The Witch’s Herb // 3 Magickal Uses for Mugwort

Mugwort, or Artemisia vulgaris, is touted as the witch’s herb. Mugwort is a powerful plant that every witch should have in their arsenal, but the richness of its history goes far beyond the witch. Mugwort is viewed as a weed and a nuisance by some, but don’t let this plant fool you, it’s powerful and potent!

Mugwort has been used for thousands of years and has a multitude of purposes, including ancient beer production, acupuncture, and protection rituals, to name a few. I’ll be focusing on ways to use Mugwort in your spiritual and magickal practice. Keep scrolling for four ways to use Mugwort.

Oracle card featured from The Ritual Deck.

Space Cleansing with Mugwort

There’s been a spotlight on the overharvesting of other plants commonly used in magickal and spiritual practices like white sage and palo santo. There’s undoubtedly some truth to these claims, and white sage and Palo Santo are not always the best option. If you do feel uneasy about using white sage and Palo Santo, or simply want an alternative, Mugwort is a pleasant and powerful option.

Similar to white sage, mugwort is an antimicrobial that can be used to purify the air of your space. Science has caught up with what many of our ancestors already knew, herbal smoke of certain antimicrobial plants can kill bacteria, and mugwort is one of them!

Mugwort has a light, earthy, and slightly sweet aroma. Many prefer it to white sage, myself included. To burn mugwort for energy cleansing you’ll need dried mugwort that’s either loose or in stick form. Use mugwort smoke to cleanse your space by wafting the smoke around with your hand or a large feather.

Beyond cleansing the air of your space, burning mugwort will offer protection and enhance your intuition. Keep reading for more about using mugwort for protection and intuition.

Protection with Mugwort

It’s quite astonishing how many cultures have relied on Mugwort as a protective tool. Native American cultures have used mugwort as a form of protection against ghosts, and as an amulet during sleep to protect against nightmares. In China, mugwort was used to dispel evil spirits during the Dragon Festival. There’s even a reference to St. John the Baptist wearing a wreath of mugwort as protection against evil spirits. In Europe, mugwort was often planted around houses as a form of protection.

Here’s a list of ways to employ the protective benefits of mugwort in your practice:

• Burn dried mugwort in loose or stick form to cleanse and protect your space before performing psychic and intuitive work.

• Hang mugwort above doorways to prevent negativity from entering.

• Plant mugwort around your house for external protection. Be careful, this plant is invasive and can spread quickly!

• Make a satchel of dried mugwort to carry with you for protection on the go.

Magick & Psychic Work with Mugwort

Mugwort is associated with the Goddess Artemis and the moon. These lunar ties give mugwort a strong connection to femininity, psychic work, and all things sleep-related. Another reason for using mugwort while practicing psychic work is how protective it is. Performing psychic work makes you vulnerable to psychic attacks and other negative energies. The protective properties of mugwort are another likely reason it became such a popular tool for witches.

Oracle cards featured from The Ritual Deck.

Here are some ways to use mugwort as a magickal tool:

• The next time you’re doing a card reading or any other intuitive work, aid your intuition by burning some mugwort or drinking a cup of mugwort tea before you begin your practice. Note: Pregnant or nursing women should not consume mugwort.

• To enhance your dreams, receive messages in your dreams, and practice lucid dreaming, place a pillow of dried mugwort under your pillow as you sleep.

• Create a psychic protection charm bag.

• Steep mugwort in a bowl of water to use as cleansing water for your psychic tools, only the ones that can get wet, of course! This is a great option for crystal balls, pendulums, and mirrors used for scrying.

• If you have access to mugwort plants, their stalks are hearty and make beautiful wands for circle casting and spellwork.

• Mugwort is associated with the crone phase of the Triple Goddess and is an excellent plant to work with when working with this energy.

Mugwort has been revered for its medicinal uses as well, especially in women, but that’s a post for another day! If you want to learn more about mugwort, I encourage you to continue to research it, and there’s much to gain from this magickal plant.

The Akashic Field

If you’re reading this blog, there’s a good chance that you’ve accessed the Akashic field already and didn’t even realize it. Read through the questions below to see if you have.

• Have you ever been somewhere for the first time and had a sense that you’ve been there before?

