The Best Crystals for New Year

Welcome to 2021! The new year often prompts us to look inward and inspires us to make changes. What better way to help you with your goals than a bit of crystal magic? These crystals will help you cleanse the previous year, especially after what 2020 has thrown at us, and set and maintain goals for the future. No matter what kind of goals you set or your budget, there is something for everyone. I tried to make the list a decent size, so hopefully, there is something on the list you can use to help you without breaking the bank!

Remember, when in doubt, the magic comes from within you. You don't need crystals to cleanse the previous year or set and maintain your goals. Heck, take a shower to cleanse yourself of 2020 and write your goals on some paper and hang it somewhere you will see them every day. These are also powerful spells and extremely practical. However, if you are like me and love working with crystals, try these crystals out for size!

Crystals for Cleansing to Previous Year

Fluorite

Renewal - Mental Clarity - Calm

Fluorite is a great crystal for cleansing and removing the previous year. It absorbs and neutralizes negative energy and anxiety, bringing calm and peace. Furthermore, it is able to clear confusion, increases concentration, and allows you to make wise decisions. Fluorite can be used to both clear the previous year and help you set goals for the future.

Black Tourmaline

Cleansing - Clearing - Grounding

Black Tourmaline is my go-to crystal for anything regarding cleansing, clearing, grounding, and protection. It is a powerful protector during hedge riding, which I often do to figure out new goals, and great at absorbing negative energy and clearing the way for the future. Use black tourmaline in your New Year rituals to let go of 2020 and set your goals for 2021.

Clear Quartz

Healing - Purification - Clarity

Clear Quartz is pretty universal and can be used for basically everything. It magnifies your intentions, clears the mind, amplifies your energy, and brings things into focus, thus making it the perfect crystal to cleanse yourself of the previous year in preparation for the next one.

Sodalite

Emotional Balance- Inner Peace - Clarity

Sodalite is a great balancing stone while simultaneously bringing clarity and inner peace. It also encourages rational thought, allowing you to work through the trials and tribulations you have endured the previous year while enhancing your self-trust and self-esteem. Sodalite is also the crystal of communication, allowing you to communicate your intentions in the coming new year.

Smoky Quartz

Transformation - Grounding - Balance

Like clear quartz, smoky quartz is able to amply energy, but it's also great at cleansing negativity and purging you any lingering negative effects from the previous year. Leave that trauma behind with smoke quartz and let it cleanse you for the future.

Amazonite

Intuition - Balance - Optimism

Above all else, amazonite is a soothing stone, calming the brain and nervous system simultaneously. Furthermore, it is a known balancer, which is great for entering a new year. It alleviates worry, fear, and emotional trauma, much needed after the year 2020 has been. 

Malachite

Balance - Focus - Transformation

Malachite is a wonderful crystal for a multitude of reasons. It's great at bringing prosperity but is also capable of balancing your mind, helping you focus on your intentions, while also purifying your energy. These properties make it great for letting things go.

Hematite

Balance - Optimism - Grounding

Hematite is a powerful grounder, allowing you to release negative energies and any thing else that may be holding you back. Use hematite during your rituals to cleanse the previous year and to help you focus on the future.

Crystals for Goal Setting, Perseverance, and Growth

Citrine

Manifestation - Prosperity - Happiness

Citrine is a powerful energizer and opens your intuition. It also raises your self-esteem and therefore your confidence, allowing you to conquer all. When you are starting to lose focus on your goals and falling off the horse, use citrine to help you get back on track.

Lapis Lazuli

Renewal - Spiritual Awakening - Inner Strength

Lapis lazuli is a beautiful crystal and great for removing blockages. If you feel yourself getting stuck while trying to achieve your goals, turn to lapis lazuli. Furthermore, it helps with spiritual awakenings making it perfect for such goals. 

Moonstone

Destiny - Transformation - Strength

Oh, moonstone. Another one of my favorite crystals of all time. Sometimes referred to as the stone of destiny, moonstone helps you figure out the future, strengthen your resolve to get things done, and transform your life. It enhances your intuition and promotes inspiration, making it the perfect stone for goal-setting. Furthermore, moonstone is great at soothing anxiety and removing fears so hopefully, nothing will get in your way.

Carnelian

Motivation - Confidence - Rebirth

Carnelian is another motivator and can be used much the same way a citrine. However, carnelian also dispels apathy and promotes positive life choices, so if you are feeling particularly stuck or have made health-related goals, carnelian is your best friend.

Labradorite

Creativity - Inspiration - Self Discovery

The beautiful sheen of labradorite is known to spark creativity and inspire even the most stubborn of minds. It is the perfect companion for goal setting and discovering which path you should take forward to be your best self. 

Amethyst

Discipline - Breaking Addictions - Focus

Amethyst is particularly powerful in promoting discipline and focus while also helping your break any addictions. If you are trying to stop a habit, use amethyst to help you do so. Furthermore, amethyst is great for spiritual growth and astral travel making it a great crystal for these types of goals as well.

