How to Create Oracle Card Spreads For Any Purpose
Wherever you’re seeking guidance, your oracle cards can help! Oracle cards are an intuitive tool that can help you gain daily wisdom or insights on significant life challenges. Though I’m partial to my oracle card deck, The Ritual Deck, you can apply this to any oracle card deck you’d like or, your favorite tarot cards.
Wherever you’re seeking guidance, your oracle cards can help! Oracle cards are an intuitive tool that can help you gain daily wisdom or insights on significant life challenges. Though I’m partial to my oracle card deck, The Ritual Deck, you can apply this to any oracle card deck you’d like or, your favorite tarot cards.
Hint: Learn more about the difference between tarot and oracle cards here.
If you’re new to the world of oracle cards no need to be intimidated, you’re in the right place to learn how to perform oracle card readings for any issue.If you’re a seasoned oracle card reader, let’s breathe some new life into your card reading practice!
Bonus: Keep reading for links to download a free oracle card cheat sheet for love and a new moon.
Asking The Right Kinds of Questions
As is the case with most intuitive tools, oracle cards included, they will rarely give you a simple black and white answer. Your guides and higher self can help lead you but don’t expect definitive answers. Your life is your life, and you lead the way.
For example, if you’re trying to find a romantic partner. Instead of asking your cards, “When will I find love,” think about the different aspects involved with finding a partner and what you could focus on to manifest more love in your life.
Here are some possible questions to ask your oracle cards when looking for love:
Love 5-Card Spread
How can I love myself more?
What areas of my life should I focus on to find love?
What should I look for in a partner?
What is holding me back from receiving love?
What is holding me back from finding a romantic partner?
Click here to receive a printable card layout for the 5-card love spread.
Sample Questions
Here are some open-ended sample questions that work well for oracle card readings.
How can I invite more ____________ into my life?
How can I overcome my fear of _____________ ?
Am I going in the right direction with _____________ ?
How can I let go of ____________ ?
What should I focus on today?
What should I focus on during this moon cycle?
Where can I find more __________ in my life?
What is blocking me from ____________ ?
What is preventing me from manifesting ______________ ?
In what ways am I holding myself back?
How can I be in better alignment with my purpose?
How Many Cards Should I Pull?
You can pull one card or twenty cards. Your card readings can be as in-depth as you need them to be. It can be helpful to have an idea of what questions you’d like to ask before starting so you know about how many cards you’ll want to pull. That said, selecting multiple cards may lead to more questions! If more questions pop up, pull away, sister.
Designs & Cardinal Directions
Laying your cards out in a specific design isn’t necessary but can impart an added layer of meaning to your card reading. A simple design suggestion is to arrange your cards in an upward or downward-facing triangle. An upward- facing triangle will add masculine energy to your reading, and a downward-facing triangle will add feminine energy to your reading.
Click here to download the new moon card reading guide pictured above.
The four cardinal directions are another way to add meaning to your reading. Face yourself and your cards in a specific direction to add more meaning in this way. Here’s a quick description of how each direction can affect your reading.
North: Issues related to the physical body
East: Issues related to new beginnings
South: Issues related to challenges or blocks
West: Issues related to emotions
Let’s recap! Here are seven simple steps for creating oracle card spreads.
Steps to Perform an Oracle Card Reading
In what areas of your life are you seeking guidance? It’s always helpful to go into a reading with a plan. Without an idea of what you need guidance on your message may be unclear.
What question(s) could you ask that might shed light on this issue? Write them down beforehand to help stay on topic as you perform your reading.
Get quiet, breathe deep, and call on your guides and higher self to help you select cards.
Optional: Lay cards in a specific pattern that is meaningful to your topic.
Optional: Face a specific direction as you perform your card reading.
Pull your cards. Try not to judge the cards and what they might mean for you until you’re finished and can take in the entire reading.
Decipher your reading with an open mind using your intuition and any guidebooks for the deck(s) you’re using. Welcome nudges from your higher self and guides and be open to signs as you move about your day that may be related to your message.
What If My Message Didn’t Make Sense?
