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.
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.
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.
Living Your Truth // 7 Ways to Connect with Your Spirit Guides
Ever wish you had a team of all-knowing and enlightened beings to help you make hard decisions and put you at ease about being on the right path? This connection is available to you right now, and I’m going to help you tap into this wealth of wisdom.Spirit guides are referenced in cultures and spiritual practices around the world. In my practice, rooted in British shamanism, my guides are an integral part of my practice. I encourage anyone interested in learning more about their guides to explore their cultural heritage (if that information is available, otherwise trust your intuition) in addition to this post. The tips I offer here are a great starting point, but doing further research in a practice that aligns with your roots will open communication channels for you and your guides even more.
Ever wish you had a team of all-knowing and enlightened beings to help you make hard decisions and put you at ease about being on the right path? This connection is available to you right now, and I’m going to help you tap into this wealth of wisdom.
Spirit guides are referenced in cultures and spiritual practices around the world. In my practice, rooted in British shamanism, my guides are an integral part of my practice. I encourage anyone interested in learning more about their guides to explore their cultural heritage (if that information is available, otherwise trust your intuition) in addition to this post. The tips I offer here are a great starting point, but doing further research in a practice that aligns with your roots will open communication channels for you and your guides even more.
Why Your Guides Want to Help You Live Your Truth?
The singular purpose of your spirit guides is to help you live to your fullest potential while you’re visiting the “Earth school.”
Some of your guides have been with you from birth and will be with you until you transition off this plane. They’re always here for you, ready to help, and they want nothing more than for you to succeed at living your truth.
Just because you’re not aware of them doesn’t mean they’re not there, and I’m going to share some tips and tools for you to get in contact with them, but first, let’s cover what a spirit guide is.
What are Spirit Guides?
Spirit guides are spiritual beings assigned to you at different times in your life to offer guidance, protect you, and remind you why you're here. Guides are assigned to you based on your current needs. Most people usually have one or a few guides with them throughout their lives, and others come and go based on need.
Spirit guides come in ALL shapes and sizes! Your guides can present as humans, animals, energy fields, elements, aliens, or any other combination! It's helpful to keep an open mind when it comes to working with your guides. One of my favorite stories about spirit guides is from Rachel Dratch’s memoir Girl Walks into a Bar (yeah yeah, I know, it doesn’t sound woo woo, but it is and is a great read too!). In her book, Rachel shares a story about going to a retreat to find her spirit guides, and she’s shocked to find out that her spirit guide is a glowing blue dot. This is later confirmed by a psychic who was unaware of her previous experience at the retreat.
Blue dots, animals, angels, fairies, and ancestors, you name it, can be a spirit guide. So, if you get a sense that your spirit guide is something unfamiliar to this earthly plane, it doesn’t mean that you’re losing touch with reality.
How to Connect with Your Spirit Guides
Connecting with your guides can take very little work on your part because they want to help you! They might be giving you loads of signs already, but because you’re not looking for them, you’re not seeing them. Before jumping into any of the below steps, I suggest taking 5-10 minutes to quiet your mind and ground yourself. You could do this by focusing on your breath, meditating, dancing, or chanting. Here are 7 easy ways to start connecting with your spirit guides regularly (I also created an infographic with some of them which you can find below for those who love visuals).
1. Use Oracle or Tarot Cards
Oracle and tarot cards are a simple tool for connecting with your spirit guides! If you have a favorite oracle or tarot card deck, any will do. However, if you have multiple decks, you'll likely find that your guides have specific decks that they prefer to communicate with you through. Before you begin, tap into your intuition to see if you receive any nudges about which deck to use.
First, sit quietly, focus on your breath, and ask your spirit guides to come to you. As I share above, begin by asking your guides which deck they’d like you to pull from (if you have multiple decks). Next, focus on the question you want to ask your guides as you shuffle your cards.
Ask your spirit guides your questions aloud or in your mind, ask them for their guidance and help. Be clear about what you want. Spread out your cards and choose the card(s) that you feel called to. Always thank your guides for helping you once you’re finished.
