Tag: Witchcraft

A Spring Story for Ostara

A story by Calista Moon on .

Happy Ostara, my darlings! Spring is here! With intermittent cold spells and buckets of rain to soak the earth, the planet is revived! Like I said in my Worm Moon blog, this is my favorite time of year, so I’ll do my best to keep this shorter than normal. I could talk about the Spring Equinox for hours! This Sabbat covers several days, from roughly March 19th to March 23rd every year. Globally the first day of Spring is considered to be March 20th, which also happens to be my birthday! So I’m going to indulge myself and share a spring myth that most people know bits and pieces of.

Now, there are a lot of myths in a lot of pantheons and cultures regarding the changing of the seasons, but lately the story of Hades and Persephone has been growing in popularity, at least in America. If you’ve heard of the web comic Lore Olympus, or the musical Hadestown, you’ll also know that the tale of Persephone’s abduction has been incredibly romanticized. I want to talk about the basics of this myth today and I will do my best to keep it simple. The Greek pantheon is my personal focus. I’ve been obsessed with Persephone since I was a little girl, so the names are familiar to me, but I’ll do my best to break it down for you in an easy to understand way.

Let’s start with our characters for this tale. We have Persephone, the Goddess of Grain and Vegetation, and her devoted mother Demeter, Goddess of Agriculture and the Harvest. Another big player, of course, is Hades, King of the Underworld, God of the Dead and Riches, as well as his brother Zeus, King of the Gods and God of the Sky, Lightning, Thunder, Law, and Justice. In addition we have an appearance by Helios, the personification of the Sun, and Hecate, the Goddess of Boundaries, Crossroads, Witchcraft, and Ghosts. An important note about Hecate is that she is often depicted carrying a pair of torches and a key. These will come into play later, I promise.

So what’s the base myth? Upon seeing her beauty, Hades was so taken by Persephone that he went to his brother, Zeus, who also happened to be Persephone’s father, and asked for Zeus’ blessing in taking Persephone for his wife. Zeus knew that Demeter was incredibly protective of Persephone and would be hard pressed to allow Hades to take her to the Underworld, so he granted Hades permission to abduct Persephone without Demeter’s knowledge. Overjoyed, Hades came up from the Underworld through a giant crack in the earth and swept up Persephone as she was gathering flowers.

Imagine Demeter’s heartache when she realized her beloved daughter had disappeared. She enlisted the help of Hecate to search for Persephone, traversing all the crossroads and searching the darkest places with her torches. As the search dragged on, and Demeter’s despair grew, she neglected the earth and crops wilted. Famine spread with Demeter’s attention fixed elsewhere, and anguished cries of the people were raised to the other gods of Olympus. Helios, who towed the sun across the sky, had seen Hades abduct Persephone and eventually told Demeter where she could find her daughter.

Meanwhile, Zeus heard the cries of the people, and saw the barren land that threatened the end of all things. He sent word to the Underworld for Hades to return Persephone at once to restore balance. Hades agreed under the terms that Persephone had eaten nothing while in his care, for that would tie her to his realm. This is where the story diverges in its many retellings. One version says that Hades tricked Persephone into eating six pomegranate seeds, binding her to the Underworld for 6 months out of every year. Another version says that Persephone ate the pomegranate seeds willingly in secret, insuring that she would spend half of the year with the King of the Underworld.

With the knowledge of her future tied to the God of the Dead, she returned to her mother’s arms. Demeter was so overjoyed, that the earth burst forth with new growth and abundance. This is how Persephone became known as the Goddess of Spring. Her six months spent in the Underworld with her husband are when the land is dying and quiet, as Demeter mourns her daughter’s absence during Autumn and Winter. But with her return, comes Demeter’s delight and as such, the planet grows new and lush for six months of Spring and Summer.

There you have it! The myth of Persephone’s abduction. Not quite as romantic as recent retellings would have us think, although I like to think that, if no love existed between the Hades and Persephone at the beginning, perhaps it’s grown with time. And there’s plenty more to Persephone’s tale, of course. After marrying Hades she became known as “dread Persephone”; Queen of the Underworld, Goddess of the Dead, Life, and Destruction, but this particular story is pertinent because Ostara is about celebrating the Spring Equinox. Therefore, if you subscribe to such things as I do, the Queen of the Underworld is returning to us for six months to embrace her mother and tend to her original realm as Goddess of Grain and Vegetation.

