Category: Festivals and Holidays

Festivals, holidays, celebrations, etc. This will include posts on personal, local, regional, national, or international holidays or festivals.

New Year Cleansing / Cleaning Checklist

It’s a new year. Lots of people like to start the new year off by a good cleansing. But how about your house?

You can absolutely cleanse your home with your normal methods – sound, smoke, energy, or whatever you use. But one of the best ways to clear out stale energy and get yourself off to the right start in a new year, is combining cleaning and cleansing.

Spring cleaning might be more common for some people, using the mild weather as a chance to air out the home without losing precious heat or inviting the wet chill. But I prefer to do deep cleaning on my house at the new year instead, saving the spring for the garden.

Before you continue, this whole list may take a few days to get through, depending on how cluttered or disorganized your house is and how much energy you have to spare. Work at your own pace.

Here’s my order list on getting a good cleansing/cleaning done.

1) Keep a notepad and pen nearby these piles or located in a central area (like by the fridge) so you can write down other chores as they come to you.

2) Arrange locations for the following piles. These locations can be piles on your dining room table. It can be cardboard boxes, totes, bags, or whatever. You might need more piles or less.

Homeless stuff – is for things that don’t have a place. Maybe it’s a pair of gloves or a decor piece. The items are things that have no specific location, but you still want to keep them.

Donations – stuff that is in good condition that can be donated to local shelters, community centers, donation bins, etc. If you plan on donating stuff via the internet, like facebook marketplace, keep that stuff in the same area but slightly separate. You know it’ll take time to upload that stuff online.

Trash – stuff that is broken or is simply trash.

Recycling – your recycling program may be different from mine. Check your region’s recycling program and see when/if they do pick ups or where you can drop off your recycling. They may recycle things like old electronics, holiday lights, tires, mattresses, fridges, and so on. Sometimes they’ll charge you, other times they won’t. If that doesn’t work for you, you may be able to list stuff online for people to come and take away. Junk companies may also be available in your region. They come and take away all sorts of things and you usually have to pay by the weight of the stuff.

Special disposal – some items can’t just simply be tossed. They must be recycled or disposed of in a certain way. Paint is famous for this, but so are many chemicals. Many community centers or recycling centers will have special days every few months where they’ll take on those special disposals. The services are almost always free. I’ve even been to some where it was completely no contact and no speaking. I just waited in line for my turn in my car, they took all the stuff out of my trunk, and I drove away.

Shredding – if you shred your sensitive documents, but have inevitably fallen behind on it, this is that pile. If you don’t shred, maybe you should consider it. If not, your community might have shredding available during certain times of the year.

Family and Friends – this is stuff you want to give to certain people. Or return borrowed stuff.

Returns – stuff you need to return to stores but keep leaving the house without grabbing said item.

Fixing box – this is a box of stuff that’s broken in some way and needs fixing. It could be a window frame that needs a new screen, a shirt without a button, a bag without a zipper, etc. It’s stuff that you think “I can fix that!” and you never do.

3) Pick up stray items and put them away. If they don’t have anywhere to go, dump them in the homeless stuff area for now. This includes your kids’ toys, your craft project, your pets’ toys, the weights you keep tripping on, the dishes in the sink, and the laundry that needs to be put away.

You may wish to make special note of things that constantly appear in the same location. If your roommate constantly throws their coat on the stair rail, then maybe put up a coat rack or coat hook nearby to fix that probably. Is it as aesthetic? Probably not, but it won’t be as annoying.

4) Open a window up a bit, if possible. If not possible, turn on a fan. Clean your fan before you turn it on, if it isn’t already clean.

5) Dust and clean the ceiling fixtures, ceiling fans, the tops of doors and windows, and anything above your head. Do this before the floors to avoid cleaning the floors twice.

6) Dust everything else.

7) Sweep every floor. Do a really good job of this. Pull furniture from the wall if possible to sweep under it, break out the vacuum cleaner, get the trim work too. This is BY FAR the most important cleaning step. You can skip EVERYTHING else on this list, but sweeping is a must. You’ll be surprise by how just cleaning the floors of dust will make a massive difference in your spaces, regardless of the amount of magic used.

8) Rearrange furniture as needed. Consider the best layouts for energy flow and what’s the best flow for you. This is also the time to make the bed and generally make the place look as neutral as possible. It doesn’t have to be showroom ready, but it shouldn’t be piled with stuff yet.

