Zach Horton, Author at RitualCravt

Seasonal Support & Embodiment With the 4 of Cups

By Davidia Turner

Spring is in full force and feelings of anticipation, excitement, regeneration and “opening up” are abound. After a year of social and physical distance, this Spring also brings with it the hope of reconnecting like never before. Sitting with folks in readings, having conversations with students and close friends, and during my own self reflections, a recurring theme has presented itself this season. “How do I honor and process the experience and events of the past year (personal & collective), while making way for the new?” Realizing the toll the pandemic has taken on a personal and collective level is just as important as cultivating new projects, fresh ideas and renewing our faith. And holding these two opposing spaces at once can feel daunting. After a major disruption of the routines and status quo, the prospect of finding sustainability and stability, both qualities of the number four, are on the horizon.

We can look to the energy of the 4 of Cups for emotional support and guidance as to how we can hold the past, the present and the future. The 4 of cups is an invitation to process, digest and evaluate previous experiences and actions, before taking on potential new opportunities and next steps. This is taking the time to choose wisely. It’s a chance to step back, step in and notice emotions, the body and the mind. This is about facilitating embodied connectivity to the choices and decisions we might be making at this time.

If the past year has activated your survival instincts, disconnected you from your body, or activated certain negative mental conditioning, the 4 of Cups can be a reminder to reconnect to self trust and your intuition. Intuitive listening allows us to honor our own timing, a view of this card I learned from my teacher Lindsay Mack. It asks us to make sure we aren’t pushing or persuading mind and body to leap into something we might not be fully ready for, or even really want. It can also show us how to address discontent, acknowledging outdated paradigms and inspiring us to build something new in its place. How have your priorities shifted this past year?

What matters most to you?
Have you taken time to steady yourself?

Name one thing that you are Excited to Begin and one thing You’re excited to Move on from; how are they connected?

Spring is an opportune time to implement supportive self-care practices that remind you to ground, center and reconnect before pushing ahead. Like the person sitting against the tree, taking in fully the three cups (emotional experiences) before them, while also contemplating what’s next (the cup presented by the disembodied hand), we can reflect on the past experiences we have had, and how they are disrupting or supporting any new habits and behaviors we wish to create.

The beauty of Spring is seeing the world wake up again. And many of us feel more than ready to get outside of ourselves, experience community and connectivity. The Four of Cups reminds us how important digesting and disseminating all that we have been through is to this process of re-emergence.

Simple Ways to Embody the 4 of Cups:

Give Yourself a Belly Massage
Sit/Lay or Place Feet on the Earth
Make a Cup of Ginger Tea

Connect with Davidia at https://www.davidiaturner.com/ or on Instagram @davidia.turner

by Zach Horton

Death, The Great Teacher

By Kathryn Solie

When I wrote my previous Ritual Cravt article on the topic of death, I had no idea that by the time it came around to write my next, my beloved dog would have passed on.

While I’m probably more comfortable with death than many in our society, all of my trainings paled in comparison to the actual experience of his loss. I both was and wasn’t surprised by how bowled over I was by the experience. And although I know that pets are family members whose deaths are societally undervalued as impactful life events, I also know that when the time comes to lose my parents, or my partner, or my closest friends, the grief will likely be much greater. The power of this grief further cemented my belief in the importance of recognizing, contemplating, and doing processing work around death & dying - before, during, and after the experience of loss. One of the greatest gifts we can give to ourselves and our loved ones is taking steps towards accepting and embodying this universal experience of death/change that truly awaits us all. It’s clear to me this is a lifelong practice and much more than an ideological crutch of “death optimism”.

The following are some thoughts I wrote down while in the midst of my recent period of grief.

Death is the greatest of all teachers. None can escape its impact. We can hide from it or open to it.

Death invites us to move slowly - so much more slowly than we’re accustomed to.
Deaths invites us to act from integrity and presence.
Death invites us to speak the truth.
Death invites us to listen to the soft song of the moment. That moment that tells us everything we need to hear.
Death invites us to acknowledge the preciousness of life. The beauty of it all.
Each hair on our beloveds head, every rain drop, every inhalation & exhalation - life becomes the temple.
The white noise of the refrigerator, the sound of cars driving by our window, even those never ending beeps from our devices become the mantra, the icaros, the sacred choir.
The depth in each moment becomes glaringly, gloriously obvious. How could we have ignored it all this time?

The more we resist the unwanted feelings death triggers in us, the more we long to hold onto the world we’ve known, the more we push away what wants to naturally occur - the more we inevitably suffer and miss opportunities to embody an emotionally transformative process.
These processes make way for true contemplation of death.

The sooner we begin to contemplate death, the sooner we can contemplate life. For what is it to live without the knowledge that this life will someday end?

We could in truth say that each moment is like a little practice death. Each and every point in time is fleeting. As Heraclitus said, “No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it's not the same river and he's not the same man.”

The more we acknowledge death while we live, the more prepared we’ll be when the time comes for our loved ones and our own selves. And what is this preparation but opening to life?

Learn more about Kathryn at https://www.kathrynsolie.com or IG @persephonespath

by Zach Horton

A Tarot Practice For Moving On

By Sterling Moon

How much energy do we waste stuck in time in our heads while the proverbial grass continues to grow under our feet? When a situation has exhaled its death rattle, it's time to get going. As we’re headed into the winter and the start of a new calendar year, it’s important that we figure out how to keep moving forward. Most of us ruminate over arguments long past or try to force old relationships into working better than they are designed to. Then there is the special type of liminal space that 2020 has brought us, which is unlike anything any of us have experienced in this lifetime. Usually when I write these pieces for Ritualcravt, I try to offer something that will be applicable no matter when the reader finds it. This month, that goal doesn’t feel authentic. What a year 2020 has been. We’re almost through an entire solar cycle of living with a pandemic. So many people have lost family members, had their source of income stripped from them, and face challenges to both their physical and mental health as a result. There is more collective awareness of racism and systemic oppression than ever before in the United States, where I live. There is also monumental work ahead and the question of whether most folks, particularly my own pale brethren, are up to the challenge of creating lasting change. We’ve just gone through a rather traumatic presidential election that yielded some great things at the state and local levels and drove record voter turnout, but also also highlighted some pretty gross truths about the value systems of many people in this country. To anyone who is reading this from outside the US, I am truly sorry you are all subjected to our news cycle. Please feel free to turn your attention elsewhere while we try to clean up this mess. Add to that the devastation of wildfires and catastrophic weather events related to climate change, the atrocities being committed in immigration detention centers, and military force being used against our own people...just this year alone! Did all of that make your chest seize up a bit? Me, too. It’s no wonder many of us are struggling. It is glaringly obvious that we have a lot of collective work to do, on top of the daily struggles we face, yet many of us are frozen with anxiety, fatigue, or just not knowing where to start. Never forget that we’re in this together, my friends. If you are here reading this, I believe that you are not someone who is afraid to do hard things. We’ve lived through a hell of a year and we are still here. That said, it’s time to turn the page to a new chapter because we have work to do.

This simple practice is meant to help you move past situations where there is nothing left to do or say; to reduce your attachment to the past; and provide some insight on how you can begin moving forward in the best possible way.

Tarot Practice for Moving On

Allow yourself 10-15 uninterrupted minutes to complete this practice. This was created with tarot or oracle cards in mind, but feel free to adapt to whatever divination tool works best for you. You may also want to have a journal and something to write with.

Notice yourself. Take a big breath and mentally scan your body from head to toe, noting how you feel. Observe the quality of air and light in the room. Take notice of your mood and thoughts.

Tune into the situation you want to move past. What does bringing your awareness to this particular issue do to the quality of your breathing or the sensations in your body? How does it impact your mood or thoughts?

Use the breath to let it go. Take a big, four-count breath. Hold at the top for two to four counts. Exhale for four to six counts and hold at the bottom for two-four counts. As you exhale, imagine that the situation you want to release begins misting away, disintegrating the impact on you and carrying it far, far away. Repeat this four times, envisioning that the situation gets smaller with each round until there is nothing left to exhale away. Check in with your body, mind, mood, and thoughts. If you have not experienced a release, repeat until you do.

Time to divine. Hold your tarot deck as you close your eyes and take one or two more gentle breaths to ground you. Envision that you are surrounded by a perfect circle of light, any color that comes to mind. Ask out loud for your guides, ancestors, and highest self to bring you guidance. Thank them in advance for their assistance. When you feel settled, shuffle your cards and begin. Lay the cards out however you wish.

Card 1: What can I learn from this experience?
Card 2: What do I need to let go?
Card 3: What is the next right step as I move forward?
Card 4: May I have one final card to represent what is needed for the highest good? (Note - this may be for you personally, but may also represent something needed in the collective.)

Sit with it. Allow your mind to be quiet as you reflect on your cards. Remember that spirit speaks through your tools. Take note of any additional messages, visions, or insight you receive. If any of the cards trigger a negative reaction, don’t discount it. This could offer insight into a potential silver lining, a suggestion of things to avoid, or an area that you need to switch your thought patterns.

Give thanks and move on. Check back in with the circle of light you created at the beginning. See it gently fall away. Thank your guides, ancestors, and highest self for their guidance. Take a big breath, stretch, and wiggle your body. Put your tools away and get going!

by Zach Horton

Seeing Persephone’s Face

By Kathryn Solie

Most of us don’t begin to contemplate death until it’s right in front of us. When death does seep into our minds, it may show up as a distant thought laced with fear, avoidance, and apprehension; mentally relegated to a theoretical possibility requiring minimal to no contemplation.

Yet the truth is that death will one day greet us all, and there’s no guarantee it won’t be today.

