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As we move forward on our path and start analyzing how we move through and affect the world around us, we start to open our minds to the reality that many of the challenges we face in our lives have arisen because we have lost sight of the importance of keeping balance. We are so focused, so driven, so directed in areas that are linked to elements of ourselves that may be injured, weak, or hiding our personal fears that we lose sight of the bigger picture. This can leave us out of tune with ourselves as well as everything, and everyone, around us.

But what is balance? Well, most of us envision the scales when we consider balance. Equal sides that carry equal weight. That is true from a physical perspective, but what about the emotional and spiritual perspective? That is where we often find ourselves feeling out of sorts and feeling the need to escape from the day-to-day to regroup, reconnect and ground ourselves.

We are often so driven that we don’t see, or even feel, the lack of balance and off-kilter energy within until it has reached the point where we are no longer able to ignore it. Balance will be achieved. It is the nature of things and is absolutely necessary to keep a clear heart and mind, as well as healthy and functional relationships.

“So what are some clues to indicate we are spiritually and emotionally out of balance and how can we fix them?”

I get this question often in my counseling sessions and there have been many times that I’ve simply asked the person to look in a mirror and tell me what they see when really taking a moment to look at themselves. It’s amazing what they are able to notice when they take a good look at themselves and their lives from that perspective! But for most I share with them some common areas that one can be aware of when looking at balance or lack of it in ones life:

1) Experiencing relationship challenges – Irrational arguments that could be alleviated by more connection time.

Perhaps you are finding that you and your significant other are arguing more than usual. Perhaps you are finding yourself less tolerant of them and their behavior. Whatever the situation, assess your relationship and find ways to set importance on it. Fall in love again! Make time to connect, to laugh together, to set aside the commiseration of the day and the never-ending influx of bills and remember that even if the world falls around your ears you will always have one another. Look across the table and see your best friend in the world!

2) Working too many hours to feed a need for success rather than a need for money at the expense of loved ones who also need your time.

We all feel the need to work, to be successful and to excel at whatever it is that we are gifted at. It may be that you are the best upper level executive the world has ever seen, or you may be the envy of children everywhere because you are the epitome of an incredible and devoted mother, or anything else that you may find purpose in. You simply need to remember that balance must be had in order to truly do well and be wholly fulfilled. So many times I have met amazing people that are astounding in their capabilities and gifts, but the root of their passions often taken precedence over all other things due to their lack of self-worth and their inability to recognize that they are incredible just as they are. In order to see that, move through it, and feel fully balanced in our lives we must find our worth within despite our personal doubts and regardless of external excellence. In time and with perseverance we find that we can feel wonderful and often times do an even better job at what we felt we were excelling at before because we have moved through our personal insecurities and explored the realm of balance with great success.

3) Vacation – or lack thereof. No time away to set aside the requirements of life and just enjoy some of it with friends and family.

How many times have you said to yourself, “I don’t have time”, “I can’t afford it”, “there’s too much work to do”, or the myriad of other reasons why you don’t plan and take time off to leave the requirements of life behind and simply be and do for yourself and your loved ones? Even a long weekend can provide just the respite you need to renew your energy and enjoy the here and now. This is a critical area of balance that is absolutely necessary for our well-being in all ways – physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

4) Lack of importance on feeding yourself spirituality by failing to integrate daily practice into your life, no matter how little time it may take.

Spirituality is food for the soul. It is a breath of fresh air and a moment of inner peace. It is a time for reflection and great growth. It allows us to see clearly and know that we are empowered beings, capable and effective. It calms the mind, eases the soul and allows us to move ahead with a deep feeling of security. Leaving spirituality out of our daily lives is to remove an important aspect in our ability to maintain balance from our existence. Spirituality provides us a gateway to balance and embracing it, even in the smallest and most simplistic ways, on a daily basis will bring your ability to balance into clearer perspective and within your reach at all times.

5) No quiet time just for yourself – In order for us to truly take care of and be there for others, we must care for ourselves.