• Have you ever given a talk or presentation and felt like the words flowed through you from outside of yourself?

• Have you ever had a hunch about something that later came true?

• Have you lost your sense of self and time while working on a creative project?

• Have you had dreams or visions about yourself in a different life?

• Have you ever felt destined for a specific career or life path?

• Have you ever known the answer to something without knowing where the information came from?

If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, you’ve likely accessed the Akashic field. Keep reading to learn what this field is and why you might want to access it more often!Card featured from The Ritual Deck.

Card featured from The Ritual Deck.

What is The Akashic Field

You may have heard the term “Akashic Records” and have an image in your mind of a big bright library with angels and spirits buzzing around. The true meaning of Akasha is bigger than anything our human minds can truly comprehend, including a sparkling library.

Akasha is a Sanskrit word that translates to ether. I know, you’re probably thinking, “great, what the heck is ether?”. Ether, or Akasha, encompasses all things and thoughts; past, present, and all future probabilities. It’s where the universe was born and where it resides still. I like to think of Akasha as the brain of the Universe or God.

Everything about your current life, past lives, and future life probabilities are stored in the Akashic field. Something as all-inclusive as this is difficult for our human brains to understand and that is why the term “records” is often used. I feel that the name “Akashic field” is more accurate because it is not something outside of us that we go and visit, it is something all around us and inside of us that we can tune into.

If you prefer the term Akashic records, that’s ok! I only explain the differences so you can have a more complete understanding of the Akashic field without limiting its scope.

Let’s recap. Here’s a short list of what the Akashic field is:

• Where every thought that was ever thought, word that was ever spoken, and action that was ever taken is stored.

• Information on past lives, present lives, and all future probabilities are stored.

• A frequency or vibration that can be tuned into to access.

• Accessible to anyone

Why Access The Akashic Field?

Ever feel paralyzed by not knowing how to move forward in your life? Wouldn’t it be nice to know that you were on the right path? Accessing the Akashic field can give you a sense of peace and inner knowing that you’re on a path that is in alignment with your highest potential.As I said before, the Akashic field has all future probabilities, not all future answers. That’s because you have full autonomy over your life. You always have options, and there is no “wrong” answer, just different learning experiences.For example, if you’re deciding between living a life of eating Hot Pockets on your couch and watching Netflix 24/7 or pursuing your passion for becoming a nurse (with occasional Hot Pockets and Netflixing), you’ll likely gain more from the latter. Not to say that the Hot Pocket and Netflix situation wouldn’t be a learning experience, but, you’ll probably be happier, and undoubtedly be of service in a more fulfilling way as a nurse. By accessing the field, you could have an inner knowing that being a nurse would give you a more fulfilling life. This is a pretty extreme example, but I think you get the idea!Here’s a list of other reasons why you might like to access the Akashic field.

• Learn from past life experiences.

• Heal traumas from past life experiences that may be affecting you during this life.

• Move through the world with more confidence and less doubt.

• Understand what you’re here to learn or overcome.

• Live life to your fullest potential.

• Strengthen your intuition.

• Connect with your higher self.

• Feel more connected to other humans.

This information is accessible to anyone, and it doesn’t require a special prayer or chant to do so. You can find more about how to access the Akashic Field here.

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.

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

1. 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.

2. 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.

3. Get quiet, breathe deep, and call on your guides and higher self to help you select cards.

4. Optional: Lay cards in a specific pattern that is meaningful to your topic.

5. Optional: Face a specific direction as you perform your card reading.

6. 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.

7. 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!

How to Tap Into Your Resiliency (And Why You Should)

Resiliency is about your comeback rate.

It’s not about never getting knocked down, or dropping into fear, or letting your ego drive the car. It’s about how fast you can come back: to joy, to love, to trust, to who you really are.

Because we’re all humans, and life can be really messy. Sometimes things happen to us, sometimes we hurt people, and sometimes we forget our divine nature.

That’s where resiliency comes in. Resiliency is here to bring you back to trust when bad situations happen, to bring you back to love when fear starts to take over—even stronger and wiser than before, with an even deeper and more meaningful connection with yourself.