I know this has gotten long, so I won’t be going into step by step detail for how to celebrate this Sabbat. However, I do want to reference the Worm Moon blog one more time. I left you with the question “What do you want to grow? What needs weeded out of your life to make room for that growth?” That’s what I want you to think of my dears. What does your life look like on this new path? Connect to the newly awakened earth Connect to the full moon. Steady, hardworking, reliable Virgo’s effect on the Worm Moon is the perfect time to shift into a new stage of your life, plant seeds for yourself, and harness the potential of the earth buzzing beneath our feet as Persephone returns! It’s supposed to rain here this weekend. You bet I’ll be dancing in it and visualizing the success of my spiritual garden! What feels fresh and new to you? How can you welcome the opportunities that are beating down your door? Listen. You’ll hear them! Blessed Ostara!

Growing with the Worm Moon

A story by Calista Moon on .

Oh my darlings, what a lovely time of year! The ground is thawing, the earth is moving, and the wind gets warmer every day! In just a few days’ time, we’ll be seeing the third full moon of 2022. March’s full moon is called the Storm moon, the Seed moon, and the Worm moon. They’re wiggling themselves around in the dirt, those worms, and making the planet ready for sowing the seeds of this year. If we plant our seeds properly, we’ll reap a bountiful harvest later this year, especially since this full moon comes the day before Ostara, the Spring Equinox! But I’ll talk about that in a different post. This one will be long winded enough!

This is my favorite time of year, and not just because my birthday is on the first day of Spring. The way the earth smells, the storms that come to water the ground, potential buzzing in the air. They all come together in such a powerful, yet subtle way to start the cycle of the seasons over again. We have rested through winter and come through ready to start fresh.

The March full moon will be in the steady, organized earth sign of Virgo, and in conjunction with the Spring Equinox, you had best believe this comes with enormous death and rebirth vibes! The Seed moon is already a time of rebirth and fertility, but to align with the rebirth of the entire world in the focused Virgo sign shows change is upon us and new opportunities will shortly be beating down the doors. You may already know what needs to be let go, or be in the process of letting go. Don’t fight it, but welcome the flow of change.

Now if we’re being honest, I’ve recently started a new job and have had far less time and energy to dedicate to these blogs than I had previously, so I think with change upon us in such a grounded way, it would be smart to let it come to us. At least, that’s what I’ll be doing. And boy, is it coming! This is a time of balance, growth, and renewal, so I plan to do a long meditation this month. This is going to be in tandem with my Ostara celebration. I work with Persephone as one of my deities, and welcoming her back topside for Spring is something I really enjoy doing!

So let’s talk about associations! The Worm moon has a small collection of stones associated with it, among which are Aquamarine, Bloodstone, and Green Aventurine. If you’d like to harness some of that reliable Virgo energy, try adding Amazonite, Green Moss Agate, or Snowflake Obsidian into the mix as well. I know I will be! It should come as no surprise that this time of rebirth is associated with soft pastel colors, light lavenders, pinks, yellows, and greens. Remind you of any large commercial holidays that are just around the corner? Hmm? Easter? A time of rebirth? Coincidence? I think not, my darlings. But let’s bolster it this month. Let’s really bring that growth home with Virgo’s deep greens and hearty browns, like the earth after a storm. We’re ready for change. We’re ready to grow. We’re ready to find ourselves on stable, fruitful ground.

Now if you’ve learned anything about me at all, you know I love burning herbs. The Storm moon’s herbs, aren’t in my cabinet currently, but they include Apple Blossom, High John, and Pennyroyal. Instead of stressing about finding these before the 18th, I’ll be burning the Virgo associated herbs Marjoram and Dill with my usual Rosemary for cleansing and Mugwort to honor the full moon. You can also burn Jasmine or Star Anise in tribute to the full moon for love and harmony respectively. And if you’d like to have flowers on your altar, have all of them. It’s springtime! Adorn yourself and your space! It’s time for a joyous awakening! Fake flowers, little baby buds, trimmings, saplings, and seedlings; whatever you like!

I know that normally I give a step by step of my process for my full moon rituals, but that part will be coming in a post later about Ostara as I am combining my full moon ritual with the Spring Equinox celebration over the course of several days. So today I want you to think about what you want to grow. Relationships? Wealth? Hobbies? Your practice? What do you need to let go of to make space for that growth? What do you want to let go of? Now is the time to organize your priorities and decide where you want to go next. What serves that forward movement? The growth is waiting. Virgo’s calm, collected capability will see you through. All you must do is harness it. I’ll see you in my Ostara blog, my darlings. We’ll talk more about carrying these out then. Blessed be!

A Hermit’s Wisdom

A story by Calista Moon on .