2. Ask for Their Names
A simple but powerful tool to connect with your guides is to ask for their names. Answers can be shared with you in various ways, depending on how you sense extra-sensory (psychic) information. You may have an inner knowing, see a name in your mind, hear a name in your mind, or begin seeing or hearing the same name throughout your day. All are valid. Trust the information you receive.
I was shocked by how quickly one of the names of my guides came to me simply by asking. Knowing the name of your guide(s) will help strengthen your bond with them, and when you need help, you can call out them by name. Keep in mind, that the names you receive may be unfamiliar to you because your guides are not always earthly beings.
3. Ask for Signs
Usually, your guides are already doing this! By asking for signs, you make a declaration that you will try to be more present and aware of receiving them.
If you’re looking for proof of your guides being nearby you, ask them for signs. Be as specific as you’d like. You might be surprised by how spot-on your guides can be! One of the signs I use to know my ancestral guides are nearby is feathers, and I always see more of them when I ask for this sign.
You can also ask for signs about decisions or struggles you’re having. If you’re making some difficult decisions, ask for signs about how you should proceed. Be on the lookout for answers that might pop into your head or opportunities that seem to arise from out of nowhere. Be open to these signs being different or unexpected than what you imagined. Your guides have your highest good in mind, even if the signs they’re sending to you seem out of place.
4. Write a Letter
If you’re struggling to connect with your guides, writing them a letter can be a powerful tool. Allow yourself 20-30 minutes of uninterrupted quiet time to write to them. Write out all of the questions you have for your guides, any struggles you’re having, and what kind of support you feel you need from them.
Once you’ve finished writing, allow yourself 5-10 minutes of quiet reflection. Check in and ask yourself how you feel, if you have any clarity around the things you need help with, or if you feel the presence of your spirit guides. You may find it helpful to place your letter next to your bed as you sleep to inspire messages from your guides while you dream, which brings me to my next suggestion.
5. Ask for a Dream or Meditation Visitation
If you’re a particularly visual person, you might want to see your spirit guides. Asking for a dream or meditation visitation can help with this and make them seem more real.
To request a dream visitation, before you go to bed, ask your guides to come to you in your dreams. To request a meditation visitation as your guides to come to you while in meditation. Journey meditations can be very beneficial for working with your guides in this way. You can find several free journey meditations online with a simple search or even find someone with a shamanic background to guide you through a journey to find your guides. Journey meditations are powerful and can be extremely transformative. Get a free Spirit Guides Meditation here.
Remember, the way that your guide asserts themselves could come through to you as an inner knowing, feeling, or visualization. Learn more about the different ways you can experience extrasensory information here.
6. Recruit the Use of a Pendulum
Pendulums are another powerful and simple tool for connecting with your guides. If you’re not familiar with pendulums, check out this post here to learn more about them and the basics of using one.
To use a pendulum to connect with your guides, start by quieting your mind, focus intently on requesting the presence of your guide(s), and then ask your question. Pendulums work best with “yes” or “no” answers, so be sure that you’re asking a question that can be answered with “yes” or “no.” Write “yes” and “no” on a paper, focus on your question, and hold your pendulum over each answer and note when your pendulum starts moving. This is just one method for using a pendulum. Check out my previous post about pendulums noted above or the Pendulums in Practice Workshop here.
7. Ask Them Questions Often
Talk to your guides and ask them questions often. Always be specific in your questions. It will be easier for them to answer you. Talk to them aloud or in your mind, as if they’re a dear friend. The more comfortable you become at relying on them for their assistance, the easier it will be for you to connect with them.
Your guides are always there waiting and wanting to help you! I hope you use these tools so you can take full advantage of the help of your spirit guides.