9) Wash the floors. I tend to add a bit of magically infused water into my mop water to clean the floors.

10) Wash the windows (yes, really.) I use magically infused water for this too.

11) Wash the laundry. By this point you may have a heap of clothing dirty from cleaning, but you may have also noticed that the curtains need washing, the couch’s throws are furry from pets, and somehow, you’re out of clean socks. Do a few rounds of laundry as needed. You can add some magically infused water into the laundry too.

12) Go through storage areas. Tackle that junk drawer, closet, etc. You might not need to deep dive here or you can slowly go through every box in your basement. The choice is yours. Re-home things into the various places it needs to be in or the piles.

13) Do something with those piles of stuff. Put the stuff in your car to donation, recycle, etc. (You will absolutely do it more readily if it’s in your car). If you don’t have a car, put it next to the door as much as possible, so you can grab it more easily as you leave. Bags, like shopping bags, make this much easier.

For some piles, you’ll need to decide what to do with it all. For the homeless stuff, find a place for it or sit and think about why you don’t have a space for it. For the broken stuff, figure out if you’re really going to fix that thing or if you’re just holding onto it because it’s too expensive or sentimental to throw away. Maybe learn to fix it yourself or put it somewhere in a storage space for when the opportunity to get it fixed is available. Do that with intention. Don’t just shove it in a closet.

14) Take a cleansing shower.

15) Cleanse your home in your preferred method.

Afterwards, I tend to bring home a bouquet of cut organically grown flowers or a new house plant to bring new life into the space. I’ll also cook a good dinner for myself, making sure to clean up entirely afterwards.

Robot cleaning is common these days. If you want to do a cleansing / cleaning, give the robot a break and do it by hand. If you can’t/want, that’s fine. Create a cleansing and uplifting powder and sprinkle it in the corners of each room to have your little robot friend clean up. Alternatively, placing a cleansing sigil on top of your robot can do the same thing.

This may not be entirely easy with roommates or housemates in the way. If all you can do is one room, then that’s better than not doing it at all. If you can’t do a whole room, just clean and cleanse your sleeping space and your working space (like your bed and desk).

You may also want to cleanse your car, but I tend to wait until spring for that one.

2026 Theme of the Year: Manifestation. May your desires become reality.

2026 Theme: Manifestation

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Welcome to 2026. Happy new year!

This year’s theme is manifestation. Specifically, turning your desires into reality.

This could be using magic, law of attraction, manifestation techniques, prayer, and/or hard work. It doesn’t matter how that manifestation occurs, just make your focus of the year turning your dreams and desires into reality in whichever way you can.

I hope you have a blessed, powerful, satisfying, dream-achieving new year!

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New Year Magical Reset

It’s the new year! Here’s a quick list of tasks you can tackle to set yourself up for a great new year.

Cleansing yourself.

Taking time for yourself at the beginning of the year can really help set yourself up for a continuing habit of making space for yourself for the rest of the year.

A cleansing bath or shower is a great start, but you can tailor this to your preferences. Maybe a kickass ritual or dance party is a cleansing method you’d prefer.

Cleanse and reset your space

Cleanse your home, your workspace, your altar or magical workspace, and your vehicle. Use any method of cleansing that you’d prefer. Citrus and uplifting scents are especially good, as they can lift the moods.

Update and organize your altar as needed

Most practitioners update their altar or magical workspace seasonally or at their holidays. Resetting it at the new year is also a good idea, as it gives you a chance to organize, clean, and repair altar items when you’re not scurrying to set up your altar for the next holiday.

Toss out any out-of-date herbs and spells

This is a great time to go through your herbal cabinet and toss any ingredients that are no longer usable. Even dried herbs have experiation dates and even if you don’t consume them, really old herbs aren’t best practice for spellwork.

Especially toss out or compost the expired herbs if you make potions or other edibles.

If you use spell jars or other spells that have some sort of component sitting on a shelf, weed through that too. Do you really need that candle stub from three years ago?

Rehome any magical tools that no longer resonate with you

Magical practitioners can turn into dragons, hoarding magical tools they haven’t even looked at in five years. This is a great time to rehome those magical tools. Sell, donate, or give away decks of cards, crystals, books, magic mirrors, excess jars, brooms, witchy jewelry and clothing, and so on.