Hello again, my darlings! I hope you’re all getting through the Ides of March safely and are ready for Ostara in a few days! I’ll be posting a blog about the Spring Equinox in a few days, but today is Tarot Tuesday, so let’s have a short talk about our next card; The Hermit. He’s a straight to the point kind of guy.

Much like his name implies, The Hermit is all about solitude. Upright, he urges you to take some time for yourself to consider your motivations and get to know yourself in an authentic way. If you’re feeling a little lost, this introspection can help shine some light on the path you walk. It may not show you the end of the road, but sticking to your values can help show you where to step next when you’re feeling uncertain. Remember that the answers you seek can always be found inside you. That is where you will find your own integrity and motivation.

Reversed, The Hermit still speaks to solitary contemplation, but from an isolated or withdrawn perspective. You’re out of balance, either taking too much time alone and shutting out friends and family, or you aren’t taking enough time alone and are struggling to focus on what is important to your innermost self. All life is about balance, and your ability to strike out on your own is just as important as staying connected with others. When we are out of balance in this way, we can feel chaotic and uncertain, or even so lonely at times that it can lead to delusions. Figuring out which way you’re leaning is the first step. The second is taking action to remedy the imbalance.

Trust yourself at this time. You know what you need, whether that is time alone or connection to community. That desire for community is part of the reason we started this webpage! It helps bring us all a little closer to each other, our crafts, and to any passersby that want to join our cyber adventure here. Do what you know is right for you, my darlings!

It Lives In You

A story by Calista Moon on .

Hello again, my darlings! Can you believe we’ve had 2 months of Tarot Tuesdays now? I have to say, writing all these posts has really brought me closer to my own witchcraft practice. It is deeply fulfilling to be sharing my knowledge with you and has certainly helped me flesh out my own grimoire! So let’s keep going, shall we? Today we’re going to talk about Strength in all its forms.

Upright, the 8th card of the Major Arcana speaks about physical, emotional, and psychological endurance and how this is rooted in our belief of our own capabilities. Your strength gives you the confidence to overcome growing fears, doubts, or challenges. You are fueled by your inner strength, personal power, and determination now. Your strong will allows you to control a situation quietly and without excessive outward force. Instead you guide gently knowing you will persevere. If you have been feeling burnt out, stressed, or drained, now is not the time to lash out at obstacles that appear in your path. Take your gut reactions, and channel the raw emotion into a constructive response. Note your instincts, but bring them into balance with your goals. The strength is in you to do so. Reach deep for your resolve.

It stands to reason, then, that its reversal shows us being vulnerable to self-doubt and lacking self-confidence. If you’ve been pushing hard to achieve a goal or dedicating yourself to others, you may feel sluggish. Strength reversed invites us to take stock and restore energy levels through withdrawal and others for a short time. You must take care of yourself if you wish to take care of others. If you neglect your own needs, you may find yourself prone to explosive behavior. Perhaps you’ve already lashed out at others and have acted without thinking. Beware your animalistic instincts. They can drive you to do or say something you will come to regret.

Strength is much like bravery. Even when you feel weak or scared, the ability to push ahead is where your real strength lies. The Strength card isn’t about forceful brawn. It’s about endurance and confidence, whether you’re lacking, or full to the brim. Use these qualities constructively and avoid reactive behavior where your primal, raw emotions are involved. While those feelings are valid, they won’t help further you toward your goal. Stay focused and in control of your faculties as best you can, my darlings! Let me know some calming techniques that work for you when you feel the animal aggression rising, and I’ll see you all next week!

It’s About Drive, It’s About Power!

A story by Calista Moon on .

Hello again, my darlings! Welcome back to Tarot Tuesday, where I break down each individual tarot card for our own edification! Today we’ll be looking at the 7th card in the Major Arcana, The Chariot. I know I can be long winded in these deep dives, but this card is straight to the point, so this will be a quick read today. Traditionally a vehicle for war, the Chariot maintains the feel of ambition and drive toward a goal. Action is key to remember with the chariot. You don’t want to fiddle around. The course is plotted, and you can either go forward or turn back, but staying in one place is going to result in failure. 

Upright, The Chariot is a sign of encouragement toward your goal. Stick to your path, regardless of the challenges that arise, and there will be challenges. Remaining confident, assertive, and focused on what is essential to you will lead you to success. Don’t flounder and don’t cut corners or you will not reach the finish line. Use your willpower to lay down boundaries and hold the line as you advance. Display strength and courage now. You have the ability to reach this goal, but you are responsible for your level of determination and perseverance. Build the habits and disciplines necessary to help you succeed.