Didn’t receive the message you were hoping for or expecting? Before you doubt the cards, wait a few days, and look for signs. Often, you’ll find that the message you received was exactly what you needed and it will usually make itself apparent. If you wait a few days and the message is still unclear, try clearing your mind with a short meditation and asking your higher self or guides to make the message more clear and do another card pull.
I hope you feel empowered to perform meaningful card readings for yourself and others!
Four Abundance Rituals
Do you want to call in more abundance? You’re in the right place! Abundance can come in so many forms and means many different things to different people. Abundance could be time, money, freedom, or anything else that makes you personally feel abundant!In this blog post, I’ll be sharing four rituals to help you connect with the abundance that’s always available to you. Keep scrolling to read them!
Do you want to call in more abundance? You’re in the right place! Abundance can come in so many forms and means many different things to different people. Abundance could be time, money, freedom, or anything else that makes you personally feel abundant!
In this blog post, I’ll be sharing four rituals to help you connect with the abundance that’s always available to you. Keep scrolling to read them!
ABUNDANCE CRYSTAL GRID
Crystal grids are a beautiful tool for manifesting more abundance in your life! The ideal time to set up your abundance grid is at the new moon, and you can leave it up until the full moon.
Start by gathering your stones and cleansing them. Your abundance besties in the crystal kingdom are aventurine, citrine, quartz, moss agate, tiger eye, and kyanite! Try one of each stone, although if you have more than one, that’s great, too.
You’ll place your citrine stone in the center and arrange your other stones radiating out around the citrine in a way that feels good to use. Use the crystal grid in the Goddess Discovery Book or place your stones on a cloth or table.
As you place each stone, keep an image in your mind’s eye of what you’re trying to attract. Ask yourself how you’ll feel when you receive the abundance you’re requesting.
After all your stones are in place, trace your crystals with a pointed quartz. Imagine the quartz connecting your crystals and unifying their energy. Try to connect with your grid daily until the full moon!
ABUNDANCE SPELL BAG
Spell bags, known in Voodoo as “gris-gris,” or to Native Americans as “medicine bags,” are one of my favorite ways to make magick. The waxing moon is the best time to do any abundance spell work, so try to do each of these rituals then if you can!Here’s what you’ll need to make a spell bag for abundance:
Basil or a sprinkle of cinnamon
10 of Pentacles tarot card (or a copy of this tarot card if you don’t want to put the actual card in the bag!)
A knob of ginger
Honey calcite, pyrite, citrine, or green aventurine
Anything else that represents abundance to you. For example, if you work for yourself you might include a printout of an email where a client booked a session with you.
Spend some time with your spell bag to infuse your energy into it. Hold it in your hands as you meditate on abundance, and breathe into it before you pull it closed!
ABUNDANCE CANDLE MAGICK
You can work with the magic of fire to help you call more abundance into your life! If you’ve never done candle magick before, read this blog to learn how to get started.For this spell, you’ll need:
Green candle
Carving tool like a sharp point crystal, toothpick, or athame.
Tiger eye, citrine, and green aventurine
Patchouli or frankincense oil
Coins or money
Start by cleansing all of your items for the spell. This can be done by wafting herbal smoke over them or visualizing white light cleansing them.
For this spell, you’ll be carving the Fehu Rune into your candle. Fehu is a powerful symbol of abundance. If you’d prefer to carve a specific dollar amount or item you’re hoping to attain you could carve this into the candle too.
Anoint your candle with the oil of your choice. As you carve and anoint your candle, visualize your abundance goal.
Arrange your crystals, money, and candle in a place where you can leave it up for a few nights. Light your candle and meditate on the flame. Visualize your abundance goal clearly, imagine yourself reaching your goal and what it would feel like to attain it.
You can continue this until the entire candle burns or snuff out the candle and continue the same ritual each night until the candle has burned completely.
Bonus! You can get this spell as a free printable spell card (along with spells for love, letting go, and connecting with your intuition) here.
ABUNDANCE TAROT or ORACLE CARD SPREAD
Turn to tarot or oracle to understand your blocks to abundance and what you can do to connect to more abundance. You can create a ritual space by grounding yourself first, lighting candles, burning herbs or incense, or doing anything else that feels right to you.
