Understanding the Energy of Taurus Season

Welcome to Taurus season! Our fixed earth sign, this archetype is here to ground us in our bodies, teach us about beauty, and help us tap into the tactile pleasures of being alive. 

In honor of Taurus season starting on April 20th, I’ll be diving into Taurus energy in this blog. I’ll be sharing what Taurus energy is all about, the planetary and tarot associations of Taurus, and how to understand Taurus in your chart. 

Featured cards from The Starchild Tarot. 

TAURUS ENERGY

Grounded and rooted, the earth sign aspect of Taurus offers practicality and steadfastness to this sign. It connects us to the physical, tactile world through the pleasure that’s available to us through the body and each of our senses. Think of really tasting a delicious meal, smelling the flowers, feeling the warm sun on your skin, touching soft silks, and immersing yourself in a painting. Now you know Taurus energy! 

Card featured from The Ritual Deck. 

Taurus has a beautiful capacity to see beauty and manifest beauty. It’s also a sign associated with value, the material world, and money. Taurus has lessons to teach us all about self-worth, what we really value, and how we value ourselves. 

At its most soul-centered level, Taurus can see the beauty and light in all things, and knows the inherent worth in us all.

All signs have a shadow energy and expression, and in its shadow Taurus can be stubborn, immovable, and resistant to change. The polar sign to Scorpio, a sign of transformation, Taurus can get stuck in its ways, resenting movement and change. This sign can also get trapped in the physical world, only following desire and forgetting spirituality and higher purpose. 

THE PLANETS

In Western astrology, Taurus is ruled by Venus. Venus is the planet of love, beauty, and pleasure. It’s an archetype that helps us find soul fulfillment and teaches us how to love unconditionally. This planet lends Taurus its appreciation for beauty, its connection to sensuality and pleasure, and its association with divine feminine energy. 

TAURUS IN THE TAROT

In the tarot, Taurus is associated with the Empress, the Hierophant, and the King of Pentacles.

The Empress is ruled by Venus, the Hierophant is ruled by Taurus, and the King of Pentacles is fixed Earth in the court cards in my tarot practice. 

The Empress is an archetype of unconditional love (Venus!) who teaches us how to receive. Creativity and love flow through the Empress, without forcing or pushing. Nothing could be more Taurean than the Empress herself as depicted in the Pamela Colman Smith Rider Waite tarot deck! The Empress is lush, present, and embodied and she teaches us how to tap into those parts of ourselves, too.

The Hierophant speaks to Taurus’ Earthy side. This archetype understands how to communicate esoteric truths so that they are understood by all. The Hierophant is able to pull spiritual knowledge out of the ether into the physical plane, making spirituality practical and part of the material world. 

The King of Pentacles, the master of the suit associated with purpose, work, and the material world, teaches us what it means to live your purpose in the world and feel abundant in doing so. This archetype speaks to Taurus’ connection to self-worth, money, manifestation, and finances, reminding us what is possible when we tap into our inner abundance. 

UNDERSTANDING TAURUS IN YOUR CHART

To understand Taurus in your chart, you’ll want to look at a couple of pieces:

• Any planets in Taurus

• The house that Taurus rules in your chart. Whatever house Taurus rules indicates the area of life where you are meant to ground, manifest, and pour love.

• Your 2nd house. The 2nd house is the Taurus house. The sign that rules your 2nd house can add another layer indicating how Taurus themes show up in your life.

Another way to understand Taurus energy in your life could be to ask your oracle or tarot deck: how is Taurus energy showing up in my life right now?

Want to connect more deeply with Taurus energy? You might like to connect with some crystals for Taurus season. Try rose quartz or emerald for unconditional love and stability, red jasper for connecting with your physical body, black tourmaline for grounding, or carnelian for pleasure. 

Understanding the Energy of Aries Season

Welcome to Aries season! Dynamic and fiery, this warrior archetype is here to bring us a fresh start.  