Garnet

Courage - Hope - Energizing 

Garnet, with its blood-red color, is a great energizer but also grounding. If you feel yourself starting to slip on your goals, especially if you are losing hope or are fearful of taking the first steps, give this crystal a try.

Tiger's Eye

Courage - Strength - Calm

I consistently use Tiger's Eye to help me meet my goals when I feel myself starting to lose sight and willpower. Tiger's Eye helps you find your personal power and strengthen your willpower, helping motivate you to achieve your goals. 

And there you have it, 14 different crystals for cleansing the previous year, setting goals, growing and persevering. I wish you all the best in 2021!

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Elemental Magic: Tools of Spirit

In today's post, I will discuss some of the few tools associated with Spirit and how you can use them in your practice. Many of these tools were hinted at or discussed when I introduced you to some of the folklore surrounding Spirit. However, this post is more of a correspondences type list that you can use to quickly plan spells. There are not types of Spirit in this post, as I didn't want to discuss actual spirits themselves as that is not what this element is about. For your pleasure, I have also included a free 3-page printable for your Grimoire or Book of Shadows. Enjoy!

Besom: The besom or broom is the quintessential symbol of the witch, especially the hedgewitch, as witches were said to fly by night to the Sabbath. The besom can be used during hedge riding and astral projection, for protection, or to symbolize hearth and home.

Circle: Circles are amongst many of the symbols of Spirits. Use circles in your spells and rituals for protection, raising energy, trapping energy, or encompassing a spell. Circles can also be used to symbolize beginning at the end or what goes around comes around.

Clear Quartz: Clear quartz is an amplifier of magic and can replace just about any crystal in a spell or ritual. Use quartz to strengthen the components of a spell, connect to the spirit world, or amplify your energy during spell work. Clear quartz can also be charged for protection and worn or carried on your person.

Cord: Cords are used to tie or link things together. They are perfect for creating Witch's ladders, love spells, and even binding spells. Often times during a handfasting, individuals have their hands tied together to symbolize their union aka tieing the knot. Cords, both physically and astrally, can be cut to sever the bond between two things, especially between people. 

Familiar: The familiar is a spirit that can take the form of an animal to aid a witch in their magical workings. The vast majority of pets are not familiars (I hate to burst you bubble!). Instead, you are more likely to find familiars in the Otherworld nowadays, much like an animal guide. Familiars can help you cast spells, sever cords, perform shadow work, soul search, mend past traumas, keep an eye on loved ones and enemies, and even aid in cursing and hexing. 

Infinity Symbol: Spirit is infinite, a part of the neverending cycle of birth and rebirth. Use the infinity sign in your magic to have a spell never end. To break the spell, simply break the infinite sign.

Helix: The helix, especially the double helix, represents the instructions for life. All living things contain genetic material in the form of DNA and RNA. Both of these nucleic acids have a helical shape, thus represent the fundamental piece of life itself. Use images of the helix in your magical workings to represent perseverance, change, and everlasting life as our DNA is passed down to our children and grandchildren, ensuring we "live" forever.

Major Arcana in Tarot: Each of the major arcana in tarot is associated with the element Spirit. However, each card represents something different and therefore has different magical associations. For example, Justice can be used in spells to bring about justice and fairness while the Tower can be used to bring about sudden change, upheaval, spiritual awakenings, personal transformation, or general chaos. 

Meteorite: A meteorite is a fragment of rock that originated in space before falling to Earth. As such, they have the capability to channel the energy of the Universe into your magical workings. Use meteorites to clarify your purpose, divine the future, seek inner visions, awaken your Spirit, and even communicate with beings beyond our realm.

Rainbows: Rainbows should up in an earlier elemental post as well, but Spirit is often defined as a rainbow of color, so I felt the need to include rainbows here as well. Rainbows are formed by light passing through a prism, usually water droplets when found naturally. Rainbows have an array of magical symbolism, including hope and joy, and are thought to act as a bridge between our world and that of the Otherworld. Use rainbows to connect with the Otherworld, communicate with the dead, inspire hope, and bring about joy. To read more about rainbow magic, check out A Witch's Guide to Rainbow Magick and Working With Rainbows by Autumn Zenith at Witchcrafed Life.

Spiral: The spiral is the eternal sign of creativity and organization within the universe. The spiral is the symbol of spiritual development, being deeply associated with shamanism, mysticism, magic, and ritual art and dance. The spiral represents the progression to a higher level of consciousness, transcendence if you will. Use the spiral in your magical workings to represent this path of transcendence, rebirth, growth, evolution, release, creativity, or the cosmic dance.

Stang: The stang is a pronged wooden staff commonly used by practitioners of traditional witchcraft, especially hedgecraft and Seidhr. The stang can be naturally forked, or a fork can be created with antlers or other forked objects. The stang can be used to divine water, direct energy, represent masculine energies, or aid in travel to the Otherworld. In some traditions, the stang is used much like the broom or besom for witch's flight.

