Book Review: Past Life Prompts by M. Belanger

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When I was a freshman in high school, I started having vivid "flashbacks" involving Napoleon and Josephine Bonaparte. At the time, I wasn't entirely sure what these memories were until my world history teacher mentioned in class one day how she believed she was a close friend of Anne Boyelyn in a past life. She described having very real recollections of walking palace hallways and laughing with other noble women. She did not think she was Anne, though, believing she would have remembered having her head cut off. I giggled right along with everyone else in class, but it struck a chord. Were my experiences the same as my teachers'? I fell into a rabbit hole as a young teen, trying to learn as much about my experience as I could, exploring history right alongside past life work. 

I have mentioned before that I have clairolfactance (also known as clairalience), or the ability to "clear smell." Sometimes this is accompanied by quick visuals (clairvoyance) and even a little bit of just knowing things (clairsentience), but by and large, I rely on smells to help me figure things out. It is a wild gift to possess, especially when you smell an odd odor and think, "Did the cats pee somewhere odd?" or "Did someone fart in here??" But I digress. The reason I mention this is that the more I pushed to figure out what was happening, the more smells that came to me, which triggered more and more memories. After months of research and "soul searching," I came to the conclusion that I was a very close friend of Josephine, Napoleon's wife, and I loved Napoleon greatly, but secretly. This love was not acted upon, let alone returned, but I was devoted and loyal nonetheless. I don't know who I was exactly, only that I played an important role in their life.

In the early 2000s, it was difficult to find information on past lives. In fact, there wasn't much information at all, and much of what I was finding seemed very "out there," even for a young teenager. Today, however, information abounds, including M. Belanger's latest book/journal Past Life Prompts: A Journal of Memory Work.

In this journal, Belanger offers over 130 prompts to explore your past lives, if you have any. These prompts are designed to trigger potential memories, even if they are only memories of this life. As Belanger mentions in the introduction, sometimes we cannot recall specific details about our past lives, but instead themes that have echoed through our lives. These patterns or echoes can be explored through the prompts after your initial journaling. Prompts range from "Tears well in your eyes. What just happened?" or "Your prayers have been answered. Where do you go to worship?" I found each prompt extremely thought-provoking and wish I had had access to such a journal when I was first exploring past lives.

Belanger doesn't leave us completely hanging when it comes to answering the prompts, however. The journal opens with a brief guide that explores the what, how, and why of past life exploration. She also includes a brief guide to assessing your style of memory and how to determine if your "remembering" is "real" or not. My biggest complaint about the introduction is that it's too short. I wish there had been a more detailed guide with some examples of how to read and interpret your responses. I know others will likely struggle to figure out exactly what to do once they have answered a prompt or all of them.

Despite the lackluster guide, the prompts alone in Past Life Prompts: A Journal of Memory Work is worth the purchase if you are interested in exploring your past lives. However, I strongly encourage you to use this journal in conjunction with another resource that delves deeper into past life exploration.

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Magical and Medicinal Uses of Fennel

Gender: Masculine

Planet: Mercury
Element: Fire
Powers: Enlightenment, Fertility, Healing, Lust, Protection, Purification, Wisdom

Magical Uses and History: Fennel likely originated in the Mediterranean, spreading throughout the rest of the world as trade prospered and cultures exchanged goods. Fennel has long been revered, not only for its culinary uses but also for its medicinal and magical properties, playing a significant role in rituals as far back as the ancient Greeks. These ritual uses did not die with the ancient Greeks, however, but spread and morphed with time.

In ancient Greece, fennel was most often used in religious ceremonies, most notably for the Greek god Dionysus. Fennel was used to create thyrsi, wands or staves made from giant fennel covered in ivy and leaves, and topped with a pine cone or artichoke. These staves were carried by devotees of Dionysus and used in Bacchic rituals. It was a symbol of fertility (it is a deliberately phallic object, after all), prosperity, and hedonism. By some accounts, iron points were hidden among the leaves and used as weapons to "incite madness." In the Bacchae and Other Plays, Euripides writes, "To raise my Bacchic shout, and clothe all who respond / In fawnskin habits, and put my thyrsus in their hands– / The weapon wreathed with ivy-shoots ... There's a brute wildness in the fennel-wands; reverence it well." By all accounts, the use of fennel in the thyrsus associates it with fertility, lust, and protection, and therefore, it can be used in spells and rituals for such purposes. If you work with Dionysus, consider creating your own thyrsus to use in rituals. Add fennel or fennel seeds to spells and recipes to attract or promote fertility, increase lust, and ignite passions. It works best when consumed.