In honor of Aries season starting on March 19th, I’ll be diving into Aries energy in this blog. I’ll be sharing what Aries energy is all about, the planetary and tarot associations of Aries, and how to understand Aries in your chart. Keep scrolling for more tips and a video where I dive deeper into Aries energy. 

Cards featured are The Ritual Deck and The Starchild Tarot.

ARIES ENERGY

Aries is our cardinal fire sign and as the first sign of the zodiac, it begins the astrological wheel of the year. The first day of Aries season is always the spring equinox, ushering us into spring with the spark of life! 

Aries energy is like a match being lit. It brings with it fire, passion, and creativity. Aries is a warrior and a pioneer, and the question is: what will you be a warrior for? Where are you ready to be a pioneer in your own life, leading the way for us all? 

This sign invites us to tap into our bravery and courage, to go it alone, and go forward in the direction of the life that is calling us. Independent and impulsive, Aries can take you places you never thought you could go (or that you thought would take a lot longer to get to!). During Aries season, we are all asked to channel our passions and creativity in healthy ways, to tap into our inner fire, and to burst through self-imposed limitations to step into the new. 

All signs have a shadow energy and expression, and in its shadow, Aries can be aggressive, domineering, and even violent. If you can learn to work with Aries in its highest expression, it can teach you a lot about working with anger and frustration in healthy ways, finding balance between leading and following, and being an autonomous individual in relationships with others.

Learn more about Aries season from Eryn Johnson in this video. 

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A post shared by Cassie Uhl (@cassieuhl)

THE PLANETS

In Western astrology, Aries is ruled by Mars. In esoteric astrology, Aries is ruled by Mercury. Mars tells us how we work with Aries in a day to day way, and Mercury tells us what’s possible to embody when we work with Aries from a soul-centered level.

Mars is the planet of drive, assertion, and aspiration. You can think of it as the gas pedal of your birth chart: it’s what moves you forward. Fiery Mars lends Aries the energy of the warrior, it’s what drives Aries to burst through.

Mercury, on the other hand, as the esoteric ruler of Aries speaks to what’s possible when working with Aries at a soul-entered level. Mercury is an air planet very much associated with the mind (and the Magician card in the tarot!), so the creativity of Aries becomes new, exciting, even bold ideas put forth into the world. 

ARIES IN THE TAROT

In the tarot, Aries is associated with the Emperor, the Tower, and the Knight of Wands.

The Emperor is ruled by Aries, Mars rules the Tower, and the Knight of Wands is cardinal fire in the court cards in my tarot practice. 

The Emperor is a leader, here to pioneer a new world. This card speaks to structures and systems, at a micro-level in our personal lives and at a macro level in the collective, that make up the world and asks us to create truly collaborative systems that serve the good of all. Associated with power, this archetype also asks us to reflect on our own relationship with power and step into a space of power with rather than power over. 

You only need to take a look at the Tower card to understand what it’s all about! The Tower represents a lightning strike, a clearing that causes a crumbling to the ground. Foundations may be shaken and things will not be the same afterward - but it’s very much the spark kind of energy that Aries has to offer us. The clearing that takes place in the Tower only ever clears away what doesn’t serve us.

The Knight of Wands teaches us how to let our fire move us. When we take action in our lives, we’re always taking it from a specific place. We can take action from love, from fear, from desire, from many things - but the Knight of Wands asks us to let our passion, our creativity, our innate sense of our own power, to guide us in moving through the world. 

UNDERSTANDING ARIES IN YOUR CHART

To understand Aries in your chart, you’ll want to look at a couple of pieces:

• Any planets in Aries

• The house that Aries rules in your chart. Whatever house Aries rules indicates the area of life where you are meant to burst through, create something new, live boldly, and fight for something. 

• Your 1st house. The 1st house is the Aries house. The sign that rules your 1st house can add another layer indicating how Aries themes show up in your life.

Another way to understand Aries energy in your life could be to ask your oracle or tarot deck: how is Aries energy showing up in my life right now?