Cards from the Journey Tarot Kit
When you feel grounded and centered, shuffle your cards while holding the intention to connect with the wisdom of your highest self. Draw cards for each of the following questions:
What belief system or patterns blocks me from the abundance I desire?
How to release this belief system or pattern
How to open myself up to greater abundance
My mantra for calling in abundance
Spend some time journaling with your cards and meditating on your mantra card. If you’d like, you can place your mantra card on your altar!
4 Ways to Honor the Winter Solstice
The winter solstice marks the longest night of the year, and so we traditionally associate it with darkness.But it’s also the beginning of the waxing phase of the year, as the days start to get longer and nights start to get shorter. We are reminded that light always follows dark. The balance begins to shift, the wheel of the year turns back again.
The winter solstice marks the longest night of the year, and so we traditionally associate it with darkness.
But it’s also the beginning of the waxing phase of the year, as the days start to get longer and nights start to get shorter. We are reminded that light always follows dark. The balance begins to shift, the wheel of the year turns back again.
This sabbat, also known as Yule, is a time for us to connect with our darkness and alchemize it into lessons, into medicine, for the year to come.
Below are some ways to honor this sacred holiday.
Journaling prompts
Create a quiet, safe space (candles are recommended!) and let yourself free write to the questions below with no editing. No one’s going to read your answers but you!
Write a love letter to your darkness.
What am I most ashamed of? How can I transmute this shame into a source of power and love?
What part of me do I want to feed and grow?
Tarot or oracle spread
Pull out your tarot or oracle deck and set the intention for your highest self tospeak to you through the cards. Give them a shuffle, and pull a card for each of the questions below. I recommend writing down the spread and the cards you pull, as well as your interpretations of them.
What shadow wants to work with me?
How does it want to be worked with?
Advice for moving through shadow
What wants to be born from my darkness?
Advice for birthing whatever needs to come through
Message from my inner child at this time
Lay out the cards in two rows of three like so. The deck featured here is The Ritual Deck.
Create an altar
Creating an altar is a beautiful way to honor any sabbat. Let this be an intuitive, creative process and place anything there that feels good to you! Some ideas to spark your creativity are:
Your Death and Temperance tarot cards
A Yule log or branch
Holly or mistletoe
An evergreen wreath to symbolize the wheel of the year
Any red, green, or white crystals that you’d like (I love carnelian for red, selenite for white, and moss agate or malachite for green)
Ash, frankincense, and any other sun herbs you like
Pine cones
White and silver candles
A representation of something in your shadow that you’d like to honor and alchemize this year
Painting
One of my favorite ways to work with my subconscious these days is intuitive painting. Get out your paints, paper, and allow whatever wants to come through you as you focus on the winter solstice and what it means to you. Try not to focus on how it looks— no one needs to see it but you!
After you finish, you could place it on your altar.
Below is an infographic with a visual representation of rituals for Yule
Want to learn more about the different sabbats on the wheel of the year? Click here to learn more about the wheel of the year and download your free wheel of the year printable.
3 Ways to Use The Ritual Deck
The Ritual Deck is here! Here are tips and tools you can use to jump in and start using your deck as soon as you receive it. Update 2022: The original Ritual Deck is currently discontinued but we’re working on having a similar version eventually!Ritual has the power to ground you, help you manifest your desires, and unlock your intuitive abilities. I created this deck to help you tap into the power of ritual on a regular basis without needing to purchase several supplies.There are three main ways to use The Ritual Deck.
The Ritual Deck is here! Here are tips and tools you can use to jump in and start using your deck as soon as you receive it. Update 2022: The original Ritual Deck is currently discontinued but we’re working on having a similar version eventually!
Ritual has the power to ground you, help you manifest your desires, and unlock your intuitive abilities. I created this deck to help you tap into the power of ritual on a regular basis without needing to purchase several supplies.
There are three main ways to use The Ritual Deck.
As a traditional oracle card deck for regular guidance from the cards.
Unique card spreads designed specifically for performing the rituals you need most.
The cards themselves act as energetic stand-ins for ritual, perfect for spell work or placing on your altar.
