Posted on 2 Comments

Reframe your perspective with a 7 day Gratitude challenge

During fall the energy and essence of gratitude is in the air all around us as we watch the fields being harvested with the bounty from the land and making it’s way to our tables for gathered meals as we give thanks with our families in November and December. This time of gratitude has me thinking of the importance and significance of cultivating a mindset of gratitude in my life. Cultivating a mindset of gratitude is a powerful tool to realign our thoughts and energies and allow us to live life from a state of wise mind and duality. When you practice gratitude you are building a deeper connection with yourself. You are committing to self-awareness, self-reflection, and self-compassion and these are essential tools for supporting your personal growth, mental health and overall well-being. As the saying goes, “What consumes your mind, controls your life.” So why not let gratitude consume our minds and dictate the course of our lives? By shifting your focus to positivity, gratitude not only improves your mental health and self-esteem but also enhances relationships and boosts overall well-being. Learn how practicing gratitude can transform your perspective, leading to a happier, more fulfilled life .Discover the life-changing benefits of gratitude with this 7 day gratitude challenge in this blogpost today!

What is gratitude?

Thankfulness, gratitude, and appreciation are all deeply connected, simply they all mean expressing the pleasant feeling of being thankful and appreciative for something one has received. The word gratitude comes from the Latin word gratus, which means “grateful, pleasant”. Not only is it something we feel and experience but, it is a tool we can use to reframe our perspective. Using gratitude as a tool allows you to shift your focus. From what you believe your reality is towards what you want your reality to be. They are both very real, but you choose to prioritize one over the other.

The Science behind gratitude

It turns out, the benefits of gratitude aren’t just motivational fluff you see on social media everywhere. Scientists have actually shown that gratitude can physically change your brain. This research made me realize that the mind’s ability to “rewire” itself—known as neuroplasticity (A term I Learned while in DBT) —plays a big role here. When we practice gratitude regularly, it strengthens certain neural pathways, just like exercising a muscle. In fact, gratitude activates regions in our brain linked to pleasure, reward, and emotional regulation, including the prefrontal cortex and the hypothalamus. Let’s dig into a bit of it now!

Practicing gratitude effects our brains by stimulating the production of dopamine (a chemical messenger (neurostransmitter) that works in the brain. It helps nerve cells send messages to each other. When dopamine is released in the brain, we feel a sense of temporary pleasure) and serotonin (another messenger which creates a long-lasting feeling of happiness or wellbeing), often referred to as the “feel-good neurotransmitters. These chemicals play a vital role in regulating mood and emotions. By regularly expressing gratitude through different ways in our lives, we essentially train our brains to produce more of these beneficial chemicals!

Researchers have discovered that expressing gratitude can also trigger the release of oxytocin, the hormone responsible for strengthening social bonds and creating feelings of trust and connection. So practicing gratitude not only improves our relationship with ourselves, but also enhances our ability to build and maintain meaningful connections with others and ourselves.

Historical Significance of Gratitude

Historically, the concept of gratitude isn’t new. Many ancient cultures emphasized the importance of thankfulness in their traditions and rituals. For example, the ancient Romans celebrated a festival called “Lectisternium” where they expressed gratitude to their gods for their blessings. The festival of Setsubun central in Japan and Shintoism is a time when they give thanks to the kami and the land for the spring and fertility to come. Plus pagans have many, many holidays centered around gratitude and giving thanks like Mabon, Samhain, Beltane, Hekate’s night, and so on! Honestly there are too many holidays centered on giving thanks to name. Similarly, every religion has holidays, and festivals that are centered around the act of giving thanks, We even have holidays centered around cultural and country specific reasons to give thanks like Thanksgiving in the USA, highlighting its timeless significance to our human existence.

Benefits to practicing gratitude

By dedicating just a few minutes each day to this practice, you can begin to experience a shift in your perspective. You’ll start to notice and appreciate the small joys that make life special, from a sunny day to a kind gesture from a stranger. Ultimately, this simple act of focusing on gratitude for a small pocket of time can lead to profound changes in your mindset and overall well-being like some of the benefits we will explore more below.

Gratitude aligns your with the flow of abundance

When we acknowledge and appreciate the blessings, big or small, that surround us, we invite abundance into our lives. Gratitude shifts our focus from what is lacking to what is plentiful, fostering a sense of contentment and fulfillment allowing us to enter into the flow of abundance. Once in the flow, we are able to connect to the generosity of the multiverse and have all of our needs met.

Gratitude creates a life attracting positivity

Practicing gratitude not only has a positive impact on our mental and emotional well-being but also attracts more positivity into our existence. By expressing thanks for the opportunities, relationships, and experiences we have encountered along our journey, we create space for greater joy and success to manifest. Embracing a mindset of gratitude transforms challenges into valuable lessons and setbacks into steppingstones toward growth and achievement.

Focusing on gratitude builds resilience

Gratitude and having a daily practice focused on it, can help individuals build resilience by encouraging them to find silver lining in challenging situations. When you’re able to see the good even in difficult times, you become more emotionally resilient and better equipped to cope with problems or life changing events as they arise. By acknowledging and appreciating the good, you develop a more balanced perspective, making it easier to cope with challenges by allowing you to access wise mind and use the DBT skills that will be the most effective.

Gratitude reframes our perspective

By focusing more on a habit of gratitude, you learn to reframe your thinking and concentrate on the positive aspects of your life. Our brains have a natural tendency to dwell on negativity, a phenomenon known as the negativity bias. It is an evolutionary survival mechanism that once served a purpose but can now hinder our well-being. In our day and age we don’t always have to be on alert for dangers in the wild to be able to survive and provide for our families. Of course we have a new set of issues nowadays, but our bodies do not have to constantly be in fight or flight mode. By consciously redirecting our attention towards gratitude, we counteract this bias and retrain our brains to notice and appreciate the good things around us. This shift in perspective can significantly improve mental well-being.

Gratitude helps us heal from childhood trauma, abuse, and pain

Learning how to practice gratitude after childhood trauma can help in your healing journey immensely by helping you reach radical acceptance. I know how hard it may seem to practice gratitude, especially when you’ve experienced childhood abuse and trauma. It’s hard to be grateful when we’re born into an unloving home with toxic or abusive parents that makes us doubt our self worth. It seems insensitive or perhaps even offensive to suggest. However, the benefits of gratitude, and practicing gratitude can help with healing from trauma. Also, gratitude doesn’t mean ignoring the fact that bad things did and do happen. It’s possible to feel grateful yet still find that life’s hard sometimes. It isn’t easy, but it can make a difference.

Other benefits of practicing gratitude

  • Feeling grounded, especially during challenging times
  • Boosting your mental health and well-being
  • Allowing your mind to focus on the positive things
  • Making you more optimistic
  • Developing a new-found appreciation for the simple things
  • Cultivating a healthy work-life balance
  • Relieving stress and overwhelm
  • Decreasing anxiety and depression
  • Fewer physical symptoms of illness
  • Forming a deeper connection with yourself, your surroundings and others

Ways to connect to Gratitude

Gratitude has more power to make our lives happier and healthier than we have ever imagined. Spending a little time each day to practice gratitude makes you consciously and intentionally focus on becoming more grateful for everything around you. It is also a great way to practice being more mindful and helping you shape a reality where you thrive. Feeling and expressing gratitude changed my life. I have more confidence in myself and I see people and situations in my life more compassionately. I have more peace of mind than ever before and I’m more certain that I can design the life I want for myself while maintaining wise mind and duality.

Discover some simple and powerful gratitude rituals below to transform your daily routine and boost your mental well-being. These easy gratitude practices help cultivate mindfulness, positivity, and emotional resilience. Whether you’re new to gratitude practices or looking to deepen your daily routine, these rituals are perfect for anyone seeking peace, happiness, and a life where you thrive in wise mind. Start and/or end your day with a grateful heart and watch how your mindset shifts. When you practice gratitude, it becomes part of all areas of your life. Join me on this 7 day gratitude challenge below and watch your reality become what you truly want and your perspective be reframed.

1.Keep a Daily Gratitude journal

Gratitude means, “the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.” So to practice gratitude is to show your own appreciation of things. Either in your head, out loud or on paper. The most popular form of practicing gratitude comes with journaling and keeping a daily gratitude journal. A gratitude journal is more than just a diary; it’s a dedicated space where you regularly record things you’re thankful for. This simple yet profound practice encourages you to focus on the positive aspects of your life, no matter how small or insignificant they may seem. By doing so, you train your mind to see the good in everyday situations, fostering a more optimistic outlook on life.

So, for day 1 of this gratitude challenge we are going to start are very own daily gratitude journal practice. When you do this find a quiet place you can sit down and simply answer the questions below, Writing down the things, people, surroundings, etc, you are grateful for at that exact moment as you reflect on your day. Try to do your best to make this part of your daily routine from here on out. Here is a link to this gratitude journal for you to download and use as many times as you would like too!

2. Create a gratitude list through a brain dump

For day 2 of this challenge to help us reframe our life with gratitude, we will focus on getting a bigger picture of the things in our life we have to be grateful for. Doing this allows us to reframe our perspective even wider looking past just the day we had today to further beyond. Today’s challenge task is an easy one – make a list of everything you’re grateful for. You have wonderful things in your life already. It’s up to you to notice it. Think about everything you currently have going on in your life (or don’t have going on – in a good way). Take a moment to reflect on these blessings. There is nothing too small for you to be grateful for. You can be grateful for that cup of hot tea you get to enjoy every morning, that playtime with your child, your cat purring as they lay sleeping near by… List everything you can think of in a journal for you to see in one place. Allowing it all to sink in. Each and every single thing you have to be grateful for in your life as a whole.

3.Create a gratitude Jar

For day 3 of this challenge to help us reframe our life with gratitude, we will focus on that bigger picture again. While creating a way for us to come back to it in times of doubt or hardship when we need a little reminder of what we have to be grateful for. We will do this by creating a gratitude jar. So, what is a gratitude jar? A gratitude jar is a manifestation exercise where you add notes of gratitude to a container of your choice. Now, there are a few ways to use this tool of gratitude and a few ways to make it, First way you can choose is to take the list you made in day 2 of this challenge and either cut it into smaller pieces. Or write each thing written there onto sticky notes or smaller cut pieces of paper. Then you can take those pieces place them inside a jar, and leave it in your home somewhere you can see it. That way when you have moments of doubts when you are thinking life is too dark and you can’t go on because you have nothing to hold on for, you can pull as many of those little papers out. Then read them to help you reframe your unwanted and emotional thoughts.

The other option for how you can make this tool today and start using it to reframe your perspective brings more attention to your gratitude practice each day. Take one piece of paper and sit down and think of something that happened or someone who made your day worth being grateful for today. Once you have that in mind write in on your piece of paper then place it inside your jar, coming back every single day to do the same thing. Then whenever you would like come back and open your jar to read all the things you took the time each day to write down you were grateful for. You can go back in a week, at the end of the month, or what is common is to to wait until the end of the year on New Year’s Eve. Don’t forget either you can get creative and decorate your gratitude jar in any way you want as well bringing more joy to this daily practice of gratitude.

4. Express thanks to others in your life

For day 4 of this challenge to help us reframe our life with gratitude is to focus on expressing thanks to others in our life. Think about people that have done something for you at any point in your life. It can be today, yesterday, or even decades ago. Typically, people are grateful for their parents, guardians, caregivers, other family members, spouses, children, and friends. Let me remind you though that you don’t have to be grateful for people who have hurt you, even out of obligation or blood ties. (unless you want to be). So, think about those in your life that have held you up, supported you, and allowed you to grow into the beautiful human that you are. Then find a way to express your gratitude and thanks to them and do it. Whether that be by sending them a random text, getting them a card, or by giving them a gift. Do little and big things for them as they’d do for you. Spend quality time with loved ones. Connect and bond. Savor the moments you get to spend together. Don’t take any of it for granted because you never know how much time you have left with someone. So cherish it while you can. The goal is to make sure they feel your appreciation and how much your think they are truly worth. But, remember a simple “thank you” is usually enough for those who support you with their love. Plus it could also be a small act of kindness to brighten up someone’s otherwise dark day.

5. Prioritize and practice self care

When you practice gratitude you promote self care and end up prioritizing yourself. Because when you practice gratitude you are building a deeper connection with yourself. You are committing to self-awareness, self-reflection, and self-compassion and these are essential tools for supporting your personal growth, mental health and overall well-being. It allows you to truly connect with yourself on a raw, wholehearted level and changes your perspective on things. So, for day 5 of this gratitude challenge I want you to pick an activity that you consider self care and you are grateful you have the ability to do today. Then be as mindful and present as you can while you enjoy and soak up the time of self care you have today. Take in and notice how when you focus on self care it allows you to connect to parts of yourself and things you have to be grateful for in your life. For me when I slow down and focus on me it really allows me to open my eyes, and reframe what I see. Opening me up to more that I have to be grateful and thankful for. To learn more about self care and how vital that is in your life and how it promotes self love as well as gratitude click the link to read my guide here.

6. Spread gratitude through acts of kindness

For day 6 of this gratitude challenge we are going to use a little bit of DBT and bring our focus to gratitude by spreading it to someone else. Sometimes it’s hard to see what we can be grateful for because of life circumstances or our mental sate. If you are having a hard time in life or you are feeling anxious and/or depressed seeing things you can be grateful for may be clouded or something you simply don’t want to do. So, today we are going to use opposite action if we need to and instead of focusing on what we don’t have or what we have lost get out and spread kindness to bring us something to be grateful for. That feeling in our heart that glows and brings us joy plus the smile on the other person’s face is more then enough to be grateful for today.

For day 5 of the challenge today get out and give yourself something to be grateful for by being kind to others today. Spend 30 minutes doing something kind for someone else. This can be something extremely small like leaving a note on their doorstep, sending an email to thank them for all they do, making breakfast for someone, or volunteering your time. Do whatever it is that comes from the heart and makes you feel good inside.

7. Use affirmations of gratitude

For the last and final day of this challenge we are going to use simple yet very affective tool; gratitude affirmations. Gratitude affirmations are a simple tool you can use daily to help you see the beauty that life has to offer. So what are gratitude affirmations? Gratitude affirmations are positive statements that you repeat regularly to stay in wise mind and cultivate a mindset of gratitude. There are so many ways you can use gratitude affirmations in your life. For day 7 of this challenge pick one of the ways you feel called to use them below. Then pick some of the affirmations in the graphic to begin using today. I personally love to say mine out loud when I wake up in the morning and before I close my eyes at night.

  • Write them in your journal
  • Choose a new affirmation for each day of the week, then write it on a post-it note to keep by your desk
  • Choose 3 affirmations to focus on each day and say them out loud to yourself
  • Set up automated reminders on your phone so you get notified with an affirmation or multiple affirmations throughout the day
  • Get creative and draw or write an affirmation in your bullet journal

8. Bonus- Shadow work prompts for deepening your gratitude through journaling

Shadow work through journaling focused on gratitude and what we have to be grateful for can bring about a greater sense of contentment. It encourages you to see the glass as half full, which can have a profound impact on your attitudes and overall perspective of life. It brings you to a place where you are able to let of of fear and meet yourself and your life fully. When we journal and do shadow work based on gratitude it helps you become aware of all the goodness in your life. Even the things you may not see as things to be grateful for right now because they live deep within the shadows of your heart. If you would like to learn more about shadow work you can purchase my eBook here; you can book me for a 1:1 session as your guide here; and you can watch my free class previously taught on it through Divination here.

If you want to deepen your journey with gratitude beyond this challenge you can access these bonus shadow work prompts in my FREE shadow work journal here!

Final Thoughts


Showing appreciation for things doesn’t always look like journaling or making a gratitude list. Sometimes it can be as simple as making a language shift. So instead of saying “I have to do this” and feeling resentful or unexcited, change it to “I get to do this” for an instant positive mindset shift. Remember, you don’t “have” to do anything. No one is forcing you. You are the one in control of the choices you make. You “get” to do what you want to do, so feel excited and grateful for these opportunities and life you get to live each and every day.

Don’t forget to also be grateful for yourself! During this gratitude challenge make sure when you go through each day to include things that are only about you. Being grateful for yourself or anything about you is probably one of the hardest things to be grateful for. I know as a childhood abuse and trauma survivor it is for myself. So, if that is please make sure to make this part a priority. No matter how you feel about yourself or how someone else made you feel. There IS something about yourself that you can find to be grateful for. You just have to look for it. Use this challenge to find it and bring it to light in appreciation.

It’s true what they say: gratitude really does have the power to transform your world. Give it a try, and you might just find yourself, like me, realizing that gratitude was one of the missing pieces all along.

Posted on 1 Comment

The magic of working with Pumpkins

Autumn is a magical time, perfect for witchcraft, as we approach the latter half of the year and the long, dark, cold, months of Winter drawing near. In witchcraft we use many things in our lives as tools for our spell work from nature or our home, like one of the most popular symbols and flavors of fall; Pumpkins. Pumpkins are synonymous with the autumn season we see them everywhere; especially around Halloween / Samhain and carrying through the month of November until Thanksgiving here in the USA. But, Pumpkins and gourds have been used for centuries in magic though as a form of protection, a connection to abundance and fertility, a boost to love and more. Let’s take a look at the biggest fruit, full of seeds of potential inside, who takes center stage during the spooky and fall season; the pumpkin in this blogpost.

Pumpkins what are they?

The pumpkin, Cucurbita pepo, is a type of Winter Squash though technically it is classified as a berry! The name pumpkin originated from the Greek word Pepõn, which means large melon. Most pumpkins are typically large, round and ribbed and of a distinctive orange color. However, they can also be white, green, yellow and other shades depending on the cultivar, as there are 3 or 4 different kinds of pumpkins overall. Harvested in October, this nutritious and versatile orange fruit features flowers, seeds and flesh that are edible and rich in vitamins. The pumpkin, though popular in many places throughout the world today, is native to North America and Mexico and has been cultivated since at least 7000 BCE. They were even a common crop to be planted and grown before beans and corn.

Medicinal properties of Pumpkins

Rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, pumpkins aren’t just the most popular fall flavor and a common witches’ tool set out on our front doorsteps but, they are incredibly healthy for us as well. Pumpkins are loaded with nutrients that can boost your immune system and help you stay healthy like vitamin C, E, and A. Pumpkins are also high in carotenoids, which are compounds that can function as antioxidants and some believe may help protect against certain cancers like, stomach, throat, pancreas and breast cancers. The health benefits keep rolling in with them being high in potassium, vitamin C and fiber, which have been linked to having heart benefits. Plus these popular fruits can help you stay looking younger since they are loaded with nutrients that are great for your skin. Pumpkin seeds can also help boost your mood. They contain tryptophan which helps boost serotonin.

Magical themes of Pumpkins

In witchcraft every single ingredient and tool we use in our spells and rituals has magical themes and energies it can align with and be used for. Pumpkins are no different. They can be used in spells, rituals, or charms to enhance your fertility, boost your manifestation, and connect you to the gratitude of the harvest. They can be utilized to attract wealth, success, and opportunities for financial growth. Don’t forget the most common magical use of all; calling on them to aid in protecting your home and guarding your threshold. Take a look below for some more themes you can use pumpkins for in your magical workings, spells, and rituals. . Don’t forget you can use all parts of the pumpkin too! Especially the seeds for potent fertility spell workings.

  • Protection
  • Divination
  • Prosperity
  • Healing
  • Good health
  • Death
  • The harvest
  • Gratitude
  • Abundance
  • Good luck
  • The dead
  • Love and matters of the heart
  • Fertility
  • Transformation

Pumpkins in myths and lore

Pumpkins are a true symbol of Autumn and spooky season, most likely because, that’s when they are harvested. We’ve also seen them as part of Fall and spooky season festivals and celebrations for thousands of years across cultures especially during Samhain. Below are a few myths and common lore we have involving pumpkins.

The Origin of carving pumpkins

The act of carving faces into a vegetable originates with the Scots and Irish but they didn’t carve pumpkins in ancient times, they carved vegetables like turnips or potatoes. Later on, after the Scotts-Irish migrated to the New World, they brought their Samhain traditions with them but, started to use the native fruit of the land pumpkins instead. The frightening faces carved into pumpkins were thought to serve as guardians. People believe these glowing, eerie faces could scare away malevolent and confused spirits, and other dark entities, keeping homes safe during the Samhain season when the veil is pulled back from the other side.

The origin of the Jack o lantern

The term Jack o lantern actually originated in England and is linked to a supernatural phenomenon called Ignis Fatuus or “foolish fire”. This is an eerie, spectral light that sort of bobbs and dances. It seduces people off the beaten path and often to their death. In addition to the jack o’ lantern being a spook light, the name also has a couple legends behind it and refers to a character or man named jack or stingy jack who made a deal with the devil. Because of this deal with the devil, he is not permitted to go to Heaven or Hell and is doomed to wander the earth forever with a glowing carved turnip ( now pumpkin) as his head.. And apparently he amuses himself and passes the time by leading people to their doom down dark and haunted paths on Halloween night.

Other mentionings of pumpkins

According to a Huron creation story, pumpkins arose when a divine woman died in childbirth. All of the plants necessary for life sprang up from her body: Beans grew from her legs, corn sprang from her body, and pumpkin vines grew from her head.