Want to connect more deeply with Aries energy? You might like to connect with some crystals for Aries season. Try carnelian for creativity and courage, sunstone for independence, or red jasper for energy and vitality. 

Understanding the Energy of Pisces Season

What is your relationship with Pisces energy?

Pisces is the last sign on the wheel of the zodiac, so it ends the zodiac year. It invites us into a season of water, dedicated to spirituality, art, and love.

In honor of Pisces season starting on February 18th, I’ll be diving into Pisces energy in this blog. I’ll be sharing what Pisces energy is all about, the planetary and tarot associations of Pisces, and how to understand Pisces in your chart. 

PISCES ENERGY

Pisces is our mutable water sign and as the third water sign on the wheel of the zodiac, it’s our superconscious, cosmic, or collective water sign.In its highest expression, Pisces is unconditional love. Pisces brings the energy of compassion and deep feeling. This energy can make us feel sensitive and like we need to retreat to be alone.Pisces invites us to open our hearts to let unconditional love and compassion pour through - for ourselves, for others, and for the world. It evokes the artist, the mystic, the dreamer, in all of us with its connection to music, poetry, spirituality, and the dreamworld. 

All signs have a shadow energy and expression, and in its shadow, Pisces can be depressed, aimless, and overwhelmed by their deep emotions. In its shadow, Pisces may not be able to tell what emotions and energies are theirs and what belongs to other people. This is why boundaries are critical for Pisces goddesses and all of us during Pisces season!

Pisces is the polar sign to Virgo, and this axis is all about healing. Where Virgo offers structure and grounding, Pisces offers boundless love.

THE PLANETS

In Western astrology, Pisces is ruled by Neptune. In esoteric astrology, Pisces is ruled by Pluto. 

As the planet of love and imagination, Neptune speaks to the mystical, spiritual, and artistic side of Pisces. But this planet can also bring confusion and illusion (think of the energy of the 7 of cups in the tarot!), making it difficult for us to tell what’s real and what isn’t. 

The Pluto rulership at the esoteric level shows how love is the transforming agent with Pisces. Love is the medicine, love is the channel for transformation, love is the vehicle of death and rebirth in our lives.

PISCES IN THE TAROT

In the tarot, Pisces is associated with the Moon, the Hanged One (pictured as the “Perspective” card from the Starchild Tarot), and the Queen of Cups.

The Moon is ruled by Pisces, Neptune rules the Hanged One, and the Queen of Cups is mutable water in the court cards in my tarot practice. 

The Moon card shows us the mystical side of Pisces - an invitation beyond the veil into the inner mysteries, into lunar magic, into an exploration that transcends the linear and logical. 

The Hanged One shows us the magic that can happen when we stay present with our discomfort. A key part of love and compassion is acceptance, and in the Hanged One we learn that we will never heal or thrive until we accept what is. 

The Queen of Cups brings the energy of the selkie, one who is just as at home in the depths of water as they are on land. The Queen of Cups invites us to go within - to feel our feelings, explore our subconscious and its manifestation in the dreamworld, to connect with our inner voice. 

UNDERSTANDING PISCES IN YOUR CHART

To understand Pisces in your chart, you’ll want to look at a couple of pieces:

• Any planets in Pisces

• The house that Pisces rules in your chart. Whatever house Pisces rules indicates the area of life where you are meant to pour more love, the area of life that has a spiritual flavor, a mystical flavor. 

• Your 12th house. The 12th house is the Pisces house. The sign that rules your 12th house can add another layer indicating how Pisces themes show up in your life.

Another way to understand Pisces energy in your life could be to ask your oracle or tarot deck: how is Pisces energy showing up in my life right now?

CRYSTALS TO HELP YOU CONNECT WITH PISCES ENERGY

• Amethyst. Amethyst is highly protective and aids intuitive abilities. Pisces season may leave you feeling more open and sensitive than usual. Amethyst can help you tune into the flow of intuition around you while also keeping you protected. 