I’m going to share a few ways to start using your deck here but keep in mind, The Ritual Deck comes with a robust guidebook that goes into greater detail on all three of these methods. The guidebook includes much more than I can offer here in one blog post! Beyond the guidebook, this deck is incredibly versatile, and I’m sure you’ll be able to find more uses than what is outlined in the guidebook.
Oracle Card Pulls with The Ritual Deck
First and foremost The Ritual Deck is an oracle card deck. Use it for daily card pulls to receive a message for the day or bigger oracle card spreads to find guidance on more significant questions you may have.
The triad card spreads outlined in the guidebook is a common one for oracle card decks because it has so many applications. Apply the triad card spread to any of the situations you’d like more guidance on:
Steps to perform a triad card spread:
Hold the cards in your hands and focus on your question.
Shuffle your cards.
Call in any guides, Gods, or Goddesses you work with to help (optional).
Turn over the top three cards in a straight line or in a “v” shape as pictured below. The “v” shape indicates that you’d like to bring more feminine energy into your reading.
Apply the chart above to your three cards and reference the guidebook for more information on each card you selected.
As an example, let’s pretend that your question is, “What is holding me back from my goal to find a new job?”. The first card represents your desire to find a new job, the second card represents what might be blocking you, and the last card references how your problem may culminate. You’d then be able to dig deeper into the meaning of each card in the guidebook.
Card Spreads for Ritual with The Ritual Deck
The Ritual Deck offers several unique spreads specifically based around rituals that can help you balance your chakras, follow the phases of the moon, balance the five elements within you or your space, and more. Here are the steps for practicing the five-element card spread.
The five elements are energies within you and outside of you that can help you feel more balanced. They can also be used to bring in a specific kind of energy you’re seeking. For example, if you’re trying to accomplish a goal on a short deadline you may want to bring in more of the fire element.
To perform the element card spread follow these steps:
Place the earth card North, the air card East, the fire card South, the water card West, and the spirit card in the center.
Next, use the correspondences on the bottom of the cards to sort the cards by element. For example, all of the cards with a correspondence of water will go in a pile together.
Place each pile on top of its corresponding element, shuffle the cards, and place them face down.
Starting with the top earth element card pile select a card. This will be the ritual you perform to balance your earth element. Continue around the circle selecting one card from each pile until you end in the center at the spirit element.
This card spread can be modified for just one element, and you can decide to pull as many ritual cards from each pile as you’d like! Space your rituals out over a few days, trying to do all of them at once may be overwhelming.
There are similar card spreads outlined in the guidebook for balancing your chakras and performing rituals for every moon phase.
Using Your Cards as Energetic Stand-Ins
Your mind is a powerful tool. By believing that these cards carry the same capacity as the actual objects, they will. I do not mean to discredit the power of real crystals and tools — they are potent healers that I use and adore, but it may not be convenient or possible to find all of the physical tools you need in a given moment for a ritual. That’s why I created this deck: to provide you with the tools you need to perform regular rituals and be transformed by them.
For example, if you’re trying to bring more feminine energy into your daily practice you could place these three cards on your altar as reminders.
Or, if you’re performing a manifesting ritual and need specific tools to perform a spell or ritual, you can use cards that align with manifesting as stand-ins rather than acquiring several different physical objects.
I hope you enjoy these tips for getting started with your deck! Of course, if you have any questions about using your deck you can contact us. Click here to read a blog post all about chakra readings with The Ritual Deck.
5 Rituals for the New Moon
One of the beautiful things about living with the moon is that each month, we get the opportunity to reset, reevaluate, and set intentions for the month ahead. This time is the new moon. New moon energy is conducive to resting, receiving downloads from the Universe, and checking in with yourself. Think of it as the New Year’s Day you get to have every month!One way to celebrate the new moon is to do rituals. Scroll down for five rituals to help you connect with the energy of the new moon.
One of the beautiful things about living with the moon is that each month, we get the opportunity to reset, reevaluate, and set intentions for the month ahead. This time is the new moon. New moon energy is conducive to resting, receiving downloads from the Universe, and checking in with yourself. Think of it as the New Year’s Day you get to have every month!
