Llewellyn Publications's Blog, page 12

Readers, please enjoy this guest blog post by Lisa McSherry, author of the new Witch’s Guide to Crafting Your Practice.

Witches have long been associated with the Moon in history and lore. It’s easy to see why, as the Moon is the primary symbol of the Goddess. Its progress through the sky, ever-changing as it moves graciously through its phases echoing the cycle of life itself, creates a sense of wonder in us. Casting our eyes on the world around us, we see that lots of things within nature are timed around the phases of the Moon.

There are the tides that her presence causes (helping provide a cleansing of the seashores and provide a host of creatures with a renewing habitat), and even the timing of reproduction (just look at the female fertility cycle of approximately 28 days). Add to that the sheer beauty of the Moon herself, providing a focus for meditation, a source of inspiration, and the gentle and beautiful light that the Moon provides for us, renewing the world around us by night into a beautiful place that inspires all of us.

The eternal rhythm of the Moon exerts a powerful influence over Earth and all her creations. The phases of the Moon, along with the astrological signs she moves through, create a framework by which we can time our magical workings. People who track the moon keep a record of its phases, its location in relation to astrology, and even numerology. In trying to understand what the flow is, and work with it, many non-magical people work with lunar energies, such as farmers, gardeners, and hunters.

To witches, the phases of the moon have special meaning, giving structure to the levels of energy available for magical workings. The phases are modified by the position of the moon within the lunar and the zodiac years. With all these correspondences, it may seem quite confusing as to when you can focus on specific workings.

A general guideline is that phasing correspondences (Full, Dark, waxing, waning, etc.) are the strongest influences, followed by the Moon’s placement within the lunar year, and lastly by the astrological month. Think of it like the effects of three magnets upon a metallic pendulum, with the Phase being the strongest magnet, followed by the Position within the Lunar Year as a smaller magnet, and the Astrological Correspondence being the weakest one still. All three have their part to play in deciding where the pendulum will come to rest, but in lessening degrees. When they all align together it is a portent of very strong energy for the task that is indicated.

Whenever you have need of anything,
once in a month, and better it be
when the moon is full,
you shall assemble in some secret place
and adore the spirit of Me
who is Queen of all the Wise.
—From Aradia, Queen of the Witches

You may recognize the above lines of poetry, attributed to the Goddess as Her words to all witches. In one sense, they are the earliest directive as to why we hold lunar rituals. Often called esbats, these rituals are rarely static in nature. In many ways they are best when they constantly change, expressing our changing needs and inner workings.

Those of us with astrological calendars have probably noted a lunar phase—the void moon—and this is usually a bad time to work magic. As the Moon moves through each sign of the zodiac, she makes aspects to other planets. She is called void-of-course when she has completed all the aspects she can within that zodiac sign but has not yet entered the next. These void passages can last anywhere from hours to a day or two.

During a void-of-course Moon, things are in neutral so the gears can shift into the next sign, making it a time to kick back and relax. This is a time when the energy seems to produce false starts and errors, and this is not the time to do magic for things you want to have long-lasting, concrete, and tangible effects. However, this can be an excellent time for astral projection, trancework, meditation, divination, and other purely mental and inward-facing magic.

Who hasn’t looked out upon a Full Moon with awe at how the scenery is made beautiful by the gentle shimmering light, much kinder than the harsh light of day? It becomes easier to understand the veneration Witches (and so many others) have for the Moon.

Our thanks to Lisa for her guest post! For more from Lisa McSherry, read her article, “On the Nature of Tools in Witchcraft.”

Readers, please enjoy this guest blog post by Durgadas Allon Duriel, author of The Little Work: Magic to Transform Your Everyday Life and the new Worthy As You Are.

Though affirmations are often associated with spirituality, their power is also evident in psychotherapeutic settings. One of the most popular methods of psychotherapy today, cognitive behavioral therapy, focuses on the fact that how we think influences how we feel and perceive reality. Affirmations harness this fact by attempting to influence our perception of reality through shifting how we think.

To help build motivation for affirming, it can be beneficial to consider the ways affirmations can aid us, across how we think, feel, and act. Let’s explore the thought, “It is OK to need help and to make mistakes.” This is a thought many if not most of us intellectually believe, but is it how we treat ourselves? For many of us, how we treat ourselves is more the converse of this thought, something like, “It is not OK to need help and we should never make mistakes.” This belief hoists a considerable amount of guilt or shame upon ourselves when we don’t measure up to it.