• Aquamarine. Because Pisces is a water sign, watery stones, like aquamarine will help soothe and soften you during Pisces season. Aquamarine can also help to soothe emotions, which may be more present during Pisces season.

• Fluorite. It can be easy to become lost in your dreams during Pisces season, fluorite can help you find clarity and focus when you need to during this season. Green fluorite is also a heart healer which may also be helpful during Pisces season. 

Understanding the Energy of Aquarius Season

You may know of Aquarius as a sign that’s innovative and eccentric. If you’re an Aquarius, you might be tired of seeing Aquarius stereotypes in every astrology meme on Instagram.

While Aquarius is certainly innovative and unique, there’s so much more to this energy than meets the eye (or the meme).

In honor of the Aquarius season starting on January 20th, I’ll be diving into Aquarius energy in this blog. I’ll be sharing what Aquarius energy is really about, the planetary and tarot associations of Aquarius, and how to understand Aquarius in your chart.

Book page featured from The Goddess Discovery Book V1 (discontinued).

AQUARIUS ENERGY

Aquarius is our fixed air sign and as the third air sign on the wheel of the zodiac, it’s our superconscious, cosmic, or collective air sign. 

In its highest expression, Aquarius energy is about authenticity, bringing forth the new age and the next world, upgrading the collective to its highest expression, innovating, and experimenting. 

Featured Oracle Card Deck is The Ritual Deck.

Aquarius asks us: how do I express my authentic self in all circumstances? How do I find belonging in the world? What am I ready to break free from and how do I create the new to take the place of the old? 

All signs have a shadow energy and expression, and in its shadow Aquarius can be very detached, stubborn, and may want to be different just for the sake of being different.

Polar energies in astrology are also important. Aquarius is the polar sign to Leo, and this axis is all bout creative expression - personal expression with Leo and group expression with Aquarius.

THE PLANETS

In Western astrology, Aquarius is ruled by Uranus. Before Uranus was discovered, Aquarius was ruled by Saturn. I think it’s helpful to look at both of these planets when thinking about Aquarius.

Saturn speaks to the fixed aspect of Aquarius, bringing boundaries, the sacred no, and the ability to create strong foundations. 

Uranus is the god of change, of revolution and rebellion, which I will say does feel the most Aquarian to me!

AQUARIUS IN THE TAROT

In the tarot, Aquarius is associated with the Star card, the Fool, and the King of Swords.

The Star is ruled by Aquarius, Uranus rules the Fool, and the King of Swords is fixed air in the court cards in my tarot practice. 

In esoteric astrology, the phrase associated with Aquarius is “Water of life am I, poured forth for thirsty men.” I love this phrase and it feels very Star card to me. When you look at the Star in the Pamela Colman Smith Rider Waite tarot, the naked figure on the card is literally pouring forth two jugs of water into the land and in the pool of water, the figure has their foot in under the starry night sky. This phrase and aspect of the Star card really speaks to the aspect of Aquarius that is about ushering in a new age and healing for the collective. Featured tarot decks are The Starchild Tarot and Lisa Frank Major Arcana Deck.The Fool speaks to the aspect of Aquarius that is about taking a leap, rebelling, creating change, experimenting, and following your heart.The King of Swords brings in the aspect of air, reminding us that there’s a part of Aquarius that wants to heal and upgrade communication, voice, and sharing messages with the world for the greater good of the collective. 

Featured tarot decks are The Starchild Tarot and Lisa Frank Major Arcana Deck.

UNDERSTANDING AQUARIUS IN YOUR CHART

To understand Aquarius in your chart, you’ll want to look at a couple of pieces:

• Any planets in Aquarius

• The house that Aquarius rules in your chart. Whatever house Aquarius rules indicates the area of life where you are meant to awaken, innovate, do something differently, and bring your most authentic self.  

• Your 11th house. The 11th house is the Aquarius house. The sign that rules your 11th house can add another layer indicating how Aquarius themes show up in your life.

Another way to understand Aquarius energy in your life could be to ask your oracle or tarot deck: how is Aquarius energy showing up in my life right now?