In religions that sprang from the Africa, pumpkins are associated with several major deities, particularly Oshun and Shango. Oshun is a goddess of rivers, love, and fertility, which echoes the connections between pumpkins, the element of Water, and the concepts of fertility and abundance as seen in other cultures and traditions.

Duality and Pumpkins

Since, I am a grey witch I look for the duality in every single energy I work with including the tools and spell ingredients I use. Pumpkins are full of duality in the properties they represent and energies they allow us to work with. On one hand they are a symbol of prosperity and abundance. Connecting us to the unlimited and generous flow of abundance calling it INTO our lives. While on the other hand they connect us to the energy of death and protection. Being a common symbol sitting at our front doors protecting our homes and threshold by keeping unwanted entities and spirits OUT.

We can’t forget that the most popular time to work with this tool is in the fall when they are being harvested and there are plenty to go around. The fall season is a really unique pocket of liminal space and time for us to connect to duality. We get to be surrounded by the bounty and abundance of the fall harvest and all the joy, celebration and gratitude that brings. While we are also confronted with the reality of nature beginning to die around us and the dark cold winter that is very soon going to be upon us.

Correspondences for the Pumpkin

First, what is a correspondence? A correspondence is an item or symbol that is meant to connect you to a specific energy thru it’s representation. It is seen also as an item to respect, honor, and venerate that energy as well whether it be a deity, an archetype energy, the zodiac energy the moon is currently or for a magical tool/ fruit the pumpkin, which I will list below for you to use. Remember this is just a start to the list for you. You can use any correspondences that connect the magical themes and energies of the pumpkin. Just follow your intuition on what you choose to work with!

  • Planet- moon
  • Gender- feminine
  • Day-Monday
  • Element- water and Earth
  • Crystals-Orange calcite, citrine, pyrite, heliodore, moonstone, onyx, obsidian,
  • colors-oranges, whites, reds, yellow, greens
  • Deities-Oshun, Nicneven, Priapus, Woden, Osris, Loki, Persephone, Cerrunnos, Dionysus, lady hel, lakshmi, hades, Saraswati, hekate, Janus, Anubis, fide, The Morrígan,Parvati, Shango
  • Holidays- Lughnasadh, Diana’s Festival, Mabon, Samhain, the fall harvest, Alfablot
  • Zodiac-Virgo, Capricorn, Taurus, Scorpio

Ways to work with the pumpkin

We’ve talked a lot about pumpkins in this post so far, including the magical themes associated with them. Those themes are the energies we can connect to with Pumpkins. They are how we can use them to build our spells and rituals. You have many options on how you want to include them in your spells and rituals and many different ways to work with them. Below you will find a list I put together of some ideas for spells, rituals, and ways you can work with them using the themes and magic we can harvest in each rounded and fruitful one.

  • Use their seeds as a spell ingredient for potent fertility spells in spell packets, spell jars, offerings at altars and more
  • Save their stems and grind them up to add to wish spells and manifestation magic
  • Abundance magic
  • Carve the pumpkin in a scary face and use it as a protection spell for samhain
  • Use the pumpkin in kitchen magic making pies, cakes, soups or drinks as abundance and fertility spells or to bless your home and hearth
  • Add a candle to the inside of a carved out pumpkin and use it for fire scrying
  • Carve sigils of protection and blessings in them and add them to your altar, hearth, or front door
  • Add them to your Samhain altar for your ancestors to represent death and transformation
  • Write an intention or goal for the spring and bury it in the ground with some seeds for them to grow in the spring
  • Write something you wish to release and let die and bury in the ground with old pumpkins to allow them to be released to the earth
  • Place 7 pumpkin seeds into a green spell bag or packet and place it in your wallet or purse and carry it around to attract prosperity
  • Paint an Algiz, Uruz, or Tyr rune on a pumpkin and place by the front door for protection during the Samhain season
  • Visit a pumpkin patch to soak up the abundance and fertility of the land they grow from
  • Carve a heart and the person’s name you love into the bottom of the pumpkin then light a red candle inside to attract their love into your life
  • Use them as portal magic when the veil is thinned during Samhain
  • Give them as offerings for graveyard magic or to deities of the dead
  • Hold a small pumpkin while working on balancing and aligning your sacral chakra
  • Get 3 smaller pumpkins and paint or carve symbols of fertility on them. Then mediate while focusing on them and thinking about what you would like to bring into life
  • Take a carved pumpkin and place a wish written on a bay leaf inside the pumpkin and bury it in the ground before sunrise

Pumpkin Scrying with water

There are countless forms of divination across the Earth using many different tools. Pumpkins can be powerful tools for divination, particularly in the practice of scrying due to their connection to transformation. Scrying is a form of divination that involves gazing into a reflective or translucent surface to receive visions or insights. Using pumpkins for scrying combines the seasonal magic of autumn with ancient divination practices.

How to perform pumpkin scrying

Hollow Out the Pumpkin- Cut off the top of the pumpkin and scoop out the seeds and pulp. Save the seeds for fertility magic spells for later
Smooth the Interior- Scrape the interior walls until they are smooth.
Create a Reflective Surface- place a small mirror at the bottom of the pumpkin before adding water. This enhances the reflective quality of the water.

Fill the Pumpkin with Water-Pour clean water into the hollowed-out pumpkin, filling it to about three-quarters full.
Create sacred container- Do this in any way that works for you but, I recommned lighting black and white candles and setting them around the pumpkin to enhance the reflection

Gaze into the Water-Look into the surface of the water, allowing your gaze to soften. Don’t force any images to appear; simply observe and remain open to any visions or impressions.
Interpret Your Visions-Take note of any shapes, symbols, or scenes that appear in the water. Trust your intuition to interpret their meanings.

Samhain Pumpkin Protection Spell

Like we talked about above pumpkins were thought to be used as very strong symbols of protection during the fall especially when the veil was it’s thinnest during Samhain. While the veil is pulled back and entities, spirits, and the dead walk among us and come out to play. Don’t forget to protect your threshold. Making sure only those you wish to cross it on that hallowed eve are the ones who can.
Try this protection spell using a carved pumpkin on that night to give those unwanted spirits ghosts and entities a fright! I will even pull this spell out during different times of the year if my home ends up with an increased about of spirit activity for some reason.

What you will need:

A carved pumpkin, white candles, bay leaves, rosemary, sage, coriander, cloves

How to perform:

First take your white candles and set them in your pumpkin envisioning them bringing protection and being the guardian of your home this hallowed night. Next add your herbs of protection and connection to the dead to your pumpkin leaving out the bay leaves. Then take your bay leaves and add them one by one while saying out loud the names of the passed loved ones you would like to be able to cross your threshold and enter your home this hollowed night. After that take the top and with a deep breath seal the spell inside. Knowing this pumpkin will be the one now to decide who will come into your home on this hallowed night.

Kitchen Magic; Baking a pumpkin pie to bless your home

Kitchen magic is a very powerful type of magic that fills up the walls of your home. Allowing you to bless those you love while you can also create memories together and then fill their bellies with food. One common item to be baking right now especially with Thanksgiving at the end of this month when families will gather for a meal is a pumpkin pie. The entire process of making and baking the pie becomes a magical ritual. The spices used have their own magic properties helping you create your spell. You can then draw sigils or symbols in the pie crust before baking to add more magic and blessings for those you choose to serve it too.

Pumpkin Prosperity spell

Pumpkins are a significant sign of abundance and fertility for the fall. Think about when you cut open a pumpkin, it’s absolutely packed with seeds, each representing the possibility of new life and expansion. They can also be used to represent long term abundance as pumpkins can be kept for a long time before they start to decay. Another reason why they are plentiful for the fall harvest during this time right now. Try this prosperity spell using the very fertile and abundant pumpkin and watch your money flow get so much richer.

What you will need:
A piece of pumpkin
3 bag leaves
A pen
A piece of twine
A dollar bill
7 pumpkins
Cinnamon- abundance
Sugar- to sweeten the results and add speed
Rosemary-connection the dead
Basil-abundance/wealth
Nutmeg-abundance

How to perform:
Get yourself into sacred container focusing your energy and breath on abundance, prosperity and what it feels like to have more than all your needs met.
Then take your piece of pumpkin and sprinkle each one of your herbs on the entire thing continuously focusing on abundance and prosperity.
Next take your bay leaves and write the dollar amount you wish to receive on each of the three.
Take your pumpkin piece in your hand and as you envision that dollar amount coming to you freely grab it, the dollar bill and your three leaves and use the twine to bind and wrap the money to you and your family securely around your bright golden piece of pumpkin.
Once securely tied with the magic of a binding knot and your hand go outside somewhere you can bury it into the land. When you have your spot take your spell in your hand and recite out loud as you bury it into the ground.
” Pumpkin, pumpkin tightly bound bring your prosperity to me from the ground.
Pumpkin, pumpkin rich and bright bring this prosperity to me day and night.”

Now watch the money amount you requested begin to flow to you and your home.

About Me : I have been a solitary grey magic practitioner for 15 + years. First and foremost, I consider myself a mystic and seeker of all knowledge. I am dedicated to the restoration, and re-enchantment of Magic in society, across this realm, and in each and every soul I come across in life! I am here to create a container that promotes healing, duality, and raw authenticity. I do this by guiding you on your personal journey to understanding your unique magic and sacred contracts. I facilitate this for you through embracing your shadow, duality and learning to live in energetic balance while not wearing a mask. When you work and learn from me you do so from your “darkness” as much as your “light” and in a way to truly harness and accept it not to just go thru it on the way to your light. But, I teach you how to truly embrace it, work with it, and use it alongside your light as a partner. I hold up a mirror for you to be able to see your authentic reflection looking back. Then have the courage to take the next step and do the uncomfortable but vital inner work to completely remove your mask. By facing all of your past wounds, traumas, and hurts. Allowing you to see both the dark and light within your story and take each chapter and alchemize it into something that is so powerful. your unique internal flame will shine so bright you will always be able to go within and find it on a dark cold night. You will learn how to truly live in duality and energetic balance to allow growth, and alignment with your sacred contracts and purposes. to finally move on and truly let the things that hold you back in this life from healing and manifesting go. To see everything I offer; like personalized shadow work sessions, womb healing, eBooks for you to work through on your own, Tarot sessions for guidance and more! Go to my shop!

Posted on

Ground with the safety, security and abundance of Taurus during the beaver full moon

A lot is happening in the collective right now causing waves of change and uncertainty and this month’s full moon on November 15th, in Taurus can really help us with feeling safe amongst the chaos. Taurus, being an earth sign, naturally connects you to stability and security, grounding you in the roots of yourself and the Earth. As the moon begins her next cycle aligned with the steadfast bull, we will feel called to ground ourselves in the realm of the earthly and tangible by really truly slowing down. This will be a welcome feeling right now especially with so much change happening in the collective. Grounding our energy, feeling secure and stable in our being, and spending time in nature with the steadfast bull are all things we can do to feel a sense of calm amongst the chaos that is happening around us now. Allowing us to be more willing to confront these changes head on with grounded purpose instead of digging our hooves in and thrashing about in fear. This stable energy is going to be really welcomed as well. After the very emotional and transformational new moon in Scorpio we just experienced. Slowing down right now allows us to really take the time with Taurus and do the intentional work we committed to last lunation with transformative Scorpio. This full moon is here to remind us there are new pastures for us to venture to, and even though we may have been content where we were, nothing stays the same for long. If we charge forward being grounded in the roots of who we are we can meet the chaos, the fear, and the unknown from a place of stability and strength. Join me in this blogpost to plant your feet firmly on the fortified rock that is Taurus full moon amongst the chaos of life.

First, What is the Full Moon

Over the centuries, the Moon has played a significant role in different cultures and traditions. The full moon simply put is when the moon is completely illuminated in the sky and it has reached it’s peak in this lunar cycle in the sky. When the moon is completely illuminated it’s time for all to reach full expression. The full moon is the most powerful and potent time of the entire lunar cycle.

A full moon occurs when the transit (moving) Sun and Moon are in the exact opposite positions in the Zodiac (called an opposition). The full moon greatly affects humans and it’s no wonder it does because, there’s a scientific reason for this – we are made up of 60% or more of water. Full Moons are the peak point of the lunar cycle: at this time of the month, the light of the Sun is fully illuminating the Moon, and the luminaries are exactly opposing one another from our perspective on Earth. This potent alignment offers us opportunities to gain more awareness about what is moving in our inner and emotional world, and information previously uncertain or hidden could be revealed at this time.

With the moon being fully illuminated it creates this portal to some of the most potent energy to connect to for us to manifest our desires and dream life. This portal creates a connection to our peak creative energy and the deep seated creative passions we all have within us. This creative energy and power is the energy we need to actually do and create the things and lifestyle we need to manifest what we desire. With the new moon phase being about planting the seeds of what you want to manifest, the full moon is about actually doing the work and moving the energy to make your manifesting happen. The full moon allows you to bridge the connection between these energies and themes and bring them into your life while reminding you how important it is to have them in your life not only when the moon is illuminated in the sky for you to see.

There are so many ways to work with the full moon, to learn more about the basics of working with the full moon energy check out my blog post here and you can watch my class all about lunar magic. But, remember each full moon will be slightly different and have different practices to add and different ways to do it based on which zodiac sign the full moon is currently in at the time.

The Beaver moon

During November, Beavers eagerly complete their lodges and food supplies for the chilly winter months ahead. Which is why this month’s full Moon is called the Beaver Moon. Its name represents the time of year when beavers prepare for winter. This was also when Native American tribes would trap beavers for their valuable pelts to help their people survive the harsh winter months. This full moon is about harnessing the tenacious and patient energy of the beaver to bunker down in your home and make it cozy and warm for the winter months to come. This month’s full moon reminds us to look at the beavers ability to truly be the architect of their own lives with their building abilities. They are meticulous with the dams they build, picking where within the water they will create boundaries. They maintain their home with protection and love constantly searching for cracks in the foundation and repairing it when needed. The Beaver Moon symbolizes a time of release, protection, transition, introspection and cleansing.

As with most pagan names there will be different ones for each culture so below I listed any of the other names for the hunter’s moon I could find across the Earth. The common themes for these moons are, preparation for the winter, the transition to winter, gathering supplies, and protection.

  • Freezing Over Moon – Ojibwe
  • Mourning Moon
  • Deer rutting moon
  • Snow moon
  • Milk Moon – pre-colonal South Africa
  • Leaf Fall Moon (Yapa Huktugere Nuti) Catawba – Native American origins
  • Frost moon
  • Slaughter or Butcher month – Norse origins (Gormánuður)
  • Darkest Depths Moon – Celtic origins
  • Digging moon
  • Little Winter Moon (Tahch’asap’aratohku) Tunica – Native American origins

Who is Taurus?

Like, I said before each full moon will be amplified and influenced by the zodiac sign we find it in and this time the full moon is in the sign of Taurus. So who is Taurus?

Taurus the second sign of the zodiac symbolized by the headstrong bull is the sign that anchors us to stability. As a fixed Earth sign; Taurus is the fortified mountain on which we stand amongst the spinning chaos of life. Taurus is the steady, grounding force of the Earth. Since Taurus is ruled by the planet Venus we look for stability in the sense of comfort, in the material things that make us feel secure, safe, and bring us tangible pleasure. The headstrong bull of Taurus provides you with inner strength and a deep connection to what truly matters to you.

Taurus Constellation

Taurus is one of largest constellations in the northern sky. The constellation is symbolized by the bull’s head. Not only that it is one of the oldest constellations and one of the first ones to spoken and written about. Its history dates back to the Bronze Age .It sits in the evening sky close to the famous constellation Orion and it includes a famous star cluster the pleidess.

According to Greek mythology, the constellation Taurus was placed in the sky by the god Zeus. That’s because Zeus changed himself into a beautiful white Bull to win the affections of the Phoenician princess Europa. After Europa hopped onto the Bull’s back, the Bull swam across the Mediterranean Sea, taking Europa all the way to the island of Crete. Later, Zeus and Europa became the parents of Minos, the legendary king of Crete. In another Greek myth, Zeus’s wife, Juno, changed her lover, Io, into a heifer or bull to hide her from Zeus

Meanwhile, the Zuni of New Mexico used the Pleiades cluster as an agricultural calendar. When the Pleiades – which the Zuni called the Seed Stars – disappeared into the western dusk in spring, they knew it was safe to plant their seeds, as the danger of frost had passed.

Now for the oldest myth I can find. In Babylonian mythology, the bull was known as the Heavenly Bull, or MUL.APIN. This constellation is connected to the story of Gilgamesh. He was the king of the Sumerian city state of Uruk. In the book The Epic of Gilgamesh, the king has to fight the Heavenly Bull. This animal was sent by the goddess Ishtar to kill Gilgamesh. She was so angry at him for not falling for her advances that she thought he deserved to die. Gilgamesh is considered to be represented by the constellation Orion, which is right next to Taurus. The story goes that they are still fighting their battle in the skies.

Taurus the rock of stability

Taurus brings in a solid rock foundation of deep stability. This is the rock around which all the duality of life is spinning. Taurus as an archetype is earthy, fortified like a mountain, and all about the sensations of nature around us. It often asks us to connect to our bodies and to the tangible, material parts of our life experience. On our journey there, Taurus also asks us to backtrack. To go back to the foundation and core of who we are and the intentions we are setting. Before releasing and letting go for change, this Moon wants us to first look to our core truths, values, and motivations. To make sure we are planting seeds of intentions we truly desire to be sown by first releasing what no longer needs to grow.

Taurus The Sign Of Money

Taurus has a reputation for abundance, in all its earthly delights. Taurus is a money ruler, so we can focus on opportunities to improve our financial situations and plan for the future. Whether it’s budgeting, saving, or investing, this is a good time to take stock of your resources and recognize the value of your hard work. By doing so, you can align your financial life with your personal values, leading to a more secure future. During this full moon, we can maximize resources we have, and get our hands on new resources. This can help improve stability and security in our lives, and as we improve stability and security, we can get more opportunities for money and resources.

Taurus The Sign Of The Body

Taurus is a fixed earth sign because of this; it is one of the most body-centered (and centering) signs of the zodiac. When the Moon is in the sign of Taurus we are reminded of the sacredness of our physical form. Taurus asks us to sit with ourselves fully. Not in an intellectual way, or spiritual way but, in a physical way. It asks us to take time to notice the breath entering our lungs, the beating of our hearts, the movement in our blood, the tension in our muscles, pressure on our bones, and sensations from our senses. When the moon is in Taurus, we are encouraged to revel in our physical being and the pleasure of what we can experience with our sense of touch especially in the realm of sex. Taurus puts an emphasis on creature comforts reminding us to slow down, savor deeply, and reconnect with our physicality by simply enjoying life’s pleasures.

Themes of the Taurus Full moon

Every full Moon contains its own themes, which are related to the sign that it falls under. This time, we experience the full Moon in the grounded, secure, stable, pleasurable, practical, headstrong, and rooted sign of the bull in Taurus. When the Full Moon in Taurus graces the sky, it offers cosmic guidance for grounding yourself in the present moment. The Taurus full Moon, is a powerful moon that amplifies Taurus’ grounded energy, focusing your attention on practical matters and what brings you inner peace.

Keep in mind that the full Moon relates to the continuation of your journey to manifest your desires and dreams. This will be especially strong this full moon being in the sign of our body, security, and stability will feel a need to take intentional steps down the path where all our goals will be met. So, try and have any of your workings based on these topics, and be grounded in those seeds of intention you had planted on the new moon. Don’t forget this full moon is layered with many energies for you to connect to as well like Samhain lingering and the meticulous building abilities of the beaver as your prepare for the winter ahead.

What To Be Cautious Of With The Taurus Full Moon

Our confidence can be high with the Taurus full Moon if we feel secure and take it easy. If we don’t, we may become stubborn about something, and insecurity can lead to lashing out erratically. Be careful with being stubborn as well to not try and move immovable objects and start unneeded conflict. The other thing to be careful of with this moon; is the pull to rest, relax and go inward. It can be very potent and alluring. While taking to time rest and replenish our bodies is important don’t let it go so far you start to avoid responsibilities.

Taurus and duality

Since, I am a grey witch every single energy I work with I look for the duality in that energy and how I can connect to it. This includes the full moon and the energy of the zodiac sign it currently is in. First,  the sign of Taurus while it may be all about abundance, security, stability, and going deep within to be rooted and anchored. That isn’t a light process, or an easy process. To truly fully receive abundance, and be rooted in our sacred contacts and soul purposes. To truly manifest all of our deepest desires, passions, and intentions; we have to face the depths of our pasts, who we really are, and where we have honestly been. In order to have the space and ability to receive it all and most importantly be willing to receive by knowing we are worthy and it is meant to be ours. Doing this opens you to a very liminal space steeped in duality for you to truly do the work needed to benefit from this new moon to its fullest potential. Second, the full moon itself is all about duality as it is another time of transformation, transition, and rebirth. During this time we are pushed into a liminal space that forces us to look at the things, people, and places that have been obstacles or holding us back. This can be a thing of beauty and hope as well as a thing of pain and darkness which forces us into duality.

Correspondences for the Taurus full moon

First, what is a correspondence? ,A correspondence is an item or symbol that is meant to connect you to a specific energy thru it’s representation. It is seen also as an item to respect, honor, and venerate that energy as well whether it be a deity, an archetype energy , or the zodiac energy the moon is currently in like I will list below for you to use. Remember to follow your intuition with the correspondences you choose to work with and that you can always use any that correspond to the moon itself as well.

