Llewellyn Publications's Blog, page 9

Readers, please enjoy this guest blog post by Thumper Forge, co-author of the new Virgo Witch.

My go-to method of fortune-telling is lithomancy: that is, divination with semi-precious stones. It’s something I picked up originally for no-nonsense, yes/no answers, but over time, I’ve been able to get fairly complex readings out of it, which never fails to surprise the hell out of me.

My friend Chester recently asked for a reading, and I was happy to comply, even though my Virgo brain did its best to interfere with anxiety and insecurities. (You can read more about both lithomancy and my neuro-spiciness in the upcoming Virgo Witch, part of Llewellyn’s Witch’s Sun Sign Series.) But I breathed through the nerves, laid out my casting cloth, gently tossed the stones upon it, and took note of what they had to say.

Chester’s question involved career direction, and the stones just nailed it: He should continue working from home, but he should also establish a business partnership with someone experienced in his field, specifically someone with a branded online presence. Which was…a lot to get out of a random scattering of small rocks, but the message was undeniable.

Chester was happy with the reading, which was great, although he was a little less enthused by my reaction, which was to absolutely lose my damn mind over the accuracy. It just freaks me out sometimes when something that logically shouldn’t work—like divination—does work. And honestly, I know better than to let that show, especially when reading for other people. The problem was that I forgot how I play pool.

Not how to play pool in general, mind you, but how I play pool.

I love playing pool, but I legitimately have no billiard skills whatsoever. What I do have is preternatural luck—like, I’ll miss the ball that I’m aiming for, but in missing, I’ll somehow knock three other balls into pockets while simultaneously blocking any opportunity my opponent may have had. (It’s not the world’s most impressive X-Man power, but I feel like they’d let me on the team anyway.)

The first time it ever happened, I was like, “Wow! That was amazing, and I definitely did not mean to do it,” which, as you can imagine, did not go over well with the people playing against me. As such, I quickly learned to just hit the cue ball, impassively watch the highly improbable trick shot play out, and then just give a slight nod and move on. And if anyone expresses astonishment, I’ve trained myself to shrug noncommittally and gesture for the game to continue.

The same rules apply to divination. I don’t know how the stones are going to land when I throw them, but they’re going to give an answer. And the querent doesn’t need to know if I’m caught off guard by how precise that answer is—they just need to know the answer itself. All I am in this situation is the messenger, and nobody pays the messenger to crow about how great their delivery is.

So here’s my advice to you, born from awkward experience: Throw your stones, or pull your cards, interpret the message, and let your querent decide if the information provided is worth blowing a gasket over. And if it is—if your divination reveals a clearer truth than expected—let your querent’s feelings on the matter have the spotlight.

All you need to give in return is a slight nod and a shrug. Which I promise will be more than appreciated.

Our thanks to Thumper for his guest post! For more from Thumper Forge, read his article “Night of the Living Earth Sign: A Virgo Witch vs. the Zombie Apocalypse.”

Readers, please enjoy this guest blog post by Dawn McLaughlin, author of the new Everyday Reiki.

With numerous energy healing modalities to supplement your health and wellness routine, selecting the one best suited for your unique needs might appear overwhelming. Reiki is a Japanese hands-on healing method originating from the teaching of Dr. Mikao Usui. Below are four reasons Reiki might be the best choice to assist you on your healing journey.

Traditional medicine has begun acknowledging Reiki as a valid healing modality. Reiki is now offered in more and more hospitals and medical centers across the United States, including The California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco, The Children’s Hospital in Boston, Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, and Washington Hospital Center in Washington, DC. Additionally, many nurses elect to learn Reiki to receive continuing education credits.With the option of in-person and online Reiki healing sessions, Reiki healing is widely available throughout the United States and worldwide.Reiki utilizes high-vibrational Universal Healing Energy, so it cannot be misused or cause harm. During a healing session, Reiki energy flows into the Reiki practitioner through the crown chakra at the top of the head and down through the energy centers at the palms of the hands. The Reiki practitioner either hovers or places hands on the recipient of the healing energy, allowing the Universal Healing Energy to flow through the energy pathways within the body, gently moving stagnant or blocked energy, promoting deep relaxation, and creating the environment for deep healing to occur.Reiki healing has been known to provide numerous tangible benefits, including stress reduction, pain relief, relaxation, assistance with preventative care, improvement in overall well-being, and enhancement of the mind, body, and spirit connection. Are you interested in experiencing the amazing and powerful healing of Reiki for yourself? Schedule an appointment with a local Reiki practitioner today.