When The Chariot arrives reversed, it’s time to retreat. You’ve been hell bent toward your goal, but take a moment or five to re-evaluate the path and see if you need to change direction. If you find that you’ve deviated from that which matters most about reaching this goal, realign yourself with your values before changing tact. That deviation may be why you’re facing more obstacles than necessary. Look at what you can and cannot control, and focus on that which IS in your power to change to improve the situation. If you find that you’ve become consumed with detailing every moment of every day, try loosening your grip and letting the days pan out on their own. Remember, that accepting help is not weakness, even if it doesn’t align with exactly how you wanted to proceed. Do not burn yourself out unnecessarily on a solo path. 

Whether you’re meant to plunge ahead through whatever stands in your path, or rein in the horses, the Chariot wants us to look at our dedication, values, and self-discipline. These must all be aligned to find success in our endeavors, whatever they may be. There will be days that motivation is nowhere to be seen, but on those days, we strengthen our resolve and lean on the disciplines we have created to continue forward. Inner strength and willpower are our greatest tools, my darlings. Exercise them regularly and they will remain healthy and ready for battle!

New Moon, Who Dis?

A story by Calista Moon on .

Hello, my darlings! I hope you’re all feeling open to change and possibility as we come up on the New Moon on Wednesday! Since we focused so much on Imbolc last month and the power of manifestation it gave us in conjunction with the new moon, I wanted to have a special post just for the new moon. My working from last month was wildly successful, so this new moon I’m going to cultivate gratitude. I want to manifest a day to day where I see the good things over the bad. Not ignoring the problems, but not letting them consume me either. So let’s talk about the new moon.


In this state, the moon is considered “empty” since there is no light on her. She’s a dark moon, ready and waiting for all the light to fill her up again. She is drawing it to her little by little, making progress every day towards the fullness we’ll see in two weeks’ time. This particular new moon will be in Pisces, my personal sun sign. Pisces is an introspective water sign, with positive aspects of dreaming, imagination, and intuition. Some of the negative aspects include delusions, deceit, and dissociation from physical reality. 


With the moon in Pisces, you may be feeling more sensitive or perceptive of your surroundings, causing you to act passively. While waiting to see what comes next isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it may come from a place of insecurity. If that resonates, don’t hold yourself back now. Open to the potential and opportunities surrounding you. If that doesn’t ring true, spend this period of rest and calm investing in your creative interests or spending time on your spiritual practice. If you don’t have a spiritual practice, maybe now is the time to build one! Whether that’s saying a little prayer before bed, or taking 5 minutes in the middle of the day to meditate and quiet your mind, the imagination of Pisces will greatly influence these areas should you dedicate time to them.


 Like I said, I’m going to be looking for opportunities to exercise mindful gratitude in the coming weeks, and to build that new perspective, my ritual this month will look a little different. Since Pisces is the water sign of the fish, I’m going to be taking a ritual bath. I promise that this wasn’t coordinated with the post that the Master Librarian made for Fae Friday, but it does seem to coincide well! A ritual bath isn’t something I’ve done before, so everything I share in this how-to will be rather experimental, but a lot of the steps remain the same.


1. First we’ll cleanse our workspace. In this case, it will be the bathtub. (If you don’t have a bathtub, that’s okay. You can take a ritual shower too. Or even just take some extra care in a face wash. There’s no wrong way, guys! Seriously!) I would suggest cleaning the tub/shower like normal, and then if you feel so inclined, burn some incense or wipe some moon water around the tub in a clockwise motion. Remember, clockwise for welcoming in energy, counterclockwise for banishing energy. 

2. Let’s dress our workspace. A couple things to keep in mind if you’re a crystal lover like me: First, Selenite represents the moon and is a powerful cleansing and purifying stone. Second, DO NOT get it wet. Keep those shiny beauties on the sink counter or on a shelf nearby. They don’t play well with water. Other stones that represent the new moon are Clear Quartz for grounding, Labradorite, the gem of magic, and Tiger’s Eye, a powerful manifesting stone. If you want to represent Pisces, their stones are Fluorite, Amethyst, and Aquamarine. All of these stones are fine to be near water, so I’m planning to put them on the edge of the tub or on the shower shelves. I also intend to burn some herbs, so I’ll have my cauldron on the counter with Rosemary for cleansing and protection, Mugwort for awakening the third eye and banishing negativity, and Sage (a Pisces related herb) for wisdom and blessings. I’ll also have a couple of candles for my deities and a lighter and charcoal for the cauldron. I’m going to have a cup, some dried sunflower petals, bath salts, and lavender essential oil for the bath as well.