3 Rituals for Letting Go

What is your relationship with letting go?

Ritual and magical practice can help us with more than manifesting, attracting, and calling in. It can also help us shed, let go, and transform ourselves and parts of our lives. The winter season invites us to incubate, release, and hibernate. It is an ideal time for release work (as well as the fall!). The phases of the moon that correspond to release are all the waning phases - the waning gibbous moon, the last quarter moon, the waning crescent moon, and the dark moon. Learn more about the phases of the moon with The Ritual Deck (pictured below.)

Before we get into the rituals, I also want to add that we can put a lot of pressure on ourselves to let go of things, and I want to honor that letting go can be really hard. Especially if what we’re letting go of has been something we have loved and cherished but is no longer a fit, feels comfortable, and/or feels safe. 

So please, be gentle with yourself, be kind to yourself, and let release happen on your own timeline. 

Keep scrolling to find a few rituals to support you in letting go.

MOON RITUAL FOR LETTING GO

Our sweet, gorgeous moon is more than just an archetype, a deity, or energy. She is a real living body just like the Earth that we can go outside and look at, connect with, and talk to. I think sometimes we forget this but this is one of my favorite practices! 

This is ideal to do when the moon is in its waning phases but still visible (so not the dark moon). 

For this ritual, what you’ll need is yourself, an offering for the moon, and clarity on what you’re releasing. Your offering could be anything - a plate of your dinner, a glass of water, a branch, a flower, a drawing, a song - let your intuition guide you and go with what feels right. 

When you have your offering, it’s ideal to go outside and sit or stand under the moon. If it’s really cold out or you don’t have space outdoors to do this, you can also sit by a window - that works just as well! 

Take some time to center and ground yourself, entering a ritual space. Turn your gaze to the moon, ask to connect with her, and share your offering with her. Spend some time gazing at her and share your offering with her in whatever way feels good to you.

When you’re ready, tell her what you’re desiring to release. Ask for her help letting go. Sit in meditation, drawing down her energy and light through your crown and your whole body, letting this energy fill you up and either help you release whatever you’re desiring to release internally (blocks, fears, internal limits, ways of talking to self, etc), or charge you with the courage and power to release externally (a relationship, a job, a situation, project, etc.). 

When you feel the energy shift, you know you’re finished! Thank the moon, ground yourself again, and spend some time journaling and processing afterward. 

TAROT OR ORACLE SPREAD FOR LETTING GO

For this ritual, you’ll need your tarot or oracle deck and journal. Take some time to create a ritual space, whatever that means to you, and ground yourself before working with your cards. Set the intention to communicate with your highest self, spirit guides, ancestors, intuition, or any other deities or beings you had a relationship with.

Once you’re fully present, shuffle your deck and pull cards for the following questions:

1. What do I need to let go of at this time?

2. Why do I need to let go?

3. What is on the other side of this release?

4. Supportive energies to connect with to help me let go.

Take your time with each card, really letting its messages move through you. I find it incredibly helpful to either meditate with my cards or journal about each card and what the spread means to me. I always get more information and a deeper understanding this way.

When you feel complete, it could be nice to add the cards to your altar - particularly the first and third cards - to support you throughout the release. 

CANDLE MAGICK FOR LETTING GO

I love working with fire in spells and rituals, so naturally, I love candle magick! Fire is such a powerful element with its ability to transform and transmute - think of how fire turn logs into ash. It helps things change shape, die, and transform. 

For this spell, you’ll need a black candle, a tarot card or oracle card representing what you’re releasing, and a safety pin to carve your candle.

Start by grounding yourself and casting your circle. Call in any supportive deities, guides, or other beings you have a connection with to join your circle and help you.

Next, you’ll want to intentionally choose the card from your deck that most represents what you’re releasing at this time. Take your time with this and really make sure you’re clear on what you’re desiring to release.

