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By Amber C. Snider Here are ways to make Valentine’s Day less about Hallmark and more about embracing your inner Venusian Goddess.  Venus de Milo. Photo © Victor Castro Valentine’s Day is swiftly approaching with Mercury still in retrograde, so things may seem a little tense or confusing when it comes to matters of the heart and communication. With the New Moon in Aquarius on February 11, you may find yourself questioning your existing relationship or singledom. But the cosmos is giving you time to reassess the ways you give and receive love, and perhaps most importantly, the ways you honor yourself. Under Aquarius' airy, intellectual, empowering energy it’s a good time for new beginnings, introspection, and digging deep. It’s not all about romantic love with a "perfect partner" –– what if this journey is about cultivating and sustaining radical self-love? Check in with your inner child. Creating space for your emotions is key to a healthy spiritual life. Especially after this extra intense, heavy year. You know that baby-self that everyone has? The tiny child within us all that just wants to be loved and give love? With the New Moon in Aquarius, your dreamy, idealistic side is in a better position to make amends with your inner child in new, creative ways. Try a 20 minute writing meditation and write an actual letter to your child-self. If you have trouble with this, imagine yourself as a toddler or a 4 year old –– what would you say to them? What would they have to say to you? Explore your/their needs, wants, desires, angers, disappointments ––aka start a dialogue on the page –– and listen to the answers you receive. Then write out positive affirmations as responses: “You are loved and protected. You are safe. You are a creative wonder and I cherish you. You’re doing just fine.” You wouldn’t say harsh and hurtful things to a child, so why would you do it to yourself? Nurturing that baby-child spirit within all of us is essential in radical self-love; plus it helps you recognize it in others. Try Mediation incense as you channel your inner child with this writing exercise. Try a Crystal Healing, Heart Chakra, or Empress Candle. Sometimes before we can welcome in all that self-love, we have to do a bit of healing first. If you’re feeling blocked in love and dealing with old wounds from the past, a Crystal Healing candle (in pink or green) may be a great choice, as well as the Heart Chakra candle (more on that here). If you’re not feeling particularly blocked, but want to reign in and expand that bad ass Goddess aspect of yourself, the Empress candle is all about magnifying self-love and confidence, while also used for attracting romantic attention. Spice up the bedroom. Literally. Burn some cinnamon, Goddess of Love or Bad Ass incense to amp up those feel good, sexy vibes. Add a textured, faux-fur throw to your bed for the next couple weeks. Add a splash of vibrant red décor or wall hanging for some color magick. Burn a Catch A New Love candle for 7 days. Or try these tips on how to invite more sexual energy to your bedroom.  Enchantments' store front. Photo © Victor Castro “Language is...an intellectual recreation.” Yes, oh thank you great Gertrude Stein. With the New Moon in Aquarius, a little word play fun is great for spellwork, especially when it comes to experimenting with new chants or even automatic writing. Everything doesn’t have to be so serious –– sometimes your inner child (yes, back to that) just wants to play. Mix up words (even if they don’t seem to make sense) and brainstorm new silly rhymes. When we give ourselves the freedom to explore and play creatively, without censorship or judgement, we can tap into our inner artist and creator within. Who knows, maybe you’ll even come up with inspiration for a larger project down the road. Burn or wear Inspiration oil or Divine Muse as you experiment with your word play or automatic writing.  Love Uncrossing Candle, pictured centered. Photo by Victor Castro Get crafty. It’s called witchcraft for a reason. Remember back in the day when all it took was a handmade Valentine card with a couple of Smarties from your crush to send your heart racing? Or how making Valentine’s cards for your classmates was, like, a thrill? Creating things with our hands not only keeps the mind busy and eases tension, but there’s a subtle joy in it. This week, try a new hobby as a gift to yourself –– maybe that means you try candle carving, making your own incense, weaving a basket, or meditative calligraphy. Whatever it is, you’ll pick up a new skill and have a little self-care token as a result. Self-care is not selfish. That’s right, let’s say it again: self-care is not selfish. If you’re single on Valentine’s Day or things aren’t going quite as you planned, don’t panic –– embrace that beautiful, luscious, vibrant Goddess of Love within and keep it moving. It doesn’t have to be a full-on Venusian ritual, but simply soaking in a tub full of fresh or dried rose petals, anointing your body with fragrant oils (here), or doing a full self-care routine (as in, thoroughly washing your hair, putting on that face mask that’s been sitting in the bathroom drawer for 2 months, spraying your favorite perfume, and changing into fresh clothes) can be a real mood boost. “As above, so below...as within, so without.” For more stories on love, check out this article on the symbolism of the rose.
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Interview by Amber C. Snider Trained in anthropology and a variety of magical traditions, Lilith Dorsey has been a Voodoo Priestess for nearly 30 years. Dorsey has initiations in Santeria (or Lucumi), Haitian Vodou, and New Orleans Voodoo and they are also the author of the bestselling book Orishas, Goddesses, and Voodoo Queens, which seamlessly blends folklore and mythology with practical spellwork. Here, Dorsey discusses the divine feminine in traditional African religions, honoring the orishas, the meaning of ashe, and turning to women of color to elucidate the intersectionality of these practices, while also debunking a few misconceptions.  Amber C. Snider: I have to say this book is truly excellent and one of the best I’ve read on orishas and goddesses. I really wish it was around years ago when I was working on my graduate thesis! What first made you want to write Orishas, Goddesses, and Voodoo Queens? Lilith Dorsey: I wanted to write this book my entire life. Growing up, I didn’t really see any positive images of the sacred feminine, let alone anything about Voodoo or Santo or any of the African traditional religions. At that point in time, they were still telling us things that were alternative or African were ‘bad or evil.’ Even at some of the pagan or occult events back in the 80s, you couldn’t have drumming or recorded music. The events were really restrictive, but the tide has since changed (for good and bad) over these last 20 years or so. At least we can drum now… ACS: Can you explain what ashe is –– and does everyone have it? LD: Everything has ashe. It’s the sacred energy of the universe when we talk about these African traditional religions. The orisha Oshun is simultaneously the ashe of the river, so that feeling you get when you’re by a river, or when you’re using river water in one of your spells or ritual baths. But she’s also the ashe of oranges, honey, the dance –– and it’s really not a Western way of conceiving of things. It’s really an African-based way of seeing things as connected on a different level. In that respect, my academic training helped me. Anyone in academia knows, you can compare any two things and make them seem similar or dissimilar. So in that way, it was about finding connections and also differences with the way, let’s say, the ashe of Oshun works compared with that of Yemaya. Yemaya is the ashe of the seawater or the top of the ocean. They’re both water, but they have very different characteristics. ACS: You also describe the many paths –– or the caminos –– of the orishas. Can you describe what these paths mean? LD: They’re not as simple as ‘Oshun is love’ or “Oshun is money’ –– there are many paths. When someone gets a reading, they throw the shells or opele, so there’s a series of different combinations that can come out in a reading. It’s very mathematical. Each one represents an orisha, but a specific path of the orisha. You can have an Oshun that’s very young and flirtatious and loves to dance. [But] I have a good friend whose path of Oshun sits at the bottom of the river, knits all the time, complains about everybody, and is sort of ancient! So there are many different parts, just as there are many different parts to a person. When you get the reading you find out, ‘Oh this is the path and this is the story that goes along with this path’. It’s mythology, folklore, and a cautionary tale all wrapped into one. Everything has ashe. It’s the sacred energy of the universe when we talk about these African traditional religions. ACS: Can you share a story of Oshun? LD: One famous one about Oshun has to do with her being poisoned with honey, so when you offer it to her, you taste it first to show that it’s not poisoned. A lot of people I know who are children of Oshun have very specific tastes; they are very picky, they don’t like eating at other people’s houses. All of this goes to their character, as being a child of Oshun. Whether they knew it or not. ACS: What was it like learning you’re a child of Oshun? LD: For me it was an a-ha moment. Like, ‘Oh, this is why I don’t like shellfish,’ which is definitely one of the big things you offer to her. But there are certain times, where after you’ve gone through initiation, you can’t eat shellfish anymore. A lot of the priests cannot eat shellfish or her other sacred items. It’s a difficult thing to explain because it’s not a Western concept, but you have a strong reaction to [the offerings of the orishas]. It doesn’t matter if your strong reaction is that you love seafood or you hate it –– both can be an indicator that you’re connected to that orisha. ACS: You brought up Mami Wata in the book and I really loved her origin story. Can you give a brief description of her and why you made the decision to include her in the book? LD: Mami Wata is so beautiful. She comes originally from West Africa from Benin, so it's slightly different from the orisha, which comes from the neighboring Yoruba region. It's different people; it's different languages, different everything. But Mami Wata is simply the spirit of water. So everywhere you have water, Mami Wata is present. She is a primal feminine figure. She's seen as the mother to all of us and they still do rituals to her. There's an amazing documentary by Djimon Hounsou called In Search of Voodoo that depicts two very beautiful rituals to her, one in the city and one at the water side. [It shows] how people do ritual baths and sing to her and pray to her and give offerings. They really connect with this divine feminine force that we all came from. So much of her has to do with protection and love, but also the fierceness that comes with motherhood. Patience as well. I remember doing a ritual for her in Canada with my Priestess Miriam and the ritual drummers had REMOS so they could get in the water. She had all of us singing and drumming and literally standing in the water for over four hours while we did this ritual. And the gravity of the world and the water and the beauty of it really became clear. And the stillness of it, as well. I’ll never forget that. ACS: The way you’re describing her reminds me a bit of Yemaya. How are they different? Is it just the regions or is there something fundamentally different between the two? LD: Generally, is it the region. But over the years, when [these traditions] were brought to Cuba and Puerto RIco and blended with the indigenous Taíno people that were there, Yemaya got separated into Yemaya and Olokun. Yemaya is seen as the top of the seawater, whereas Olokun is seen as the depths of the ocean. Mami Wata simply is all water. There’s not a distinction; She’s in all water, even the water that’s sitting next to me in a glass. Anywhere you have it. ACS: What is your spiritual background? LD: My parents named me Lilith so there was always a sort of goddess-informed existence. I think that showed up at the very beginning. There’s so much Lilith stuff out there now, but at the time when I was growing up in the 70s, a lot of it was very demonized and created by the misogynistic powers that be. Trying to find positive things about spirituality and witchcraft, I pretty much did on my own until I was a teenager. I remember going to Enchantments and Magickal Childe, all the stores...it was such a joy to be around people and have knowledge and information. This was before the internet so to be able to see and experience those things first hand was beautiful. ACS: How did you meet your first Priestess? I met my Priestess Miriam from the Voodoo Spiritual Temple here in New Orleans [28 years ago]. I gotta hand it to her, she did five rituals in five nights, which is a lot. And it was just so beautiful and she's like family to me and I've been studying with her ever since then. Over the years I did get initiations in other types of ATRs as different things occurred in my life. ACS: What led you to seek out the other traditions? LD: It wasn’t ‘Oh, let me go initiate in 5 different traditions'; there really were things in my life [that led me to them]. There was a situation I was in where I needed justice for this horrible thing and I had a dear friend who was a Santera Priestess in the Lucumi tradition, and she said well let me see if there's anything I can do. So we did a reading and it turned out that I needed to initiate and study with her. We did get justice in the situation, so that made me really happy. Same sort of deal with my Haitian Vodou initiations. I knew Priestess Miriam, but I was living in New England at the time and did not have much money as a single mom. I was traveling back and forth to New Orleans so often as I could and I started praying for somebody to come and help me locally. I was teaching tarot and intro to astrology at a UU church and they called me and said we have this Haitian Mambo who went to Harvard Divinity School and she’s coming as our UU Minister… ACS: It reminds me of the saying, ‘When the student is ready, the teacher appears.’ That seems to be true with the situations you’re describing. LD: Yes, I felt like I was ready. But there's a difference between when you feel like you're ready and when the universe feels like you're ready. I traveled 1000 miles to see my Priestess in New Orleans five times last year, before I moved here this year during the pandemic. Sometimes we do have to go out of our way because it is such an important thing. [Finding a spiritual family] is important. Can you trust them with your life? Because ultimately you are trusting them with your life –– with your relationships, finances, health, all of these things. I wanted somebody I trusted and then I prayed for it really, really hard to find the people I did and they did appear. Mami Wata is simply the spirit of water. So everywhere you have water, Mami Wata is present. She is a primal feminine figure. She's seen as the mother to all of us ACS: Which sections or subjects brought you the most joy during the writing process? LD: I felt joy writing about Oshun. I’m a daughter of Oshun and that gets determined by divination in the practice. I hoped it was Oshun because she’s so beautiful and graceful. I’m biased, but the ashe of the river, the sacred energy of the river, and talking about her just flowed out. There have been so many experiences and times that I felt her energy and felt the benefits of her blessings. ACS: When it comes to Lucumi and Haitian Vodou, there have been many misrepresentations of these practices, particularly in the media. What are some myths or misconceptions that you’d like to set straight? LD: I’d like to set the record straight about initiation and divination, because it’s very important. Everybody’s path is individualized. It's not one size fits all; you need to have a teacher because that’s somebody who's going to help guide you through all these things. As much as I want people to rush out and buy the book, it's not the kind of thing where you can just buy a book and then know everything. There's a saying: you can’t get Awo from a book, which is spiritual knowledge. You can get information, but it’s not the same as knowledge. It’s not the same as practical knowledge or deeply understanding deeply what these things do. I want people to understand that in order to respectfully practice the tradition it does involve working with a house. ACS: Do you recommend people get initiated before seeking out the orishas? LD: I guess it depends. For me, I draw the line at, are you just going to read stories about them or maybe leave an orange by the river? That’s more acceptable than, let’s say...well I knew someone who was a kook and threw a $50 necklace in the Hudson River in order to get a husband. And that’s not how any of this works. [That’s why getting a reading is important first]. Is finding a husband or partner the most important thing right now? Because maybe they have an issue with finances or with their home or health. It doesn't matter if they find the ‘perfect partner’ if the next day they're dead or homeless or some other horrible thing is going on that they really need to handle in the immediate. And then, if they want to move forward, maybe there's things they have to do in order to initiate. When my godchildren first start out [it’s] so hard for them, because many have been practicing magic for a long time. But I tell them they need to focus on themselves first. You need to help yourself first, get in a secure and settled place before you decide to open up a magic business and consult hundreds of people. And also secure advisors, teachers, and a network of people to help support you. It's not just about getting this ‘one thing’ you want. It's about shaping your life so that it's the proper path for you to travel; for you to live in the most successful way you can. ACS: Absolutely, Lilith. I’ve also noticed an uptick in popularity in Lucumi and other Afro-Caribbean traditions. How can magical practitioners and seekers understand more about these practices in a respectful and mindful way, without veering into cultural appropriation? LD: I usually recommend that people get a reading first. I'm not hard and fast on ‘this is something that's only for people who have African heritage,’ because some of the earliest signs of life were in Africa. When we go back anthropologically, that's where the