3. Charge and cleanse your vehicle. For this particular ritual, I’m going to be my vehicle, since I am the one seeing the opportunities for gratitude every day. I plan to start drawing the bath, light my candles, and then light my charcoal to burn the herbs in my cauldron. I’ll fan the smoke from the herbs around myself with the following incantation:

I quiet myself with the Black Moon. As she is now empty, so too do I cleanse and open myself to that which I have overlooked. As she fills, so too will I become stronger in the positivity surrounding me.


During this portion I’ll be envisioning the smoke attaching to the dark parts of my mind and body that have been overwhelming my day to day. I envision this as a black sticky tar like substance. The smoke will encapsulate the tar and separate it from my energy. I’m going to put a large amethyst on my third eye in the middle of my brow bone and visualize it opening like an eye to see the objective truth of reality.

4. Bath time! When the bath is full, I will add a few drops of Lavender essential oil for calm, bath salts for cleansing, and sunflower petals for peace and clarity. I like to listen to music in the bath so I’ll be starting some gentle music before adding the last ingredient; me! The cleansing portion of this can look however you like. I will be pouring water over my head and visualizing the water connecting with the smoke covered tar and washing off of my person, safely into the water where it will be cleansed and neutralized. I’ll repeat my intention three times as I do this:

I cleanse myself so that I may see more clearly the world around me and the path before me.

Then I’ll set the cup aside and quietly submerge and meditate in the water, thinking on all of the abundance present in my life. 

5. Closing the ritual. When you’ve finished your bath and are draining the tub, envision all the black tar that didn’t neutralize in the bath going down the drain, back to the earth. Mother earth neutralizes all. (If you took a shower, you can visualize this while you are cleansing instead of seeing the black tar neutralizing in the tub.) Before putting out candles I’ll say: 

Thank you for listening and assisting me in this working. I have all that I need while working towards what I desire to have in my life. I welcome gratitude, joy, and silver linings. I open myself to that which serves my Highest Good and aligns me with my Highest Self. And so it is. And so it is. And so it is. Blessed be.

I’ll thank my deities for joining me and invite them to stay if they wish before extinguishing their candles.

And there you have it! A new moon gratitude ritual bath! Once I’m dried and dressed, I’m going to make a list of things I’m grateful for and post it up in the house so I can see it every day as a reminder. Like I said, this is an experimental spell for me, so let me know what you would change or what you intend to manifest in the comments. Happy manifesting, my darlings!

The Lovers; More Than Romance

A story by Calista Moon on .

Happy Tuesday, my darlings! We’ve talked about balancing masculine energy, we’ve talked about balancing feminine energy, and now we talk about where they meet and balance against one another. The Lovers card is the 6th in the Major Arcana and represents harmony, balance, relationships alignment, and oddly enough, love. Who would have guessed! While it generally refers to romantic relationships, the Lovers can also speak to any close relationship where love, respect, and compassion flow.

In a relationship reading, the upright Lovers show that you have a beautiful soul tie connection with a loved one. It’s a sign that if you communicate openly and honestly with those you care about, you can create a healthy vibrant relationship that is built on trust. In a personal reading, it represents figuring out what you stand for and living authentically. Staying true to yourself is paramount in establishing what is, and is not essential to you. Clearly set your values and beliefs about who you want to be in this lifetime and how you want to connect with others, as well as on what level you wish to connect. Choice is the core of this card. You may be facing a moral dilemma, and choosing love will not lead you astray. Love for yourself, others, or the universe at large. Choosing love, choosing to unite forces, even outwardly opposing forces, can create something whole. Accepting the duality of a situation or of differing peoples will let you build a relationship or foundation from which love can flow.

When this reversal appears in a personal reading, it speaks to self-love and respect. Do you accept yourself and the value you have in the world? Are you envious of qualities that others possess? If you can see these desirable qualities in others, remember that you already have them within you. You could also be facing a tough choice with significant consequences, or perhaps you’re punishing yourself for something you’ve done or that you consider yourself responsible for. Look inwardly and align yourself with your Highest Good, no matter how difficult the path may be. Forgive what has come to pass, and focus on specifying your personal beliefs and values now. Aligning yourself with detailed goals will help guide you in making decisions you’re proud of next time. If the Lovers are reversed in a relationship reading, it signifies imbalance in the relationship, whether romantic or not. Communication may feel strained, or perhaps one of you is more emotionally invested than the other. You may know that you love this person unconditionally and that this moment will pass, but be mindful that if the imbalance persists for too long, this can lead to disappointment and insecurity later on. Take the time to address miscommunications or the imbalance of emotional efforts if you wish to maintain a healthy open foundation.