Once you have your card, it’s time to carve your candle. Carve into your candle any words and/or symbols that represent letting go to you. For example, I like to carve the glyph for Pluto into my candles when I work with releasing spells. Pluto represents change, rebirth, and transformation. Symbols and words work best when they’re personal to you, so don’t worry as much about the technical meaning and just intuitively choose what feels right to you!

Once your candle is ready, set it up with your card under it and take a few deep breaths. Speak your intention aloud as you light your candle, saying, “As I light this candle, I release X.” You might like to spend some time gazing into the candle flame as you focus on this intention.

Then, it’s time to raise energy. You can raise energy however feels good to you - you might chant, sing, dance, do breathwork, or use any other tool that feels good to you. As your candle burns, you are raising energy in order to support this release.

When you feel the energy is at its peak, direct it with your intention towards releasing whatever it is you are releasing from your body, from your life. 

When you feel complete, ground yourself again. Let the candle burn all the way down, thank any beings who joined you to help facilitate this release, and re-open your circle. Spend some time processing in your journal afterward, writing down what came up for you and what you felt.

Full Moon High Priestess Mist

The High Priestess is the archetype in the tarot’s major arcana, who reminds us that we have all the answers we need within us. Ruled by the moon and associated with the triple goddess, divine feminine, and the story of Persephone’s descent into the underworld, the High Priestess, brings us deep within to awaken our connection to our wisdom and intuition.

I love working with tarot archetypes in different ways, and one of those ways is by making mists. In this post, I’ll be sharing how to create a High Priestess mist to connect you to your intuition - a connection that is your birthright. High Priestess card from The Starchild Tarot.

High Priestess card from The Starchild Tarot.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

• A spray bottle

• Small tumbled crystal chips of amethyst or another stone you intuitively connect the High Priestess to (note that some stones dissolve or lose their luster in water) 

• Water charged under the full moon

• Witch hazel 

• Essential oils of frankincense, clary sage, and/or sandalwood 

HOW TO MAKE YOUR MIST

The ingredient that may or may not take the longest to get (depending on where the moon is as you’re reading this!) is water charged under the full moon. I recommend charging your water on the night before the moon is technically full - so for example, if the moon is full at 8:30 am on Saturday, charge your water on Friday night, not Saturday night. 

All you need to do to charge your water is to place a bowl or glass of water under the full moon and leave it out overnight. Place some amethyst in your water if you'd like, but it's totally optional. You can drink your excess water or use it in rituals and spells! 

Once you have your full moon water, I recommend creating this spray on the day of the full moon. Here are your steps:

1. Fill half the bottle with witch hazel 

2. Add 25-30 drops of essential oils (if using multiple oils, split up the drops according to whatever scents you prefer!)

3. Add your crystal chips

4. Fill the rest of the bottle with the full moon charged water

5. Close the bottle and shake!

If you’d like, it can be nice to spend a little time meditating with the mist to set intentions for it to connect you with the High Priestess within you. Use the mist before doing divination work to infuse your space with High Priestess Energy, before meditation, and in ritual and spellwork around intuition.

Let your intuition inspire your use and enjoy! Click here to share your mist with us on Instagram. 

Three Dark Moon Rituals

The dark moon is one of my personal favorite times of the cycle. It’s the last few days of the waning time of the cycle, when the moon continues to shrink and eventually disappears from the sky.

Different traditions honor the dark moon at different times. Personally, I honor the dark moon when you can’t see the moon at all in the sky--which is technically the new moon. Others honor the dark moon the last few days before the new moon. I recommend using your intuition and noticing how you feel during these days to understand when to honor the dark moon versus new moon.

So what is the dark moon all about?

The dark moon is our time for radical rest, for deep clearing and releasing, and turning within. This is the time to cancel plans, to do shadow work, to go to sleep early and wake up late, and to pull tarot or oracle cards to tune in to your inner voice.

Keep scrolling for a few rituals to consider working with at this time.