An unfortunate side effect of our current cultural climate is that so many will view the previous sentiment as a depressing nod to the “inherent meaninglessness” of biological life. As if one of the most shared and profound of human experiences, death, is a morose concept and accursed truth. Perhaps many of our society’s ills have their roots in our inability to acknowledge the feelings of grief and dread which rise with the thought of our own impermanence.

Not all cultures, historically and today, feel this way about death. Likewise not all who accept death are merely hiding in culturally inherited fantasies about an afterlife; some are given the means to look beyond the material world and decide for themselves.

The Eleusinian Mysteries were an Ancient Greek rite tied to the story of Persephone and Demeter. These Mysteries were so well guarded that we have very little understanding of what happened there. What we do know, is that the mysteries were performed every year (except one) for at least 1,992 years, before being outlawed by the Roman emperor Theodosius as part of the campaign against “pagans”.

It is theorized participants drank of a sacrament derived, in part, from grain grown ergot that can elicit effects similar to LSD.

It was said that those who experienced the rites at Eleusis no longer feared death. Sophocles said, “Thrice happy are those of mortals, who having seen those rites depart for Hades; for to them alone is granted to have a true life there. For the rest, all there is evil.”

I can’t help but wonder what it would be like to live in a time where the likes of Plato, Socrates, Heracles, and Marcus Aurelius would partake in these rituals alongside a wide range of people, regardless of class or gender. What would it be like to live in a society where a sizable portion of the population shared a spiritual experience that had the potential of bringing them to the realization that death was no longer a fate to fear? Of course, the Greeks were not perfect and their failings were plenty, but their openness to exploring the mysteries of life and death was surely amongst their greatest virtues.

Now more than ever our culture is in need of a new, rationally apprehended paradigm shift around death, for if we do not we are doomed to fear based survival behaviors, preached to us by the corporately influenced arbitrators of material reductionist “science”.

But even those of us who have yet to see Persephone’s proverbial face, can begin to change our relationship with death. We need only open to the mystery.

Further Resources:

The Road to Eleusis by R. Gordon Wasson, Albert Hofman, and Carl A.P. Ruck
The Immortality Key by Brian C. Muraresku
Being with Dying by Joan Halifax
The American Book of the Dead by E.J. Gold
Awakening Osiris by Normandi Ellis

Learn more about Kathryn at https://www.kathrynsolie.com or IG @persephonespath

by Zach Horton

Simple Spirit Communication

By Sterling Moon

One of the hardest aspects of “coming out of the broom closet” for me was to begin publicly acknowledging that I am a medium or seer. You never know how someone will react when you tell them you talk to dead people, not to mention nature spirits, angels, and other entities. At a certain point, it became harder to keep this aspect of my life and spirituality shoved into the background, so I decided to not only own it, but improve and refine what I can do by seeking out ongoing mentorship and learning experiences. Now it’s just a part of everyday life.

Recently, I’ve had a number of people tell me how fearful they become when they sense the presence of spirits and ask how they can become more comfortable. I believe that everyone has the ability to engage with the spirit world. When we sense something otherworldly and shut it down out of fear, we may be slamming the door on our ancestors who are trying to protect us, spirits that need help, or our guardians. Also, just because you get good at ignoring something, doesn’t mean that it ain’t there. A spirit that really wants your attention will increase their efforts to catch your eye, I promise.

So where does one start with all of this? My suggestion is to begin by building relationships with familiar spirits. The following is a practice you can use to start connecting with spirits that are close to you in some way.

Decide who you want to talk to. Trust me when I say that you can land yourself in some deep shit if you just open yourself wide up to “the spirit world.” Just like there are bad people in this world who will take advantage of your vulnerabilities, there are bad spirits that will feed on you and can truly mess up your life. Start with someone that feels safe. A relative or friend who has moved on or an ancestor that you have researched are some good starting points. Choose someone that you have a picture of and even something that they owned in life.

Set your space. Tidy up a bit and wipe down the surface you’ll be using. I know a lot of us like salt for cleansing, but it drives away spirits. Don’t use it here. Have a candle, glass of water, and a small offering of food along with the picture and/or personal items. Many spirits also like coffee and alcohol. Just a little will do. Spirits of the dead like the same things they enjoyed in life and it’s polite to offer someone a drink or snack when they come to your home, right? The water acts as both a conduit and refreshment and the candle helps light their way. Have a pad of paper and something to write with nearby and if you practice any kind of divination like tarot, cartomancy, scrying, or bone throwing, have those tools handy as well.

Notice yourself. Take a big breath and mentally scan your body from head to toe, noting how you feel. Observe the quality of air and light. Check in with your mood and thoughts. Being aware of how you are feeling and your surroundings will allow you to better discern when the spirit comes through.

Call in the spirit and pay attention. I wish I could say that I had some fancy incantation for y’all, but I don’t. I usually just focus on the picture/personal items, say the full name, and if I know it, the birthday of the spirit I wish to speak with. Ask them to come close to you and enjoy the refreshments you have offered them. You may have to ask a couple of times. Be patient and listen. Observe the subtle differences. Does the air and light in your space feel different? Does your head, mind, or body feel different? When a spirit comes through, I often get a flushed feeling in my face, my head feels swirly like I’ve had a couple of drinks, and my stomach gets that “in a moving elevator” feeling. You will notice when a spirit comes in, but it likely won’t be a Hollywood-worthy experience. You will most likely feel and see the person in your mind, not with your eyes.

The role of skepticism. There’s a weird balance here. It’s very healthy to maintain some skepticism, but it can also offend spirits greatly if they catch you thinking they might be a figment of your imagination. A skeptic will say that this could all just be your subconscious or an active imagination. This is true, but I promise that spirits will unequivocally demonstrate their presence the more your work with them and believe in them.

Test them. I always recommend that you test any spirits you come in contact with who claim to be familiar to you. The simplest way is to ask them what your name is. You’ll be surprised how that can trip a faker up. You can also ask them about memories you share or quiz them a bit on family history. You don’t need to turn this into an interrogation; you’ll know after a question or two. If you are someone who has a particularly clear mind’s eye, you can walk around the spirit to see if they are authentic or wearing the mask of the one you called in. If you get any indication that the spirit in your presence isn’t the one you invited, tell them directly that they must leave and that you claim the space as your own. Keep repeating until you feel them leave. Cleanse yourself as described below or however you see fit and try another day.

Enjoy the conversation. If the spirit in your presence is the one you called in, talk to them and take the time to listen. This isn’t fancy, but conversing with someone who doesn’t have a body does take a little practice. Take notes on what you experience. If you are struggling to get clear messages and you have divination tools handy, ask the spirit to speak to you through your cards, etc. For example, you can ask them a question and pull a card to help divine the answer. Remember that spirits don’t, or can’t, always speak with words. You may get images in your mind, smells, flashes of emotions that don’t feel like your own, etc. Go with it. If you get overwhelmed, tell the spirit to pull back a bit. I used to allow these encounters to totally flood my senses, thinking I needed to take in as much information as I possibly could. It caused me more harm than it was worth. Find the balance that works for you.

When you feel done talking or the spirit seems tired or like they are pulling pack from you, end the conversation. Thank them for their visit and tell them they can return to where they came from. Wait until you can feel that they have left, then snuff out the candle and place the offerings of food, water, and other drinks outside somewhere outside, like under a tree or bush.

You can also leave this up as an altar if that feels right. Just replenish the water and bring the food and drinks outside once they are no longer fresh. Maintaining the space will definitely help if you want to build an ongoing relationship with that particular spirit.

Cleanse yourself and your space. I am partial to cleansing visualizations. The simplest is envisioning bright light flooding through your body, washing away any spiritual gunk. I usually follow up with a few spritzes of Florida water in my space and on my person. If that isn’t enough, I’ll prepare a salt scrub and use it in the shower or take a simple cleansing bath with salt and herbs that feel appropriate. Do whatever works for you, just don’t neglect your spiritual hygiene.

Practice. Building relationships with spirits can enrich your life immensely. It takes patience, mutual respect, and willingness to keep learning. Enjoy the journey!

Connect with Sterling Moon through her website, sterlingmoontarot.com or her Instagram @Sterlingmoontarot .

by Zach Horton

A Prayer to Santa Muerte

By Loretta Ledesma

The number of times I’ve written out an opening sentence for this entry, gone back and deleted it, are now more than I can count. It’s 12:19 Friday morning, during a global pandemic and Santa Muerte is perched in Her sacred space next to me. And I still can’t find the words to describe devotion. Perhaps because She is ancient and at the same time brand new. Perhaps because after 25 years I still at times have a hard time speaking Her name, choosing to say “Her” instead. Perhaps because I don’t want to betray any oaths or initiations I have taken.

The truth about this devotion is that it goes both ways. She is as devoted to us as we are to Her. The truth about Her is that we have chosen to sensationalize, colonize, demonize and gentrify Her and yet She still meets us with mercy. The literature about Her origins is hard to find and the stories are held close to the breast of the elders. After all, we have to keep something for ourselves, don’t we? But I feel the challenge from Her that She is needed now more than ever and this is why the awareness of Her is rising.

I want to start this dive by stating clearly that I do not claim to be an expert nor am I a scholar. What I do own is that I know death very well. I have looked death in the face many times. I have faced death with loved ones and I have faced my own. I have also had the great honor of having a beautiful teacher who took me under her wings and showed me a path that saved my life. She taught me how to set up a space for La Santa Muerte, to keep always above waist high so we never look down on death. She taught me how to call Her in, with rattles and marigolds, as the rattle is ancient and reminds Her of the old temples and even the dead can smell marigolds. She taught me how to feed Her tobacco, wine, blood and bone. Bone calls to bone. She taught me how to only ask for what I was willing to give up to my descendants when it was my time. The gifts, objects and protections we are granted in this life should not be so coveted that our souls become attached to this world. When it’s time to go with Her, we must leave our physical belongings with the living.