Wheel: The wheel, much like the circle, represents the everlasting dance of birth and death. Usually viewed as an eight-spoked wheel, we see this imagery appear in the Wheel of the Year. Use the wheel in spell work to represent the endless cycle of life and death, add endlessness to your spell, or have your spell last at least one turning or more of the wheel. If you wish to break the spell before the time is up, simply break the wheel.

World Tree: The World Tree, also known as Yggdrasil, is the tree that connects each of the realms together, including our own with that of the Otherworld. The World Tree is often used by hedgewitches, Seidhr, and other shamanistic practitioners to travel through the different realms and can aid in spirit flight. In Norse mythology, Odin was said to have hung from the World Tree to learn the secrets of the runes. Much like Odin, the World Tree can be used for astral travel and the seeking of knowledge, especially those that pertain to the magical arts. World Tree imagery can also be used in spells to represent longevity, immortality, strength, protection, and steadfastness.  

And there you have it. A complete list of the tools of Spirit! Below is a free 3-page printable for your Grimoire or Book of Shadows.

Interest in the rest of the series? Here's what's to come!

Elemental Magic Series

Introduction to the Elements
Water
Water Folklore & Correspondences
Connecting With Water Ritual
Tools of Water
Water Spells and Rituals
Earth
Earth Folklore & Correspondences
Connecting With Earth Ritual
Tools of Earth
Earth Spells and Rituals
Fire
Fire Folklore & Correspondences
Connecting With Fire Ritual
Tools of Fire
Fire Spells and Rituals
Air
Air Folklore & Correspondences
Connecting With Air Ritual
Tools of Air
Air Spells and Rituals
Spirit
Spirit Folklore & Correspondences
Connecting with Spirit Ritual
Tools of Spirit

Putting It All Together

Looking for more information on the elements? Check out my posts on the topic:

Representing the Elements with Crystals
Infograph: Water
Infograph: Earth
Infograph: Fire
Infograph: Air

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Elemental Magic: Connecting With Spirit Ritual

Now that we have covered Spirit folklore and correspondences, it's time to dive a little deeper into the element Spirit! Today I share a ritual to help you connect with Spirit more intimately so that you may fully ascend into your new self and prepare for the upcoming year. There are several tasks in this post and I encourage you to perform each of them with fidelity. Before we get started, however, I'd like to discuss what I put together for the first Spirit task presented last week.

The first task for Spirit was to journal about your experiences over the past year. Obviously, this is a very personal experience and for that reason, I am not going to delve too much into my own journal entry. We all went through a lot this year and the changes that occurred were often difficult to work through. At the beginning of the year, I was put on anti-anxiety medication which I later had to stop taking because I could no longer afford the monthly appointments and prescription. I went through a breakup and later met someone new. I lost my grandmother and missed her funeral because I was unable to board a plane safely. My other grandmother was hospitalized with COVID, has lost the use of her legs, and is still battling for her life in the hospital, alone and out of reach of family. I returned to work as a teacher in person amid increasing COVID cases in my state and watched as coworkers and students gradually disappeared from the school. 

On a brighter note, the antianxiety medication helped me tremendously and despite not taking it for 3 months, I have not had any anxiety attacks. I wrote two articles that were published in Witchology Magazine earlier in the year, wrote articles published in the Book of Spells Wicca Witches' Planner for 2021, and submitted my book to a publisher for review. I maintained the blog and continued to grow my little corner of the world. Water helped me get over the last of my divorce, work through my depression and anxiety, and heal the traumas of losing everything as a child and young adult. Earth helped me ground during the height of the lockdown and find comfort in my home, family, and friends despite being apart. Fire helped me burn bridges that no longer served me and get involved in the BLM movement in ways I hadn't been able to before. It inspired me to reflect on my own practice and reignited my passion for inclusive and intersectional witchcraft. Air helped me release any last regrets and sent my dreams for the future into the Universe to manifest later. Spirit is helping me transition to the next chapter of my life, which I look forward to with gusto. I watched myself go from a hotheaded, stubborn witch, to a more understanding, patient one. I found a part of myself I had been looking for for so long; a part I knew was there but had gone missing in the depths of the tragedy and traumas of my past. I am grateful for the opportunity to grow and to share this growth with all of my readers. I hope you too have grown, despite the trials and tribulations 2020 has sent our way.

Connecting with Spirit often proves more difficult than the other elements, but for most witches, this should be easier than it is for others who are less in tune with the world around them. One of the easiest ways to do this is through tarot by finding your soul card. If you shy away from tarot, you can do something similar with runes, but instead of using 1-22, use 1-24 since there are 24 runes.

Ingredients:

• Quiet place to sit where you will be undisturbed
  
• Soul Card or Rune (read here how to find your soul card)
  
• Clear Quartz
• Journal or BOS

Directions:
Begin by creating sacred space in whatever way you feel most comfortable with. This may include cleansing the area and casting a circle, or simply picking a spot and declaring it scared. Once you have established sacred space, draw your soul card or rune. Even if you have reflected on this card/rune before, do so again. In your journal or BOS write down everything you can about this soul card/rune. What does it mean? Do you feel this is your soul's true purpose? Why or why not? How has this purpose affected your life? Have you forgotten your purpose? What can you do to get back on the right track? Is there anything standing in your way? Does living your purpose come easy to you? Why or why not? 