  • planet-venus, moon
  • Animal- The bull
  • Element- Earth
  • Sex- Feminine
  • Modality- Fixed
  • Symbol- The bull, the goddess
  • colors- green,gold, brown
  • Motto- I have, or I possess
  • Chakra-Root chakra
  • Herbs- mint, thyme, sage, mallow, catnip, honeysuckle, saffron, rose, lavender, bergamot,
  • Stones/ crystals- emerald, jade. moss agate, green aventurine, Pyrite, peach moonstone, malachite, rose quartz, amazonite, amber, carnelian
  • Deities-Aphrodite/Venus Hera/Juno, Ishtar, Isis, Freyja, and Frigg and the gods Pan, Dionysus/Bacchus, Xolotl, and Quetzalcoatl
  • Themes-Stability, Security, Sensualality, Abundance,Fertility,Peaceful,Rest,Reflection,Love,Self worth,Grounded, Rooted, Strength, Patience, Determination, Fortitude, Physical body
  • tarot- The hierophant
  • House- Second house

How to connect to the Taurus Full moon

Now, that we have talked about the themes of this secure, stable, grounded, and abundant Taurus beaver full moon and how it is going to affect you let’s talk about how you can specifically connect to and work with this moon. First, make sure to do all of your staples that your learned in the previous blog post linked here for you like, charging your crystals, making moon water, and resetting your altar.

With this moon there are certain spells and rituals that will help connect you to this moon in the most effective way. With the Moon in Taurus, magic associated with protection, your physical body, grounding to the Earth, your finances, and experiencing life’s pleasures are highlighted now. You can also perform magic associated with preparation, rebirth, transition, and introspection under this full moon as well. Remember these are just some of the many ideas, follow your intuition and the energy of this moon. You can find more ways to connect to the moon and more information on many of these forms of magic on my Pinterest page here and my Facebook here.

  • Abundance spells, job spells, business spells, and money spells
  • Balance your root chakra- You can learn more about energy work in my previous blog post and on my pinterest page
  • Mindfully be outside
  • Connect to and work with deities of the fall and/or Samhain
  • Focus on building your sense of self worth
  • Meditation and Visualization
  • create a simmer pot to call calmness and tranquility to your home or to aid in peaceful sleep and rest
  • Love yourself through self care
  • focus on preparing for the long winter months ahead
  • Practice Grounding or Earthing
  • Add the symbol of the beaver to your altar when you refresh it
  • Journal
  • budget, bay off debt, or make a saving goal plan
  • Rituals focused on giving thanks and gratitude
  • Look for cracks in the foundation of your schedule, routine, and life and make the changes to fix them
  • create boundaries and dam necessary areas and relationships in your life
  • Fertility magic-Since Taurus is connected to the element earth it is a great time for fertility magic.
  • Divination
  • Transformation and renewal spells and magic
  • Love spells and magic
  • Sex magic
  • Have an at home spa
  • Nourish your body with fresh veggies and fruits
  • Self reflection- You can do this through mirror magic
  • Cleansing
  • Protection magic and spells- To learn more about how to do protection magic you can watch part 1 and part 2 of my classes with Divination academy on youtube
  • Burn Bay leaves with the things you wish to release written on them
  • Deepen your experience with your senses by developing your clairs- For a guide to help you do this you can book a guided session with me or purchase my ebook here
  • Self care ritual bath
  • Work with the element earth in your magical workings and spells
  • Mindfully connect to your body
  • REST!
  • Shadow work-If you would like to learn more about shadow work you can purchase my eBook here;  you can book me for a 1:1 session as your guide here; and you can watch my free class previously taught on it through Divination here.

Reflection questions for Taurus full moon

Every full moon is a great time for reflecting on those seeds you had planted during the new moon and how they are doing now at the end of the lunar cycle and how you can celebrate your success and adjust the future for even greater success. Whether you do it thru meditation, shadow work, or divination like tarot; below is a list of prompts and topics to connect with the energy of the beavers full moon in Taurus.

  • What dams need to be released in your emotions to fully heal and move on?
  • Where are you receiving abundance in your life and where are you lacking abundance?
  • How can you connect more to your physical body in your every day life?
  • How do you respond to change in your life? Do you go with the flow or dig your hooves in and fight it? How can you respond to change with more grace?
  • In what areas of your life do you not feel secure and safe?
  • How can you bring more safety and security to your life?
  • What cracks are in the foundation of your daily routine and schedule that need to fixed?
  • What areas of my life do you need to slow down and be more present in so you can enjoy the simple pleasures of life more?
  • In what areas of your life do you overindulge and need to adjust your intake of?
  • How can I be present in nature daily to ground back to your sense of self?
  • In what ways am I clinging to material things that are no longer serving me?

Full moon Prayers and affirmations

Some prayers or affirmations you can state with the full moon are:

  • I release all that does not serve my highest good.
  • I illuminate the things blocking my path to my desires.
  • I release all negative energy, feelings and thoughts that are not serving me.
  • I release the belief that I am not worthy or capable of manifesting anything that I want.
  • I call in the energy of the full moon to cleanse my field of anything that is not aligned with my higher purpose.

Some prayers or affirmations you can state with Taurus are:

  • I am grounded, stable, and secure
  • The love I show to myself is reflected back to me in others
  • I enjoy all the simple pleasures in life
  • I am abundant and money flows to me easily and swiftly
  • I create a strong foundation by releasing what no longer serves me
  • I am connected to my body and listen to it’s needs
  • I release all blocks that have stopped me from allowing me to receive abundance
  • I attract all that I need
  • I connect to the foundation of myself for strength and fortitude

Root Meditation For Taurus Full Moon

The purpose of this meditation is to help you feel grounded and stable to the earth, and who you are while also replenishing your energy and strength. It also creates a circular current of energy from the earth’s core, through your energetic body, and the celestial body the moon.

How to do:

Find a comfortable position to be in somewhere that you can be alone and be left uninterrupted for a small amount of time. If you want to do this outside under the moon or connecting to the earth you can as well!

Begin by taking four centering breaths in and continue to box breath:

How to box breathe:

Breathe in to the count of four (I measure my count with my heartbeat).
Hold your breath for four counts.
Breathe out for four counts.
Pause for four counts before taking another breath.
Repeat.
This breathing technique helps to quiet the mind and center your focus. I use this not only for meditation, guided work, and magical purposes but, for mental health coping skills as well!

Continuing to breathe gently into the softness of your belly, you are going to begin to visualize yourself within yourself. Visualize yourself pulling back from the edges of your body. Draw your consciousness inwards so that you feel yourself inside of your body as if it were a sacred container/ temple that you can draw back into. Feel yourself growing smaller in the powerful space of your body, drifting down into the sacred portal of energy in your belly, down into your pelvic space. The sacred portal of energy many know as the root chakra or the cauldron of warming.

Remaining within yourself, visualize a root extending from inner-you down deep into the earth. Breathe into this root as it extends downwards into the floor beneath you, and than into the soil. Feel as it expands and grows moving throwing the soil. Past roots of plants and other trees, past rocks, and decaying remains and debris, past critters, and creatures that wiggle in the dirt. You breathe in and on the exhale your root extends even further into the soil stretching as far as it can until you reach the burning hot, molten core at the center of the earth. And you feel the energy of the earth pulsating there ready for you to absorb.

With every out-breath your root extends and with every in-breath you pull up green energy through your roots back into inner-you from that molten hot core in the center of the earth pulsating in front of you. The green energy stretches up into all parts of inner-you until you are completely filled with it from your toes to fingertips to the very top of your head. The energy extends out of the crown of your head skywards in the form of branches, sprouting leaves, and maybe even blooming buds or fruit. With every out-breath your branches extend upwards and with every in-breath your branches pull celestial, lunar, and solar energy into inner-you. Let the currents of green and celestial energy mingle throughout your body creating a circle current from the celestial energy, through you, and into the core of the earth and back again.

When you feel sufficiently charged-up, begin to pull back your roots and branches until they have formed a small but powerful sphere of centered energy in the belly of inner-you. This is a continuous conductor of energy that you can connect to for abundance, growth, and the divine connection between you, the earth, and the celestial body the moon. You can go within yourself, to your sacred container/temple of your body, to access it at any time, including repeating this simple ritual to continue to revitalize your inner energy.

Whenever you are ready you can open your eyes and come fully back to your body by giving yourself a self-massage or squeezing your feet connecting to the energy current you just were connected too.

Wrap up

The full moon aligned with the steadfast bull invites us to slow down, tune into our senses, and connect with the physical world. This is a time to indulge in life’s simple pleasures allowing us to connect back to ourselves and back to the Earth. Allow the rays of the Taurus full moon to illuminate your needs for safety and security. Allow this full moon to remind you that you have a solid foundation to stand on to feel grounded, safe, and supported during the chaos of life.

Don’t forget to make preparations for your full moon hangover you may experience after this lumination. If you don’t know what a full moon hangover is or how to deal with one you can read all about it in my previous blog post here!

Come join Divination Academy and myself on Friday November 15th @ 8:00pm CST in Facebook live to connect to the stable and grounded Taurus full moon. If the feed cuts out a prerecorded video will also be posted that morning for you to have access too! RSVP to the invite to get notified when we go live!

https://www.facebook.com/share/181W6FRjWb

Posted on

Entering a new chapter of manifestation through the 11/11 portal

Certain dates hold a special significance in the terms of celestial alignment and they create a portal through which we can access heightened energies, spiritual insights, and opportunities for growth. The 11th of November is a really important date as it is the 11th day of the 11th month of the year and for many it is the luckiest day of the entire year. This is because it is known as the 11/11 portal. According to numerology, it is a special day when the date aligns in perfect numeric harmony, opening a powerful doorway to a brand new chapter of manifestation and spiritual awakening. This cosmic event helps you connect more deeply with your true most authentic version of yourself. This portal creates a powerful alignment of cosmic forces that opens a gateway to transformation, renewal, manifestation, abundance, and purpose. The 11/11 Portal offers a reminder that we are creators of our lives and it offers a door way for us to walk through to be able to grab onto all that we want to manifest. The 11:11 Portal is a day of reflection, meditation, and connection. It is a reminder to pause, check in with ourselves, and realign with our sacred purposes through a doorway of magical and other worldly alignment.

First, What is a portal?

A portal is an energetic gateway or doorway that creates a powerful opportunity to connect with higher energies. We can make the most of each portal if we work with the incoming energies and channel, anchor, and integrate them.

The importance of numbers
In numerology, every number from 0 to 9 is a symbol and is therefore highly significant. Symbols are the language of the soul and patterns of numbers work together like a code. We can use days like these to connect more fully and readily with our higher nature and choose to elevate our consciousness.

In numerology, the number 1 represents the beginning of all creation. Then the number 11 is very unique number being a “Master Number” and it’s one of only three. A master number, which means it has a unique vibration and a high level of spiritual significance. It’s believed to represent a bridge between the physical and spiritual realms. 11 itself is associated with intuition, spiritual awakening, and enlightenment.

The meaning of 11/11 portal

11/11 portal is viewed as a time when the universe is in alignment to amplify one’s intentions. It’s thought to be the ideal time for manifesting desires and clarifying goals. The 11/11 portal is a cosmic nudge encouraging us to stay on our spiritual path or to set intentions for what we deep in our souls wish to manifest. It is a doorway to the energy of getting everything we desire. It is a moment when we can access higher realms of understanding and tune in to deeper truths about ourselves that we usually keep hidden. This portal guides us to shedding old patterns, releasing fears, and embracing change.

The 11/11 Portal and Duality

Since, I am a grey witch every single energy I choose to align myself with I look for how I can connect to it in the sense of duality and balance. With this portal it may seem like, there is no way an energy swirling with abundance, wealth, manifestation, renewal, and transformation can be anything but, a wanted thing and a wanted energy? Well, every single energy we work with is dualistic and this energy is no different.

When we are putting our energy, faith, and hope behind a wish to manifest it we must first go into the dark. We must first go into the shadow of our soul to figure out what we are missing. We have to go into the shadows to see what it is we are lacking. In order for us to be clear in the wish and intention we set today we have to fist experience the duality of our reality. This isn’t always a wanted, fun, and cheery place to be. It opens us up to being open and honest with ourselves about what we have and what we don’t. But, than moving through the darkness, and place of lacking into an energy of deserving and bringing it to you.

How To Work With Portals In General

Portal days are a prime opportunity to refocus on ourselves. Below are some ways you can do that with portals in general on portal days when they are open and active.

Listen to your gut feeling: Portal days are not the time for overthinking decisions. Instead, listen to your intuition and trust the inspirations that come to you on these days.

Movement: Energy needs to flow, so make sure you get enough exercise on portal days. For example, you could start the day with some yoga or plan a walk during your lunch break. This will ground you and sharpen your focus at the same time.

Get enough sleep: In order to be as physically and mentally prepared as possible, healthy sleep is essential. Portal days demand a lot from you, so make sure you get enough sleep or take short rest breaks in between.

Journalling and manifestation: Hold on to your thoughts and ideas by visualising them on a goal board or writing them down in your journal. This not only prevents you from forgetting them again, but also brings order to your potential chaos of thoughts.

Create rituals: Everything has a more intense effect on portal days. This includes the opportunity to create new rituals, reinforce existing ones or overhaul old ones. Rituals ensure consistency and can help us to really put our new insights into practice and integrate them permanently into our everyday lives.

How to use the 11/11 portal Specifically

This year, the 11/11 portal occurs on the same day Venus enters Capricorn. The planet of love finds practical commitment in this sign. Therefore, this is an optimal time to manifest love and relationship growth. Career and monetary growth is also ideal under a Capricorn Venus transit on 11/11. 11/11 is a great time for self-reflection, looking back at your journey, and setting intentions for the future, knowing that the Universe is working in your favor. Use the 11/11portal to connect with your higher self, gain clarity on your goals, and create a powerful intention that will manifest with remarkable speed and efficiency.

Bay leaf 11/11 wish ritual

If you want to maximize your manifestation, perform your ritual on 11/11 at 11:11 am or pm. This is the ideal pocket of time to get clear on what you want and ask the universe for whatever your heart desires. Call in your ideal life and the experiences you wish to have. Once you have a clear idea of what you truly want, you can use this bay leaf manifestation ritual below to usher it into existence.

What you will need:

A fire safe bowl, bay leaves, a pen, a lighter or matches

How to perform:

5-10 minutes before 11:11am or pm, take the time to get yourself into sacred container focusing on the energy of manifestation, your dreams coming true and your the deepest wish in your heart for this year. The amplified energy of this date is thought to enhance the manifestation process, aligning your desires with the flow of the universe. Remember, the more specific and intentional you are, the more powerful the outcome can be. Once you feel set in that intention take your bay leaf and pen and on one side of the bay leaf write that manifestation and wish on it. Then flip it over and on the other side write 11 11. Next, focus again on your wish and intention and right at 11:11 light your bay leaf on fire releasing this wish to the multiverse with the energy of the master number behind it.

Other ways to work with this portal

  • Use the whisper method
  • meditate on the concept of abundance and what it means to you
  • Do shadow work to identify your true desire and wish for today
  • auto scripting
  • Write a gratitude list and read out loud in thanks for what you already have
  • Sex magic either solo or with a partner is very potent for manifestation today
  • Start a goal/vision board for
  • Set some new SMART goals
  • Key magic to unlock new doorways and paths
  • Divination like tarot, runes, or using pendulums for yes/no answers

Wrap up

There are many ways to work with the 11/11 portal like, ritual, ceremony, meditation, prayer, channeling, or sacred gatherings. These practices serve to amplify our intentions, deepen our connection to the divine, and align us with the transformative energies of the portal. We can use our own unique way to honor the 11/11 Portal and embrace its gifts of renewal, transformation, and manifestation. Embrace this sacred time as an opportunity for growth, healing, and spiritual evolution, trusting in the guidance of the multiverse/cosmos and the wisdom of our own inner knowing/ intuition. When this portal opens up to you, you can walk through to a new reality of unlimited abundance, bliss, and peace

Posted on

Mabon aka The fall Equinox; A day in duality to balance day and night

Across many cultures, the time of the autumn equinox aka Mabon, has been marked with festivals that celebrate the second harvest, a crucial period for gathering resources before the onset of winter. Mabon, or the fall equinox, is the first step toward the season of transformation. This is a time of transition and harvest, and a time of balance and realignment as we turn to greet the darkness of shadow season. As the Autumn Equinox brings equal day and night, Mabon stands as a poignant reminder of balance and reciprocity.

Mabon is not only a time for celebration but also for reflection and preparation. It encourages contemplation of life’s balances—light with dark, activity with rest, and abundance with scarcity. This equilibrium is reflected in the equal length of day and night during the equinox. In this sense, Mabon mirrors the theme of balance seen in the earlier spring equinox festival, Ostara, but with a focus on gratitude and the harvesting of blessings. This sabbat serves as a reminder to cherish and utilize the abundance currently available while preparing for the leaner times winter may bring. It’s a time to make the most of the remaining warmth and light, gathering resources and fortifying homes against the coming cold, all while giving thanks for the year’s bounty and the people with whom we share it.

What is Mabon?

Mabon is the Wiccan term for the Autumn Equinox that occurs annually between September 21st and 23rd. It’s the first official day of Fall, sometimes known as the Witches’ Thanksgiving. Although I really recommend for you to not refer to it as such. That is dripping in cultural appropriation and celebrating the slaughter of many and blood running across the land.Mabon is the second of three harvest festivals for many Wiccans, witches and pagans.

The history of Mabon

The idea of a harvest festival is actually very old. Cultures from around the world have been celebrating this time of year for the last millennia. Most of how we see it now is rooted deeply in Celtic and Welsh traditions. Ancient Greece held a festival known as Oschophoria which celebrated the harvest of grapes to make wine. Oktoberfest began in the Bavarian counties during the eighteenth century. In the East, this is a sacred time to celebrate the harvest, family, and unity. Many cultures believe Mabon or the second harvest, to be the best time for giving thanks and reflecting upon the year. For, it is during the second harvest was when food storage and prep for the long winter months ahead would really begin.

When is Mabon?

In the northern hemisphere, it’s typically celebrated between September 20th and September 22nd, the exact moment of the Equinox varies from year to year. This is due to a slight misalignment between the Gregorian calendar and the actual rate of the Earth’s rotation around the Sun. Mabon 2024 will occur on Sunday, September 22, at 8:44 AM EDT, aligning with the Autumn Equinox. While this marks the official date, celebrations can vary, with some extending the festivities throughout the weekend to fully embrace the season’s themes of balance and gratitude

A Celebration of The Harvest

With Mabon, we celebrate the plenitude of earth’s bounty, the abundance of life, as well as what needs to be released. Mabon holds the energy of gratitude, celebration, and letting go. We connect to and honor the fertility the land has produced and all its riches. It is time to reap what we have sown, both physically and energetically. We are now feeling the fullness of the Fall season all around us and interwoven in the air. Mabon is the celebration of the fruits of our labor all spring and fall long in our fields, gardens, and orchards. Mabon holds the energy of gratitude, celebration, for the bounty of the land.

A time to connect to the cycle of the seasons

It’s the time the leaves change and begin to fall. Mabon is a reminder every single year that change is always coming, needed, and beautiful. Mabon is the welcoming of the harvest and our last farewell to the long days of Summer. Because following the Autumn Equinox, the days will start to fall shorter than the nights. It’s the reminder to us all that life like the seasons is cyclical.

A time of reflection, transformation, and rebirth

Mabon marks when the length of the day and night are equal, initiating the dark half of the year, and with it, the ability to integrate, transmute, and release what has occurred over the course of the year. To allow ourselves to descend into the depths of our soul to hold up a mirror of reflection for ourselves. We are able to truly embrace the shadows of our soul within this liminal space giving them the comfort and grace to change.

Mabon and Duality

Since, I am a grey witch I look for the duality in every single energy I work with including sacred times like the festival and holiday of mabon and the fall equinox. This sabatt is not only is teeming with an abundance of the energy of the harvest and the bouty the earth has brought us but, we also see it in the transition this month brings us through. Mabon and the fall equinox marks the time of the year when we acknowledge the cyclical transition from one season to another. We see us leave the hot, vibrant, fun and sun based season of Summer and turn our attention to the crisp, cool, productive, and earth based season of fall. We literally get to watch in real time on this day that is equal day and night, nature transitioning from being bustling with life to decaying in death. This sabatt is a really unique pocket of liminal space and time for us to connect too. We get to be surrounded by the bounty and abundance of the fall harvest and all the joy, celebration and gratitude that brings. While we are also confronted with the reality of nature beginning to die around us and the dark cold winter that is very soon going to be upon us.

Common Traditions

Traditionally this sabbat is celebrated with mid-autumn vegetables like squash, apples, seeds, nuts, grapes, wine, baskets which symbolize the gathering of crops, and sickles and scythes symbolizing the harvesting of the crops. Great feasts were commonly held at this time with lots of drinking and merriment. Hospitality was extremely important, as they may have ended up being the ones to help you through the harsh winter months if your stores ran dry.