My teacher taught me how to bathe Her statues when we first brought them home. A mixture of cool water, Florida Water and tobacco cologne. Cool water to quench the thirst of the dead and moisten the throat so that She can speak to us openly and clearly. Florida Water because it contains spiritual cleansers and offerings to the ancestors. Tobacco cologne because the spirit of tobacco is so sacred, we have a hard time handling the potency of this plant so we should only consume it in ceremony.

She showed me the post colonial three robes. Red for all earthly desires and needs of the blood. White for purification, protection and ease. Black for all things that dwell in the underworld or that we truly need to remain hidden. She then taught me that the rainbow of Santisima statues were born from the sharing of information and spirituality with the African Traditional Religions. The Orisha met La Santa and the multitude of Her colors was born.

My teacher spoke to me about why Nina Blanca carries the scales for us to help insure the balance of life and death as they are one and the same. All the weight of the world in one skeletal hand. She taught me to honor the Owls and the secrets they carry with them. My teacher shared with me the ways She comes in so that I would not be afraid, Her messages are loud. She is not a deity that hides in the shadows or sends mixed messages. She screams in the wind and gathers matter in order to make Herself known.

She taught me that there is no death, not in the way we think of it in the west. She taught me the roots. She taught me that no matter what agenda any person in power tries to push, there is no such thing as a “narco saint,” only the saints of the people and unfortunately the war on drugs was a made up war for governmental profit. A war that targeted the people. She taught me that the colonizing voices have no place in calling the spirituality of the people demonic, as the devil is an ideal that belongs to them, not us. She taught me to look deep. Deep into the Mexica stories, into the caves now covered in waters, into the temples that defy all reason, into the eyes of the descendants of the keepers of the magic. It is in those places I would find Her true roots.

While it’s not my place to speak Her original name to you here, I do encourage you to seek the answers in antiquity. Recognize that those who speak catholic prayers in Her name do so in acts of resilience. Look past the church and the assumption that the veil is only thin in Autumn. Look past the mass produced calavera and the confusion between the Bony Lady and the grim reaper, and when the timing is right go to the places. See the altars in the streets. Experience the homes that have been open to the public and turned into sacred dwellings in the name of the unofficial Saint of Mexico. Come to the many shops that have areas carved out and devoted to Her. Speak your prayers and leave Her pennies, chocolate and Her favorite two dollar bills. Maybe we will cross paths in our journeys. Maybe we already have.

I will leave you with the two most important lessons I learned.

One, to work with Her is to honor Her descendants. Today this brings to mind the way some choose to ignore Her children locked in cages while asking for Her protections. Make no mistake that She chooses to usher Her people in peril before She aids us in conquests of love or finance.

Two, She will meet us all, as we all must die. The reintroduction around death and dying that we see now is of course bringing more awareness around the spirits that have always lived in these realms. Holy Death is queen in this realm and holds us all in Her powerful embrace as we face these final moments. She also is known to intervene on behalf of those who find themselves in situations before their time. In this meeting She shows us mercy and brings an easeful death* or holds death at bay to ensure the balance.

*Nod to sweet Jess for conjuring the power behind the words Easeful Death.

For D.M. La Bruja

Connect with Loretta on instagram @thedeathwitch

by Zach Horton

Introduction to Communicating with Plant Consciousness

By Kathryn Solie

Despite what our material reductionist schooling and social conditioning have led us to believe, plants are beings with their own interior experience of reality. This interior is something our ancestors perceived and related to in unique ways. Absent modern scientific instruments, how else do we think people would have learned of the vastly complex, and in many ways superior systems, such as Chinese Medicine and Ayurveda? Could trial and error alone have brought about the sophistication and effectiveness of these systems? Seems highly unlikely.

Plants are speaking. Not in the way that I’m speaking to you now, but in a wholly unique kind of language. A language our ancestors were listening for. This language hasn’t been forgotten or lost by humanity, all that has been lost is our willingness and cultural permission to open to it. Through patience, openness, and humble practice you too can rediscover this ancient tongue.

One of the things that I love most about plant “spirit” medicine is that it’s available to anyone, anytime, anywhere. You don’t need to pay someone to do it. You don’t need to have physical plant medicine like a flower essence, tea, or tincture. You even don’t need to have the plant in front of you, nor have ever met the particular plant you wish to communicate with before doing this practice (though these certainly help). You can practice plant spirit communication in a jail cell, in the deep woods, sitting on a couch in your apartment, in the bathroom during a break at work, on a boat in the middle of the ocean. It’s truly a line of communication accessible to all.

There are many ways to practice plant spirit communication but I’m going to outline what works for me below.

Plant Spirit Meditation:

Close your eyes
Take in a few deep, full breaths
Welcome in the plant that you are wanting to connect with
If you’re connecting with rose, you can say something in your mind like “welcome rose” or “I am open to what rose has to share with me” or you can just hold the knowledge that you are now open to the consciousness of rose
Notice what arises
There is no wrong way to experience plant communication. You may see dreamlike images, hear words, experience body sensations, see colors or patterns, have a gut feeling, or hear a song.
The way you experience plant consciousness may change from plant to plant or from day to day.
During communication, you don’t have to hold onto anything in the moment. What you need to remember, you will remember.
Sometimes nothing will happen, or we’re not clear on what’s happening, and that’s ok too.
This is a practice, a life long practice. It’s not something you achieve one time and master.
Keep in mind that just as we can so easily project our own desires, fears, and stories onto other people, we can do the same with plants. Therefore, the more you do your own work, the more that you heal and deepen within yourself, the more you’ll be able to hear what the plants have to say.
Once you feel like you’ve received the medicine you needed, you can ask the plant if there’s anything you can offer to them. You can say something in your mind like “how can I be of service to you?” Take note of what they say & carry out their requests to the best of your abilities
Thank the plant for their medicine and wisdom
Take in a deep breath and open the eyes

You can do this practice with plant medicine like tea, essences, tinctures, or salves OR you can do it without any physical medicine.
If you’re sitting with a physical plant, I always ask the plant for consent before making contact.
I like to ask for consent for three main reasons:

The subtle energies of any living being (electromagnetic or otherwise) can constrict or open, depending largely on what that being is perceiving - friend or threat. The clearest communication comes through the energetic bond of friendship.
To further cultivate the understanding that plants are complex feeling beings intimately woven into the wellbeing of all life on this planet.
Lastly, what if that plant you want to talk with is poison ivy and you don’t recognize them - their lack of consent may save you from getting a nasty rash!

Try to have a beginner’s open mind with every plant communication. Just because you’ve heard someone else’s perspective on a plant’s “personality” doesn’t mean that’s how the plant will present themselves to you. Anyone who tells you that a plant has one exclusive message is offering a pretty limited perspective. We all have different understandings and life experiences that color the way the way we hear the plants. There’s not one correct message from a plant. Stay open to variance.
That said, refined consensus has its place in the development of new integrative systems of medicine and human-plant interaction.

Plants seek to harmonize with their environment and we are now a foundational piece of that environment. Will we let them guide us (humanity) to that harmonization, and all it has to offer human life? Will we take our place as biospheric stewards? I don’t know, but the more that we learn to listen, the greater chance that future will come to pass.

Wishing you the best on your plant journeys.

If you’d like to learn more about plant spirit communication, you can visit my Patreon or take a class with me.

by Zach Horton

Ancestral Herbalism

Almost immediately after arriving in Portland, Oregon (indigenous land of the Chinookan people) a heavy blanket of sorrow was draped over my shoulders. Its weight was unbearable and I could feel a dampness weighing on every thought. I knew about some of the atrocities that black and indigenous people experienced in Portland’s history and thought that may have triggered something with in me. I don’t consider the sudden sorrow to be negative but I also wanted to understand the cord that was struck within me and change the tone.

To help lift the weight I tuned to rosemary and cedar. I wanted to work with plant medicines that held wisdom and memories of the land I was on, that were also abundant. I gave thanks and collected enough of each for a facial steam and spirit bath.

After my steam and bath, I laid down and rubbed my mugwort and pedicularis (a plant that can help release personal and ancestral trauma from the muscles) oil on my womb space and pulse points. A few minutes later in a post herbal bath relaxed state, I heard a child singing. I saw the child being carried on the back of it’s mother in what seemed to be a tropical jungle. I remember the markings on the mothers face and the sensory experience of deep connection with her. She was scared, that was not a feeling the child had never experienced up until that point. She told the child to stop singing. She was speaking to me and told me to be quiet. She heard the sounds of foreigners and her fear brought me to tears. Then I saw the pain of losing our indigenous language that was full of tones and sounds that expressed our connections to each other, the earth, and the unseen.

That vision brought clarity and lifted the blanket allowing me to see a path towards healing. I had no idea that memory was living within me but in my years of ancestor work, I’ve learned so much about restoring my voice. That vision was another point in history when our voices were silenced. Following that trip, I began working with herbs for the throat and received wisdom around working with song and music for healing.

That vision wasn’t an isolated incident. In my healing process, I’ve found that common herbs can help us access powerful visions and memories of traditions and magic. Herbs have been like keys for me, unlocking ancestral memories. The practices and traditions I thought were lost to colonialism, have been restored through daily work with plant medicines from imphepho to mint. Reactivation and restoration of magical and healing practices can come from working with herbs in ritual or to to help with healing.

While any herb can help us access the wisdom we carry, I’ve found that aromatic herbs like rosemary, spilanthes, or sage can help trigger the release of ancient knowledge stored in the body. I often turn to rosemary and mugwort to help bring forgotten wisdom to the surface. These herbs lay the foundation for any other herb I may be working with at the time. The herbs you choose may be different.

I work with a rosemary and mugwort herbal oil as a base for any other herbs I may work with. Rosemary is known as the herb of remembrance and I have experienced that truth. Physically, rosemary can help support brain health and cognition. As a visionary, rosemary has helped me restore entire stories from my lineages and childhood.

