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By Amber C. Snider A personal journey into the power of uncrossing and why you should always remember to do one thing after casting your spell.  Photo by Alexander Krivitskiy | Unsplash Many, many moons ago at Enchantments, I remember discussing the concept of Uncrossing spells with the owner/head witch, Stacy. She remarked on how an Uncrossing spell helps remove blocks and anything that is no longer serving us and our higher purpose. It clears away the cobwebs and paves the way for new beginnings. Essentially, an uncrossing is about removal, stripping away, releasing, cleansing. Just as we clean our physical bodies with soap and water, we must also take time to cleanse our spiritual bodies, as well. But just like how any good scrub down session in the bathtub (or what some folks call the “everything shower”) can leave your skin dry and sometimes irritated, it's wise to follow-up all that washing with a balm, a lotion of sorts, to replenish what was lost. The same goes for magic, especially when it comes to uncrossing: afterwards, you should follow it up with a new manifestation, something you’d like to bring into your life next to fill the space you cleared away. I’ve known this to be true for quite some time, but over the years, even these seemingly basic lessons can get lost in the chaos. A few months ago, I found myself in a whirlwind romance, like a lightning bolt out of nowhere, and it was intoxicatingly fun for a while. But soon, the burgeoning of love turned chaotic, causing more hurt than pleasure, lacking a foundation for any real growth for a mature love. Soon, the yellow flags turned crimson red and I could no longer turn away from the glaring fact that this was not the person for me. One particularly confusing night, I did an Uncrossing spell for clarity, to help clear away that which no longer served me, and since one’s Spirit Guides and Higher Power tend to know what’s best, I accepted that whatever comes will come, and that it will be for the best. Soon after the spell had been cast, the person in question was gone from my life, leaving behind a messy trail in his wake, like a glittering road after a parade, filled with metaphoric shards, trash, empty words, and discarded (red) flags. I was free again. But in the aftermath, I had forgotten an important lesson I had learned so many years before: that one must follow-up this kind of necessary release with a new manifestation, something positive like healing, abundance, self-love, or peace. Shortly after the Universe had swiftly answered my call, over the next few weeks I found myself depleted, exhausted, and zapped of, well, joy. And this is why after an uncrossing, one must work towards filling an empty space/release with something positive, lest it be filled up by whatever’s floating around. Vestiges of the former lover’s “drama” kept popping up in my life, trying to reel me back into his cycle of messiness. Perhaps, the spell wasn’t complete after all. I decided to tap my friend and fellow witch Marisabel for insight into how she deals with uncrossing spells and the aftermath of getting exactly what you want.  “Uncrossing is a healing process for both the spirit and the mind, but not all uncrossings arrive in the same way. Sometimes they’re defensive, meant to shield you from further harm and tackle slander, envy, or the evil eye,” says long-time Enchantments witch Marisabel Santiago and founder of Sorcely. “Other times they’re cleansing, helping to dissolve the places where my spirit feels stuck or blocked. What I’ve learned is that the work of uncrossing can be just as tiring as scrubbing down an apartment or sitting through therapy. It’s necessary, but a lot. You cleanse, you heal and then you redirect.” That was the problem: I didn’t redirect my energies — my sacred, powerful, magical energies — and channel them into something higher. No wonder I was feeling fatigued and a bit lost. I had to reclaim my magic. And the redirecting aspect is just as important as the uncrossing itself: “I believe we only truly overcome a crossed condition when we can find our way back to our purpose, back to what restores our alignment with faith,” says Santiago. So what can one do after an Uncrossing spell to restore joy, redirect energies, and renew a sense of awe and wonder? “Sweetening spells are great because they welcome back the love, clarity, and happiness that crossed conditions can strip from us,” Santiago recommends. Burning yellow candles and happiness kits, sun baths, washing your floors with orange water.” Simply getting out into nature more and reconnecting with the earth can also do the trick, but in terms of candle spells, here are a few that are great for invoking abundance, love, and healing (and also my personal favorites): Crystal Healing, Empress, Venus, Love Healing, and the Sea Priestess candles. Also, if you’re serious about a new self-love empowerment journey, there’s also the Empowerment Kit, which contains a sacred Goddess oil blend, hand-carved candles, and one of my favorite books on the planet, Women Who Run With the Wolves. So which follow-up spell will I be doing? That, my friends, is only for me and my spirit guides to know. A witch never reveals her spells before they’re worked. It’s my hope, however, that my "mistake" will help you in your own magical journey, in your spell work, in your healing, towards a more transcendent, joyous, and fruitful life. As it is said, so it shall be. Blessings.  You can read more of Amber C. Snider’s work in her new book Wonderment: An Eclectic Guide To Awakening Your Divine Gifts and Inherent Potential (Llewellyn, Feb 2025), which helps you uncover the elusive spark that permeates all things, awaken your psychic senses, and tap into your creativity with the help of nature, magic, and the spirit world. Signed copies are also available here at Enchantments.  Amber C. Snider is an author, journalist, and senior lecturer with bylines in the NYT, HuffPost, Teen Vogue, Fodor’s, Harper’s Bazaar, Atmos, and many more at her website here. She’s also the editor-in-chief of Enchantments, a digital publication she created and designed with the head witch of the namesake shop located in New York City.
