did you turn it off and on again?” It’s sort of the ubiquitous answer for when things are off-kilter. But let’s get some real talk going.

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Cleansing works because it clears the air. Cleansing works more on a spiritual and emotional level. But it can only do so much. Want to know what the biggest form of mental clutter is? Actual clutter. Yeah, really.

You can actually test this right now. Look around right this very second. Do you see a pile of stuff you don’t know what to do with? Magazines or catalogs you haven’t recycled yet along with a random book you’re not finished reading but aren’t totally into. It’s probably right next to that thing someone gave you that you don’t particular like. Or look elsewhere and see where you continuously leave that jacket or drop your mail when you enter the door. How about that sink or fridge? Stacks of dishes or old take out containers? Clutter.

We, as a civilization, hoard things. It’s really because we’re a civilization that it happened. We’re sedentary, stationary. So we keep stuff because we can. And that tends to keeping stuff that is no longer needed or wanted.

What use is cleansing yourself of negatively spiritual when you haven’t physically cleared out all that crap that you have negative connotations for? What good is cleansing the air when there’s a sink full of dishes and the counter is a mess?

Cleaning and cleansing should go hand in hand. It sucks. Trust me I know. There’s nothing worse than feeling like crap and having to scrub your toilet. But it gets the air moving. It gets the place you live in to clear the air for you. And it helps shake up that energy again. Energy gets stale, like air. Cleaning wakes it up again.

Cleaning can be really hard for some people. It’s stressful, even, especially if you’ve let it go for so long. But! I have some inspiration for you:

Unfuck Your Habitat (also here on tumblr) can be a huge motivator for cleaning. Not only are inspiring stories shared, but there’s lots of tips for cleaning and keeping your place clean. There’s even checklists, challenges, and basics in case you’re not sure what to do (hey, don’t be embarrassed. It’s not a skill everyone learns). It’s also available on tumblr, an app is available in the iOS and Play Station, and there’s an upcoming book.

Apartment Therapy has so many articles on cleaning and decluttering. So many. Just, expect to be there a while. It’s one of those sites where I go for one article and end up thirty articles later reading about something that doesn’t even apply to me. It’s kind of hard to find what you’re looking for but The 2016 Healthy Happy Home project has monthly checklists and with January a month away, The January Cure is something to sign up for.  (Both these projects are annual on AT but the previous years are posts so you can just use those as a guide).

How to Grow the Fuck Up is a tumblr blog but it is massively useful to anyone who has been told to do an adult thing… but never knew how to do that adult thing. From what you need in a first apartment to how to write a resume, it covers the gambit. I recently just used it to double check how to write a check. I never write checks so it was nice to have that post and image to calm my anxiety down. While HtGtFU does cover cleaning and stuff like that, cleaning and cleansing is more than “I washed some dishes and burned some incense”. Getting your finances in order can be a huge cleansing/cleaning move that reduces major stress. Expand the cleaning/cleansing box!

Habitica is fantastic is you need incentive and like video games. I’m a big gamer and using the website as a sort of daily check-list has made sure that I get my shit done by 300%. Since it also allows you to set long-term goals I can post reminders of my to do list and, you know, feel super accomplished by doing that thing. (It usually helps me get those things done, save for replacing the clothesline has been on that list for over a year now. Sigh.

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So those are some sources for you. But having a little magical help can’t hurt either, right?

Enchant your soap

I enchant my dish soap with cleansing powers. When I put it on my sponge or cleaning cloth, I trace a sigil I use to cleanse the space. Then I just scrub as normal and call it a day. I tend to use/make my own cleaning agents so I can use magic that way. But on the off-chance I use something chemical or non-handmade, I’ll enchant that too.

You can also toss a pinch of cleansing herbs in a bucket of wash water. You can even add some into the washing machine (watch for staining from herbs or stick the herbs in an old sock and tie it off.) You can do a lot of low-key stuff like this than can make a major difference.

Wash water

I mentioned it above but it deserves its own category. Here’s my not-so-secret recipes for cleansing-cleaning.

All-purpose wash water

To be used on floors, walls, and general cleaning. Don’t use on wood furniture or things that react to citrus.

  • 1/4 tsp lemon juice
  • 1/4 tsp orange juice
  • 1/4 tsp basil
  • 1/4 tsp sage
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • 2-3 gallons of water

Mix and use immediately. Dump what you don’t use. Hot water and fresh juice is best but use what you’ve got.

Furniture wash water

Great for cleaning wood and things sensitive to citrus water

  • 1/4 tsp basil
  • 1/4 tsp sage
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1-2 gallons water

Mix and use immediately. Dump what you don’t use. Hot water works but I tend to let it cool to warm before use.

Glass cleaner

  • 1/4 tsp basil
  • 1/4 tsp sage
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1/4 cup rubbing alcohol
  • 1/2-1 gallon water

Mix and use immediately. Dump what you don’t use. You might want to don on some gloves for this one. Wipe clean with newspaper or old printer paper.

