2022: The Lovers and Tarot Magick

Apologies for such a late post. 2022 already feels long, doesn’t it? But here we are! And numerology wise, add the numbers for 2022 up and you get 6. Key 6 in the Major Arcana is the Lovers card. The Lovers is ruled by the element of Air, and the card itself signifies many things including love, morality, choices, and a newness overall. So, what does that mean for 2022? Well, we came out of the year of the Hierophant, Key 5 in the Major Arcana and the sum of the digits in 2021. The Hierophant as 2021 represented orthodoxy and correctness, which makes sense when we think about the impact of 2020 (Key 4, The Emperor) and everything that came after. So, now where does that leave us in terms of something new? Let’s think about that as we focus on the topic for this post: Tarot Magick!

For more on the Tarot, you can read the three posts I did on the history of Tarot and its modern use. Today, however, I’ll be focusing on the esoteric uses and the sympathetic magick we can do with Tarot. First and foremost, no matter how you use Tarot, it can be beneficial. The images and meanings can help us in the same way that journaling and using affirmations can. So, let’s view Tarot through a similar lens for the purposes of this endeavor. One of my favorite things to do with a Tarot deck is to set my intention for the week. Let’s say that my intention for this week is to commit to an artistic activity every day. Imagine that the cards I shuffle and pull, are “scary” cards like The Tower, The Devil, and Five of Swords. Wait. Does that mean my art will suck this week?! Before pressing the panic button, let’s first look at this objectively.

The Tower represents a major upheaval or change. Think what goes up must come down. If we use this analogy, perhaps the tower can be a force for good in our lives. The Devil is a tricky one. Aside from Christian and/or Biblical imagery, this card can reveal hidden layers within us. Yes, on the one hand, it is associated with temptation. On the other hand, I like to view The Devil card as being able to recognize the various multitudes that co-exist within ourselves, the good and the bad, and the potential to give in to things equally. So far, we have a major change, hidden layers, and now onto the Five of Swords. Perhaps, this Five of Swords calls into question the competitive and cutthroat nature of human aspirations. This is especially applicable in a workplace scenario. Let’s put it all together for artistic intentions: major change, hidden layers, and cutthroat competition.

Now, we’re going to take it apart. What constitutes major change? Does our artistic intention equate an upheaval or perhaps is it a transformative exercise? To use the energy of the Tower, we need to look at what we are building and evaluate whether something must shift or move to make room for the new. The foundation of what we want to accomplish will stay strong. This is a renovation of sorts. The next card is the Devil. Maybe in the context of temptation, this is a scenario in which a little indulgence could be useful. We need to think in terms of the playful nature of temptation versus the all-consuming desire that could potentially cause harm to ourselves. This is an area where “everything in moderation and eat desserts sparingly” comes to mind.

Five of Swords is more ambivalent. Are we in competition with others in our artistic intentions? If so, perhaps the idea is to change our perspective to be more motivated to be better—to compete against our personal bests (but not to go overboard either). If we are not competitive with others and are feeling that others are cutthroat competitive with us, this is a reminder to make time for ourselves and focus the attention where it belongs. Sometimes competition in the workplace is a challenge, especially when we are not actually competing. We may be surprised to learn that others can be competitive regardless of our intentions. Again, that is a call sign for us to channel energy inwards and not let the competition weigh us down.

These are just suggestions for interpretation, not to be taken at face value. Your own interpretations will likely make more sense to you, after all! Now, onto the magick side of Tarot. I think the beauty of harnessing imagery, such as what we see in Tarot, is an effortless exercise in our spiritual designs. If we really think about it, we use imagery in virtually every aspect of our lives. The decks I tend to use for magick are the Luis Royo Black Tarot and the Aleister Crowley Thoth Tarot. Say what you will about Crowley, but that Tarot deck is definitely potent. Here is a ritual suggestion. I’ve given substitutions as well. Make it your own and have fun!

Items need for Ritual: Salt water, almond oil, (or any base oil) a few pinches of mugwort as a herb (if not, you can use a bay leaf or cinnamon stick), your Tarot card of the day (if you pull a card, otherwise, use the Star card for inspiration, or use both a card you pull as well as the Star card), any essential oils. You can also decide which moon phase suits your purposes for magick.

I put the mugwort (you can use basil, cinnamon sticks, chamomile leaves, bay leaves, depending on your intention) in hot water like a tea, then strain it, add a few drops of an essential oil or added herbs, (lavender for calm, eucalyptus for healing, etc.) and then make it a mist. I spray my sacred space or altar and cleanse the area using incense or ringing bells. I find that both purify and protect my space. I say an intention prayer and call in the deities or guides. Then I shuffle my deck and pull out a card, whatever that card may be, interpret it, and make another intention based on the card. For example, if you pull a 10 of Wands or Five of Cups, think about whether there is a heaviness in your life where you’re feeling bogged down. What can you do about it? What would be the intention there? If it’s Five of Cups, how do we move past that sorrow? You can also keep the Star card on hand for inspiration and hope.

I then meditate and create a sigil for whatever workings I feel called to based on the Tarot magick I just did. Then dip your hands in salt water for added cleansing. Use an anointing oil afterwards (some will say you should do this at the start, but I find this method works for me. Try and see what works for you!) If you don’t have oils, you can substitute using herbs or make teas to drink for calming. This often helps ground me after ritual. I close the ritual with a prayer and gratitude to the guides. You’ll find as you start doing these rituals, you will interpret things your own way and craft your own magickal workings. That’s it for now. I will post more on herbs and oils next! Again, please make sure to check for safety, allergies, etc. and be careful around pets. **Disclaimer, none of what I’m proposing in this, or previous blog posts should ever be used in lieu of financial decision-making, medical and/or psychological treatment, and life-changing alterations.**

Thank you for reading so far and for being patient with me as I know this post was long overdue! If you are interested in my readings and creative writing Tarot courses, head over to my site:

https://www.thetarotstories.com

Until next time, have a blessed rest of the month. Namaste. With love, the Foxy Witch.