Hustle and bustle… that’s the gist of most of our days, is it not? Get up, hit the ground running, go go go, drop into bed at night. Maybe catch a television show here and there, attempt to read on occasion, maybe spend some time on the internet? Always information and stimulus going in, without a moment to truly quiet our minds and hearts to let our souls listen, reflect, absorb, and clear out so we can renew and recharge. One of the most difficult areas of our practice for most people is meditation. Quieting the mind when it is trained to be “on” at all times feels near impossible for most. If you struggle with this as well, don’t be discouraged! Your quiet time doesn’t have to be in meditation where it feels like work rather than letting go. Take a long shower, fill a tub with hot water and soak in a room with natural light. Have a candle burning near you so you can feel the peaceful energy that the glow of the flickering flame lends the room. Listen to some soft, relaxing music. Go outside and lay on the lawn or, better yet, look at the sky and find shapes in the clouds. Anything that brings you a moment of peaceful quiet and enveloping calm. Knowing that nothing is more important in that moment than you and your time, bringing balance into your world where you can rejuvenate. By doing so you will find that you have more to give and can do it with a clearer heart than you were able to before.

And so I encourage you to go and find the places where you lack balance and bring your life back to center where everything is aligned. Always remember that even when it seems impossible, know that everything is always possible! Your body, your mind, your heart, your life, your work, your interpersonal relationships, and ultimately the whole of your world as a spiritual being will be rewarded with positive change. Blessed be!

We live in a frenzied world, filled with work and family and everything that goes into maintaining both. Almost all of us experience the non-stop pace of our daily lives where we hit the ground running in the morning and continue going until we climb into bed at night, reveling in the feeling of being off our feet and having another day done. Many of us find that the only time we have available to ourselves are those few moments in a foggy haze before our heavy lids close and we are lifted off to another night where we can get a precious few hours of sleep. Even those never seem to be enough.

Does this sound all too familiar? You’re not alone. And yet we have chosen to walk a path where effort is absolutely necessary to be a practicing Witch and spiritually connected Wiccan. Our path is not one where you can show up once a week (or less), go through the motions, and then go back to your regularly scheduled life program. You must participate in your spirituality in order to experience the heart of what being a Witch truly is. Our path requires daily work on our part and through a series of posts I’m going to share with you some of my personal practice favorites that take little time but are amazingly rewarding and spiritually fulfilling.

Mirror Mantras

This was the first step I took in bringing my spirituality into daily practice. It was something I could easily do in the time I had and left me feeling empowered as I started my day. The process is simple. Take a sheet of paper, I tend to take a standard sheet of writing paper and cut it lengthwise in thirds, and take some time to write a list of at least 10 affirmations to support you each day and tape them to the mirror you use each morning when getting ready. Examples of these are:

• My thoughts are under my control.
• I am capable and effective in my job.
• I am my own unique self – special, creative and wonderful.
• I am loved and I give love freely.
• I carry joy in my heart.
• I prosper wherever I turn and I know that I deserve prosperity of all kinds.
• Every Cell in my body vibrates with energy and health.

While you are preparing yourself to go out in the world, read these mantras and say them to yourself – out loud or within – with as much conviction as you can muster. Keep in mind that you may not believe your affirmation mantras at first, but just keep saying them. Repeat them daily, as often as you can, and soon they will sink deep in to your subconscious mind and become rooted! You can also keep a shorter list in your car, affixed to your sun visor, that you can read aloud to yourself while looking in your car mirror before starting the engine. You can change your affirmations as often as you wish, but do it only when you feel that you’ve absorbed the previous mantras. You can add or alter them as they come to you. Be sure not to change them just because you’re having a hard time believing them! The more you use them, the sooner you will feel their truths and see dramatic shifts in your existence as well as in the way you are interacted with by those around you. Remember always that you are an empowered and magickal being and that your intentions will manifest reality. Set your sights on yourself and affirm the beauty of You!

On every altar you will find a representation of the elements: earth, air, fire, and water. In essence, the very foundations of life itself. There is a fifth, a celestial representation of Spirit, also referred to as Akasha. In one of the most prominent symbols of our path, the pentacle represents all of the four elements kept in balance for the purpose of good by the fifth element, Spirit, which encompasses them through its surrounding circle. Conversely, the inverted pentacle is a representation of the dark aspects of the elements.

Water is life. It is emotion. It is fluidity. It is movement. It is fertility. It is purification and cleansing. It is healing. It is also destructive. It is foreboding. It is toxic. It is stagnant. It is cold and wet. It is uncomfortable. It is dark. It is consuming. It is secretive. Water, just as with all elements, carries great power depending on how you wish to work with it.