You may have heard before that you can only go into joy and pleasure as deep as you’ve gone into your pain. This is a necessary part of living and an important part of your spiritual practice. But that doesn’t mean you have to or even can live there.

Think of the moment you connect with your resiliency and come back to joy as the Temperance card in the tarot. You’ve been through death, but you’ve come through it into the magic of rebirth, of stillness, of calm. There are still more challenges ahead (the Devil card is next) but you can know that and still be in a place of Temperance.

Scroll down to get some tips to help you tap into your own resiliency and strengthen that connection.

Lean on your community.

You don’t have to do it alone. Who are the people you trust to tell it like it is, lifts you up, and not judge you? Whether it’s your mom, a close friend, or your sister, don’t be afraid to call on that person or those people to help you when you need it.

Look for the lesson or greater meaning.

You don’t have to believe that everything happens for a reason. But look for the greater meaning or lesson in whatever it is you’re going through— and if you can’t see it yourself, ask your community to help you find it.

I find that the tarot is an incredible tool for this. Each card of the Major Arcana is a step on the journey to the World, a card of wholeness and joy.

Try laying out each of the Major Arcana cards in front of you and asking yourself which card you’re in.

Are you dealing with a shedding of your former self, of parts of your life? Maybe you’re in Death.

Are past hurts keeping you in fear? Maybe you’re in the Fool reversed.

Each card can help you realize which lesson you’re learning right now. Once you pick your card, look at its place in the journey. See the greater context of where you’re heading—to the vibrant energy of the Sun, to the wild juicy feminine of the Moon, to the wholeness of the World.

Why do you do what you do in the world?

Whatever your greater purpose is, connect with that and remember that you are on this planet for a reason. You are here to bring forth what only you can bring forth, and the world needs.

So rest, feel your feelings, go through what you’re going through, and know that ultimately you will get through it because you are here to fulfill your greater purpose.

Connect with your intuition.

Is this ever not the answer? Connecting with your intuition can help you see the greater meaning in what you’re going through. It can help you know when you need to reach out for support and who to reach out to. It can help you know the best path to take forward.

If you’re feeling blocked, one simple thing you might like to do is ask your oracle or tarot cards, “What message does my intuition have for me right now?”

Get more tips to connect with your intuition in this post.

Find what makes you feel good.

When you feel stressed, upset, or you’re going through a difficult time, what are some simple things that help you feel better? Think about what they are for you (use the list below to spark your creativity) and write them down on a piece of paper that you can return to when things aren’t easy. Some ideas are:

• Dancing

• Doing yoga

• Rubbing your feet with oils

• FaceTiming that friend or family member who always knows what to say

• Reading your favorite book

• Spending more time alone

• Spending more time with people you care about

• Taking a walk

• Playing a singing bowl

• Listening to an inspiring podcast

• Eating your favorite meal

• Being held

• Drinking a cup of tea

• Receiving energy healing

• Meditating

• Journaling

This is going to be super unique for everyone, so think about what it is for you!

Move your body.

You’ve probably heard a yoga teacher talk about how what you do on your mat is a mirror for life: what you do when it gets hard, how you talk to yourself, how you move through transitions.

It turns out, even science knows that’s true. The researchers who wrote the book Resilience: The Science of Mastering Life's Greatest Challenges actually found that the most resilient people in their studies had exercised regularly.

It turns out, that the stress of exercise helps us adapt to the stress of life challenges. So however you like to move, whether it’s yoga, running, weightlifting, dancing, jumping rope, or something else, try to make it a regular part of your life. It will actually help you be more resilient!

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.

1. As a traditional oracle card deck for regular guidance from the cards.

2. Unique card spreads designed specifically for performing the rituals you need most.

3. The cards themselves act as energetic stand-ins for ritual, perfect for spell work or placing on your altar.

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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:

1. Hold the cards in your hands and focus on your question.

2. Shuffle your cards.

3. Call in any guides, Gods, or Goddesses you work with to help (optional).

4. 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.

5. 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.

You are Psychic! How to Determine What Kind of Psychic Gift You Have

You have psychic abilities. We all do. Some of our psychic gifts are more pronounced than others, but we all have them. The best place to start when it comes to making your psychic gifts more effective is knowing what kind of psychic you are.