Deities of Mabon

During Mabon and the fall equinox its common for many witches and pagans to work with and celebrate deities that connect to and represent the energies central to the celebrations. This season and it’s celebrations are full of magic, and there are many autumn gods and goddesses who embody its transformational energy.Mabon is a really important time in pagan culture and there are plenty of autumn gods and goddesses to work with or worship, depending on your practice, festivals, and celebrations. Let’s take a walk through the fields we are harvesting. Or through a woods full of vibrant leaves falling to the ground all around us. To take a look at the bounty of fall and revival in the transformation around us you can meet SOME of those deities in my previous post here!

Magical Themes Of Mabon

Every season and every pagan holiday has certain concepts and magical themes. Which means, depending on your tradition and needs, you can weave one or more of these themes into your personal celebrations. This Sabbat perform spells to cultivate inner balance, restore harmony, give thanks for the harvest, and embrace the changing seasons. It’s also an ideal festival to spend time in introspection, journaling about your experiences, analyzing your discipline and structure, and giving thanks for the abundance in our lives. It’s a very liminal time weaved with the energies of duality.  Mabon is a great time to focus on spells that express gratitude to harvest and the Earth for all it’s bounty it has brought you. This is a very potent time to allow yourself to descend into the depths of your soul for inner work and reflection. To dance between the fallen leaves and the liminal space of shadows in the woods to grow, heal, and be reborn. On Mabon, we see the following magical rituals and spells below as well. Remember these are just some of the themes and energies you can connect to and work with on Mabon.

  • Gratitude
  • Abundance
  • Growth
  • Change
  • Transformation
  • The harvest
  • Liminal space
  • Rebirth
  • The underworld
  • Death

Correspondences To Connect To Mabon

First, what is a correspondence? A correspondence is an item or symbol that is meant to connect you to a specific energy thru it’s representation. It is seen also as an item to respect, honor, and venerate that energy as well whether it be a deity, an archetype energy, the zodiac energy the moon is currently or for A holiday or sacred time like Mabon, I will list below for you to use.Remember this is not an all encompassing list and there may be other correspondences to use. Just follow your intuition and use what calls to you.

  • Planet-Earth
  • Animal-dogs, wolves, goat, stag, blackbird, owls and birds of prey, gnomes, Sphinx
  • Element-Earth and Air
  • colors- gold, bronze, reds, browns, dark greens, oranges, yellow
  • Herbs/flowers-ferns, honeysuckle, marigold, milkweed, myrrh, pine, rose, sage, tobacco, thistle, wheat, barley, oats, aster, mums, oak, hops, cedar
  • Stones/ crystals- green moss agate, green aventurine, black tourmaline, smokey quartz, lapis lazuli, citrine, carnelian, obsidian, tiger’s eye, amber
  • Deities-Mabon, Morgan, Epona, Persephone, Thoth, Thor, The Green Man, Demeter/Ceres, the Muses, the Wicker-man, Bacchus, Dionysus, Ianna, Hades, Chang’e, Modron
  • Symbols-apples, acorns, wine, pine cones, gourds, grapes, grains, dried seeds and leaves, vines, horns, scythes, sickles, squash

Ways To Celebrate Mabon

We have talked about many different themes, and energies you can connect to during this time from change, the harvest, abundance, rebirth, transformation, reflection, and more. Let’s talk about how we can connect to and celebrate those themes and energies now. First, you can participate and honor any of the deities listed above or that are associated with Mabon, transformation, and Fall. Mabon creates a very potent liminal pocket of time that is teeming with duality, balance, and the power of transition. It’s a Sabatt that really pulls us to go deep within ourselves for introspection, reflection, self awareness, and growth. This makes it a great celebration to do any work on transformation, rebirth, and renewal through shadow work. Allowing the energy of the transitioning seasons to harvest what you have grown and prepare for the long cold months of winter ahead. If you would like to learn more about shadow work you can purchase my eBook here;  you can book me for a 1:1 session as your guide here; and you can watch my free class previously taught on it through Divination here.

In your everyday life, you can work with any affirmations, mantras, and visualization work for change, rebirth, abundance, reflection, growth, the harvest, and transformation.You can also begin to turn your attention towards Samhain coming next month and the ancestral work you wish to do when the veil is the thinnest. Don’t forget to also take the time to give thanks to the earth for the harvest through rituals, prayers, and offerings as well especially during the equinox and Mabon!Check out below more ways to work with and celebrate this holiday and time of year.

Create and hang a Leaf wreath for transition and change

A central symbol and part of fall are the vibrant, color changing, and falling leaves. We enjoy the colors as we drive by through the windows or as we walk in the woods and catch them as they fall. We rake them into piles for us to run and jump into. One of my favorite things to do with them during Mabon and the fall equinox is to grab a big pile of them in my arms. I sit with them and a pen, then with a grounded and centered heart I write either an intention for the dark months to come or something to release in gratitude for the bright months soon to be behind us. I like to alternate from one to the next to honor the duality and translational energy of Mabon. Next, either weave them together as a wreath or add them to one as decoration continuing to keep each leaf anchored in your soul. Once, you are done with it you can hang it on your door, over hearth, or near your bed to bless yourself and home for the dark months coming ahead.

Refresh Your Altar
Another way to connect to a holiday and/or sacred day I always recommend is to cleanse and refresh your altar and/or sacred space. Use earth or fire to cleanse, then decorate with grains, fallen leaves, veggies you have harvested, apples, symbols of death, and any correspondences we talked about earlier.

Simmer pot for Mabon

Whether you consider yourself a Kitchen Witch, are vaguely interested in Kitchen Magic or just want to bring some good vibes and good smells into your home, simmer pots are an easy, accessible and fun ritual for any time of year! Simmer pots are easy to create and customize to your liking, so you can make your kitchen a sacred space whenever you want! So, why not make one specifically to call in and honor the energy of Mabon.

What are simmer pots? Simmer pots are basically potpourri in a pot! You choose your ingredients, put them in a pot with water, bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer and let it do its thing. They couldn’t be any easier, just be sure you don’t let your pot boil dry! If you want to keep the pot going simply add more water when it gets low. And obviously never leave it going when you are not home. To learn more about how about this magical practice you can check out my previous blogpost on the topic here.

Five Senses Nature Walk

Mabon is all about the cycle and movement of nature, marking the bounty of the Earth, and honoring the hard work of the harvest. Mabon is the time every single year to remind us the beauty of change and death in life. So why not take the time to connect to nature itself? Soak in all the fertility and abundance in nature right now by walking through fields of corn or grains that are being harvested for the winter now. Or dance between the trees and take in the vibrant colors of the changing leaves. Let your nose take in the smell of death and decay in the leaves littering your pathway. You can do this by going on a five sense nature walk. After you have engaged all your senses, walk back to your home. Reflect on your experience by writing it down in a journal.

Perform some fall divination with an apple peel reading

One of the symbols of Mabon and the fall equinox is the apple. So why not use one in your divination practice for this sacred day? Apples have been used in divination practices, such as apple peeling or apple seed reading. They are believed to enhance psychic abilities, intuition, and provide insights into the future. Apple peel reading, is a form of divination also known as pomatomancy. It is a traditional practice that uses the shape and letters formed by apple peels to gain insight and predict future events. This method has been used for centuries to seek guidance and answers and is really popular to do around the fall harvest time. The practice is really very simple, carefully peel your apple skin in one piece and remove it, allow the peel to fall, and let it reveal messages through its shapes, letters, and symbols to you.

An Acorn Mabon Spell for Prosperity
What you will need:

An acorn
Marker
Small spell bag
3 bay leaves and a pinch of rosemary

How to cast the acorn Mabon Spell for blessings of prosperity:

Cleanse your tools in whatever way you prefer and get yourself into sacred container
Hold your acorn in your hands and envision prosperity flowing from the acorn into your hands and through your entire body like a soft green light. Think of the fields, gardens, and orchards around your teeming with bounty
Keep the acorn in your left hand and place your 3 bay leaves and pinch of rosemary inside your spellbag
Say the following 3 times:
“Blessings of the Mabon season overflowing all the fields
make your way from the lands and flow through this little acorn into my hand

Bring with you on the winds of change, abundance and prosperity. Through the dark and cold winter months you will bless my hearth and my family”
Now draw a symbol that you think of when it comes to Mabon and prosperity onto the acorn
Place the acorn your small bag.
Sinch the bag shut and Thank the earth, Autumn, and the equinox energy.
Hang the Mabon spell bag above your hearth, until the Autumn season has ended.
Then bury the acorn somewhere in your yard.

Make a Mabon Spell Jar

Spell Jars are one of my most favorite spells to create and tools to use in my magical practice and life. Spell jars are great to create a container of energy for you to harness and come back to over and over again when you need it! A quick run down on how to create a spell jar. Pick your items, and add them to your jar after you wash, cleanse and charger your jar. As you add your items focus on visualizing the energy of abundance and what it is you very specifically want to call into your life with that energy. Once you feel the intention and energy is set inside the jar you can take your lid and seal it shut. To add more power to your jar you can add sigils to the outside or seal the lid with wax even. Place the jar on your altar or anywhere in your home, office, or car where you can see it and come back to it when you need to call on the energy and spell again. You can shake the jar to activate the magic whenever you come back to it as well. Keep an eye out for more spell jars on my Pinterest or Facebook page and to learn more about all about them purchase my ebook here.

Other ways to Celebrate Mabon

  • Connect to any deities of the month
  • Cast a spell for family, home and hearth or leave an offering of the first piece of meat for your feast for Hestia at your hearth to get your home and family warm all winter long
  • Visit a corn maze
  • Perform abundance magic with apples
  • Begin prepping and planning for the winter
  • bob for apples
  • Cast gratitude spells and rituals
  • Work with apples, grain, or corn in kitchen magic
  • Cast spells to help with personal transition or transformation
  • Make a corn dolly
  • Ancestral magic and work
  • Give thanks for the fall harvest through prayer or by leaving offerings at the edge of a field of orchard about to be harvested
  • Use leaf magic for release work
  • Go on a nature walk to mindfully notice the changing colors of the leaves
  • Perform Green witchcraft
  • Add a separate altar for the fall equinox
  • make a manifestation leaf wreath or garland
  • Spend time in Nature grounding and/or earthing
  • Have a ritual bonfire with family and friends for the harvest and Mabon
  • Make a besom and hang over your front door for protection, and prosperity
  • do canning and food storage prep for the winter
  • Serve others and nurture those in need by working at soup kitchen, food bank, or holding a food drive
  • Meditate on balance and what duality means to you
  • Make a gratitude list, read it out loud, and bury it in the earth to give thanks
  • Do elemental magic with the element earth

Harvest duality, gratitude, and abundance this September

We talked about many things in this blogpost including the history, the different energies and magical themes, and how to celebrate Mabon and the fall equinox. No matter how you choose to work with the energies and magic of Mabon and the fall equinox make sure to be focused on continuing your rebirth for this year. Truly allow yourself to notice the beauty in the change, and decaying around you. Don’t let fear keep you from descending into the depths of your soul to begin your rebirth come spring. Be mindful and remember to give thanks for the seeds you planted at the beginning of the season. That you nourished with love, and are now harvesting with glee and gratitude. Take note of the leaves changing colors before they fall as you reflect on the past year and the growth it took to get here. Allow yourself to become immersed in the magic of duality weaving in nature all around you. As you cycle through the changing of the seasons this month and prepare for the long winter ahead of us.

To connect to the energy of Mabon and celebrate this sacred day of gratitude, reflection, and balance you can join me live on Sunday September 22nd @ 3:00pm CST in Facebook live with DiviNation Academy. You can RSVP to the event here and you can even watch my guided meditation from Mabon last year here!

Posted on 1 Comment

Deities of fall; Honor the harvest, transformation, and gratitude

Across many cultures, the time of the autumn equinox aka Mabon, has been marked with festivals that celebrate the second harvest, and is usually celebrated on September 21st-23rd. It is the time to celebrate the crucial period for gathering resources before the onset of winter. During the autumn equinox, summer officially ends and fall begins. Mabon, or the Autumn Equinox, is the time when day and night hours are equal. In the coming months, the days will get shorter and the nights will get longer. Mabon, or the fall equinox, is the first step toward the season of transformation. This is a time of transition and harvest, and a time of balance and realignment as we turn to greet the darkness of shadow season. As the Autumn Equinox brings equal day and night, Mabon stands as a poignant reminder of balance and reciprocity.

Mabon is not only a time for celebration but also for reflection and preparation. It encourages contemplation of life’s balances—light with dark, activity with rest, and abundance with scarcity. This equilibrium is reflected in the equal length of day and night during the equinox. In this sense, Mabon mirrors the theme of balance seen in the earlier spring equinox festival, Ostara, but with a focus on gratitude and the harvesting of blessings. This sabbat serves as a reminder to cherish and utilize the abundance currently available while preparing for the leaner times winter may bring. It’s a time to make the most of the remaining warmth and light, gathering resources and fortifying homes against the coming cold, all while giving thanks for the year’s bounty and the people with whom we share it.

During these festivals its common for many witches and pagans to work with and celebrate deities that connect to and represent the energies central to the celebrations. This season and it’s celebrations are full of magic, and there are many autumn gods and goddesses who embody its transformational energy.Autumn is a really important time in pagan culture and there are plenty of autumn gods and goddesses to work with or worship, depending on your practice, festivals, and celebrations. Let’s take a walk through the fields we are harvesting. Or through a woods full of vibrant leaves falling to the ground all around us. To take a look at the bounty of fall and revival in the transformation around us while we meet SOME of those deities together in this post today.

Demeter: Greek goddess of Agriculture and the harvest

Demeter is a major goddess in Greek mythology who plays an important role in the lives of the ancient Greeks, who relied heavily on crops and grains for their existence. According to Greek mythology, Demeter, also known as Ceres in Rome, taught humanity how to cultivate, preserve, and cook grain and maize. Her role was to rule over the fertility of the land as one of the main deities of the harvest. She presides over crops, grains, food, and the fertility of the earth, and represents good harvests, fruits, vegetation, and the nourishment and growth of the earth. Demeter is also associated with health, birth, and marriage, and has connections to the Underworld. Other names she is known as are; the Harvest Goddess and Deo. Demeter is the daughter of Cronus and Rhea, and the sister and consort of Zeus, the king of the gods. Demeter’s legend centers on her daughter Persephone, who is “carried off” by Hades, the god of the underworld in some version. In others, Persephone goes to the underworld willingly to gain her own power. Demeter goes in search of Persephone, and during her journey she reveals her secret rites to the people of Eleusis.This, plus the deal she negotiates with Zeus to get her daughter to return to her for half the year; created the seasonal cycle. So in many ways, Demeter is the goddess of the seasons; she helps to usher in the new season and allows all things to come in cycles. She is a reminder that we must face the dark times of winter to be reborn in spring.

Persephone: Greek Goddess of Fall, spring, and the underworld

We can’t talk about demeter, fall, or transformation without talking about her beloved daughter Persephone. While many save spring to honor her. After working with her for over 10 years, I find autumn and fall to be an even more potent time to work with her. Because, it is her descent to the Underworld back to her beloved husband, that brings about the cold weather via the deal her mother demeter and father Zeus made. Spiritually and energetically, we all go to the Underworld with Persephone every single year. During Winter we move into a time of darkness, scarcity, and reflection. The harvest is our last attempt to store what we need in order to make it through that dark, cold time. While the winter can seem dark and scary, much like many view the Underworld, it is necessary to face these cold times for us to heal, meet our true self, and be reborn with the sun come spring.

So, who is Persephone? In Greek mythology, Persephone is the goddess of agriculture, the spring, the Underworld, duality, and the wife of Hades. Prior to her marriage with Hades she was known as Kore, which means “daughter” or “maiden”. I find this to be crucial to her story and representation of rebirth, because, before she grabbed power in her marriage to Hades, the gods hadn’t even given her a name or her own place of power. Which makes no sense to me because she was born from two of the most powerful deities. Persephone is the daughter of Zeus, the chief god, and Demeter, the goddess of agriculture.For her to have such little power, be sheltered, and not have her own place of power within the pantheon was in injustice she would rectify through the power of rebirth and duality by becoming Hades wife. As the wife of Hades, Persephone governs the realm of the dead by his side with grace, compassion, and might. Persephone’s presence in the Underworld brings a sense of balance between life and death. Just like the balance she brings to us all during this equinox and the beginning of Autumn/fall.

To learn all about this alluring, intriguing, and transitional goddess, and see her story in a whole new light. Plus meet her in a guided meditation you can watch my class all about her here!

Hades: Greek god of the underworld

Since we’ve named him already alongside his beloved wife and her mother we can’t forget about the Greek god of the underworld; Hades (pluto). Some may not think of him for this festival and time of year but, with this being such a crucial time for his wife and her mother his energy is interwoven among it as well. I mean his love for his wife and desire to have her, is really the seed of intention that sprouts the seasons. Hades is the god and king of the Greek Underworld, which gives him power and control over the souls who reside there. Hades, name translates to “unseen” or “sightless”, which really connects him the energy of transition, rebirth, and the liminal space . Connecting him to this time of year to allow us to walk in and out of the liminal space of transition just as we do the fall trees. Hades is the son of the Greek Titans Cronus and Rhea, and he is brother to Zeus, Demeter, Hera, Hestia and Poseidon. Hades’ father Cronus attempted to swallow him whole to destroy him forever but, in the end he failed. Allowing Hades to truly feel comfortable in the belly of the darkness fall is preparing us for and understand the pain and beauty to be born anew again.

Dagan god/ Dagon: Syrian and Semitic God Of Agriculture

Dagan god, was an ancient deity revered in Syria, Mesopotamia, and the eastern Mediterranean. Dagan god was considered the all father of the gods and worshipped for his connections to agriculture, prosperity, and fertility. Dagangod was a very powerful deity, often associated with the divine rulership and legitimacy of kings in ancient society. Dagan god also has a clear connection to Baal, the storm and fertility god, connecting him even more to energy of fertility. Together, they formed a harmonious pair representing the different elements needed to create thriving civilizations; fertility, prosperity, and divine protection.

In other writings, like the biblical context, Dagan god is referred to as Dagon. Dagon was the god of fertility and agriculture worshipped by the Amorites, an early Semitic tribe. Dagan was the Hebrew and Ugaritic common noun for “grain,” which made him one of the primary autumn gods bringing them a bountiful harvest. He is worshipped during this time more as a god of harvest and abundance. Instead of a god of transition because he tends to “rest” until fertility is restored in the spring when he restores the Earth’s bounty.

Pachamama: Incan Goddess Of Fertility, Time, & The Earth

Pachamama, the Inca goddess of fertility and nature, and she holds great significance in the indigenous cultures of the Andes. She is seen as the mother earth, is revered for her ability to cause earthquakes. By becoming a dragon underneath a mountain and causing the entire earth to tremble and shake. She is revered as a sacred force responsible for sustaining life and ensuring the abundance of crops and resources. The Incas believed that Pachamama was a loving mother figure, representing the living Earth itself. She was revered as a deity of duality capable of both creating and destroying. Both being essential for the cycle of life. The Incas perceived Pachamama as a benevolent and nurturing force that sustained all living beings. Later, the fusion of indigenous beliefs and Catholicism during the Spanish colonization led to the association of Pachamama with the Virgin Mary.

Hestia: Greek goddess of hearth, home, and fire

I can’t help but, always think of Hestia and turn to her during the fall. She may not be an obvious choice for some. But, when we think of fall it’s a time we go in, including returning back to our homes. We spend the time tidying up, storing goods, and collecting wood for the long cold winters ahead. Hestia is the sole attendant to the celestial hearth of the gods. As the goddess of the hearth, she personified the fire burning in the hearths of every home in Greece.On a very tangible level, Hestia rules the domain of fire. This means that she is directly responsible, at least according to the Greeks, for the fire, the stove, and the heat in your home. Which is why I always feel pulled to her during this time. Especially living in Minnesota I need her to bless my hearth with continuous heat during the long winter months. Honoring her during the equinox when the temperatures begin to fall, will bless your hearth as she stokes and fuels the flames all winter long. Don’t forget all winter long to present her and your hearth with the first offering sacrificed to keep those flames burning strong.

To learn more about and meet hestia, you can come join me in my upcoming class all about her with Divination academy on Sunday October 13th @ 2:00pm CST!

Autumnus: Roman deity of the Harvest

Autumnus represents the abundance of nature and harvest time during the autumn season. Autumnus is a unique deity as well, since we have both male and female representations of them. Which makes them a gender fluid deity. They represents the harvest, wine, and fruits of the earth. They are the divine personification of the autumn season, representing the abundance of nature and the time of the harvest. Autumn is a time to appreciate the earth’s abundance, but also remembering that the daylight hours will now begin to wane, meaning caution is called for. So while we reap autumn’s bounty, we must also start planning for the dark months ahead. This is the energy Autumnus brings and reminds us of, the fluidity of change within the cycle of seasons.

Cerridwen: Celtic goddess and keeper of the cauldron

Cerridwen is considered a goddess from the Welsh Celtic tradition today, but according to the Mabinogion and other Welsh legends, she is referred to as a Sorceress. Or a witch. Cerridwen is the Keeper of the Cauldron, the mother of transformation and change. Cerridwen is a goddess of “Awen” which is the source of Divine Inspiration. She brings inspiration, wisdom and the gifts of prophecy to those that work with her. She is seen in Welsh legend as being a crone Goddess.Cerridwen is also to some worshipped as a triple goddess, representing the Maid, Mother, and Crone, and can shape shift between life and death. Cerridwen’s areas of influence are Magic, fertility, wisdom, poetry, creativity, herbalism, the harvest, and more!