In my practice I am firmly in the realm of positive thought and outcome. My mantra is, “for the greater good of all”. However, doing so does not mean that I never use the darker side of the elements as often as I do their innate positive energies. In this blog post, I will share with you how you can begin working with water, attuning it to your energy and using your own sacred water, infused with the energy of the moon, toward your magickal intent.

Making Full Moon Water

Your first step is to obtain pure water from a natural source. If you are fortunate, you will be near a lake or stream where you can fill a container with such water. In my locale, I have several water sources of spring water, but also collect rain water or even sea water for this purpose. I never use plastics to collect or store my sacred waters and highly recommend that you use only glass or wood for your collection purposes.

Next you will need to find a glass bottle or jar with a tight fitting lid or cork. I tend to make mine in a size that I can work with easily on my altar. No more than eight ounces is my average, and I prefer one that inspires me visually. In preparation for bottling my water I reverently wash the container, dry it, and then cleanse it with a sage smudge. During this process, I focus on empowering the vessel by consecrating it toward its purpose of carrying charged water that has been blessed by the full moon’s energy. I place a quartz crystal within the vessel that has also been cleansed and consecrated, and then fill it with the natural water I have previously collected.

When the sun leaves sight and the full moon takes Her place high in the night sky, set your filled bottle, top off, in its light. Leave it there for the night and be sure to return to collect it before daybreak. Set the lid or cork tightly in place to seal the charged water within and then store in a dark place until ready for use.

You can use this method to make charged waters for each phase of the lunar cycle and then use the energies associated with them in your spell casting, candle work, spiritual healing and much more. You can set a bowl of your moon-charged water on your altar as a representation of the water element as well as goddess energies. You can use it for cleansing and consecration of ritual tools and your magickal jewelry. You can use it for water scrying by pouring the sacred and moon-blessed water into a shallow bowl and opening your mind’s eye to the visions appearing across the water’s surface.

Working with the water can take you on an incredible journey. Allow the power of water to flow through you and explore its magick that will inspire you in amazingly creative ways!

You can purchase a ready-to-use lunar water collection kit or beautiful glass bottles, jars, and vials to contain your charged waters at Sacred Mists Shoppe.

Within Wicca, the Celtic Tradition is a facet of this pagan religion that honors the Celtic/Druidic pantheon of deities and the ancient Celts’ way of interacting with their world on a physical, magickal, and spiritual level. Wiccans of the Celtic Trad have a strong affinity towards Nature, the Elements, Healing, and the Fae. Today we will be taking a brief glimpse at the history of the Celts and their religion, a look at four prominent deities, and some specifics regarding Celtic magick as it relates to the Celtic calendar, the Ogham alphabet, sacred tree lore, and animal magick.

To understand the Celtic Tradition we must first understand and acknowledge its roots. While today most people think of Ireland when they think of Celts, the Celts actually were originally spread out over a large part of Europe in addition to the British Isles. They occupied vast areas of western and central Europe during the last half of the first millennium BC. Although the early Celts were comprised of a number of different races and tribes, they were all linked by common origins and language, common religious traditions, and a close similarity of laws.

Our knowledge of the religion and mythologies of the Celtic people comes from three
different areas in Europe. From Gaul, which is modern day France, Britain (most specifically Wales), and Ireland. The Celts themselves did not commit their traditions to writings, but handed them down orally. Thus our knowledge of the Celts is dependent largely on fragmentary texts transcribed during the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries by Christian monks, which provide us with ancient legends and heroic tales, but not many hard facts. Archaeological evidence has provided us with clues as well, however, so we are able to piece together a fairly accurate picture of the Celtic world. It appears that the Celts of Ireland maintained their cultural integrity until close to 500 AD, and it is there that the pagan Celtic mythology has been best preserved. For this reason, what follows primarily focuses on Irish Celtic lore, with a smattering, here and there, of Welsh.

Trying to piece together the origins and details of the Celtic religion that the Wiccan Celtic Tradition is based on is no easy feat. As mentioned earlier, the Druids did not keep written records, and what information we have is pieced together and transcribed by Christian monks and colored, undoubtedly, but their viewpoints. However, we do have details of some rituals and festivals, as well as lore regarding the important Irish pantheon of the Tuatha de Danaan.