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Cleansing sprays

I’ve mentioned this before but I love this stuff so I’m mentioned it again. You can enchant your room air fresheners or fabric fresheners to keep the scent longer or for a specific purpose. (Like to calm anxiety, better sleep, etc)

You can also make your own. The recipe below can be used on anything from fabrics to the general air itself. It’s a water mist so, you know, too much will make things wet. Go figure.

Cleansing spray

  • 5-10 drops of chosen essential oils or fragrance oils
  • Half a pinch of sea salt
  • Distilled water to fill

Fill your spray bottle halfway with warm or room temp water, add a tiny bit of sea salt and swirl until the salt dissipates in the water. Then add in your chosen essential oils or fragrance oils to taste and strength preference. I’ve used both distilled and purified water for this and noticed no real difference but I go through a 6 ounce spray bottle in less than a week so maybe I use it too fast. I recommend the distilled water just in case.

Cleaning and cleansing is a pain in the butt. I won’t hide that truth from you. No one likes washing kick boards on the cabinets or the trim behind the couch. I sometimes sing or talk my way through with a spell. In Yule: A Celebration  of Light and Warmth by Dorothy Morrison (review coming soon!) there’s a fantastic cleansing + cleaning informal ritual with little charms to say. Check it out if you’re interested.

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My biggest personal tips

Make sure you’re in the groove and mildly enjoying yourself. Once you get to hating the process, switch to some other, more fun chore. Has the reality of scrubbing tiles set in? Get up and fluff couch pillows or do laundry instead. It’s still cleaning but you don’t come away absolutely miserable. Just remember to go back later.

Take your time. Unless you need to do stuff today OR ELSE, then do a bit here and there. I tend to do most of my cleaning while waiting for water to boil.

Check lists are your friends. I’ve given some suggestions in the links above but here’s my cleaning schedule for each and every month. Surface clean is dusting, sweeping, picking up stray items, and watering plants as needed. Deep clean means all the surface cleaning stuff plus going through drawers and closets, wiping down electronics, washing floors, surfaces, baseboards, and so. The first month or two is kind of brutal but once you get do it a month or two, it’ll be much easier to keep up after that.

  1. Surface clean living room and kitchen and review gardening to do list
  2. Clean bathroom
  3. Surface clean bedroom
  4. Clean “extra” room (study, hallway, playroom, etc)
  5. Surface clean living room and kitchen
  6. Deep clean bathroom
  7. Clean windows
  8. Clean floors (sweep, mop, wash rugs)
  9. Surface clean bedrooms
  10. Deep clean living room and kitchen
  11. Clean bathroom
  12. Clean closets (hallway, linen, bathroom, bedrooms, storage areas)
  13. Clean “extra” room (study, hallway, playroom, etc)
  14. Deep clean bedroom (bedroom closet too, if not done)
  15. Surface clean living room and kitchen
  16. Deep clean bathroom
  17. Clean door knobs, light switches, cell phone covers, remotes, etc.
  18. Clean fridge and pantry
  19. Clean entryway and/or porch (hallway too, if needed)
  20. Surface clean living room and kitchen
  21. Clean bathroom
  22. Surface clean bedroom
  23. Clean floors
  24. Clean storage areas (garage, attic, junk drawer, etc)
  25. Surface clean living room
  26. Deep clean living room and kitchen (yes, again)
  27. Clean bathroom
  28. Surface clean bedroom
  29. Clean a “much needed space” (that area you’ve been ignoring or isn’t covered elsewhere
  30. Clean floors
  31. Clean outside spaces (driveway, garage, patio, porch, yard, etc)

My daily check list before bed is far less structured. It makes sure I do basic stuff but it’s full of things that might be skipped. And I have all day to complete it. I sweep often because cats and copious electronics.

  • Make bed
  • Do all dishes so the sink is empty
  • Clear off kitchen counter and/or table
  • Pick up obvious stray items
  • Write out tomorrow’s to do list
  • Plug in / turn off electronics (phone, computer, so on)
  • Personal care (brush hair/teeth/shower/etc)
  • Sweep

I don’t follow these schedules super rigorously. If I miss a day, oh well. I don’t go back and make up for it.

December may be a weird month for a post like this but it’s actually the perfect time for it. Winter holidays are here and you’re probably going to have guests over. Or you’re getting new stuff as gifts or scored on some super sale. Or guests are leaving and you really need to reclaim your space.

Cleansing during and directly after the winter holidays can save your sanity. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve come home from a holiday party and just needed to air out my life. It gives you back control and it makes your life lighter.

Here’s some other good posts on cleansing:

Good luck, stay safe, and have a happy December!

How to Adapt Your Sacred Offerings for Every Season

Despite autumn starting weeks ago, it’s really just starting to feel like autumn around here. New England never really knows what it’s doing weather-wise so that’s not a surprise.. But, it does get me thinking about the practicality of offerings.