As a dreamer, I work with mugwort often. While I turn to rosemary for daytime visions, mugwort (not for use in pregnancy) is my ally for dream visions. It helps with dream recall, clarity, lucidity, and protection in the dream space. Rosemary and mugwort together make an amazing base for any other herbs I wish to learn from.

For a few days in a row I work with the visionary oil placing a few drops on my pulse points, womb space, inner ankles, or temples. I like to apply the oil both before bed and in the morning. I then consume the empress herb (the main herb I am looking to learn from) I am working with in tea, flower essence, or tincture form. Your empress herb can be one that is helping support your health in some way or an herb you feel a particularly strong connection to.

As with any other practice, an intention for this ritual can help with navigating the information that surfaces. When working with an herb my ancestors may have used, I ask for clarity on how my ancestors may have connected with and used that plant. Always give thanks to the plants for their medicine and guidance. Keep a journal on hand for the information you receive. Pay attention to shifts in your mood, energy levels, thoughts, feelings, dreams, and the situations you find yourself in. Insight comes in so many forms and each herb can help us connect with the information we seek in a way that is in alignment with the actions of that particular plant.

There are so many ways to heal and restore the practices of our lineages. This ancestral herbal practice is one way to open the door to many other practices that are waiting to be restored. As the descendant of African, South American, Caribbean, and European peoples, ancestral herbal practices have helped ground the healing work I do.

Visionary Oil
1 part rosemary
1 part mugwort
A glass jar with a lid
The oil of your choice ( I typically use olive or coconut for better shelf life)

Add your herbs to the jar, filling it 3/4 of the way. Pour the oil over your herbs making sure it’s covered with about a 1/4 of oil floating over the herbs. This is a good time to connect with your herbs, express gratitude, and speak your intention. I like to leave my oils under the moon for a night before storing them in a warm dark place. You want the jar to be somewhere you’ll see it so you can give it a shake every few days or whenever you walk by it. Wait at least 2 weeks (or a moon cycle) before straining your oil into a glass bottle for use. Work with your oil as often as you’d like and try to use it all within a year.

Raven Rose

Menstrual health herbalist and Kambo Practitioner
www.moonmedicine.co

by Zach Horton

The Power of Story: Cards XVI - XXI of the Major Arcana

By Sterling Moon

The importance of stories transcends all cultures and timelines. They offer a way to derive meaning from tragedy, to teach, and to escape. I’ve found I can relate any situation back to a tarot card, particularly when life gets complicated. Tarot didn’t “click” for me until I learned the story of the Major Arcana, which is a classic tale of the human path to enlightenment. Card 0, The Fool, is the protagonist and an archetype for all of us. The Fool’s journey is our journey. Each card tells a piece of The Fool’s story - the people they meet, the lessons they learn, and new methods of spiritually leveling up.

The first ten cards contain fairly simple lessons on a practical and mental level. After that, the lessons intensify. Much like in our owns lives, when circumstances unexpectedly change (Wheel of Fortune X), our lives are upended either by choice or happenstance (Hanged Man XII), and endings are inevitable (Death XIII), we have an opportunity to either introspectively meet our challenges and find a new way forward (Temperance XIV) or we can mask our fears with excess and self-oppression (The Devil XV). In either case, any falsehoods in our lives are operating on borrowed time. The Tower XVI is next in line and it is here that we pick up the story. I offer this to you as a way to reflect on the current state of our world, ways we might build a better one, and your own personal role in doing so.

The Fool has recently confronted their own inner demons and the ways they have allowed excess, toxic ideas and relationships, substances, materialism, and empty connections to dominate their lives. The Fool has begun to realize how these were just covering up old fears and traumas. Lost in thoughts of how much work they have left to do as thunder rumbles above, The Fool lifts their head and sees a majestic castle tower up ahead. A bubble of hope emerges in their chest. Perhaps the nobles that live within can offer comfort and assistance? They must have knowledge that isn’t available to the rest of us, The Fool thinks.

The hope quickly turns to horror as a bolt of lightning hits The Tower. It crumbles immediately, taking down everything and everyone within. The Fool comes to the site where The Tower stood and realized that while it looked strong, it was unstable. Barely containing their grief and shock, The Fool sits. After a time, they realize that this will eventually offer a chance to build something on a stronger foundation. Even though The Fool is able to see how The Tower’s fall could eventually lead to something good, it is too soon to rejoice.

Feeling hollow, The Fool walks until nightfall. They reach a pool of water and come to rest, lost in the reflection of stars on the surface. One seems to be growing brighter and bigger. The Fool looks up. A beautiful sphere of light with a figure within descends down to greet them. The being sends messages to The Fool's mind that brings them to tears. The being reminds The Fool that help, hope, inspiration, and joy will come when they most need it. The Star (XVII) reminds The Fool that they never walk alone and that their guides, ancestors, and even their own highest self are available to support them at any time. Comforted, The Fool sleeps and does not wake until the following night.
Refreshed and determined, The Fool continues on. The Moon (XVIII) is full and wolves howl in the distance. The Fool is pulled like the lunar tides to the edge of a dense forest with a river running through it. They do not want to enter, but know they have no choice. On the bank of the river, The Fool finds a small boat and knows that they must navigate the waters to the other side in order to complete this phase of their journey. As The Fool travels, they understand they could go mad here, yet it is also strangely beautiful and invigorating. The moonlight plays tricks with the shadows and The Fool struggles to identify what is real and what is not. The Fool is confronted with the shadow of their own soul and the darkness they typically tamp down. The Fool screams, laughs, and revels in the freedom the darkness offers. Time has no meaning here, but eventually, The Fool sees that The Moon is setting and they have reached the end of the forest. Exhausted and elated, The Fool understands that the darkness is a part of them and that to ignore it is to ignore a part of themself. The Fool leaves the boat by the water’s edge and bids The Moon goodnight.

The Fool begins walking towards the first light of morning. After the depths of The Moon, The Sun (XIX) feels like a warm balm for their soul. As the sunlight intensifies, The Fool finds themself in a glorious field of flowers where berries and edible plants are in full season. Fresh water is abundant and the trees offer shade and comfort. The Fool weeps. While their pockets are empty of the trappings of wealth they once sought, they feel like the richest person that ever lived. The feeling of abundance and prosperity that lies here is like none they have ever known and this forever changes The Fool.

After basking in the final rays of The Sun, The Fool looks to the sky in amazement as it literally cracks open. Angels begin trumpeting from the heavens and the ground begins to shake and split. The Fool is stunned to see caskets rising from the earth. The Fool finds that they are staring back at the corpses of their former selves and is overcome with feelings of regret and shame for things they’ve said and done. The time of Judgement (XX) has come. The angels benignly say that The Fool is at the end of their journey, but there is no future when one is trying to drag along the past. The Fool bravely visits each casket, accepting the lessons that each past self taught them and finally saying goodbye. The angels retreat and the caskets sink back into the ground.

The Fool finds they are at the end of their story...and the beginning of the next. The Fool knows who they are and is strong in their values and priorities. The World (XXI) has revolved on its axis and it is time to begin again, having synthesized the lessons of past journeys.

At this juncture, gentle reader, we turn the story over to you. You are The Fool, as am I. Can you see yourself and your own circumstances reflected in this tale? How will you approach each of these challenges? Are you ready to put the past to rest? To redefine wealth and allow outdated structures to crumble? To embrace your darkness along with your light? Tell me, what kind of World are you ready to create next?

Connect with Sterling on instagram

@sterlingmoontarot,

or on her website at

https://www.sterlingmoontarot.com/

by Zach Horton

Love Letters From a Witch: Shadow

Shadow

If you found yourself here today, you are probably no stranger to hearing the term Shadow Work. Exploring the deep netherworld of our psyche means to acknowledge that not all is love and light in this world. For there to be a balance there must be aspects of self that are not visible for all to see. In the shadow, we can hide our wounds, our fears, and less than desirable characteristics. However, if we do not come to meet ourselves in this space we will surely meet her, him, or them in our interactions with others. Perfect mirror images will show up in our lives disguised as our competitor, enemy, nemesis, rival, etc. Until we find those parts of ourselves we deemed unworthy of being visible, we will likely keep encountering the same lesson via different circumstance over and over again. Shadow Work is not to be treaded upon lightly. Facing our bullshit can be harrowing. For our Shadow is the only worthy opponent I think deserving of our attention because it’s the only challenger that can provide true clarity and healing at a root level. For it is within the darkest parts of ourselves that we can be met with what terrorizes us most and simultaneously find our greatest strength.

In the last few weeks and in light of recent events, you have likely been visited by your Shadow. Once or twice, or perhaps they have become a permanent resident reminding you of all the things you’ve been afraid to look at. Whether it’s the resentments you have been harboring, addiction via escapism, the relationships you have outgrown, the wound or pain you’ve been avoiding, the purpose you are ignoring, or even envy you’ve been mislabeling as judgment. Without the distraction of daily life that was once routine, we are given an in-person appointment with ourselves, an opportunity to connect, and perhaps an all-out, knockdown, drag-out match with our hidden innermost self. In times of isolation, we can go mad (as in insane) with a fantasy of real or imagined hurt. We can try and escape our shadow and only find that it reappears the next time we try to do something we are told we cannot, get on a call with a colleague or friend, or even when we open our electronic devices to escape. Only to notice it standing there before you, as it hasn’t gone anywhere, no matter how far you’ve run from it. There is no way to defeat the shadow but to face it, own it, and reclaim it as an ally instead of a sworn enemy.