The Ultimate Guide to Caring for Your Tarot & Oracle Cards
Now that you have your magical Moon Phase Ritual Cards from last week's post, I thought it would be a perfect time to give you an ultimate guide for taking care of your tarot and oracle cards!Have a growing collection of oracle and tarot cards that you’re always adding to? If you’ve got a growing collection, you probably don’t use all of those cards every day. You most likely have your favorite decks that you gravitate towards, decks you use rarely, and decks that you let other people use.Your oracle and tarot cards can pick up vibes from other people, yourself, and accumulate stagnant energy.
Now that you have your magical Moon Phase Ritual Cards from last week's post, I thought it would be a perfect time to give you an ultimate guide for taking care of your tarot and oracle cards!
Have a growing collection of oracle and tarot cards that you’re always adding to? If you’ve got a growing collection, you probably don’t use all of those cards every day. You most likely have your favorite decks that you gravitate towards, decks you use rarely, and decks that you let other people use.
Your oracle and tarot cards can pick up vibes from other people, yourself, and accumulate stagnant energy. Fortunately, there are several things you can do to keep your decks energetically fresh so you receive and give the best readings.
These tips will work for tarot and oracle alike, they will also work for our free printable decks like our Zenned Out Mini Oracle Cards and our Moon Phase Ritual Cards. Here’s my ultimate list for taking care of your favorite decks!
Listen to Your Cards
Use your intuition. Ask your tarot and oracle cards what they need, and go with your gut. Have a deck that feels like it wants to be kept separate from your other decks, give it a special space of its own. Have a deck that you feel is pining for some grounding energy, put a little smoky quartz near it.
If you decide to try something new with one of your decks, be extra aware of any energetic signals you may get from them on the new change. The best part is, if you’re using your oracle or tarot cards regularly you’re already honing your intuition, and this is another opportunity to refine your intuitive skills.
Spread Cloth
Create a sacred space for reading your cards with a spread cloth. Traditionally these have been used for tarot but will work just as well for oracle cards.
Energetically speaking, using a spread cloth gives you and your cards a sacred space for reading wherever you are. It adds another layer to the ritual of reading your cards. Bonus, if you read in other places, it will help keep your cards clean.
Deciding on a spread cloth can be simple and inexpensive. There are many are beautiful handmade options on Etsy but you might already have something perfect at home like a silk scarf. Color carries a lot of energetic weight, so I suggest doing some research on color meanings before deciding on your spread cloth.
Cleanse Often
If you’ve had some off readings that didn’t feel quite right it might be time to give your cards a good energetic cleanse. Another reason to cleanse your cards is if they’ve been sitting for a while and haven’t been used. Stagnant decks will pick up all sorts of vibes, so it’s a great time to cleanse them.
Here are three quick and easy ways to lift any bad vibes or stagnant energy from your oracle or tarot cards.
Salt Bath: No water needed for this bath, simply set your cards in a tray of sea salt or Himalayan pink salt and let the salt soak up any unwanted vibes.
Smoke cleanse: Light your favorite herb and let your cards be bathed in the smoke of it to cleanse them. I recommend exploring some plants that are related to your ancestral lineage, some options of herbs are lavender, mugwort, cedar, rosemary. If you want to add some extra fun you can use tools like cauldrons or smoke wands.
Full Moon: Lay your cards in the light of the moon for an energetic refresh. Of course, each moon phase will have its own effect. You can use our Moon Phase Ritual Cards to get an idea of what kind of energy each phase will imbue them with.
Protect Your Cards
You may not want to keep your cards in the box they came in. If you don’t, it’s important that they have a special place to live and have some protection.
Here are some options for protecting your oracle and tarot decks:
Cloth bag: Similar to the spread cloth, the color of the bag you choose matters. Use your intuition and do some research on color meanings to determine the best color bag for your deck.
Wooden box: This is perfect for a deck you feel is calling out for an earthy vessel. A box will also offer additional protection if you travel with them.
Wrap them in your spread cloth: Your spread cloth can serve dual purposes and will work well as a protective cover for your cards
Crystals: Place a crystal on top of your deck, in the bag, or in the box with your cards to offer a layer of energetic protection. You can never go wrong with clear quartz!