I don’t know about you but I don’t really want to do much of anything when there’s a ton of snow on the ground and it’s so cold I need thirty pounds of winter gear to check the mail. Just, no. I like you Jack Frost. Just not that bloody much. (I do all of the shoveling during the winter so that might play a part in this too.)

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There are a lot of things to consider when you’re creating an offering. You probably have to think of the appropriateness of the offering and perhaps the historical relevance of the offering. But here’s some other things to think about, in general:

 

  • Price – Can you afford this offering all year around or will it be more expensive during certain months? Will you need to save up for this thing?
  • Availability – Are fresh offerings available all year round? Are those offerings of quality? Is it just plain hard to find?
  • Temperature – Will it freeze? Will it melt or change texture in the heat? Is rot a concern?
  • Is it appropriate? – Sometimes, there are better and more appropriate offerings for deities or spirits based on what’s available right now – and what you want to achieve with that offering. A goddess of agriculture probably isn’t going to want an Oreo.

 

One thing people think of when they decorate their altars is switching out the tools and imagery according to the seasons. Like decorating your house for the holidays, many people dress their altars and sacred spaces as well.

Your offerings can also change for the season. It’s easy to throw a tiny pumpkin in the offering dish in addition to the usual but how about swapping out the usual? Switching out your usual offerings for something more seasonal can not only help your wallet but add a new dimension to your practice. Suddenly, you’re operating with the seasons which can make a significant difference, especially if your practicing is feeling static.

Want to know the secret to make easy swaps for every season? You need to think of the spirit or deity’s sphere of influence and associations. A sphere of influence is what a spirit or deity is associated with. What they can do and affected. The association are what they are associated with. Example: Freyja is a goddess of war, beauty, and magic certainly. But she drives a chariots pulled by cats and has a battle boar Hildisvíni. Those aspects of her (and many others) also play into who she is and can help you make good offerings no matter what the season is.

If I was to make an offering to Freyja in the spring, I might offer gold coins (or those chocolates in the shape of coins covered in gold foil), strawberries, spring water, and crocuses. In the summer, I’d do bouquets of fresh flowers, light wines, and bowls of ripe fruit. In autumn, as the leaves die, I’d offer the most beautiful fallen leaves I could find, bones from a homemade stew (she’s a goddess associated with death after all), perhaps some pretty stones, and homemade pastries. In winter, apples, melted snow, mulled cider, and slices of ham would grace her offering table.

Other things to think of is the quality of the offerings. Strawberries are great offerings but I find winter-born strawberries aren’t nearly as sweet as the ones found in in late spring or early summer. To me, it’s not as good of an offering because the quintessential element (sweetness) isn’t there. Additionally, here in the north, fresh out of season fruit can be very expensive when you consider what you’re actually getting (not sweet strawberries). And, since strawberries can freeze, they’re really not appropriate for outdoor offerings.

Adapting your offerings takes some initial thinking and research but it can turn your offerings into something special and fantastic each and every time you make it.

I like adjusting my offerings to what’s available. It makes me feel like I’m sharing my life and my world with those from the spirit realms. And, I’m always up for the practicality factor. And if you need inspiration for altars and offerings, check out my pinterest board dedicated just to that!

Everyday Meditation For People Who Can’t Stay Still

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I’ll be honest. I hate meditation. Or, rather, I’m super restless and I don’t like standing still for more than five minutes. I can’t even watch movies without pausing them once or twice… every half an hour.

But! I do meditate a bit each morning. Each morning, before I even get out of bed or check my phone, I do some very simple stretches to shake out the kinks in my muscles that might have developed overnight.

I might do some Sun Salutations if I’m in a yoga mood but usually I sit crossed legged in my bed with my back straight as possible and my eyes closed. I’ll do arm pumps, arc my back lean side to side, bend forward, that sort of thing. It depends on what muscles feel tight and what feels loose. I keep it slow and easy. I don’t worry about the number of times I do a move. I just do it until I feel ready to move onto the next move. I just do what feels good for my body at that particular moment in time.

While I do the simple moves, I keep my mind as empty as possible. That’s pretty easy when my brain isn’t even awake yet. If random thoughts come to me, I let them happen and make note that the thought has occurred. When I’m ready and mostly sot-of awake I move into positive affirmations and a my to do list. I’ll say something like “Today, I will be productive and bake a dozen cookies”. If my thoughts stray at this point, I just nudge them back onto what I want to be thinking of instead. Your mind will wander off. That’s perfectly normal.

Things like that can really make or break my day personally. And all this can be done while sitting on my bed and stretching. Which is kind of a life goal for me, if I’m honest.

It also wakes up my body and mind. I feel far more invigorated for those mere first five minutes and I’m far more likely to have a good, long workout or head to the gym rather than doing something halfhearted or skipping it entirely. I also grab breakfast far more often, which is something I’m guilty of skipping pretty awesome.

Anyway, this is a meditation technique that works for me so maybe it’ll work for you too!