The way that we each receive psychic information varies. Just because you don’t see premonitions of the futures does not mean that you’re not psychic! Some of us intuit psychic information through touch, feel, sight, and even smell. Once you determine what kind of psychic you are, you’ll be able to perfect and hone your abilities.

Let’s find out what kind of psychic you are so you can start mastering your psychic abilities! I’ll break down signs to look for each psychic category and a few ways for you to sharpen your skills.

What kind of psychic are you?

As you read through this list, keep in mind that It is entirely possible that you contain gifts from more than just one of these psychic categories. Many of us have two to three that stand out, or, you may have one that is very prominent.

If you haven’t been practicing your psychic abilities you may not be receiving fully formed messages from the other side just yet, and that’s perfectly ok! Determine which of the psychic skills listed below pique your interest, start paying closer attention to that ability in yourself, try out some of the suggested “fine-tuning tips,” and see what happens! If you do have that psychic ability you’ll likely notice that you become more sensitive to it.

A little note: the Latin word “clair” translates to clear, which is why each of the psychic abilities starts the same. I’ve added the English translation to break each one down.

Clairvoyance // Clear Seeing

Clairvoyance is the most commonly referenced of the clairs and is likely one you’ve heard mentioned most often. Don’t be fooled by the term's popularity. It certainly isn’t the most common form of psychic ability!Clairvoyance is the ability to see things before they happen. If you’re clairvoyant, you may have intuitive hits that include seeing visions of future events or having dreams about future events.How to fine-tune your clairvoyant abilities:

• Write down any visions you have so you can cross-reference their accuracy if/when they happen.

• Keep a dream journal.

• Practice third eye meditations often with the help of crystals like amethyst to help open your third eye.

Clairaudience // Clear Hearing

If you fall into the clairaudient category, you’re likely very sensitive to sound and may even get different feelings from sounds. Practiced clairaudients may hear messages from loved ones who have passed on, music from the other side, or hear about the future. If you’ve ever heard voices or music when there are none to be heard you may be clairaudient.How to fine-tune your clairaudient abilities:

• Try sound healing with gongs or singing bowls.

• Keep a journal of how certain sounds make you feel or any messages you hear.

• Practice sound healing meditations often.

Clairsentience // Clear Feeling

If you’re clairsentient, you’re also likely an empath or consider yourself very empathic. Clairsentients can feel the energy of others with ease through their energetic field or aura. You may even have strong feelings about the well-being of plants and animals too. If you’re the type of person that knows that someone is no good immediately upon meeting them, you’re likely clairsentient.How to fine-tune your clairsentient abilities:

• Experience Reiki and consider learning more about Reiki and the auric field.

• Keep a journal to record any intuitive hits you receive about people you come in contact with.

• Practice aura and energy meditations often.

Clairtangency // Clear Touching

Clairtangency is also referred to as psychometry and is the ability to receive intuitive hits from holding different objects. Many people that are clairsentient are also clairtangent, not always, but there are many overlaps between the two. The objects that clairtangents read carry the same energy that clairsentients pick up on. You may receive intuitive hits from holding objects through feeling or visions. Think about the last time you were in an antique store or someone’s home with a lot of older items, how did it feel? If you’ve ever had a strong sense or vision from holding an object, you may be clairtangent.How to fine-tune your clairtangent abilities:

• Keep a journal with any intuitive hits you receive from touch.

• Have friends or family test you by giving you different objects to hold, check with them to see if any intuitive hits you receive are accurate.

• Practice meditations while holding different stones and objects and be aware of how each meditation feels different based on the object.

Claircognizance // Clear Knowing

This psychic ability is a little tougher to pin down and to describe. Claircognizants know things, from either the past or the future, and may not understand why or how they have the information. Unlike clairvoyants, claircognizants may not see a vision, they simply know. If you’ve ever had a strong feeling of knowing something to be true without anyone having told you, you may be claircognizant.How to fine-tune your claircognizant abilities:

• Keep a journal for anything you know all of a sudden, so you can cross-reference it for accuracy later.

• Begin to trust your instincts more rather than questioning them.

• Practice crown chakra and third eye meditations often.