One way to celebrate the new moon is to do rituals. Scroll down for five rituals to help you connect with the energy of the new moon.
Create a new moon altar
One beautiful way to honor the new moon is to create an altar. You can ritualize altar creation by following your intuition! You can put anything on your altar that symbolizes newness, openness, and beginnings to you. Here are some ideas:
A white candle for newness and purity
Amethyst to connect with your intuition
Howlite to receive messages from the Universe
Flowers and plants (gathering these on a meditative walk through your backyard or local park can be a really nice way to connect with this time!)
Any or all of the aces in the tarot
Images of goddesses you’d like to work with this month
Your new moon intention/intentions written on a piece of paper
Any oracle or tarot cards symbolizing what you want to call in this month
Any of these herbs: lavender, angelica, blessed thistle
Candle magick ritual
For this ritual, you’ll need:
A white candle for newness and purity
An essential oil that corresponds to your intention or a simple oil like grapeseed
Piece of paper
Pen
Charge your candle with your energy by rubbing it with the oil of your choice. Write your intention for this cycle on your piece of paper and place it under the candle. As your candle burns, meditate on your intention.You might like to state your intention out loud as the candle burns or chant a mantra that’s meaningful to you—I like to use the Kundalini mantra for manifesting, Ek Ong Kar Sat Gur Prasad.Let the candle burn all the way down, and bury the wax outdoors if you can.You can learn more about candle magick here.
Burning ritual
One simple and powerful ritual to do at the new moon is a burning ritual. Ask yourself: what do I want to release and not carry with me into this new cycle? And what do I want to manifest with this new moon?
Meditate on these questions, or you might try the visualization meditation below.
When you feel ready, write a few words symbolizing what you would like to release on one side of a small piece of paper. On the other side, write a few words symbolizing what you would like to call in.
Burn your paper over your cauldron or fire-safe dish, and as the smoke wafts up to the ceiling or the sky visualize the energy of your desires wafting up into the universe, releasing and calling in at the same time.
Finish with “This or better make its way to me. And so it is.”
Visualization meditation
Spending 10-15 minutes feeling into the energy of your desires can be so powerful at this time. For your meditation, you might like to have amethyst to connect with your intuition and howlite to open yourself up to receive messages from the Universe, or you might like to wear jewelry to open your third eye and crown chakras.
A few mantras you might like to hold in your mind as you visualize receiving what it is you would like to receive are:
All that I desire is already here.
Abundance flows to me from the Universe and I receive freely without hesitation.
Allow your mind to wander and your imagination to create your ideal world. Imagine how it feels to be working with the client you want to manifest, to live in the dream home, to have the relationship you desire, whatever it is.
End by thanking the Universe for always supporting you.
You can also try our guided meditations here
Tarot spread
Giving yourself a tarot reading on the New Moon can be a beautiful reset for the cycle ahead. Pull a card for each of the questions below, and allow yourself plenty of time to journal around what comes up for you afterward.
What wants to come through me this cycle?
What shadow am I going to be working with this cycle?
Advice for working with this shadow
How can I ensure that my New Moon intentions are aligned with my highest good?
Energies that will support me during this cycle
Below you can find more ideas for New Moon rituals
How to Balance Your Throat Chakra & Know When It's Blocked
When your throat chakra, Visuddha, is balanced, you’re able to speak your authentic truth from a place of love. You set loving and firm boundaries, and stick by them. You’re able to find your voice and share your unique gifts with the world. You trust that what needs to come through you will come, and you don’t get stuck in self-judgment or self-doubt wondering if you should or shouldn’t say something.
When your throat chakra, Visuddha, is balanced, you’re able to speak your authentic truth from a place of love. You set loving and firm boundaries, and stick by them. You’re able to find your voice and share your unique gifts with the world. You trust that what needs to come through you will come, and you don’t get stuck in self-judgment or self-doubt wondering if you should or shouldn’t say something.