Are you curious about taking the next step by becoming a Reiki practitioner? Contact a Reiki Master-Teacher about attending a Reiki Level One training class. Already a Reiki practitioner, deepen your understanding of Reiki by purchasing my new book, Everyday Reiki.

Our thanks to Dawn for her guest post! For more from Dawn McLaughlin, read her article, “9 Unexpected Side Effects of Reiki.”

<
One of my favorite times of the year: gift-giving season. Here are some book suggestions in various categories. I hope you find something for your friends or for yourself if you’ve been very good!

Beginners
For the tarot curious, this little book is like a sampler box of chocolates. It is a great way to see a lot of different decks and enjoy some bite-sized information about tarot.

Llewellyn’s Little Book of Tarot

If your beginner is a calendar lover, Llewellyn’s 2024 Tarot Calendar would do the same thing, but with a larger format and less information.

 

Interacting with the Cards
The Tarot Apothecary by Ailynn Halvorson gives us an excuse to play with our cards and our aromatherapy oils! Simple yet powerful rituals and activities to awaken your inner whatever you want!

Your Tarot Toolkit by Ru-Lee Story is the perfect book for someone who would love to play with their cards daily…or just dip into some tarot-centric activities from time to time.

Tarot by the Moon by Victoria Constantino gives us a monthly selection of activities to work with each month’s lunar energy. Tarot cards and full moons just go together!

 

Different Approaches to Card Meanings
The Living Tarot by T. Susan Chang is a wonderful system of developing a deeply personal connection with the cards but in practical ways so that your readings become more useful as well as more accurate.

Tarot for Real Life by Jack Chanek brings a very practical approach to the cards. Very real life, very practical, very easy to understand. For those who want readings with advice for improving daily life.

Tarot in Love by Elliot Adam is the perfect book for those who do a lot of relationship readings (romantic and platonic). It is an amazing work with equal emphasis given to upright and reversed cards, a rare thing.

Reading for Others
Will You Give Me a Reading by Jenna Matlin is written for everyone who loves tarot but is shy about giving readings to others. Her down-to-earth advice will alleviate fear and instill confidence.

One of my favorite times of the year: gift-giving season. Here are some book suggestions in various categories. I hope you find something for your friends or for yourself if you’ve been very good!

Beginners

For the tarot curious, this little book is like a sampler box of chocolates. It is a great way to see a lot of different decks and enjoy some bite-sized information about tarot.

Llewellyn’s Little Book of Tarot

If your beginner is a calendar lover, the 2024 Tarot Calendar would do the same thing, but with a larger format but less information.

Interacting with the cards

 The Tarot Apothecary by Ailynn Halvorson gives us an excuse to play with our cards and our aromatherapy oils! Simple yet powerful rituals and activities to awaken your inner whatever you want!

Your Tarot Toolkit by Ru-Lee Story is the perfect book for someone who would love to play with their cards daily…or just dip into some tarot-centric activities from time to time.

Tarot by the Moon by Victoria Constantino gives us a monthly selection of activities to work with each month’s lunar energy. Tarot cards and full moons just go together!

Different approaches to card meanings

The Living Tarot by T. Susan Chang is a wonderful system of developing a deeply personal connection with the cards but in practical ways so that your readings become more useful as well as more accurate.

Tarot for Real Life by Jack Chanek brings a very practical approach to the cards. Very real life, very practical, very easy to understand. For those who want readings with advice for improving daily life.

 Tarot in Love by Elliot Adam is the perfect book for those who do a lot of relationship readings (romantic and platonic). It is an amazing work with equal emphasis given to upright and reversed cards, a rare thing.

Reading for Others

 Will You Give Me a Reading by Jenna Matlin is written for everyone who loves tarot but is shy about giving readings to others. Her down-to-earth advice will alleviate fear and instill confidence.

Our Llewellyn Virtual Author Forums are a bi-monthly series of free online roundtable events featuring your favorite Llewellyn authors discussing topics important to you and answering your questions.