WATER SPELL FOR CLEARING

One of my favorite spells to work during the dark moon is this simple water spell. Water is a helpful element for cleansing and purification, and this spell works especially well when the dark moon is in a water sign--Pisces, Cancer, or Scorpio. You’ll need:

• A large glass of water

• A piece of paper and pen

To start, choose what you’re focusing on releasing. Maybe there are blocks to self-expression, fear of being rejected, shame around your path, or blocks to abundance. Once you’ve decided what you’re ready to release (you’re welcome to spend some time journaling on this to get clear), start making a list of all the limiting beliefs and stories that you hold associated with this block.For example, let’s say you’re working with clearing blocks to abundance. Your list might hold beliefs like:

• I can’t make money doing what I love

• People with money are jerks

• It’s wrong to have money when other people have so little, etc.

Keep letting the beliefs flow! I tend to fill up a whole page when I do this spell.

Once you have your list, it’s time to work the spell. Ground yourself, cast your circle, and pick up your list. You’re going to say the first belief out loud, starting with “I clear the belief that ________ from my body” and then taking a big sip of water. Pause and notice, feeling and visualizing the water moving through your body, cleansing this belief from your system on every level.

Repeat this for each belief on your list, taking your time and really feeling the beliefs move out of your body.

Card featured from The Ritual Deck

When you’re done, use the energy of your palms to charge your last sip of water with what you do want - abundance, healthy self-expression, creativity, etc. - and feel your whole body being charged with this intention by the power of the element of water.

Give thanks to water and the Universe for their help, ground yourself again and open your circle.

CANDLE MAGICK FOR RELEASING

For this spell, you’ll need:

• Black taper candle

• Carving tool like a sharp point crystal, toothpick, or athame

• Black tourmaline, smoky quartz, or petrified wood

• A simple oil like grapeseed or bergamot essential oil

• Rosemary

Start by cleansing all of your items for the spell. This can be done by wafting rosemary smoke over them or visualizing light cleansing them.

For this spell, you’ll be carving what you’re releasing into your candle as well as the glyph for Pluto, the planet that helps things die and be transformed. For your words, keep them simple and powerful by carving the basics of what you’re releasing like “fear” or “self-doubt.”

Anoint your candle with your oil and roll it in your dried rosemary. As you carve and anoint your candle, visualize your all of whatever you’re releasing - your fear or your self-doubt as in the example above - pouring into the candle.

Place your crystal(s) and candle on your altar, light your candle, and start meditating on the flame. Continue to visualize all that you’re releasing pouring into the candle, and watch as it burns and turns to smoke. Stay with this meditation until you feel a shift in your energy - until you really feel a release.

Let the candle burn out if you can or snuff out the candle and continue the same spell each night until the candle has burned completely.

SHADOW WORK TAROT OR ORACLE SPREAD

The dark moon is a deep invitation into shadow work.

What is shadow work?

Simply put, it’s an intentional exploration of our shadow side - the parts of ourselves that we reject, that we’re ashamed of, that we stuff down and hide. Click here to learn more about shadow work if you’re new to it!

For this ritual, you’ll want to create a ritual space - whatever that means to you. For me, it usually means cleansing my space with smoke beforehand, lighting incense, and lighting candles. Maybe you also like to take an essential oil bath beforehand, or sprinkle herbs in a circle around you.

All you’ll need for this ritual is:

• A journal and pen

• Your tarot or oracle cards

Spend a few moments grounding yourself, then shuffle your cards and pull a card for each of these questions:

• What part of my shadow is rising to the surface to be worked with?

• How has rejecting this part of myself manifested in my life?

• How can I show this part of myself more love and integrate it into my whole self?

Give yourself the gift of sitting with your cards after you pull them. Spend time meditating on your cards, journaling about them, or even painting with them to process and understand what their messages are for you.

NEW MOON CARD SPREAD

Every new moon, we get a beautiful opportunity for a fresh start. The new moon is the time of the lunar cycle where we get to dream, vision, and set intentions for what we would like to heal, manifest, and create for the new cycle.