So many of us get blocked at our throat chakra. When your throat chakra is blocked, it may show up as:
Holding back from saying what you’re thinking and feeling
Not standing up for yourself
Not having strong boundaries
Being afraid to be seen for who you are
Having a sore throat, neck pain, or hoarseness in your throat
Fear of being judged for what you say
Having trouble listening to others
Always needing to have the last word
Scroll down to look through some simple tips for opening your throat chakra.
Featured card from The Ritual Deck
Yoga Poses
Any yoga pose that stretches your throat is going to be really opening for Visuddha. Try one of my favorites below!
Upward-facing dog
Lift your chin and breathe deeply into your throat space. Try holding this pose for a few breaths instead of just flowing through it on your way from plank to downward facing dog.
Heart-to-Earth pose
Try heart-to-earth pose coming onto your chin instead of your forehead. This is a really deep stretch, so have blocks or blankets nearby to help you if you need them!
Camel pose
If your neck is healthy, try releasing your head instead of keeping your chin tucked. Bring your awareness to your breath flowing through your throat, dissolving any blockages.
Crystals
Working with crystals can be a beautiful tonic for your throat chakra. Try laying on your back and placing one of these crystals on your throat, sleeping with them by your pillow, or simply meditating holding one of them in your non-dominant hand.
Sodalite to help you express yourself, set boundaries, and grow your self-worth and self-esteem
Celestite to promote peace and soothe anxiety
Lapis lazuli to help you communicate effectively
Scents
Plants are here for us as medicine, so let’s use them. Pick your favorite essential oil (or two, or three!) from the list below and diffuse it, make a rollerball to use on your skin, or put drops in your bath.
Jasmine for greater communication
Clary sage to allow energy to flow more freely through your body
Cypress for transformation and renewal
Eucalyptus to promote inner freedom and expansiveness
Work with Tarot Archetypes
Queen of Swords and King of Swords can be your inspiration for opening your throat chakra. The Queen of Swords helps you do the inner work you need to understand why your throat chakra is blocked, and the King of Swords reminds you that you do have something unique to share and that what you have to offer can only come through you.Try this Queen of Swords inspired tarot spread to help you understand why you might be energetically blocked in this area:
What am I afraid will happen if I speak my truth?
The wound or shadow underneath this blockage
Advice for healing this blockage
Why am I afraid to set boundaries?
The wound or shadow underneath this blockage
Advice for healing this blockage
Mantra for working with the throat chakra
Journal about anything that comes up for you as you pull these cards. Place the Queen of Swords and King of Swords on your altar to remind you to speak your truth.
Meditate
I find that the heart chakra and throat chakra are so connected. If your heart space is closed, you’ll feel disconnected from your truth and not even sure what boundaries need to be set, so how can you speak your truth and set boundaries?
Try coming to a comfortable seat, closing your eyes, and placing one hand on your heart and one hand on your throat. Send your breath to your heart space, simply visualizing it arriving there and filling your entire heart with prana, life force energy.
When your heart feels full, begin to send your breath to your throat. Visualize your breath flooding this area, dissolving any blockages with love. Continue breathing into your throat space for as long as you feel you need.
Affirmations & Mantras
The bija mantra for the throat chakra is ham (pronounced “hum”). Try chanting that mantra, silently or out loud (out loud is super powerful!), or work with one of the affirmations below:
I speak my truth with love
I set firm boundaries easily
I clearly state my needs
My truth is love
I speak my feelings easily
I claim and honor my truth
I release judgment over what I did or didn’t say
Play with Color
The color associated with the throat chakra is blue. Try incorporating this color into your life more! Some ideas to spark your creativity:
Paint with different shades of blue
Eat blue foods such as blueberries, blackberries, and plums
Write in a blue journal with a blue pen
Light blue candles
Wear blue clothing
5 Simple Summer Solstice Rituals
Litha, or the Summer Solstice, is one of the four solar festivals, celebrating the height of the season. Summer Solstice, of course, celebrates the height of summer: the longest day of the year.This solstice is about honoring the vibrant, healing energy of the sun. But it’s also about honoring the duality of light and dark as we start to shift into the days getting shorter.Honoring the sabbats with rituals is a beautiful way to tune into yourself, nature and connect with Mother Earth.