Once you have exhausted everything you possibly can about the card/rune, place the quartz on top of it or next to it and close your eyes. Open your heart and mind to receive any messages from the Universe and Spirit. These messages can take many forms from flashes of images, feelings, smells, or voices. Quiet your mind and listen. If you are struggling to open to receive messages, hold the card/rune in your dominant hand and the quartz in your non-dominant hand. Your dominant hand is your sending hand, so by holding the card or rune in this hand, you are sending it out into the universe, asking what it means. With your non-dominant hand you are receiving the messages from the Universe. The quartz will amplify any messages. Write everything down. Reflect on the messages you have received and what you can do moving forward to live a more authentic, spiritual life.

When you are finished, take a deep breath, with your eyes closed and breathe out slowly. Relax your body as much as you can. Draw a circle in front of you and imagine it entering into your body through your Third Eye. Feel it fill you up and open any blockages you may still have. 

Once you have established a connection with Spirit through the ritual above, you need to continue to nurture it so it may grow and one of the best ways to do that is with an altar dedicated just to Spirit.

Plan to have your altar dedicated to Spirit for the next couple of weeks, to the New Year if you can, or at least through the last couple of posts in the Spirit series. How you set up your altar is completely up to you, but I encourage you to place at least one candle on your altar as well as other symbols associated with Spirit. Below are some ideas of items to include:

• your soul card or rune
• representation of the World Tree
• clear quartz, amethyst, opal, or pearls, especially if put into a spiral
• resurrection fern, oak, or lotus
• circles, spirals, infinity symbols, or globes
• images of angels, ghosts, spirits, doves, and otherworldly beings
• white, silver, black, or purple altar cloth

Once you have set up your altar, spend about 15 minutes a day lightly meditating about Spirit and the ritual experience you had. Enter into a light meditation each time, focusing on your inner self, that spark of life within you. Work with your soul card or rune a little more each day, reflecting on your progress to realign with your goal or maintain it. Draw a circle in the air with your finger or a magical tool and visualize it entering into your body through your Third Eye, the area most deeply associated with the Spirit or soul.

***

And there you have it! Let me know how things went in the comments below.

Interest in the rest of the series? Here's what's to come!

Elemental Magic Series

Introduction to the Elements
Water
Water Folklore & Correspondences
Connecting With Water Ritual
Tools of Water
Water Spells and Rituals
Earth
Earth Folklore & Correspondences
Connecting With Earth Ritual
Tools of Earth
Earth Spells and Rituals
Fire
Fire Folklore & Correspondences
Connecting With Fire Ritual
Tools of Fire
Fire Spells and Rituals
Air
Air Folklore & Correspondences
Connecting With Air Ritual
Tools of Air
Air Spells and Rituals
Spirit
Spirit Folklore & Correspondences
Connecting with Spirit Ritual
Tools of Spirit

Putting It All Together

Looking for more information on the elements? Check out my posts on the topic:

Representing the Elements with Crystals
Infograph: Water
Infograph: Earth
Infograph: Fire
Infograph: Air

If you liked this post and would like to support future content, please consider leaving a small tip in the jar. 

Earth Family Crystals Review

I was super excited when Earth Family Crystals reached out, asking if I would like to review their products. I love crystals and have been collecting rocks since I was a young child. I mean, I did go to school to dig up dinosaurs after all! So, of course, I jumped on this opportunity to order some new crystals!

Earth Family Crystals is a family-owned business based out of BC, Canada. Unlike Amazon, some metaphysical shops, and Etsy, all of the crystals are hand-selected for their energetic integrity and aesthetic quality from Fair Trade, eco-friendly, ethically sourced businesses. Furthermore, with each purchase, they donate a portion of the sales to eco-friendly charities and projects. I can get behind a company that continuously gives back. It keeps me coming back as a customer, knowing that I am helping a family business and giving back. However, because they hand-select each crystal and spend time consciously sourcing each one, their prices are higher than you may find in other places. For me, this increased price was well worth it to make sure I getting a quality product with limited damage on the Earth and communities harvesting these crystals for my enjoyment.

They offer an array of products from crystals, to jewelry, smoke-cleansing (which they, unfortunately, call smudging), tees, mugs, crystal grids, and candles. There is a whole array of wonder products so I am sure you will find something you like! All of their candles come from another small business, Energy Wicks, in North Carolina. I absolutely love that they partnered with another fabulous small business!