cradles of civilization are, so everybody has some connection to that area and these practices. But whether or not everybody is supposed to run out and initiate, that's gotta be determined by a reading. If somebody is white presenting and [they get a reading that says] they should continue in the tradition, initiate and become a Babalawo or a Santero, [then the] reading backs that up. Instead of someone questioning you, they’re going to judge you based on your spiritual family. That’s why picking a spiritual family is so important. Where I draw the line really is the commodification of it. But I think there's a way in which people need to be really mindful of what they're doing. A lot of times I see the success of some practitioners that aren't African American or POC and I think it’s [because there is a] silent bias against the other practitioners and they really are taking away limited resources. It’s the same way that men and women don't get paid the same, and how Black authors don't get the same type of advances that white authors do. It's really a slim market and when you're competing in that capitalistic way, unfortunately you're going to be taking some of these things away from other people. ACS: In the book you bring you also talk about the importance of understanding goddess spirituality, feminism, and African traditional religions by specifically looking to women of color to elucidate that knowledge. Is that one of the reasons you wrote this book? Can you talk more about that? LD: It is. I think that a lot of the authors out there are not women and certainly not WOC, so I thought that [these were] greatly underrepresented voices when we are talking about orishas and Voodoo queens that are Black, they’re POC, they’re gods and goddesses of color. It's this Eurocentric, misogynistic viewpoint that's going to be very different than someone who grew up with this skin color, who grew up with this gender, etc. ACS: What tools do you use in your own readings and magickal practices? LD: I use a conjunction of things. I’ve used the New Orleans Voodoo Tarot for years –– it was written by my priest Lewis Martine and Sallie Ann Glassman who is a Mambo down here in the city. It was the first African American-based tarot deck, but I’ve also used things like pendulums and dowsing rods when I’m doing a reading. My priestess Miriam at the Voodoo Spiritual Temple uses a system of bone reading combined with geomancy and crystals. It's going to be different everywhere. Basically find someone who is a practitioner of the religion you want to practice and get a reading from them. ACS: Thank you so much for sharing your wisdom with the readers of Enchantments and many congratulations on this book! LD: Oh thank you! It’s a pleasure. *Editor’s Note: This interview has been edited for brevity and clarity. To purchase Orishas, Goddesses, and Voodoo Queens, visit the Enchantments shop in NYC or order online at our shop website.  Lilith Dorsey (M.A.) hails from many magickal traditions, including Afro-Caribbean, Celtic, and Indigenous American spirituality. Their magickal training includes numerous initiations in Santeria also known as Lucumi, Haitian Vodoun, and New Orleans Voodoo. A Voodoo Priestess, Dorsey has been doing successful magick since 1991 for patrons and is proud to be a published Black author of such titles as Voodoo and Afro-Caribbean Paganism, 55 Ways to Connect to Goddess, The African-American Ritual Cookbook, Love Magic, Orishas, Goddesses and Voodoo Queens, and the newly released Water Magic. For more exclusive interviews from Enchantments, check out our Spirituality Around the World section.
By Amber C. Snider Feeling fatigued? Unmotivated? Unsure of yourself? Here are 9 ways to balance and realign your solar plexus chakra to increase self-esteem, energy levels, and build confidence.  Photo by Clark Van Der Beken on Unsplash With the New Moon in Capricorn, it’s a good time to get practical, prudent, and disciplined in all things. Our solar plexus is our center of personal power. It’s the center of our personality, our ego, our identity, and when it’s out of balance we may feel a sense of powerlessness. We may feel “out of control” emotionally or alternatively we may feel the need to control others. Our self-esteem may suffer, our anxieties come to the surface, and we may feel stagnant, unmotivated, and fatigued. Tuning into this energetic center and healing any blocks can be transformative in our waking life. Not only spiritually, but also physically. The solar plexus chakra is located in our abdomen between our belly button and breastbone, so when it’s “blocked” or imbalanced, you may also experience digestive issues, breathing problems, bowel issues, and increased anxiety. The Third Chakra, or Manipura as it’s known in Sanskrit, is associated with the color yellow and the element of fire, and candle rituals (accompanied with other spiritual wellness practices) are a great way to help rebalance and retune this sacred center. Candle Magic Rituals for the Third Chakra Try a hand-carved, custom chakra candle for cleansing, healing, balancing, and strengthening the third chakra. Associated with energy, power, will, assertiveness, self-esteem, confidence, and courage, this candle comes with your astrological sign and name, and will burn for 7 days. We recommend taking a sea salt bath before performing any candle magic ritual, meditating on the color yellow as you light the wick, and saying words of affirmation, chanting, dancing, singing, etc to raise your vibrations to align with your intentions. Alternatively, the 7-day Solar Blast candle is also great for growth, expansion, empowerment, and invokes the energies of the sun. Wear intention-specific, fiery oils Our hand-blended Sun oil is great for invoking the fiery, expansive energy of the sun. You can wear it as you would a perfume or burn it in a small stone oil diffuser. Motivation oil is also a great choice for this Capricorn season, as well as Concentration oil. Outside of wearable, hand-blended oils, you can try burning essential oils like sandalwood and cinnamon in the home. You can check out Enchantments’ full line of oils here. Working with crystals Amber, citrine, tiger’s eye, and pyrite are all great crystals to help balance the solar plexus. Find a gemstone that works for you, charge it with your intention of healing (hold in your hand, preferably in the sunlight, and chant a mantra over it) and keep it in your purse/pocket or wear as a pendant. If you’re buying a new crystal/gemstone, it’s ideal to cleanse it from outside energies before wearing. You can do this by placing it in a bowl of salt for 1-2 days, smudging or smoke cleansing, or bathing it in sunlight or moonlight.  Solar Plexus Chakra Candle | Photo © Victor Castro Color meditations Color magic is a super powerful way to connect your intentions with energy. For the solar plexus, visualize a small, bright ball of light in your belly area. As you breathe into that center, imagine that golden, radiant light expanding outwards, following through all your limbs, and eventually extending beyond your body and setting around your auric field. Sit in the beautiful light you’ve created. Alternatively, you can pick a natural yellow object to meditate on, such as a sunflower, daffodil, or marigold. Imagine the flower starting out as a seed at your center, growing and blooming inside you, and filling your body with a luminous yellow hue and light. Sit with this visualization for at least 5-10 minutes per day while working on your solar plexus. Click here to read an interview with color magic specialist and witch Sarah Potter, where she shares ways to incorporate the power of color into your daily routine. Paint a room –– get creative We are creative beings by nature and magic isn’t all about rituals and formalities. Add some play and creativity to your daily routine by painting a vibrant yellow wall in your room, creating an acrylic painting with various yellow tones, or wear a bright shade of yellow to uplift your mood. Here are more ways to incorporate color magic into your routine. Burn incense for the solar plexus The best incense for the solar plexus is Sun incense, Motivation incense, and Crucible of Courage incense. These hand-blended, wood-based incenses do not require charcoal. Simply add a tablespoon or more of the incense to a fire-proof dish, touch fire to it, and smudge your aura and house 2x per day (and before rituals) while balancing your solar plexus. You can check out incense made at Enchantments here. Exercise Since our solar plexus is located in our physical center, it’s a good idea to add some physical movements and exercises to your routine. Exercises focused on the core are ideal, as well as yoga, deep breathing exercises, and light walking in the sun. Words of affirmation Here are a few to try either as morning meditations, with your candle rituals, or as written affirmations in a notebook: I am centered. I am whole. I am confident. I am radiant. I am enough. I am powerful and use my power to help myself and others. I embody light and courage. The sun lives within my bones, in my belly, and heals all. Consume yellow foods Consider adding squash, sunflower seeds, bananas, oats, cinnamon, and marigold tea to your meal plan for the week. As you consume yellow foods with intention, ask the food to cleanse, heal, and open your energetic center. Visualize how the sun encourages plants and vegetables to grow and flourish; as you eat, you’re also taking in that powerful sun energy as it fills and nourishes your body. Want to read more about chakra healing? Click here for a story on ways to balance and fine-tune your root chakra to promote stability and grounding. Botanical Brew author Amy Blackthorn weighs in on how to make a magical New Years Eve cocktail to “revive” your spirits and welcome protection, purification, and transcendence.  Photo by Jez Timms on Unsplash The one good thing about 2020 is we won’t have to suffer through watered down cocktails in an overcrowded venue while counting down the clock on New Years Eve. Here, bestselling author Amy Blackthorn shares how to prepare a lush botanical brew with intention at home, as well as the magical benefits of lemon, Lillet Blanc, and juniper berries, and more. Blackthorn says her Corpse Reviver recipe (see below) is good for protection, purification, and transcendence, making it a great choice for NYE. While these intentions are fairly serious (and necessary as we move into the next year), it's best to infuse each ingredient with a sense of play: “Making projects, recipes and cordials, it's all supposed to be fun. Whether you're trying the cocktails, mocktails, or a homemade soda, enjoy the journey. No one is judging your outcome, your progress or your recipes. This is your time to connect with yourself, your magic, and the nature of botanicals,” Blackthorn tells Enchantments. The idea is to prepare each ingredient with focused intention: “As you slice the lemon, visualize cutting the ties of anything holding you back,” Amy Blackthorn says. “Lemon has the magick of purification.” Lillet Blanc, an aperitif with notes of honey, citrus, and mint, “carries the magic of inspiration, overcoming obstacles and devotion,” she adds. Cointreau, another spirit in the brew, has the magic of abundance and affection. “All of these botanicals carry their own inherent magical properties as fruits and herbs. The effect only increases as they are processed, distilled and handled.”  Photo by Robert Svebeck on Unsplash Gin, a spirit made with juniper berries, is also in the Corpse Reviver, adding the magical benefits of protection and aura cleansing to your brew. A slowly maturing shrub, juniper berries take “two to three years of sunshine, rain water, and plenty of CO2 from human breath and environment” to fully ripen. When harvested, the berry (which is actually a seed cone) is “useful in at least five protection applications magically, as well as banishing evil, protection from harm by animals, aura cleansing, increasing the frequency of dreams and prosperity,” says Blackthorn. If cocktails aren’t your thing or you’d like alternative ways to utilize the power of juniper, Blackthorn recommends making a bitters (a tincture used to flavor beverages) instead. “You can get a hint of that delightful green flavor without adding the bulk of gin itself.” She dedicated an entire chapter entitled “Feeling Frisky” in her book to shrubs and syrups. This recipe calls for a fancy champagne saucer, but of course any glass will do. “Allow yourself to be fallible. Not every concoction is going to be a stunner. That's okay. You'll learn from the experience, and move on. Gordon Ramsey isn't looking to judge your cocktail-ability,” Blackthorn adds. “There's two kinds of magic in these potions: first, the inherent properties of these fruits, herbs and others. Second, the magic 'oomph' you supply when creating these recipes. Without you there to activate the magic inherent to these ingredients, they're simply tasty beverages. Don't forget to empower them in the way that suits you best. The final magical ingredient is always you.” Blessed be for this new year witches and we’ll see you in 2021! Here’s the full recipe, courtesy of Red Wheel/Weiser publishing, below:  For more on making magical brews at home, check out this "Old fashioned Witch" recipe here. By Amber C. Snider Author of the bestselling book Botanical Brews, Amy Blackthorn shares her “Old Fashioned Witch” recipe and why it’s a perfect cocktail for the holidays.  Photo by Ash Edmonds on Unsplash Made with orange bitters, amaretto, and bourbon, this old fashioned cocktail is sure to warm up the season and sweeten your Yule celebrations. Anything we create can be magickal when made with intention, so for all you kitchen witches out there, this recipe by author Amy Blackthorn is brimming with festive possibilities. “The measure of a great bartender is often how they make the 'Old Fashioned,' but with the addition of amaretto, you're adding not just the delicious flavor of almond, but the magic of creativity, defense against evil, and opening of the mind,” Amy Blackthorn tells Enchantments. It’s not just a tasty drink, but reminds us that “magic can be found anywhere.” The amaretto adds a balanced sweetness, especially for those who don’t want an overly sugary cocktail. Made with orange peel and orange bitters, (Amy calls the fruit the “star of the citrus crown), these small ingredients are packed with sunshine to help bring in the light on the dark days following the Winter Solstice. “Oranges are the perfect ally for magick aligned with the sun, prosperity, acton, confidence, creativity, business assistance, fortune, and calm,” she says. Bourbon, one of the main ingredients found in the recipe, also has magical uses. The principal ingredient of bourbon is corn, which can help in spells dealing with balance, purpose, mental acuity, and binding agreements. The best part is, you probably already have most of the ingredients lurking somewhere in your kitchen cabinet. “It’s easy to make and unassuming, so a couple sharing a quiet Yuletide night at home during lockdown can still celebrate the magic of the season,” Blackthorn says. “The magical energies of confidence and the return of the sun are perfect for the zest of the orange. Amaretto wards against evil, and bourbon brings prosperity and balance. Putting that together, the magical math, if you will, sounds like the perfect recipe to welcome back the sun,” Blackthorn concludes. Want to create this delightfully delicious Yule cocktail at home? Check out the full recipe below.  Recipe courtesy of Weiser/ Red Wheel publishers Want more ideas for Yule? Check out our bestselling gifts at Enchantments here. Need a last minute gift for the holidays? Here are a few of our trending & bestselling items, available online or in the Enchantments shop.  Photo © Victor Castro From the latest books to Moon Calendars, hand-carved candles, salt baths, and more, we've got something for every witch on your list.  Llewellyn's 2021 Witches' Datebook (available in-store at Enchantments or online here) A must-have for the new year and a perfect holiday gift, this witches' datebook is currently flying off the shelves at Enchantments. Complete with illustrations from award-winning artist Jennifer Hewitson and ways to celebrate the Wheel of the Year, the datebook also contains spells, Celtic tree months, seasonal yoga poses, recipes, and magical tips.  Moon Calendar Poster by Margins Imprint (available in-store at Enchantments or online here) Screen-printed in California and made with water and soy based inks, these Moon Calendars sell out at Enchantments nearly every year. They're affordable and look fabulous with or without a frame. Get it before the New Year drops, when we can collectively say good riddance to 2020.  Blackthorn's Botanical Brews (available in-store at Enchantments or online here) Eager to conjure up something magically delicious for Yule? Amy Blackthorn's latest title is a new favorite amongst Enchantments' customers. Complete with festive recipes and savory kitchen witchin' sippins, impress your social-distant friend pod with a sampling from this book. Like the other items in the list, this book is also flying clear off our wooden shelves, so call the shop for availability. While you're at it, check out her Botanical Magic book, too.  Solar Blast Candle (Handcrafted, customized, and available in-store or online here) 2020 is the kind of year that makes you wish you had the supernatural powers of Samantha Stephens from Bewitched and could wiggle your swabbed nose and have it just be over already (or the fury of Nancy from The Craft, if that's your kink). But fret not, real magic is still possible. Solar Blast candles are especially popular around this time of year because they promote joy, vitality, energy, and growth. And let's face it, we all need a heavy dose of all those things.  Moonology Diary (available in-store or online here) New for 2021 (thank the Gods & Goddesses), this Moonology Diary is a great tool for astrology lovers seeking to harness the Moon's power for positive change. Set intentions for the lunar cycles, manifest goals for each month, learn how to work with the four eclipses and Super Moons in 2021, and get the low down on the rare "Great Conjunction" (an astrological event that will bring about big shifts and release in this upcoming year). A favorite among customers, come by to get it fresh off the press in the Enchantments shop!  Orishas, Goddesses, and Voodoo Queens Complete with fascinating tales of orishas and goddesses from African and Afro-Caribbean religions (including Lucumi and Haitian Vodou), as well as insight into world famous Voodoo Queens, Lilith Dorsey’s latest book is filled with ritual tips, folklore, practical recipes, spells, offerings, and more. Orishas, Goddesses, and Voodoo Queens pays homage to these sacred, yet often misunderstood practices. By looking to women of color to “elucidate the intersectionality” of goddess spirituality and feminism, Dorsey points out that "modern women seriously need ways to connect with, and understand, their ancestral warrior strengths and power. "  Sea Priestess Candle (Handcrafted, customized and available in-store or online here) Invoke the healing power of the Great Ocean Mother with a customized, 7-day Sea Priestess Candle. This deep blue, hand-carved candle is good for deep emotional healing and rebirth. What better way to end this year than a healing ritual dedicated to the nurturing, yet fierce power of the Ocean Mother. You can also pair the candle with hand-blended oil here. *Note: this candle is not available in a kit, but you can order the full candle online or shop in-store.  Spellwork for Self-Care (available in-store or online here) This enchanted new book by Potter Gift offers 40 spells that infuse health & wellness with a dose of magic. As a mystical guidebook, it takes an "old-fashioned approach to the practice of self-soothing" and addresses our societal hunger for alternate paths to more a conscious, fulfilling life. Topics range from work/life balance to relationships, herbal home remedies, and more. A new bestseller among Enchantments' customers.  Hand-blended Salt Baths (available in-store or online here) Made in-house with magickal oils and dried herbs, our sea salt baths are great for a long, meditative soak in the tub on a cold winter's day. Choose from Divine Muse (great for artists and creative inspiration), Peace & Protection, Prosperity, Rebirth, Sun, Van Van and more. At $5 each online, they also make great gifts. Want more stories and gift ideas? Check out our 2020 staff book picks here.