According to legend, Ceridwen sought to brew a potion of Awen, a divine inspiration, to grant her son, Morfran, unmatched wisdom and poetic prowess. As most myths go it didn’t actually end as planned, instead includes a chase, a death, and a new son to be born.Through her myths, Ceridwen represents the continuous cycle of death and rebirth, the pursuit of knowledge, and the power of transformation. Her cauldron is a symbol many use in rituals and meditations to invoke inspiration and change. Since, Mabon is a time of balance between light and dark. It is a period for giving thanks and reflecting on the cycle of life and death. Ceridwen’s themes of transformation and the harvest of wisdom and cosmic knowledge align well with the energies of Mabon. As she stirs the cauldron of rebirth, knowledge, and transformation, she transforms the world. Out of the unknown she reminds us, comes new life and new ideas. Embrace the spirit of Ceridwen this Mabon and may her cauldron show you your path to rebirth, transformation, and cosmic wisdom.

To hear more about the story with her son and to peer into her cauldron in guided meditation you can watch my class about her with Divination Academy here!

Inanna: Sumerian goddess of fertility, love, abundance and more

Inanna is an ancient Mesopotamian goddess associated with love, war, fertility, and more. She was originally worshipped in Sumer, but was also known as Ishtar by the Akkadians, Babylonians, and Assyrians. As the goddess of love and war, Inanna embodies the essence of duality. From peaceful alliances to fierce battles, her attributes symbolize the duality present in human life. She represents both passionate desire and relentless power, captivating us with her enchanting beauty and formidable strength. The story of Inanna is another descent into the Underworld. In this myth, Inanna embarks on a perilous journey to the realm of the dead, seeking to confront her sister Ereshkigal.The land became infertile and crops stopped growing when Inanna was in the Underworld, similar to Persephone’s story. Inanna restored fertility to the land after returning to Earth and bringing the crops back to life.

Modron: Welsh Earth mother goddess

Modron is a Welsh goddess of fertility, healing, abundance, grief, loss, and ancestral wisdom. She is also known as Matrona, and is said to be the mother of the divine child, Mabon. Modron is thought to have originated as a river goddess in ancient Celtic Gaul. Modron is featured in the Welsh Mabinogi tales, the Welsh Triads, and modern tales of Avalon. In these tales Mabon her son, was abducted as an infant and King Arthur embarks on a quest to rescue Mabon with many adventures happening along the way. Linked to fertility and the natural cycles of life, Modron’s association with the land’s bounty and the creation of new life is widely acknowledged. Mysterious and revered, she embodies the essence of motherhood and the nurturing aspects of life that we are giving thanks for this season.

Mabon: Son of Welsh Earth mother

Mabon, an enigmatic figure in Celtic mythology, and Arthurian legends holds a significant place in ancient beliefs. His story begins with the captivating myth of his abduction and King Arthur’s role in the search to get him back. According to ancient texts, Mabon was stolen from his mother, modron as an infant and hasn’t been seen since. His name means, “The Divine Son” and “The Son of Light”. He was the God of sex, love, magic, prophecy, and power. The sun god Mabon is also known as the Welsh and Gaulish god Maponos. Mabon, is often depicted as youthful and vibrant, personifies the essence of youth within Celtic mythology. His story of being freed from his imprisonment in a cavern. To than be able to aimlessly wander the land free, is another fall story of transition from the caverns of darkness back to bounty of the earth above.

Chang’e: Chinese goddess of the moon

Chang’e is the ethereal Chinese Goddess of the Moon, she is known for her captivating beauty, her immortality, and her connection to lunar cycles. Legends tell the story of her ascent to the moon, where she resides and is admired by people from afar. In this story, she was the wife of a heroic archer who was rewarded for his services to the gods by a gift of the elixir of immortality. In her husband’s absence, she stole the potion and drank it herself. Which then caused her to float up to the heavens where she lived out her immortality away from her beloved, as the moon.She is often depicted as a woman with long black hair, pale skin, red lips, and flowing robes. Her name translates to “the beautiful Cháng”. She is celebrated in poems and novels, and some people worship her during the Mid-Autumn Festival.

Freyr or Frey: Norse god of fertility, peace, and good weather

Freyr or Frey was the god of fertility, peace, and good weather in Norse mythology.Freyr is Lord over the Earth and of the bounty of the Earth. Freyr was worshiped across Scandinavia (particularly in Sweden), where he was celebrated at weddings and harvest feasts. Freyr was among the most prominent of Vanir deities alongside his twin sister Freya. Freyr possessed the power of prosperity and well-being in regards to wealth, health, fertility, and bountiful harvests. Freyr was responsible for the Germanic peoples fertile well-being and prosperity. Including holding power over food production made Freyr one of the most important well-known Nordic gods throughout Germanic history. This is why we see him celebrated and honored during this festival, to honor the harvest and bounty he has brought.

Freyr also has ties to the elves and Yggdrasil. Freyr is considered an ancestor to the Yngling line, he might have even once been a real person. Then, following his death, he was buried in the earth among the other ancestors who were also called the Alfar (Elves). In other writings he is said to live in Yggdrasil. After Freyr was born, he was given a gift to commemorate his first tooth, which is a Norse tradition. That gift was Alfheim, one of the nine worlds in the branches of Yggdrasil and home to the elves. It’s not clear if this actually makes Freyr the ruler of Alfheim, but it certainly was his home.

Inari: Shinto kami of rice and prosperity

Inari is one of Japan’s most famous and beloved Kami, worshipped in both Shinto and Buddhist shrines commonly alongside Amaterasu. Inari is the kami of rice, tea, sake, agriculture, industry and prosperity. Inari is also associated with foxes called Kitsunes, who are said to be Inari’s messengers and protectors of the rice harvest. Inari is another unique deity being depicted as gender fluid. They are sometimes depicted as a bearded man on a white fox, or as a woman with long hair carrying sheaves of rice. They are considered the protector of grains, which are crucial for the survival of Japan and it’s people. During the O-Inari-san Festival in the fall we can express gratitude and requests for favor from the kami, Inari.

Keep in mind unlike other practices, Shintoism celebrates the harvest in the spring, and thanks the deity for the previous season’s crops in the fall. These festivals, are known as aki matsuri (autumn festivals).

How to connect to and work with these deities

Everyone’s relationship with deities is different and we all work with and believe in them differently. You might believe in multiple gods and goddesses and work with them each as though they are close, personal friends. Or maybe you believe the gods are reflections of Universal energy and simply archetype energies that you can learn a lesson from. However you incorporate deities in your practice is up to you. But here are some ideas to get you started on ways to work with any or all of these deities of the fall. Remember; it’s important to approach them with respect, reverence, gratitude and by building a relationship with them. Every time you work with a deity it is an even energetic exchange; which means what you put into your intention when working with them and building your relationship to them is what you get back.

  • Refresh your altar and add any of them to it. Or create a new one. Use any of the correspondences listed for each deity above that resonates with you!
  • Cast a spell for family, home and hearth to bring gratitude for the bountiful harvest into you home. Or cast spells to light your hearth with goddess Hestia
  • Begin prepping and planning for the winter allowing the deities of fall to help you prepare to transition from the season of light and warmth to dark and cold
  • Work with apples, grain, or corn in kitchen magic to bring the deity into your meals, baked offerings, and home
  • Cast spells to help with personal transition or transformation allowing the deities of the transitional season to guide you through the process
  • Give thanks for the fall harvest. There are many ways to do this one of my favorites is bringing offerings of thanks and leaving it at the edge of fields and/or orchards for the deity you are thanking for this bountiful harvest
  • Use leaf magic to ask for blessings from the deities of fall
  • Go on a nature walk to mindfully connect to the deities in nature while the seasons change
  • Make a simmer pot to call in transition, balance, gratitude, or a plentiful harvest into you home and family for the long dark winter to come
  • make a manifestation leaf wreath or garland and on each leaf either write a prayer or a blessing to the deities. Once done place the wreath on your altar to honor the deity. Or leave it at a field that is about the be harvested for gratitude and thanks. You can even hang it in your home to connect to deity throughout fall.
  • Spend time in Nature grounding and/or earthing to connect to the energy of the deities all around you and call to them for guidance, and connection while you transition with the season around you.
  • Have a ritual bonfire with family and friends for the harvest and Mabon and invite the deities to join by placing representations of them around the fire or give offerings to it for them.
  • Shadow work based on; duality, planning, gratitude, transition, and rebirth. Doing shadow work with deities connected to this very transitional time will allow you to walk in and out of the liminal space with ease. If you would like to learn more about shadow work you can purchase my eBook here; you can book me for a 1:1 session as your guide here;  and you can watch my free class previously taught on it through Divination here. 
  • Invite the deities to your dinner table during your fall equinox meal. Set them their own plate and leave their seat empty for them to choose to take.

Conclusion

However you choose to include the deities of Mabon and the fall equinox into your celebrations, festivals, and rituals; remember this is not only a time for celebration, but also for reflection and preparation. Allow the deities to encourage contemplation of life’s balances—light with dark, activity with rest, and abundance with scarcity. Allow them to show you the equilibrium that is reflected in the equal length of day and night and the cycle of seasons and life. Walk hand and hand with them down the rows of apple trees, stalks of corn, or wheat fields giving thanks for the bounty you see. Then let them guide you in and out of the shadows of the trees as you catch the vibrant falling leaves.

A fundamental pillar of Paganism is working with the deities that one believes in. While all practicing Pagans have varying beliefs about the gods and goddesses, most agree that honoring their deities is a great way to connect with them and further their spiritual goals. But, again remember not every pagan works with deities. Also remember there are literally thousands of different deities out there in the multiverse and which ones you choose to honor will often depend significantly upon what pantheon your spiritual path follows. This eBook will walk you thru the different ways to view deities, what a deity can be, and the basics to start building a deep meaningful relationship with one.

About Me : I have been a solitary grey magic practitioner for 15 + years. First and foremost, I consider myself a mystic and seeker of all knowledge. I am dedicated to the restoration, and re-enchantment of Magic in society, across this realm, and in each and every soul I come across in life! I am here to create a container that promotes healing, duality, and raw authenticity. I do this by guiding you on your personal journey to understanding your unique magic and sacred contracts. I facilitate this for you through embracing your shadow, duality and learning to live in energetic balance while not wearing a mask. When you work and learn from me you do so from your “darkness” as much as your “light” and in a way to truly harness and accept it not to just go thru it on the way to your light. But, I teach you how to truly embrace it, work with it, and use it alongside your light as a partner. I hold up a mirror for you to be able to see your authentic reflection looking back. Then have the courage to take the next step and do the uncomfortable but vital inner work to completely remove your mask. By facing all of your past wounds, traumas, and hurts. Allowing you to see both the dark and light within your story and take each chapter and alchemize it into something that is so powerful. your unique internal flame will shine so bright you will always be able to go within and find it on a dark cold night. You will learn how to truly live in duality and energetic balance to allow growth, and alignment with your sacred contracts and purposes. to finally move on and truly let the things that hold you back in this life from healing and manifesting go. To see everything I offer; like personalized shadow work sessions, womb healing, eBooks for you to work through on your own, Tarot sessions for guidance and more! Go to my shop!

Posted on 2 Comments

The magic of working with Apples

The air is getting a little crisper, and chillier as it blows through the trees around us. The leaves are following the cycle of the season as they change into their vibrant fall colors. We feel the pull to get outside in nature and soak up this changing season and the beauty fall has to bring us. One popular fall activity does just that as we find ourselves walking through an apple orchard and feel the living, moving, earth-shattering energy that swirls invisibly around us. Wrapped up in each juicy, ripe, colorful apple waiting for us to pick from the branches they weigh down. As we walk among the rows of the orchard, growing the food even cherished by the gods, we feel the magic of Autumn itself. As the veil thins during this season, we become more attuned to the other world, and the thinning of the veil. It’s a time when we can cast some potent spells and rituals connected to transition, gratitude, abundance, duality, protection, and accessing our ancestors. Let me show you in this blogpost how that basket of apples you just picked in the orchard can be a magical tool in all of these different kinds of spells and rituals!

Apples what are they?

Apples (Malus domestica) are among the most common fruits eaten in the US and Europe. This is because they grow just about anywhere! Apple trees have been cultivated for over 4,000 years, with origins in Central Asia. Although we do also know they’ve been grown in Europe for thousands of years and were brought to North America with European immigrants over the past few centuries. The apple tree’s ability to self-pollinate makes it a resilient tree and allows it to have many different varieties of colors, tastes, and sizes. Their five-petaled flowers appear in the spring blooming with a brilliant fragrance. The petals are white on top and pink underneath as they bloom. The fruit appears in late summer and ripens in autumn. The fruit can be red, yellow, green, or streaked red with yellow.

Medicinal properties of apples

Many have heard the common phrase ” An apple a day, keeps the doctor away.” What if there was some truth to that? Apples are rich in vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber, making them beneficial for overall health from boosting your immune system to aiding in weight management. Apples have been used for centuries in healing remedies, thanks to their antioxidants. Apples are great to use to treat constipation, other digestion issues, and even support a balanced gut microbiome. Apples contain malic and tartaric acids which helps neutralize the chemicals associated with gout even! Apples have even been linked to reducing the risk of chronic diseases, such as heart disease by lowering cholesterol levels and certain types of cancer. They even clean your teeth! The act of eating a whole apple (not sliced and peeled) cleans the teeth and freshens the breath. It helps remove plaque and pushes back the gums to remove deposits.

Symbolism of the apple in magic, lore, and myths

Apples are a true symbol of Autumn and Winter, most likely because, that’s when they are harvested. We’ve also seen them as part of Fall and Winter festivals and celebrations for thousands of years across cultures. But, don’t be fooled while apples are a key focus of fall they are seen throughout the year as well in different cultures. So, don’t be afraid to use them year round. Not only do we see them in festivals throughout the year we also see them apart of many myths and lore. So, many I’d never be able to cover them all here. From seeing the apple as a center piece to Christianity, a gift of healing in Celtic lore, a way to immortality in Norse mythology, an agent of chaos and discord causing the Trojan war, to it popping up in modern pop culture delivering poison to a princess.

First up, in Western and European lore, apples are strongly used to symbolize forbidden knowledge (aka sin), divine wisdom, and self-awareness. We see this in one of the most commonly known myths from the bible and Christianity, which includes Eve ( the first women according to all versions after king James), a serpent, the garden of Eden, and of course an apple!

According to Christian lore, Eve was the first woman who lived alongside the first man Adam in paradise aka the garden of Eden. They were to use the garden as it’s home and care for it’s creatures. But, for some reason neither Adam nor Eve were supposed to ever eat the fruit from this ONE tree within the garden. God himself had commanded them not too. Than one day along came a serpent (aka Satan) slithering his way into the garden and into Eve’s ear. Where he convinced her to grab an apple (aka divine wisdom) from the forbidden tree and to take a bite. She than convinced Adam to do the same. God got pissed for their disobedience and exiled them from the garden and gave Eve the bonus punishment of childbirth for being the first to take a bite.

Next up, we see the apple as a symbol of healing, immortality, and the dead in a few key Celtic, Norse, and Germanic traditions and lore. In the Prose Edda, a key writing to reference for Norse Mythology; the goddess Idunn is the guardian of an apple orchard that grows apples of eternal youth a.k.a. immortality for the gods. Also, in the Old Norse tradition, the alfablot was a sacrifice to the elves/alfar and one of the most commonly used offerings was, you guessed it, apples! In Celtic myth, the enchanting fairy goddess Cliodhna; offers apples of healing and immortality to journeying heroes in the Celtic Otherworld. We see apples again in Celtic traditions as the food of the dead where it is used as an offering to them at different festivals. Like, Samhain which is coincidently also known as the feast of apples. It was also said in Celtic lore, that a magical apple branch called the silver bough allowed the person who held it to pass into the Otherworld safely.

In other myths like with the Greeks, apples symbolize love, beauty, discord, and war. They are often associated with deities like Zeus, Aphrodite, Hera, Athena, and Eris. My favorite Greek myth involving apples involves the goddess of discord Eris and the cause of the famous Trojan war. In Greek mythology, the Trojan War is probably the most famous event. Today, anyone with any knowledge of the war assumes that it began as a result of the abduction of Helen. But the abduction of Helen by Paris is just one starting point, and preceding this was another starting point where the goddess Eris and a golden apple was involved.

Zeus had arranged for Peleus ( a greek hero) to marry the sea nymph Thetis, so he decided to throw a huge wedding ceremony and celebration. This wedding was so big all of the gods and goddesses of the Greek pantheon were invited to the festivities; all except for the goddess of discord Eris. Who of course found out about the festivities AND that she was the only one not invited. Being the goddess of discord she decides to crash the party in a fit of rage, bringing with her a gift to throw in their faces and cause a little chaos. Now, there are a few different versions and theories as to how she got this gift and if you want to hear them all you can listen to me tell them here. But when she arrives, in hand she has a golden apple with the inscription ” to the fairest of them all”. She takes it and tosses it into the room amongst those who rejected her and watches the discord fall upon them all. You see that shiny golden apple would cause a fight between three goddesses (Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite) to claim it that would start a war between human kingdoms resulting in many to fall.

To the Ancient Romans apples were so sacred and important they were to be treasured and guarded. So, much so, this one fruit had their own deity to preside over and protect them! Her name was Pomona. Unfortunately, she’s one of those pagan deities whom most of their information has been lost to history. What I can find about her, is that she was a virginal nymph of the woods who married the personification of Autumn, named Vertumnus. They were a very fertile and passionate match which made them the reason for the bountiful apple harvest every fall. We would see them honored when offerings would be left for them at the edges of orchards. Apples pop up again with the Romans during the festival of Diana, when apple boughs were carried around for luck and prosperity.

We see the apple pop up in English lore and myth as well with the Isle of Avalon. The Isle of Avalon is a mythical island in Arthurian legend that is said to be a place of magic and healing. It is described as a utopian paradise, a fairyland island that is said to be lost in the mists of time. Ruled by the enchantress Morgan le Fay and her eight sisters. This sacred Isle of Avalon is also known as, you guessed it, the Isle of Apples. Because legend says apples grow there all year round as food.

Even now in pop culture the apple is everywhere we look on the iPhone, iPad, and computers. Reminding us of the access to wisdom and knowledge that comes with them. And let’s not forget the apple’s role in one of the world’s most beloved fairytales; Snow white. Its most pivotal moment is undoubtedly when a naïve Snow White bites into an apple poisoned by the jealous Evil Queen, lulling her into a slumber that can only be reversed with Prince Charming’s kiss. Showing us the dark, poisonous, and protective side apples have to offer.

Magical themes of Apples

In witchcraft every single ingredient and tool we use in our spells and rituals has magical themes and energies it can align with and be used for. Apples are no different as you saw in the myths and lore we talked about above. Some of the most common themes associated with apples are love, romance, and attraction spells. They can be used in spells, rituals, or charms to enhance love in an existing relationship, attract a new romantic partner, or promote harmony between others. Apples are also very popular with abundance and prosperity spells. They can be utilized to attract wealth, success, and opportunities for financial growth. Below, you will find a list of some of the other many magical themes associated with apples. Don’t forget you can use all parts of the apple, the bud, petals, leaves fruit, seeds, and wood from its tree as spell and ritual ingredients too!

  • Love
  • Luck
  • Fertility
  • Immortality
  • Money
  • truth
  • the divine feminine
  • opens portals and gateways
  • Healing and promoting health
  • Vitality
  • lust
  • Garden magic
  • Wisdom
  • The Otherworld / Afterlife
  • Deception
  • “Poisoning” and Malefica
  • Faery magic
  • Abundance
  • forbidden knowledge
  • Ancestors
  • protection
  • discord
  • chaos
  • beauty
  • Vanity
  • The soul
  • divination
  • intuition

The apple and the pentacle

The apple and the pentacle have a unique and potent relationship binding them together. Did you know if you cut an apple in half (the “fat way,” not the “tall way,” if that makes sense), you will find a pentacle star in the middle? This along with it’s seeds, which are poisonous, are where apples get their protective qualities from. The apple reminds us that we do not have to close ourselves off to the world in order to protect ourselves. We can bring healing to others AND be open without overstepping our own boundaries. You can also use this center star or pentacle, as an altar by pressing spell ingredients into the flesh of the apple. Using the apple core as an all natural protective altar.

Apple Peel Reading

Apples have been used in divination practices, such as apple peeling or apple seed reading. They are believed to enhance psychic abilities, intuition, and provide insights into the future. Apple peel reading, is a form of divination also known as pomatomancy. It is a traditional practice that uses the shape and letters formed by apple peels to gain insight and predict future events. This method has been used for centuries to seek guidance and answers and is really popular to do around the fall harvest time. The practice is really very simple, carefully peel your apple skin in one piece and remove it, allow the peel to fall, and let it reveal messages through its shapes, letters, and symbols to you.

Duality and the apple

Since, I am a grey witch I look for the duality in every single energy I work with including the tools and spell ingredients I use. And man is the apple ripe with the energy of duality. We see it in the themes it represents from love and discord, to death and immortality, to healing and protection. This fruit is connected to opposing energies and forces in almost every sense, along with the changing of the seasons and transition. Not only that, it’s such a versatile tool you can use it, in pretty much every area of your life. Which adds another juicy layer of duality to this fruit with each bite.