Fennel wasn't just associated with Dionysus in ancient Greece, but also with Prometheus. Fennel is believed to be the plant Prometheus used to steal fire from the gods to gift to humanity. This associated fennel with enlightenment, knowledge, and wisdom. This symbolism is echoed by Pliny the Elder, who wrote that snakes rubbed against fennel plants to restore their eyesight while shedding. This led people to believe that eating fennel would improve one's eyesight, and as such, further links fennel to enlightenment and knowledge, as boosting eyesight helps one "see" the truth. This is further supported by fennel's association with Mercury, which Culpepper attributes to its versatile nature and associations with mental clarity and wit. As such, fennel can be used in spells, rituals, and recipes for clarity, enlightenment, wisdom, and knowledge. Fennel seeds can be burned, drunk as a tea, or used as an essential oil to enhance clairvoyance and promote focus.

The Romans, however, by and large revered fennel for its associations with strength, success, and longevity. Roman soldiers consumed fennel seeds prior to embarking on military campaigns to increase their stamina and ward off bad luck and evil spirits. In Goblet of Life, Longfellow suggests it was eaten by gladiators for similar purposes before entering the arena: "It gave new strength, and fearless mood; / And gladiators, fierce and rude, /Mingled it in their daily food; / And he who battled and subdued..." Furthermore, fennel was often used to crown the winners of games, thus associating fennel with success. This correspondence is echoed in Greece, where fennel is referred to as marathon after the battle of Marathon (490 BC) that was fought in a fennel field. Use fennel, especially the seeds, in spells and rituals to increase stamina, bring strength, or ensure success. It is also useful in ensuring the spell lasts and is successful.

Fennel was so well-regarded that Charlemagne encouraged its cultivation across Europe. It became a staple in royal kitchens, being served to kings with fruit, bread, and fish. Records indicate that King Edward I of England purchased fennel seed by the pound, which would have fetched a rather hefty price. Spanish missionaries spread fennel to the Americas, while the spice trade across Europe and Asia spread it into India and China. Across all of these cultures, fennel was highly regarded for its medicinal purposes, being used to cure a wide range of ailments. As mentioned earlier, fennel was associated with snakes, which likely led to its use in poultices to treat snake bites and as an antivenom. It was also used to treat diabetes, bronchitis, chronic cough, kidney stones, hookworms, and improve eyesight. In Longfellow's Goblet of Life, fennel is praised for its ability to restore eyesight: "Above the lowly plants it towers, / The fennel, with its yellow flowers, / And in an earlier age than ours / Was gifted with the wondrous powers, / Lost vision to restore." This use is also extolled in an old English rhyme: "Whaune the heddere (adder) is hurt in eye / Ye red fenel is hys prey, / And yif he mowe it fynde / Wonderly he doth hys kynde. / He schall it chow wonderly, / And leyn it to hys eye kindlely, / Ye jows shall sang and hely ye eye / Yat beforn was sicke et feye." Needless to say, fennel is deeply associated with healing and can be used in spells, rituals, and recipes for such purposes.

Apart from its use in improving eyesight (which modern science does not support), it was also used heavily as a digestive aid and an appetite suppressant. In the New England colonies, Puritans often chewed on fennel seeds to suppress their appetite during fasting. Churchgoers often chewed on fennel seeds during long services for similar purposes, earning them the name of "meeting seeds." Fennel seeds can be added to spells to strengthen their endurance or suppress an unwanted force from interfering with their success.

Finally, fennel has a long history of being used in purification and protection magic. In Medieval Europe, fennel was hung over the door, or seeds were placed in a keyhole, to protect against witches, ghosts, and evil spirits. Stuffing a keyhole with fennel seeds was believed to bar passage into the home. Both the hanging of fennel and the blocking of keyholes were done during Midsummer for protection. According to some accounts, fennel was also used to ward off fleas and other insects. As such, fennel can be added to spells and rituals for protection. Hang fennel above doors and windows or sprinkle seeds around your property, add to spell jars, burn seeds or dried leaves, or add to sachets for protection.