Renew your protection spells

Most long-term protection spells will need a renewal of some kind. Might as well do it on the new year so you don’t forget to do it at all.

Self-care spells

Like the cleansing yourself section, this is a great time to focus on self-care, beauty, and self-improvement spells.

Motivation spells (for those new year resolutions)

Cast motivation spells so you can stick to those new year resolutions or intentions. It’s also good to tackle that long-due project that needs doing.

Good Luck Spells

The new year is an excellent time to cast good luck and lucky spells.

Health spells

Wishing someone good health for the new year is very common. Health boosting spells are always a good choice for spells at any time of year, but it’s especially nice at the start of the new year.

Make herbal bath salts

A craft that’s easy to do and personalized for you. Bath salts can be used for self-care, but they can also be used as prep before a big ritual or to give a bit of magical intention to your day without doing a big spell.

Bath salts that boost health, good luck, motivation, and so on double up on your potential new year tasks.

Set up your (witchy) journal or planner

Make note in your journal or planner the full moons, new moon, other astronomical or astrological events, and each holiday you celebrate.

There are ready-made journals and planners out there, but you can also make some for yourself or doctor up an online calendar for your purposes too.

Intentions or Resolutions for the year

If you make a resolution or intention, this is the time to declare it. Make a post-it note or something similar and place it on your fridge or in your bathroom to remind yourself of your goals.

New Year Rituals

New Year Rituals tend to be about renewal. They can also be about closing out the previous year, gaining new opportunities, or bringing good luck and fortune for the new year.

Divinations

Many divinations are traditionally casted on the new year. It’s also a great time to grab a reading to predict how your year is going to go.

What other tasks do you complete during the new year?

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13 Easy Spells for Halloween

13 Easy Spells for Halloween

Happy Halloween! Here’s 13 spells to use on Halloween. There are many spells that are suppose to work best on Halloween. There’s wishing spells, love spells, luck spells, divination, and more. Most I’ve pulled from Judika Illes’ The Encyclopedia of 5000 Spells and I’ve included the sources when possible.

I’m mostly sharing spells that would be fun to try in a secular context, spur of the moments, or with little prep. Most of them are easy enough beginners, laypersons, or the curious can try with little to no knowledge or tools. A few can even be tried at parties or with children.

Additionally, dumb suppers or dumb dinners are very common on Halloween as a means of ancestor worship. Depending on the tradition, either a table setting is placed for the person you wish to invite at your regular sit-down dinner, or a special meal is planned with the exact intention of inviting a spirit or spirits or ancestors. A more casual approach would be to set a plate, glass, and  utensils off the side at a party so the spirit may help themselves. There’s lots of rituals posted about this rituals, so have a quick google to see if one of these rituals is right for you.

Fallng Leaves Wish

“If you can carch a leaf falling from a tree before it touches the ground, on Hallowe’en, you can have a wish.”

Source: Opie, Iona & Tatem, Moira. A Dictionry of Superstitions. Oxford University Press 1992 edition. Page 230

Note, other versions of this supersition say it can be done any time of the autumn season and that it grants good luck, a good day, or a good year instead of a wish.

Halloween Wishing Spell

“At midnight on Halloween stand naked before a mirror in a room lit only by a single candle. Silently make your secret wish. Don’t speak until morning.”

Source: Illes, Judika. The Encyclopedia of 5000 Spells. Harper Collins 2008 edition. Page 763.

Halloween Apple Luck Spell

“After nightfall on October 31st, each member of the household receives and apple. Apples may be distributed by hand or you may bob for them, as desired. Everyone must eat their one for a year of good luck.”

Source: Illes, Judika. The Encyclopedia of 5000 Spells. Harper Collins 2008 edition. Page 738

Halloween Candle Luck Spell

“At midnight on October 31st, burn orange and black candles. Allow them to burn out naturally to receive a year of good luck.”

Source: Illes, Judika. The Encyclopedia of 5000 Spells. Harper Collins 2008 edition. Page 738

Halloween [Love] Spell

“1. Write your romantic affirmations and aspiration on a piece of paper.

2. Fold it up over either a lump of dragon’s blood resin or some dragon’s blood powder.

3. Toss it into the fire on Halloween night. “

Source: Illes, Judika. The Encyclopedia of 5000 Spells. Harper Collins 2008 edition. Page 639

Pricking a Candle on Halloween

“Get a candle, set it up, and light it, and stick pins in it – every pin has to have a ‘ditty’ said (this ‘ditty’ is forgotten, unfortunately, but each pin seems to stand for a separate man known to the charm worker.) The candle burns down first to one pin then to another ehen it gets to the right man the door will open and he will appear.”