So, what did I order? I ended up ordering tourmalated Himalayan quartz, which combines two of my favorite crystals into one, golden brookite Brazilian quartz, and a 4 oz silver tin Anxiety Relief candle. It took a little bit for everything to arrive, but that's to be expected, especially right now with COVID-19 slowing shipping times drastically. However, I am absolutely thrilled with my purchase. Both quartz specimens are absolutely stunning. Honestly, they are some of the clearest, brightest specimens I have seen. I could not be happier! Black tourmaline is my absolute favorite crystal. It's great for grounding, shielding, protection, anxiety and depression relief, and a host of other things. The quartz amplifies the properties of the tourmaline, making it an amazingly powerful protector. It has flecks of green in the tourmaline as well, which is stunning. This too can act as a grounder or even for realistic prosperity. The brookite, on the other hand, is great for astral travel, especially hedge riding, and aids in spirit communication. I am excited to add this to my hedge riding sachet in the future! To top it all off, I got a free gift: a small piece of aventurine!

As for the anxiety relief candle, it smells soooooo amazing! It is sitting next to me, unlit, and the pineapple and sage aroma is bathing me in a warming embrace. I feel like I am at the beach. This candle also contains calendula for happiness, lavender for peace and serenity, rose petals for self-love, and hematite pieces to calm stress and anxiety. I am so in love with this candle and cannot wait to get another!

If you would like to order your own crystals or candle or something else from Earth Family Crystals, they are offering 10% off to all my readers! Simply use the promo code willow10 to get your discount and tell them Flying the Hedge sent you! I guarantee you will be thrilled with your purchase!

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Tea Magic: Types of Tea and Their Magical Uses

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Magic in the Workplace

When it comes to magic, it can be used everywhere and anywhere, including in the workplace. Now I know some of you think that you can't live a magical life or represent your magical life where you work, but I assure you there are many ways you can, whether you have a desk or not. As many of you know, I am a teacher. If I can manage to bring a little magic into my classroom, you can bring a little magic to your cubicle, job site, cash register, or wherever else you work. All it takes is a little intention and some creative thinking.

First of all, why should you add magic to your workspace? For me, it brings some sense of calm and comfort. Knowing that I have a sigil in the top drawer of my desk, an amethyst geode on my shelf, the sound of running water, and some enchanted wax melts to make my room smell incredible helps relieve a lot of the stress I would otherwise feel at work. Furthermore, it allows me to continue my magical practice through simple daily rituals. Hopefully, it will help you feel the same way, and for those risky jobs, it should bring you some protection while for those looking for more clients and to stay gainfully employed, it should help you overcome those issues as well.

Some of these suggestions require a desk, while many others do not. Obviously, those working out in the field or in retail don't have the option of a desk, but there are other ways you can use magic. Not all of these ideas will work for everyone, so pick and choose which ones are best for your intended space.

1. Crystals 

Crystals are an inconspicuous way to add some magic to your workplace. Which crystal you choose to display or hide if you must, is dependent on what you wish to accomplish in the workplace. Below is a list of different crystals and their uses in the workplace.

Stress relief and calm- Amethyst
Protection- Black tourmaline, Jet (especially for empaths), or Obsidian
Reduce gossip- Labradorite
Increase communication- Blue Calcite or Amazonite
Boost sales and bring in clients- Peridot, Citrine, Topaz, Tiger's Eye
Creativity- Sodalite
Concentration- Hematite
Improve leadership skills- Green Aventurine
Promotion- Citrine
Boost memory- Azurite
Increase learning- Green Tourmaline
Be decisive- Amber

These crystals can be worn, placed on or in a desk/shelf, kept in your car/truck, or tucked into a pocket, bag, toolbox, or anything else being carried to a job site. Begin by cleansing the crystal then charging it with your intent. Depending on how much you are using the crystal, especially those for protection will determine how often you need to recharge them. If a crystal breaks, you need to replace it. This is a sign that the crystal has done its job and cannot handle anymore. Be sure to thank it and bury it.

2. Sigils

Like crystals, these are a great inconspicuous way to add some magic at work. They can easily be written on a sticky note or piece of paper and safely tucked away out of sight. If you have a cubicle, you could display your sigil as a daily reminder to keep you on task and focused. Also like crystals, you can create sigils for just about everything, from increasing communication to protection to boosting memory to encouraging a promotion. Sigils are great for those who need some magic on the go, like construction workers and retail workers without a desk. Sigils can be drawn in the inside of hardhats, on tools, inside of clothing, on your skin, or on a cash register. You don't have to draw them permanently either for them to work. Using your finger to "draw" the sigil onto an item is just as powerful as a written one or you can use essential oils for an extra punch

3. Sounds

If you can play music or have abient noise, sounds are a great way to increase vibrations in a workspace. I have a fish tank in my classroom, and the running water raises the natural vibration of my room. No matter how I or the students come into my room feeling, they immediately calm down and reach a state of balance...all because of the sound of running water. If you are in a place where you can have a fountain or fish tank, get one. If you can't, try playing really low sounds of running water, whale noises, or Celtic music in the background on your phone, computer, or radio. Just listening to calming sounds on the way to and from work will increase your vibration.

Sound can also be used to cleanse a space of negative energy. If you are able to, ring a bell around your workspace prior to beginning work that day. It will help remove stagnant energy and any negativity that may have settled since your left. Most people can't have candles or incense at work for various health and safety concerns, so sound is a great alternative.