Cards, whether oracle or tarot (learn all about the difference between oracle & tarot cards and how to choose here), can be a powerful way to help us gain clarity and understand how to work with the whole cycle holistically. 

Keep scrolling for your new moon card spread and to learn how to work with the cards throughout the whole moon cycle!

Cards featured from The Ritual Deck.

CARD SPREAD FOR THE NEW MOON

This is a card spread designed to help you work with the moon cycle holistically- through all of the major moon phases of the cycle including the new moon, first quarter moon, full moon, last quarter moon, and dark moon.

To ritualize drawing cards, you might like to take some time before getting started to light incense or burn other herbs, ground yourself (click here for suggestions on how to get grounded), and/or do a practice that helps you open your channels such as breathwork, a movement practice, or a visualization meditation.

When you feel ready, you can start pulling cards:

1. What cycle is opening up for me?

2. What wants to emerge, grow, be tended this cycle?

3. What blocks are coming up around this? (Draw one to three cards - let your intuition guide you!)

4. Why this block is here/the shadow underneath the block (draw one card for each blockage card)

5. Advice for healing these blocks (draw one card for each blockage card)

6. Advice for working with these energies to come back to myself

This card spread can offer some beautiful guidance for working with the phases of the moon holistically. I’m going to cover the 5 major phases of the moon below - the new moon, waxing moon, full moon, waning moon, and dark moon.

THE NEW MOON

The new moon is a time of dreaming and feeling into what you want to grow during the cycle. So during the new moon time, you’ll want to focus on cards one and two. I recommend creating an altar based around the themes of these cards.

For example, if the cards showed that in this cycle, spirit is inviting you to work with your creativity, then you could create an altar representing your creative energy blossoming. This might include lush flowers, the tarot cards you drew, anything that represents your creativity to you, and sacral chakra crystals like carnelian, peach selenite, or tiger’s eye.  

Seeds are always a great addition to a new moon altar as well, a symbol of what you’re planting this cycle.

WAXING MOON

The waxing moon is the time for action. It’s an opportune time for taking the steps needed to bring your dream, your desire, into reality. During the waxing moon, you’ll want to focus on the steps that need to be taken to help card number 2 emerge and grow.

This could be internal or external! Often, I find, it’s a combination of both. 

For example, say that your cards showed that this cycle is all about growing your business. During the waxing moon phase, this could be a time where you take more external steps to grow your business (like sending your newsletter, making a content calendar for Instagram and sticking to it, etc.) as well as doing an abundance ritual. 

[Looking for abundance rituals to work with? Find four abundance rituals on the blog here.]

Remember to work with the sixth card, advice for working with the energies this cycle to come back to yourself, to support you through every phase.

FULL MOON

The full moon can feel like “everything all at once,” as one of my teachers says. The water in our bodies is heightened- emotions, intuition, fertility, psychic abilities. This is the last big push in the growth phase of the cycle so it’s the perfect time to do a manifestation ritual around your first and second cards, what it is you’re cultivating this cycle.

Notice any feelings or downloads you receive at this time and take note - you’ll weave them into your work through the waning part of the cycle.

WANING MOON

The waning moon is a time for shadow work, for releasing, for turning inward. It’s our invitation to work with cards three through five of the spread above: the blocks around your dream or desire, the shadow underneath the block, and the advice for healing these blocks.

This is a great time to explore the roots of these blocks and do practices like tapping (EFT) or breathwork to deprogram the stories and patterns that make up those blocks. If any of those blocks feel ready to be released, this is also the time to release them!

DARK MOON

The dark moon is the time of the cycle when the moon disappears from the sky. It’s a deeply internal time for rest, shadow work, banishing work, and cord-cutting.

If you feel ready at this time to release the blocks and work with the fifth card, the advice for healing those blocks, this is the time. A cord-cutting ceremony or banishing ritual would be ideal to help you wrap up the cycle and release these blocks once and for all.

You can return to this new moon card spread with every new moon to help guide your cycle. Want more rituals for the new moon? Click here!