Our latest in the series, on Celebrating Samhain, featured Season Songs author Emma Kathryn; Mickie Mueller, author of Llewellyn’s Little Book of Halloween; Tudorbeth, author of The Hedgewitch’s Little Book of Seasonal Magic; and Diana Rajchel, author of Samhain.

Did you miss the live presentation? Watch it on demand now!

Readers, please enjoy this guest blog post by Laurel Woodward, author of Kitchen Witchery, Backyard Garden Witchery, and the new Wellness Witchery.

Fall is the magickal season of harvest. At summer’s end, the energy shifts from The Harvesting Tide (June – September) to The Resting Tide (September – Yule) and all of nature feels the change. Night comes earlier as the hours of darkness lengthen. The air takes on a chill and with it comes a spooky sense of mystery and excitement. The turning leaves begin to fall leaving only the stark outline of bare branches against the sky. This is the season of slowing, of hearty foods and warm beverages. In the shops, summer’s colors have been replaced with harvest themes while menus feature pumpkin-flavored treats, both savory and sweet.

Fall is my favorite time of year. The promise of change hangs in the air buzzing like electricity. I feel it with a shiver every time I step outdoors. Now may be the time of ripening but all of nature knows that soon winter will cast its spell of dormancy and death. The knowing swells this fleeting moment of abundance, and as the veil grows thin, the unseen world becomes more tangible. When darkness falls, the liminality grows so sharp even the least aware among us pause to cast a curious glance at the deepening shadows.

The shifting tides awaken something deep within me that makes colors deepens and feelings stronger. As the year descends into darkness, the shift breathes new energy into my practice and draws me to preform more acts of divination, self-reflection, and shadow work.

Craft a Black Mirror
The magick mirror has been a popular device since the Middle Ages used by the cunning to divine the future, communicate with spirits, work magick, and repel negative energy. A black mirror is a mirror with a back that has been painted black and charmed to be a fluid condenser to condense your abilities, focus your energy, and open a channel with the cosmos. It is used for divination, spirit communication, and defensive magicks. Its reflective surface holds the energy of both the moon and water making it a fluid condenser with power to magnify abilities and sharpen focus.

You will need:

A candleA piece of concaved glass or a shallow concaved bowl, or a picture framePaperA paint brushFlat black paintAn infusion of chamomile or mugwortMatches

Take the glass and clean both sides well. When it is clean, turn it over. Set it on some paper and paint the back with the black paint. Let it dry and inspect it. Depending upon the surface of the glass and type of paint, this could take several coats to get the coverage you desire. When the paint is dry and the full moon is in sight, catch the reflection of the full moon and draw down the lunar energy into your mirror. Then take your mirror and tell it what you want it to do for you. Dip your finger into the chamomile infusion and run it around the edge of the mirror as you hold your intention. When you have sufficiently charged it, draw a deep breath and blow out across it to fix your intention and empower the working.

Before you use your mirror, drink a cup of mugwort or skullcap tea and open your intuition. Light a candle and come to center. When you are focused, ask a question as you gaze at the surface of the mirror, studying it for images and movement. Notice each thought, vision, sound, and scent that come up. Take note of everything.

Note: Most black mirrors are kept covered and brought out only for scrying when a candle is lit and set off center to illuminate but not reflect in the mirror.

Our thanks to Laurel for her guest post! For more from Laurel Woodward, read her article, “3 Ways to Re-Enchant Your Life.”

Greetings, my friends. Today I intended to share a Samhain spread. Luckily for you, as I was reviewing Sasha Graham’s 365 Tarot Spreads, I was reminded of her Zombie Apocalypse Spread. Zombies seem like a fine Halloween theme. Perhaps if your Samhain celebrations need a little lighthearted, scary fun, this might fit the bill! Enjoy!

Zombie Apocalypse Tarot Spread

More Tarot and Oracle Decks for Your Samhain Season Celebrations:
Looking for that perfectly spooky deck to accompany your festivities, or something more reverent for working with ancestors this time of year? We’ve got you covered!