So while I think it is important to tend to our altars and magic during these difficult and confusing times with wishes for good health and setting our spells to ask for root healing of the poisoned structures that have been in place for so long. It is equally as important to address the healing of our shadows. We can continue to pray that humanity finds the courage within as a collective to address the wounded parts that keep us in separation and to set intentions that we report for duty to our unique divine missions. To release any distractions, or energies that deter us from our ascension. This all might feel like a big ask from the Universe. Do not be discouraged. You have a unique and special role here to fulfill. One that you can step into now.

Some ways you can begin to address and send some healing to your Shadow self are below. New ways to connect to it and embrace those fragile parts and give them some support. I hope you find comfort in them, as I found these practices very helpful during some very confusing times in my past and present life. They are not meant to be cure-alls, but tools to help you find some sincerity in your practice, and intimacy with your grievances. So you may continue to grow, evolve, and help others do the same.

Writing letters to my younger self, to let them know how very different life looks like today and sending love, healing, and support to them.

Writing out what hurts, my resentments, painful memories, or sadness on a piece of paper and then burning it and thanking them for their service.

Lighting candles to bring to light any hidden feelings, beliefs, or patterns that have been holding back or hindering me from healing or moving forward.

I also encourage you to connect with your spiritual teams or deities that you work with that help you traverse the invisible path. I work with Santa Muerte as she often has appeared to me during times of great transformational change, especially in matters of facing my Shadow. However, she is not for the faint of heart and commands a great deal of respect. Please do not call on her if you are not ready to give that to her. With that being said, there are many guides and figures throughout all pantheons that work in the realm of the shadow. I would advise seeking the one that can connect with you in the most natural way. One that will hold space for you to do the work, but also push you with compassion.

I hope you find these suggestions to be powerful tools to aid you on your journey. May all that you illuminate be exactly what you’ve been looking for. That the benefits of your practice benefit all those around you. While feeling nourished and replenished fully. From my altar to yours…

Love,
Marcella

Connect with Marcella Kroll on instagram @marcellakroll, or on her website https://www.marcellakroll.com/

by Zach Horton

Tarot Practice for Revolutionary Self-Care

By Sterling Moon

Self-care is a big deal. Without it, we burn ourselves out and are unable to nurture the things that matter in our lives. That said, most of us approach self-care in a rather indulgent way. We clear the schedule for our spiritual baths, buy ourselves that treat we’ve been coveting, and push people who are taking a little too much of our energy at arms’ length. I ain’t judging because I do the exact same thing.

I’ve been wondering lately if a lot of us need to add another approach to our self-care toolkits. One of the things I love about Aquarius season is the fresh perspective that it brings and the waning days of this sign gives us an opportunity to examine our lives, our choices, and our responsibility to show up for ourselves in a new way.

There is a lot of collective distress happening as old structures are crumbling or shifting. It’s hard to see the forest for the trees when you are in the midst of the crumbling of The Tower. As things change, we have a tremendous responsibility to live out the missions we were sent here for and that is going to require us to step up our game.

My sweet friends, I challenge you to take charge and take responsibility for the areas of your life that are not working. This is revolutionary self-care and I promise it will literally change your life. You are not to blame for wrongs that have been committed against you or the abuses you have experienced, yet the only one that can bring you true healing is you.

I grew up in a home with an abusive, alcoholic father and a loving, Aquarian mother who was doing her best to manage it all. I could have easily let anger and substance abuse rule my life and had the perfect excuse - I had a shitty, scary childhood. I went down a self-destructive path and had to course correct with loving guidance from friends, my mother, and spirit, because that was not the life I am meant to live. Taking accountability for my choices has led me to reexamine my relationship to money, body image, relationship patterns, and so many other areas...and the work will never be done. I don’t say that with exhaustion. I say it with conviction because I am here for a reason. And so are you.

Tarot Practice for Revolutionary Self-Care

In addition to your tarot deck, please have a notebook or journal and something to write with.

Preparation: Close your eyes and take a few big breaths. Envision that you are surrounded by a perfect circle of light, any color that comes to mind. Ask out loud for your guides, ancestors, and highest self to bring you guidance. Thank them in advance for their assistance.

Writing exercise: What are the things I’ve endured that are not my fault and are still impacting my life?
Tarot draw: What can support me in moving forward?

Writing exercise: What is not working in my life? What are my hardships? In what ways am I unhappy and unhealthy?
Tarot draw: What can support me in making changes?

Writing exercise: What are my strengths?
Tarot draw: Where can I put those talents and gifts to the best use?

Writing exercise: What do I want from my life? Be specific.
Tarot draw: What changes do I need to make in order to reach my goals?

Ask your guides and ancestors out loud for a message of support and guidance. Pull the number of cards that seems appropriate. Trust your intuition.

Sit with what you have learned. Revisit as necessary and, most importantly, do the work.

Connect with Sterling on instagram

@sterlingmoontarot,

or on her website at

https://www.sterlingmoontarot.com/

by Zach Horton

Plática –A Heart to Heart Conversation With a Curandera

By Lisa Martinez

In Curanderismo- (the folk healing and ceremonial practices of the indigenous people of the Americas), we begin with “plática,” the confidential heart to heart conversation held between the curanderx and their client. Plática is done before every private session, ceremony or ritual. It is the time you spend sharing what is “on your heart” and why you have brought yourself to be seen by a curanderx. My intention here, is to have “plática” with community about the importance of seeing and interacting with world through our heart and learning to come into a state of alignment with our thoughts and emotions. It’s this alignment that has the potential to create positive influences of change and healing in ourselves and others.
Whether we currently identify as healers, diviners or magical practitioners of any tradition -or if we provide any type of service to community- it is usually safe to say the work first began with ourselves. Perhaps, something in our life shifted in a positive direction as a result of an experience with a healer or magical practitioner or, maybe we found ourselves returning to our roots and embracing the medicine that has always lived within us. As a result of our experience, many of us became inspired to guide or support others. We came out on the other side and we want others to have the same opportunity. Our personal “war” stories and healing experiences are the very thing that provide us the foundation to do this important work. As I was taught by my beloved elder, Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estes -the battle wounds turned scars are where the gifts reside. It’s what gives us the genuine ability to relate and see through a lens of experience. During our darkest days we pushed forward sometimes slowly, but always breathing the sacred wind of life onto the glowing embers. As a result, we become illuminated with light from fires we worked hard to create. Our hearts ignite and our practices and interactions with others change. Our personal practices and work serving community is not “textbook”, but instead contains our own rhythms and songs of influential energy allowing us to shine light on the path to change or healing for others.
In curanderismo and many other traditions we are often reminded; what we think and how we feel influences our reality. This lesson is as old as time out of mind! We are taught to align our thoughts and feelings when we do manifestation work. We envision ourselves obtaining, achieving or experiencing something we desire and align our emotions so that we feel “as if” our desire has already occurred. This alignment is powerful, and many can speak to its effectiveness. Modern science supports this. It has measurably proven to us that our thoughts are electric, and our emotions are magnetic. When the two align we have an electro-magnetic effect. Science calls the alignment or harmonization of our thoughts and emotions “cardiac coherence”. There are several biofeedback software applications that can provide you with visual tools to help you achieve this state of coherence-they are quite mind blowing to witness. But now we ask, “what does this have to do how we interact with others in this world”?

Everything.

When we are in a state of “cardiac coherence,” when our thoughts and emotions are in alignment that electro-magnetic wave also has the power to influence the electro-magnetic alignment of others. Same is true when we are out of alignment. We can all recall a time our thoughts and emotions were chaotic and suddenly everything around us started to go sideways. Our environment seemingly became a field of landmines, even if we never spoke a word to anyone about our current state. We might have found it difficult to be at ease doing mundane tasks, we lacked patience with family and friends and our practices supporting others in community became a source of even more frustration because we felt like everyone else was “so irritable, angry or unavailable.” The effect of these chaotic ripples continues, going outwards into the world.
What would happen if we all took the time to look within and ask ourselves, “What’s on my heart? How are the ripples of my electro-magnetic waves influencing my environment and those in it?” What if our thoughts and emotions are aligned with positive intentions? If we honestly take inventory of how far we’ve come and elevate the milestones and accomplishments, there is an opportunity to take personal experiences next level and consciously align them to the thoughts and emotions of being whole, complete, worthy, prosperous and more. When we are in this state of coherence, the ripples continue going outwards in the world...but this time the effects are different.
We can’t change our past, but we can influence our present and our future. WE have the power to influence others every single day. This isn’t about being polite and saying, “please and thank you.” This is about genuine, conscious and intentional alignment practiced daily. I will say it again- practiced. We will not do this perfectly. We aren’t supposed to. But, when we can and when we are present with another soul who is having their own life journey, our electromagnetic alignment-the energetic ripples, can and will create shifts in their heart and mind. This is one of the most important teachings I pass on to my students.
Quetzalcoatl – is the winged serpent god of the Mesoamerican pantheon. On his breastplate he wears a star shaped shell ornament-the crosscut of a conch shell like those used in ceremony to open the roads of the four sacred directions. It’s the symbol of the wind (Ehecatl)-the sacred breath of life (the very breath we ourselves blew upon the embers of our healing process) and the planet Venus- the morning star who witnesses the birth of the sun every day and a reminder of the fraternal love that we must manifest daily for humanity. Quetzalcoatl wore this breastplate over his heart as a symbol of his deep love for humanity. He teaches us “through love, all things can heal.” This can only be done when we expect nothing in return.
All we need to do, is align our thoughts and our emotions.
My hope for you is that you have all you need and more. That you be surrounded by people who honor you and that you recognize the moments of alignment and embody them as gifts to be shared.

Lisa

Connect with Lisa on instagram @itzpapalotl74 , or in person through her classes at Ritualcravt School.

by Zach Horton

Love Letters From a Witch: Lonely Path of The Priestess

Lonely Path of The Priestess

Greetings to the Land and Sky Gods!