Connect with Your Cards
One of the most important things you can do to care for your cards is to connect with them. The more you connect with them the more you’ll know how to take care of them intuitively. Here are two of my favorite techniques for connecting with your tarot and oracle cards.Sleep with them under your pillow or on your nightstand. This tip comes from guest blog post writer Brittney Carmichael. She mentioned in a previous post,
“Sleep with one card under your pillow each night to allow your subconscious mind to create symbols and meanings for the cards. Your tarot cards are like personal love notes from your soul and will help to guide you along your spiritual path of awakening.”
Take time to look at each card. If you’re feeling disconnected from your deck, take a few quiet moments to sit down and look at each card. Similar to sleeping with a card under your pillow, this will give you an opportunity to connect with the symbolism of your cards and become attuned to their energy.
I recently cleansed all my decks and gave some of my favorite decks a special home or crystal. I was surprised by the change when I did this! I immediately felt more in tune with my cards and my readings have felt more on point. I hope you find the same is true for you and your cards!
All Your Tarot Questions Answered // Guest Post by Brit Charmichael
Is something holding you back from giving tarot card readings? Do you have some unanswered questions that you’re just not sure about and don’t know who to go to get real answers from?There’s something about tarot that seems a little more intimidating than oracle cards. It feels like you really need to “know” the cards in order to move forward, and you might be afraid that you’ll do something wrong in a reading. I know, because I had the same feelings about jumping into tarot!This week, I’m rolling out our first guest blog post with tarot goddess Brit Charmichael. She’s going to be answering all of your tarot questions so you feel confident about doing readings for yourself and others. Enjoy!
Is something holding you back from giving tarot card readings? Do you have some unanswered questions that you’re just not sure about and don’t know who to go to get real answers from?
There’s something about tarot that seems a little more intimidating than oracle cards. It feels like you really need to “know” the cards in order to move forward, and you might be afraid that you’ll do something wrong in a reading. I know, because I had the same feelings about jumping into tarot!
This week, I’m rolling out our first guest blog post with tarot goddess Brit Charmichael. She’s going to be answering all of your tarot questions so you feel confident about doing readings for yourself and others. Enjoy!
Psychics. Tarot. Crystals. Intuition. Spirit Guides.
Four years ago, it was all new to me, but my curiosity kept pulling me in the woo woo direction.
Fast forward, I haven’t skipped a personal daily tarot reading yet and now I’m communicating with past loved ones (including my biological father). We can dive into that another time.
Because tarot is such a taboo topic, I thought diving deep into the questions I get asked ALLLL the time would help to debunk some of the funk we hold around the tool of tarot.
I always like to point out tarot is just another tool of divination helping us connect to the unseen world of energy and vibration. The cards reflect back to us the matching vibration of what we’re feeling so we can see more objectively and clearly into our inner world. The cards help us to look deeper within and uncover our Truth. No matter what religious background you come from, this tool will help you to make that deeper, Divine connection you crave with yourself.
Let’s dive into the most frequent questions I get asked about the tool of tarot…
How can a person be objective to the reading if they are not “trained” to be objective?
Just like learning any skill, you must practice. Sleeping with the cards under your pillow to receive intuitive guidance will help you to receive clear messages from the cards. This allows your subconscious to show you symbols that represent the energy behind each card. Journaling the meanings of each card and sticking to the traditional meaning will also help you to stay objective until you build confidence in trusting your intuition of what each card represents for you.
How do you learn to interpret the cards besides the booklet that it comes with?
I always get cracked up when I say “Sleep with your cards” because it sounds like you’re in an intimate relationship, but it’s SOO true! Sleep with one card under your pillow each night to allow your subconscious mind to create symbols and meanings for the cards. Your tarot cards are like personal love notes from your soul and will help to guide you along your spiritual path of awakening. You MUST begin to trust your soul’s intuitive guidance that comes through when reading the card. Let’s say you pulled the Magician card - instead of reaching for the booklet to find the answers, look over the card. Visualize it in your imagination. Allow the words, feelings, and visions you have about this card to arise from within. Trust your first feeling. Over time you will develop confidence in being able to trust your inner knowing.