The Tuatha de Danaan was an Irish pantheon of various gods and goddesses, both specialized to specific crafts, and generalized (like the paternal Dagda). Some of these gods correspond to the continental Celtic ones, some don’t, and some Celtic gods have no counterpart in Ireland. It has been suggested that the Tuatha de Danaan may actually be an artificial composite of deities stitched together by later storytellers. However, the story of the Tuatha de Danaan is an interesting tale, regardless of its origins, and many Tuatha de Danaan deities are called upon today by Celtic Wiccans.

In brief, the Tuatha de Danaan, who originated from Greece, were a highly skilled band of faery-folk, with great knowledge and skill in the arts of magick, music, poetry, and weaponry. They came to Ireland from four cities situated on the corners of the wind, Findias (South), Gorias (East), Murias (West) and Falias (North). The Tuatha de Danaan quickly conquered the Fir Bolg, who had colonized Ireland under a treaty with the Fomorians. Soon after, the Tuatha King, Lugh, defeated Balor -the Fomorian’s greatest warrior, and the Fomorians were driven from the island.

Each city held a master of wisdom who gave a treasure (or Hallow) to ensure the Tuatha De Danaan flourished. Uscias gifted the sword, Esras gifted a spear, Semias gifted the cauldron and Morfessa gifted a stone, each representing the cities respectively. The Danaan ruled Ireland for a hundred years, when, on the First of May, the Milesians attacked the island. Despite the great magick and prowess of the Tuatha, the Milesians triumphed. One of the Danaan’s great gods, The Dagda, led them underground and found retreats for them in hollow hills encompassed by hidden walls, to live undisturbed by mortals.

Present-day Celtic pagans have brought this ancient Irish pantheon back to prominence and now once again, requests for aid and guidance are being asked of such deities as Brigid, Dana, Oghma, and Lugh, just to name a few. The enduring success of this group of deities is due, in part, to the richness of this pantheon andthese goddesses and gods give the Celtic Wiccan a wonderful foundation to base their faith upon.

The Celts honored a wealth of deities. For the most part, Ireland, Wales and Gaul worshiped different localized deities, but some gods were known across all the pantheons, even if their names differed slightly from country to country. Here we will be focusing on two prominent female deities (Brigid and Rhiannon) and two prominent male deities (The Dagda and Cernunnos).

Brigid is probably the most famous of the Irish deities, as her worship endured into Christian times. Even to this day she is worshiped as her eternal flame has been re-lit at her convent in Kildare. In earliest times, she was a member of the Tuatha de Danann (the daughter of the Dagda and Boann and the wife of Bress). Later, she was made a saint in the Catholic pantheon, and earned the nickname “Mary of the Gael”. Even within the Christian pantheon, however, Brigid kept most of her pagan attributes, chiefly her association with fire.

Today we know Brigid best as the goddess we honor during the Celtic festival of Imbolc, celebrating the birth of spring. In addition to the importance Brigid holds for us during Imbolc, she is also believed to aid healing and fertility, as well as help assist women in labor. She is the Goddess of poetry, feminine crafts, the hearth, martial arts, healing and inspiration.

In today’s magick and ritual, Brigid can be called upon to aid you in virtually any endeavor you wish to undertake. She may be called upon for assistance in fire magick, crafting, inspiration, animal magick, fertility, healing and childbirth. Brigid is truly a powerful and prominent goddess.

Rhiannon is a Welsh goddess. Her original name is thought to be Rigatona (Gaulish), meaning “great queen”, which indicates that she once held a much higher status in the Celtic pantheon than she enjoys today. Rhiannon is a potent symbol of fertility, yet she is also an Otherworld and death Goddess, a bringer of dreams, and a moon deity who is symbolized by a white horse. Her father was Heveydd the Old, and she was married to both Pwyll and Manann. The story of her marriage to Pwyll, and the subsequent accusation of the murder of her child, is well documented and most people are familiar with Rhiannon from this tale.

In her guise as a death Goddess, Rhiannon could sing sweetly enough to lure all those in hearing to their deaths, and therefore she may be related to Germanic stories of lake and river faeries who sing seductively to lure sailors and fishermen to their doom. Her white horse images also link her to Epona, and many scholars feel they are one and the same, or at least are derived from the same archetypal roots.