Meanwhile, as we affirm “it is OK to need help and to make mistakes” each day, things start to change within us. We are more likely to remind ourselves of this intellectual belief when we criticize ourselves for making a mistake or feeling like we need to improve in some way. We become more likely to feel less embarrassed or ashamed when we don’t know how to do something well or right away. We are less likely to think of ourselves as less than when we aren’t perfect, and we are more likely to ask for help when we need it. Additionally, we become less judgmental of others when they make mistakes or need help. As a consequence of this, our self-esteem starts to go up, and we rebound more quickly when we make a mistake or need help because it’s become so ingrained within us that that is normal.

As we can see, this little affirmation can go a long way. Imagine what could happen when we affirm a spiritual belief we don’t struggle to believe, like, “All beings are divine?” And how affirming that could change our everyday experience of spirituality? If you feel drawn to this topic, I encourage you to check out my new book, Worthy As You Are, which explores it in greater depth.

Our thanks to Durgadas for his guest post! For more from Durgadas Allon Duriel, read his article “How to Question and Replace a Negative Thought.”

October 21, 2022—2pmCT

Join us for our next Llewellyn Virtual Author Forum! This bi-monthly series of free online roundtable events will feature your favorite Llewellyn authors discussing topics important to you and answering your questions.

Our next in the series, on Why Psychic Skills Are Important to Witchcraft, will feature Psychic Witch and Mastering Magick author Mat Auryn, Intuitive Witchcraft author Astrea Taylor, and Psychic Skills for Magic and Witchcraft author Cat Gina Cole. Join the live conversation, and ask them your questions!

We’ll be streaming live on Crowdcast—save your spot today!

We look forward to seeing you virtually!

Trick or Treat Tarot by Barbara Moore and Jonathan Hunt

The Trick or Treat Tarot is, at first glance, a nostalgic romp through memories of Halloween’s past. It is also a chatty reading deck, which is not surprising as it was designed following the RWS tradition and brought to life by the witty and talented Jonathan Hunt. The book shares in the fun-loving nature of the cards, but also includes clear, accessible interpretations. Take a look for yourself.

 

20, Judgement

The sun is about to set, and Halloween has officially started. Our lovely angel sounds her horn, calling the dead to rise out of the ground and join the living. On this night of thin veils, many creatures share the earth. Are you living or one of the walking dead?

When this card comes up, you have a choice. You can hear and respond to a call to action or you can just carry on as you have been, becoming essentially one of the walking dead—and not the fun kind. The card is called “judgement” not because someone else is judging you. You are being invited to assess your life and see if it is wanting. If so, now is the time to change it. If you are lucky, you will hear or feel a call of some kind. Tarot is funny sometimes, so it could be a literal call to step into a new life. That’s the key: whatever kind of call it is, internal or external, it will be to a new life, one that takes you a step closer to the person you were born to be.

Keywords:  rebirth, calling, vocation, awakening, redemption, judgment

Reversed: doubt, forsaking vocation, ignoring a calling, avoiding change, unhealed wounds

Readers, please enjoy this guest blog post by Najah Lightfoot, author of Good Juju and the new Powerful Juju.

The Witch, Practitioner, Conjurer, Worker, works alone by candlelight. As the spiritual forces of those who have gone before swirl in the mystical ether, the Witch calls upon the power of the Divine Feminine for assistance in spells, rituals, and rites, in deep contemplation before the altar. She/he/they may burn incense, light a cigar, or play powerful music that emboldens them to carry on. They may cast a circle or not, be naked or clothed in beautiful ritual regalia. There may be tears falling on their face or joy in their heart. Either way, this devoted spiritual person has prepared themselves to enter the space of Magick.

Working magick requires time, discipline, and commitment. Many times, when you work magick you are alone. That’s why it is important to have spaces and relationships with your deities whom you can turn to, when times are hard as well as when times are good. Life is a series of ups and downs, celebrations, aggravations, joy, and sorrow. When our hearts are broken, we need our altars, magickal practices, and the power of continuous work to see us through. And when our hearts are joyful, we also need the spaces to celebrate our good works.

Powerful Juju. It is with you with times are bad, as well as when times are good. It is the glue that binds our commitment to our magickal spiritual practices. It is ancient. It is new. It is the revelation you can do magick, and it can be a powerful ally to you.