Source: Opie, Iona & Tatem, Moira. A Dictionary of Superstitions. Oxford University Press 1992 edition. Page 55

Three Dishes Divination

“Take three dishes, put clean water in one, foul water in another, and leave the third empty: blind-fold a person, and lead him to the hearth were the dishes are ranged; he (or she) dips the left hand: if by chance in the clean water, the future husband or wife will come to the bar of Matrimoney a maid; if in the foul, a widow; if in the empty dish, it foretells, with equal certainty, no marriage at all. It is repeated three times, and every time the arrangement of the dishes is altered.”

Souce: Source: Opie, Iona & Tatem, Moira. A Dictionary of Superstitions. Oxford University Press 1992 edition. Page 120

Wind Divination

“According to Welsh tradition, anyone going to a crossroads on Hallowe’en and listening carefully to the wind may learn what the next year has in store and, when the church clock strikes midnight, will hear a list of the names of those who are to die in the locality over the next twelve months.”

Source: Pickering, David. Cassell Dictionary of Supersitions. Cassell 1995. Page 125-6

Ivy Leaf Divination

“The following Hallowe’en charm was practised recently, to satisfy a morbid desire to know if any member of the family would die during the coming year. An ivy leaf was taken for each one and placed in a bowl of water, to remain all night. The leaves were marked, so that each person knew his or her own, and it was believed that any to die soon would have a coffin marked on the leaf in the morning.”

Source: Opie, Iona & Tatem, Moira. A Dictionary of Superstitions. Oxford University Press 1992 edition. Page 214

Love Oracle (13) Halloween Daphnomancy

“1. Sit before a low but steady fire in the fireplace. Gaze into the flame.

2. Focus on your beloved or on your desires. Formulate your question.

3. Have a small supply of bay leaves at hand. Without taking your eyes off the fire and your mind from your desire, toss a small handful of bay leaves into the fire.

4. Chant:

“Laurel leaves that burn in the fire.

Draw to me my heart’s desire.”

5. Once the flames die down, repeat again for a total of three repetitions.

If the flames shoot up, or leaves crackle and pop, you’ve received very auspicious signs: your wishes will be fulfilled. However, quiet leaves and dim flames counsel patience or perhaps a change of plans.”

Source: Illes, Judika. The Encyclopedia of 5000 Spells. Harper Collins 2008 edition. Page 319

Mirror Divination to See Your Future Spouse

“Take a candle, and go alone to a looking-glass; eat an apple before it and some traditions say, you should comb your hair all the time; the face of your conjugal companion, to be, will be seen in the glass, as if peeping over your shoulder.”

Source: Opie, Iona & Tatem, Moira. A Dictionary of Superstitions. Oxford University Press 1992 edition. Page 252

“Stand before a looking-glass, combing your hair with one hand and eating an apple held in the other, when the face of the man you are to marry will be seen in the glass looking over your shoulder.”

Source: Opie, Iona & Tatem, Moira. A Dictionary of Superstitions. Oxford University Press 1992 edition. Page 252

“Superstition suggest that, if a girl stands before a mirror while eating and apple and combing her hair at midnight on Hallowe’en, her future husband’s immage will be reflected in the glass over her left shoulder.”

Source: Pickering, David. Cassell Dictionary of Supersitions. Cassell 1995. Page 126

Note, this is a very common divination mentioned throughout history.

Garlic Protection

“Garlic, hung about the house on All Hallows Eve, will keep away evil spirits.”

Source: Opie, Iona & Tatem, Moira. A Dictionary of Superstitions. Oxford University Press 1992 edition. Page 172

Pacify Ghost Halloween Spell

“At midnight on Halloween bury apples at crossroads to feed hungry ghosts.”

Source: Illes, Judika. The Encyclopedia of 5000 Spells. Harper Collins 2008 edition. Page 281

Hope you have a happy Halloween!

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Bell Cleansing New Year Spell (Spell Saturday)

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Happy new year!

I don’t know about all of you, but sometimes a cleansing is exactly what you need to start the new year fresh. If you don’t get the chance to do a cleansing before the turn of the calendar year, that doesn’t mean all is lost. Just do it now (or as soon as you can).