Fennel can be used in a number of spells, including:

      Protection Spells

      Fertility Magic

      Lust Spells

      Healing Spells

      Endurance Magic

      Strength Spells

      Enlightment Magic

Medicinal Uses: Fennel seeds make an excellent remedy for stomach and intestinal issues such as flatulence and colic, and are also often used to stimulate appetite and digestion due to their carminative and antispasmodic properties. As an expectorant, fennel seeds can also be used to treat bronchitis and coughs, and are often used to flavor cough remedies for this purpose. Fennel is also a natural galactagogue, meaning it can be used to initiate, maintain, or increase breast milk production, making it perfect for expecting or new mothers. Externally, fennel seeds can be used to treat muscular and rheumatic pains as they are a rubefacient, stimulating blood flow and creating a warming effect to relieve deep tissue pain and reduce inflammation.

Preparation and Dosage: To create an infusion, combine one cup of boiling water with 1-2 teaspoons of slightly crushed fennel seeds. Allow the mixture to infuse for 10 minutes. Drink up to three times a day. To relieve flatulence, drink one cup 30 minutes before meals. As a tincture, take 2-4 milliliters up to three times a day. To create a salve, combine 1.5 cups of lightly crushed fennel seeds with 1/2 cup of carrier oil. Allow the mixture to infuse in a window for 1-2 weeks or warm on very low heat for one hour. In a double boiler, combine infused oil with 1-2 tablespoons of beeswax. Pour into tins or glass jars and allow the salve to harden undisturbed. Use as needed for pain relief. To create a poultice, crush 1-2 tablespoons of fennel seeds and combine with a small amount of water to form a thick paste. Apply directly or in a gauze to the irritated or inflamed skin. Leave on for approximately 20 minutes before removing.

Want to print a copy of this for your Book of Shadows? Click below for your free copy!

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Mending the Flesh: A Folk-Inspired Wound Healing Spell

Unfortunately, I have spent much of my adult life dealing with tooth problems. None of this is the result of poor hygiene or bad eating habits, but instead because of genetics on my father's side. My grandfather lost all of his teeth by 30, and my dad, like myself, struggled to keep his, too. Since I turned 18, I have spent upwards of $35,000 on dental work, and despite my best efforts, I recently lost another tooth. While I am definitely used to it at this point, I don't enjoy being in pain or swollen any more than the next person, so I have learned to combine both mundane healing with magical means. While magic won't heal the wound overnight, it certainly makes me feel better about the whole ordeal. Reducing stress has been proven to speed the process, so why not add some magic to the mix?

This spell, in particular, is for healing wounds, especially those in the mouth. Even with modifications to the chant, I haven't found it particularly useful for healing colds and flus, so if that is what you are looking for here, you won't find it.

What You'll Need

• White candle
• Match/lighter
• Small bowl of cool, clean, spring water
• Pinch of salt 
• White, clean, biodegradable cloth or gauze

What to Do

Begin by cleansing your space and objects using your preferred method. This also means making sure items are sterile, and your hands have been washed with soap and water. We are trying to heal here, not promote infection. If you feel called to do so, cast a circle and invite any deities, spirits, or ancestors you wish to aid in the healing process. When ready, ground and center yourself in this moment using your preferred method.

Sit or lie somewhere comfortable and light the white candle. Take a few moments to relax and slow your breathing. Begin pulling your focus toward where you are experiencing pain. Feel it in its entirety, noticing where it hurts the most, how the pain radiates outward, and how it makes your entire body feel. Try to remain relaxed as you explore and acknowledge the pain caused by your wound.

When you feel you have completely explored your pain, add the salt to the bowl of water and stir it counterclockwise. As you do so say, “Blood and bone, be calm, be still. Flesh be mended by its own will. No harm lingers, no pain remains; Only healing, clean and plain. As I rest, so I restore; Whole and well, as once before.”

Dip the cloth into the water and gently apply it to the wound or area around the wound. In the case of a pulled tooth, I apply the cloth to my cheek, rather than the wound itself. Visualize the swelling easing and the bleeding slowing as the wound knits itself back together. Feel the pain leaving your body and entering into the cloth, the salt water helping to wash away pain and infection. If you wish, close your eyes and continue to chant the above spell as you continue your visualization. I find chanting softly with my eyes closed helps me focus on my goals and take my mind off any pain. Continue visualizing and/or chanting until you feel power swell within you. Direct that energy into the wound, encouraging it to heal quickly.