When doing a tarot reading - do you do it alone or with someone?
You can read for yourself or another person. You can also read for an entire group of people. The most important thing when reading is to set the intention of who is receiving the message before beginning.
How do you do a reading for yourself?
When doing a reading for yourself, you want to make sure you’re in a safe, sacred place where you feel comfortable opening up your heart space to receive guidance. There are MANY different spreads you can choose from depending on what guidance you’re seeking. My favorite personal reading is simply pulling one card while asking your guides/Higher Self “What is my Divine daily message today?”
How do you do a reading for someone else?
When doing a reading for someone else, you want to make sure you two are both in agreement on what question is being asked from the reader. The reader will then set an intention to receive guidance through the cards and their own intuition to be delivered on behalf of the reader.
What tarot deck do you recommend for beginners?
I get asked this almost every day. I recommend something you will USE! Find a deck that makes your heart flutter. Let your soul/intuition guide you to the deck that suits your spirit. Anything from Doreen Virtue is highly recommended. Her decks are filled with positive and uplifting messages and she has something for everyone.
Where do I start?
You can buy your deck at a local crystal shop, bookstore, or even order on Amazon. When you receive your deck, unwrap the deck and light some herbal smoke or incense to clear away the energy. This helps you to claim the deck as your own. After cleansing the deck, you can begin to sleep with one card a night under your pillow to begin creating a connection with your intuition.
What is your favorite deck?
My current favorite decks are the Archangel Power Tarot and the Butterflies for Life Changes from Doreen Virtue.
How do I shuffle?
Some cards are much larger than other decks, so you can shuffle in whatever way feels right for you. You can slice the deck, spread the cards faced down across the floor and choose, or the traditional Vegas-style shuffle. Any will work. Just mix ‘em up!
How do you care for your decks?
Just like crystals, you want to cleanse and protect their energy. Cleansing the cards as soon as you receive them is important to clear away any other energy that has been left with the cards. Occasional cleansing is good if you feel like your connection to the cards is weak. I also recommend NOT letting others touch your cards as they will leave their energy behind. Check out this blog post to learn more about how to look after your tarot cards.
Should you use the reverse meanings of cards?
If you’re feeling completely blocked and the card comes out upside down, my advice is to trust your gut if you feel the reverse meaning has a message for you. Sometimes I pull a card that’s upside down and the reverse meaning doesn’t apply, then I just go with the actual meaning of the card. I’m not a big fan of looking up the reverse meanings and I always have my cards oriented in the upright position so I typically don’t draw cards that are reversed.
What to do if you get a scary or "bad" reading for yourself or someone else?
Accept it. The cards are reflecting your energy so if something “bad” comes up - see how it applies to your life. Don’t hide from the truth and don’t over analyze the card. I find that sometimes we project our own illusions and fears onto the meaning of the cards which can create confusion when reading for yourself or someone else. I honestly don’t believe there are any “bad” cards in tarot. The “death” card gets such a bad wrap, but the meanings aren’t always literal. It could represent a metaphorical death such as the end of a cycle, job, relationship, or chapter in your life’s story, but not an actual death.
Where did tarot originate from?
Sometime around the 14th century, the tarot likely originated with Mamluk game cards brought to Western Europe from Turkey. By the 1500s, the Italian aristocracy was enjoying a game known as “tarocchi appropriati,” in which players were dealt random cards and used thematic associations with these cards to write poetic verses about one another—somewhat like the popular childhood game “MASH.”
Even the earliest known tarot decks weren’t designed with mysticism in mind; they were actually meant for playing a game similar to modern-day bridge. Wealthy families in Italy commissioned expensive, artist-made decks known as “carte da trionfi” or “cards of triumph.” These cards were marked with suits of cups, swords, coins, and polo sticks (eventually changed to staves or wands), and courts consisting of a king and two male underlings. Tarot cards later incorporated queens, trumps (the wild cards unique to tarot), and the Fool to this system, for a complete deck that usually totaled 78 cards. Today, the suit cards are commonly called the Minor Arcana, while trump cards are known as the Major Arcana.