Remember that communication is the core of any strong relationship. Whether you are communicating your ideals to yourself so you stay clear on your path, or making yourself vulnerable with another person by communicating honestly to maintain a healthy relationship, honest communication is always going to lead to resolution. Sometimes we don’t want to talk about the relationship, or look at how far we’ve strayed from our path. It’s hard. It’s scary. It’s tiring. But it is so worth it to know that you have given the top efforts toward yourself and those you care most about. So take a deep breath, sort your thoughts out, and stay authentic to yourself, my darlings! The hard work is the most rewarding!

The Hierophant’s Sagely Advice

A story by Calista Moon on .

Happy Tuesday, my divine darlings! Today we continue our journey through masculine energy with the Hierophant, or The High Priest. Sixth in the Major Arcana, he is the counterpart to the High Priestess. Where she is divine feminine, the Hierophant is our divine masculine. He is a sage, filled with spiritual wisdom and a well of knowledge in tradition and institution. This echoes the systematic structure that The Emperor thrives on and uses to resolve issues that land at his feet. The Hierophant is more intellectually inclined and represents a set of spiritual values and beliefs that are often correlated to formal religious structures. He is often associated with the zodiac sign Taurus.

 
(Now this isn’t exactly relevant, but I feel compelled to share that I found issue with this association when I first started my journey. Taurus? Stubborn, loving Taurus is associated with the search for knowledge? That didn’t seem right. I struggled with it, wondering why it wasn’t associated with more intellectually based signs or planets. But eventually I realized that Taurus is ruled by the planet Venus, the planet of love and beauty. Taurus, known for being practical, determined, artistic, and resistant to change in combination with the love and beauty of Venus makes sense when you apply it to tradition and religious beliefs. The core of most organized religion is “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” “Do what ye will and harm none.” These are inherently loving rules. Be kind. Be understanding. Be patient and compassionate. With Venus’ love as the foundation of most spiritual institutions, given time to form tradition and formalize religious practice, these systems become rigid, stubborn, and resistant to change, much like the earth sign Taurus.)


Now back to the task at hand. Upright, The Hierophant encourages you to learn the fundamental principles of your preferred field of study from a trusted source. If you are returning to school, the Hierophant is here to confirm that you are on the right path. If you have already mastered an area of study, he may be asking you to consider becoming a teacher or mentor. Regardless, he says you are following convention and staying within the bounds of a tried and true system. He may also be reaching out if you have been lacking ritual or tradition. He could be calling you to honor familial traditions or sacred rituals that have long laid neglected. He may even be a sign that you are ready to create a regular practice such as daily prayer or meditation. If you have these practices set up in your life, but are feeling disconnected, he can represent membership of an institution. You may find comfort being surrounded by those who have well established beliefs and values with whom you can identify and that will prompt further learning.


Adversely, the reversed Hierophant reminds you that you are your own teacher. All wisdom comes from within. Now is the time to divert from blindly following others and to go against tradition. They may question your choices, but if you are feeling restricted and have lost the sense of freedom that learning brings, now is the time to make your own rules. Challenge the status quo and find whether the beliefs of the many align with your values. Flexibility is necessary in education. As we learn our opinions and perspectives change. When change is stifled, so too is the pursuit of knowledge. Strike out on your own and seek the knowledge that’s being kept from you so that you might draw your own conclusions.


Much like the Emperor, the Hierophant walks a fine line. His is between blind obedience in organized systems and the disobedience of leaving the “approved” realm of knowledge to align with your own values and interests. The needs of the Hierophant can change from day to day. One day we may need community and support, the next we could need the solitary introspection of lessons with which others in the community don’t agree. The wisdom of the Hierophant is that you cannot write off community and institutions. Stay open to all courses of education. Bring in all the knowledge and counsel you can, but at the end of the day, make up your own mind. Don’t lose your curiosity, my darlings. Never stop learning, and know that if and when your outlook changes, it’s not because you were wrong before. It’s because you learned!

A Moon By Many Names

A story by Calista Moon on .

Hello, my darlings! I hope you’ve spent the last few weeks focusing on your manifestations from Imbolc’s new moon, because the sixteenth of February marks the second Full Moon of 2022. This one goes by many names for a lot of different reasons. The first name I heard for February’s full moon was the Bone moon, but in researching for this post, I learned it is also called the Snow moon, the Ice moon, and the Quickening moon.