In today’s magick and ritual, Rhiannon can be called upon to aid you in overcoming enemies, exercising patience, working magick, moon rituals, and enhancing dream work. My personal affinity to this goddess is strong, which turns out not to be too surprising, as though my journey over the years I found that my love of horses, moonstones, and dream work all correspond to her. I have talked to other witches who also are drawn to her, and am reassured that Rhiannon is enjoying a resurgence in importance to the Celtic pagan.

Dagda, the Good God, is the Irish Lord of the Land and the husband of Boann, the goddess of the river Boyne. Druids see him as a God of wisdom with extreme power, abundance and the ability to restore life, a belief sacred to the Celts. Portrayed as ancient man with hair of gray, he is grounded and simple in every way. He possesses a cauldron known as “the Undry”, which came from Murias, one of the Tuatha de Danann’s four mythical cities. This cauldron gave food to all, according to the individual’s merits. No one ever left it unsatisfied.

As Lord of the Land, he was a valiant defender of it, and performed great deeds in the battle between his family, the Tuatha de Danann, and the Fomors. In peace-time the Dagda played his living harp, which has two names – “Oak of the Two Cries”, and “Hand of Fourfold Music”. As he played upon it, the music causes the seasons to change – spring to summer, summer to autumn, autumn to winter, and winter again to spring. The Dagda’s final resting place is said to be a small barrow near the river Boyne, known as the Tomb of the Dagda, which has never been excavated.

In today’s magick and ritual, you can call on Dagda’s energies for almost any purpose you might need. He may be called upon for wisdom, animal magick, warrior skills, fertility, protection, assist in faery contact, elemental magick, or to increase mental prowess. Like Brigid, he is an extremely powerful and prominent deity.

Cernunnos was known to all Celtic areas in one form or another. He was called The Horned God; God of Nature; and the Great Father. The Druids knew him as Hu Gadarn, the Horned God of Fertility. He is usually portrayed sitting in a lotus position with horns or antlers on his head, long curling hair, a beard, naked except for a neck torque, and sometimes holding a spear and shield. His symbols were the stag, ram, bull, and horned serpent. He represented virility, fertility, animals, physical love, Nature, woodlands, reincarnation, crossroads, wealth, commerce, and warriors. Born on Alban Arthuan (Yule) he is often seen holding or wearing a golden torc signifying his connection as a solar deity and the wealth he may share with others.

In today’s magick and ritual, you can call upon Cernunnos for aid in fertility, magick and animals. Cernunnos is perhaps the most prominent and well-known of all Celtic deities, and many pagans of all paths honor him as the god that shares life’s journey with the Triple Goddess.

Wiccans following the Celtic Tradition usually employ various aspects of Celtic lore when creating and performing their spells and rituals that goes beyond simply calling on the various Celtic deities. Some aspects include following the Celtic Calendar, using the Celtic Ogham alphabet in divination or writing spells, utilizing specific sacred trees for spells and healing, and calling on totemic animals for aid and guidance.

The Celts based their calendar on the cycles of the moon instead of the sun. The Celtic year consisted of 13 months, 12 of which were roughly the same as our modern months, and one extra three day ‘make up’ month leading into the new year. Each month was governed by a moon, and had a sacred Ogham tree associated with it.

The Celtic Calendar included two primary fire festivals; Samhain (the beginning of winter,) and Beltane (the beginning of summer,) marking the movement from the dark into the light time of the year. Two other seasonal fire festivals were also celebrated: Imbolc (February 1), and Lughnasadh (August 1). Dates and seasonal associations noted here are that of the Northern hemisphere. For those who reside in the Southern hemisphere, the exact opposite dates and seasonal associations apply.

The onset of each season was observed at the Albans (Solstices and Equinoxes,) although the central point of each season was celebrated and recognized by a Fire Festival. These four Albans were Alban Arthuan (winter solstice or Yule), Alban Eiler (vernal equinox or Ostara), Alban Heruin (summer solstice or Litha), and Alban Elved (autumnal equinox or Mabon).

This Wheel of the Year is widely used among Traditions and pagans worldwide; not just Celtic Wiccans. This celebration of the turning of the seasons is an important part of how we view the world and is a cornerstone for our faith.