Is there evidence to support the spiritual practice?
After spending time with your cards, your analytical brain won’t need PROOF that these cards can be used in your spiritual practice, because you will intuitively KNOW the messages coming through are always aligned with your best in mind. The cards are traced by some occult writers to ancient Egypt or the Kabbalah but there is no documented evidence of such origins or of the usage of tarot for divination before the 18th century.
What is the main purpose/intention behind using tarot?
Tarot acts as a tool that helps reflect your current energy and provides intuitive guidance for the clarity you’re seeking. You can use the tool to connect to your Higher Self/spirit guides.
How do you know what kind of energy you bring if you are doing the reading? Does negative energy affect your reading?
I wouldn't recommend a reading when your emotions are running wild. You want to come from a place of peacefulness when conducting your reading. Wait until the initial emotional surge passes before doing a reading on that particular subject.
How do you keep positive energy around your cards?
Do not let others handle your tarot/oracle cards because they can leave traces of their energy on the cards. Try burning herbs and letting the smoke clear away the energy of the cards if you feel they’ve picked up some funk.
Do you start by asking your guides to show you the cards?
I always say a little prayer before I begin asking my Higher Self to come forward to share the divine guidance I most need in that moment.
What happens if I draw the same card multiple times in a row?
Pay attention! The Universe is sending a CLEAR message by showing you again.
I hope by uncovering some of the untold truths about tarot that you’re able to let go of any hangups you have and make a deep and lasting connection with your spirit and guides.
Join my Facebook page here for a free weekly reading. If you’re looking to dive in deeper and would like a private 1:1 reading where we can uncover limiting blocks, discover your soul purpose, connect with past loved ones and spirit guides or even dig into past lives - you can book with me by heading over to brittneycarmichael.com/tarot.
5 Tips to open your heart chakra and how to know when it's blocked
How are you feeling about giving and accepting love right now? Are you feeling open, receptive and giving--or maybe a little blocked? Whether you’ve got a lot or a little blocking you from giving and accepting love in your life, I’ve got tips to help you enliven your heart chakra, from herbal tinctures to heart chakra inspired altars!The heart chakra, or in sanskrit anahata, is the chakra (energy center) located at the center of your sternum. The heart chakra is responsible for your ability to give and receive love. If you’ve had any heartache in your past (and let’s be honest, who hasn’t?) you may have some lingering blocks that could be making it hard for you to give and receive the love you deserve.
How are you feeling about giving and accepting love right now? Are you feeling open, receptive and giving--or maybe a little blocked? Whether you’ve got a lot or a little blocking you from giving and accepting love in your life, I’ve got tips to help you enliven your heart chakra, from herbal tinctures to heart chakra inspired altars!
The heart chakra, or in sanskrit anahata, is the chakra (energy center) located at the center of your sternum. The heart chakra is responsible for your ability to give and receive love. If you’ve had any heartache in your past (and let’s be honest, who hasn’t?) you may have some lingering blocks that could be making it hard for you to give and receive the love you deserve.
Is your heart chakra blocked?
Here’s a quick checklist to see if you’ve got any areas in your heart chakra that could use some extra love:
Is your self-talk critical and negative?
Do you have trouble making friends?
Are you lonely?
Do you have a lack of trust in your relationships?
Do you have social anxiety?
Do you have a hard time accepting and/or giving?
Whether you resonate with all of these or just 1 or 2 of these, I’ve got something for you. Read on to learn 5 versatile tips to clear up blocks in your heart chakra.
You can also read this blog post where I explain 3 ways to understanding the health of chakras.
1. Heart Chakra Altar
Make your sacred space a haven for your heart chakra by adorning your altar with colors, crystals, and symbols that will help balance and restore you to love.
Color: Green and pink. Feast your eyes on the color of your heart chakra by adorning your altar with candles, cloths, or statues with green and pink.