Litha, or the Summer Solstice, is one of the four solar festivals, celebrating the height of the season. Summer Solstice, of course, celebrates the height of summer: the longest day of the year.
This solstice is about honoring the vibrant, healing energy of the sun. But it’s also about honoring the duality of light and dark as we start to shift into the days getting shorter.
Honoring the sabbats with rituals is a beautiful way to tune into yourself, nature and connect with Mother Earth. You can learn more about honoring each sabbat by reading this past post. Scroll down for five summer solstice rituals to help you celebrate this day! And if you want more ritual ideas you can click here to check out a past post.
Burn Herbs on Your Altar
Fire, naturally, is heavily associated with the summer solstice. One beautiful way to honor this sabbat is to burn herbs on your altar. As you burn them, give thanks for the bounty of Mother Earth and for the healing, vibrant energy of the sun. Some herbs traditionally associated with Litha are:
Vervain
Mint
Basil
Fennel
Rosemary
St. John’s Wort
Mugwort
Iris
Honeysuckle
Mistletoe
Explore Your Relationship with the Sun Archetype
The sun represents the ego, the self, and the way you shine in the world. Try this five-card tarot spread (you can also use oracle cards if tarot isn’t your thing!) to explore your relationship with your ego and how you show up in the world.
How is my ego keeping me stuck?
What is my ego telling me that isn’t true?
How can I be more visible in the world?
What blocks me from sharing my gifts with the world?
My mantra and medicine for working with my ego
Charge Magical Tools in the Sun
At this solstice, the sun is said to be at its most healing and revitalizing. It can be powerful to charge any divination tools in the sun during the day, including (but not limited to!) crystals, tarot and oracle cards, and any talismans you have.
And on that note, don’t forget to get outside and soak up the sun’s powerful rays for yourself! Your magical tools aren’t the only things that can benefit from spending time outside. Lay on the grass and savor the feeling of the sun on your skin.
Meditate
Connect with your inner sun by meditating on your solar plexus chakra. Find a comfortable seat and breathe deeply into your belly. Visualize a golden sun growing brighter and stronger on your solar plexus chakra with each exhale.
You may like to incorporate the bija mantra for the solar plexus chakra, Ram (pronounced RUM), into your meditation by chanting it either mentally or out loud with each exhale.
Make an Altar
Making an altar is a beautiful way to honor Litha. Get creative and make it yours! Some ideas of things you might like to put on your altar are:
Elderflower
Any of the herbs from the list above
The sun tarot card
Tiger’s eye, goldstone, and/or citrine crystals.
Summer fruits and vegetables
Any summer flowers you’d like (try sunflowers if you have them)
Yellow, orange, and/or red candles
A mirror
Your altar is the perfect place to meditate, to give thanks to the sun, and to manifest what you want to create in the next 6 months.
To learn more about the different sabbats on the wheel of the year (plus, get a free printable), click here.
7 Self-Love Rituals for Valentine’s Day
It’s that time of year where everything is about love, but the most important thing you can remember about love is this: Love is not outside of you. Love is within you.Love is your divine nature.It’s easy to forget that, but it’s true. The rituals below will help you connect to the love already within you, and most importantly give it to yourself.
It’s that time of year where everything is about love, but the most important thing you can remember about love is this: Love is not outside of you.
Love is within you. Love is your divine nature.
It’s easy to forget that, but it’s true. The rituals below will help you connect to the love already within you, and most importantly give it to yourself.
For all of these rituals, you might like to incorporate:
Rose quartz, to open your heart chakra
Clear quartz, to amplify the energy
Myrrh incense, a healing scent associated with feminine energy, the moon, and the water element
Try just one of these rituals, or try them all throughout the month. Each of these rituals will be more powerful the more you do them, so find one you like and make it part of your routine this month.
Create Something
Nothing gets the energy of love flowing like creativity. Do a coloring meditation, make a vision board, cook a nourishing meal, write a poem, paint with watercolors, play an instrument, or create your own yoga flow.
Whatever you’d like to do, create a sacred space and tap into your creative energy.