Ogham is a form of writing originally used by the Celtic people of the British Isles prior to the introduction of the Roman alphabet and Christianity. Each letter of the Ogham alphabet has the name of a tree or other plant, and each of these trees had a meaning in the Celtic religion.

The alphabet consists of twenty letters. Each letter consists of one to five strokes extending from or crossing a horizontal line. Ancient Ogham inscriptions are generally found cut into the edge of hewn stone, with the edge representing the horizontal line. When the edge is actually horizontal, the letters read from left to right. Vertical edges
were usually written from top to bottom, and in the case of a three-edge structure, such as a dolmen arch, the writing began at the lower left, ran up the left side, across the top, and down the right side.

Today, modern Celtic witches use Ogham for divination and spell work. For divination, the letters can either be carved on sticks and cast, or painted on cards and read like tarot. In other uses, the letters can be carved into candles to assist in spells or used to write out requests that are presented to the gods during rituals.

The culture of the ancient Celts was influenced by a great unity with nature, which we continue today. Reverence is given to all aspects of nature, but perhaps nothing was as sacred to the ancient Celts as the tree. The Druids actually created a calendar from the trees to personify the spirit of the Esbat, and today many people wonder why the tree played such a significant role in the Celtic life. Perhaps one reason is so many cultures modeled the universe and spiritual progression after a “Tree of Life” or a “World Tree”. Trees were a physical representation of unity with all things because of their visible upper parts which reached into the heavens, and the unseen bottom parts, or roots, which reached far into the ground. These bottom parts were virtually identical to the upper parts and perhaps reflected to many the ancient adage “As above, So below”. Trees physically unite the heaven and earth making the Earth Goddess and the Sky God one, united two halves of the whole and making them a powerful source of creative magick

Today the counting of the Celtic tree calendar begins with the full moon nearest Yule.
Once this is pinpointed, count off the thirteen moons of the lunar year and mark them
with their Tree. The Trees’ order is as follows: Birch, Rowan, Ash, Alder, Willow, Hawthorn, Oak, Holly, Hazel, Vine, Ivy, Reed and Elder. Each Tree has its own power, polarity, and magickal significance which we can call upon to strengthen our spells. The Trees also can be used for herbal magick spells, as various parts of these Trees have healing properties. Trees can be an invaluable aid in many of our magickal endeavors, and should be honored with the same respect given them by our Celtic ancestors.

Everywhere one looks in the ancient Celtic myths there are animals. They are the allies of heroes, the helpers of those who travel in search of wisdom, and the companions of shamans and witches. Animal symbolism found in Celtic myths include boars, birds, serpents, fish, horse and cattle, just to name a few. Boars symbolize courage and strong warriors. Fish, especially salmon, are associated with knowledge and secrets. Snakes and dragons are portents of trouble, strife and infertility. Birds also may presage bad luck or bloodshed. Horse and cattle represent fertility, as do many occurrences of animals in Celtic legend.

These legends have helped shape how we, today, relate to these animals in our own mediations and magick. Many following the Celtic path have strong relationships with their animal familiars, both physical and astral, and feel comfortable calling upon the strengths of other animals that are not their familiars. Animals hold a wealth of
knowledge and wisdom (as the ancient Celts well knew) and following the Celtic path allows us to reap the benefits of these close ties with our animal brethren.

As you can see, there is an incredible amount of knowledge a Wiccan of the Celtic Tradition should learn in order to honor their chosen Trad properly. Entire books have been written on Celtic lore and magick alone, and this essay has only been able to touch the tip of the iceberg. However, it is important to remember that following a Celtic Path requires not only knowledge of deities, plants, trees, animals, seasons, rituals, healing, history, etc., but also the appropriate attitude of reverence and celebration of spirit that ties us with Nature and our past. Celtic Wiccans should have both a strong sense of personal responsibility and a code of personal and social ethics that binds us all “in perfect love and perfect trust”.

References:

Conway, D.J. Celtic Magic. St. Paul, MN: Llewellyn Publications, 1990
Conway, D.J. By Oak, Ash, & Thorn – Modern Celtic Shamanism. St. Paul, MN:
Llewellyn Publications, 1995
Cotterell, Arthur and Storm, Rachel. The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Mythology. New
York; Hermes House, 1999
Hutton, Ronald. The Pagan Religions of the Ancient British Isles – Their Nature and
Legacy. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Blackwell Publishers, 1991
McCoy, Edain. Celtic Myth & Magic. St. Paul, MN: Llewellyn Publications, 1995
Matthews, John. Celtic Totem Animals. London, England: Red Wheel, 2002.