The Cosmic Wave: Science Magick

Photo by Lucas George Wendt on Pexels.com

Welcome lovely readers to Spooky Season! I’m sorry I’ve been away for so long. But I will hopefully be writing more soon. This month’s topic is something I’ve been meaning to talk about for a while: science and religion/spirituality and why science magick is actually incredible. Let’s start with the first part though. Science and religion/spirituality. I’ll expand more on spirituality because there are some differences between religion and spirituality, but let’s talk about science and religion first. I have always wondered why they have been at odds for so long. It seemed like there was once an understanding between the two. Astrology, for example, was a deeply respected art. It utilized fundamental astronomical principles and was considered a kind of science itself. The challenge today is the polarization within the scientific and religious/spiritual communities.

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com

A lot of religions do come with dogma, rules, and creed. There are some things morally that most of us agree on, no doubt. However, some other tenets or beliefs may not suit everyone else. And others do not suit the modern era. These are all things we try to understand and find ways to adapt it to the respective situations. It becomes a problem when the dogmatic stance is unyielding. Perhaps, this is an oxymoron. Dogma, by definition, is fixed.

If something doesn’t give way, it is firmly rooted. Understandably, faith in something tends to be that way. But it isn’t applicable to religion alone. Indeed, faith in science is foundational for most of us in terms of ecology, our bodies, the weather, food, and more. Without a basic understanding of science, our knowledge will likely be conjecture. In some ways, much of knowledge itself begins with speculation, then inquiry, after which there’s study, and empirical data, and so on. We operate similarly from a space of inquiry when it comes to religion and spirituality. In many ways, the quest for truth stems from the same place. The execution, however, is the key difference.

Why did science and religion part ways? Well, there are some theories. One area was vastly expanding. Another area was more of a rooted foundation. Imagine the suit of Swords in Tarot engaging in action with the suit of Pentacles. Swords is associated with intellect and air, like science. Religion is planted deep in the earth. Neither one can make great waves against or with each other. They remain neutral. Science is constantly moving and evolving. Outside of religion, we also have spirituality—a little more movement perhaps—which is not to say that some religions don’t move.

Can spirituality then act as the bridge between science and religion? Is there a happy medium? I believe there is. I think science is a magickal art. It is human resourcefulness at the genius level if I’m being honest. Science combines the best of the Wands and Swords suits in the Tarot. It represents innovation, exploration, intellect, and logic. Religion falls under the umbrella of the Cups and Pentacles suit. It represents intuition, emotions, home, hearth, and family. The four suits, Wands, Cups, Swords, and Pentacles are a harmonious elemental quartet that animate this world. Then there’s ether, spirituality.

This may surprise some people, but I consider myself religious, spiritual, and scientific simultaneously. Why? Because I don’t see stark differences between the three and because I’ve delved deep into science magick, an alchemy if you will. It sounds geeky, but indulge me here a moment. I believe science magick is the ultimate mystical tool to have under your belt. There is a hybridization in our thinking of the universe in general if we look at how things have evolved. Let’s frame it this way. Science allows us to study the natural world, the physics of our reality, space, and the way things work. Religion and spirituality allow us to study the metaphysical world, the intuitive side, and our personal mental strengths. If we look at them together, we see that they can arrange themselves to form the “as above, so below” model.

Science magick is one way to connect our energies to the natural and observable universe. We can live intuitively and work with the rhythms of the universe. There is a musicality, a geometric, quantum beauty in the way things operate on this planet and in the celestial sky. Planetary magick, geomancy, and sky divination are all tools I use. I study the secular sciences alongside the metaphysical like true sidereal and Vedic astrology, so that I can, from a physical and quantum level, create and craft spells of my own. For instance, there’s a mathematical and magickal quality to sigil workings. So, I’ll say this: science magick is a gift. Because it assumes that there is a magickal quality to the study of science itself.

I will be writing about some of the science magick I personally do in detail later. But I wanted to leave you with this thought: where does our knowledge originate from? Our ability to speak, to communicate without words, to intuit, to study the way the things work, to dance, to building incredible things, and more, where do they all come from? It may seem random. It may seem like organized chaos. But there is a pattern to what feels like a cacophony and symphony that co-exists in the universe—the polarity of creation and destruction. What we do know is this. Energy can neither be created nor destroyed. It simply just is. It can however transform. Such is the nature of the universe. Such is the nature of our own existence too in the quantum sense.

That’s it for now. If you made it this far, I thank you! The next topic will deal with Tarot Magick and Empathic Energy work. Until next time, happy Samhain, Harvest, and Witches’ New Year. Blessings. With love, the Foxy Witch.

SUPER FULL MOON AND ECLIPSE

Super full blood moon Flower Moon and a lunar eclipse and retrogrades, and UFOs say what?! It seems like every day something new is being discovered. If you’re anything like me, this full moon and lunar eclipse was bizarre. It’s like the world turned itself upside down, then inside out. The pandemic might be letting up, yet we hear of the desperate and scary situation in other places, like India. Cautious optimism seems like a luxury. Overall, the energy is jittery. If ever we needed some reassurance, it is now. If it feels like things are going in circles, it probably is! But it will get better soon. Let’s talk about why people get antsy around Mercury Retrograde in particular. We also have Saturn Retrograde to contend with and strange happenings in the sky all around. UFOs! No, they’re not aliens. But they are interesting to explore in the grand scheme of things. And that is a subject for another blog post. This is just a hint of what’s to follow in later blog posts!