I always liked the name of the Bone moon, because it makes sense historically. Food reserves were running low around this time of year, and people relied on bone broths and gnawing the last of the meat off of bones for sustenance before spring made her grand entrance. However, we’re a bit removed from that lifestyle these days with 24 hour grocery stores and year round abundance, so I wanted to look into other names that may resonate more with the earth and the lives we lead now. The Snow moon and Ice moon make sense, especially considering that here in the Midwest we just had one to two feet of snow fall in 2 days a couple weeks ago. 


The Quickening moon intrigued me. I like the tie it gives to the cycle of the planet. In my Imbolc post, I talked about how the very first stirrings of life were beginning to move in the earth again, and Imbolc translated means “in the belly”. The Quickening moon echoes this to me. Spring is building beneath the surface. The earth is rooting and waking. She’s preparing, much like a mother who feels her child kick for the first time. She’s not here yet, but she’s coming. Now is the time to strengthen our resolve and patience before change arrives. Take time to be grateful for that which you have now while we wait for the greenery to burst forth and change the world, yet again. 


The Quickening moon is going to be in fiery Leo, so if you want to harness some of that creative, warm-hearted and cheerful lion energy, I would encourage you to safely have a representation of fire on your altar. I intend to make a need fire for burning Rosemary and Chamomile since they’re associated with Leo (one of my favorite ways to work), but if that’s something you’re not comfortable with, don’t worry! You can pull out Sunstone, or Peridot, have a representation of a lion, or the sun on your altar. If those are out of your realm as well, you can simply add gold or orange colors. Remember, it’s less about tools and more about intention. 


Like any other full moon rite, you can focus on what you would like to let go of as the full moon wanes. With Leo being our point of reference for the moon, it could be a good time to release the weaknesses associated with this sign such as arrogance, stubbornness, or inflexibility if you’re feeling that you struggle in those areas. I know I will be releasing an arrogant inflexibility that manifests in needing to control situations this month! So let’s talk about what that release looks like.


I’m going to add this reminder every time I post a ritual or spell working. Every witch’s practice is a little different. This is mine.

1. Cleanse your space. This is the staple beginning point for any ritual or spell. Having a clean workspace helps us make sure our energies don’t get mixed. Just like for the Wolf Moon ritual I posted last month, I like to clear the workspace of old workings or stray items, and wipe the table down with moon water. For the full moon, try wiping in a counterclockwise circle for releasing or banishing. Clockwise can help with manifesting or bringing in new energy. Then I’ll do smoke cleansing of the area with incense. If you feel like you need to clear the entire room, try using a singing bowl to raise the vibration in the room or clear any lingering energy.

2. Dress your workspace. This is my favorite part. I set out my associated items for this working stones, herbs, colors, what have you. The Quickening moon is associated with bones, (shock!) Jasper, Amethyst, and Rose quartz for stones. It’s associated herbs are Myrrh, Sage and Hyssop, and its colors are purple and blue. If you are intending to include items for Leo, its stones are Sunstone, Peridot, and Onyx. Herbs, like I said before, are Rosemary and Chamomile, and it’s colors are gold and orange. I put out candles for my deities and light them to invite them to join me in my working. Since I am going to burn herbs and my intention to release, I am also going to make sure I have salt, rubbing alcohol and my cauldron in the space. I’m also going to have bay leaves and a marker nearby to write my intended release, but this can be done on a piece of paper as well. Personally, I prefer to burn herbs. They smell nicer than paper. I’ll also be keeping my djembe drum nearby for this working.

3. Meditate and connect. This step is crucial for me. I take time to quiet my mind and connect with the earth and the moon. Meditate on that which I want to release, and let the energy flow through me. For this particular moon, I will be using the following incantation:

I drum beneath the Quickening Moon to awaken the Earth beneath me. She who stirs with potential and grants us life, food, and shelter. I awaken my own potential alongside her. I take advantage of my strengths and gratitude in this time of preparation. Mother Earth, hear my drum and awaken with me. 


I will drum on my djembe until I feel ready to do my working. I tend to focus on the energy in my hands the most, though in awakening the earth, I also extend my energetic root to the earth and envision the energy she offers coming up to me for this working.

4. Charge your release vehicle. Once I feel the buzz of energy, I will grab my bay leaf and marker and write that which I want to release on it, visualizing the energy moving this need to control, this inflexibility and stubbornness, out of me and into the leaf through the writing. Sometimes after writing, you may feel that there is more energy to be moved out of you and into your leaf or paper. Take some time to sit with the item in your hand and continue moving energy into it until you feel like you’ve completely eradicated that which you want to release.