Clairalience // Clear Smelling

Smells are powerful and one of our strongest ties to our memories. Though this psychic ability may seem strange, it’s not surprising that scent can invoke a strong intuitive hit. Seasoned clairaliences receive messages through smells, even if there are no actual smells present. If you’ve ever become overcome with the scent of a loved one that has passed on this not only may indicate that you’re clairalient but that your loved one is nearby.How to fine-tune your clairalient abilities:

• Keep a journal to record any intuitive hits you have that include smell, be sure to include where you were and what you were doing at the time too as this may have something to do with the intuitive hit.

• Surround yourself with scents you enjoy like, herbs, plants, flowers, or essential oils. Record how they make you feel.

• Practice third eye meditations often with the intention set to receive intuitive hits through scent.

Clairgustance // Clear Tasting

Like clairalience, clairgustance involves one of your senses, taste. Not always one of the most pleasant psychic abilities, if you fall into the clairgustance category, you may taste things when you don’t have anything in your mouth. Odd as it may seem, these mystery tastes may be related to intuitive hits. For example, if you’ve ever experienced a familiar taste that took you back to childhood and you weren’t eating anything, you may be clairgustant. How to fine-tune your clairgustant abilities:

• Practice mindful eating to become more in tune with your palette and any feelings you receive from different tastes.

• Keep a journal to record any intuitive hits you receive through taste. Remember, you may not actually be eating anything when you receive a hit of this nature!

• Practice third eye meditations often with the goal in mind to receive intuitive hits through taste.

If you love visuals, below you can find an infographic with some of the psychic abilities that we went through:

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Opening your third eye will help to hone any psychic ability listed above!

Ways to Connect to Your Divine Feminine Energy (And Why You Should)

Divine feminine energy has a lot of names: yin, lunar, shakti, and passive, to name a few.

But they’re all the same thing. Divine feminine energy is the goddess energy within. It’s the energy of flow, of being, of intuition, of the moon.

Every human, regardless of gender, has both divine feminine and divine masculine (solar, yang, shiva) energy within them. Much of our modern culture focuses on the divine masculine: doing, pushing, producing, going.

Just like yin and yang, you need both energies: they complement each other. But sometimes you can get so caught up in your divine masculine that you forget to nurture the divine feminine, too, and you suffer.

You miss out on your intuition, on compassion, self-love, presence, and just simply being in silence.

Imagine the radical revolution in the world if more people moved from that divine feminine space. Imagine if more people were connected to their intuition, loved themselves deeply, lived compassionately, and allowed themselves to be present.

That can happen, and it starts with you—as within, so without.

Connecting to your divine feminine is always important, but especially this month. Your divine feminine energy reminds you that you are whole, that everything you desire is within you, and that you are worthy of love from yourself and from others.

Read through the list below to get some ways to connect to your divine shakti.

Pranayama

It all starts with your breath. Chandra Bhedana (Moon-Piercing Breath) is a version of alternate nostril breathing that connects you to lunar energy by inhaling only through your left nostril and exhaling through your right.

For this breath, find a comfortable seat. Bring your thumb and middle fingers to third eye center. Close your right nostril with your thumb to inhale through your left nostril, then close your left nostril with your right and pinky fingers to exhale through your right nostril.

Continue to breathe this way for at least twenty rounds of breath. Inhaling in through only your left nostril activates your lunar energy (which runs on the left side of your body) and exhaling only through your right nostril releases your solar energy (which runs on the right side of your body).

Yoga Poses

Divine feminine yoga is all about connecting with your intuition, creating, and being present. Allow yourself to get on your mat with no expectations, listen to your body, and get creative with a flow.

The poses below are some ideas to help you connect with lunar energy. Use them as a starting point for your own creativity!

Fetal position on your right side. The first yoga pose. Not only does this pose help you feel safe and cozy, but it also activates your lunar energy by having your left side only facing up.

Child’s pose, Balasana. Use this gentle pose to offer yourself some nourishment. Get still, get quiet, and be present.

Half moon pose, Ardha Chandrasana. Cultivate balance, a deep sense of confidence, and creativity completely grounded in your divine feminine in this pose.

Pigeon pose, Eka Pada Rajakapotasana. Breathe and allow yourself to feel everything you need to feel in this more intense hip-opener. Let any emotions that you need to release here release, and surrender them to your breath.