Mercury is the messenger planet. We often worry that our communications will break down or that the energy will be too intense for some people. But the truth is—Mercury can be a good friend to us in times of joy and sorrow. In order to explore that, it might help to know where Mercury is placed in your birth chart. I go by Vedic astrological placements in the sidereal natal chart, so they tend to differ from tropical astrology. Nevertheless, whatever your preference, remember to look at Mercury holistically. If we think about Mercury in terms of its proximity to the sun, we can use the analogy of leaning too close to the fire, lest we be burned! Avoidance of hasty decision-making during this time is important—it’s probably important regardless. Being hasty or in a rush can be problematic in general after all. Being mindful of how we say things can also be a plus point during retrograde. Again, this is a good plan of action all the time.

We’ve all heard the expression: don’t shoot the messenger. Yep. Mercury is that guy! Retrograde does not have to mean we blame every techno-hiccup or verbal mishap on Mercury Retrograde. We can look inwards to see how we are communicating with ourselves. Are we being kind to ourselves? What does our inner voice sound like? This is critical, in my opinion. If we cannot hear ourselves, then what are we listening to? As I mentioned in the previous blog post, the things that we take in are not just things we eat. We nourish our minds too. The news is filled with things that frighten us. Social media is both a blessing and a curse. How do we nourish ourselves emotionally and spiritually during this time? And it’s not as simple as just doing something fun and distracting/distancing ourselves from stressors. We have to go further than that, deep down into the recesses of our darkest corners. What we find there will reveal who we really are underneath the layers we grow to protect ourselves. Our focus this retrograde is on the wild, the untapped potential in the dark, the raw and primal force within.

To tap into this reservoir, we can journey—imagine you are on a quest, a hero’s quest to find treasure hidden in a cave. What kind of treasures does this cave hold? Believe me, there are beautiful things in there! Our journey can begin with a meditation or a calming walk. Meditation does not always have to be sitting still with eyes closed—sometimes it is in being able to connect to nature. Do you have a park or a garden where you can safely walk? One way is to listen to the sounds of the birds, the wind, and feel the ground beneath your feet (yes, even with shoes on 😉). Take it all in. Then think back to a time where you felt this freedom. Call in that version of yourself and ask that person what your wish is for the future. This isn’t an exercise in counting regrets. This is just a pure, unfiltered wish. The words we choose to use on ourselves is more important than any words. They can change who we are in an instant. This Mercury retrograde, let’s focus on our inner language. As for Saturn, the focus is on our karma—how we can secure our spot in the hall of karmic fame. Just kidding. It is a way for us to build good credit. We cannot control outside circumstances, but we have control over ourselves. By working towards the future in a positive light, we build up positive karma. Saturn moves and is darker and more shadowy. I again invite and encourage you to make friends with your shadows. The unfiltered you is there too.

This was less lengthy than my previous blogs, but I hope you enjoyed it. I’ll be updating sooner. Be well, beloved readers. Namaste. With love, the Foxy Witch.

Tarot Part III: 21st century Tarot

Imbolc blessings! We are just about budding into spring. I hope everyone had a good January. Last month strangely felt like an extension of 2020, and it feels like the New Year is only beginning now. We are experiencing enormous shifts in terms of consciousness. We are in the first Mercury Rx of 2021. And today’s date is 02/02/2021. The repetition of the sequence of numbers, 02/02/2021 give us pause to reflect as well. Numerology wise, the addition of these numbers equals 9. Key #9 in the Major Arcana is the Hermit which symbolizes personal journeying, wise counsel and your inner guide. The number 9 is unique because it takes on the energies of the numbers 1-8 and is the last number before double digit 10. The 9 is the final push which makes sense for us today since we are building up our immunity and getting our vaccines soon. The end is in sight! Different numerology systems have other interpretations which may resonate better for you, but this is just mine. With that said, let’s move on to the topic, the relevance of Tarot in the 21^st century. We already looked at its history and development. Now, let’s look at why it is such a beloved form of divination and more importantly, why it endures.

When I first started dabbling in Tarot in high school, I kept seeing certain images crop up in my life. I thought nothing of it at first. I assumed it was wishful thinking or pure coincidence. But soon, I began to recognize the images as symbols of things to do—things to forget, and things to remember. I was surprised at the effect of that recognition. It was as if I had just tuned in—I had to distinguish between myself assigning meaning to things versus actual signs. Once I did that, I paid more attention to details and synced up better with my intuition. With Tarot, it was easier to do that. There is something about the visual medium of Tarot that allows us to dream, allows us to hone into the specifics, because it lets us see things we would have otherwise missed or dismissed. The beauty of Tarot lies in its ability to create, invoke as well as evoke an emotional response in each of us. When we think about the Tarot as a divinatory art, we employ a mode of channeling to perhaps connect with our guides and call on Source energy to help us receive and divine messages within the cards. It is the act of creating, opening, and receiving that makes Tarot so memorable, potent, and one of the best loved methods of divination. It is neither too abstract nor too revealing. It has just enough to pique the interest of our innate, subconscious mind to tap into our Source and into (to use Carl Jung’s terminology) the collective unconscious.

Tarot can help us dig into that reservoir of hidden intuitive potential the same way that meditation can for others. The more you shuffle the cards, the more your energy becomes embedded in them. The more you look at the cards, the deeper your connection with yourself. I’ve been keeping a Tarot diary for a while and doing mini readings every so often, along with in-depth readings for phases of the moon and holidays. Through this, I was able to establish a pattern of thinking and habits to assess, change, or keep. I believe this is one of the main reasons Tarot has endured for so long. Another reason has to do with the fact that a lot of the cards align with the elements, with the moon phases, and holidays. With numerology, the Major Arcana and the Suits may align with dates in the calendar. Sometimes we can use the cards for manifestation rituals, for self-love, for guidance, and for daily mantras. We can also use the cards to represent emotions, thoughts, spiritual guides, and even deities depending on the deck.