Our thanks to Najah for her guest post! For more from Najah Lightfoot, read her article, “Powerful Juju Doll Magick.”

Readers, please enjoy this guest blog post by Joann van der Hoeven, author of the new The Witch’s Guide to the Paranormal.

Witches everywhere are getting more and more interested in the field of paranormal investigation. It only makes sense, after all, who better to referee between living humans and the spirits than witches? We understand the spirits, and through our craft we can affect them in ways others can’t. Paranormal investigation also provides an opportunity to observe, communicate, and work with spirits in a way that we’d never be able to at our altars. For those who are interested in spirit work, joining a paranormal investigation team can provide hands on experience and real-world education that you can’t find anywhere else.

However, if you’re going out into the field, you’re gonna need to bring some tools. So, I’ve compiled a list of my must haves for any witch looking to get spooky this fall. Let’s begin!

Salt: Salt has long been believed to get rid of spirits of the dead, though how it works depends on who you ask. Some say that salt repels the energy that earthbound human spirits are made of. Others believe that salt absorbs the energy that they need to manifest. No matter how you believe it works, I can tell you from experience it works. And you don’t need fancy salt, either; while I prefer coarse-ground sea salt, or kosher salt, I’ve also used salt from to-go packets stored behind a bar. Use whatever you’ve got.Pendulum: A pendulum is an extremely useful tool for paranormal investigation. As a form of divination, a pendulum can provide you with “yes,” “no,” or, “maybe” answers, as well as point out where hidden things lie. This means that even if you can’t quite sense a spiritual presence, you can still find out if there is one and where it may be. You can also use them as spirit communication tools and ask the spirit to answer through the pendulum. Just be sure to have your protections in place and be specific about who or what you wish to contact.Black and White Candles: Black and white candles are very effective at either removing (black) or providing (white) energy. Depending on the case, you can use either for any sort of spell on the go. I recommend getting them in tealight size to save room in your bag.Incense: Incense is also a super versatile tool that can be used for cleansing, raising vibrations, or appeasing spirits depending on what kind you use and your intention.The Witch’s Guide to the Paranormal: Shameless plug? Maybe. A truly useful thing to have in your bag? You betcha! The Witch’s Guide to the Paranormal is a manual for successfully understanding, identifying, and fixing any sort of haunting you may come across. Having copy on hand means that you won’t be alone; I’ll be there with you in case you need advice, a spell, or a recipe. So, grab a copy and keep it with you on your investigations.

Our thanks to J. Allen Cross for his guest post! For more from J. Allen Cross, read his article, “What to Do When You Have a Ghost.”

Readers, please enjoy this guest blog post by Andrea Taylor, author of Birth Chart Interpretation Plain & Simple and the new What’s Your Big Three?.

Reading all about ourselves is fun. Who can resist a book that promises to reveal aspects of ourselves we may subconsciously know but have never analysed? And it’s amusing to find out things about our significant other or children, work colleagues or intended partners. “Listen to this!” people cry when they read out bits…making light of aspects that strike them as really accurate about someone.

But underneath the fun are real truths. We are all guilty of listening to things but not fully hearing them, of dismissing something because it’s perceived as only “a bit of fun.”

Astrology can be fun, but it is accurate and true, too. So, instead of just reading the words, why not think about them? Think about what your sun, moon and rising sign positions are really telling you, because they are guiding you to who you truly are and how you should be expressing yourself and your emotions.

Self-awareness is the first step to wisdom. Once you understand your own motivations and your own path in life, it frees you up to see others more objectively, too. You see not only your place in the world, but that other people are also on their own unique journey.

That is why we should not use, control, or mould other people, nor should we allow them to do this to us. Other people are not there just to provide what we lack, and our purpose is not to be a crutch for someone else. Flexibility and adaptability in our friendships and relationships is necessary and good, because we all have to live together in harmony, but we should always try to stay true to ourselves while allowing others room to be themselves.

Your sun, moon, and rising sign have a lot to say, so by all means have some fun, but don’t dismiss their true message. It is who you are. And it is who others are. Your relationships of every sort stand a far better chance of surviving the test of time if you both understand your own individual motivations, and are able to allow each other to be—and express—who you truly are.

Check out What’s Your Big Three? How the Sun, Moon and Rising Signs Reveal Who You Really Are to discover more about yourself and those you care about.