I know what you’re thinking, “Glass isn’t crystal!”, and you’re absolutely right from a scientific standpoint. Glass itself is man-made from natural sand that has been melted at extremely high temperatures then molded, hardened and cured. Sea glass starts its life out as just such glass that has broken with time and wear, eventually making its way into the ocean and, after many years, finds itself coming to rest on shores that are often thousands of miles from its origins. Keep in mind that the journey this glass has taken to arrive may have begun decades and quite possibly many centuries before it was found. However, from a metaphysical standpoint, sea glass is a powerful gem filled with the energy of the elements that have transformed it from a simple piece of refuse glass into a beautiful and highly sought after gift of nature.

My first experiences with sea glass happened during a trip to Moon Cove near Santa Cruz, CA. Moon Cove is the name we have given to a deep cave nestled into the coastline where water ebbs and flows as the waves break against the outlying rocks before gently rolling through the opening. Walking into the mouth of the cave is like journeying into the womb of our Mother. The healing and restorative energy found within is like no other I’ve experienced before. One day my coven decided to take reflective solitary walks along the shore and would meet back at the cove in three hours time. During my own walk, something caught my eye. There in the sand was a soft bluish stone that was almost translucent. The surf continued to roll over it as the tide began to creep further inland. Fearing it would be swept away, I reached my hand into the cold, foamy water and picked up my treasure. Holding it within my hands I could feel the energy emanating from it and I instantly felt at peace. Elated with my find, I continued to walk along the shore and was thrilled to discover several other pieces of sea glass that day. Some very small, some slightly larger, each holding amazing amounts of energy that were unique to each and every piece.

Sea glass energy possibilities are as vast as the colors in which it can appear. Each piece has had a unique experience over its long journey that has likely spanned longer than you or I have be alive. During its journey it has ridden the waves, stumbled into the depths, been lost in the darkness, and reached for the sunlight. It has seen life and death and in the end has experienced its own rebirth.

Since that day I have become an avid collector and work with sea glass regularly. You will find it on my altar as a representation of water elements. You will find smaller pieces that I take to the seashore with me to leave as offerings to Yemaya. You will find me using them in my healing work to strengthen one’s ability to heal through even the most debilitating illnesses. You will find that I use sea glass in my spiritual counseling work as a reminder to those who are struggling with difficult life challenges that transformation can and will happen if you push through the pain of growth and persevere.

I highly encourage you to explore the amazing world of sea glass and find your own unique ways of working with this miraculous gemstone. You can purchase sea glass to start working with it right away, however the next time you find yourself on the shore of the ocean be sure to keep your eyes on the sand and open yourself to the energy of the pieces that are waiting to be found and heard. They are out there! Sea glass is truly a gift and a treasure worthy of being used in magick and healing as a crystal or gemstone. Each piece is an energy-laden blessing that has been birthed from our Great Mother’s watery, life-giving womb.

Learning to read tarot can be an intimidating prospect, especially for someone who is really new to the idea of tarot.  78 cards with deep meanings and many images and symbols on each card can seem like something that you might never get a handle on.  It can be a lot easier than you may think, but it’s important to keep in mind from the very beginning that the truly great tarot readers spend their whole lives studying and working with the tarot.  It’s not just a matter of memorizing upright and reversed meanings for 78 cards and then you’re done.  It truly is a lifelong mystical path all on it’s own that can add a great deal to the path of a Wiccan or Pagan.

In a future blog we’ll talk more about the ins and outs and history of tarot but for today we’re going to look at a simple exercise for getting started with a deck.  Many people pick up a deck and just want to start reading and working with the cards and this is a simple way to do it.  When working with this exercise you can do this with any tarot deck, and it can also be used for oracle decks suck as angel cards and the like.  It’s also something that you can start and keep working on and adding to for months or even years to come as you explore your deck more.