We are in no way limited to how we can use the Tarot. It has evolved since its inception through the Middle Ages and Renaissance from art to games, to a divination system, to a psychological tool, to artistic mediums as well as ritual representatives. Tarot takes on a timelessness here. If it calls to you, you may find yourself undertaking a lengthy study, because it is a fascinating journey! It also does not have a religious dogma attached to it, nor does it require a belief system or even a belief in a deity or higher power in order for anyone to take up the practice of Tarot. The purposes for utilizing Tarot are individuated and adaptable. These are primary reasons as to why it is such a treasure to have in our toolbox. Oracle cards have a similar effect as well, and we will talk more about that in another blog post.

For the month of February and through Mercury Rx, let us turn inward and give ourselves the love we would give others. Thank you for reading! The next blog post is on Pamela Colman Smith. Future topics are going to discuss rituals, esoteric knowledge, metaphysical mindsets, and much more! If there is a topic you wish to see discussed, drop me a line in the comments and let me know. Until next time, be well beloved readers. Namaste. With love, the Foxy Witch.

Tarot Part II: The Mystique.

Key 8: Strength, the Major Arcana from my Waite-Smith deck.

Hello again, lovely readers. As I sit down to write the second blog post on Tarot, I do so with a heavy heart. Before we get into our topic today, I want to say something about what we witnessed a little over a week ago. Perhaps others can relate, but I felt like I was watching the Tower card playing out in real time on the news, and it also made me feel like my own house was violated. And that was heartbreaking. A symbol of hope was subject to property damage, theft, and vandalism. I recall what I felt intuitively when we were entering 2020 from 2019. I felt a sense of portentous, negative energy on its way. It just did not feel like it was going to be a good year. To contrast, I felt differently coming into 2021. While I do not feel like this year is going to be as ominous as 2020 was, I believe that the major changes taking place are going to be uncomfortable—the battle is uphill, but we are already familiar with the storm, so perhaps we can navigate differently. This leads me to our topic on the Tarot.

First, I want to give you a collective forecast for 2021. So far, the running themes seem to be the Chariot, Justice, and the Wheel of Fortune. These three cards have been on my mind lately. I keep thinking about how we are each the storytellers of our destinies. We hold the reins to the chariot, and sometimes it can be challenging to maintain them. We have fought hard to get where we are through right actions, just causes, and tempered behavior. The tides are turning and changing with the wheel of fortune. Yet we sometimes feel bound by external forces and circumstances. Coming out of a tumultuous 2020 into what feels like a polarity shift on shaky legs in 2021 can leave us disoriented. This confusion and lack of control we sense are major reasons why we may consult Tarot or other methods of divination. Ultimately, the three cards above are positive cards. While things are difficult, there is hope. Fighting for justice, balance and fairness, achieving victory over adversity, and changing our tides/fortunes for the better are good omens for the collective. I also pulled an additional card yesterday, the Four of Wands. This card is about prosperity and renewal. Things are changing even if there are hardships. I see the overall message of the cards as one of hope. Be true to who you are and remember that the wheel of fortune is always in motion.

As promised, this post delves deeper into the more mystical aspects of Tarot from personal experience. I wanted to discuss Pamela Colman Smith’s contribution to modern interpretations of Tarot imagery for the twentieth century, but there’s so much more to include. So, I will honor her in a separate blog instead of alluding to her in small snippets. At the moment, I want to focus on the magick of Tarot. We had but a brief overview into the long and extremely interesting history of Tarot in the last post. Now we can look at Tarot in terms of the modern use of cartomancy. It is important though to keep the history of divination and the inception of Tarot in mind. It enriches our experience with using the cards for psychological and spiritual purposes. With that, let’s dive right into our topic of the day.

In terms of the way we use cards for divination, we can see that there is an intuitive process involved. Each person has a different gut reaction to the cards. Have you ever held a card and instantly felt as if it had some kind of magnetic pull on you? I have that with several specific cards, especially when I do readings for myself with the cards I’m directed to draw. It’s as if the energy is pushing or pulling me in certain ways. Sometimes, the pull is so strong that I feel like the card is going to attach itself to my hand. It truly has a vibration. I liken it to a sound or light wave. If I could measure what that feels like or typify it with another example, I would say it could qualify as an EKG graph too. It goes up and down and sometimes flatlines. The flatline occurs when the same cards keep coming up. It happens when we hit a roadblock and seek repeated clarification. Who here has pulled cards and then not liked said cards, then shuffled and pulled new cards only to get a similar reading or the same cards? I know I did many times! It is the proverbial backhanded slap of “what did I just say?”, except in the form of Tarot cards. Intuitively, you probably already knew the answer. Sometimes, it helps to see it validated in the cards—and other times, it is important to look at the best direction to take, especially if there are too many variables.

With the many decks available to us, it may seem at first daunting to figure out which deck you want to get. Why are there all these decks? I think the answer lies in how we evolved as a society. Cartomancy may not have been as popular before nor were they mass produced on a broad scale like today. Once they gained momentum, the demand rose. Initially, the first modern deck, the Waite-Smith Tarot, provided a gateway allowing both Christian imagery as well as the esoteric for what felt like a relatable approach at that time. It stands to reason that people over the decades and into the 21^st century also wanted something relatable and thus created decks based on interests, diversity in imagery, themes they believed would resonate with lots of people—not aiming at a singular audience necessarily, though some are likely to appeal more or less to others. The decks I have are vast and diverse: The Lovers Tarot, the Universal Waite-Smith deck, the Mystic Dreamer Tarot, the Ukiyoe Tarot, the Archeon Tarot, the Margerete Peterson Tarot, the mini-Secret Tarot, the mini-Manga Tarot, the King Arthur Tarot, True Heart Tarot, and a Celtic Lenormand deck. I know, I know! I have a lot of decks. One could say I developed a habit. And each of these decks have such a unique vibratory resonance. This brings me to the magick. When we start to talk about Tarot magick, we can look at how to invoke them during rituals.