By Amber C. Snider Bath recipes, incense blends, and rituals to help get you through the winter months.  Photo by Jared Rice on Unsplash As we inch our way towards the Winter Solstice, celebrating nature’s cycles may seem harder to bear this year. For many, 2020 has already seemed like one long, drawn out night. But sometimes the shadows can reveal deeper knowledge and profound magic. We don’t have to let isolation, loneliness, or fear take away our inner light. Here are ways you can alleviate winter blues, promote joy, and find peace this winter season. Ritual Baths We love our salt baths baths, oh yes we do. Winter is the perfect time to begin or return to your ritual bath practice. Not only does it provide physical warmth and comfort, but it’s a powerfully meditative and magical time to connect with yourself and the spirit world. Here are some hand-blended salt bath blends for winter: Peace of Mind (purchase from shop here) –– Calms the mind and helps you let go of stress Psyche’s Balm Bath (purchase from shop here) –– Uplifting blend to help sooth a restless mind and spirit; Helps promote emotional balance during tough times Hecate (purchase from shop here) –– Devotional blend to Hecate; Great for new moon rituals Peace & Protection Bath (purchase from shop here) –– Promotes of feeling security and peace Sun Bath (purchase from shop here) –– To promote energy, vitality, and honor the return of the Sun Or make your own blend at home: Try adding a few drops of bergamot oil (for a citrusy stimulation), patchouli, musk, rosemary, or clove (all oils can be ordered online at the Enchantments shop here) to 1-2 cups of sea salt or epsom salt (don't use table salt). Next, mix in fresh or dried herbs/flowers of your choice w/ the salt or place directly in the bath water. Soak in your magic. Quick at-home recipe recommendation: Enchantments’ witch Kristi Klein recommends creating your own bath blend using fresh flowers (usually roses), sea salt, and Helen of Troy oil (which is used to bring out inner beauty). Signature Hand-Blended Incense Start the day by burning incense in your home to promote good vibes, especially while you work from home. For the cold winter months, we especially love: Yule, Sun (“It’s very uplifting and always helps to shift my mood,” says Kristi Klein), Egyptian Temple incense, House Blessing incense, Meditation incense, Relaxation incense, and Winter Woods Incense. All incense blends can be purchased at the online shop here or in-person during business hours. Simply add a tablespoon or less of incense into a fire-proof dish (no charcoal required) and touch fire to it. Or create your own version at home: Sacred smoke is great for cleansing the energy of your home, raising vibrations, promoting good spirits, and clearing out stagnation. Try burning Frankincense, Myrrh, or Copal resin on a piece of charcoal to start the day and end the evening. EFT Tapping Also known as psychological acupressure, EFT may help alleviate anxiety, stress, and balance your energy systems. If you’ve never tried it before, here’s an article from Well + Good that explains more. Enchantments’ witch Kristi Klein says that EFT tapping has helped reset her mind and clear out negative thought patterns and beliefs. “I’ve definitely been struggling with loneliness myself, so I’ve gotten back into EFT tapping. I also listen to a lot of binaural beats while mentally chanting a mantra,” she says. “Usually something like ‘I am grounded, safe, and loved.’”  Photo by Jonatan Pie on Unsplash DIY Oil Blends Enchantments is home to countless essential and fragrance oils, perfect for mixing into baths, salt blends, or perfumes. Check out our simple guide to magical oils here and learn about how the power of scent can transform your mood. For bath: Add a few drops of your favorite scent directly into the water. Try birch, bay, cedar, eucalyptus, lemon, and/or sage clary essential oil. Essential and fragrance oils can be purchased online here. Diffusers: Add 5-7 drops of a fragrance oil into your diffuser and bask in the aroma. Try all spice, apple blossom, bergamot, cinnamon, fig, frankincense, tea rose, or tobacco. “Clove oil is always nice for a warm boost,” says Klein. To wear: Combine a few drops from any of the 2-3 oils above with carrier oil (such as Jojoba, rose hip seed oil, or coconut oil) in order to dilute before applying to the skin. 7-Day Spell Candles If you're a newcomer to candle magick, that's okay. Check out our FAQ about spell candles and Part II here, as well as our dedicated Candle Magick section to learn more. Each candle is hand-carved in the shop, customized with your name, astrological sign, and dressed with hand-blended oils and incense. We especially love the following spell candles during the winter time, since they each promote self-love, happiness, inner wisdom, and help promote feelings of security and warmth. Solar Blast (purchase online here) –– Helps the Sun come through to cleanse, purge and rejuvenate your entire being. Provides positive energy for all your endeavors. Heart Chakra Candle (purchase online here) –– For cleansing, healing, balancing and strengthening the heart chakra. This chakra is associated with love, self-love, acceptance, balance, intimacy, compassion and relationships. Root Chakra Candle (purchase online here) –– One of our favorite candles for 2020. Read an in-depth feature on how to balance your root chakra here, complete with an exclusive root chakra ritual from Enchantments. Love & Happiness Candle (purchase online here) –– Much like a solar blast, this candle focuses on bringing an abundance of love and joy into your life. Paves the way for new friendships and/or relationships, memorable moments with loved ones and increased self-love. Great Mother Candle (purchase online here) –– A devotional candle for the Goddess Purple Wisdom Candle (purchase online here) –– For gaining wisdom in the ancient sciences such as astrology, hermetic magic, Qabalah and other magickal systems. Also for divine insight in making decisions. Want to read more? Here's another article on how to practice self-love during hard times. Curl up with your favorite witchy brew and any one of these 10 delicious new reads for 2020. Here are our staff picks to help you enhance your intuitive skills, earth-based practices, ancestral magic, and more.  Photo by Eugenio Mazzone on Unsplash Orishas, Goddesses, and Voodoo Queens, The Divine Feminine in the African Religious Traditions by Lilith Dorsey Complete with fascinating tales of orishas and goddesses from African and Afro-Caribbean religions (including Lucumi and Haitian Vodou), as well as insight into world famous Voodoo Queens, Dorsey’s latest book is filled with ritual tips, folklore, practical recipes, spells, offerings, and more. Orishas, Goddesses, and Voodoo Queens both honors and pays homage to these sacred, yet often misunderstood practices. By looking to women of color to “elucidate the intersectionality” of goddess spirituality and feminism, Dorsey points out that "modern women seriously need ways to connect with, and understand, their ancestral warrior strengths and power. " *A staff favorite and top pick for 2020. Witch Hunt: A Traveler's Guide to the Power and Persecution of the Witch by Kristen J. Sollée Author of Cat Call: Reclaiming the Feral Feminine and the wildly popular Witches, Sluts, Feminists, Sollée’s latest title (released this fall) combines memoir and travel with a historical deep dive on witch trials around the U.S. and Europe. Read our interview with her here for more. Tarot: No Questions Asked Mastering the Art of Intuitive Reading Practical Techniques and Exercises by Theresa Reed In her latest book, “Tarot Lady” Theresa Reed offers an intuitive workbook for those seeking insight into the tarot, including interpretations of individual cards and spreads. Designed to “hone your intuition and sharpen your interpretation skills,” even without previous knowledge of the deck, this book is great for beginners and advanced practitioners alike who seek to broaden their reading abilities. Read Enchantments' interview with Theresa Reed, on her previous book co-authored with Shaheen Miro, Tarot for Troubled Times, here. Queering Your Craft by Cassandra Snow Written to "specifically address the needs of those who are queer, marginalized, living in the shadows, or on the edge of acceptance," Cassandra Snow's refreshing new book explores magick with an LGBTQ+ point of view. As an introduction to witchcraft, Queering Your Craft contains both a grimoire of spells, types of magick, meditations, best practices and more –– all while combining queer aesthetic and DIY culture. Entering Hekate’s Garden The Magick, Medicine and Mystery of Plant Spirit Witchcraft by Cyndi Brannen Author of Keeping Her Keys, Cyndi Brannen’s latest title explores plant spirit rituals and practical tips for using sixty botanicals associated with Hekate, including bay laurel, birch, dandelion, hawthorn, juniper, American mandrake, skullcap, pomegranate, and more. “Poetry, petitions, and musings about pharmakeia are woven throughout,” blending personal musings of the goddess with ancient traditions. An insightful homage to the Goddess of the Moon and honored Crone figure, readers looking to “enter Hekate’s garden” need look no further. A Woman’s Ayurvedic Herbal A Guide for Natural Health and Well-Being by Antonia Beattie and Caroline Robertson In a world where women’s health issues are often overlooked and under researched, Beattie and Robertson’s full-color A-Z guide to Ayurvedic herbs and spices is a welcomed relief, especially in 2020. This practical guide is filled with herbal histories and uses, home remedies, and accessible ways to apply ancient Ayurvedic principles to women's daily heath. Blackthorn’s Botanical Magic: The Green Witch’s Guide to Essential Oils for Spellcraft, Ritual & Healing by Amy Blackthorn While it’s not new for 2020, Blackthorn’s Botanical Magic has become a witch’s staple on the bookshelf. With 135 essential oil recipes, this book will keep you busy all winter long: learn about the healing power of scents, ritual tips, practical advice for purchasing, blending, and storing oils at home, and how magical aromatherapy can enhance your spellwork. Blackthorn's latest 2020 title, Botanical Brews, will have you conjuring delicious cocktails, recipes, and brews all winter long. Year of the Witch Connecting with Nature’s Seasons through Intuitive Magic by Temperance Alden Founder of Wild Woman Witchcraft, Temperance Alden’s new title (released in November 2020) is packed with cultural and historical facts about the major ceremonies connected to neo-paganism, basic principles of earth-based magick, and nuanced approaches to celebrating the rhythms of nature. She also covers how to “intuitively connect to the nature below your feet and local gods,” as well as uncovers the origins of the wheel of the year. Wild Wisdom Zen Masters, Mountain Monks, and Rebellious Eccentrics Reflect on the Healing Power of Nature by Neil Douglas-Klotz Perfect for the gifting season, Wild Wisdom includes the “stories and voices of desert fathers and mothers, forest hermits, mountain mystics, wandering philosophers, and wise eccentrics who maintained their solitude while living in society and challenged the status quo with humor.” With selections from international mystics like Kahlil Gibran, Henry David Thoreau, Bai Juyi, John Muir, and Edna St. Vincent Millay, this inspirational little book is great for those seeking solace in the wild expanse of nature and within the great minds of the past. Backwoods Witchcraft Conjure & Folk Magic from Appalachia by Jake Richards A great read for the deep, cold winter months, Richards’ Backwoods Witchcraft may not be new to 2020, but it’s worth a revisit this year. A deeply moving tribute to the Appalachian traditions of the U.S., this book explores the folklore, conjure magick, and the power of homegrown witchcraft. Read Enchantments' exclusive interview with Jake Richards on the making of the book here. For more book recommendations and roundups, check out the Books section of our website.
By Victor Castro Balance and "tune" your root chakra with this at-home ritual.  Photo by Zach Reiner on Unsplash Just as trees and plants are "rooted" in the earth, our spiritual energy (especially when working magic) needs to be grounded and balanced, as well. The root chakra governs our sense of wellbeing, safety, and stability in the world. Associated with the color red and earth element, the root chakra is known as Mūlādhāra in Sanskrit and considered the foundation for all other chakras. Root Chakra Ritual Supplies: ––1 Rose of Jericho ––1 goal/specific intention (optional) ––1 wide mouthed glass bowl ––1 crystal/stone/gem that aligns with courage or willpower (Carnelian, in this case) ––Good Earth incense ––Master Oil  Root chakra ritual | Photo © Victor Castro Steps 1. Cleanse bowl with Good Earth incense 2. Fill bowl with distilled water to cover half of Rose of Jericho 3. Place dab of Master oil on tip of stone and place in hand 4. LAM chant 15 times, envisioning your root chakra growing brighter and turning like a wheel. (You can listen to the chant w/ music here on Youtube). 5. Each morning for 7 days, wake up and perform LAM chant while holding your crystal in front of your pelvis with both hands. 6. Each evening, meditate and hold space to acknowledge negative thought patterns and habits that affect your courage –– and then will these negative patterns or blocks down the drain, as you dispose of the water from the bowl each day. 7. Correlate the blooming of the rose to your root chakra through journaling/sketches and carry it with you. 8. After 7 days, you should have performed 108 LAM mantras, a number sacred to Vedic cultures that equates to “the wholeness of existence.”  Root chakra ritual | Photo © Victor Castro Enchantments' witch Kristi Klein recommends the following tips, as well: "My favorite thing to do to balance my Root Chakra is rubbing Good Earth oil on the soles of my feet. It's especially helpful before bed because that’s when my anxiety tends to spike. I sometimes also take a red figure candle and carve the Root Chakra symbol into it (and dress it with Good Earth), in order to help visualize myself being grounded. Also just standing barefoot on the dirt ground is great for balancing your Root and realigning your system. I know that’s hard to do in major cities, but a friend once recommended getting organic soil and putting it in a flower pot that’s big enough to put my feet into. It's an alternative to going to a busy, crowded (city) park and standing barefoot in the grass," adds Klein. Click here to read more on chakra candle magic and rituals from Enchantments. By Amber C. Snider Kristen Sollée discusses the spiritual and ancestral power of place, witches of the ancient world, and her most memorable experiences while traveling for her new book, Witch Hunt.  Witch Hunt: A Traveler's Guide to the Power & Persecution of the Witch | Photo © Kristen Sollée In her latest book, author Kristen Sollée guides readers on a mystical journey to uncover the legacy of the witch figure across Europe and North America. Part memoir, part travelogue, Witch Hunt (which debuted earlier this month) explores both the power and persecution of the witch, offering historical insight into witch hunts in Italy, France, Germany, Ireland, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Amber C. Snider: Have you ever come across a place (while working on this book or otherwise) where you felt you've always known it in some way? And that it was profoundly familiar? Kristen Sollée: Absolutely. That feeling is one I have often encountered, and it was a driving force behind writing Witch Hunt. I wanted to tap into the magic of place with this book, and the energies and entities one might pick up on in different locations. A memorable example of this experience is how I’ve always taken so effortlessly to London ever since I first visited almost 15 years ago. I never felt uneasy, I never felt lost, it just seemed 'right.' There was a calm that overtook me the first time I walked the city’s streets. All I can say is that it’s probably because I have a lot of ancestry from there, that it was a real return for me. ACS: Do you think we have spiritual or soul attachments to different locations because of reincarnation? KS: I definitely believe we can have spiritual connections to different locations, but for me it’s not about reincarnation but specifically ancestral connections. I know there is cellular memory within us, and I have felt a strong homecoming, an electricity throughout my body when I visit certain places. Through genealogical research, I have later come to realize that many of those places are where my ancestors have lived. Places are alive with the dead who once lived there, so in that sense, the land can be as much of an ancestor as a living person.  