I haven’t so much lost my way, but have found a path back to myself by consistently obliterating all the imposed limitations bestowed upon me by old narratives and family of origin wounds. I can’t tell you how to do this or what the best direction is, but when you decide to free yourself from an inherited prison life architecture there is going to be lots of pushback, resistance to the change from the world around you, and learning to rely on your inner compass. You may be met with respect, absolution, gossip, slander, love, worship, and mistrust because of this soul mission. Whatever you do, don’t give up! You are not here to change anyone else, but you can heal yourself, and that can be the gift you give the world. Being an example can inspire them to do their work, and the healing can continue.

Often that means retreating from your surroundings to get to a quiet space to process your thoughts and anything you’ve picked up from other’s projections, family, social media, community, and what have you. You have to navigate the difference between what is solitude and isolation. There is a difference. Taking space is highly necessary when you are a highly empathic, sensitive, or intuitive person. Your emotions can run the show, and your internal compass can become erratic and off if you are always navigating in other people’s energy. To get clarity, you must periodically remove yourself from other people’s energies so you don’t feel confused, or trapped by energies that are not your own. No matter how much energy clearing you do, sometimes the best thing you can do is step back, and get to higher ground, so you can proceed with a clear conscious, and not just be reacting.

We have layers and lifetimes of systemic trauma, learned behavior, assimilation for survival, archaic patriarchal structures, and genocides to process. Nowhere in the history books does there appear to be evidence of working on healing our family and societal traumas. Communities may have tried, but if there was it was destroyed, and we are back at starting from scratch. I have to be direct and honest when saying that this job, this task, this life, and privilege of healing is so painful, and quite frankly sucks. However this is the path that is mine, and some of you have chosen to walk it too. Selfishly, I don’t want to come back again to do this human thing. I believe in reincarnation, but I also believe in evolution and ascension, and my spirit wants to GTFO of this 3-dimensional existence. Being in a body is uncomfortable (for me personally), but being trapped in your mind without hope is probably the worst kind of Hell I could imagine. I still dream happy thoughts and astral travel to beautiful places. There is still hope glimmering from an unknown light source (perhaps it’s the heartbeat of Andromeda, but I digress), but the reality of these moments are fleeting. I wonder if I will ever be happy, received, appreciated, loved by a partner, have a home of my own, and an actual community in the place I reside?

This all sounds so fucking trite and depressing, right? Sorry, these are the thoughts on this plane, in the air, alone in my thoughts to travel to meet my community. The people who support me, appreciate, respect, and receive me. See how funny that is, the answer is always right there is we open our eyes to it. Eventually we full circle back. Therein lies the problem with thinking one is terminally unique. It creates separation and dissonance in the soul. When all my soul wants is to be free and express it’s purpose, which is here to help you express yours and clear out whatever is blocking you from it. So here are three cheers to another year down and the close of a decade. These are my wishes for the collective conscious for the year ahead.

May your spiritual pilot light be lit from your truth.

May you find the soul community, love, support, and connection in the here and now.

May you claim your divine birthright to exist in perfect harmony with your truth.

May the blessings of your existence enhance, inform, inspire, and elevate the world around you.

Last but not least…

May you be seen, received, valued, respected, loved, and cherished in all of the healthiest of ways by those in your circle.

AND SO IT IS!

Love,
Marcella

Connect with Marcella

@marcellakroll | https://www.marcellakroll.com/

by Zach Horton

Lessons of Loss: Tarot Spread for Grief

By Sterling Moon

In the waning days of Scorpio season, we are confronted with lessons of Death. The 13th card in the tarot reminds us that endings are inevitable and that even the most painful lessons make room for eventual growth. We all experience grief and its source takes many forms. Literal death. Loss of love. Injury or illness. Victimization. Loss of stability. Deceit. What triggers grief matters less here than the process of how we deal with it. I’ve had more than my fair share of loss and I’ve spent close to 20 years working in a field that allows me to walk with people who have experienced immense trauma. What I have learned along the way is that when it comes to grief, the only way out is through. If we don’t actively take steps to process our experience and our emotions at a pace that works for us, it will come out sideways. In other words, if you don’t deal with grief, it will eventually deal with you.

This doesn’t mean this is some kind of race. Grief is not linear and there is no finish line. There will be days that you feel like your “old self.” There will be triggers that send you back to the moment your life changed. What I can promise you is that what you have experienced doesn’t have to define you. The only constant in life is change and you can get through this. It will take effort and a lot of support, which you may have to reach out for, but you can be happy again.

Tarot can offer immense support during your grieving process. It is definitely possible to over-read your situation, so I am offering two ways you can use your cards.

Grounding
When we are in the throes of grief and loss, we feel unmoored. Everything seems surreal and we may not feel like we are fully in our bodies. Taking five minutes to ground prior to working with your cards will allow your readings to be clearer.

Here is a simple technique that I use before every reading. Close your eyes and take two or three deep, slow breaths. Scan your body from toes to crown, allowing yourself to become still and calm. Take another 2-3 breaths, envisioning a ball of light forming in your chest. Any color that comes to your mind is perfect. Simultaneously, the light spreads down through your legs and out the soles of your feet, connecting you to the earth, while also traveling up the torso and out the crown of your head. You are rooted to the earth and connected to the heavens. Take two or three more breaths as you feel the light within you grow brighter. In your mind’s eye, draw a circle of light around your body. It arcs overhead and underneath you, creating a beautiful, crystalline bubble. Say either out loud or in your mind, “I have created a protected space where only that which is for my highest good is welcome.”

Card a day
Sometimes surviving from moment to moment is the best we can do. When you are in that space, I recommend pulling one card per day and doing the spread below once per week to start. Start with the grounding exercise above. Ask out loud for your guides, ancestors, and highest self to bring you a single card to guide you through your day. Thank them in advance for their assistance. When you feel settled, shuffle your cards and pull a card from your deck. If the card triggers a negative reaction, sit with it. Don’t discount it. This could offer a suggestion of things to avoid or an area that you need to switch your thought patterns.

Tarot Spread for Grief

This tarot spread is intended to be repeated regularly and it hits on a few common points in the grieving process. We often have difficulty having compassion for ourselves and others when we are in pain. We may experience a crisis of faith in humanity or in our spiritual beliefs. Most importantly, it can be hard to remember that what you are feeling will evolve. Your relationship with grief will change as you create a new normal.

I recommend doing this spread once per week to start. As your grief becomes less acute, perhaps you will use this once per month or simply revisit it as as triggers come up. Find what works best for you. If you are in a particularly bad space and find that your cards are reflecting back negative messages, back off for a few days and focus on nurturing yourself. You can also ask a trusted person to pull the cards for you and you can interpret them together.

Ground yourself and ask out loud for your guides, ancestors, and highest self to bring you guidance. Thank them for their help. When you feel settled, shuffle your cards.

Card 1: Where can I show myself more grace?
Card 2: Where can I show grace to others?
Card 3: How can I get through the week, month, etc in the best way possible?
Card 4: How can I strengthen my faith?
Card 5: How can I best survive, and even thrive, during this phase?

Regardless of your circumstances, I send you love on your journey.

https://www.sterlingmoontarot.com/ | @sterlingmoontarot

by Zach Horton

Love Letters From a Witch: Love Yourself

Love Yourself

The longer I’m sober, the crazier I feel. I didn’t do it to be on a cleanse, nor did I want to do it for a short time. It had to be a permanent life change. I was dying, my relationships were radical projections of what was happening internally (not cute), and my magic was going haywire. Literally haywire spells gone awry and just plain old destructive. The desire to evaporate was coming up again. A superpower I wish I could possess. To just evaporate at will into the ethers and reappear when it felt safe again. Needless to say, that ability still has yet to come into my possession, but I digress. Something I have learned this year is that you do have a hand in your reality. Not in a New Thought I have the power to manifest whatever I want kind of way, but in a more practical matter of fact I must make some decisions way. You see it came to my attention that while most people have the problem of not believing in a higher power or something greater than themselves. My dilemma appears to be the opposite. All too often I let my version of Spirit take the wheel and I oblige to whatever direction the wind takes me in. This has in some way been a powerful act of faith, but more recently has turned into a passive way of not taking responsibility for my life. Which then suddenly brought to my attention another factor I had not taken into consideration. What if this whole time I have been making decisions purely based on survival and not at all rooted in what I wanted? How would I proceed if I participated in my life, instead of letting the wave of life take me? This would mean that I would have to commit to learning to make decisions as though I was a person who loved myself. Even if I didn’t know what that meant. This was to be the new next right action.

Now, this might make you wonder “Well yeah, shouldn’t you know that already?”, and trust me at 42 years old I thought “Duh, isn’t this what you tell your friends and clients?”. However, until this moment smacked between 2 eclipses and 5 planets retrograde did it make sense. Sometimes we aren’t ready until we are ready. Another thing I am currently realizing. Comprehension, compassion, and understanding do not just get gifted to you overnight because you decide you want them in your life. It can take years of engaging, interaction, and human experience for these things to come into existence, especially all at once. However, once I did decide to start making decisions based on loving myself something pretty profound started to happen. I stopped saying yes to things I wanted to say no to. I started giving myself more time in the morning before immediately picking up the phone or computer to respond to someone else’s needs before making sure I felt grounded. I got a new sponsor and shifted my meetings to better prioritize my recovery. I left work situations that didn’t feel like a fair exchange. In doing so certain relationships started to fade. Not in a dramatic, blowing up or burning the bridge way, but more respectfully and gracefully. As the late great Nina Simone would say, “You've got to learn to leave the table when love's no longer being served”.