I like to incorporate the Tarot with manifesting. An excellent card to use is the Nine of Cups. It is a very fulfilling card. Nine is also a special number, the last one before double digits—I also believe that nine embodies the traits of one through eight to carry forward. The Cups suit is about intuition and water energy. The combination of the two and the significance of traditional plus modern meanings make Nine of Cups a card of rewards, of the cups being filled, and wishes being granted. The World card from the Major Arcana is a great one as well—we can think of this card as completing our journey and reaping the benefits in multiple ways including the spiritual. When we see ourselves or deities perhaps in the cards, we can invoke and evoke them during rituals for maximizing the energy of the moon phase or planetary alignment in addition to what we put out as well. I believe Tarot magick is one of the most wonderful forms of visualization, because it provides us with an image to focus on easily. And with that, I conclude this post. More to follow on Tarot!

Once again, thank you for reading my post. I will be making a Part III to my Tarot posts, a separate post on Pamela Colman-Smith, and some future blog post topics will include hereditary and folk magick practices. Thank you again, beloved readers! Have a blessed rest of your January. Be safe. Be well. And invoke the Strength card to get you through the day and through the upcoming Mercury Retrograde. Namaste. With love, the Foxy Witch.

The Divine Dance of Tarot

Happy new year beloved readers! We have finally left behind 2020. We are entering a new phase of awakening! Have you felt it yet? We are currently moving towards karmic returns and rewards. Plan ahead and plan accordingly. That’s what my intuition tells me anyway. This blog post, as promised in the previous, is about Tarot! What a time to discuss it as we move into a mystical year. This is the year of the Hierophant. 2+0+2+1=5. Key 5 in the Major Arcana is the Hierophant. The Hierophant traditionally refers to orthodoxy or tradition and has a spiritual connotation. I interpret it for 2021 to have a deeper, inner meaning for each of us. We can develop our own traditions and spiritual practices as well as utilize what we already know. To delve into our blog topic, I want to first begin with an amazing experience on the Winter Solstice Great Conjunction day last month. I was privileged, humbled, and honored to do a group Tarot reading as a 2021 forecast live on Zoom! So, why was it such a big deal? Well, because this was not something that I have done in a group setting or had even thought about doing publicly. And it absolutely set my soul on fire! Let me add to that statement. It reignited the embers of my passion for Tarot that were simmering away inside all this time. I remember when I got my first Tarot deck. I received it as a gift during high school: The Love Tarot deck by Sarah Bartlett and illustrated by Nancy Tolford. It is an unusual deck in that it does not contain the full seventy-eight cards, just the Major Arcana. At that time, I wasn’t sure if it was going to have the same effect as a full Tarot deck, but I used it, nevertheless. It even went to college with me! I used the Love Tarot my freshman year to gain insight into a “Victorian era” style romance that I was unsure of, and the wisdom through it proved helpful. Thus, began my “secret love affair” with Tarot.

Tarot is a riveting study because of the numerous benefits it offers from a psychological perspective as well as the spiritual guidance side of it. But before we get into that, let us peek a little into the origins of Tarot. To do that, we need to first look at the concept of divination. Divination by itself is nothing new. Many cultures have had methods that predated the inception of paper. They used stones, shells, leaves, tree barks, to name a few, and some continue to do so, and others with modifications. We humans have always had a fascination with divining knowledge and learning about specific outcomes to predict our own futures better. I believe the reason for this lies mainly in the fear of our mortality and in our desire to be happy. These two factors influence our decision-making daily whether we actively think about them or not. It is hard to pinpoint the exact origins of divination in terms of place and the time period, but I think we can relatively assume that it was a natural progression after we gained awareness of our existence within the scope of the world and the universe as our early ancestors understood it. So, that makes divination an ancient study that endures to the present day! This brings us to the subject of Tarot as a divinatory practice today.

I want to briefly discuss the history of Tarot. I know, I know “Why the history lesson, Foxy Witch?”—but this is incredibly interesting and something I believe adds to the mystique of Tarot. I’ll be succinct, because I’m merely presenting a humble overview of what I understand with works I cite at the end as well as in-text of this blog. So, let’s begin! Tarot as we know it can trace its existence back to the late medieval/early Renaissance era in Europe, most notably in Italy. It was not used for divination at that time. Tarot was a card game. You may note the similarities with the Tarot and playing cards used today. There are a few origin stories with regards to the divinatory nature of Tarot—some claim it can be traced back to Egypt. There are other theories as well, however, the most-well known and evidential explanation of the Tarot itself dates back to the fifteenth century. The Visconti Tarot, Sola Busca Tarot, and the Visconti-Sforza are among the earliest decks. But it wasn’t until the 1700s when Jean-Batpiste Alliette also known as Etteilla, ascribed meanings to the cards and created spreads that enabled divinatory interpretations that changed how Tarot was viewed. Occult societies began to gain momentum around that time and well into the 1800s, most notably the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. (Wen 8). That brings us to the modern Tarot deck that popularized Tarot for the twentieth century: the Waite-Smith deck. It is the work of Arthur Edward Waite and artist Pamela Colman Smith who were both members of the Golden Dawn. Smith’s art could be considered the standard that inspired other modern decks. A lot of decks publish it as Rider-Waite Tarot—but I will use Waite-Smith. She is an intriguing woman to study, and I will be making a post dedicated just to her. I’ll explain more towards the end of this blog.

The Waite-Smith deck is modern in nature because it captures both esoteric elements as well as Christian symbology. The Tarot decks in existence today are plentiful with a variety of interpretations. The early decks seem to have strong Christian, Hebrew, and Greek influences. They are more classical and allegorical in terms of the artwork, which is reflective of the Renaissance period. The emergence of the modern Tarot did not discard this completely as we see in the Waite-Smith deck. (“History of Tarot”). However, the more occultist approach became popular. This brings us to the main point of the blog: Tarot for divination. The Tarot deck by itself may seem just a set of images with meanings attached to them. To the mystic, there is an intuitive approach to divining. We meditate, set up sacred space, and cleanse and shuffle the deck. We let our intuition guide us to the cards. Either we let the cards jump out as we shuffle, or we pull them based on how we want to lay them out. But we are guided to the cards, however we do them. The messages are contained in our impressions of the cards as we scrutinize the images. We use the knowledge of the meanings of the cards as well as our reactions. Then we notice them in the context of a spread. There is an art and science to the Tarot. In terms of magick, we can use the cards to help us manifest, connect with deity or guides. We may lay them on our altars or use them in a specific ritual or during a new moon or holiday. There are astrological and elemental associations we utilize to help us divine. It supports us in terms of our understanding of ourselves and our relationship to environments and people around us. There is much more to be said on the Tarot. I will make another blog post on it as this is already quite long!