Painted doorway from Triora, Italy | Photo © Kristen Sollée ACS: How would you describe the connection between mythology, the witch figure in history, and travel? KS: Well I like to think of the witch as a traveler. Over thousands of years the witch has crossed continents, appearing in the art, literature, mythology, and magical practice of disparate cultures, shifting shape and imparting us with various ideas about sex and gender, magic and power along the way. Witch Hunt specifically focuses on the early modern European witch hunts and that legacy of persecution, so I am talking here more about the witch in the conceptual region we call 'the West,' because of course, witch figures exist in most cultures around the world. Witches of the ancient world (Mesopotamia, Greece, Rome) are very different from the witch figures of medieval, early modern, and contemporary times, but they share similar attributes (often designated female/feminine, have magical abilities that are suspect/ feared/ subversive). The travel I undertook for the book research was a way to follow this serpentine path that the witch has taken from ancient times to the present. It allowed me to explore these links more than I could if I just sat at home, reading. There’s no substitute for seeing ruins and churches and landscapes that contributed to our understanding about what or who the witch is in art, literature, mythology, and magical practice. Amber C. Snider: Out of the 'seven countries and forty-five cities, towns, and villages' you visited while conducting research for this book, what was your favorite location? KS: It’s impossible to choose! I honestly don’t have a single favorite. But I have always loved traveling throughout Italy, and it was an equally wonderful place for 'witch travel.' Triora in particular is a treat because the scenery, the history, and the town itself are just incredibly compelling. Perched high in the Italian Alps near the French border, Triora has often been deemed the 'Salem of the Mediterranean' because there are multiple museums dedicated to memorializing the town’s 16th century witch hunt and a lot of contemporary practitioners gather for rituals and neo-pagan festivals there. I arrived just in time for a beautiful Midsummer/Litha ritual when I visited, complete with early modern music and a fire ritual that snaked through the medieval stone streets.  Graveyard from Ancient Burying Ground, Hartford, CT | Photo © Kristen Sollée ACS: What was the strangest experience you had while working on this book? Did anything out of the ordinary happen in your travels? KS: There were many synchronicities and unexpected occurrences during my travels, it was a very strange research process overall. But I’d say that the ghost hunt I went on in Lancashire certainly was a wild experience. There were multiple spirit boards used during visits to centuries-old sites and a lot of messages came through that I was NOT expecting… ACS: You 'debunk' a lot of myths and misconceptions about the Roman Catholic Church/Vatican in the chapter 'Witch's Guide to the Vatican.' Why was this an important component to include in the book? KS: There’s so much misinformation about the witch hunts, and I continually find myself unlearning erroneous beliefs about the period the more I read. The Catholic Church figures in so many of these myths that I wanted to include a visit to the Vatican in the book. Many accused witches in early modern times drew their rituals from Catholic liturgy and prayer (and often threw in a little something else from popular folk magic, too). You really can’t separate the witch hunts from their Christian context, nor our ideas about the archetypal witch. So I wanted to explore these ideas through the artifacts I found in the Vatican Museums. The art on view is just incredible, there is so much art that features pagan deities and symbology. You’ll see Sekhmet, Athena, Aphrodite, etc. around every corner! I think the biggest takeaway from my trip there was how the line between Christian and Pagan is blurry at best, as much as the clergy would like to pretend it’s not!  Statue of Alice Nutter from Lancashire, UK | Photo © Kristen Sollée ACS: Was it difficult, from a writing perspective, to weave in your personal narrative and travel experience with historical anecdotes and information? What was that process like? KS: I always write in an interdisciplinary way because I have a background that’s steeped in both arts journalism and academia, and I can never decide which discipline I prefer. There are plenty of witch books by historians if you want straight up history, and plenty of witch memoirs, but none so far that combine a travelogue, memoir, and academic analysis into a weird hybrid like I’ve done. My writing goal is always to try something new and put something out into the ether that hasn’t existed before (or that I always wished had existed!). ACS: Which location from the book is often 'misunderstood'? And how does Witch Hunt offer new clarity and insight into that place? KS: Well certainly the Vatican is not a place you’d think of when you’d want to partake in 'witch tourism,' so I like to think that I clarified why that is in the book! And more than that, I think Witch Hunt uncovers a lot of places that folks might not know have a witch history at all, like, say, Jamestown, Virginia or Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. ACS: You mention visiting an 800-year old oak tree in Lancashire, England. What drew you to that tree and what was your experience like there? KS: Certainly anyone who partakes in nature-based magical practices does so because they can feel the majesty and energetic prowess inherent in the earth, in plants. In our language we talk about being 'grounded' and 'rooted' — so many of us are basically striving to have the properties that trees come by naturally! In a variety of pre-Christian societies, trees were sacred in themselves and were believed to house certain deities. During my research I visited two trees that were over 500 years old, one in Tuscany and one in Nottingham. The one in Tuscany, Quercia delle Streghe or the Oak of the Witches, is so named because its branches look like a coven of witches in [a] ritual. The tree emits an incredible gravitas, I wrapped my arms around her and just breathed in and out for a little while. A really magical experience.  Sign from The Witchery hotel Edinburgh Scotland | Photo © Kristen Sollée ACS: If there's one 'bucket list' location or site that every reader should visit from your book, what would it be? Once COVID-19 is eradicated and all... KS: I would have to say that entirely depends on what that reader is interested in! But for Americans? I’m gonna give an obvious answer and say: definitely Salem if you haven’t been, as it’s such a vital place in terms of witchcraft history and in terms of understanding American culture within a religious and political context. Kristen J. Sollée is the author of three books on the legacy of the witch: Witches, Sluts, Feminists: Conjuring the Sex Positive; Cat Call: Reclaiming the Feral Feminine; and Witch Hunt: A Traveler’s Guide to the Power and Persecution of the Witch. A writer, curator, and educator exploring the intersections of art, gender, and occulture, Kristen has been featured on NPR and in The Guardian. She currently teaches at The New School in New York City. You can purchase Witch Hunt here.  To read another Enchantments' interview with Kristen Sollée on her book Cat Call: Reclaiming the Feral Feminine, click here. A new deck just in time for Samhain? Yes, please!  "Seasons of the Witch: Samhain Oracle" by Lorriane Anderson and Juliet Diaz. Illustrated by Giada Rose. Image republished w/ permission from Red Wheel/ Weiser. When the veil between the waking world and the dead is at its thinnest, what will you invoke? Illustrated by Giada Rose with spirit evocations by Lorriane Anderson and poetry by Juliet Diaz, this 44-card oracle deck is a perfect way to “harness the intuitive power of the year”– especially on the sacred Day of the Dead. Here’s a look inside this otherworldly deck…  "Seasons of the Witch: Samhain Oracle" by Lorriane Anderson and Juliet Diaz. Illustrated by Giada Rose. Image republished w/ permission from Red Wheel/ Weiser. Just in time for Witch’s New Year (one of the most magical nights of the year for divination and ancestral rituals), Seasons of the Witch helps connect you to the spirit realm and get in touch with your mystical side.  "Seasons of the Witch: Samhain Oracle" by Lorriane Anderson and Juliet Diaz. Illustrated by Giada Rose. Image republished w/ permission from Red Wheel/ Weiser. But honoring the spirit world isn’t reserved for one night only – that’s why we’re loving this deck. It contains spells and recipes to “make the most of Samhain energy” with a series of frame-worthy cards that are truly beautiful works of art. Learn how to meet your animal familiar, greet and honor powerful nature spirits, perform a graveyard ritual with your coven, or discover the wrath of the Banshee. As within, so without; as above, so below!  "Seasons of the Witch: Samhain Oracle" by Lorriane Anderson and Juliet Diaz. Illustrated by Giada Rose. Image republished w/ permission from Red Wheel/ Weiser. With the combined talents of the writers and illustrator, each with their own unique magical practice ranging from herbalism to earth-based arts and ancient folklore, this new Samhain-themed oracle deck is actually a treat for every season. The creators also bring magical insight from their cultural backgrounds, including Cuba, Romania, and Italy.  "Seasons of the Witch: Samhain Oracle" by Lorriane Anderson and Juliet Diaz. Illustrated by Giada Rose. Image republished w/ permission from Red Wheel/ Weiser. Deck published by Rockpool and distributed by Red Wheel/ Weiser. Deck debuts on October 26, 2020 in North America only. Photos republished with permission from Red Wheel/Weiser. To purchase Seasons of the Witch: Samhain Oracle click here. By Amber C. Snider Mercury retrograde doesn’t have to be a tense or chaotic time. It can be transformative if you know how to navigate it. Here, astrologer David Scoroposki offers advice on what to expect.  Image by skeeze from Pixabay Sometimes it’s all too easy to blame it on the Moon – or, in this case, the planets. When Mercury appears to begin his backwards journey in the cosmos, witches everywhere begin to tense up and brace themselves for a bit of chaos. It’s time to backup your files, think before signing that big contract, and watch your tongue (aka communication, since Mercury is the messenger god after all). But it doesn’t have to be a “bad” or negative period, rather a time to slow down, take stock, and reflect. “Mercury is typically in retrograde three or four times a year, for about three weeks each time. During this period, it’s best to avoid astrologers who talk too much about Mercury retrograde, and also, all those perpetually late people who love to place the blame on this much maligned planet,” says astrologer David Scoroposki. And he would know: He’s been offering astrological readings for over 15 years, including dishing out planetary advice to the “Crowned Heads of Europe." “Mercury rules communication, technology, transportation, short trips, games, trickery, and places of business such as marketplaces and offices. Mercury retrograde is an excellent time to rework and revisit things, to spruce up a resume or reorganize a crowded space, for example,” Scoroposki continues. So if you’re thinking about revamping your bookshelves, clearing out desk space, going through work inventory, or decluttering your email inbox, now is the time. “It’s also time when people show up from the past; and this can obviously be a good or a bad thing,” he says. That’s right, expect old exes to creep up and clamor for your attention, which may or may not be welcomed. Sometimes unexpectedly hearing from someone in your past can be triggering, especially if it opens old wounds that haven’t been fully healed. Mercury retrograde is actually a great time to confront that emotion in order to process it fully. It’s like the universe giving you another chance to learn from your past situations, and since you already know that it’s part of this transit, you can have a game plan in place ahead of time. That way, you’re unbothered and chill when you see their name pop up across your phone screen and can decide whether you truly want them in your life or not. “Mercury is genderless and both 'good and evil' depending upon the sign in which it resides and the transits it makes—it’s color is the rainbow, or all colors, because Mercury is ever changing," says Scoroposki. "If you must sign an important document during Mercury Retrograde, be sure to ‘read the fine print’ and pay attention to details—you may have to revisit this project soon."  Photo by Josh Rangel on Unsplash Scoroposki also recommends watching your travel times and to expect minor delays. “Leave extra time for public transit—and reread emails and written correspondence. Be tactful. Mercury retrograde can work with you if you work with it—it’s a time to revise and reorganize—not to fear or to pander to astrological stereotypes that make excuses for bad behavior." Here are 7 witchy tools to help you stay grounded during Mercury Retrograde: ––Take a cleansing sea salt bath. Here are Enchantments' hand-blended options. ––Burn Motivation oil or incense while you clean up and declutter your space. ––Burn Relaxation oil or incense before bedtime. Meditate on healing, tranquility, and inner peace. ––Add a quick journal exercise to your morning routine. Simply taking 5 minutes a day to log your emotions and track feelings can help offer inner clarity. You can also begin to see patterns emerge over time in order to see where you’re going and what you’d like to change or shift. ––Do a small Uncrossing candle (kit here) to clear out negativity or anything that’s no longer serving your higher power. ––Burn Palo Santo or Frankincense resin in the home to raise your spiritual vibrations. ––Try a Heart Chakra 7-day candle or Crystal Healing candle to help heal old wounds in regards to love and open up new space for understanding & compassion. To contact David Scoroposki for a personalized astrological reading, email him at Scoroposki.david@gmail.com. For more stories on how to clear out negative energy, click here or to learn more about chakra candles, click here. By Amber C. Snider Halloween is one of the most popular holidays in the United States, but its roots go back to an ancient Celtic Harvest festival known as Samhain.  Samhain, also referred to as the Witches’ New Year and pronounced “sow-win,” was a major festival in the Celtic tradition that took place on the night of October 31st through November 1st. The holiday marks the end of the harvest season and the approaching winter. It was believed to be a time when the veil between the living and the dead was at its thinnest, which meant spirits were not only free to roam the earth, but also communicate with the living. Humans could call upon their ancestors for guidance and used this midpoint between the seasons to honor the spirits through a series of rituals and festivities (including bonfires, feasts, sacrifices) that often lasted for three days and three nights. The Celts often set out offerings in the form of food, drinks, and beloved tokens to honor their dead. But with all those ghostly souls freely roaming around the earth, some may have been unwanted or even malevolent – and that’s where the tradition of dressing up came in. “According to the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress, Celts began the Halloween tradition of wearing costumes, often animal skin to hide themselves from spirits, and masks to impersonate ancestors who had preceded them to the spirit world,” reports National Geographic editor Debra Adams Simmons. It’s this practice that led to our current tradition of dressing up in scary costumes to ward away any malicious spooks.  Photo by Casey Horner on Unsplash Early evidence shows us that not only was this an important holiday for the Celts, it was also mandatory for the community. While the other seasonal holidays celebrated rebirth and the renewal of life, Samhain was a festival for the dead. Despite the desecration of many ancient pagan practices over the centuries, Samhain has survived as “Halloween” in our secular, modern culture. In another region of the world, in what is now modern day Mexico, the ancient peoples’ also conducted rituals and held festivals to honor their dead. Dia de los Muertos (also known as the Day of the Dead) is a syncretization of Indigenous American beliefs with those of the Roman Catholic Church, culminating in All Saints’ Day (November 1st) and All Souls’ Day (November 2nd) on the Catholic calendar – just as Samhain coincides with Halloween. So while you’re carving pumpkins, rewatching Practical Magic, or dressing up for the festivities over the next two weeks, remember to take some time out to also honor those who have passed on and all those ancestors who’ve shaped you into the person you are today. The honoring of the dead is at the heart of Samhain, as well as paying homage to our long lineage of human life. Blessings to all this Samhain! By Amber C. Snider A brief introduction to the seven chakras and chakra candles.  