Crescent lunge, Anjaneyasana. Crescent lunge is part of Chandra Namaskar, moon salutations. Incorporate a mudra like one of the ones below to make it extra powerful.

Tarot Card Pull

Each of the questions below will give you insight into your relationship with your divine feminine. Get quiet, open your mind, and pull a card for any or all of these questions.

• How can I create more flow in my life today?

• How can I open my heart chakra?

• How can I open my third eye chakra?

• How can I connect with my divine feminine energy?

• What is holding me back from connecting with my divine feminine?

• What is my relationship with my divine feminine?

• What is my relationship with my divine masculine?

The archetypes from the major arcana that most represent the divine feminine energy are the High Priestess (deep intuitive understanding) and the Empress (deep connection with feminine energy manifesting as creativity, fertility, abundance, and sensuality).

Mantra Meditation

The Kundalini "Adi Shakti" mantra is said to tune you into the frequency of the energy of the divine feminine, eliminate fears and fulfill desires, get you in touch with your own power, and become Shakti, the feminine energy of the Universe.

Adi Shakti, Adi Shakti, Adi Shakti, Namo NamoSarab Shakti, Sarab Shakti, Sarab Shakti, Namo NamoPritham Bhagvati, Pritham Bhagvati, Pritham Bhagvati, Namo NamoKundalini Mata Shakti, Mata Shakti, Namo Namo

Chant this mantra as many times as you’d like, and then sit in silence for a few moments to allow yourself to feel the change in your vibration.

Crystals

Some of the best crystals for connecting with your divine feminine are:

• Labradorite, for intuition, self-discovery, and universal harmony

• Kunzite, to open your heart chakra and connect with the element of water to create more flow

• Rose quartz, to open your heart chakra and remind you of your capacity to both give and receive unconditional love

• Selenite, to access your inner goddess and connect with Shakti

• Peridot, to create abundance and flow by channeling Lakshmi’s manifesting power

• Moonstone, to connect with the energy of the moon and with your intuition

• Amazonite, to balance both the masculine and feminine energies within you

Mudra

Mudras, hand gestures or “seals,” can be a powerful way to shift your energy. Click here to learn more about how mudras work with the elements of the hands and the gunas to create different energies.

Yoni Mudra. Use yoni mudra to quiet your mind, connect to your divine feminine energy, and call on the energy of the goddesses.

Bring your palms together with your fingers pointing down. Open your palms up into an upside-down triangle with your thumbs as the base. Then turn your pinky, ring, and middle fingers in so that the backs of the fingers are touching and thumbs are pointing slightly upward.

Kali mudra. This mudra invokes the power of this fierce goddess of destruction and transformation. Kali mudra is a beautiful reminder that the divine feminine can be a fierce force for change.

Interlace your fingers in front of you, placing your left thumb over right. Lengthen your index fingers, press them together, and point them away from you.

Trimurti mudra. Use trimurti mudra to flow and connect with your inner healer.

Place both palms flat on your navel with fingers facing down, and bring them into a triangle pointing to your toes with tips of thumbs and index fingers touching.

Pay Attention to the Cycles of the Moon

Like the moon, you go through phases. Knowing the cycles of the moon and your own corresponding cycles helps deepen your connection to lunar energy and the divine feminine.

Scents & Herbs

Use the herbs and scents below in a variety of ways: to burn, drink, or soak in as herbs or to diffuse or roll on your skin as oils.

• Dried violet, to stimulate creativity

• Brahmi, to calm and cool your mind

• Hibiscus, to assist you in psychic growth and promote tranquility

• Lavender, to soothe, calm, and promote the energy of being

• Rose-hips, to promote healing, compassion, and self-love

• Juniper, to connect with your inner wisdom

Click here to get an herbal bath recipe to connect with your divine feminine.

I hope you find some tools within this blog that you can use regularly to connect to this energy. You certainly don’t have to do all of these to connect with the energy of the divine feminine. Do what feels good and calls out to you! I hope you feel more in tune with the divine feminine energy that’s already within you.

5 Amazing Things You Didn't Know About Amethyst

If you’re reading this then it’s safe to say you probably have some amethyst somewhere in your home. Amethyst is one of the most popular gemstones and for good reasons--it’s sturdy, beautiful, fairly easy to come by, and, energetically speaking, it comes with a slew of benefits.