I want to end on a note about my decks. I communicate with them regularly. I pick them up and meditate. Each one has a different vibrational feel to it. The Archeon deck practically hums in my hands. This deck holds special meaning to me. I did not get it by accident. I’ll discuss that more in the next post! I also use the Universal Waite-Smith deck frequently. I feel Pamela Colman Smith’s essence permeate the deck. It actually seems infused with her energy! I want to say much, much more on this. So, my next post will discuss my decks and Tarot magick, Pamela Colman Smith, and end with a current forecast for the collective for 2021. If you made it this far, thank you! Until next time, happy new year readers. Namaste. With love, the Foxy Witch.

Works Cited

Wen, Benebell. Holistic Tarot: An Integrative Approach to Using Tarot for Personal Growth. North Atlantic Books, 2015.

Payne-Towler, Christine. “History of Tarot” Tarot.com, 24^th May. 2018, https://www.tarot.com/tarot/christine-payne-towler/history-of-tarot. Accessed 6 January 2021.

Realms of Possibility

So…after a bit of soul work, I am writing more again and feel inspired to write. Before we get to our topic of the week, I would like to share something with all of you. I tend to get reflective as we get closer to the end of a year, but it seems especially important for 2020, and even more so after the winter solstice and conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn! So, I wanted to review whether I met my goals for this year. Did I finish the Kali book according to my summer deadline? Sadly, that one is a no. But I am going to finish it. I also now have three working manuscripts: The Kali book, a personal memoir, and a sci-fi novel. There is a lot of research and editing in progress at present, but it’s progressing, nevertheless. So, while I am disappointed at not meeting my personal deadline—I’m happy to say that I made some serious headway on the Kali book and have more information to include. With that, let’s talk about different realms and inevitably, we will end up discussing altered states. I feel this is a good time to discuss them especially as all the cosmic shifts continue to unveil and reveal themselves to us like many de-cloaking spaceships, appearing one by one or sometimes simultaneously. I know, I know, I’m a hardcore Trekkie and space science and sci-fi nerd 😉

First, we need to look at what we mean when we use the term different realms. The word realm refers to a place ruled by a monarch, an area of activity or knowledge (Merriam-Webster). In the spiritual sense, a realm refers to a physical or more often, liminal space. What we mean by liminal is the threshold between the physical and non-corporeal or the “in-between”. This is where our understanding of etheric or subtle body perceptions come into play. This leads us to altered states. If you have ever experienced it, you may have different ways of expressing what it was like. However, most of us can agree that it is different from being asleep and dreaming. Some sensations produce similar dream-like states, but the line between the unconscious and conscious is blurred a little—what is obscured in the physical is visible in the altered state.

An altered state can be understood as a state between consciousness and dreaming. One can remain anchored physically but travel to a spirit realm or an astral realm through etheric means. This brings us to an interesting question. What is the difference between the two realms? Let’s talk about the spirit realm first. As implied by the word spirit, it is the abode of spirits. Ancestors and guardian spirits may walk the realm. And souls ready to take on new bodies and reincarnate may exist there or they may be at the end of the journey, preparing to move on to the cosmos to become and realize they are the Source—at least that is my take on it. You might have a different view, and that is perfectly all right. “Okay Foxy Witch, but isn’t the astral realm the same thing?” Good question. I used to think so once. But as it turns out, they’re not. The astral realm does not necessarily mean spirit realm, although you can encounter spirits. What I’ve found is that the astral realm is not so different from our physical world. There are elements of our world strewn throughout. But things normally hidden from the conscious and physical realm make themselves known in the astral. It’s like navigating the element of air in a way—in our waking state, we only have cognition and physical sensations to let us know that air exists (sure, there are scientific methods to measure it, even see it displayed on monitors for activity), but this way we are getting to see it in the astral. What we cannot see with our naked eyes are made manifest in the astral realm.

I have been experiencing altered states lately through meditation and sometimes glimpse it while running. Now before I delve any further, I want to let everyone know that I do not use any hallucinogenic substances natural or otherwise to induce such a state—and I am not judging anyone who does. It is up to each practitioner. Plants and herbal substances have been used for a long time in various cultures for different reasons. Disclaimer here, though it is self-explanatory—if you use any herbs or medicinal substances, please make sure to take the necessary precautions and be in a safe space. I am not advocating for or against the use of herbal substances. Things do not need to be done exactly one way or the other. What is important is SAFETY FIRST above all else no matter what the circumstances or preference. As I said before, I do not use anything with hallucinogenic or psychoactive properties. What I do use are crystals, saltwater, and incense. The incense helps me anchor to something solid because a sense of smell lets me know where I am. The crystals ground me and cool me down, and the saltwater helps me cleanse when I am done. Some suggested herbs to burn are mugwort, bay leaves, and mixing a little bit of dragon’s blood resin with it. I like those too.