Now it might seem like, I’m saying no a lot to things I had been asking for, and on some level, I am saying no. However it’s the opposite in a lot of ways. In letting go of these situations that were not benefiting all involved, I made quite a bit of room. Room for other relationships to develop that were better suited. Breathing space for my creative muse and personal magic to be inspired and flourish into new possibilities. Allowance for my life to grow into new spaces. It’s scary to think about growing. It only feels like I just got here, an actual place I can be proud of. Then suddenly it’s time to shift again. Magic and being the captain of your ship is a bit nerve-wracking like that. To find the balance we must become participants in our lives and have a belief that something greater than ourselves is assisting us along the way. Which is terrifying and exhilarating all at the same time. You don’t have to believe in a romanticized or terrifying God, but I encourage you to explore what a higher power looks like. The Universe and the Stars have often been whom I turn to in times of gratitude and duress. More often then not my version of being supported by something bigger than my human understanding is shapeshifting. It speaks to me through song, through art, another’s words, a stranger, nature, and the constant shifting and changing world around me. We can all agree that it’s a weird time to be alive. So why not make it a world that you can believe in. I need my version of life to be just as flexible as my ability to grow and evolve with the dynamic shifts that are happening to humanity and the world around us. To keep going I need to believe that we are all capable of evolution. Evolve or evaporate as they say. If I have learned anything in this very short but long existence I can truly say that I am no longer closed to the idea of people changing. You may not be able to change the world around you, but you can change your narrative. The dialogue that poisons you can be turned to medicine if you give yourself a chance. Trust me, I never knew I had one because I didn’t come from a place that told me I could be loved, loving, and make a difference. I hope to work on believing that latter one while I reside in this physical body. But if I can get to a place of believing the first two, I’ve got a good start. As do you. So if you are here and you are reading this, I hope you too can come to a place where if you haven’t made decisions because you loved yourself that you can start. It might not change the world overnight, but it will change things, that I promise you, and that is the best gift you can give to your heart and loved ones right now.

With love and respect,
Marcella

by Zach Horton

The Lion’s Roar: A Tarot Spread for Strength

The Lion’s Roar:

A Tarot Spread for Strength

By Sterling Moon

Late summer is when many of us get our proverbial poop in a group. August, at least in the West, brings hot days, but also the first hints that Fall is just around the corner. Our gardens are at peak production, but some of the leaves and flowers are showing the first signs of withering. There’s a contrast between sunshine and abundance and knowing that it’s time to start thinking about preserving food for the colder months or going back to school or just how rad it is that Halloween is a couple of months away.

This August carries extra heaviness and it has taken me awhile to put my finger on why. I had a reading with the amazing Karyn Crisis a couple of weeks ago and I told her about the deep anxiety I had been feeling lately. Sometimes the problems of the world feel so huge that I almost can't stand it, which was then leading to almost paralyzing worry in my daily life. She reminded me that often we feel things that are happening collectively and that if I was feeling this way, maybe I wasn’t alone. I began to notice that almost everyone I knew was confronting something that they feared in addition to being petrified by what is occurring in the United States and globally. This got me thinking about two things. The first was the concept of infinite energy. Energy cannot be created or destroyed and the ripple effects of our actions, thoughts, and words live on, potentially forever. I was also reminded of something a good friend always tells me: “What you focus on expands.” We are living in exceedingly trying times and it feels like we are at a tipping point. Our choices are creating consequences that will be felt beyond our lifetime. We also need to own that when we succumb to negativity we can unintentionally “call in” more to fear. Left unchecked, we run the risk of perpetuating what feels like a neverending downward spiral.

I believe it is time to call in the message of the tarot card Strength. Below you will find a tarot spread designed to help you find areas that you can build your strength and consider the infinite energy you are contributing to the world. Strength is ruled by Leo, so it does have a bit of grandiosity and dramatic flair, as shown in the classic Smith-Rider-Waite image of the maiden gently closing the jaws of the lion. More importantly, the Strength card carries a quiet bravery and a willingness to confront danger with a spine of steel and gentle hands. I had planned on creating a tarot spread for the Leo season that was frivolous and fun, but this is not the year for that. I hope you will find this tarot spread helpful. I hope it will call you out in a loving way. I hope it will help you identify ways to step into your own strength and power and tap into the fierce, majestic lion that I know you are!

A Tarot Spread for Strength

Preparation: If you would like, you can take the Strength card out of your deck and use it as a significator, which is just a fancy word for a card that is consciously chosen to anchor your intention for your tarot reading. Close your eyes and take a few big breaths. Envision that you are surrounded by a perfect circle of light, any color that comes to mind. Visualize the lemniscate or infinity symbol. Ask out loud for your guides, ancestors, and highest self to bring you guidance. Thank them in advance for their assistance. When you feel settled, shuffle your cards and begin.

Card 1: Where is my strength being tested?
Card 2: Where in my life do I need to step up to the challenges?
Card 3: Where am I expending unnecessary energy?
Card 4: Where am I at a tipping point of choosing how I use or where I put my energy?
Card 5: Where can my strengths shine?
Card 6: Where is the best focal point for my energy?
Card 7: Where do I need to build strength?
Card 8: At this point in time, what is the infinite energy I am contributing to the world and my own lineage?

Pro tip: If any of the cards trigger a negative reaction, sit with it. Don’t discount it. This could offer an opportunity to search for the proverbial silver lining or it could even offer a suggestion of things to avoid or an area that you need to switch your thought patterns.

https://www.sterlingmoontarot.com|@sterlingmoontarot

by Zach Horton

Love Letters from a Witch: Mentor Breakups

Mentor Breakups

I don’t call myself a Bruja anymore because I’m not of Latin descent. While I have deep ancestral cords that tie me to wisdom beyond my comprehension or within the environment I grew up in. I am apprehensive to fully embrace and reclaim my spiritual origins for fear of ridicule (both real and imagined). For the last 11 years, I have filed my taxes as a Spiritual Counselor. I call myself a Witch and unapologetically take up space with that title. I’m not Wiccan or a devotee of any single Deity. I am an omnipresent non-denominational Priestess. Which means I practice magic, give one on one psychic, spiritual, creative, and life advice. I perform ceremonies, public ritual, teach classes, meditations, and create tools of empowerment. I purposely do not identify with one religious denomination anymore because I need to be available to all people who don’t necessarily feel connected to one thing or another. It’s also part of my own healing of being multiracial and not having a set place of practices or things I can claim because of it. I exist in the liminal for others who do so too. For those who do not know where to go or whom to talk to? I’m not a fashion witch or necessarily the popular one, because I don’t have time, or the agent, or PR team to create a brand or persona. I am not friendly or warm upon meeting. I’m high functioning on the Autism Spectrum (something I’ve only recently been ok with sharing after years of masking, humiliation, and misdiagnoses). I’m just myself. Annoying or off-putting to some. Inspiring or resilient to others. Either way, whatever you think of me is none of my business. But here we are. So in full transparency, I write to you today, about a part of my path that is not mystical but is truly the foundation of my magic, and what I think a lot of us in this community are experiencing. Especially over the last few years. So here it is.

I don’t affiliate myself anymore with certain teachings or teachers specifically because they were problematic, they borrowed (and in some cases co-opted or stole), and were never really vetted by the people who they claim taught them in the first place. I used to revere these beings without question. With a fierce loyalty because I was raised to fear the authority if you want to survive. Only in the last few years have I come to understand how certain things didn’t fully sit right. Not because of someone else’s questioning my own ethics by association, but because how could someone who helped me so much, be so problematic. I do want to take this moment to apologize for the harm I may have perpetuated in the search and struggle with my own identity. I am sincerely sorry for not having wide enough lenses to see beyond my own survival and experience. Only realizing now that none of these bloodlines can excuse me from pain others have endured. However, they can arm me with the strength to do better. I walk with generations of warriors and wisdom keepers behind me. I also share lines of origin with criminals and abusers of power. I no longer hold shame for these truths and not understanding them completely. It’s taken many years, unpacking, uncovering, unearthing secrets, pain, and truth. This is not for the faint of heart! There is a reason why growth is called growth.

We live in important times of acknowledgment, reparations, truth talk, and reclamation. It is now more than ever a time to go back to our magical roots. To uphold the integrity of what we are doing, and truly clear the karmic channel. If we are going to be better, we have to do better. No one has access to all information at all times. But once one does, it then becomes your responsibility to uphold integrity. It is now my responsibility to see where the pain exists and amend it, for myself and others without perpetuating shame culture. This isn’t about canceling people and perpetuating persecution. It’s also not about bypassing the bigger issue. This is about accountability. Making new vows and commitments to true healing on a collective scale. So I offer you this exercise in understanding your part, and what responsibility looks like. I invite you to clear the channel and begin anew. To amend any past action in your lifetime and in your ancestral lines, and start the action of moving towards greater awareness, consciousness, and healing. While it is true we cannot change the past we can certainly course correct the present, allowing the option of a better future.

On either a Saturday or a New Moon, begin with quiet contemplation in a space (indoors or outdoors) where you will not be disturbed. Spend a few moments in long deep breath connecting to your physical body and your presence on this earth. Thank the earth for holding you in support at this time. You may wish to call on your ancestors to hold space for you at this time, as this healing is for them as well. You may wish to just be with the elements. When you are ready, place your hands together with palms up, in the gesture of giving a gift outward from the body.

Then recite the following:
I now clear and release any cords, hooks, vows, or attachments to any teacher, teachings, tools or wisdom throughout the ages that have been stolen, appropriated, or co-opted for the benefit of myself (presently or ancestrally) at the suppression of another. I now give back what was never mine to carry, employ, or gain from. And so it is!

Now take your hands and place them over your heart. Then recite the following:
I am a clear channel for positive, nourishing, and revitalizing sacred practices that are authentic, ethical, and in alignment for my spiritual work and legacy. I honor the gifts of working with my soul’s truth. And so it is!

Now take your hands down by your side, with palms facing down towards the Earth. Then recite the following:
I acknowledge, amend, and course correct as needed with Harm to None. And so it is!