Trick or Treat Tarot
Welcome, goblins and ghouls, to a tarot kit of frights and fun, disguises and delights, divination and daring adventure. Featuring the irresistible illustrations of Jonathan Hunt and the expertise of bestselling author Barbara Moore, this Rider-Waite-based deck is easy to use and includes a full-color guidebook for exploring the cards. Trick or Treat Tarot provides exactly what you need to confront fear, peer into the future, and create a unique identity that suits you every day—not just on Halloween. Tarot of the Vampires
This thrilling deck resurrects vampire archetypes for a new age. These children of the night are modern, nuanced, and deadly creatures who will inspire you to unearth forgotten treasures within yourself. Craig Maher’s illustrations explore themes of power, conflict, romance, and adventure. Woven throughout the cards is the eternal human story told through the eyes of vampires, and the companion book by Charles Harrington reveals how their journey gives you new insights into the cards. This Rider-Waite-Smith-based deck opens your eyes to the wonders of life, death, and what it’s like to move through the world as an outsider. Edgar Allen Poe Tarot
Blending the divinatory power of the Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot with the visionary writings of Edgar Allan Poe, this deck offers deep spiritual insight into who you are and what you might become. Stunning illustrations based on Poe’s tales of the mysterious and the macabre will inspire your imagination and open your soul to revelation. Dark Wood Tarot
Dare to enter the dark wood and discover your shadow self with this enthralling Rider-Waite-Smith-style deck. As you take on the role of a witch entering the wood, each magnificent card becomes a vision of deep wisdom that guides you to a richer understanding of yourself. Examine secret desires and shadowy dreams. Explore the unknown recesses of your psyche. This captivating deck and full-color companion book lead you through the darkness and into the light that reflects your hidden talents and personal power. Dark Wood Tarot Mini
Small enough to fit in a pocket or a purse, you can carry this fun miniature edition of the Dark Wood Tarot everywhere. The Tarot of Vampyres
Featuring Ian Daniels’ richly evocative Gothic-style artwork, this hauntingly romantic deck is a tool for spiritual awakening. With it, you can plumb the depths of your inner shadows and emerge in the radiant light of truth. Jack o’ Lantern Tarot
Gorgeous rich colors and perfectly rendered compositions are sure to make this one of the most popular Halloween decks available. As the Wheel of the Year turns to autumn, this lovely tarot reflects how the distance between our world and the spirit plane thins and fades. With fabulous art by Giuliano Costa, this laughing and grinning macabre new deck of eternal wisdom and perilous delight carries the Halloween spirit fully into Tarot. Tarot of the Haunted House
Bestselling author Sasha Graham teams up with popular Italian artist Mirco Pierfederici to bring you a beguiling deck whose cards suggest a compelling story. As you turn the cards, you’ll accompany the Fool, who finds herself inside a mysterious haunted house. Moving with her through the deck, you’ll unlock room after room and uncover the mansion’s true, romantic, and chilling tale while also discovering the Fool’s forgotten origins. Santa Muerte Tarot
A masterpiece of inspired imagery, this tarot deck is a powerful tool for working with the mysticism associated with the Day of the Dead and Santa Muerte. Santa Muerte Oracle
Based on the groundbreaking Santa Muerte Tarot, this oracle is a powerful tool for working with the mysticism associated with the Day of the Dead and La Santa Muerte. Featuring masterful artwork by Fabio Listrani, each card offers inspiring wisdom and helps answer every question you ask. The Halloween Oracle
Now you can harness the eerie power of Halloween every night of year, encountering black cats, vampires, zombies, witches, werewolves, jack-o-lanterns, skeletons, mummies and characters from the Mexican Day of the Dead tradition (including Lady de los Muertos), exquisite candy skulls, and more! Each of the 36 richly illustrated cards has an accompanying meaning in the guidebook featuring rhyming couplets like those used in ancient storytelling as well as a message of divination for you based on an aspect of Halloween tradition. Día de los Muertos Oracle
On the Day of the Dead, the veils thin and the departed return in a celebration of life. Tune in to this rich and festive tradition with Emily K. Grieves de Reyes Contla’s vivid artwork, which she painted in Teotihuacán, México. Featuring a 216-page guidebook full of inspirational messages and practices for honoring and communing with your ancestors, this 44-card oracle gives you an authentic experience of Día de los Muertos. Shuffle the deck, choose a card, and welcome angels, saints, music, and memories into your heart and home. Ghost Tarot
Between the visible and the invisible, between memory and the supernatural, there is the world of ghosts. The Ghost Tarot takes you to a romantic and eternal world, where wisdom abides among the restless spirits searching for lost mortality. Murder of Crows Tarot
As an omen bringer, messenger, and scavenger, the crow has no master. It brings you the answers you need, although not always what you wanted. This captivating deck by Corrado Roi presents crows in all their gothic glory. It awakens your soul, bringing enlightenment as well as fear and disquiet. In striking black and white, this deck is a necessary addition to your collection. Victoria Frances Gothic Oracle Discover an oracle of unsurpassed dreamlike beauty from Spanish artist Victoria Frances, groundbreaking creator of dark romantic art books Favoli and Misty Circus. Reveling in the macabre, masterfully using shadowed details, and capturing the spirit of the night, this oracle deck offers you gothic wisdom and answers to your deepest, most challenging dilemmas.