Deep meditation with singing bowls or certain types of music can induce that state. It all begins with the breath. I also do adequate preparation. I will eat light, do specific healing exercises after energetic ones, and take a ritual bath. I will journal to de-clutter my mind. I set up sacred space, take stock of my surroundings before I close my eyes and then focus my attention on the breath and all sensations physically. I have music playing in the background. And then I count backwards from a certain number. This opens me up quickly. Mat Auryn’s Psychic Witch book describes this exercise and much more. I highly recommend reading it if you are interested in developing intuition, understanding psychic energy, and utilizing it in your practice. As I said before the countdown exercise keeps me single point focused. I’m least likely to be distracted physically as a result. Once that is done, I will watch what comes through. Sometimes I end up in the astral realm where I might see someone familiar, a guide perhaps, and travel back to past memories, including past life ones. Yes, even that can happen! In the interest of space and how long this already is, I’ll talk more about the spirit realm and some ancestral traditions in another blog post.

In a walking meditation or when I’m running, I am anchored physically by the earth because my feet hits the ground, but I may also feel weightless or floaty. I am fully aware still. I know where I am, the street names, and which direction to go—but I’ll have flashes of things that come up, in sentient or cognitive ways. I’m here and also elsewhere is the way I’d use to describe it. But knowing how to properly anchor is so, so, so, so important here. I cannot stress that enough. I keep myself laser focused on the pacing, the direction, and the heart rate when I run so I cannot zone out. I watch out for cars, bicycles, kids playing, etc. So, I never give in to an altered state while running. NEVER. These flashes happen in the conscious for me, not the threshold state. I want to make that clear, because any vigorous activity like running requires tremendous focus on the physical. Word to the wise, avoid trancing out while operating machinery or working out! And one final thing, what does the altered state or trance experience mean or why should anyone even attempt it? I find that it helps me understand the subtle workings of energetic vibrations. It allows me to sense things better; as an empath I find this useful. It can also help us find the root and deeper causes to ancestral trauma, energy sicknesses, nightmares, and more. I will revisit this topic later on in future posts since there is more to say on it.

If you survived reading this far, thank you. If you didn’t, I understand. It was a very long one! The next post is all about Tarot! 😉 Thank you for sticking with me until the end of 2020, lovely readers. Until next time, happy new year! Namaste. With love, Foxy Witch.

The Personal Tale

After a long hiatus, I am finally back! I did not intend to take quite as lengthy of a break from writing as this, but I had to step away for a while to reflect. The last few months were challenging in many ways. And now it feels surreal to be in mid-November of 2020. We have had too much happen this year alone. And yet we are still in the middle of a ruthless pandemic, while continuing to face issues concerning racial equality. There is plenty to be said at a time like this. And I know I promised some resources and links before, so I will provide those in the next blog post as I will dive deeper into a few topics. With that said…what is this post about? I originally planned on writing about altered states in detail. However, this post will be more of a personal nature about doubt. I bring up doubt because in a spiritual sense when we question things, we look for answers in different ways, either through books or people—but having doubt when we thought we had answers reframes our state of mind. The past few months were a struggle about issues of identity—as an immigrant—as an American—as a witch—as a Hindu, and as an Indian American. Suffice it to say that I did not expect to face a spiritual crisis again, but life is not without its tests.

In late September this year, I signed up for a Yoga teacher training program in the interest of immersing myself in the traditions of my culture. For a while, I was confused and felt so removed from everything. I was concerned that I was not being true to my roots. I worried that I was somehow betraying my culture, that I was too “Americanized”, too witchy, not ethnic enough. The reality though is that I did not abandon the foundation—rather I have built on it. However, the fear of disloyalty permeated the center. I tried to turn away yet again from aspects of myself. I thought Yoga was the only way to feel more connected to my culture. While I loved the classes themselves, I was not ready for the teacher training. I was still very much a student. Despite being familiar with Yoga, it was new in a lot of ways. I also realized that I did not want any more “school” or certifications to teach—the training is extensive to be sure. It was clear to me after a few weeks that I also did not want to teach Yoga—I wanted to learn—as a practice for myself and a way of living. What also became evident to me was that I was falling into old patterns, patterns I thought I had broken away from, because I was desperate to understand myself. And the truth is that when I get desperate for change, I react impulsively.

Impulsive behavior, unfinished business, nervous talking, and a lack of confidence are all issues I have grappled with most of my life. They stem from doubts about how a person with a dual cultural identity lives as a balanced individual. When I wrote my first blog post as the Foxy Witch, I thought I had fully overcome the push and pull of this duality. But the seeds of doubt were waiting to be fostered. In the pandemic, they grew until I could no longer fool myself into thinking I had been liberated from those beliefs. I had hoped that Yoga teacher training would straighten me out. But I was looking for a band aid solution to my doubts and fears. Yes, Yoga is beneficial and would enrich my life profoundly. I am certain of that and will continue to practice it on my own for that reason. But as far as signing up for the teacher training, I made that decision on the spot one day without thinking at all about whether it was right for me. I convinced myself in the moment that it was, but the thing is, I have a track record for not being able to follow through with decisions I make that are impulsive. I love spontaneity as much as the next person, but I know myself enough to recognize these patterns. I simply was not ready. And I needed to admit that truth.

Initially, withdrawing from the teacher training program left me with an incredible amount of shame. I was ashamed because I thought I would have learned to be less impulsive by now. I was ashamed because I thought I was abandoning my culture again. I was ashamed that I did not heed the advice of my family who rightly understood where my impulsive tendencies originated. I was ashamed because I felt I had let myself down for the millionth time. Once I processed those feelings, that was when I learned that if I wanted to accept myself, it meant I would have to listen to intuition versus the knee-jerk impulse. My intuition had told me to slow down, because I was not ready for commitments of any kind and to pay attention to the mental and physical signals.

Fast forward to a week or so later after I quit the program, I slowly started to accept the decisions I made and turned inward. I should also mention that the decision to quit the program was one I spent time carefully deliberating as well as consulting with family. So, all in all, I decided to take a long, hard look at who I really was. I saw that I had doubts that ran deep and came from a place where I longed to fit in with something, anything. Today, I accept that I have these flaws. I am still sometimes a nervous talker, (yes, even with my family) because the need for acceptance can be a pervasive desire. But I also know that there are traits of strength and love that I rely on everyday. I had to let go of the old stories that placed me in a state of perpetual doubt. I think I kept myself in a kind of metaphorical limbo so that I would never forget the mistakes I made. In some ways, the irony was that I made more mistakes as a result, because I was just going in circles. These were after all the stories I believed about myself. The impulses, the doubting, the nerves—I had somehow let them dictate the sum, the totality of who I am. As soon as that realization hit me, I began to peel away the layers and dig deep.