Throat Chakra Candle, Crown Chakra Candle, Solar Plexus Chakra Candle. Photo © Victor Castro/ Enchantments NYC As spiritual beings living in a physical form, maintaining our sense of balance in the midst of all the chaos “out there” (COVID, school, work, finances, politics, fear, anxiety) can feel extra tough. That’s why the ancient Eastern spiritual idea, philosophy, and sacred practice of chakra work can be particularly powerful right now. This tradition (or sacred knowledge) was first mentioned over 3500 years ago in the ancient Sanskrit texts known as the Vedas. In the Vedic texts, written between 1500-1200 BCE, the chakra system consists of 7 centers (or layers). There’s a “circular” nature to each chakra and sometimes these energy points can become blocked or stagnant. These physical and spiritual energetic centers are always in spinning motion (think of the spiral) and can be likened to the structure of the universe itself, with it’s planets and galaxies bristling and pulsating with energy. In these first scriptures of Hinduism, the “Chakra is also used to denote the energy centers in the spinal region of the body and the mystic diagrams (yantras) which are used in ritual worship.” In contemporary times, the concept of chakras has continued to evolve to embrace color associations and symbolism, especially in color magick. The 7 chakras are as follows: ––The Root Chakra: Associated with the color red and symbolized by a lotus flower. It’s located at the base of the spine/pelvic floor and helps with feeling secure and grounded. ––The Sacral Chakra: Associated with the color orange, it governs our sexual organs, emotional stability, sensuality and creativity. ––The Solar Plexus Chakra: Associated with the color yellow, it’s located in the abdomen and governs our self-confidence, identity, ego. ––The Heart Chakra: Associated with the color green or pink, the Heart Chakra is located in the heart area/chest center and governs our sense of love, compassion, and understanding. ––The Throat Chakra: Associated with the color blue, it’s located in the neck area and governs communication. ––The Third Eye Chakra: Associated with a deep purple color, it’s located on the forehead and governs the all-seeing eye, including inspiration, intuition, and clairvoyant knowledge. ––And finally, the Crown Chakra: Associated with purple or pure white, the Crown Chakra governs spiritual awareness and our connection to the Divine.  Sacral Chakra Candle and Root Chakra Candle. Photo © Victor Castro/ Enchantments NYC After quickly reading through these descriptions, maybe you’ve already identified one or more of these chakras that may be “blocked” in some way. Perhaps you’ve found yourself in a series of miscommunications with others or feeling misunderstood lately (Throat Chakra), or battling deep emotional issues that keep coming back up (Sacral Chakra), or maybe your spiritual journey feels stagnant and you’re having trouble tapping into your “higher self” (Third Eye or Crown Chakra). According to this sacred tradition, if a chakra point gets out of balance or stuck, it can affect the flow of all your energy. For instance, if your Root Chakra is blocked or out of balance, it can affect your Crown Chakra, etc. Just as the blood moves through the body’s limbs, our spiritual energy also has to flow without impediment. Meditating on your chakra points and clearing away negative or stagnant energy can be profoundly healing. It provides balance in the body, mind, and spirit so that we are in alignment with our truth. Candle magick is one way to rebalance and open your chakra points to allow for positive, energetic flow. 7-day chakra candles burn for 7-10 days straight, so they can be a great tool to help you with meditative visualizations and light exercises (color) to help open up these points. Here’s a tip: Begin your chakra candle work by taking a ritual bath with sea salt, herbs, and essential oils of your choice (more on that here). Get specific about which energetic center you’d like to work on. If it’s the Root Chakra, for instance, visualize a deep, rich red color in your lower spine area and pelvic floor. Imagine that healing light releasing tension and “opening” that chakra point. When you’re ready to light the candle, continue the light visualization while the candle is burning. Meditate while the candle is burning (add music, chants, mantras that are specific and personal to you). Be open to receiving any “knowledge” that comes during this meditative time, send yourself healing light, ask for Guidance from your spirit guides or Universe, work on releasing any negative ties or stagnation. Continue daily (you don’t have to repeat the ritual bath) until the candle is fully burned out. Blessed be and stay tuned for more stories on chakra candles available at Enchantments. To purchase a 7-day chakra candle, click here. By Carmen Pouerie Life isn’t always “love and light” and not every situation needs a silver lining. Here’s why all vibes are welcome here.  Photo by Caroline on Unsplash I recently came across a term I’ve never heard before: toxic positivity. It intrigued me and I searched the internet for more information on the subject. The Pagan community on Instagram did not fail me. There were endless memes and posts about this exact topic. My research led me to understand that it is often used when you are expressing thoughts or emotions that express anything that is not positive (like feelings of sadness, discomfort, or anger) and the person you are venting to then dismisses your words as negative. I’m sure you’ve experienced this before. You’ll pour your heart out and someone will simply say “Look on the bright side” or “Find the silver lining in a situation.” Or maybe they advise you to work harder on your situation (without taking into account your unique struggles) and you’re left feeling worse than before. For most of my spiritual journey, I’ve been bombarded by this idea of “love and light.” And to be quite honest, it just never seemed to work for me. It’s very hard to think positively all the time. But does that make me less of a “spiritual” person? Not as "good" as others? Is my spiritual approach flawed in some way? But then, I learned about Shadow work and it resonated with me on a very deep level. Shadow work is a process that works by letting yourself feel and understand the painful aspects of yourself (or your situation), thus embracing yourself as a whole being, both light and dark. By seeing the uglier side of humanity, we can then learn to appreciate the true beauty of this world. If your spiritual belief lacks the inclusion of your shadow self, you are essentially denying 50% of life as we know it. The world we live in is an eternal balance of opposites. Life and death. Summer and winter. Light and dark. To deny half of yourself because it looks or feels unpleasant eventually leads to imbalanced and discordant energy.  Photo by Tanya Trofymchuk on Unsplash All beings are experiencing life through the lens of their perception. So we must be compassionate and show empathy to all, regardless of where they are on their journey. Loving yourself, even on those bad days, nurtures growth and leads to gentle healing. When we ignore our darker nature, we are treating half of ourselves like a castaway. Not every situation needs a silver lining. Sometimes the hard truth is required. Realizing that we can get through something and also have a support system that will let you ‘cry it out’ is more healing than just denying or dismissing the reality of a situation. Sometimes it’s okay to vent. It’s okay to not feel light and love and airy and magickal all the time. It’s okay to accept that sometimes you just feel like shit and that’s where you’re at in the moment. It doesn’t make you less spiritual. It doesn’t make you less of a witch or less woke – it just makes you human. Instead, let us validate each other with love and kindness, no matter where we are on our path. Let’s allow ourselves and our loved ones to experience negative thoughts without judgment, without any added guilt or shame. By acknowledging our Shadow self, maybe we can get through the rough patches with new understanding – instead of dismissing it and covering it up. And if we’re truly acknowledging feelings like pain, anger, and fear (and those feelings in others), maybe those issues won’t come back to haunt us later on. Witch Tip: Burning a Crystal Healing candle helps to acknowledge those emotions and process them in a healthy manner.  Photo by Ahmet Sali on Unsplash We’re all probably guilty of doing this to others, too. So here are a few ways you can stop yourself from falling into the “toxic positivity” trap: ––Rather than say “Just be positive” to a friend who’s going through something, try saying “I hear you/feel you. That must be really hard.” –– Instead of saying "Don't be so negative," try saying "It's normal to feel bad about situations like these." –– Don't tell a friend that "happiness is a choice" after they tell you a sad story. Try to do or say something that makes your friend happy at that moment. –– Telling a friend to "get over it" doesn't help. Instead, remind them that they have dealt with difficult situations in the past and that they're strong enough to handle anything that comes their way. –– Sometimes you don't have to say anything. Just being there and listening is enough. When we make space for our loved ones to vent to us, we are showing them that we accept them just as they are. We silently tell them that their mental state does not denote how much they are worth. All vibes are welcome here. For more stories on shadow work, check out this interview with tarot experts Shaheen Miro and Theresa Reed. By Amber C. Snider Feeling blocked in love? Unsure of what you want? Tired of the same old conflicts with your partner and need some clarity? A Love Uncrossing spell may help...  Love Ouanga Candle, Love Uncrossing Candle, and Empress Candle. Photos © Victor Castro/ Enchantments NYC Love, along with money, is always on everyone’s mind. After facing our own mortality through the pandemic, the question of Who do I truly want to spend my days with? takes top priority. Whether you’re currently partnered up or still celebrating that single life, navigating the wild throes of romantic love can be a challenge (am I right or am I right?). But love is the driving force behind everything; It’s the fabric of the universe. Still for many, it can feel elusive, frustrating, confusing. During this time, some of you may have found out that the person you’ve aligned your heart with isn’t truly your ride or die; or maybe you’ve uncovered insurmountable incompatibility issues that the pandemic highlighted and exacerbated; or maybe during the dark hours of isolation, you realized that your heart hungers for love more than ever. If so, a Love Uncrossing spell may be called for. Let’s get something out of the way right off the bat: candle magick does not and cannot make someone fall in love with you. It doesn’t work like that, so don’t bother trying it (yeah, that means you) – it will backfire. It’s manipulative. It goes against free will. True love is a divine force, it’s an authentic emotion that can’t be duplicated or forced. What you can do, however, is use candle magick to clear the path to love, help offer clarity in an existing relationship, and usher in positivity, romance, better sex, and the conditions that can bring about healthy love with the right person. In a way, it’s like setting a stage, telling the Universe you’re ready, and getting clear on what you want in a partner. If you’re in a committed relationship, before you do any love magick, you should get consent from your partner. Novel thought, right? Consent in a relationship, sex, and yes magick, is always extremely important. If you don’t want to discuss it with your partner, you should probably consider why you’re with them in the first place. If you’re really not comfortable sharing your magickal workings with your partner (maybe it’s a new relationship, etc), consider trying a spell to manifest self-love instead. If you’re single, rather than focus on ‘getting your ex back’ or forcing your crush or lifelong love to fall for you, focus your spell on clearing the path to love and getting specific about the type of partner you want. Once you do that, you’ll most likely find them show up in the most mysterious way. However manifesting your perfect partner is very different than forcing/manipulating someone to fall for you – so be specific about qualities and circumstances, not an individual person. Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, let’s talk about one of the most popular candles at Enchantments: Love Uncrossing. You may already be familiar with Uncrossing (here and here). How it works with matters of love is that it clears the way for positive love. According to long-time Enchantments' witch Carmen Pouerie, “The purpose of a Love Uncrossing is to clear the road to and from your heart. It clears negative energy, past emotional hurt, and any miscommunication that was occurring in an existing relationship. It also brings clarity to what one wants in a relationship, closes old wounds and opens the heart to new things.” "For a [consenting] couple, it works by clearing negative energy and bringing people together – or for a single person, it can allow them to determine what they need in a partner,” adds Pouerie. If you’re not sure exactly what you’re looking for, or what your underlying relationship problems are, or what solutions you can take to help an existing relationship, that's when a Love Uncrossing may help. A Love Uncrossing candle (or the kit version here) is more about release than healing. “It’s more of releasing previous assumptions about true love, because a lot of the time the ideas we have are different from the reality of what is. So we have to bring ourselves back to reality so that we can be clear about our intentions,” says Pouerie. “What we want from people [especially romantic partners] changes on a regular basis and finding someone who’s comfortable with that change is key. So [a love uncrossing spell] helps you figure out what you need to change. And once you realize why you want or need this thing, most of the time your vibration will immediately raise.” How do you do a Love Uncrossing anyway?  Love Uncrossing Candle. Photo © Victor Castro/ Enchantments NYC As with all candle magick, we recommend taking a sea salt or epsom salt bath before you begin. Then write out a list: "You don’t want to focus on what’s going wrong, you want to focus on how you want it to go. You want to bring in the energy as if there’s nothing in its way,” adds Pouerie. “If money was no object, what would you want? If options and choices and human biology weren’t in the mix, what would you choose?” Same goes for manifesting new love or clearing the way for love. Get comfortable, focus on your intention, write out your list (if that’s in your practice), do whatever helps you raise energy (listen to music, dance, sing, pray, etc.), and then light the candle. Leave it burning until the candle is completely finished. If you’re uncomfortable with it burning when you’re not at home, simply put out the flame and refocus on your intention when you relight it again. A 7-day candle burns for (you guessed it) roughly 7 days, while the small kit version burns for 7-12 hours. If the glass gets hot towards the bottom, keep it in a small dish of cool water to prevent cracking. Follow-up your Love Uncrossing spell with something empowering, like an Empress candle, Solar Blast candle, Love and Happiness candle, Crystal Healing candle, Bad Ass oil, Self-Love/Empowerment Kit, Love Attraction Kit, or a Sexual Attraction Kit. Here are some oils, incense blends, and baths to assist in your Love Uncrossing Spell: Love Uncrossing incense, bath, and oil: Clears negativity and blocks surrounding love in individuals or in relationships. Works to reveal the truth about a relationship - can clear the way for two people to be together or can indicate that it is time to move on. Erzuli La Flambeau Oil: Good for love uncrossing Erzuli Femme Blanche Oil: Invokes the Loa in her purest form to help heal love issues on a higher plane. Love Clarity oil: Helps one sort through emotional issues. Goona Goona oil and incense: Creates an atmosphere of trust & understanding; facilitates communication between people. *Descriptions taken from Enchantmentsincnyc.com store here. Like what you just read? For more tips on general candle magick, check out this section of the site here. By Amber C. Snider Many of you have asked about money spells and ways to draw in more prosperity, especially during the ongoing pandemic. Here are ways to usher in those dollar bills and change your mindset to one of abundance using a touch of money magick.  Money Pyramid Candle, Emperor Candle, and Money Uncrossing Candle | Photo © Victor Castro/ Enchantments NYC Money Uncrossing Spell So you wanna do a spell, huh? Okay, well that’s what we’re here for. At Enchantments, we like to remind everyone who comes for candle spells that you already have the power to create and make your own magick – we just give you the tools. But since we can’t remind you of that in-person (for a while, ‘cause...COVID-19 and all), we’ll say it again here. Sometimes before we can attract and draw in money, we have to begin with removing financial blocks. You’re probably already familiar with Uncrossing spells from being in the shop and/or the articles you’ve read on here. (Oh, no? Well here ya go.) A Money Uncrossing spell serves to remove any blocks in your path and open up the doors to prosperity. Sometimes those doors are already present in your life and they're just waiting for you to acknowledge them, but everything can seem a bit murky and confusing so you're not sure how to go about obtaining it. The result of a Money Uncrossing spell can be as simple as recognizing a few bad habits that you’ve been ignoring (don’t worry, we all have ‘em) or an employment option you never previously considered. A Money Uncrossing Candle Spell works by releasing old, bad habits that are no longer serving your path to abundance and also collecting debts. Before you light the candle, ask for guidance and clarity on ways to tackle financial problems, collect debts, and clear the way in order to bring in prosperity and steady income. This candle is also good for bringing in money owed and getting a raise – so if that's your intention, go for it! We also recommend following a Money Uncrossing Spell with some kind of attraction/prosperity spell (as with any uncrossing, you want to clear out before you attract in – which we cover in the next tip). Here are some tools you can try: Money Uncrossing 7-Day Custom Candle, Money Uncrossing Kit, Lush Life Oil, Jupiter Oil, Horn of Plenty Oil. Money Draw Spells If you don’t feel particularly “blocked” in money, but want to draw it to you, a Money Draw spell is a great choice. You can perform a simple ritual of writing your desired sum of money on a bay leaf and burning it with intention or trying a 7-day custom candle spell. There are several custom candles to help with this, so we’ll cover a few here: Money Draw 7-day custom carved candle: To create a flow of abundance. Works well to attract money for specific purposes. Collect Debts 7-day custom carved candle: Helps you get paid money that you are owed. Emperor 7-day custom carved candle: Jupiterian in nature, this candle brings recognition, builds confidence and helps to present opportunities. Calls on divine guidance and intervention to lead you in the right direction. Money Pyramid 7-day custom carved candle: For long-term financial growth. Helps build a solid financial foundation and promotes responsibility and good choices regarding money. Successful Business 7-day custom carved candle: A prosperity candle for businesses. Also useful for selling real estate. Fortuna Candle 7-day custom carved candle: Invokes Lady Luck to turn the wheel of fortune in your favor. Brings a whirlwind of luck. Employment Pyramid Candle: To help in your search for a new job or employment opportunity; can also help to secure a promotion. But remember - you have to go out and actually look for a job. *Descriptions taken from Enchantmentsincnyc.com website here.  