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By Amber C. Snider Whether you're headed back to school as a student, teacher, professor, or administrative worker, there's so much magic in this new season. Here are some spell candles to help with focus, academic success, creativity, and more.  Fast Luck Candle and Emperor Candle | Photos by Victor Castro For students, parents, and educators, “Back to School” jitters are a mix of excitement, nerves, and anticipation about the year ahead. I personally love this time of year, when the air gets crisper and is filled with a sense of renewal and intellectual excitement. In fact, it's my favorite time of year, especially as a writer, witch, and professor, and I love the opportunity it brings to combine all my passions (writing, magic, and helping others). Still, this time of year can be a bit nerve-wracking since everything is so new and unknown. A new classroom, students/teachers, subjects to learn, etc. Here, I've put together some tools from Enchantments to help you navigate this school year or semester with confidence, curiosity, focus, concentration, and a little luck. Whether you're a young student, college student, parent, or simply embarking on a new intellectual journey, here are a few spell candles to assist in your magical practice. For Academic Success (At Any Age) We recommend using the Emperor Candle or Academic Success Kit. The Emperor candle is all about expansion, divine guidance, luck, and growing confident in your work. It's great for when you really need to 'hunker down' and get a project completed, or when you'd like to manifest higher wisdom. The 7-day Emperor candle is especially good for those preparing for a big exam, long research project, and/or bringing recognition for a job well done. Similarly, the Academic Success Kit is a smaller version of the Emperor and includes two candles that burn between 7-12 hours to help promote intellectual pursuits. Alternatively, you can also try the "Fast Luck" Candle (pictured above), which can help during deadlines and inspiration over the course of one week. For Art Students & Artists Enchantments' Success in the Arts kit is a great tool for those in the performing arts or creative industries. For those working on a specific creative project and in need of a little “inspirational boost” try the Song of the Elder Gods 7-day candle, which is especially great for artists, musicians and performers. It also provides inspiration, focus and creativity and helps to achieve success or try the Song of the Elder Goddess (a Goddess-based candle for creativity, inspiration and success in the arts. To invoke the creative muse while you’re working on a project, you can also try the Divine Muse oil (or Divine Muse Bath) or Inspiration oil. Simply add a few drops to your wrist or neck (wear it as you would a perfume) or anoint your tools, such as pens, notebook covers, or creative objects with the oil.  Enchantments candle carving | Photo by Victor Castro For Elementary School Students or Parents If you’re a parent who practices magic with your wee witch, try doing a 7-day Solar Blast Candle together (or kit), which promotes happiness, friendship, growth, and positivity all around by invoking the energies of the sun. It's a candle that helps add a spark of joy in your everyday life. You can also use the Sun Oil in a diffuser during the day to encourage these qualities and keep the energy up in the home. When bath time rolls around, try using the Sun Bath Scrub (a solar blend for energy, positivity, vitality, inner strength, and self-confidence). For Pagan families looking for age-appropriate magical reading material for younger minds, check out the book Wee Witches, by Ted Enik and Beth Roth, which not only has a great little story, but is beautifully illustrated. For Junior High Students Honestly, if you could do it all over again, would you go back to middle school? (I can hear you cackling through the screen right now shaking your head NO). Middle school is a tough time because kids are figuring out who they are, where they fit into the world, and trying to develop a stronger sense of their identity. And with all that pressure, sometimes their self-esteem can take a hefty hit, especially if they’re trying to make a good impression. Try the Self-Esteem Kit, which comes with two smaller candles, a dram of self-esteem oil, and a sample hand-blended incense. It’s great for clearing negative emotions, as well as promoting self-love and self confidence. Similarly, Star oil also helps attract new friends and gain recognition. For High School/College Students The Academic Success Kit (or the 7-day Emperor Candle) is great for high schoolers and college students, as well as the Solar Blast Candle and Self-Esteem Kit. For stressful times (especially when SAT prep, college apps, and exams come along), try incorporating ritual baths into your practice. Some great baths for academic success include Crucible of Courage Bath (which helps in facing and overcoming fears, building courage and inner strength), Fast Luck Bath (which increases luck in all areas), and/or using the High Conquering Oil or Incense (also known as High John the Conqueror) which attracts luck in all areas and strength to overcome obstacles. For Parents/Teachers/Educators Try a 7-day Success Candle (or the kit here) or the Peace & Protection 7-day candle (or kit here). The Success candle promotes success in all areas, but as with any magick, you have to add/focus on your specific intention (such as focusing your intention on having a successful school year in general, success with navigating a new subject, or success in overcoming a specific difficulty or new challenge). Try to get as specific as possible when you use the Success Candle. The Peace & Protection 7-day candle (or kit or bath) is great for reigning in a sense of calm during challenging times, as well as preventing physical or psychic attack. But remember folks, magick does not and cannot create some invisible shield to make you invincible from harm, so practice common sense, as well. For Anyone in Academia Stress Relief & Relaxation Kit can help bring serenity and peace of mind. All Enchantments kits come with two 120 candles (which burn for about 7-12 hours), a dram of hand-blended oil, and a sample of hand-blended incense. You can use the contents of this kit for short ritual and also keep the dram of oil to use (as you would perfume) throughout the month when you need a dose of calm. You can also add magickal oils to your daily routine by diffusing them in your work/study space, anointing yourself with them (as you would perfume), or adding a few drops to your bath. Some great ones to try are Concentration oil, High Conquering oil, Crown of Success oil, Jupiter Oil, Motivation Oil, and Star oil. Here's to wishing you all a blessed new school year! |
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