We can’t forget that the most popular time to work with this tool is in the fall when they are being harvested and there are plenty to go around. The fall season is a really unique pocket of liminal space and time for us to connect to duality. We get to be surrounded by the bounty and abundance of the fall harvest and all the joy, celebration and gratitude that brings. While we are also confronted with the reality of nature beginning to die around us and the dark cold winter that is very soon going to be upon us.

Correspondences for the apple

First, what is a correspondence? A correspondence is an item or symbol that is meant to connect you to a specific energy thru it’s representation. It is seen also as an item to respect, honor, and venerate that energy as well whether it be a deity, an archetype energy, the zodiac energy the moon is currently or for a magical tool/ fruit the apple, which I will list below for you to use. Remember this is just a start to the list for you. You can use any correspondences that connect the magical themes and energies of the apple Just follow your intuition on what you choose to work with!

  • Planet- Venus
  • Gender- Feminine
  • Day-Friday
  • Element- water
  • colors- Greens, reds, yellows
  • Deities- Eris, Venus, Aphrodite, Inanna, Morgan Le Fay, Rhiannon, Cliodhna, Diana, Zeus, Apollo, Idunn, Hera, Dionysus, Gaia, Olwen, Pomona
  • Holidays- Lughnasadh, Diana’s Festival, Mabon, Samhain, Yule, Alfablot, the Esbats and Ostara
  • Zodiac- Taurus

Ways to work with the apple

We’ve talked a lot about apples in this post so far, including the magical themes associated with them. Those themes are the energies we can connect to with apples. They are how we can use them to build our spells and rituals. You have many options on how you want to include them in your spells and rituals and many different ways to work with them. Below you will find a list I put together of some ideas for spells, rituals, and ways you can work with them using the themes and magic we can harvest in each juicy one.

  • Apple cider can be used in place of wine during rituals
  • Apple wood can make an excellent wand
  • Visit an apple orchard, pick apples, and leave an offering at the edge of the orchard
  • Use apples to represent the element of earth in elemental magic
  • To ensure fidelity, give an apple to your lover as a gift. You eat one half, the lover the other.
  • Use an apple in poppet magic- poppet magic has been around for thousands of years and is found across cultures. Use an apple as base for your poppet during mabon or samhain
  • Apples symbolize the food of the dead, so leave them on the altar to honor your ancestors and welcome them to “feast with you” during the harvest season.
  • decorate your home with them to connect to the magic of September
  • Create caramel apples and imbue magic into each one as you dip them
  • If you peel an apple all in one piece and throw the peel over your shoulder, it will fall in the shape of your future mate’s initials.
  • se the pentacle in a return to sender spell
  • Bobbing for apples is a centuries old tradition from the British Isles and Ireland. It likely also has origins in both ancient Celtic and Germanic festivals.
  • Include apples on your altar for any of the holidays they are associated with like mabon or samhain
  • candle magic-encircling a candle with apple slices, dried apple slices, or apple blossoms. Or using an apple to hold your candles even as they burn.
  • Use the apple seeds in a banishing spell
  • Go wassailing- Simply put, it’s singing blessings to the orchards, oxen, and the people who tend them.
  • Add apples to an abundance spell jar or simmer pot
  • Use the peels in divination
  • kitchen magic-use apples in baking like in pies
  • Sigil magic- draw sigils on apples for spells and rituals
  • Use apples to call on deities that are connected to them in myths like Eris
  • Add apple slices or oil to a self care ritual bath
  • Create an apple wreath or garland and hang in your home for prosperity and luck especially during Yule
  • Make studded apples- This is an English and Irish tradition involving studding an apple with cloves, nutmeg, and mistletoe and carry it around on new years for good luck.
  • Use apple blossoms in beauty spells, glamors, and love spells

Red apple love spell

One of the most common spells associated with apples are all about love, romance, and attracting a partner. Try this simple tried and true love spell using a red apple to attract that special someone whose been the apple of your eye today!

What you will need:

  • red apple
  • lavender buds
  • twine or some string
  • rose petals ( I like to use pink for love but you can use red for pleasure and romance as well)
  • a small piece of paper

How to perform this spell:

First, take a knife and cut your red apple in half the long or tall way revealing the pentacle star in the middle. Next, take your piece of paper and write your name and the name of that special someone whose caught your eye. Once done take as many deep breaths you need to in and out until you feel yourself surrounded by love and comfort within your sacred container. Visualize that love surrounding you and that special someone. What it feels like, looks like, and will be like to have. Than, take your piece of paper and fold it towards you. when done place it in the center of your apple over the pentacle. Next, take your rose petals, and lavender buds placing them on top of the paper. With all your spell ingredients now placed in the center of your apple, take the other half and place it on top to make it whole again. Wrap it up tightly in the twine to seal the love and attraction in. Take your spell outside and bury it in the earth under a healthy growing tree giving it a place for your love to bud and bloom.

Rotten apple banishing spell

Don’t forget apples aren’t only juicy and sweet but, their seeds give a poisonous and protective side to them as well. This makes them a great tool to use in protection spells like banishing a problem or situation from your life. Try out this simple spell using an apple to do just that below!

What you will need:

  • an apple
  • a black ribbon or string
  • bay leaves
  • a skewer

How to perform:

First, take a knife and cut your red apple in half the long or tall way revealing the pentacle star in the middle. Next, take your bay leaves and rub each half of the apple with them visualizing the problem or situation in your life you wish to be banish. Take the two halves and put them back together still focusing on the problem or situation you wish to banish. Next, take a deep breath in as you pick up the skewer and on your exhale as you visualize the problem or situation no longer affecting you, stab the skewer through both halves with force. Then, take your black ribbon or string and tie your apple together sealing the problem or situation in the center where it can no longer affect you. Take your spell outside and bury it in the earth. As the apple rots with the problem or situation inside it will be banished from your life.

Autumn abundance simmer pot

Apples are very popular with abundance and prosperity spells. They can be utilized to attract wealth, success, and opportunities for financial growth. Paired with the abundance of the harvest and autumn swirling around us now is great time to do some kitchen magic .One of my favorite types of kitchen magic spells to do are simmer pots. Simmer pots are easy to do, very potent, and they leave your house smelling amazing and full of magical energy! Use this recipe to bring the abundance of autumn into your home today using apples as the core. If you need to learn more about how to use simmer pots you can read my blogpost in the link here!

About Me : I have been a solitary grey magic practitioner for 15 + years. First and foremost, I consider myself a mystic and seeker of all knowledge. I am dedicated to the restoration, and re-enchantment of Magic in society, across this realm, and in each and every soul I come across in life! I am here to create a container that promotes healing, duality, and raw authenticity. I do this by guiding you on your personal journey to understanding your unique magic and sacred contracts. I facilitate this for you through embracing your shadow, duality and learning to live in energetic balance while not wearing a mask. When you work and learn from me you do so from your “darkness” as much as your “light” and in a way to truly harness and accept it not to just go thru it on the way to your light. But, I teach you how to truly embrace it, work with it, and use it alongside your light as a partner. I hold up a mirror for you to be able to see your authentic reflection looking back. Then have the courage to take the next step and do the uncomfortable but vital inner work to completely remove your mask. By facing all of your past wounds, traumas, and hurts. Allowing you to see both the dark and light within your story and take each chapter and alchemize it into something that is so powerful. your unique internal flame will shine so bright you will always be able to go within and find it on a dark cold night. You will learn how to truly live in duality and energetic balance to allow growth, and alignment with your sacred contracts and purposes. to finally move on and truly let the things that hold you back in this life from healing and manifesting go. To see everything I offer; like personalized shadow work sessions, womb healing, eBooks for you to work through on your own, Tarot sessions for guidance and more! Go to my shop!

Posted on

The magic of Thursday; Amplify your spells with the energy of the day

Every day of the week has it’s own magic and energy you can harness to influence your life and magical practices and in this blog series we are going to talk about them all. Next up, we are going to talk about the energy and magic you can align with on Thursday. Thursday is the fourth day of the week in most cultures and calendars. Others view it as the fifth day of the week while in some Muslim cultures it’s the sixth day.

Most Germanic languages name this day for Thor or a God identified with him. In Iceland, Thursday is named Fimmtudagur or “fifth day” due to it’s predominately Christian population and them wanting to refrain from naming a day after a pagan god. In India, Thursday is most often named Guruvar, meaning day of the Guru, referring to Bṛhaspati, the deva-guru, or Guru of the Gods.

Thursday is ruled by the planet Jupiter

For pagans and witches, every single day of the week is ruled by a planet and Thursday is ruled by the planet Jupiter. The planet Jupiter, often referred to as the “King of the Planets,” is a symbol of expansion and abundance in magic and astrology. Jupiter is by far the most massive planet of the solar system and the fifth in distance from the Sun. It is one of the brightest objects shining in the night sky. In most depictions of Jupiter you will see a giant gas ball that is a tapestry of colorful stripes and spots, usually a mix of oranges, whites, and browns.

Magic and witchcraft themes

When it comes to magic and witchcraft you can certainly cast spells whenever you need them. But, if you want a little extra oomph, and when you want to amplify your results, aligning your spell casting with the correct day of the week is one way to do that. Since, Thursday is associated with Jupiter, it is the ideal day for spells focused on abundance, wealth, money, prosperity, personal growth and expansion, and success.

Thursday is a very masculine day and it is all about the practical aspects of your life. This day is all about connecting to the energy of finances, legal matters, success, wealth and fame. This day is about big energy connecting you to the actions you need to take to meet your goal. This energy is all about thriving and is one of the best days and times to work the energy of abundance, prosperity, and wealth!

Correspondences for Thursday

First, what is a correspondence? A correspondence is an item or symbol that is meant to connect you to a specific energy thru it’s representation. It is seen also as an item to respect, honor, and venerate that energy as well whether it be a deity, an archetype energy, the zodiac energy the moon is currently in or a day of the week like, Thursday. I will give you some ideas below for you to use. Remember to follow your intuition with the correspondences you choose to work with and that you can always use any that correspond that calls to you for the energies of the day.

  • Element- earth
  • planet-Jupiter
  • Chakra- heart chakra ( most teachers) I also work with my root chakra on this day
  • Gender- Masculine
  • colors- deep blue, purple, green
  • Herbs/flowers-  Allspice, Angelica, Bayberry, Basil, Bay Leaves, Bergamot, Cedar, Chamomile, Cinnamon, Clary Sage, Honeysuckle, Irish Moss, Jasmine, Melissa, Mint, Nutmeg, Orange, Patchouli, Myrrh, Sandalwood, Frankincense, clover, oregano, cloves, musk
  • Stones/crystals- sugilite, Lapis Lazuli, Lepidolite, Green Aventurine, Carnelian, sunstone, pyrite, amethyst, malachite, clear quartz, citrine, tiger’s eye, aquamarine, alexandrite, turquoise
  • Deities- Thor, Jupiter, Juno, zeus , Lakshmi, Veles, Rosmerta, Caisen, Abundantia, Plutus, Aje, Mercury, Fortuna, Kubera, vishnu
  • Zodiac: Pisces and Sagittarius

Ways to work with the energy of Thursday

We’ve talked a lot about all the different themes connected to the magic and energy Thursday has and gives us access to work with. So, how can you specifically connect to those energies and perform magic aligned with it? In your everyday life you can make sure your affirmations, intentions, and manifestations set today align with the energies of abundance, wealth, fame, success, money matters, your career, personal growth and expansion.

Below you will find some ideas for spells, rituals, and magical workings you can do to align with Thursday as well. Use the magic of this day to help you connect to your relationship with money, abundance, and your success. Don’t forget to check out my Pinterest page and Facebook page as well for more spell ideas every week! And don’t forget to hop on over to my extensive guide all about abundance here; to get ideas as well! I have a lot of reels and videos for Thursday to check out! It is the day I probably have made the most for!

Work with and balance your Root chakra

Like, I hinted at in the correspondences section, I know a lot of teachers tell us to work with our heart chakra on Thursday, I believe simply because of the color correspondence with this day. But, I prefer to work with my root chakra today. Your root chakra is tied for the most important chakra in my opinion. This chakra is all about your stability, security, and your needs being met. Which is exactly what the energy of abundance does for us. It allows us to have our needs met and more. It allows us to have security in our lives in the society we find ourselves in. If our root chakra is blocked, or full of stale and stagnant energy we are going to have a very hard time connecting to the energy of abundance and believing we will be secure and have all that we need to survive. So, before you cast any abundance spells today, refresh your prosperity bowl, or do any manifestation work around money first make sure your root chakra is clean, clear, and balanced.

If you need to learn more about energy work and the root chakra click the link here!

Thursday Candle spell to get a job

Remember, Thursday is ruled by the planet Jupiter which makes it a day of big, expansive, abundant energy. This makes it an ideal day to ask for some magical assistance in changing up our careers and getting a new job. Whether you are unemployed, or just looking for a career change try this simple candle spell with some green color magic today and watch that new job become yours! This is an extra great spell to do if you have an interview coming up already on your calendar.

How to perform:

Get yourself into sacred container. Visualize the job you wish to get. What the title is, where it is, and what it feels like getting it. As you do this carve the name of the job into the candle or a symbol to represent it. Once done Light the candle and recite. “Candle of green, energy of abundance and money do this deed for me. Bring this job with it’s money flow to me.” Let the candle burn until it goes out on it’s own. Than come back each day and light it until the job is yours!

Money spell bag

One spell you can do today to align with Jupiter; is to create a spell bag to call money into your life. First, what is a spell bag? Put simply, a spell bag is a bag of ingredients put together for a specific magical purpose. These charms are easy to make and are effective for those who have clear intentions. You can make spell bags for any purpose you would like but, one of my favorite purposes is for abundance, good fortune, and good luck.

It is common to see similar practices across many cultures like in Japan with Omamori (御守/お守り). Which are Japanese amulets commonly sold at Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples, dedicated to particular Shinto kami as well as Buddhist figures, and are said to provide various forms of luck. We also see this practice as a very popular and common part of celebrating the Chinese new year with the giving of Lai-see envelopes , good luck money wrapped in little red envelopes..

How to create one on your own is pretty simple and you have countless options for what you can do. Some things to consider, the color of the clothe pouch you use, what you put into it, and when you create it. (like today) For added enhancement you can charge your items under the new or full moon prior to putting them in. You can also write words, intentions, or sigils on your herbs before you add them to your bad. As you create your bag make sure you are feeding it with your intention through either mantras, invocations, spells, or visualization to activate your good luck and money spell bag. You can keep them on you, in your car, in your purse, on your abundance altar, under your bed or anywhere your intuition leads you. Remember – money IS energy. Keep that in mind…it IS obtainable and there is plenty for everyone! And then some! Below is listed some common things used to make Good fortune and money spell bags for you to make yours today!

coins
rice
eggshells
crystals
dried herbs
written intentions
Sigils
orange peels
Keys
Images of money and wealth
Cinnamon sticks
Paper bills

Money doubling spell

Remember the energy of Jupiter is all about thriving and is one of the best days and times to work the energy of abundance, prosperity, and wealth! Try this simple money doubling spell below today!
The last time I did it, it doubled my money down to the penny and this one is simple and easy to do!

Abundance and Prosperity bowl

It’s no secret that money is the way we survive. It buys everything. Maybe you find yourself in a tight spot and you need to pay the bills. Make an abundance AKA money bowl! This practice/spell would be the first thing I would advise you to do and the first thing I would do myself. I’d refresh a current one I have set up, add another one, or simply create a brand new one. And today is the day to do all of this!

First, what is a money bowl? A money bowl is what is sounds like – a bowl that’s used to magically attract prosperity. I like to say it’s sort of like a money jar but open and easier to feed with further ingredients and intentions. It is likely inspired by or stemming from the Feng Shui prosperity bowl or other folk magics method used in many cultures worldwide.

Money bowls can be placed in the home OR in the workplace as a magical magnet for money. I suggest using a green or clear bowl, but I’ve also seen people use gold and silver bowls since money and prosperity are linked to gold and silver too. You can add any correspondences for abundance, money and wealth you want to the bowl. I always make sure to be centered in gratitude and abundance when I add my items. For added amplification and abundance I suggest keeping your bowl in your office, place of business or where you like to get your work done.

My favorite method with these is keeping one near my front door to bring abundance in near my threshold to my home. Than every time I return back to my home any loss change and bills left in my wallet gets added to the bowl to increase the energy and my abundance I receive. Below is a list of common things used in money bowls.

  • A bowl
  • Coins
  • Paper bills
  • Written sigils
  • Rice
  • Candles
  • Written Intention
  • Bay leaves
  • Cinnamon
  • Basil
  • A mirror
  • Green Aventurine
  • Citrine
  • Clear Quartz
  • Keys
  • Gold & Green Glitter
  • Seeds

Money magic simmer pot

. Today is the perfect day to get in your kitchen and make a simmer pot to bring a flow of money magic into your life. I love simmer pots! They are some of my favorite magical spells to do. Not only are they easy to do but, they leave your house smelling amazing and full of so much magical energy. Use this recipe today and watch the money overflow into your life! If you need learn how to make a simmer pot you can read my guide all about them here!

Other ways to connect to the energy Thursday

  • create a spell jar for abundance ( you can purchase my ebook about spell jars in the shop!)
  • recite affirmation mantras
  • Call on a deity of abundance today to aid you in life
  • Create a money tree
  • Add an abundance altar to your office, business, or home
  • cast spells to promote personal growth and expansion
  • Use kitchen magic to create a money hand wash
  • Do elemental magic with the element of earth
  • Shadow work about your feelings of self worth
  • Meditate with the energy of green light
  • apply to jobs
  • Ask for the promotion or raise you have been looking for
  • start a business
  • Plant herbs of abundance near your front door to bring prosperity to your home
  • Journal about your relationship with money
  • Create a personal or family budget
  • Set savings goals
  • wear green clothes for color magic today
  • Launch on new product, workshop, or sale for your business
  • Balance and work with your throat chakra
  • create and sign legal contracts or complete business deals

If you want more information or to go deeper on any topics covered in this blogpost; you can check out any of the links throughout. They will bring you to classes I have taught for free on YouTube with Divination Academy or to previous posts and guides I’ve written on that topic. You can also check out any of the links below to YouTube videos not linked above!

Happy casting this Thursday!

Posted on

Working With The Ambitious, grounded, And Fertile Capricorn Buck Full Moon

We will be entering a new lunar phase this week; the full moon on Sunday July 21st. The full buck moon in capricorn graces our skies amongst the bounty of nature, the longer days of summer and the masculine fertility flourishing around us. This full moon is special as it is the second consecutive Full Moon in Capricorn as the June Full Moon was also in this grounded earth sign. This creates a continuation of the energy during the June Full Moon during this full moon in July. This means the intentions and manifestations set last month are going to be a continued focus this month for even greater success and accomplishment.

During this Full moon we will be focused on achievement, responsibilities and success. But, we may end up putting too much on our shoulders as a result, which leads to a crushing weight overwhelming us with burn out. We have to be realistic and rational about it all, and not demand more from ourselves or others than is actually possible right now. This full moon under Capricorn calls for a deeper connection to our nurturing environments and listening to the messages we are getting from our heart. If you’re feeling called to slow down, receive the message.

A Capricorn Full Moon is all about success, progress, achievement, and never taking “no” for an answer. We can see results from the work we’ve put in, we can hit new heights, make what we want happen, get recognition, and make progress on our path. We can feel connected to the path we’re on, and like we’re going in the right direction. We get clarity of our sacred contracts and purposes and how we will live in accordance with them. Join me in this guide to learn all about; Working with the Ambitious, grounding, And fertile Capricorn Buck Full Moon.

First, What is the Full Moon

Over the centuries, the Moon has played a significant role in different cultures and traditions. The full moon simply put is when the moon is completely illuminated in the sky and it has reached it’s peak in this lunar cycle in the sky. When the moon is completely illuminated it’s time for all to reach full expression. The full moon is the most powerful and potent time of the entire lunar cycle.

A full moon occurs when the transit (moving) Sun and Moon are in the exact opposite positions in the Zodiac (called an opposition). The full moon greatly affects humans and it’s no wonder it does because, there’s a scientific reason for this – we are made up of 60% or more of water. Full Moons are the peak point of the lunar cycle: at this time of the month, the light of the Sun is fully illuminating the Moon, and the luminaries are exactly opposing one another from our perspective on Earth. This potent alignment offers us opportunities to gain more awareness about what is moving in our inner and emotional world, and information previously uncertain or hidden could be revealed at this time.

With the moon being fully illuminated it creates this portal to some of the most potent energy to connect to for us to manifest our desires and dream life. This portal creates a connection to our peak creative energy and the deep seated creative passions we all have within us. This creative energy and power is the energy we need to actually do and create the things and lifestyle we need to manifest what we desire. With the new moon phase being about planting the seeds of what you want to manifest, the full moon is about actually doing the work and moving the energy to make your manifesting happen. The full moon allows you to bridge the connection between these energies and themes and bring them into your life while reminding you how important it is to have them in your life not only when the moon is illuminated in the sky for you to see.