4. Wax melts

If you work somewhere that allows scented items, but not flame or smoke, wax melts are a great alternative. I work in such an environment and not only does it bring some magic to my room, it covers up the smell of high schoolers. Yeah...I always purchase "mild" seasonal scents, avoiding things that smell too fake. Before I melt the wax, I like to carve a sigil or mantra into the wax melt that corresponds with what I'd like to bring to my classroom or manifest in my life that day. This adds an extra layer of witchiness to the act.

5. Plants

There are so many benefits to having plants around your workplace, whether they are on your desk or just around the office. They help purify the air and raise the natural vibration of the space. Furthermore, they help with mental health in general. Snake plants, spider plants, and succulents are great plants for workspaces as they often do well in artificial light. You can even hide some crystals in their soil. I have an aloe plant named Jeffery in my classroom. My students absolutely love him. If you work somewhere where you can't keep plants, take note of the natural plants around where you work, whether they be outside your building or near your worksite. Simply taking stock of nature will help ground and center you.

6. Enchanted Objects

Enchanting your everyday objects with protection, grounding, increased communication, or whatever else you need in the workplace can be used by everyone, no matter where they work. Enchant your keys to get you to work safely; your keyboard, pencil, or pen to communicate effectively; your tools to get the job done efficiently; your safety gear for protection. There are endless possibilities when it comes to enchanting objects. Just be clear in your intent and visualize the magic and you're done!

7. Prayer

I know prayer seems like a totally Christian thing to do, but I assure you that it is a very witchy thing to do. Prayer is just a verbal spell and highly effective. Even if you don't believe in any deities, you can still pray to the Universe, Mother Earth, or the All for protection, inspiration, and peace of mind while at work. I encourage you to say a brief prayer before entering work, even if it is just asking for the strength to deal with people! It'll help focus your mind on your intention and raise your personal vibration prior to starting work.

No matter how you decided to add some magic to your workplace, its a great way to live a magical life every day. I encourage you to do what works best for you. How do you incorporate magic into the workplace? Is there something you do that I haven't listed? Please leave a comment below! You never know who may benefit from your suggestion.

Magic vs Magick: Why I Don't Use the K

This is a very heated topic in some circles, and I may receive some backlash, but I felt it was an important topic to discuss. Is there a difference between magic and magick? Does adding the "k" really make a difference in the meaning? Should we even be using the "k?" Today I want to discuss these questions and explain why I do not use the "k" when talking about my magical workings.

According to some sources, the word "magick" is quite old, showing up in translations as early as 1651. However, as with most words in the English language, letters were later dropped with words such as shoppe becoming shop, olde becoming old, and magick becoming magic. It wasn't until the Victorian Period that the k was brought back by Aleister Crowley. During this period, mesmerism and spiritualism were captivating audiences across Europe, especially in England. Crowley added the k to differentiate between stage magic and magic used in witchcraft.Today, many witches still follow this practice, using magick to describe their craft and rituals while using magic to describe illusions and tricks. However, not everyone uses the k, and I am one of those witches, and for a good reason.

First off, say magic and magick aloud. Do you hear a difference? No, because they are pronounced the exact same way. In a conversation, how do you distinguish between the two? If you are talking to another pagan, they will use context clues to decipher which word you mean, but for those who are not practicing witches, the distinction isn't clear. You're not going to walk around saying "I practice magick with a 'k!'" either because, well, you'd sound pretentious and artificial. The distinction is only noticeable in written text like a book or blog, but is completely useless in conversation. Furthermore, by adding the k you run into linguistic issues with words such as magickian. Not an easily pronounceable word and the g would become a hard g like in the word ghost or goat.Try saying that aloud.

To add to this, the origins of the word "magick" are shady at best.While it has shown up in old English texts, words change over time. As I mentioned we don't spell shop with two p's and an e anymore. There is no reason to spell magic with a k. The fact that Crowley is the one who brought it back into use is a red flag for me and many others. The man made stuff up all the time and changed words without any regard to the rules of language construction or grammar. His works are filled with controversial material, a lot of which is untrue. I take everything he said with a grain of salt, including the use of the word magick.

I don't use the k for these reasons, and I believe it is time for us to reclaim a word that was already ours as we did with the word witch. Call stage magic illusions, but keep magic for what we do in the craft. If you are more comfortable using the k, that is perfectly fine. Use what you are most comfortable with. I know for some people, seeing the k is a mental queue to switch from the mundane to the spiritual. I personally do not use the k and will never use it.

Magic All Day Long: What time of day should I perform magic?

Different parts of the day have different magical energies. You have probably noticed this without even realizing it had anything to do with the natural energies associated with the position of the Earth and Sun. While you can perform magic whenever you feel like, it will be amplified if you practice certain magic during certain times of the day.

Morning Magic: Sunrise
The Sun is up and so are you! You may notice first thing in the morning, even if you are a late sleeper, you awake "fresher." Well, so is your energy and that makes it the perfect time to work magic to start something new, especially regarding school and business. This is also a great time to dispel or banish negativity that is lurking around you and yours, including addictions, bad behaviors, bad habits, and bad feelings. If you work magic outside, like I often do, I find working during sunrise best. It is cool, the animals are just waking up, and you can use both the energy of the sun and the moon.