Thirsty for more amethyst knowledge and uses? After doing loads of research about this purple powerhouse, I came across five amazing things about amethyst that I thought you should know, some are quite surprising! Read on to learn all five.

Your citrine was most likely an amethyst

Did you know that baking amethyst at 850°F for a certain amount of time will turn it into a golden yellow color? Amethyst is pretty amazing, but color-changing abilities too?! Most citrine on the market today was born from heat-treated amethyst. (It’s still up for debate whether or not this heat-treated citrine has the same metaphysical benefits.)

As far as the heat-treated citrine debate goes, some believe it’s all about your thoughts and intentions and some say it’s definitely not the same. Personally, I find that real citrine has a more powerful vibration to it, and feel that heat-treated citrine has a similar but slightly weaker vibe. Heat-treated citrine is also much more affordable and easy to find. I definitely don’t recommend throwing out all of your citrine! Sit with some of each and see what you think.

Here are some simple ways to determine whether or not your citrine is natural or was amethyst in a past life:

• Golden orange yellow rather than a pale yellow.

• Just golden yellow at the top part of the crystal with white at the bottom.

• Fragile and pointed shape. Heat-treated citrine breaks apart faster.

Amethyst likes to buddy up

Amethyst joins up with other crystals naturally within Mother Earth for some seriously magical combinations. Meet ametrine and super 7!

Ametrine hails from Bolivia and is a naturally occurring combination of amethyst and citrine. It creates a pretty dreamy combo. Metaphysically speaking, ametrine carries the healing benefits of both amethyst and citrine. Ametrine can be difficult to come by and heat-treated lookalikes are out there too.

Super 7, also called melody stone, comes from Brazil and has a little bit more going on than ametrine. It’s comprised of 7 different gemstones all in one! Super 7 is a combination of, you guessed it, amethyst, quartz, smoky quartz, cacoxenite, rutile, and lepidocrocite.

With so much going on super 7 comes with several benefits. Some, to name a few, are:

• Grounding and uplifting

• Balances all chakras

• Self-cleaning

• Connects you with your higher self

Recruit amethyst for your tiebreaker

On the fence about a decision? You’ve weighed all the pros and cons but just can’t decide? Amethyst is here to help! Amethyst and your third eye are besties. Your third eye aids in intuition, connecting to your higher self, and taming your busy mind. Amethyst can help to gently soothe the third eye, lull busy thoughts, and can help clarify decision making.

Here are a couple of ways to recruit amethyst as your decision referee:

• Meditate while lying down and place a piece of amethyst on your third eye. As you meditate ask for clarity about the decision you need to make.

• Place a piece of amethyst on your nightstand. Before you go to bed focus on your decision and ask for clarity to come to you in your sleep.

Boost your mood with negative ions

Amethyst won’t release these negative ions on its own, but, by heating it in the sun, an oven (not too high though, don’t want it to turn into citrine!), or from the heat of your own body it is said to release negative ions.

Don’t be fooled by the name, negative ions aren’t negative at all and some believe can help boost your mood. Similar to salt lamps, amethyst is said to release negative ions too. Not quite as much as a salt lamp, but some, nonetheless.

Negative ions are found naturally at waterfalls, beaches, and mountains. This is why some people believe visiting these types of places can put you in such a good mood. Among other positive side effects, negative ions are reported to help increase your energy and improve your mood.

The possible benefits of negative ions are still being studied, and though many people claim they work, the jury is still out in the science community.

Fend off bad vibes

Often touted for its intuitive enhancing abilities, amethyst is also a powerful shield against negative energy. Energetically, amethyst is a potent aid in handling negative vibes, it doesn’t just block them and is said to transmute them into good energy. Here’s an excerpt from The Crystal Bible by Judy Hall where she explains this:

Amethyst is an extremely powerful and protective stone with high spiritual vibration. Itguards against psychic attack, transmuting the energy into love. A natural tranquilizer,Amethyst blocks geopathic stress and negative environmental energies.

Now that you’re an amethyst genius, I hope you’ll take advantage of some of its amazing abilities!