What you’ll need:

  • A bell with a good, clear, pleasant sound

Ideally, you should use a bell made from materials appropriate to cleansing and then blessed. But not everyone’s sinking their cash into a bell unless they really want to. I find this type of cleansing works perfectly well using any kind of bell, even a bell sound from your phone. My only real qualifications is that the bell has to sound clear and pleasant to you.

Once you’ve acquired your bell or bell sound, go to each door of your house, including the front and back door, and open them all.

Standing on the threshold of the door, start by ringing the bell and “chase” the old year out of the house. Move in a flowing motion through each room of the house, ringing the bell as often as you like.

I usually do three times for ever space I enter and I usually start with rooms to the east of my house, but the flowing motion of the rooms is more important than the actual direction for this spell.

With each ring of the bell, say “I chase you out [year]!” But you can also say something like “Begone [year]!” and “Get out [year] and take the baggage with you!” You can also say things like “Leave ill omens!” or “I cleanse this room and my luck.” Whatever feels best for you. Go with your instincts here.

As you leave each room, shut the door behind you firmly. Chase the old year out the back door of your house. Stop at the threshold of the door and shut it without stepping outside.

Notes:

  • If you live in a home with only one door, then chase the new year out of the front door, but make sure you make a complete circle of the house first.
  • If you live in a home with a fire escape rather than a back door, you can safely use the fire escape as a “back door” instead of the front door, if you prefer.
  • If you have more than two doors, then the final door of the spell should be the one furthest from the first door of the house.

First Days, a New Year’s Week Tradition

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Have you ever heard of the ritualized idea that what you do on the first day of the new year will continue on for the rest of the year? If you spend a lot of January first sleeping or arguing, the rest of the year will contain that.

I first heard of this from my friend Ginandjack. Eventually, I changed the tradition to a week long ritual of sorts. I LOVE the concept of it and I find that it really does work. Here’s my eight day long ritualized tradition.

December 31st, Day of Regret

  • Do things I don’t want to do in the new year but absolutely must get done.
  • Reflect and journal as needed
  • Divination for lessons learned, if needed
  • Clean the entire house
  • Food shopping
  • Settle debts, return borrowed things, lend things out as needed.
  • Schedule or pay bills early if possible
  • Contact people I want to see LESS of next year

January 1st

  • Do only the things that you want to spend most of the year doing.
  • Life a healthy lifestyle.
  • Do things that I want to encourage more of moving forward
  • Do not spend money (unless something MUST be paid for today and cannot be paid for earlier)
  • Eat foods that are considered good luck such as long noodles, circular foods, and so on.
  • Avoid doing chores such as laundry, dishes, and so on (unless necessary)
  • The first “random” song I hear during the New Year (ie, not one I know is coming or expect during New Year celebrations) can be taken as a prophecy.
  • The second song I hear should be one I choose that I want to be thematic for the upcoming year.
  • Divination is king
  • Visit or talk to people I want to see more of. (Sometimes I’ll bring food or salt with me as a New Year’s Luck Gift)
  • Nothing leaves the house (items)
  • Do not lend or borrow anything out.
  • No tears or you may cry for the rest of the year.
  • Wake up and get moving early (for me) in the morning.
  • Make bread
  • Make offerings
  • Watch the sunrise
  • See midnight in my region
  • Start routines I want to continue

January 2nd

  • Pay bills or schedule bills
  • Buy things I want to spend money on this year (vegetables or fruit are a great example), if I want to or need to. I prefer to try going to entire week without spending any extra money, but that’s just me.
  • Accomplish tasks I want to do more of, but don’t necessarily feel are as important as the things I wanted to do yesterday. An example might be I read a book yesterday and watched TV today)

January 3rd-7th

  • Continue what I’ve already started
  • Keep doing tasks I want to do more of during the year, but didn’t get to the days before.
  • Hop back on the bandwagon for things I intend to do everyday or on a schedule but already missed a day.
  • Remember to live my best and most healthy for me lifestyle

Obviously, this is a lot to observe and some of it requires prep. For example, if I intend to do New Year’s visits and bring gifts, I will actually prep them on the 31st and leave them in my vehicle or put them in a gift bag which clearly indicates what it’s intended purpose is. All of those items are things I won’t want back – like tupperware and so on.