Our thanks to Andrea for her guest post! For more from Andrea Taylor, read her article, “Two Layers to Your Astrological Rising Sign.”

The Tarot Apothecary: Shifting Personal Energies Using Tarot, Aromatherapy, and Simple Everyday Rituals by Ailynne E. Halvorson

 

The Tarot Apothecary lays out a magical approach to the tarot that calls in the four wisdoms of tarot, aromatherapy, imaginative journey (the state of allowing your mind and imagination to journey outside of yourself with a pre-determined intention), and simple everyday ritual. This creates a container of magical energies that allow for desired shifts in personal energy. This approach allows you to create your own personal cauldron of magic for movement forward.

In this excerpt, we have a glimpse of a few areas explored for the Queen of Pentacles:

The Queen of Pentacles helps support grounding and setting a new foundation for personal development. She will grant you a firm substructure for personal growth. Think of the Queen of Pentacles as Gaia in that she gives all we need to survive. She will teach nurturing of yourself and others. She will support your health and healing by suggesting self-care. The Queen of Pentacles has supported me personally when I needed to be rooted in self, allowing for growth as I move forward on my path. Call upon the Queen of Pentacles when you need support, structure, growth, beauty, abundance, and a solidity in self.

Creating the Altar

Use Earth elemental energies for The Queen of Pentacles altar. This could include a bowl of salt, dirt, or earthy stones such as Tiger Eye, Onyx, Black or Brown Tourmaline, Black Kyanite or Apache Tears. Find stones that resonate with you. Plant a seed and allow it to grow in a pot upon your altar table. Place a Queen of Pentacles card that speaks to you upon your altar. Use a green, brown, or black altar cloth, and set your blend or essential oil bottle upon the altar for three days prior to use to call in the Queen’s blessing upon the blend. Then begin to wear the scent and recite the Mantra listed below. Do this for at least three times a day. Light an Earthy incense, if able, and ask your Queen to walk with you through your day. Wear the colors of Earth, and allow your jewelry to support the Earth element through the stones used.

Queen of Pentacles Mantra

“I am strong. I am grounded. I am centered. I radiate abundance and growth. I hold deep within me the knowledge and wisdom of my ancestors. I am patient and I persevere. I am the Queen of Pentacles.”

Essential Oils for the Queen of Pentacles

Working with essential oils that ground and support growth such as Vetiver (Chrysopogon zizanioides), Patchouli (Pogostemon cablin), Cypress (Cupressus sempervirens), Clary Sage (Salvia sclera), Spanish Sage (Salvia lavandulifolia), Cedarwood Virginian (Juniperus virginiana), and Oakwood Absolute (Quercus robur), will help to call in the grounding support for your journey. [NOTE: there is a complete list of elemental essential oils at the end of the book].

Readers, please enjoy this guest blog post by Ailynn Halvorson, author of the new Tarot Apothecary.

Every fall I like to work with The Hanged Man to help me let go and release what needs to be released in order to create an easier path forward. I often pull out my tarot cards for answers. I have a special spread that I like to use for each season. Here is my autumn spread. After asking my questions and pulling the cards, I will often sit in meditation with the cards to hear what they have to say. This spread will help you to get some answers to ponder and work with this fall to help you let go, surrender to what is, yet to find that new perspective for movement forward. This is an easy, six card-spread.

Shuffle and separate your deck into three piles.Shuffle each pile separately.Pile #1 relates to The Hanged Man, what to let go of; pile #2 relates to The Chariot, where to put your focus for forward movement; and pile #3 relates to your ancestors, and what advice they may have for you.From each pile you will be pulling the top card off the pile as well as the bottom card. The top card is a message from your archetype and the bottom card is an additional message from the Hanged Man, The Chariot, or your Ancestors.

Pile One:
Top Card: The Hanged Man Question: What do I currently need to let go of and release in my life?
Bottom Card: An additional message from The Hanged Man.

Pile Two:
Top Card: The Chariot Question: Where should I put my focus for moving forward?
Bottom Card: An additional message from The Chariot.

Pile Three:
Top Card: Ancestors Question: Advice from the Ancestors.
Bottom Card: More advice from the ancestors.

Here is my personal sample reading for you to get a better snap shot of the process.