Here's also a fun idea for a self-love ritual where you can play with your creativity:
Tarot or Oracle Card Spread
Tarot and oracle cards are amazing magical tools for self-reflection and connecting with your intuition. Try this three-card spread with your favorite deck:
What is holding me back from loving myself right now?
What might I experience if I give myself the love I desire?
How can I deepen my love for myself?
Don't know how to get started? Check out this blog post for tarot, or this post for the ultimate tarot guide. If you feel called to try oracle cards check out this blog post.
Burning Ceremony
What holds you back from loving yourself more? What limiting beliefs do you hold onto that keep you small? What things about yourself do you struggle to love? What parts of yourself do you hide from yourself and from the world because deep down you believe in their unworthiness?
Get quiet, get your journal, and allow a stream-of-consciousness type of writing to flow until you feel like you’ve got it all out on the page.
Once you’ve poured your heart out, light a single white candle and hold your paper over the flame. Allow the negative energy, limiting beliefs, and your dislike for any part of yourself to burn up with the page.
Then, free-write to these questions: What do I love about myself? What is amazing about me? What am I grateful for? What parts of myself am I working on loving?
When you’re done, place this page on your altar and return to it anytime you feel those sticky, negative beliefs trying to creep back in.
Write a Self-Love Mantra
Writing your own self-love mantra is incredibly powerful because while there are many beautiful affirmations and mantras for self-love, you are unique and your journey with self-love is unique.
Write your own mantra that tells you exactly what you need to hear. Something kind, nonjudgmental, and compassionate that you might say to your sister or your best friend to let them know that you love them and they’re not alone.
Say it to yourself.
Write it on your mirror, on a piece of paper to tuck in your bag or place on your altar, or paint it in a picture (see ritual #1!), and return to it whenever you need it. Learn more about embracing the power of mantras here.
Heart Chakra Meditation
Inhale deeply into your heart chakra. Exhale out of your mouth, releasing all that doesn’t serve you. As you inhale, visualize a bud of green light glowing in your chest, blossoming bigger and brighter with each inhale as you strengthen this chakra. Allow the unconditional love to wash over you with your breath. If you'd like a guided meditation, you can click here for a meditation bundle done by me.
Herbal Bath for Self-Love
Turn bath into a ritual by using herbs, lighting candles, and playing whatever music or sounds help you relax and turn inward.
Try using rose-hips, lavender, elecampane, and balm of gilead to promote self-love. Rose-hips promote healing, compassion, and self-love. Lavender balances and calms while elecampane opens the heart chakra. Balm of gilead promotes love and helps you manifest your desires.
Simply fill a muslin bag with about a third of a cup of the herbs, loop the bundle onto the faucet, and let your tub fill with hot water as it runs through the bag. When it finishes filling, drop the bag into the water and let it infuse with the herbs for about 20 minutes.
For an extra dose of self-love, add a rose quartz crystal to your bath. For more herbal bath recipes, check out this blog post.
Create a Goddess Altar
Creating a goddess altar is a beautiful way to honor the divine feminine energy of the universe and the divine feminine energy within. Make this altar your own! Buy a statue of a Goddess who resonates with you, or just print out a photo online. If you’re not sure which Goddess you’d like to use, do some research! What Goddess energy would help you love yourself more? Some suggestions are:
Greek Goddess Aphrodite for love, gratitude, and beauty
Hindu Goddess Lakshmi for abundance and wealth
East Asian Goddess Kuan Yin for mercy and compassion
Hindu Goddess Kali for destruction, creation, and transformation
Greek Goddess Artemis for independence, strength, and fearlessness
Egyptian Goddess Isis for magic, healing, and protection
Greek Goddess Athena for wisdom and courage
Sumerian, Babylonian, and Phoenician goddess Inanna for sensuality and divine femininity in all its forms
Once you choose your goddess, add a white candle, incense, and maybe a cloth to your altar. Choose some objects that represent love to you and ask for help loving yourself. You can also put fresh flowers or a piece of fruit on your altar as an offering to the Goddess.
Goddesses are beautiful archetypes and energies to work with because they remind you that you, too, have this energy within you. You possess the abundance of Lakshmi, the compassion of Kuan Yin, the magic of Isis, and the transformative energy of Kali.