All you’ll need is a large notebook or journal, ideally with 2 pages for each card in your deck, and then of course your deck of cards.  Begin by placing a title on each page, or every other page, for each card in your deck.  So you’ll have a pages titled “0- The Fool”, “1 – The Magician” and then others like “Ace of Wands”, “2 of Wands”, all the way through your 78 cards.  If you have pages left over at the back you can designate some of these pages for specific kinds of notes along the way by doing things like titling pages “Relationship Spreads” and writing down details on relationship related spreads that you enjoy using, or a section titled “Daily Cards” where you can track daily card pulls (which we’ll talk about in a moment).  In the end you should have a book that almost serves as a tarot specific Book of Shadows almost.  You can also opt to do this as a general, overall book, or you can do what I do and make a new one for each new deck that you start working with.  Since different decks will give you different messages and impressions this is a great way to get to know each new deck you start working with and how to really keep track of what you’re doing with your cards.  If you decide to work with books for multiple decks I highly recommend using a large three ring binder so that you can keep the notes for more than one deck in a single place, something that just makes finding your notes and information easier as time goes on and your practice grows.

What you’ll do next, and how you do it, is somewhat up to you and how you would like to work with your cards.  I personally go through the deck in order and do a handful of cards a day.  You might want to do them in a random order, do only one a day, or spend a few days working through the whole deck.  What you want to do is take time to sit and really look at your card and observe it as though you’re inside the card.  What does it feel like to you?  How does it make you feel emotionally?  What stands out?  Are there colors or symbols, items or people that you find your eye and your mind automatically being interested in and looking at when this card is in front of you?  If there are, what do they mean to you?  Write down all your thoughts and feelings about the card on the page or pages in your book titled for that card.  Do this without referring to any books or notes that came with the deck.  This helps you to develop that key element to tarot reading that separates good readers from great readers; the ability to read intuitively with confidence.

After you take time to make your notes based on your intuitive feelings about the cards, go back and look at the information in the book.  Often times different tarot authors and different tarot artists will have specific takes on things in their own deck that might differ from other decks.  Sometimes these will be things that may make sense to you and other times they may not.  Go with what you feel, intuitively, is right in your readings.  If there are certain things in the book that really seem important to you that you want to incorporate in your card interpretation, make notes about it on the page.  You will be surprised to see just how many things you might have picked up on before doing any formal research into your cards.

Different cards will also take on different meanings when they pop up next to different cards.  You might want to make notes about this as you use the deck to help you just with getting to understand how the cards work together.

Meditating with your cards is another way to get more insight into the messages that they have for you.  Each day set some time aside to sit down in a quite place where you can focus and meditate with your deck.  Shuffle the cards and when you feel ready, pull one from anywhere in the deck (some people like pulling from the top others like to pull from somewhere at random, while yet others will fan the deck out in front of them and take one that just draws their attention; use which ever method feels best for you).  When you get your card, turn to the page in your book for that card and then take some time to just consider the card.  You might want to soften your eyes as you look at the card and just take a few deep breaths and relax, letting the information come to you.  If there is anything you feel that you need to add from this to your notes on the card, add it now.

Then turn to a blank page at the back of your book and mark down the date and the card you pulled.  Note any specific messages that you feel the card has for you for the day (or the next day if you’re doing this in the evening).  For example if you pulled The Fool, it could be that today you need to approach things with a sense of adventure, optimism and maybe even with a sense of naive wonder.  But do you feel you need to cautious as well?  Maybe you need to also be aware of any warning signs that you could have your head in clouds today as well.  Whatever you’re feeling, intuitively, that the card is saying to you for the day, write it down.  At the end of the day come back and look at your comments and notes and see how it fits in your day.  Make some affirming comments or maybe journal about how the day went and why the card didn’t fit for you.  Sometimes, and quite often, you’ll find that in doing this other meanings for the card that you didn’t think of at the time suddenly reveal themselves to you through the events of the day.

Working with your cards shouldn’t be a chore; you should be excited to do it and each day should bring you a new experience with your tarot deck.  By taking your time to work through the cards like this, getting to know them and building your own intuitive confidence with them, you’ll find that you’re not having to memorize, you’re simply listening to the cards and what they have to say to you.

Some excellent tarot books that can help you getting started can be found in the Sacred Mists Shoppe!

Heart of Tarot: An Intuitive Approach by Amber K

Rachel Pollack’s Tarot Wisdom by Rachel Pollack

21 Ways to Read a Tarot Card by Mary K. Greer