Crystals: Rose quartz, aventurine, emerald, green and pink tourmaline, chrysoprase, moss agate, and malachite. Aside from their green and pink hues all of these stones have energy that lends themselves to healing your heart chakra. Choose any combination of them to place on your altar.
Symbols: Anahata symbol, hearts, and the Wunjo Rune symbol all represent love. These symbols on your altar will act as a visual reminder of your intention to be open to giving and accepting love.
2. Ask the Cards
Grab your favorite tarot or oracle card deck and ask them how you can open and balance your heart chakra. Oracle and tarot cards, like any divination tool, are a direct link to your spirit guides and higher self. Try this heart chakra three-card spread or create your own. If you don't have a card deck handy you can opt to journal about each of the questions below instead.
What areas of my life are causing blocks in my heart chakra?
How can I improve my ability to accept love?
How can I nourish my heart chakra?
3. Heart Chakra Meditation
Set aside 5 minutes (or more!) of your day for some deep breaths, connect with your heart chakra on an even deeper level with a simple meditation. Energy reset meditations are a personal favorite of mine, probably because I find them so effective. You can check out my energy reset meditation bundle here.
Try working some of the following tips into your next meditation session balance and open your heart chakra:
Scents: If you have any rose or bergamot essential oils around, these are perfect for balancing the heart chakra. Add them to your diffuser or just take a few deep breaths before you start your meditation.
Visualize: Imagine a glowing green light around your heart chakra as you meditate. Visualize that with each inhale it grows bigger and with each exhale it comes back to center. Eventually, let this growing green light consume your whole body with each inhale.
Mantras: YAM (pronounced yawm, like CD-rom) is the mantra of the heart chakra. Layer this mantra into your meditation with long yaaaaaaaaammmmm added into your exhale. If you’d like a mantra with a clearer intention feel free to repeat one of these mantras during your meditation, “I am love” or “I accept love freely.”
4. Herbal Love for your Heart Chakra
Did you know that heartache, grief, and loss can lead to physical symptoms around your heart chakra? There’s even a name for it, it’s called “broken heart syndrome.” Yeah sure, we’ve all dealt with bad break ups, but if you’ve been dealt more than your fair share of heartache and loss it could be affecting your physical health too. Our physical bodies and energetic bodies are closely connected and intertwined. Keeping your heart in its best physical shape can help keep your heart chakra bright and shining!
Need a tune-up in the heartache department? Hawthorne is your go-to herb! For a quick fix, you can grab some hawthorne and hibiscus (also great for your heart) tea. But, if you want some serious healing herbs here’s a recipe for a hawthorn tincture.
If making tinctures aren't your thing, or you don't have supplies handy to make one, bergamot, rose, and ylang-ylang are all great options for activating the heart chakra. Diffuse or wear any of these oils to help soothe and open the heart chakra.
Hawthorne Heart Tincture
Dried organic hawthorn berries
80 proof or greater vodka or brandy
Optional: dried organic hawthorn leaves and flowers
Glass jar
Fill your jar full with your herbs, then add the alcohol until all of your herbs are covered.
Don’t forget to label your concoction! Be sure to add the date you made it and what herbs are included.
Let your brew sit for 4-6 weeks, preferably in the window where it can soak up good vibes from the sun and moon.
Give your mixture a little shake up every couple of days. This is also the perfect time to infuse your tincture with some good vibes and intentions from you, so be sure to send it some happy thoughts when you shake it up!
Once the 4-6 weeks have passed, drain your mixture through a cheesecloth or fine mesh strainer.
Pour your tincture into a glass dropper bottle and you’re all set. Let the heart healing commence!
Enjoy 2-4 droppers full of your tincture 1-2 times a day in tea, water, or juice.
5. A Wearable Reminder of Love
Wearing symbols or crystals that associate with the heart chakra can serve as a potent reminder to give yourself and others love throughout the day.
If you're not into wearing jewelry, wearing colors associated with the heart chakra or carrying some heart chakra crystals in your pocket will have a similar effect.