There are so many ways to work with the full moon, to learn more about the basics of working with the full moon energy check out my blog post here and you can watch my class all about lunar magic. But, remember each full moon will be slightly different and have different practices to add and different ways to do it based on which zodiac sign the full moon is currently in at the time.

The Buck Moon

July’s Buck Moon name and spiritual meaning are connected to the male deer also called a buck. During the Buck Moon season, male deer have grown their velvety antlers nad have emerged to attract potential mates. As the size and strength of their antlers are signs of fertility to the females. They will fight other males to assert their dominance, show motivation, and win over females. The Buck Moon’s energy can bring passion, courage and a desire for action which can result in positive changes and surprises in our lives. This energy also brings with it a sense of increased ambition, motivation, and fertility to our lives this season.

As with most pagan names there will be different ones for each culture so below I listed any of the other names for the buck moon I could find across the Earth. The common theme among them is focusing on the bounty and fertility of nature right now.

  • Wyrt Moon (Celtic) Wyrt is an Old English word that means plant or herb. This is why you may sometimes see July’s Full Moon referred to as the Herb Moon.
  • Thunderstorm Moon (Hiyeswa Tiriri Nuti ) Catawba Indian Nation
  • Sólmánuður (Norse) means Sun Month (source: Nordic Culture – Skjalden)
  • Mid-Summer Moon (ameku) Kalapuya, Pacific Northwest, Oregon
  • Claiming Moon (Celtic)
  • Raspberry Moon (Miskomini-giizis) Anishinaabe, Great Lakes
  • Hay Moon (Anglo-Saxon)
  • Time of Much Ripening (ohiari) Mohawk Eastern Woodlands
  • Meerkat Moon (South African origins) (source: Centre for Astronomical Heritage)
  • Rose Moon (Neo-Pagan)
  • Limbs are Broken by Fruit (dayamcho yachunne) Zuni Southwest, New Mexico

So, Who is Capricorn?

As a cardinal earth sign, Capricorn is about initiating and building. Capricorn is steadfast, hard-working, goal-orientated and relentlessly responsible. Capricorn is ruled by Saturn. Saturn is the planet of bounds, borders, barriers, constraints and confinements. Saturn, is also the planet associated with time. This makes Capricorn also connected with history and tradition, and asks us to reflect on the environment we’re living in and the systems and structures that are in place.

Capricorn is the height of the Zodiac, the highest point, and this is why it relates to our goals, our aspirations, what we strive for, and the heights we reach in life. We see this in the mountain goat thriving in the peaks of mountains. Capricorn is an ambitious energy with grand ideals; full of potential and a feeling of self importance. Capricorn knows it is meant for something special and expresses itself in pursuit of that. But, unlike the other earth sign Taurus who measures their successes in money and wealth, Capricorn seeks power and control.

With it being a full moon as well it becomes a time of culmination and results. The Capricorn Full Moon is usually a time when we see the results of hard and smart work, and we can reach new heights, achieve, and succeed. That is; if we’ve done things the right way and for the right reasons.

This moon focus on where you’re feeling insecure, lack support, or are having challenges with resources, and work to find a way around, tackle core issues, or find wiggle room. With this first Full Moon in Capricorn, it is a time to be honest with ourselves as well, and recognise where we have not yet mastered aspects of our selves or lives, then take aligned action to rectify that.

Capricorn The Sea goat

Capricorns are symbolized by the sea goat, a mythological creature with the body of a goat and tail of a fish. We often think of Capricorns as high achievers or business-oriented workhorses. This speaks to the goat aspect of their sea-goat symbol. Goats are scrappy, and some of them are capable of climbing to great heights. The fishtail portion of the sea-goat, on the other hand, holds the ocean and the vast, almost spiritual world that lies beneath it. This imagery speaks to Capricorn’s ability to navigate both the material and emotional realms. It’s the job of the Capricorn to strike a balance between these two realms of earthly achievements and spiritual truth.

Capricorn The Constellation Capricornus

In Greek mythology, Capricorn is linked to the god Pan, who is often depicted as partially goat-like. Pan is said to have the upper body of a human and the lower body of a goat. In one story, Pan dived into a river to escape the monster Typhon, but only transformed part of himself, becoming half goat and half fish. Zeus was amused by this and placed the image among the stars as the constellation Capricornus.

Capricorn The Ruler of Responsibilities

The hard-working sign values service, honor and public duty. Career, professionalism and reputation are extremely important to Capricorn, so the Moon here spotlights our need to succeed .Now is time to prioritize what you truly want to be remembered for and the work you’d like to contribute to the world. Capricorn is a sign that means business! Instead of being concerned with short-term satisfaction, you’ll be more inclined to dig in and focus on your long-term goals. Just like the mountain goat resides on top of the mountain, Capricorn energy feels its natural place is that of a leader, taking charge from the top. Because of this, during this full moon, you may feel empowered to take accountability for your actions or to simply step up and take charge somewhere in your life.

Capricorn The Sign of progress

The full moon in Capricorn always coincides with a moment of recognition and accomplishment. This is an aligned time to celebrate yourself and how far you’ve come. To take a look at all the progress you have already made. To stand up tall on your very own mountain, you have climbed to the top of and bask in your hard work to get there. It’s a time reflect on what worked on your climb up and what didn’t as well so, you can use that knowledge on your next climb up a mountain. To allow you a clear path and a greater chance of success going forward.

The Grounding Energy Of Capricorn

Capricorns is said to have a grounded, practical spirit. It is a sign associated with stability, groundedness, determination, hard work, and ambition. Capricorns are the last earth sign of the zodiac, and are said to embody the stable and nurturing qualities of their element. When the moon is in Capricorn it becomes a time to really ground into who you are, the direction you want to go, the path you will take, and duty to the world around you.

Themes Of Capricorn

We have talked a lot about who Capricorn is and how Capricorn can affect you and benefit you. Now let’s list all the topics to consider that correspond to the full Moon in Capricorn. Keep in mind that the full Moon relates to the continuation of your journey to manifest your desires and dreams.And this is especially strong this full moon with that continuation from the June moon and it being the second consecutive full moon in Capricorn. It is also a time to release all the things that no longer serve us and create blockage to our manifesting. It is the time to really truly nurture the seeds of intention you had planted during the new moon so, they can bloom and thrive. So, try and have any of your workings based on these topics be grounded in those seeds of intention you had planted on the new moon.

Also remember you have the abundance, and fertile energy of summer, the month of July, and the energy of the young buck looking for it’s mate to connect to as well.

  • Committed
  • Patient
  • Goal-oriented
  • Persevering
  • Responsible
  • Dependable
  • Rational
  • Trustworthy
  • Industrious
  • Persistent
  • Creative
  • Honest
  • Reflective
  • Protective
  • Pragmatic
  • Proud
  • Ambitious
  • Perfectionism
  • hard working
  • conservative
  • Duty bound
  • Grounded
  • determined

Things To Look Out For With Capricorn

We may feel easily overwhelmed by responsibilities we have right now. We can feel the weight of them pushing us down, and we need to work on managing them better. We may need to work on saying no more, and leaving room for small breaks where we can.

We also need to be aware of stubbornness right now. Persistence can often becomes a double-edged sword and turn into stubbornness. While it empowers us to stand our ground it may make us resistant to alternative viewpoints or new directions. Capricorns’ unwavering commitment to high standards may also force us to be over critical, making it challenging for us to accept imperfections in ourselves and others right now.

Capricorn energy can sometimes be overprotective of itself as well. Being cautious with expression of words or emotions, in fear of moving away from the perfect ideal image of the all powerful leader that it deeply craves to embody. So, be cautious of that coming up right now and remember that a true leader is authentic in who they are and not in an image they want others to see.

Capricorn And Duality

Since, I am a grey witch every single energy I work with I look for the duality in that energy and how I can connect to it. This includes the full moon and the energy of the zodiac sign it currently is in. First, the full moon itself is all about duality as it is another time of transformation, transition, and rebirth. During this time we are pushed into a liminal space that forces us to look at the things, people, and places that have been obstacles or holding us back. This can be a thing of beauty and hope as well as a thing of pain and darkness which forces us into duality. Second, the energy of Capricorn we see duality not only in it’s symbol the sea goat but, also in one of the main themes Capricorn represents; ambition. The sea goat like we talked about earlier is a mythical being that literally represents the duality of the material realm and the emotional or mythical realm. Others even believe the sea goat represents the duality of human existence through evolution, starting in the sea and than moving upwards onto land. Than there is the duality of ambition. While ambition is a very wanted thing. It is pivotal to our motivation, getting things done, and thriving in our life. But, on the other hand it also can cloud our mind, narrow our view/vision, damage our relationships, and lead to burn out by not caring for ourselves properly.

Correspondences For Capricorn

First, what is a correspondence? A correspondence is an item or symbol that is meant to connect you to a specific energy thru it’s representation. It is seen also as an item to respect, honor, and venerate that energy as well whether it be a deity, an archetype energy , or the zodiac energy the moon is currently in like I will list below for you to use. Remember to follow your intuition with the correspondences you choose to work with and that you can always use any that correspond to the moon itself as well.

  • planet-saturn
  • Element-Earth
  • Symbol- seagoat,Makara
  • Modality-cardinal
  • gender-feminine
  • Day-saturday
  • Animal- goat , donkey, clove hooved animals
  • Body part-bones, joints, knees
  • colors-black, brown, purple, dark green,
  • Phrase/motto-“I use”
  • Chakra-Root chakra
  • Herbs/flowers-carnation, ivy, Rosemary, Red beets, Tarragon, Caraway, Chamomile, Marjoram belladonna, yew pansy, skullcap, poppy, Cinnamon, Sage, Turmeric, Nettle, thyme, basil, rue, snowdrop,
  • Trees-pine, elm, poplar,
  • Stones/crystals-garnet, black onyx, selenite, moonstone, bloodstone, peacock ore, howlite, agate, emerald, carnelian, labradorite, malachite, smokey quartz, galena, diamond, rose quartz,
  • Deities-Pan, Amalthea, Zeus, persephone, enki, kronos, Horus, Odin, ganga, Narmada, Varuna, lord shani,
  • tarot-devil
  • Ruling House-10th house of career, public image, and duty

How To Connect To The Capricorn Full Moon

Now, that we have talked about the themes of this hard working, goal orientated, committed, responsible, duty driven, fertile, Capricorn buck full moon and how it is going to affect you let’s talk about how you can specifically connect to and work with this moon.

First, make sure to do all of your staples that your learned in the previous blog post linked here https://modgepodgemystic.com/working-with-the-full-moon/ for you like, charging your crystals, making moon water, https://modgepodgemystic.com/moon-water-a-magical-staple/ and resetting your altar.

With this moon there are certain spells and rituals that will help connect you to this moon in the most effective way. With the Moon in Capricorn, magic associated with career, ambition, abundance, goals, grounding and politics is highlighted now. You can also perform magic associated with abundance, vitality, fertility, and divine masculinity with the king of the forest the buck to amplify those workings right now. Remember these are just some of the many ideas, follow your intuition and the energy of this moon. You can find more ways to connect to the moon and more information on many of these forms of magic on my Pinterest page here and my Facebook here.

  • Lunar magic
  • Ritual moon bath
  • Work with the animal the buck and deer in meditations and spellwork
  • Add antlers to spellworkings or give as offerings
  • Work with the divine masculine energy
  • Perform fertility magic with the divine masculine
  • Connect to your Root chakra
  • Shadow work based on ambition, goals, direction, success,and releasing perfectionism. If you would like to learn more about shadow work you can purchase my eBook here;  you can book me for a 1:1 session as your guide here; or you can watch my free class previously taught on it through Divination here.
  • Elemental magic with the element of earth
  • Divination like tarot and runes or bone casting
  • Focus on abundance
  • Meditation and visualization work
  • Reflect on the past 6 months and what worked and what didn’t
  • Write down and release all things that no longer serve you into flames or the earth
  • moonlight bathe in the nude
  • Celebrate all your recent successes
  • Connect to a deity of July
  • Make a simmer pot to bring in ambition, hard work, and focus
  • Get outside, do some grounding and/or earthing
  • Create a spell jar to bring success to your life, career, or business
  • Do candle magic with green candles
  • Perform love spells
  • Have some fun with sex magic tonight!
  • Organize your life and schedule
  • Do things to further your career like apply for a promotion or new job, update your resume, or create your business plan
  • Ask for others feedback on your leadership skills
  • Refresh your altar
  • Create a list of every single success so far this year no matter how small to celebrate how far you have come
  • Be vulnerable and express your emotions no matter how you will look
  • Define your ambitions, goals, and dreams

Reflection Topics For The Capricorn Buck Full Moon

Every full moon is a great time for reflecting on those seeds you had planted during the new moon and how they are doing now at the end of the lunar cycle and how you can celebrate your success and adjust the future for even greater success. Whether you do it thru meditation, shadow work, or divination like tarot; below is a list of prompts and topics to connect with the energy of the Capricorn full moon.

  • What are my long term goals?
  • What parts of my life, my day, and my schedule do I need to change to reach my goals?
  • What do I need to continue doing from last month to achieve success?
  • What do I need am I doing that is getting in the way of my success and achievements do I need to let go of?
  • Where in your life can the king of the forest guide you in strength?
  • What are the last habits, thought patterns,and feelings I need to release to take my success to the next level?
  • What direction and path am I walking in life?
  • Where in my life do I need to let go of my stubbornness and perfectionism?
  • How can I balance my emotional realm and my material realm better?
  • How can I motivate myself and others around me to work towards their goals?
  • Where in my life do I need to take the role of a leader more?
  • What are my deepest ambitions, dreams, and goals? How will I make them come to life?
  • Am I shining and thriving in life like I am meant to be? How can I get there if not?
  • How do my visions, goals and dreams—the seeds I’m planting—FEED and NOURISH my larger purpose as a spiritual being?
  • Where do I have the power to choose to align with my larger purpose and values?

Full Moon Prayers or Affirmations

Some prayers or affirmations you can state with the full moon are:

I release all that does not serve my highest good.
I illuminate the things blocking my path to my desires.
I release all negative energy, feelings and thoughts that are not serving me.
I release the belief that I am not worthy or capable of manifesting anything that I want.
I call in the energy of the full moon to cleanse my field of anything that is not aligned with my higher purpose.

Some prayers or affirmations you can state with the capricorn full moon are:

I don’t have to be perfect to meet my goals.

I am capable of climbing any mountain.

I am connected to both the material realm and the emotional realm.

I am allow myself to dream of world that’s better for everyone.

Everything is always working out in my favor.

Ritual To attract Abundance During a Capricorn Full Moon

For this simple full moon abundance ritual, you will need a green candle, a small dish, a coin, a bill, a stick of cinnamon and a piece of paper.

How to perform spell:

  • Create a sacred container for your ritual by lighting the green candle and focusing on the energy of the full moon.
  • On the piece of paper, write a list of financial blessings and abundance you wish to attract.
  • Place the coin, the bill, the stick of cinnamon in the small dish, symbolizing the wealth you wish to manifest.
  • Read your list of financial blessings out loud, and visualize each one manifesting in your life.
  • As you do this, hold the coin, and bill infusing them with the energy of your intentions.
  • Once you’ve completed your visualization, place the coin, the bill and the list of financial blessings, and cinnamon stick in a dish on your altar or in a special place where you can see them regularly.

Spell To get your dream job with the Buck full moon

This buck full moon is all about power, strength, going after what you want, and the abundance of nature. Use this spell to connect to your personal power and the abundance of nature through the king of the forest the buck.

What you will need:

  • A gold candle
  • bay leaves
  • A pen
  • A picture of a buck or a set of antlers if possible

How to perform:

Set your image of the buck or antlers in the center of your work space in front of your gold candle. Next, get yourself into sacred container. While taking deep breaths visualize bright, vital, fertile, strong, masculine golden energy filling your sacred container in the shape of a buck, the vital strong king of the forest. Once you feel grounded and centered in the energy the golden buck is brining to you, visualize your dream job. What it is, what it feels like having it, what your day looks like, what your title is, how much you make, what your responsibilities are, who your coworkers are. Once you can visualize it all clearly in a few words write what you see and feel on your bay leaves. What you intend your dream job to be. Take your bay leaves with written intentions and hold them in your hand as your recite or chant the spell below

” By the power of the buck moon, with its antlers sprouted in strength and full. May the king of the forest bring this job to me in the name of his abundance and vitality.” Than light your bay leaves on fire releasing your intention and vision of your dream job coming to you by the end of this lunar cycle.

Full Buck Moon Release Blockage Ritual

Light a gold, white, and green candle on your altar. If you don’t have gold, yellow works. If you don’t have any colored candles, 3 white candles will do just fine! Think about the past 6 months of the year and think about where you started at. Get into sacred container, as you focus on each individual candle; think about where you are at now and how far you have come. And then think about where you want to be in the next 6 months. Now, think about all the things that are and are not working for you/working in your best interest. Think about and focus on the things that are working in your life becoming more abundant and focus on the things that are not working being removed and no longer there. Once you feel them being removed and no longer blocking you blow out the candles one at a time and go journal your action plan to remove unwanted things, people, or habits from your life to thrive and have an life of true abundance.

Full Moon Ritual Bath Purification Prayer

This bath will cleanse the body, mind, emotions, of anything unwanted and blocking your intentions, success, and desires. It will also remove stagnant energy and/or energy that is not yours, that may be causing you difficulties on a physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual level. For three consecutive nights (the day before, the day of, and the day after the full moon) create this bath to wash, cleanse and purify your body in.

While you are drawing your bath, and after you have created your sacred container by adding candles (preferably white) music or anything else you would like to add, bring this herbal mixture to a boil on the stovetop. Rue (or rosemary), white sage, Lavender, rose buds, pink salt, and basil. Once your mixture has turned into a tea on the stove top take it and head to your tub. As you pour the mixture in recite this purification prayer below.

“I release the unforgivable, and all the things that cause me deep seeded fear and hold me back. The things that hold me back from being my true self, accomplishing my goals, and having endless success. I release the emotional pain that I carry with me each and every day. Affecting my heart, my actions, and my reactions. I release and heal the wounds that prevent me from feeling love, worth, and anything but trauma and the sting of karma. I release these things not only from this life but all past lives, and dimensions. I release all blocks keeping me tied to karma and trauma. I release all resentments, and unwanted thoughts I keep on a loop in my mind towards myself and others. I release all beliefs sabotaging myself and not allowing me to connect authentically to my higher self. With the passing of this powerful, fertile, and grounded full moon my life is renewed. I am purified, cleansed, and whole. I am free from stagnation and pain. I am able love purely and unconditionally on this eve I am I am renewed.”

Get into your tub; cleanse and wash your body from head to toe as you visualize that cleansing energy go over every inch of your body. Soak in the tub for at least 15 minutes. If you do not have a tub: Pour the herbal water over your head and body in the shower and do your best to ensure that the water touches all parts of your body, including private parts. Do not rinse. It is best not to towel dry and instead let the body air dry as much as possible.

Conclusion

However you choose to work with, connect to, or celebrate, the full moon in the ambitious, hard working, responsible, grounded, and determined Capricorn. Follow your intuition, and ambitious, determined spirit to guide you the rest of this lunar cycle to finish growing your seeds of manifestation and continuing your success from last month. Allow the king of the forest, the buck to guide you in his strength and bring you abundance through his vitality and fertility. Under the Capricorn full moon your fears, doubts, and obstacles will be released and given back to the abundant earth. Follow the sea goat up the mountain for a clear path to meet all your goals and ambitions’ with determination.

Don’t forget to make preparations for your full moon hangover you may experience after this lumination. If you don’t know what a full moon hangover is or how to deal with one you can read all about it in my previous blog post here!

To learn more about the moon and lunar magic don’t forget to read my extensive guide about it here and watch my class with Divination Academy on YouTube here. You can also join me for a FREE celebration and ritual to connect to this moon on Facebook live with Divination Academy on Sunday July 21st @ 7:00pm CST here!

Posted on 2 Comments

Litha; Connecting To The Vibrant, And Life Giving Energy Of The Longest Day Of The Year

The Summer Solstice; the longest day of the year! This pagan holiday, also known as Litha, is all about celebrating the light in our lives the sun! As the days grow longer and the sun shines brighter, the world around us begins to come alive in a vibrant display of color and warmth. As we look around us and see in nature; our gardens are sprouting, flowers blooming, the birds flying around, the bees zooming about pollinating, and the grass coming back from winter; we know we have the warm, bright, and vibrant sun to thank for it. Litha is a time to celebrate the abundance and beauty of the Earth. It’s a time to celebrate the warmth of the sun’s rays on us and its nourishing effect on the Earth. It truly is the celebration of the fullness of nature and the strength and power of the sun. It’s the time the goddess is heavy with child and the god is preparing to help with the birth.

It’s a fire festival where we both, celebrate the Sun while also remembering that darker days are coming. With the realization that the days will steadily begin to grow shorter; and this is a fire festival. It becomes another sabbatt when we get to connect to our passions, desires, and the things that truly bring us joy in life. With the sun also being the planet that is the keeper of our ego, pride, and identity this holiday is a time to allow the sun’s rays to shine a light on who you truly are and allow them reconnect you to that version of yourself. Let’s follow the rays of the sun to have litha illuminated to us in this blogpost.