Pile One:
Top Card: The Hanged Man Question: What do I need to currently need to let go of and release in my life? The Nine of Wands: Let go of the struggle. You are almost there; it is time to enjoy the ride a bit more.
Bottom Card: Message from the Hanged Man and the Nine of Wands: The Moon: It is time to start trusting in your intuition a bit more. You may not know where your path is taking you, but you know how to walk in the dark and you can trust yourself.

Pile Two:
Top Card: The Chariot Question: Where do I need to put my focus right now for movement forward? Temperance: It is time to allow things to blend right now. You are in a melding time space. Watch for synchronicities and allow the blending to happen. Don’t step out too far in any direction until you are ready.
Bottom Card: Message from The Chariot and Temperance: The Empress: Put your focus on growth, abundance, and beauty. Watch for those synchronicities that allow for growth. When the time feels right, you will know which direction in which to focus and drive. You are on the path of growth. Welcome it.

Pile Three:
Top Card: Ancestors Question: Advice from the Ancestors: The Ace of Pentacles: You are laying a new foundation for your life to grow upon. Welcome the opportunities and allow for your garden to grow. It is now time to create a grounded plan for the future.
Bottom Card: Message from the Ancestors and the Ace of Pentacles: The Hierophant: You are now the channel for others. Speak with wisdom and integrity. You will not fit in every community, but where you fit, you will be heard. It is time to teach.

This is a simple card pull that you can do during the fall to assist in your journey. The cards always speak when you take the time to listen, for their messages are always waiting to be heard.

Our thanks to Ailynn for her guest post! For more from Ailynn Halvorson, read her article, “The Four Main Ingredients in a Magical Potion.”

Readers, please enjoy this guest blog post by Denny Sargent, author of Werwolf Magic and the new Werwolf Pack Magick.

“Hedge witches today would do good to learn as much as they can about shapeshifting witches of the past. In Scotland, witches often shapeshifted into the hare.”
—https://otherworldlyoracle.com/shapeshifting-witches-tales/

As a Pagan and Craft Elder (Welsh Tradition), I’ve participated in shapeshifting with my brother and sister coven members for several decades. In these situations we worked on deity empowered deep trance induced shapeshifting, focusing on an agreed-upon appropriate animal, often at Samhain. Years later I continued my fascination with shapeshifting with another coven, but felt it was not enough. During a rough time, a wolf spirit began to show up in my meditations with offers of help and mentoring, so I began to really research shapeshifting and especially wolfish shifting. While digging into the history of shapeshifting, I was surprised to discover the prevalence of werewolf shapeshifting witches and covens in the Middle Ages as described in hundreds of documents and cited in my book Werwolf Magic. Today, few covens seem to do shapeshifting and/or tend to view it more as a “visualization exercise” (which is not what serious shapeshifting is at all). Through practical experimentation as well as info from the various books of shadow I own, I revived a powerful and effective method of shapeshifting for Witches and Pagans using the power of feral gods or goddesses.

Here is an outline of this technique:
Invoking Shifting involves ritually calling to an external divinity and bringing it into your spiritual and physical self in order to facilitate shapeshifting. There are two parts of “invoking shapeshifting.”

The first concerns invoking deities who help with shifting (such as Faunus, Soranus, or Hekate) through offerings, prayer and serious ritual. For example, Faunus, the Roman Pan, was invoked during Lupercalia by the Luperkal (wolf priests) who, after shapeshifting, became possessed by the wolfish god and wildly ran this drunken fertility festival! Such divinity-powered shifting has been around for thousands of years.

Another shapeshifting technique concerns invoking your astral body with the power of the deity and your will. Yet, instead of astral projection, you envelop your body in with the empowered astral form by will and by invoking the deity intensely into the form of an animal connected to the deity you are calling, be it an owl, wolf, hare, goat, eagle, or so on. Hekate helps bring the owl or hound or wolf shifting, Cernunnos aides shifting into a stag, and so on. You can power-up your astral body in this way by inflaming the fire center located in your lower belly (the solar plexus or Manipura chakra) This fills and solidifies the astral animal form you are seeking and enhances the blessing of the deity summoned. In this way the sheer physicality of the Animal body can be empowered and ridden. There is more to say, but as a Pagan or Witch, you can fill in the rest! Happy Shapeshifting!

Our thanks to Denny for his guest post! For more from Denny Sargent, read his article, “Flower Power: Werewolf Romance.”