Midday Magic: Sunshine
During the middle of the day, the Sun reaches its peak and is therefore is strongest. This is a good time to call upon its strength and work on magic to overcome weaknesses, gain inspiration and insight, or ask for guidance. Feeling tired? Ask the sun to lend you strength.

Evening Magic: Crepuscular Light
As the light fades and the evening draws near, we often feel tired and cranky after a long day. I find meditating during this time is best. Focus on breaking up bad routines, banishing bad habits, relaxing, and boosting your will power.

Nighttime Magic: Resonating in Tune
Most people perform magic after the Sun has set as they are better able to feel the energy of the Moon. This is a great time for divination, working with psychic energies, and issues involving love, lust, and beauty. It is also a great time to reflect upon the day if you haven't done that already. Night offers a time to gain clarity of the days events.

As I said, you can perform magic whenever you feel the need. The time doesn't really matter, but most witches find working in the morning or night is best. I'm not going to lie; there is something about working magic in the middle of the night while all the world sleeps that is magical in itself. However, I find working at sunrise to be the most magical of all; it feels like coming home. Not many people realize how thin the veil between the worlds is as the sun rises and the moon sets. At sunrise, you can pull energy from both the sun and moon easily. This is also the best time to work fairy magic.

My magic is always stronger in the morning than it has ever been at night. This may also be because I heavily identify with the wild, fiery Sun instead of the calm, mysterious Moon. The Horned God, even though I don't believe in his actual existence on Earth, has always drawn me close to his breast; the Mother Goddess has always just smiled down upon me and let me run free. I guess I should say I believe these two exist in my mind alone. They are wonderful archetypes that help guide my work and focus on mind on my magical intentions. I thank them for that. But I digress.

Find what time works best for you. For many of you, it is going to be night because that is the only time you have, especially if you are a teen living under the roof of non-Pagan parents.

For those of my more experienced readers, what time do you do magic? Do you feel the timing makes a difference?

Seven Days of Magic: The Magical Correspondence of Each Day of the Week

In many pagan traditions, the days of the week play a very important role in effective spell casting. For example, wealth and abundance spells are always performed on Thursday as it is associated with riches and desire. Of course, not all traditions follow this rule, but you might be surprised at how much it helps. Documenting the day of the week each time you perform a spell may shed some light on the connection between the type of magic you are performing and the day of the week.

Below I have summed up the correspondences for each day of the week and given a brief history of how it got its name.

Sunday
Taking its name from our closet star, the Sun, Sunday is the best day of the week to work magic involving fathers and other authority figures such as your boss. It is also a good day to work on questions regarding leadership, money, prosperity, and power.
     Color: Yellow, gold
     Planet: Sun
     Deities: Brighid, Helios, Ra, Apollo
     Crystals: Quartz, diamond, amber, carnelian
     Herbs: Marigold, sunflower, cinnamon
     Associations: Success, promotion, fame, wealth, prosperity

Monday
This day of the week is dedicated to the moon, in which it gets its name. This is a great day to work with moon energy, especially if it is a full moon. Divination and prophetic dreaming are best performed today. It is also a good time to work magic focusing on mothers, nurturing, fertility, woman issues, and growth.
     Color: Silver, white, light blue
     Planet: Moon
     Deities: Thoth, Selene, Diana, Artemis, Luna
     Crystals: Pearl, opal, moonstone
     Herbs: Wintergreen, catnip, comfrey, sage, chamomile, mint
     Associations: Illusion, glamour, sleep, dreams, fertility, insight, peace, beauty, women's mysteries

Tuesday
The name Tuesday comes from the Germanic God Tiu, like the Roman god Mars, is associated with war. Like Monday, it is full of male energy, but focuses on the more raw nature of the male aspect; think courage, success, war, and lust. This is a good time to deal with issues of violence, competition, conflict, endurance, and survival.
     Color: Red, orange, black
     Planet: Mars
     Deities: Lilith, Mars, Aries, Morrighan, Tiwaz
     Crystals: Garnet, ruby
     Herbs: Thistles, holly, coneflower, cactus
     Associations: War, conflict, courage, victory, rebellion, success, protection, strength

Wednesday
This day of the week gets its name from Woden's Day, an Old English name. It is a direct translation of the Latin term mercurri dies, "day of Mercury." When they translated the day, they changed to god Mercury to a local god, Woden, so people would understand. This is a great day to work on communications, thought, wisdom, self-expression, and the arts. Also a good day for divination.
     Color: Purple, orange
     Planet: Mercury
     Deities: Odin, Woden, Hermes, Mercury, Athena, Lugh
     Crystals: Adventuine, agate
     Herbs: Aspen, lilies, lavender, fern
     Associations: Business, communication, debt, the arts, transportation, fortune, chance, creativity