Readers, please enjoy this guest blog post by Coby Michael, co-author of Leo Witch.

The element of Fire is associated with willpower. It is the driving force that created the Universe, and there is no greater source of fire in our solar system than our own Sun. The Sun rules the sign of Leo in astrology, and thus Leos are associated with creativity, confidence, and willpower, among other things. It is also the only sign in the zodiac that is ruled by the Sun. This direct connection to solar energy makes Leos great at manifestation magick. Magick is defined by Aleister Crowley as “the science and art to creating change in accordance with Will.” Manifestation magick can be achieved without any elaborate ritual or spellcraft, but when you put the two together the results are explosive.

This kind of manifestation magick can be accessed by anyone because we all contain Fire within ourselves. Fire magic is a practice that can infuse any working with the intensity and power of the element of Fire, and thus the Sun. Through this practice we can direct our Will to any intention, and learn how to better move energy within ourselves.

Finding Your Fire
Adrenaline. We’ve all felt that sensation in our chests, that burning feeling that can be sensual or incendiary. Fire is passion. It is explosive and often dangerous. Think of what raises your passions, a person or scenario that gets you going. Something that gives you that feeling of adrenaline in your chest. Maybe its anger or a sense of injustice towards something or someone. Or it could be the burning feeling of missing someone that you love. This feeling can come to us when we are exhilarated or when our boundaries have been crossed. This fire inside us comes from many places. It can protect us through triggering our instincts, and it can drive us to do great things.

Don’t judge the source of your fire, and know that we all have more than one. This is about learning to access this great reserve of energy. Feel it rising within you, and allow the flames to purify this energy. This can be thought of as a highly individualistic energy raising technique that can be employed before ritual and afterwards in the time period following. Observing what people and scenarios raise this feeling in us and why can allow us to release this extra energy in a healthy way, directing it towards manifesting our goals.

The tricky part with fire is that it likes to burn everything, so it is important that you release this energy when it arises by letting it wash over you, breathing through it or engaging in physical activity to burn it off. When this energy is directed and we are engaged in something we are passionate about it multiplies and creates more energy.

Our thanks to Coby for his guest post! For more from Coby Michael, read his article “Atropa belladonna: Fruit of the Slain .”

It has been my honor and delight to write Llewellyn’s Tarot Calendar since 2018. Seven seems like a good number of years to have done something. I’ve really enjoyed the short form writing the calendar requires, but I’ve shared all my best tidbits. It’s time for a fresh voice for our beloved calendar and I think you’ll enjoy it. But for now, you still get a little of me. Since this was my last, I wanted to leave you with as many blessings as possible. Blessings are kind of my thing and so almost every month has a blessing inspired by the card of that month. It is, as always, gorgeously designed and showcases some new decks and old favorites. Enjoy this sneak peek next July. Fun!

October 20, 2023—2pmCST

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 Celebrating Samhain, will feature Season Songs author Emma Kathryn; Mickie Mueller, author of Llewellyn’s Little Book of Halloween; Tudorbeth, author of The Hedgewitch’s Little Book of Seasonal Magic; and Diana Rajchel, author of Samhain. Whether you are looking for new Samhain sabbat rituals or want to make the most of this spooky season, join the conversation and chime in with questions.

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

We look forward to seeing you virtually!