The History Of Litha

Litha AKA, Midsummers Night is the longest day of the year, now known as the summer solstice and has been celebrated in some fashion since ancient times. Litha is a pagan holiday and also one of Wicca’s eight sabbats that takes place on the summer solstice, the longest day of the year. It’s also known as Midsummer and is celebrated around June 21 in the Northern Hemisphere. The word “Litha” comes from the Anglo-Saxon word for “midsummer”. It has roots in ancient agricultural societies that relied on the sun for their livelihoods. It’s celebrated by many cultures around the world, including Pagans, Celts, and Norse people, and has its roots in ancient agricultural societies.

Historical evidence shows that Litha celebrations date back thousands of years and as far as the Neolithic period though they may be called by different names and worship different deities in each culture. Many agricultural societies used the period to indicate a time for planting and harvesting. Many ancient monuments like Stonehenge, the Egyptian pyramids, and the Temple of Kukulcan, were built to align with the sun’s position during the Summer solstice and thought to not only be used as a calendar but, places of worship to honor this day as well.

Litha is believed to be an ancient Germanic word for the months of June and July as well. The Anglo-Saxons (germanic)brought Aerra Litha with them to the British Isles when they settled there in the 5th and 6th centuries AD.

In Celtic culture and mythology Litha was a celebration of the Celtic goddess Danu (Anu) who represents earth and fruitfulness. According to Irish mythology Danu was the Universal Mother of Tuatha De Danaan – a tribe of ancient people in Ireland believed to have invaded Ireland and ruled until being defeated in war on midsummer’s day, after which they retreated to the hills and eventually became the Faerie folk.

In ancient Rome, this celebration was known as Vestalia which was the celebration of Vesta, the goddess of virginity, chastity and the sacred flame. Women would visit the temple of Vesta and make offerings to this goddess.

In many Neopaganism and Wiccan traditions, Litha marked the end of the Oak King’s reign and the rise of the Holly King, who oversees the world as the days gradually get shorter as the world descends into the cold dark of winter. The Oak King is associated with strength, growth, and vitality, while the Holly King is associated with rest, reflection, and regeneration. Together, they represent the cyclical nature of the seasons and the constant flow of life, death, and rebirth in the natural world. They are in fact, in many traditions, two faces of the Horned God, representing the polarity that exists in all things. In the Wiccan practice, it’s a bit deeper with an added layer as well. The Oak King(The God) and The Goddess are at the height of their power, and the Goddess is heavily pregnant and it is the oak king who will help her give birth. She is filled with the life of her coming son just as the earth is sown with seeds that will soon come to harvest.

Later in history as Christianity swept across Europe in the early middle ages, Litha / Midsummer Night was adopted by the Catholic church as St. John’s Day, celebrating John the Baptist.

When Is Litha?


Litha, or the Midsummer sabbat, is celebrated as a lesser sabbat in modern paganism and also one of the main fire festivals in the Celtic calendar. Litha happens at the summer solstice, when the day is longest and the night shortest. It is celebrated around June 21st, usually falling on any day from June 20th to June 23rd in the Northern hemisphere. In the southern hemisphere, it falls around December 21st to December 22nd. The changes in the dates depend on the shifting earth’s rotation around the sun. Litha marks the longest day of the year, the end of spring, and the start of summer astronomically.

The Fires Of Litha

First and foremost, Litha was and is a fire festival. Fire holds a significant role during Litha, symbolizing purification, transformation, and the height of solar energy. It was common to build bonfires and make wishes on Litha across cultures. Though it is thought this tradition may have originated with Celtic, Slavic, and Germanic people in Neolithic cultures in Northern and Central Europe, who lit bonfires to strengthen the sun’s power for the rest of the growing season. Family, friends, loved ones, and neighbors would gather and sit around the bonfire all night long waiting to greet the sun as it rises on its longest day. Catching the very first glimpse and energies of the first rays of the day. Some believe that fire symbolizes the sun and wards off unwanted entities. Others think that lighting and jumping over bonfires on the solstice brings good luck to lovers and keeps demons away.

A Celebration of The Sun

It is the height of celebration, as the triumphant sun shines bright and majestic, full of passion and success. Litha is a symbol of light, love and happiness, as well as, warmth and the power of the sun. At the heart of Litha celebrations, is the recognition and reverence for the sun’s life-giving energy. We rejoice in the seasons and the source of the light that is the basis of life. The sun is seen as a powerful symbol of vitality, strength, and for many the masculine aspect of divinity.

A Time To Connect To Yourself and Nature Around You

There are many ways to celebrate and connect to Litha. At the heart of these festivities, they are about getting in tune and connecting with the world around you and your place in it. Litha is a time to connect deeply with nature and embrace its abundance. The earth is in full bloom, with vibrant colors, fragrant flowers, and bountiful harvests. Humanity is busy with festivals, bbqs, and family gatherings almost every weekend. It’s a time when fertile energy is at its peak, and all around us, new life is rapidly growing. Litha celebrates the growing crops, the Sun, abundance, and the first day of Summer. Litha is your time to connect to and honor nature’s incredible fertile energy at this time of year, and to connect with our natural world on a deeper, more meaningful level.

Litha And Duality

Since, I am a grey witch I look for the duality in every single energy I work with including sacred days and/or holidays like Litha. We see the duality in Litha in the reason for why we celebrate it; for being the longest day of the year, and preparing us for the days to begin to shorten. We must embrace the good days before the darker days arrive. If we don’t celebrate our abundance, our fertility, and our success, then the darker days become even more bleak and unbearable.

Common Traditions

Since Litha is a fire festival in honor of the sun and it’s power, one of the most common ways to celebrate it was by lighting a bonfire on the top of a hillside. Using the bonfire to connect to the strength of the sun to carry them through the upcoming harvest season and long winter to follow. Another common practice was setting large wheels on fire and rolling them down into bodies of water.

Romans celebrated Juno during this time, which meant this month was often filled with many marriages. Vesta was also another celebrated goddess, and was often given offerings of salted meat for eight days in exchange for blessings upon the home. Along with lighting the fire in your hearths. In Norse traditions, the solstice was celebrated with feasts dedicated to Freyr, the fertility god.

Litha Deities

In many mythologies, and pantheons, gods and goddesses of Litha play a vital role in the seasonal cycle, symbolizing fertility, abundance, the earth, the sun, fire, and our personal power. They remind us to be grateful for all the sun has provided us with this yearly cycle and to begin to prepare for the winter to come. Working with deities is one of my favorite things to do. You can honor them during their festivals for them and by bringing them into any of your prayers, rituals, and spells you want to in order to celebrate and connect to this holiday. Let’s take a look at some of the Deities that can be worshipped during this sacred time and holiday.If you need to learn more about working with deities in your practice you can purchase my ebook on the topic here.

Juno

Juno, the Roman goddess of marriage, the family, and childbirth was a paramount figure embodying the sanctity and power of matrimonial union and the family. The Roman goddess Juno is among the first gods and goddesses of ancient Rome who is in charge of the women’s lives in the state. Juno’s symbol, which is a peacock, represents her watchful vigilance and her role as the protector of the community. It is assumed that the term “Juno” meant “the young one” because of her association as the goddess of the new and waxing moon. This celestial connection perhaps implying the idea of growth and beginnings, aligns with her domains.

Today, it is accepted that the Roman goddess Juno has the title “Regina” meaning Queen which gives her the title of the “Queen of the Gods.” Juno, being a multifaceted deity, was also the wife and sister of Jupiter, the King of all the Roman gods. She was often represented as the female counterpart to Mars the god of war, highlighting her influence in both the domestic and political spheres. Although the Roman goddess Juno had dominion over family, marriage, and childbirth, she is often depicted to be in a warlike stance, an illustration that is often favored upon by Roman soldiers.

Pan

Part man and part goat, Pan was the Greek god who was patron of shepherds and hunters, who watched their flocks. Pan was the Greek god of nature and the untamed wilderness. PAN was the god of the meadows and forests of the mountain wilds. His unseen presence aroused panic in those who traversed his realm. He was even thought to be the cause of the musical sound of the wind through the trees. He was Associated with music, fertility, and spring. In ancient Greek art, he was often depicted as a horned man with the legs of a goat; he was the chief of the satyrs, who were similar in appearance and character to Pan.

Pan, ruled over nature and pasturelands. Pan is essentially the father of the wild things. He is frequently depicted in literature and artworks. Although he is not one of the major gods of Ancient Greece, he is one of most often referenced figures in Greek mythology. Pan has come to represent the unstoppable power of nature throughout the ages and still today. To learn more about pan and how to connect to him you can do so in my previous blog post here.

Lugh

The Irish god of the sun, Lugh is a powerful deity associated with Litha. He is often invoked for protection and blessings of abundance. Lugh is a powerful deity said to have brought learning and knowledge to man. He is an Irish God of the Tuatha De Dannan, associated with Litha and the summer season. As the Celtic solar deity, Lugh has hegemony over life, light and law. His traditional symbols represent energy and creativity, from a shining sun held aloft in his hands to fiery arrows that stand for passion and lust.

Hathor

Of the many different gods and goddesses that were worshipped in ancient Egypt, Hathor is considered one of the most important. Hathor is the Egyptian goddess of love and beauty and her history is quite intriguing among the many that are around in the Egyptian pantheon. The Egyptian goddess of beauty and love is the daughter of the sky goddess Nut and the god of the sun and creation, Ra. Hathor is not only the daughter of Egypt’s main deities for she is also the ‘eye of Ra,’ the most powerful force in the world. This makes her one of the most significant deities in Egyptian mythology. The Egyptian goddess of love and beauty is also the goddess of the underworld. She welcomes the dead as they reach the underworld and serves them food and drinks. She is thought to be later connected with the Greek goddess Aphrodite this is why she is a great deity to work with this month to help you with self love, nourishment, and fertility workings.

Danu

Danu a celtic goddess, also known as Anu or Dana, she represents the divine maternal figure and her influence spread throughout Eastern Europe to Ireland. Danu was worshipped as a goddess of fertility, wisdom, and the wind. She nurtured the gods and she adopted became known as; the Tuatha Dé Danann, the Irish pantheon associated with the fairy folk.

Danu played a vital role in Celtic cosmology, embodying the nurturing and fertile aspects of femininity. As a goddess of fertility, she was associated with the abundance of the land and the growth of crops. Danu was also revered for her wisdom and connection to the wind. It was believed that she possessed profound knowledge, acting as a guide for the gods and the mortal inhabitants of the Celtic world. According to ancient Celtic beliefs, Danu not only nurtured the gods but also served as a protector and sustainer of life.

Ra

The sun god Ra was ancient Egypt’s most revered and sacred deity, who they worshipped as king of the gods and father of creation. King of the deities and father of creation, he was the most sacred of all the gods, a solar deity who embodied the sheer power of the sun and gave life to the universe. As such, he symbolized the great reverence ancient Egyptians had for the sun as an agricultural society in the desert whose lives revolved around growth and regeneration. According to many Egyptian myths, sun god Ra was responsible for the creation of all life. Out of eternal darkness, an entity called Atum called forth the beginning of creation. An island slowly emerged out of the Primeval Ocean, which turned into Ra, the sun god and than Ra spawned the first gods. As creator of the universe, Ra became father and king to all gods, humans and living creatures. Egyptians believed that it was Ra’s duty to travel across the sky every day, bringing light and life to the world. As the sun set, Ra would descend into the underworld, where he battled against forces of darkness, including the evil serpent Apopis, in order to ensure the sun could rise again in the morning. Egyptians likened this daily pattern of light and darkness to the entire cycle of life, in which humans live, die and rise again in the afterlife.

Amaterasu

Amaterasu is the primary deity of the Shinto religion in Japanese mythology, revered as the goddess of the sun, universe, and creation itself, and considered the highest manifestation of the spirit of the universe. Amaterasu was born from the left eye of her father, Izanagi, when he purified himself after visiting the underworld. Her birth gave her the unique status of being the only deity born from Izanagi alone. As the source of all light, life, and creation, the sun goddess sustains heaven and earth with a light so compelling that her father appointed her ruler of the universe when he first laid eyes on her. Amaterasu is also known for her role as the ruler of the Higher Celestial Plane. In this realm, she was responsible for bringing light to the world through the sun that she embodied. Amaterasu is the rising and setting sun: without her, all forms of life would cease to exist. As ruler of the heavens, she governs over all spirits (kami), and her divine powers brought about the cultivation of rice and wheat: she is also credited with first using silkworms and looms for weaving. Amaterasu’s role as the ruler of heaven is to ensure the continuity of life by maintaining order. As the embodiment of the sun, she assimilates all of its qualities and provides comfort and assurance to all those who look to her for guidance and protection. Having served as the mother of the imperial family she is revered as the goddess of the state, and is both nurturing and maternal. To learn more about her you can both read my blogpost about her here and watch my class with Divination here.

Magical Themes Of Litha

Every season and every pagan holiday has certain concepts and magical themes. Which means, depending on your tradition and needs, you can weave one or more of these themes into your personal celebrations. Litha is a great time for empowering spell work. Spells for healing, self-growth, self-love, love, and protection are all great choices. On Litha, we see the following magical rituals and spells below as well. Remember these are just some of the themes and energies you can connect to and work with on Litha.

  • abundance
  • cleansing
  • creativity
  • divination
  • fertility
  • fire
  • growth
  • healing
  • inspiration
  • love
  • motherhood
  • opportunity
  • power
  • success
  • sun god
  • warmth
  • empowerment
  • energy
  • fertility
  • growth
  • health
  • increase light (longest day of the year)

Correspondences To Connect To Litha

First, what is a correspondence? A correspondence is an item or symbol that is meant to connect you to a specific energy thru it’s representation. It is seen also as an item to respect, honor, and venerate that energy as well whether it be a deity, an archetype energy, the zodiac energy the moon is currently or for A holiday or sacred time like Litha, I will list below for you to use.Remember this is not an all encompassing list and there may be other correspondences to use. Just follow your intuition and use what calls to you.

  • Planet-The sun
  • Animal-bees, butterflies, cattle, horses, wren, robin, sea creatures, snake
  • Element-Fire
  • colors-gold, green , yellow, orange, sky blue, red
  • Herbs/flowers- sunflower, chamomile, lavender, daisy, peonies, yarrow, elder flowers, ivy, marigolds, honeysuckle, frankincense, myrrh, sage, oak, st.johns wort, calendula, lemon, orange, cloves
  • Stones/ crystals- Carnelian, Yellow Topaz, Tigers Eye, Citrine, Sunstone, Green Aventurine, Emerald, Jade, Peridot, Rose Quartz, fire agate,
  • Deities- juno, brigid, ra, Hestia, vesta, Amaterasu, sol, lugh. sulis minerva, surya, apollo, helios, freyja, hathor, bast, Sekhmet, the oak king, pan, cernunnos, bel, the green man, holly king, astarte, aphrodite, llew,Danu (Anu)
  • Symbols- sunwheel, bonfires, the sun, bees, flowers, seashells, the fae, oak leaves, dragonflies, butterflies

Ways To Celebrate Litha

We have talked about many different themes, and energies you can connect to during this time from fertility, abundance, joy, passion, connecting to nature, empowerment, transformation, and more. Let’s talk about how we can connect to and celebrate those themes and energies now. First, you can participate and honor any of the deities listed above or that are associated with Summer or the sun. You can work with any affirmations, mantras, and visualization work for manifestation, passion, abundance, fertility, joy, empowerment, and transformation. Check out below more ways to work with and celebrate this holiday and time of year.

Have a bonfire

As we talked about above, first and foremost beltane was celebrated as fire festival and the ancient celts used to pass their cattle through two of them to purify and cleanse them. So, what better way to connect to Litha and celebrate it than to build, lit, and enjoy a bonfire of your own! It’s common to do this with others, have some drinks, and leap over the flames for good luck and prosperity. Just be safe!

Perform a burning release

You already have the fire burning so why not use it for some release magic? One of my favorite ways to release unwanted habits, energies, people, and things from my life is to burn it away with fire. Take a piece of paper, focus on what it is you want to release from your life, write it on that piece of paper than walk up to your bonfire and as you let the paper fall and be burned in the flames visualize what you wrote being burned to ashes in your life as well.

Perform Solar magic

At the heart of Litha celebrations is the recognition and reverence for the sun’s life-giving energy. Which makes it one or if not the most potent day to perform solar magic. There are so many different ways to work with solar magic and the sun from meditating under its bright rays, making sun water, drawing down the sun and more. To learn all about solar magic and connecting to the sun and how to do so you can read about it here in my previous blog post.

Dance

Litha is a very fertile time full of energy, passion, and abundance, so what better way to connect to that energy than to move with it. We can do this by moving our hips, our womb spaces and moving our body through dance. Dancing allows us to move energy around, connect to the movements of energy around us in a dynamic way, and opens up our womb space to connect to sexual energy. So, get up move your body through dance and maybe even do so around a bonfire!

Wild Flower Crafting
Wild flowers have always been a big part of the Litha celebrations. In ancient times, it was common to pick flowers like sunflowers and create crown wreaths out of them to wear or place on an altar. Or to take them and create a beautiful handfasting basket for a couple whose getting married.So go and pick wildflowers, Litha is the perfect day for it! Then return home and make a bouquet. Or if you’re feeling really crafty, make flower wreaths, crowns or garland to decorate yourself, your home, to place on your altar, or gift to a couple.

Refresh Your Altar
Another way to connect to a holiday and/or sacred day I always recommend is to cleanse and refresh your altar and/or sacred space. Use water or fire to cleanse, then decorate with wildflowers, images of the fae, Litha deities, and any of the litha correspondences we talked about earlier.

Simmer pot for beltane

Whether you consider yourself a Kitchen Witch, are vaguely interested in Kitchen Magic or just want to bring some good vibes and good smells into your home, simmer pots are an easy, accessible and fun ritual for any time of year! Simmer pots are easy to create and customize to your liking, so you can make your kitchen a sacred space whenever you want! So, why not make one specifically to call in and honor the energy of Litha.

What are simmer pots? Simmer pots are basically potpourri in a pot! You choose your ingredients, put them in a pot with water, bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer and let it do its thing. They couldn’t be any easier, just be sure you don’t let your pot boil dry! If you want to keep the pot going simply add more water when it gets low. And obviously never leave it going when you are not home. To learn more about how about this magical practice you can check out my previous blogpost on the topic here.

Perform Fae Magic
In ancient times, and up to the modern era, the Celtic people believed strongly in the Fae, also called the faery folk. Litha, the Summer Solstice, is one of the three annual Feasts of Faeries, the Fae. The day of the Summer Solstice is when access to their realm is the easiest and the Faes’ powers, strongest. They frolic about bonfires, joyously singing and dancing. This makes it a great day and time to connect to the fae by performing fae magic.To learn more about the fae you can check out Divination’s class series on it here

Five Senses Nature Walk

Litha is all about the cycle and movement of nature and marking the most fertile time of the year. Connecting to the blooming and buzzing of nature all around us. So why not take the time to connect to nature itself? Soak in all the fertility and abundance in nature right now. You can do this by going on a five sense nature walk. After you have engaged all your senses, walk back to your home. Reflect on your experience by writing it down in a journal

Make a Litha Spell Jar

Spell Jars are one of my most favorite spells to create and tools to use in my magical practice and life. Spell jars are great to create a container of energy for you to harness and come back to over and over again when you need it! A quick run down on how to create a spell jar. Pick your items, and add them to your jar after you wash, cleanse and charger your jar. As you add your items focus on visualizing the energy of abundance and what it is you very specifically want to call into your life with that energy. Once you feel the intention and energy is set inside the jar you can take your lid and seal it shut. To add more power to your jar you can add sigils to the outside or seal the lid with wax even. Place the jar on your altar or anywhere in your home, office, or car where you can see it and come back to it when you need to call on the energy and spell again. You can shake the jar to activate the magic whenever you come back to it as well. Keep an eye out for more spell jars on my Pinterest or Facebook page and to learn more about all about them purchase my ebook here.

Other Ways to celebrate Litha

  • Wear the colors
  • Watch the sunrise and/or sunset
  • Feast with friends and family
  • Have a garden party or BBQ
  • Meditate outside
  • Sun bathe (safely!)
  • Express gratitude for the light
  • Perform Abundance spells
  • Practice sun salutations
  • Celebrate abundance
  • Take action on goals
  • Make a flower crown
  • Ground your energy / connect with the earth
  • Solar charge your crystals (know which ones you won’t destroy doing this)
  • Connect with your solar plexus chakra
  • Have a bonfire
  • Burn any charms from Yule to release the energy
  • Burn wishes
  • Create charms for the next half of the year
  • Cleanse your home
  • shadow work based on duality, empowerment, true joy.If you would like to learn more about shadow work you can purchase my eBook here; you can book me for a 1:1 session as your guide here;  and you can watch my free class previously taught on it through Divination here. And don’t forget to register for new 6 week workshop series Embracing your shadow here!

Wrap Up

Litha invites us to immerse ourselves in the radiant energy of the sun and the abundance of nature. As the Wheel of the Year turns, Litha stands as a reminder of the interconnectedness between humanity and the natural world. By coming together in celebration, gratitude, and reflection, we honor the sun’s life-giving energy and reaffirm our commitment to living in harmony with the cycles of nature. Recognize that that the power of Summer is the gift of attaining all that you want to manifest, through the grace of the Divine, and it is yours to bring into fruition now.