I have noticed that the order in which I do things matter. For example, one year I decided to wait until the fifth day of the year to pay all my bills (my bills are all due at the middle or end of the month). For the rest of the year, I almost never paid the bills earlier than the fifth and a few times only just remembered to pay them before the due date. I normally always pay them on the second, so this was an odd change for me. The next year I switched back to paying them on the second and the other eleven months followed suit.

I also like to make sure I’m making changes from my previous routine if I decide I don’t like that routine. A good example would be changing to “work from home” clothes rather than just straight up pajamas or wearing the kind of style that you prefer rather than what’s “easier” (like you prefer cottage core but your easier style is sweat and a tee).

There are, of course, some things that I’d like to do more of but can’t. Swimming is one of my most favorite things in the world to do. However, I don’t have access to a pool in the colder months so I sometimes but on a bathing suit and listen to a water based soundscape for a while or I’ll take an extra long bath. If it’s warm enough, I’ll even drive to a beach and stick my feet into the freezing water.

(Did you know Rhode Island, where I’m from, does a polar plunge each year? A polar plunge which is when people go for a swim on the first of the year. Spending the first of the year on a beach is always nice. It’s a life goal to participate in that one day).

I know a lot of people do the first day of the year thing, but I like to extend it for the full week, to get any new routines off to a good start. Plus, then there isn’t as much guilt if you skip something due to lack of time or energy or whatever.

Anyway, that’s what I like to do during the first week of a new year. I find the tradition does tend to represent the rest of the year, but maybe that’s just me. What do you all think?

Welcome to 2019!

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Welcome to 2019! I hope your year is completely fantastic and full of bright blessings. I hope for a waning or even removal of all unwanted things for you. I hope for a brilliant start and a better finish with a good, solid middle. I hope and wish for your story to be amazing this year.

I know I’m not alone in being extremely glad to see the back of 2018. It was, in short, a horrific fucking year for me. And a fallow year on top of that where most ambitions didn’t pan out. In fact, it was only around Halloween where I could see the light at the end of the tunnel. Extremely frustrating and I know many others felt the same way.

But it’s over now! Which is the best thing ever and that means that it’s time to get the new year off to a great start.

I have this ritual I do. A friend of mine brought the idea to my attention years and years ago and I’ve since expanded it and made it my own. The idea is this: make the first day of January, the first day of the year, how you want to spent the rest of the year.

I take this even farther. I spend the whole first week, the first seven days of the new year, doing things I want to do for the rest of the year. I also avoid doing things I don’t want to do for the year during those seven days.

The first day of the year (today) is spent largely on things I consider really important to me. So I usually do some reading, writing, work, and things I enjoy. I also add whatever I want or need to do this year to my to do list. Usually that includes typically less fun things like editing, exercise, and so on. Even if I only do it for a few hours, I try to fit it all in. It depends on what I need in my life for the future, but I like to keep it to a handful of things each year.

That does mean that the days before the new year are spent scrambling to make sure that I don’t need to wash dishes, do laundry, or any other onerous tasks during that first day. The prep is worth it, to be honest, because I’ve skipped the prep before and did laundry on the first and the new year had SO. MUCH. LAUNDRY. SO MUCH. Now I take the prep seriously.

Anyway, I do find that how I spend that first day and week reflects strongly with the rest of the year. Years I do very little during that time, the year has little happening. The days I spend focusing on bringing the best of my life forward, the better the year I have.

Speaking of years, what will 2019 be like? I, like every other practitioner, drew some cards to find out.

2019 New Year Reading by This Crooked Crown | thiscrookedcrown.com | Decks featured: Girls Underground: A Story Oracle by Sarah Kate Istra Winter © (left and right top), Witchlings by Paulina Cassidy by © US Games Systems (middle top), Sacred Creators Oracle by Chris-Anne Donnelly © Chris-Anne.com (left bottom), Rebel Deck © Shannon Gomez (right bottom)

What 2019 will be like? She gains a boon + She opens a door

Expect great opportunities and change in the future. 2019 is your chance to make things happen. It’s your chance to take and create opportunities for yourself.