Altars to Venus in Enchantments' window display | Photo © Victor Castro/ Enchantments NYC Wear oils with intention Oooo, who doesn’t love our hand-blended oils! You can wear them (as you would perfume), use to anoint candles, add them to baths, bath salts, scrubs, oil diffusers, and more. Here are some oil recommendations to draw in prosperity, money, and financial success: Double Fast Luck Oil: Increases luck in all areas. Also for money drawing. High Conquering Oil: (Also known as High John the Conqueror) Attracts luck in all areas, great for building strength and overcoming obstacles. Horn of Plenty Oil: Brings in wealth and forces a change in luck. Luck Around Business Oil: Increases business and draws in new customers to your business. Oshun Oil: Devotional blend for the Orisha of the river. Attracts beauty, love, luck, prosperity and positive attention. Prosperity Oil: Attracts money and success. Money Draw Oil: Draws in money quickly. Protects against financial losses. Millionaire’s Dream Oil: Use with money draw to attract wealth. Shi Shi Oil: Draws wealth and luxury. Overcomes poverty. Sun Oil: Solar blend for energy, positivity, vitality, inner strength, and self-confidence. Description of products from store website here. Make an intention and then put yourself out there “Sit down and figure out how much money you actually need. With money magick, the more specific you can be, the better. Figure your budget, what are your expenses, what expenses can you cut and come up with a plan,” says Enchantments’ owner Stacy Rapp. Don’t wait for a job to come to you “The more specific about the job you’re looking for, the better luck you'll have,” adds Rapp. “Also, if you’re trying to figure out the specifics, you’re taking the emotion out of it,” she says. Finance doesn’t have to be “emotional” but rather practical – the more strategic you get in your planning (and magickal workings), the better off you’ll be. When you're working an employment spell and manifesting your dream gig, think of the kind of co-workers you want, the work you'd like to be doing, the job title, the desired income, the location, the benefits – get specific! Unconscious blocks “Be aware of panicking about money, which can be the biggest obstacle to bringing it in. A lot of people are stressing about it, but when you’re freaking out about money or jobs, panicking and having anxiety blocks the flow,” says Enchantments’ owner Stacy Rapp. Practical...magic? So you've done your money uncrossing and money draw spells and now what? Now you have to act. Update your Linkedin, let your friends and former colleagues know that you’re on the job market, tweak your CV and resume, contact old professors, bosses, family friends – literally let the world know you’re ready, willing, and able to share your talents with the world. Magick is about manifesting your intentions and seeing them come into fruition. You can’t expect to do an employment spell and then...not go out and look for a job, right? To paraphrase the old humorous cliché/story: An old man prays to God every day, begging “Please, please let me win the lottery!” Every day he prays, begs to win millions, and gets nothing. Finally, after months of prayer, he gets angry and says “God, why haven’t you answered my prayer?” He then hears a loud voice from the heavens: “Maybe it’d help if you bought a lotto ticket first!” The moral of the story is simple: You can do all the praying, begging, and money magick you want – but if you’re not willing to take action as well, it’s pointless. Photos © Victor Castro/ Enchantments Meditate on wealth Meditate on what “wealth” to you feels like, what it looks like, and what it means to you. Success comes in all different packages. You can also work with Jupiter and Venus energies to help you achieve your desired goal. “Venus rules the home, but it’s also self-love and abundance,” says Stacy Rapp. So if you’re looking to draw in money for the home, Venus candles and oils, as well as an Emperor candle or Jupiter oil can help. Monitor your consumption That means literally and also figuratively. Yes, you know you can save money by cooking at home, but did you know that you’re “consuming” other things throughout the day that take up your valuable time and energy? Endless scrolling through social media (I know it’s hard, believe me), engaging with negative internet trolls (bye boy, bye), and consuming too much news can drain us of our vital, spiritual energy and lower our vibrations. Censor your intake, practice daily or weekly spiritual cleansings, and you’ll see a change in your energetic output. If you already monitor what you put in your body, be strict about what you’re putting in your mind everyday, too. Develop a gratitude practice Sometimes the greatest riches come from the realization that you already are and have enough. It’s more than a shift in perspective, it can completely transform your life to think in terms of gratitude. Simply think about where you were 10 years ago, 5 years ago: Most likely, you’ve grown stronger, wiser, more resilient, and “richer” from the hardships of your past. You may not “be” exactly where you expected to be, but undoubtedly you’ve grown. Take 5 minutes every day (preferably in the morning) to write down 5 things you’re grateful for. Don’t write down abstract things like “Friends” or “My house” – get super specific. Make it recent (something in the last 48 hours). “I’m grateful I got to walk in the park yesterday and feel the sunshine.” or “I’m grateful for the beautiful fresh vegetables that were in last night’s Thai curry dish.” or “I’m grateful that my friend texted yesterday to ask how I’m doing.” Concentrating on the “little big blessings” can make a huge impact in your life and center your focus to the things that actually count. Want more stories on ways to manifest positive energy in your life? Check out our water rituals here. By Ana Vice Magickal herbs, plants, and roots to help find a new job, bring in money, and add more prosperity to your world.  Winter's Bark illustration © Ana Vice/ Enchantments NYC Many of you may already have some of these plants in your magickal apothecary or cabinet, but they can also be purchased at your local supermarket, farmer's market, or at Enchantments (which has a botanica of over 150 herbs for your spiritual needs). Please note that they are not for ingestion, but for magickal use only. Some plants are poisonous to both humans and animals and should be handled with care (i.e. High John the Conqueror and Horse Chestnut). In conjunction with all magickal practices, be sure to consult your physician before using plant-based medicine to aid in your physical and/or mental health. If you’re interested in learning more about the magickal use of herbs (especially for love, healing, and protection), check out our new Herbal Series here. Banyan (Ficus benghalensis) The banyan tree (aka Arched Fig, Indian God Tree, and Vada Tree) is associated with the planet Jupiter, air element, and often used in luck magick. Some believe that just to sit beneath or look at a banyan tree brings good luck. Others believe that getting married under a banyan tree means the marriage will be a happy one. The banyan tree is planted outside and around places of worship in India by Hindus. Many believe the banyan tree to be Kalpavriksha, a Tree of Life that grants wishes and brings wealth and abundance. It symbolizes Trimurti: Lord Vishnu is the bark, Lord Brahma the roots, and Lord Shiva the branches. Buddha was also said to have sat under a banyan tree when he gained enlightenment. Banyan trees are included in Ayurveda because many of the herbs that are associated with the tree of life are sacred to this ancient practice. Ayurvedic medicine, a holistic healing system developed more than 3,000 years ago in India, is based on the belief that well-being and good health depends on a delicate balance between the mind, body, and spirit. There is also the Hindu Story of Svetaketu: A father had his son gather fruit from the sacred banyan tree and look at the seeds inside. The boy told his father that he saw nothing. His father uses this concept as a way to describe the idea that great things can come from very little or nothing at all. Others believe that banyan is eternal and its roots never stop growing as they make their way down into the Earth. Because of its extensive root system, when a banyan tree is cut down, it will use its powerful roots to rebirth or renew itself. The Chamorro of Guam believe in tales of Taotao Mo'na and other spirits of old. Taotao Mo'na are guardians of banyan trees – not ghosts or living dead, but instead ancestral spirits that are said to live in banyan trees. The trees are believed to change direction every night because their roots allow them to move. Many people also make annual visits to the Lam Tsuen Wishing Trees (Banyan Trees) at the Tim Hau Temple in Hong Kong. They make a wish by writing their name, birthday, and a wish on yellow paper and throwing it in the air. If it gets caught on a branch, then their wish will come true. Witchy Tip: If you are unable to physically be near a banyan tree then use creative visualization to imagine each root, leaf, and aspect of the banyan tree in all its glory. Imagine yourself seated below it and safe. Focus on welcoming in abundance and good luck to your life. Lucky Hand (Orchis spp.) Lucky Hand (aka Hand of Power, Hand Root, Helping Hand, and Salap) is associated with the planet Venus, water element, and used magickally to bring employment, luck, protection, money, and safe travel. This root is obtained from an orchid root and has different properties than the flower. Lucky hand is a general staple of New Orleans magical and botanical shops and it’s often added to sachets and conjure bags for luck and overall success. Carrying a lucky hand can attract gainful employment opportunities and to provide protection. Lucky hand can be ground up and used to prepare powders for incense or to dust money, lottery tickets, or the corners of a room where a game of chance might take place. Lucky hand oil can be made from lucky hand root to anoint candles and/or your person. Any left over powder could be used in a bath or combined with laundry detergent to wash your clothes. Lucky Hand is considered by those who work with it to be one of the most powerful ingredients that can be added to a gris gris (mojo bag) used specifically for luck in gambling or success in finding employment. When doing hoodoo, the lucky hand can be combined with five-finger grass and High John the Conqueror root for success, luck, and money drawing. Some practitioners also add a lodestone to attract money. Placing a Lucky Hand Root along with High John the Conqueror Root in your conjure bag can bring power, wealth, and wish fulfillment. While reciting Psalm 23, hold the root while setting an intention/praying for what you want. Add the lucky hand inside a blue cloth charm bag and tie off with a white ribbon. Carry this for good luck. Witchy Tip: Try filling a jar with rose essential oil and placing a few lucky hands into the rose oil and let them soak for a while. Take one of them and wear it as needed. For example, if you wish to travel put it in your shoe or if you need money, carry one in your wallet or handbag.  Lucky Hand Root illustration © Ana Vice / Enchantments NYC Alfalfa (Medicago saliva) Alfalfa (aka Buffalo Herb, Lucerne, and Purple Medic) is associated with the planet Venus, earth element, prosperity, money, and luck. Money drawing spells sometimes include alfalfa and it can be kept in the home to protect against poverty and hunger. Some believe scattering the ashes of burnt alfalfa around your home’s property aids in maintaining prosperity and wealth. Alfalfa originated from the Middle East and was known as al-fac-facah, which means "Father of all Foods." It contains many vitamins and minerals and was brought from Persia to China by General Chang Chien of the Han dynasty (around 2000 ACE) and called Mu-su in Chinese medicine. It eventually made its way to England and South Africa, where it was called Buffalo Herb. Alfalfa is believed to have the spiritual power to bring prosperity, draw money and good fortune in business matters. It is said that alfalfa can bring good luck in gambling, as well. This symbolism may come from its use as a food to keep farm animals fed in times of need. Often found on foothills and mountainous areas, Alfalfa leaf tea is said to improve appetite, alleviate peptic ulcers due to its diuretic properties. Witchy Tip: Fill a small mason jar with alfalfa and put it in your kitchen cabinet to welcome prosperity, money, and protect against hunger. Add a bit to a sachet and keep it at your place of business to bring good fortune. Horse Chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum; A. spp.) Poison Horse Chestnut (aka Buckeye) is linked to the planet Jupiter, fire element, and used for money drawing and healing. It can be carried to ward off aches and pains. If three horse chestnuts are carried at the same time, it’s said they can ward off giddiness. Alternatively, if you wrap a dollar bill around a horse chestnut and put it in a sachet to carry around with you, money will come. Carrying a horse chestnut is thought to bring for success in everything you do. The horse chestnut tree produces fruit encased in a burr (similar to a chestnut) but the fruit is not edible. The nuts contain aesculin which can be toxic to humans and animals. Native Americans used the horse chestnut's toxic ability to stun fish by grinding it into a powder. In England horse chestnuts are called conkers and were used in a game by the same name. Kinger, a version played in parts of North Dakota in the United States, is played with Ohio Buckeye nuts. In America, traditionally, carrying a buckeye brings good luck. Witchy Tip: Obtain a Horse Chestnut and polish it. Carry it with you for good luck.  Horse Chestnut illustration © Ana Vice/ Enchantments NYC Devil’s Shoestring (Vibumum alnifolium, Vibumum spp.) Devil's Shoestring is actually a general name for a few plants that grow in the United States and Canada. A popular good luck charm amongst gamblers, it's used for protection, gambling luck, and employment, and also believed to keep away all evil when worn and protect its bearer against accidental poisoning. A suggested way to use this herb root is to cut it into tiny pieces and put them into a jar filled with spirits of camphor and whiskey. Take out a piece of root to rub on your hands when needed. Carrying Devil’s shoestring can help you obtain gainful employment or smooth out any difficulties at your job. It can also be put into a wallet or handbag to draw money. An additional use for Devil's Shoestring is that it is said to help in preventing the bearer from being affected by Goofer dust. Traditionally, Goofer dust is a hexing dust used in hoodoo originating from the Southeastern part of the United States. Devil’s Shoestring is also a common ingredient used for mojo hands (voodoo amulet or charm). Mojo hands act as a material manifestation of power to bring about a desired outcome. Viburnum alnifolium, Viburnum opulus, and Viburnum prunifolium are all in the honeysuckle family and appear stringy. The roots of all three are used medically as antispasmodics and sometimes used to relieve menstrual cramps. Witchy Tip: Try making a blended anointing oil: Use pecan oil, a lucky hand, and some devil's shoestring (which you can purchase here) and let them sit for several days in a cool dry place. This can be used in a bath, to wear, or to anoint candles for the purpose of success, attaining employment, gambling luck, or protection. Bergamot, Orange (Mentha citrata) Bergamot (aka Orange Mint) is associated with the planet Mercury, air element, and money draw and success spells. The leaves of the orange bergamot can be put into sachets, wallets and purses to draw in money. Fresh leaves can be rubbed directly onto money before making a purchase in order to promote the money to return. It can also be incorporated into baths, soaps, baths, etc. since the scent is uplifting and promotes joy. The bergamot orange rind can be used to make essential oil and is commonly used in the perfume industry. It’s also used for massage therapy and various forms of aromatherapy; The oil may also be directly inhaled and act as an expectorant or decongestant during an illness. Earl Grey tea, a popular black tea blend with bergamot orange, was invented in the 1830s. British Prime Minister Charles Grey began drinking black tea infused with the citrus-scented oil. Legend has it that a Mandarin Chinese man bestowed the gift of bergamot-orange flavored tea upon the Earl for saving his child, however Jacksons of Piccadilly claims that they invented the original Earl Grey blend in the early 1800s. Also for any of you Star Trek fans, Earl Grey tea is Captain Jean-Luc Picard’s favorite. Witchy Tip: Carry some bergamot in your wallet to draw money or use a few drops of essential bergamot orange oil (which you can purchase from Enchantments here) in a bath to promote success and lift your mood.  