When you are finished, snuff out the candle, relighting it once a day for the next 3 or 7 days, depending on the wound. During each relight, focus on your desire to heal, whether through continued visualization or chanting. You can even repeat the above spell for the next week.

Bury the cloth in your backyard and dispose of the water outside as an offering, making sure to thank each for its assistance.

Warnings/Modifications/Alternatives:

• Do not leave a lit candle unattended, and always have water or another fire extinguisher nearby.
• If you cannot burn a candle, replace it with a battery-operated one, especially one that flickers. This spell also does not necessarily require a candle, so if push comes to shove, leave it out entirely.
• As mentioned before, please ensure all of your tools and supplies are sterile and that you have washed your hands thoroughly with soap and water to avoid infection. When in doubt, do not apply anything directly to an open wound; instead, hoving above it or around it, if necessary.
• If you cannot bury the cloth or gauze, you can throw it away or wash it. Do not use the cloth for any other purpose until it has been washed, as it is harboring your pain and any potential infection.
• Healing crystals such as obsidian, bloodstone, and rhodonite make wonderful additions to the healing water, should the wound be exceptionally deep or painful.
  
  

Why You Did It

Understanding the whys of a spell (or ritual or recipe) is just as important as performing it. It helps you understand the process so you can modify the spell or ritual to suit your needs, and it helps guide you in writing your own. It's my intention to provide these explanations so that you can build a better understanding of how spells are written and executed, so you can modify and build your own spells (the goal of my Spellcrafting Series).

Overall, this healing spell is incredibly simple, relying on visualization, chanting, and energy concentration to do the bulk of the work. The white candle, which is optional, is associated with cleansing, purification, and healing. Fire, like the color white, is also associated with cleansing and purification, as well as life and healing. By lighting the candle prior to beginning the spell, you are connecting with these energies and getting yourself into a "ritual" mindset.

This is furthered through the use of spring water and salt. Both are associated with healing and cleansing. Salt is also a natural antiseptic, helping to cleanse infection and promote wound healing. This mixture was stirred counterclockwise to banish pain, swelling, and infection while the chant helps to focus your energy on healing the wound. The salted spring water is then applied to the wound (or near it) using a white cloth or gauze, again associated with healing.

As mentioned previously, this is combined with chanting and visualization to help concentrate your energy on healing the wound while drawing out any pain, swelling, and infection into the cloth or gauze, which are then disposed of by burying in your backyard, which is associated with peace, balance, and long-term health. The cloth can also be washed to wash away the impurities before being reused for magical or mundane purposes.

This spell is continued by lighting the candle for 3 or 7 consecutive days, depending on the severity of the wound. The number 3 is associated with harmony and balance, which is great for minor wounds, while the number 7 is associated with healing (in folk medicine) and the completion of cycles (think the healing cycle), making it best for deeper wounds, like those associated with a tooth being pulled. It is exceptionally common in folk healing to continue the healing spell/ritual for several days to ensure success, with 7 being the most common number used.

Want to break this spell? This is not a spell to be broken. It will end when the wound has healed successfully.

Remember to record this spell in your Book of Shadows or use my Spell/Ritual Worksheet for reference later.

***

I am a couple of days into my healing journey for this tooth extraction, and I can say it is going much better than the last one. In a couple of months, the wound will be reopened to place a pin in preparation for an implant next year, and I will repeat the spell all over again. Such is life, but I am thankful for my dental team, my Care Credit, and the support of loving family and friends, especially my husband, who loves to dote on me when I am recovering. I hope that you and yours are doing well. Remember to take care of yourselves, even when it feels hopeless. 

Much love,

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Book Review: Polish Folk Magic by Joanna Tarnawska

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. I received a free copy of this deck in exchange for an honest review.