It’s time to stop planning for the future and actually DO something. Action is not only required, but it’s happening. The wheel has started turning and there’s nothing you can do to stop it. Any hesitation you have in 2019 will only be stagnation. It will be a pause or halting. No forward progress will occur. Instead, take some chances. Embrace the opportunities set before you. There’s going to be quite a few, including a major boon of some kind. This good thing might be a new job opportunity, new housing becoming available to you, a new lover, or something else that’s really exciting. Once you see this opportunity, seize it. It’s time to set the past aside and give yourself a chance to shine.

What should be encouraged for 2019? Euphoria: Euphoria is a cosmic connection to the magick within and around you.

Fall in love with your magic once again. You have a power inside of you. Your magic, your passion, your life. At some point, that spark full of love for those things waned, like a sky full of stars hidden by dark rain clouds. Those rain clouds have passed.

This is a new year. this is the best time fall back in love with your special brand of magic and passion. Maybe you’ll return to basics, reliving some of those original inspirations that urged you onto the path you once loved. Or maybe you’ll just let the flow take you back to what feels safe, comfortable, and beloved.

Allow yourself to love things. Allow yourself to love people and situations. It’s so easy to become apathetic. It’s so easy to become jaded and worn when the world seems to want to tear you apart. Add more love to your life any way you can, reconnect with your inner magic and inner self, and see what you can accomplish when you motivate yourself with your internal, inner power rather than wage war against the external world.

What will bring success for 2019? The now

This is your wake up call. You’ve been sitting on plans for a while now. You’ve been sleeping and waiting for something to change. This is that change. This is exactly the sign you’ve been looking for. Yes, really, it is.

There will never be enough money, enough time, enough love, enough done that will let you accomplish your goals. That’s the lie about life. It is never done until death comes. So why are you putting off living because some previous goals or thresholds haven’t been met?

This is your chance. This is your time to take a risk. Trust yourself and do it.

What needs to be known for 2019? You got a feeling you just. can’t. shake. + That little voice inside you? Listen to that shit

Your instincts, intuition, and gut feelings are going to be your guides this year. This is all about following that base instinct that says, “do this, run here, fight this, sacrifice this, sleep now, you’ve done enough, rest, rise and seize the day”.

That’s what you need to focus on for 2019. Plans are all well and good, but you need to spend a good chunk of this year just winging it (as safely as possible. I mean, don’t ruin yourself on a whim unless you’ve got some semblance of a backup plan. There’s risk and there’s recklessness. Take the risk, but skip the recklessness.)

Still. This year, 2019, is about closing your eyes, taking a deep breath, and listening to what your heart, spirit, and soul wants. It’s about releasing your held breath and taking the plunge. Try this year. Do something that makes you happy. It’s time to stop punishing yourself and fighting against the tide. Instead, try swimming out to sea. You might find a wondrous adventure there instead.

I hope your 2019 is magnificent!

Hello 2018!

Welcome to 2018! How are you spending your first day of the new year?

2018 new year

I always spend my first week of the new year doing exactly what I want the rest of my year to be like. So the last days of the year are flurries to try and get stuff like laundry out of the way so I don’t have to do it often during the first week of the new year. Instead, I’ll spend time with my family, write, divine, visit spirits, and talk to friends. I’ll play video games, bake and cook, and work out. I make it a point to do the things I love and want to do more of during this time.

I have several goals for the new year, some of them more personal like baking and cooking more a week to more grand things like launching a witchcraft 101 course or publishing another novel.

Yeah, you read that right. A witchcraft 101 course and another novel. More on both of those at a later date.

Anyway, I’m not big on resolutions so I’ve started to pick words or themes to define my new year. For 2018, I’ve selected Empowerment. I don’t want opportunities handed to me, I want them to be forged. I want others to feel powerful and strong too. This is something I want to share with the world.

Empowerment also is a great word for witches because it indicates using magic to create our own future with our own hands. I want to do that with 2018. I want to make it my year because I have the power to do so.

If you want to make it your year, here’s a selection of spells you can use to do just that:

 

I hope your 2018 is a wonderful year filled with many great and wonderful things. Happy new year!

Goodbye 2017!

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I don’t know about you but I’m really happy to show 2017 to the door. I had a great year but it’s been SO FREAKIN’ BUSY. I’m so ready for a fresh start.

While I’ve spent the last few days finishing up business and setting up the things for next year. I figured set up a rock solid January rather than randomly posting throughout December.

Quickly, so you can get ready for your new year’s parties, here’s some highlights for 2017 for This Crooked Crown.