Bergamot Illustration © Ana Vice/ Enchantments NYC High John the Conqueror (Ipomoea Purga or I. jalapa) Poison High John the Conqueror is associated with the planet Mars, fire element, and money, love, success, and happiness. There are many spiritual uses for this root, but please note that it is highly poisonous and not to ingested. You can carry High John with you to attract money and success in all that you do, since it's said to lift one’s mood, attract love, protect the wearer from curses and break hexes. It can be burned, put into oils, incenses, poppets, conjure bags, or sachets. High John the Conqueror anointing oil can be used for many purposes and is made from cut roots that are left to soak in olive or mineral oil for a few weeks. This is great for anointing candles to be used for Candle Magick (but again, do not anoint your body with it). High John the Conqueror was named after a once-enslaved African prince who was sold into slavery. He was said to be very clever and had an enduring spirit. He tricked his master into freeing him, and upon being liberated, the Prince left his power and strong spirit inside a High John root. He did this for the people of Africa that had been made slaves so they would have a sense of empowerment and protection. High John the Conqueror root has become very well known because of this legend. High John the Conqueror is known as an all-powerful trickster that is likened to the God Loki of Norse mythology and the Coyote spirit of Native American beliefs. Witchy Tip: Combine High John the Conqueror root with High John the Conqueror oil and carry it in a green bag to bring money, luck, success, happiness, and love. Winter’s Bark (Drimys winteri) Winter’s Bark (aka True Winter’s Bark, Wintera, Drimys Bark, and Winter’s Cinnamon) is used spiritually for success in all areas and can be put into sachets, baths, blended into incense, or carried on one’s person. When Sir Francis Drake sailed around the world in 1577-1580 AD in the Golden Hind, the only other ship to make it around Cape Horn with him was the ship named Elizabeth (whose Captain was John Wynter). Illness befell the crew and so Wynter sent a boat ashore in order to find medicinal herbs. He was successful and returned in 1579 with a good supply of Winter's Bark. It was used to treat scurvy before vitamin C became a known remedy. Winter’s Bark also sustained Captain James Cook and his crew in the South Pacific. A naturalist by the name of Johann Reinhold Forster on board was the first person to actually describe and name Drimys winteri. Witchy Tip: Burn some winter’s bark and set the intention of success in all that you do – or create a sachet to carry wherever you go in order to promote success.  Winter's Bark illustration © Ana Vice/ Enchantments NYC Pecan (Carya illinoensis) Pecan (aka Hickory, Butternut or Sweet Pecan) is associated with the planet Mercury, air element, and money, employment, and prosperity spells. Growing as tall as 75 feet, pecan trees can be fruitful for up to 300 years. The pecan tree symbolizes wealth and financial stability. The word pecan comes from an Algonquin word that has to do with nuts that have shells to be cracked. It has been said that Native Americans gathered pecans primarily as a food source. However, pecans had other uses too: some were used to make dye and oil. The genus name carya is based on the ancient Greek word karya meaning “nut.” Karya is derived from Carya (Lady of the Nut Tree), who later became known as the Olympian Nature Goddess Artemis Caryatis. Native to the southern United States and parts of Mexico, pecans were also useful in trading: In 1541 AD Spanish explorer Hernando De Soto wrote about pecans and eventually brought them to Spain. The pecan spread as far as Asia and Africa. The French settlers in Louisiana took the pecan into their culinary culture, creating pecan pie (which is my fave). How about some kitchen witchery? Make a pecan pie with the intention of welcoming wealth and prosperity (you can find a recipe here). Basil (Ocimum basilicum, O. tenuiflorum, O. sanctum) There are 21 different names for basil including, Sweet Basil, Holy Basil, and Witches Herb. Often associated with the planet Mars and fire element, it can be used to attract wealth, prosperity, harmony, luck, money, love or used in protection, flying, and exorcism spells. It also can be used to attract customers or clients to a place of business (this is done by putting some in the cash register or at the door). You can also use basil in in sachets, baths, incense, floor wash, sprays, and in kitchen witchery. It is utilized spiritually in a number of spiritual traditions including Santeria, Voodoo, Hoodoo and ones associated with Hinduism. Basil has been used for centuries in Ayurvedic medicine to treat inflammation and other illnesses. It is speculated that it originally comes from Asia but is now found in all over the world. Holy Basil in particular (O. tenuiflorum or sanctum) is an annual plant and has clove-like scented leaves that can grow up to 2 feet tall. Sacred to the Hindus, who use it in both cooking and medicines, it also shows up in sacred mythology. Holy basil (aka Tulsi) symbolizes the manifestation of the Goddess Lakshmi (Goddess of Wealth and Good Fortune) and wife of Vishnu (God of Preservation and Protector of Good), and can be used as an offering to her. Vishnu has been said to wear a garland of holy basil leaves and for these reasons holy basil is grown in many Hindu homes and cultivated at temples. Once the plant withers, the woody stems can be used to create beads for rosaries (japa mala). Witchy Tip: Plant a holy basil plant in your home to invite wealth and good fortune into your life or as tribute to Lakshmi. Another tip would be to create a money drawing box: Fill a small wooden or cardboard box with basil leaves (which you can purchase from Enchantments here), a five dollar bill, and anoint it with a money draw oil or prosperity oil. Place your petition inside the box to draw in money.  Basil illustration © Ana Vice/ Enchantments NYC By Ana Vice Need a touch of magick in your love life?  Strawberries © Ana Vice/ Enchantments NYC There are all kinds of ways to use herbs with magickal intent: You can add them to oils, incenses, baths, ointments, lotions, soaps, perfumes, teas, tinctures, elixirs, pillows, poppets, and more. While Enchantments’ herbs aren’t for ingestion, it’s still important to clearly label your herbs, handle them with care, and separate those that may be poisonous to humans and animals (for example, morning glory and saffron are toxic to cats and dogs). The majority of herbs in this article are non-toxic, but still intended for spiritual and magickal use only. Many of you may already have some of these in your home apothecary or cabinet, but others you can buy at the grocery store, farmers market, or at the Enchantments shop, which has a botanica containing over 150 herbs. Here we share the beautiful folklore behind these ten "love" herbs, as well as their spiritual uses and connotations. Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum) Sugarcane (sometimes known as Ko in Hawaii) is associated with the planet Venus and water element. Sugar in general has long been used in love and lust potions or magickal formuli. Some believe chewing on a piece of sugarcane whilst thinking of your loved one attracts them in a loving way. Sugar can also be used to “sweeten” someone to favor you or as an offering. Yemayá’s (one of the main Orishas in Santeria) favorite foods are watermelon and sugarcane syrup. As the mother of all living things and ruler over motherhood, she owns all the waters of the Earth and gave birth to the stars, moon, sun, and most of the Orishas. Yemaya’s aché is nurturing, protective and includes fertility. Yemayá is also a fierce warrior that protects her children from harm. Yemayá can be found in all the waters of the world and because of this she has many aspects of “caminos” (roads). She, like Oshún, carries all of the experiences of womanhood within her caminos. In the Philippines there is a myth about a sad chieftain. He was experiencing ennui despite the fact that he did so much for his tribe as a youth. He no longer found meaning in all his success and wondered what heaven might be like. One day he was making a prayer to Bathala (Creator God) to let Bathala know how fed up and bored he had become. According to the Tagalog, Bathala is the supreme deity who created the universe. The chieftain wished to end life on Earth and go to Heaven. Abruptly, a voice said that his time on earth was not done. Disappointed, the chieftain left his palace to go walk through the forest. There, he came across an old man who tried to cheer him up by saying that he could find heaven here on earth. The old man led the chieftain to a sugarcane plant and said that its sweet stem will take him to heaven. The chieftain began to chew the stem of sugarcane and was delighted by its sweetness. Sugarcane allowed the chieftain to realize that it’s the simple things in life that bring us joy. Witchy Tip: If you already work with Yemayá and want to conceive a child, you can use sugarcane syrup as an offering to her. Set your intention for fertility and the ability to conceive a healthy child. Light white and blue candles, and consider additional offerings of seven white flowers, cowries, or silver coins. Because she is the Great Ocean Mother, rituals at the beach are also an option. Beet (Beta vulgaris) Also known as mangel and mangold, beet is often associated with the planet Saturn, earth element, and love (it has been said that if two people eat from the same beet they will fall in love). Beet juice can be consumed as a beverage, but also used as an ink in love magick. For the Greeks, the Goddess Aphrodite symbolizes beauty, sensuality, love, and desire. One of her secret pleasures was said to be beetroot (aka pantzaria). It was believed that beets could make someone healthier and more beautiful, in addition to being an aphrodisiac. Records show that Greeks began cultivating beetroot around 300 BCE and they ate the leaves and used roots as offerings to Apollo (God of Sun and Light, and also one of Aphrodite’s lovers) in the temple of Delphi. The Greeks considered it to be worth its weight in silver, and Hippocrates may have even used beetroot leaves for binding and dressing wounds, as well as for medicine. Evidence of humans using beets dates back to the Neolithic site of Aartswoud in the Netherlands. Beets were associated with the Saqqara pyramid at Thebes, Egypt, which dates to the time of the Third Dynasty circa 2600 BCE. There were also Assyrian texts that describe beetroots growing in the Hanging Gardens of Babylon in 800 BCE. Romans consumed beetroots, but mainly for medicinal purposes (namely as a laxative or to cure fever). Apicius, an ancient Roman gourmet, wrote a book called The Art of Cooking and some of his recipes contained beetroots, including broths and salad dressings made of mustard, oil, and vinegar. Ranging in orange, yellow, or red in coloring, Celtic women have been known to use beetroot for lipstick and blush. Witchy Tip: Buy a good sized red beet at your local farmers market. Clean and carve your first name and astrological sign, then place the beetroot in a bowl and set your intention to attract love. Soaking the beet beforehand in warm water will yield a red water that can be used as ink if you wish to write out your intention.  Beets © Ana Vice/ Enchantments NYC Lavender (Lavendula officinale or L. vera) Lavender (also known as elf leaf, nard, nardus, and spike) is associated with the planet Mercury and air element. Its spiritual attributes are protection, purification, sleep, chastity, love, happiness, and peace. Lavender is often used in sachets, pillows, baths, soaps, perfume, oils, poppets, and/or added to incense. Its fragrant flowers can be put into dresser drawers to scent clothing (especially to attract love) or the flowers can be burned to promote calm and restful sleep. A piece of paper on which you’ve rubbed lavender is excellent for writing love letters. It has also been used as a substitution for rice as wedding confetti. Lavender used to be worn by “ladies of the night” to attract customers and let people know they were available. Despite love associations with lavender, during the Renaissance it was thought that the combination of rosemary and lavender could keep a woman’s chastity. Ancient Egyptians, Phoenicians and Arabians used lavender as a perfume to attract love, too. While the Egyptians mummified their dead in lavender-dipped shrouds, Cleopatra apparently used lavender in her to seduce her lovers. Some say the energy of this plant is so strong that it can lift melancholy at the mere sight of it and bring in happiness. It’s often used in healing blends and purification baths. Some believe if you carry it with you to a place where there are ghosts or spirits that you’ll have the ability to see them. It can also be protective and ward off the evil eye. Witchy Tip: Make a small pillow and stuff it with lavender. Place it under your pillow at night. Before falling into a peaceful sleep free of bad dreams make a wish or set an intention for one or more of the following: love, happiness, protection, longevity, or peace. Morning Glory (Ipomoea spp.) Poison Often associated with the planet Saturn and water element, morning glory (aka bindweed) can promote happiness and peace. Try placing its seeds beneath your pillow or within a sachet to prevent bad dreams. You can make blended oils with it or add essential oil to incense blends and baths. Morning glory flowers bloom and die within one day. The Japanese were the first to cultivate morning glory (Asagao) as decorative flowers in the 800s AD. Asa means morning and kao is face, and the flowers were often used at japanese weddings. Most morning glory species bloom in the morning and start curling up a few hours before nighttime. They require full sun exposure and mesic soils to grow well. Morning glory flowers have a short lifespan, so sometimes it can be associated with the fleeting nature of love. But since it also gives birth to new flowers in the morning, it can signify the renewable nature of affection. In the Victorian symbolism of flowers, morning glory represents love in vain, and morning glory vines were often placed on headstones to symbolize mourning, a short life span, or even resurrection. According to the Chinese folklore, the star-shape of the flower signifies the day when the Chinese lovers Chien Niu and Chih Neu are permitted to meet for a single day each year. According to this story, the young boy Chien Niu was given the responsibility to take care of the water buffalos and the girl, Chih Neu, was entrusted with the task of sewing dresses. They fell deeply in love and eventually started ignoring their duties. This angered their God so much that they were separated on opposite sides of a silent river. Only once a year they were allowed to meet. Since the morning glory has such a short lifespan and ephemeral nature, it is befitting to symbolize the short-lived union between these young lovers. During the Aztec civilization, people utilized the juice of some morning glory species to form a rubber-like substance. They also mixed the seeds with tobacco and insects to slather on their bodies before performing ritualistic human sacrifice in order to dull the pain. It was believed that morning glory would help the victim to travel to the afterlife and be reborn. Aztec shamans are also said to have used the seeds in order to have visions and communicate with their gods. Morning glories inspired Louisa May Allcott to write Morning Glories and Other Stories and later Georgia O’Keeffe to paint Blue Morning Glories and Ram's Head, Blue Morning Glory in 1938. Witchy Tip: Make a small pillow out of blue cloth and stuff with morning glories to place under your head or pillow at night to get rid of nightmares and maintain a happy, peaceful slumber.  Morning Glory © Ana Vice/ Enchantments Catnip (Nepeta cataria) Catnip (aka cat, catmint, field balm, and nip) is associated with the planet Venus and water element. Its spiritual and magickal attributes are love, beauty, joy, and happiness. Used in love or cat magick, it can be used as an offering to Bast or Bastet – the Egyptian goddess associated with protection, cats, perfumes, fertility, children, music, joy, the arts, and warfare. Growing catnip in your garden or hanging it over your front door it is thought to attract good spirits. Catnip has been used in traditional European medicine for hundreds of years. It was first mentioned the De viribus herbarum and valued for its ability to calm anxiety and act as a sleep aid. Furthermore, it was applied externally as a poultice to reduce swelling. Catnip can also be made into a juice to use for topical application, as was the practice by Nicholas Culpepper (a 17th century botanist, avid astrologer, physician, and herbalist). Mainly the flowering tops are used (dried for tea or fresh for an essential oil), but there are accounts of the root being used, too. Catnip is part of American folk medicine and has been used by The Hoh, Delaware, Cherokee, and Iroquois Native American tribes to make a gentle tea for children to help an upset stomach or with trouble falling asleep. The Cherokee also used catnip to make a strengthening tonic. In the southwestern United States, catnip (a.k.a. nebada in Spanish) was sold as a brandy infusion with fennel in a digestive tonic. Europeans used it as a remedy for digestive upset, as well. Witchy Tip: Put catnip and rose petals into a pink or red sachet bag to invoke love. Patchouli (Pogostemon cablin or P. patchouli) Patchouli (also known as pucha-pot and kablin) is associated with the planet Saturn, earth element, love, lust, fertility, and money. Patchouli has a strong earthy, musky scent and is often used for love or lustful magickal formulas (including fertility talismans), or money and prosperity spells. Patchouli can be made into a floor wash, incense, soap, or used in place of graveyard dust. A member of the mint family and covered in purplish-white flowers, the most commonly used portions of the plant are the dried leaves. When grown, the patchouli bush can reach nearly three feet tall. Patchouli comes from Southeast Asia and has a long history as an essential oil and folk remedy for skin ailments and anti-aging. Patchouli comes from the Hindui word pacholi meaning “to scent,” and East Indian shawls and fabrics were scented with patchouli oil in the 1800s. Both patchouli oil and incense underwent a surge in popularity in the 1960s and ‘70s in the US and Europe, mainly as a result of the hippie movement of those decades. In the 1980s it was a scent sometimes worn by Goths in the Gothic underground movement. Some believe that patchouli dispels negativity and promotes good dreams, in addition to attracting love. With its feminine, yet masculine characteristics, patchouli is associated with the deities Aphrodite and Pan. Patchouli is synonymous with passion and putting dried patchouli into small sleep pillows or sachets may promote an amorous atmosphere. The deep and lusty scent might entice your lover to feel romantic, especially since it’s a well-known aphrodisiac. To attract someone you desire, wear patchouli oil or place some patchouli root in a mojo bag to carry in your pocket or to wear around your neck. Witchy tip 5: Take a dram (1/6th of an ounce) of patchouli essential oil and make a spray with it. Spray yourself, your clothing, your wallet and anything else you desire to attract love and prosperity into your life. You can also anoint a green or pink votive candle with patchouli essential oil (3-6 drops) and set your intention for drawing either love or money.  