5. Burn to release. At this point we’ll set aside the leaf or paper, and bring up our cauldron, salt, and rubbing alcohol to make the need fire. Please remember to never leave your open flames unattended. Need fires burn bright and hot, but don’t burn for very long; only a few minutes. In your cauldron put one tablespoon of salt, and 1/2 to 3/4 tablespoon of rubbing alcohol. Mix this together until the rubbing alcohol has been absorbed and it’s a little gooey in consistency. Then use a long match or a long candle to light. It goes up quick, so use smart fire safety when making your own need fire. Once your need fire is lit, you can add herbs if you like, or just light your leaf or paper that you wrote on. As it burns, visualize the negativity being burned with the vehicle. When the fire goes out, it is done. 

6. After drawing energy from the earth, I take a moment to move any excess energy in my body back down into the earth and then pull up my energetic root. This can help if you wind up with a high energy of mind and body after workings. I usually still have a bit of an aftershock effect, but this step can definitely help in mitigating it.

7. Closing the ritual. Once your need fire goes out, you can do any other workings you have in mind or you can close with the following incantation:

Thank you for listening and assisting in my working. I release that which blocks me from my Highest Good and retain that which keeps me aligned with my Highest Self. And so it is. And so it is. And so it is. Blessed be.

I then thank my deities for joining me, invite them to stay or go as they will, and extinguish their candles. 


And look at us! We did our second full moon spell together! Thanks for joining me, my darlings. I hope removing whatever obstacle you released helps lessen the struggles in your path! If you changed anything or did something different, let me know in the comments! I’d love to hear about everyone’s nuanced differences.

The Emperor’s Call to Stand Tall

A story by Calista Moon on .

It is Tarot Tuesday yet again, my darlings! After two consecutive weeks of delving into our feminine energies and tuning in to our creative, nurturing sides, we are now ready to look at the other side of the coin; The Emperor. He is our masculine energy, both a father figure and firm but fair hand to lead us. He demands respect and finds comfort in structure. He walks the fine line between benevolent protector and tyrant. Being in balance with The Emperor is to know your worth and demand respectful treatment, to protect those in your charge, and teach as much as you learn. He is associated with the Greek and Roman god Ares, as well as the planet Mars.


Upright, The Emperor is unafraid of confrontation, and won’t hesitate to protect those he cares about. Like him, you must listen to the counsel of others, but make up your own mind in the end. Whatever situation you are facing, you need to embody the Emperor’s established rules and regulations. You can create calm from the chaos by breaking it down into its parts and mapping out the actions needed to resolve it. He signifies expertise and a worldly knowledge, and much like a father, wants you to impart your knowledge and expertise to others so that they may be as wise and powerful as you are. You know your boundaries and aren’t scared to hold them against the pressures put upon you by society, friends, family, whoever may challenge them. He is patient and disciplined in his endeavors, marching steadily toward his goals. However he is also flexible. He asks that you understand that change is a part of life and that adapting to bumps in the road or downed trees is a way of life. Keep your eyes on the bigger picture and keep moving. You will reach your destination.


Reversed, The Emperor warns of an excessive amount of control. Check in with your relationship to power and authority. Are you hoarding power? Abusing the amount of control you have in a situation? You don’t need to take power from others or give it away, it can be distributed equally. Perhaps you are facing the lack of power in a situation He may encourage you to stand up to authority figures. Perhaps your motivation and discipline to move steadily to your goal has waned. Check that your plan and routine support reaching your goal, and dedicate yourself to seeing it through. You may need to get tough with yourself and do the uncomfortable work you’ve been avoiding. It can be unpleasant, but it is necessary. There is also the possibility that The Emperor reversed speaks to an unhappy relationship. Perhaps you or your partner has become overbearing and possessive. If you feel your independence and freedom have been taken away, the power imbalance is putting strain on the relationship and you must confront it to regain a balanced flow of energies between you. 


Our masculine energy wants us to take charge. It wants us to stand our ground and connect with those around us to reach a greater good. Becoming friendly with confrontation is a challenge for most. We don’t want to rock the boat. We don’t want to make waves. We want to let change find us, but the Emperor is our sign to be our own advocate. We are powerful. We are capable. We can be understanding and still stand our ground on our boundaries. When the going gets tough, we can dig in our heels and brace for impact. You are stronger than you think, my darlings. And it can be scary to tap into that power, but it is exhilarating to take away the power that fear has over us. Breathe, assess, and keep your eyes on the horizon!