Pros:

  • Published my first novel Spirit Walker
  • Published the free online sourced correspondence lists.
  • Fantastic solar eclipse
  • Won a Camp NaNoWriMo and NaNoWriMo (meaning I wrote two books)
  • New eyeglasses & met some fitness goals
  • Got a new monitor and hard drive for the shop
  • Renovated my mom’s kitchen
  • Had some really great spells, crafts, and baking results.
  • Read so many books.

Cons:

  • Absolutely terrible year socially and politically in my part of the world. (Elsewhere wasn’t haven’t a fantastic time either)
  • Broke my schedule for posting online
  • Had to push back a major thing for the third time.
  • Wasn’t able to put out a few projects I wanted to complete.

 

So it’s actually been a pretty good year on the surface for me but there’s a lot of back end stuff that didn’t happen. That being said, I expect that 2018 will be far better as several projects are coming to fruition there.

Before you go, here’s some last minute witchy ideas to ring in the new year:

  • Use a sugar or salt scrub to “wash away” the old year and enter the new year with “fresh skin”.
  • Wear a color that represents what you want the new year to be like tonight. Wear sexy red pajamas to bring more sex or romance into your life. Wear black and blue to protect yourself or green and gold for wealth and prosperity.
  • Make the first meal you have in 2018 something that you want to eat all year. So if you plan on hitting the gym, snag a celery stick instead of a chip for that first bite.
  • Stir your drinks towards you to bring things towards you after midnight but stir away from you before midnight to send things away.
  • Spend the first day of the new year how you want to spend the rest of the year, if you can.
  • Set up full moon rituals in advance, rolling them together so each full moon has a little of that newness power to it. The first is also the first full moon of 2018.
  • No special someone to kiss in the new year? Place that first kiss on a pet, platonic consenting friend, or on an idol for your deity or spirits.
  • Ring a bell at midnight to dismiss the old year (and all its negativity) and bless the new year.

Happy new year! I’ll see you tomorrow in 2018!

5 More Ways to Bewitch Your Holiday Shopping

We’re back for round three of the Bewitch Holiday Shopping. Check out Bewitch Your Holiday Shopping and Bewitch Even More of You Holiday Shopping for more tips. Well, here’s some more.

01 Enchant Your Soles

If you aren’t already doing this, then this is the chance. Enchant the soles of your most comfortable shoes with a guiding spell. Ideally, the spell should lead you towards the things you’re looking for.

02 Clear Mind

Have you ever been shopping, with a list of things to get, and about halfway through you’ve completely lost your head? I do all the time. I’m easily distracted so I usually loose my head halfway through a shopping list unless I have few errands or a very strict list.

Get a glass or plastic bottle, or even a ziploc bag, and put a quartz crystal, rosemary, citrine, apple slices, coffee, and cinnamon. Eyebright, green tea, or gotu kola are good additives too. Carry this with you when you go out to keep yourself focused.

03 Money Savings

Want to save some extra cash? Carry some basil, clover, and mint in your wallet or purse. When you add them to your wallet or purse, envision putting money into your walet instead of herbs.

04 Make and Pack a Snack

Making granola bars is actually extremely easy. You just need the ingredients, a dish, a bowl, a spoon, a knife, cling wrap, and a fridge. The ingredients are usually peanut butter, oats, honey or agave, and additives, like diced chocolate or nuts. There’s TONS of recipes for granola bars so do a quick google search for a good recipe that you like. Once you have a recipe, you can start the magic.

As you stir the ingredients, say, sing, speak, think, or envision you having fun and getting your goals accomplished in your shopping trip. When you spread out the granola, pat it down and pack it in nicely. As you pat it down, think of you patting your full wallet at the end of the trip. Chill the granola for at least an hour before cutting. Store in a plastic bag and carry with you when you go out.

05 Protect Your Purchases

Theft of items from vehicles is really common during the holiday season. There’s so many expensive items being bought that are desired under the tree. So it’s really important to protect your purchases and vehicle. Place protection charms, amulets, and spells over your vehicle and purchases. THe best way to make sure that your stuff’s protected is to set up a spell ahead of time. Maybe the spell’s been cast and every time you relock the door, the spell gains strength. There’s a lot of things you can do and it’s definitely something to consider, depending on what you really want to use on a daily basis.

So what do you think? What witchy techniques do you use to make your holiday shopping easier?