Thursday
Taking its name from the Norse god Thor, this is a great day to work magic regarding growth, expansion, prosperity, business, abundance, and success. See my prosperity candle magic spell.
     Color: Royal blue, green, purple
     Planet: Jupiter
     Deities: Thor, Zeus, Jupiter, Juno
     Crystals: Turquoise, amethyst, lapis lazuli
     Herbs: Honeysuckle, oak, cinquefoil
     Associations: Honor, loyalty, harvest, prosperity, abundance, wealth, healing

Friday
Friday comes from the Old English name frigedaeg, which comes from the Norse goddess Frigga. Frigga, like Venus, is associated with love, making this a great day to focus on romance, passion, fertility, and friendship.
     Color: Pink, aqua,
     Planet: Venus
     Deities: Freya, Venus, Aphrodite
     Crystals: Coral, emerald, rose quartz
     Herbs: Strawberries, apple blossoms, feverfew
     Associations: Love, birth, romance, fertility, passion, friendship, pregnancy

Saturday
Deriving its name from the god Saturn, this is a great day to use divination and psychic abilities. Furthermore, its energies will aid in magic concerning the elderly, end-of-life issues, death, and binding spells.
     Color: Black, dark purple
     Planet: Saturn
     Deities: Hecate, Saturn,
     Crystals: Apache tear, obsidian, hematite
     Herbs: Thyme, mullein, cypress
     Associations: banishing, protection, wisdom, cleansing, spirituality

Of course, you can do any type of magic on whatever day you please, but as I said, you may find certain spells work better on other days. Just keep track to see if they do. If you are looking for any particular ideas of what magic to perform on these days, check out Llewellyn's article, Magic, Seven Days a Week by Ellen Dugan. It too gives you a rundown of each day and a beautiful list of simple spells you can perform each day of the week.

I hope this has been helpful! I added some free BOS pages containing this information below for your pleasure.

How do you utilize the days of the week in your practice? Have you found it enhances your magic and/or success?

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

Dream Magic: Introduction

Because dreaming comes so easily, many people believe dreams are unworthy of our attention. For the witch, however, dreams have great significance. It is our ticket to understanding not only ourselves, but the world around us through the use of our own brain. Have you ever heard the phrase "I need to sleep on it?" You probably have, but what does it mean?

Our brains are constantly at work, even while we are asleep. However, while we sleep our brain isn't just sending us meaningless information. In fact, it is processing all the day's events and problem solving. Sometimes we don't see or understand small details of the day, but our mind has picked them up and processed them, and it uses these missed details to piece together a better understanding of our lives. Often times "sleeping on it" leads to a solution or new outlook on a problem. This is why dreaming is so important, not just to witches, but to everyone. Dreams are not something that happen to us, but instead something we do.

Many occultist believe dreams are messages from other realms or spirits attempting to communicate with us. As a scientists and a witch, I am hesitant to believe this, but I am open to the possibility all the same based on my own personal experiences. My best friend passed away while we were in high school. I dreamt several days before her death that she was going to die. I ignored it, writing it off as nothing but my mind playing tricks on me; I was mistaken. I don't blame myself, but since that day I taken my dreams very seriously. Dreams are not harbingers or death or a sentence of inevitable doom. However, they tend to carry warnings and messages of protection. A week before I got married my best friend visited me in a dream, telling me she missed me, that she would be present on my wedding day, and that she hoped my marriage was everything I had hoped for. It was wonderful to see her, and the day of my wedding her mother brought a framed photo of her for our Best Man to walk down the aisle. It was a blessing to spend my wedding day with her.

Dreams allow us to do more than just solve problems, answer questions, and visit those from beyond. They also allow us to work through past-life regressions, heal, see the future (more than likely based on those missed details from the day), replenish our psychic ability, strengthen personal power, and even cast spells and astral project. I'm not going to lie; I am pretty good at astral projection, but it takes lots of practice and caution. I'll cover this in a later post.

If you receive enough sleep each night, you should have roughly five dreams. "But I don't have dreams, let alone five!" you say. I am positive you do; you just aren't trained to remember them. Very, very, very few people don't dream due to head injuries or other problems. Most of us, however, do dream but we only tend to remember the bad dreams, usually because they wake us up. Certain herbs, such as mugwort, can coax your dreams out of the shadows. There are several other techniques you can use to hence remembering and dreaming, but I will discuss this another time.

Dreams cannot always be taken literally. Our dreams are fluid and often hallucinatory, making them full of secrets, private languages, and jokes. They can be a source of joy and elation, transcendence, or even terror. Suppressed memories often emerge in dreams, so be cautious. Nightmares are often a signal that something is out of sorts or that you are encountering a potentially dangerous situation. Usually embedded in these dreams are clues and hints for preventing or remedying the situation.

In later posts I will cover mugwort, dreaming techniques and tips, and astral projection. I hope this post has been enlightening and helpful.

How do you read your dreams? Do they mean something different to you?

Want to read my other posts on dreams? Check them out here!

Prophetic Dreaming

Dream Stimulation