Orchids © Ana Vice/ Enchantments NYC Orchids (Orchis spp.) Orchids (aka levant salap, sahlab, saloop, and satyrion) are associated with the planet Venus and water element. Used in love spells, especially the root, orchids can be carried in sachets or sewn into clothing. Some variations of orchids are used in inducing visions, trance-states, and for heightening psychic powers. Orchids, which come in a variety of colors, patterns, and shapes, are both captivating and inspiring. These exotic plants have made their way around the world and are often associated with love, fertility, and sensuality. One of the major orchid genera is Paphiopedilum (a.k.a. Venus Slipper and Venus is the Roman equivalent of Aphrodite). The name is derived from the word “Paphos” which is also the name of the Sanctuary of Aphrodite at Paphia, where the Greek Goddess of love was worshiped. In Ancient Greece, it was believed that parents could choose the sex of their child by eating the orchid’s tubers: If the father ate thick, fleshier tubers, the child would turn out to be a boy. If the mother ate smaller, thinner tubers, the child would turn out to be a girl. The orchid receives its name from a Greek myth: The young minor god Orchis is a little too young to be taken with one of Bacchus’ (the Greek God of wine) priestesses. Predictably, Bacchus has a wild response for this behaviour and little Orchis is divided across the land, a wild Orchid growing wherever a piece fell. This legend, retold across Europe as the Greek & Roman cultures collided, gives the orchid a passionate, fertile status. Indeed, the final piece of Orchis landed in the sea and some say led to the birth of Aphrodite. Native to Asia and the Mediterranean, the orchid’s role in China begins with over 2,000 years of cultivation and cultural importance. In China, orchids are regarded as emblems of integrity, elegance and friendship. Depictions of the distinctive flower in art and literature are common. Confucius believed the orchid to be a symbol of nobility and strength that should be valued. Aztecs commonly mixed vanilla, orchids, and chocolate to create an elixir that brought on power and strength. Witchy Tip: Create an Aphrodite love drawing sachet from fabric (preferably a pink, green, copper, or combination thereof) and fill with orchids + a petition or folded letter of intention. Carry it with you. Rose (Rosa spp.) Associated with the planet Venus and water element, rose can be used to enhance psychic powers, love divination, and invoke healing, luck, and protection. Petals and rose hips are often used for love magic, in addition to essential oil. A garland of roses can be worn when performing love spells or a single rose in a vase placed on an altar can aid in love-magick spellwork. Rose water made from rose petals can be added to love baths (i.e. self love and love attraction) and petals can be used to stuff a love poppet or sachet. It has been said that in order to discover their romantic future, women would make tea with green rose leaves and name each for one of their lovers. The one that remains green the longest corresponds to the love that will be true and lasting. Symbols for the Greek Goddess of Love, Aphrodite, include roses, doves, myrtles, sparrows, and swans. In modern times, the red rose is still associated with love. In the epic poem The Illiad, Homer tells us how Hector’s body was anointed with rose oil after his death at Achilles hand. According to the poet Anacreon, seafoam dripping from the body of Aphrodite as she is born turns into white roses representing her purity and innocence. Later, when she is trying to help her wounded lover, Adonis, Aphrodite sheds a few drops of blood onto a white rose and changes it to red representing her desire and passion. Another well-known Greek story is about the marriage of Eros (the God of Love and Sexual Desire) and Psyche (a mortal woman who became Goddess of the Soul aka Breath of Life). At their wedding ceremony, Zeus’s daughters (sometimes referred to as either the Horae or the three Gratiae aka Graces or Charities) covered the land in roses. Outside of Greek mythology, roses symbolize purity and sometimes motherly love. For Catholics, roses are often associated with the Virgin Mary and with activity of God or of a Saint in association to Our Lady of Guadalupe. A man named Juan Diego believed that he was given a sign by the Virgin Mary to bring the bishop to town and establish a church in her honor at the Hill of Tepeyac (Mexico City). He was told by Mary to go to the top of the hill to cut all the roses he found blooming there and place them in his cloak. Juan was a faithful man and went up the hill as he was asked. To his surprise he found a rose bush full of beautiful and fragrant roses at the top of the hill. He gathered them and brought them to the bishop as was requested by Mary. Upon seeing the bishop, Juan opened his cloak and the many beautiful roses fell out revealing a vivid image of Blessed Mary on the fabric of Juan’s cloak. Considered a miracle, the bishop agreed to build the church for Mary on the hill. Ultimately, the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe was established and celebrated each year on December 12. Witchy Tip: Draw yourself a hot bath, fill with rose petals, a few spoonfuls of sea salt, and several drops of essential rose oil. As you enter the bath allow all distractions of the day to fade. Seat yourself and take in the rose fragrance. Meditate or set an intention for self love or love attraction. Make robust petition to a Goddess of Love (such as Aphrodite or Venus). Otherwise, contemplate all that is love and let it wash over you as you take your bath. Feel the warmth and joy in this process. If you want, burn pink candles or play music to set the mood.  Roses © Ana Vice/ Enchantments NYC Saffron (Crocus saliva) Also known as autumn crocus, krokos, kunkuma (Sanskrit), and saffer (Arabic), saffron is associated with the Sun, the fire element, love, lust, happiness, and strength. The Phoenecians baked saffron into crescent-shaped cakes, which they ate in honor of the Moon and fertility Goddess, Ashtoreth. Saffron can be added to love sachets, as well as lusty or happiness potions. Saffron crocuses were sometimes worn at the girdle and believed to relieve menstrual cramps, while saffron spice was used medicinally for this very purpose. It was also believed to induce a higher level of sexual potency in men who took saffron. According to Greek mythology, Medea apparently used saffron to create the Promethean salve, which she smeared on Jason's body and then prayed to Hekate for her help. It was hoped that this ointment and blessing would render him invulnerable. The Promethean salve contained some of the sacred crocus (saffron). A tale of the two lovers Hermes and Krokos is a different origin myth for saffron. Krokos was a mortal and one time, while rough housing together, he was wounded by Hermes. Wherever Krokos’s blood fell, a saffron flower grew there. Another myth tells the story of how the saffron crocus arose from the blood of Prometheus, who was crucified in Caucasus; the toxic autumn crocus (sometimes known as meadow saffron) became known as the Promethean herb. In the East, right down to the present day, saffron robes are associated with dyes used for Buddhist and Hindu garments. Saffron spice is also often used in cuisines around the world, including Spanish paella and East Indian Biryani. Witchy Tip: Make a small sachet from golden orange or red fabric and stuff it with saffron. Wear this on your person to attract love and happiness or to heighten lustful feelings between you and your lover. Strawberry (Fragaria vesca) Also known as poziomki, tchilek, and jordboer, strawberries are associated with the planet Venus, the water element, love and luck. The delicious berry is considered a “love food” and the leaves can be carried for luck. Some believe that carrying a small packet of strawberry leaves eases pregnancy pains. Strawberries often appear in European myths and folklore as the fertility and love fruit of various love Goddesses, such as Aphrodite and Freyja. Aphrodite was said to have created the strawberry when she wept heart-shaped tears of sorrow for her love, Adonis (Aphrodite’s mortal lover) after he was run through by a wild boar. The strawberry holds both spiritual and medicinal importance to a number of Native American tribes, such as the Pomo, Iroquois, Cherokee, and Navajo. The Native American Pomo tribe of what is now called California had special Strawberry Festivals representing springtime and new life. The Kashaya band of Pomo still holds Strawberry Festivals to this day. Among the Iroquois, strawberries were symbols of blessings and used to give thanks, while the Cherokee associated strawberries with love and happiness. One Cherokee story involves the very first strawberry and it goes something like this: At the beginning of time, the very first man and woman set up their home next to a big river as a newly married couple. They had everything they needed for a joyful life and lived very well until their first argument – which began small, but got bigger over time. The man asked why the woman did not cook what he enjoyed to eat. The woman asked him why he had not brought in firewood, and so after a while they began to insult each other and throw things. The woman was so upset she took off towards the rising Sun whilst the man lay sleeping. When the man awoke he noticed the woman was gone and so he found her tracks and followed them. The Sun could see what was happening and asked the husband if he was still angry with his wife. He confessed that he was not angry at his wife. Then the Sun asked if he would like to have her back. The man said that he would and so the Sun decided to help him. The Sun’s gentle rays reached the ground along the woman’s path. First, a huckleberry bush sprang up. But she kept walking. Next, blackberries grew on her path. She kept walking. Then the Sun decided to create something so striking, fragrant, and delicious that the woman could not help but notice it, despite her melancholy mood. This “something” was the very first patch of strawberries ever to exist. Their sweet scent filled the air and took hold of the woman’s senses. She felt her sadness lift. She immediately saw the heart-shaped, red strawberries and tried one. By tasting its sweetness on her tongue, she started to remember the joy she knew when she and her husband first met. She sat down on the ground and wondered what to do. Her husband caught up to her and sat down quietly beside her and smiled. She gave him strawberries to eat, too. They realized how much they loved one another and walked back home together taking a few strawberry plants with them to plant at their garden so they would never forget this lesson. The moral of this story is to do nothing in haste, consider all things thoroughly, and be able to forgive others for their faults. Witchy Tip: Prepare some freshly cleaned strawberries as an offering to the Goddess Freya appealing to her Love aspect. Light pink (love) and red (desire and sensuality) votive candles anointed with Freya oil. Set your intention to welcome a robust love into your life or take the opportunity to empower yourself and set the intention for self love.  Strawberries © Ana Vice/ Enchantments Want to read more about herbs? Check out this story on the best herbs for purification and protection or review our entire herbal series here. By Amber C. Snider A certified relationship coach and psychotherapist weighs in on the “love” matter – and why you may miss out on rich spiritual opportunities by calling it quits too early.  Image by Mihai Paraschiv from Pixabay As different parts of the US begin to slowly reopen up in the ongoing wake of COVID-19, you may have noticed a new social trend: Break-ups. After spending 4+ months together in lockdown, many of those once seemingly perfect relationships are beginning to unravel and come to an abrupt end. But according to psychologist and certified relationship coach Dr. Paulette Sherman, before you take the leap to singledom, there are a few things you may want to know (and ways to grow your love relationship) before throwing in the towel and saying farewell forever. As spiritual practitioners, many of us understand the importance of uncrossing, clearing negative energy, removing blocks, and self-reflection. But when it comes to romantic love (especially when you’re emotionally stressed to the max), it can be all-too-easy to forget these same deep truths. Relationships, according to Dr. Sherman, can be a powerful vehicle for personal transformation. Our significant others act as mirrors: They reflect the good, bad, and ‘hard to look at’ parts of ourselves, including our triggers and insecurities. And sometimes seeing yourself reflected back so clearly can be intense. “One of the biggest obstacles that I find as a couples therapist and coach is ‘The Blame Game’ and the tendency for someone to think that they can just exchange their partner for someone who will make them happy,” Dr. Sherman tells me. “The reality is, most marriages have at least five unresolvable problems that stem from differences in values, personality and lifestyles. So no matter who your partner is, it’s just which issues you choose.” Since you’re going to run into a different set of unresolvable problems with someone else, figuring out your deal breakers and what you’re willing to put up with is extremely important. “Of course, there would be exceptions like physical abuse, drug abuse, cheating or things that a person may choose not to tolerate in a relationship,” she adds. But if you call it quits too early without recognizing this, we can “miss the spiritual opportunity to heal old wounds that prevent us from loving more and being our best,” she says. In her latest book, Marriage and the Law of Attraction, Dr. Sherman discusses practical and spiritual tools for making relationships work. She’s published over 20 books and this particular topic couldn’t be better timed. “It’s dismaying to see that divorce filings have gone up 40 percent and the divorce rate was already at 50 percent. Couples are now literally being confronted 24/7 by their issues, so it’s hard to ignore them or avoid them now,” she says. “When you are in a state of crisis, you have two choices—you can choose love or fear—danger or opportunity.” The pandemic has not only highlighted “incompatibility issues,” but also value differences between couples: What happens when one person takes safety precautions seriously and the other doesn’t? Add working from home together, possibly with children (with the added burden of home schooling), and/or living in small apartments, and it can become a breeding ground for restlessness and resentment. Maybe issues were already present in the relationship before, but at least people had outside distractions, friendships, and hobbies to turn to. In her book, Dr. Sherman discusses seven relationship habits (backed with research-based tools) to help couples work through their issues and stop focusing on “changing” their partner – which is a trap many of us fall into. She also focuses on the Law of Attraction: a universal spiritual principle that, according to Dr. Sherman, “supercharges” these other psychological tools. “When we align our thoughts, feelings and actions with our intention, we become powerful Creators and attractors,” she says. Some of Dr. Sherman's principles are inspired by the work of John Gottman, an American psychological researcher who wrote a number of books on relationships. The Gottman Method is about establishing a dialogue to address perpetual problems and communicate “acceptance of your partner with humor, affection, and even amusement.” Criticism, contempt, stonewalling, and defensiveness are considered the “Four Horsemen” that ultimately lead to painful "discussion gridlocks.” Now, add a global pandemic to the mix and the chances of "discussion gridlocks" are even higher. No one expected to undergo a life-changing, global pandemic with their significant other, but here we are. Dr. Sherman believes the following can help when faced with relationship difficulties: 1) Managing your emotions, thoughts, communication 2) Knowing your trigger points and places of resistance (ego) 3) Becoming a team again 4) Choosing actions that serve the relationship and 5) Learning about unconditional love and soulmates. “Couples learn to see their mate as their teacher and the relationship as the alchemical vehicle for growth,” she adds. Date nights and doing novel activities together is another positive step towards re-bonding: “Research came out that shows that women are 4x less divorce-prone if they have a weekly date night, and 3x more sexually satisfied and satisfied with their marriage overall,” she says. “Just having time away from all the stressors – and doing novel things – is better for the relationship.” Couple baths are another way to facilitate bonding. You can cook, you can dance, you can modify what a ‘weekly date night’ looks like in these [times of COVID-19].” One bad habit to watch out for is the idea that your spouse should make you happy, when in reality, we’re all responsible for our own happiness. “Research shows that your baseline happiness before marriage is your baseline happiness after marriage. But we’re told so many fairy tales about happily ever after, but ultimately it becomes a blame game,” she adds. Spiritual tools (although she can't directly integrate them into her traditional psychotherapy practice due to existing rules and ethics with APA) have been instrumental in Dr. Sherman’s personal life. After undergoing her own “dark night of the soul” with breast cancer, she relied on spirituality to get her through it. Now, she says, she feels compelled to share these gifts with others. She highlights the individual work we all have to do – whether we’re in a couple or not. Self-soothing, raising your vibrations, and maintaining your self-love, self-care, and state of appreciation are vital, Dr. Sherman notes. “Maintaining hobbies and meeting your own needs is really key,” she says. “How you shift from the inside and how you meet those needs can definitely shift your relationship and take some of the pressure off.” “Is it harder for people to work on themselves and take full responsibility when they’re traumatized? Sure, but it’s still a choice. Structure, when you’re in the middle of anxiety and chaos, can be a really good thing. Having empowering tools, so you don’t feel like a victim or helpless.”  To learn more, visit her website at www.DrPauletteSherman.com. We also recommend checking out Dr. Sherman's The Book of Sacred Baths: 52 Bathing Rituals to Revitalize Your Spirit (published by Llewellyn), as well as her new podcast ‘The Love Psychologist’ now available on iTunes and Stitcher. |
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