I don't know about you, but I have not felt like I have been able to catch a break in 2026. It has been one thing after another, which has meant my blog and reading have been put on the back burner. I haven't felt like reading, writing, or even practicing because I simply have no energy left to give. I know this is all part of the plot, especially if you live in the United States. The strategy is to overwhelm us to the point where we feel so exhausted that we give up fighting. Despite how exhausted I am, fighting politically has not taken the back burner, and I will continue to stay informed, show up, and do what is necessary to protect my community. Unsurprisingly, witchcraft is a great resource to rely on during trying times, as it has historically been used by oppressed peoples to fight against their oppressors.

A couple of months ago, Crossed Crow Books reached out to see if I was interested in reviewing any of their recent titles. I could not pass up the opportunity to read and review Polish Folk Magic: Ancestral Lore & Traditions of the West Slavs by Joanna Tarnawska, and I am so thankful I didn't. Tarnawska is a Polish native and folk practitioner, giving her the true inside scoop on Polish folk magic without the outsider's perspective. 

Polish Folk Magic opens with a brief introduction explaining who and what the book is for. First and foremost, Tarnawska is honest that she is just scratching the surface of Polish folk magic, as traditions and stories vary by region and culture. She notes that her book is heavily sourced and encourages the reader to turn to these primary sources to learn more. Finally, she makes it known that Polish Folk Magic is for the Slavic/Polish diaspora and those interested in appreciating the Slavic/Polish culture. My heart sang with joy when I read the final introductory paragraph. 

Many of us here in the United States and abroad in other colonized nations are searching desperately for cultural and ancestral roots that have been stripped away from us due to assimilation, loss of records, and time. If you spend any time on Threads, you will routinely see Europeans making fun of Americans trying to connect with our ancestral roots without realizing the sense of loss so many of us feel. We are living on stolen land with little to no connection to our ancestors, leaving a gaping hole in our sense of community and connection. Many of our ancestors immigrated out of necessity, to escape famine, war, and poverty, only to end up right back in those situations when they landed on foreign soil. They were relegated to slums, stripped of their valuables, denied access to certain jobs and places of business, and often forced to assimilate by changing their names, hiding their culture, and disguising their accents. This resulted in fragmented family histories, stripped of culture and heritage. Tarnawska recognizes that those who belong to the Slavic diaspora are seeking connection, and attempts to begin filling that void with her work. We need more books like Polish Folk Magic, written by those who are currently living and breathing the unbroken traditions of our homelands, so that those of us seeking connection can find our way home.

As mentioned earlier, Tarnawska takes an academic approach to Polish folk magic, while still remaining accessible. This is not your traditional how-to book, focusing primarily on laying the foundation of what Polish folk magic is, how it works, and tracing the history of the practices. This makes Polish Folk Magic a one-of-a-kind primer to understanding the Polish folk magic tradition, acting as a jumping point for those of us outside of current culture. Tarnawska covers everything from history, traditions, and folklore to types of magic, spells, spirits, and holidays. Throughout, Tarnawska offers personal insights into her practice and those of nearby regions, making sure to remind us that she is not able to cover everything within the scope of this book. However, Tarnawska still creates an excellent introduction that left me with plenty of ideas on where to start tracing my own Swedish and Scottish roots. And that is one of the great things about Tarnawska's work; you don't have to be Polish or Slavic or of that diaspora to find value in her work. In fact, much of the folklore Tarnawska discusses overlaps heavily with other cultures in the region, helping to set the stage for your future research.

Apart from offering one of the best introductory books I have ever read, Tarnawska also makes important connections between what our ancestors did and how we can use it in our modern world. Just as our ancestors fought against famine and uncertainty, so do we. While most of us are no longer living an agrarian life, that doesn't mean the earth's cycles don't pertain to us. On top of this, the threats they faced are the same we face today, just on a larger scale. Tarnawska encourages the readers to apply the foundations she lays to fighting climate change, tyrannical governments, capitalism, and other diseases of our modern world. I wish she had expanded on this a bit more, but I hope she will write more in the future.

Overall, I cannot give Polish Folk Magic: Ancestral Lore & Traditions of the West Slavs by Joanna Tarnawska enough praise. If you are of the Salvic diaspora or not, I highly encourage you to pick up a copy if you are trying to reconnect with your ancestral roots and decolonize your practice. The approach Tarnawska takes is one that you can easily apply to any country/culture/heritage, and her work offers valuable insight into understanding where much of the folk practices in the United States originates from.

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Magical Properties of Amazonite

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