To close the work acknowledge those that have come, gone, educated, and held space for you during this process of learning, and amending. Then recite:
It is done, it is done, it is done!

While this may be the end of the suggested ritual, it is just the beginning of a new way of being. One that will change your life and path perhaps in ways that make it unrecognizable. Let this be the greatest gift of all. The one where we get to make a difference as individuals, but for the collective healing of all beings.

With love always,
Marcella

by Zach Horton

Love Note to Taurus Tarot Spread

A Love Note To Taurus:
Tarot Spread to Exalt the Season of the Bull

By Sterling Moon

I love Taurus season. In Colorado, we start having our first 60+ degree days in late April and even warmer into May. We still usually have a random snowstorm or two, but the sweet budding flowers look all the prettier covered with a light dusting of snow. The air smells good, our senses wake up, and we can sink our bare toes into the earth for the first time in months. Life feels good, baby, good!

I love Tauruses. If you’ve ever been lucky enough to be loved by a Taurus, you know the high points. They love to give gifts. They are delightful to share a meal with. They will literally want to share so you both can try a little of everything...at least they will want to share until they find their favorites on the table. Then it is theirs, but they may order another round for you. They delight in anything that pleases the senses. Fuzzy blankets and cozy sweaters. Art and music that pulls at the heart and turns the stomach. Back rubs, kisses, and well, you know. Tauruses are grounded and patient. They often have the funniest feet with squarish toes. Once they decide to love you, their loyalty can be lifelong.

Taurus is far from perfect. They can be infuriatingly stubborn. Never tell a Taurus to hurry up. Their delight in the material can lead them to forget that the most important things in life are not things. They can overspend. They can be unfaithful lovers, but not see themselves as such.

That said, we all can find ways to indulge and root down during Taurus season. May you find ways to ground and celebrate the sensual aspects of your life!

Tarot Spread to Exalt the Season of the Bull

Preparation: Close your eyes and take a few big breaths. Envision that you are surrounded by a perfect circle of light, any color that comes to mind. Visualize the astrological symbol for Taurus. Ask out loud for your guides, ancestors, and highest self to bring you guidance. Thank them in advance for their assistance. When you feel settled, shuffle your cards and begin.

Card 1: How can you best indulge your senses right now?
Card 2: Where do you need to dig in your heels & be a bit more stubborn?
Card 3: Where do you need to slow down?
Card 4: How can you best take care of your physical body?
Card 5: Where do you need a bit more patience?
Card 6: How can you best exalt the season of the Bull?

https://www.sterlingmoontarot.com|@sterlingmoontarot

by Zach Horton

Love Letters From A Witch: Be Your Own Parent

Be Your Own Parent

I was born in a small city, in a small state, in a very small corner of the northeastern part of the United States. It’s not by chance I was birthed on the threshold of winter to spring but by my soul’s very deliberate attempt to find the most physically descriptive foretelling of my adolescence into adulthood personality. To survive meant to be invisible and larger than the beasts in front of you at the same time. What does it mean to be seen and not heard? How can one be so deliberately (yet silently) so loud? To take up space without making a peep until you get pushed too far or are so wounded, you scream or lash out because no one taught you healthy boundaries, or how to communicate what you actually need. So you go off and you figure out how to get what you have to, to survive. You mask your discomfort with bravado and breathe in so deeply, that you suck back the tears into the recesses of your vision. Sometimes one may slip out and you say, “Oh I’m fine, just got something in my eye”.

The idea of death fascinated me as a kid. Often times I made up elaborate stories of how I would die, and what my funeral would be like. I would act them out with my Strawberry Shortcake dolls the way I would see them depicted in the daytime soap operas I would watch with my Grandmother. If any adult actually knew how much I pondered these things they for sure would have had me committed to a mental facility. I also fantasized about that too. It would have probably been more peaceful than my home environment. My Mother’s abuse was constant. From an early age, I got accustomed to leaving my body. It became a necessary mental health escape tactic. So how do you ever get over this kind of trauma? Years of facing and unpacking it helps. As I get older and through the layers, it begins to get further away, but those dark thoughts seem to creep in occasionally. It never occurred to me that you change your lot in life. Even though I had taken many leaps of faith and by chance, truly believed in magic, and made choices that definitely saved my life. The concept of making your experience in this body different didn’t really sink in till around 36 years old. I’m 42 now.

It’s also important for you to know that I no longer view myself as a victim. It doesn’t mean that I’m not hurt by my Mother or other abusers behavior. I just understand their circumstance more now and have a bigger picture. As a woman who now knows her empath abilities, I can now see how that 8-year-old girl took on the pain and confusion of everyone around her and owned it as her own (especially her Mother’s). That the pain and desire to not be there or exist was a deeply empathic mirror of her own Mother’s harsh reality of not wanting to be in this earthly body.

Can I ever find a way to forgive her or anyone else that has hurt me, completely? Maybe someday, anything is possible. Selfishly I hope so because the resentment is a heavy burden to carry, and it certainly doesn’t move me to greatness holding onto it. It anchors me to an outdated belief in my existence. It blocks my magic and limits my resources, ie; my connection to spirit. Until then I choose to work on it. Asking for peace, forgiveness, and help with healing and filling this giant hole in my heart. I invite in Magic to intervene and hold space for me, or at least grant me the wisdom to not put garbage expectations or low vibe relationships in it to fill the serendipitous void or replay the scenario with different people playing the part.

So many healers I know, have had to fine-tune their senses to survival mode. Whether they grew up in feral environments, had traumatic experiences, or just felt challenged by the day to day task of shutting down how incredibly aware they were of the weight of the world around them. Some have developed wonderful personas that will fight to the death for others, to keep them in front of the pack, while the little being inside just wants to be told it’s going to be ok, and that they can relax and are supported. They will use carefully crafted words and well-branded dispositions that show you how to show up for yourself. Meanwhile, another feeling is bubbling up under the strong facade. I think a lot of magical people walk this contradiction. We have had to in order to survive.

So if you didn’t get the ideal relationship with your parents or guardians, or life isn’t exactly as you imagined it to be. I highly recommend learning how to reparent yourself. Doing so empowers you by taking charge of how you care for you and how you would like to be cared for. You have the ability to change your perspective. You have the ability to show the world how you should be treated. It may feel unlikely, but I promise it is possible. It won’t be overnight but it will and can change your life. Get help with this process if you are to embark on it. Connection and communication are key tools on this journey. Mother yourself by allowing self-care and proper nourishment of body, mind, and spirit. Father yourself by allowing yourself to receive the gifts of love and spirit to come to you with grace. Protect your inner child and give them words of comfort, encouragement, and support daily. Stop the shaming process of wanting to be fixed or healed already. These things take time, and the process requires patience. There is no spell to erase these wounds from your memory. It is my wish that if you are reading this, and it resonates with you, that you find more love, more balance, more harmony, and an all-access pass to love without limits. It can be challenging but you are supported. Also If I can do it, so can you!

Love,
Marcella

Marcella Kroll

instagram @marcellakroll

https://www.marcellakroll.com/

by Zach Horton

Love Letters From A Witch: Be Your Own Witch

Be Your Own Witch

Finding a way through darkness can often feel like you are being swallowed from the inside out. The desperate relief you seek can feel unobtainable when everything you reach for that’s promising to fix you has no effect on your grief or discomfort. Which can often make one feel like they have been abandoned on the threshold of life. I cannot tell you how to live a life without pain. Or how to formulate a ritual that can erase your human nature. However, I can share that Magic in all its forms has been my ally, best friend, and constant companion. No matter how I felt, or who was around. Magic and my practice have never abandoned me, which in turn has shown me even at the lowest of times, how to not abandon myself.

Practicing Magic and being a Witch is something that I used to be scoffed at for. To live in an age to see it so widely embraced is something I’ve dreamed of but I am also frightened by. It was only 10 years ago that I was being screamed at and trolled for setting up in cafes and flea markets for reading tarot cards. Not that long ago that I was called a fucking freak or being jeered at by a group of punks chanting “Burn her, Burn her”. It’s still very real for me when even friends express discomfort with my knowledge of things, or how dating has been an extra surreal experience when your romantic interest is frightened by your kinetic nature. So to see it widely commodified or wanted to be summoned into one’s life so deliberately, I often ask “Why would you want this?’, but then I remember. I remember how magic brought me back to life again and again. How being a Witch empowered me to face all the parts of myself that I was most afraid of. It reconnected me to the spirit living in all things and rooted me back into believing that anything is possible. It gave me faith and hope that no matter what awful ache or loneliness I felt, it would always be there.

You may come to your path by way of your pain, seeking love, wanting community, or looking for a miracle. The reasons may vary and no one can tell you (in my opinion) what is the right approach. My only suggestion would be, to be honest with your intentions. To do it for you and not for the approval of others, on the internet or in real life. Show respect for the energies, tools, and elders who shared the wisdom before you. If not I can promise it will be mirrored back to you, in some way or another. Working with Magic is an exchange and a promise. A life worth living for an honest heart and reverence for all that resides to support you. It will reward you greatly if you are forthcoming. Be forewarned however it will quickly put your ass in check if you don’t respect or honor the exchange of what you are summoning into your life. Also be careful what you wish for. Magic will certainly deliver it. While you may be able to conjure love, money, wisdom, beauty, and vision remember the exchange of your dedication, respect, service, and energy to be met. True magic is not a one sided or selfish practice. It is one of honest appraisal of one’s own heart and life. So here you see the importance of authenticity and finding your own expression within the cosmic interconnectedness of it all, and why it’s so very important during these evolutionary times to Be Your Own Witch.

- Marcella Kroll

instagram @marcellakroll

https://www.marcellakroll.com/

by Zach Horton

Zach Horton

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