I can say now that I accept that I have a duality about me, that I am a person with a distinct cultural background, that I am an American too, and that I tend to straddle the line with fringe paths, the occult mysteries—but I also follow the philosophical teachings of my background, and am definitely a Hindu at the core. I do not have all the answers. I may not ever have all the answers. But I have a stronger, better sense of self. From the depths of the shadows to the light at the end of the tunnel, I am journeying on, seeking truth and knowledge. If you read my personal story post all the way to the end, thank you. If not, I understand! It was a long one as always. The next post deals with different realms. Until then, be safe and have a wonderful rest of the month. With love, the Foxy Witch. Namaste.

Retrogrades and Time

Retrogrades, Chaos, Eclipses, Gemini Season. What a whirlwind. The lunar eclipse was intense and telling. And we have a grand total of four planets in retrograde and will have to gear up for more! The big question is: should we be worried? I can certainly understand why it seems overwhelming and how planetary movements can get us flustered a bit. Sometimes, retrogrades are like those pesky reversed Tarot card meanings that we don’t often like. But let’s think about this. What do retrogrades symbolize ultimately? In this blog post, I attempt to dissect the astronomical and spiritual effects of planetary retrogrades on us collectively. Of course, each person will experience things differently, by sign, personality type, numerology, birthplace, cultural conditioning, and many other factors. This is in no way a substitute for astrological consultation, Western or Vedic. These are musings from my viewpoint on what we can do when there are changes in planetary movement. We also cannot ignore what is happening now because it feels apocalyptic in nature. Besides the pandemic we face, we have several crises on our hands. We continue to fight against racism and inequality, against violence. It hurts us on a soul level because we are all connected, and we cannot turn a blind eye to inhumane behavior and racism. We will discuss this more in later blogs, but the next one will deal with cultural appropriation vs adoption.

First things first, we are in a seasonal change. I really like when this happens because it is the intermediary between spring and summer, a transitionary period. It could not be more important than ever to focus our strengths on reflection and rebuilding right now. It feels a bit like a twisted limbo. Truthfully speaking, that is not far from the reality. This is precisely why there is so much change and transmutation of many things—things we expected would proceed in an orderly fashion. But the very fabric of our world is unraveling. In terms of the changing season, this period brings a lot of funky vibrations to the forefront. If you feel off-kilter or polarized in some areas, getting in touch with the elements may help you shift your balance. If you haven’t felt it yet, perhaps you are experiencing other effects in your life, and that is perfectly okay. The thing to remember is that we are rebuilding in this transitionary phase. We are reflecting on current planetary retrogrades and the changes they effect on our lives. But they tell us that we can hit restore and begin again. Because like the phoenix, we will also rise.

When we think of the planets in retrograde now, we may think it makes sense why things are so chaotic today. Here are the planets in question: Pluto, Venus, Jupiter, and Saturn. These four planets are crucial elements in our cosmic makeup. Strictly speaking from a scientific point of view, Jupiter and Saturn, the gas giants of our solar system, play a part in keeping asteroids away from us because of their gravities affecting one another (though there’s a caveat with that but that’s for a different discussion). And Venus, often called our sister planet, shows us how similar she was once to Earth—some even believe that Venus once held life. Today, Venus has an atmosphere 75 times that of Earth with temperatures exceeding 800-900 degrees Fahrenheit! Then we have Pluto, a small and cold planet, a mystery unto itself, so far away from our sun. It was demoted as a planet and then reinstated as one of the five dwarf planets. So, why do planets and their motions affect us? Scientifically speaking, planets, objects and celestial bodies all exert a certain amount of force. The gravity of planets affects objects near and around them. It has an astronomical effect on everything, like a cosmic chain. Going further, spiritually we ascribe them to an immutable force, celestial and cosmic deities if you will.

So let’s talk retrogrades! Pluto is the planet I want to address first. Pluto’s retrograde is a shadow reflection period. There may be old wounds resurfacing that need tending to with a loving heart. This was especially notable for me. I saw how much my own past reappeared in my dreams as fears of loss and feelings of shame and guilt. I thought I’d put to rest some issues only to discover that I was still holding on to them. It made me take a hard look at myself and be objective. I think of the shadow work I did in the spring. It’s an ongoing process, and that was my takeaway from Pluto’s Rx. Perhaps, it will serve as a reminder to be gentle with yourself too which segues right into Venus Rx. The theme here is self-care and self-love are absolutes right now. I do not say this lightly. It is so much easier said than done. Venus Rx reminds us to look within to find the light of love in our hearts—to find the wounds that need the loving energy of our full being, to heal those broken pieces (like Pluto). Venus Rx reveals many of the effects of disharmony in our love and filial relationships. The key is to embrace the disharmony and transmute it. Again, easier said than done. I am no expert or psychologist—but if you want to use Venus Rx as a reflective period to bring harmony back into your life, find ways to self-soothe and comfort yourself as you would a loved one. Give yourself 100% love and pampering.

Jupiter and Saturn in retrograde tell us a lot about growth and learning and time. Chaos can be transmuted too. Our new normal is fraught with chaos, fear, injustice, and pain—disease and loss. Saturn is the ruler of time—and right now, it feels like time is both slow and swift. It feels out of control. But Saturn Rx reminds us that we do have time. We have time to go beyond—to really focus on our goals. Believe it or not, we can manifest even now—time is relative. Seeds may take longer to grow, but they will grow. Saturn Rx can be chaotic—we have no concept of something outside of time—but we have time. Time is not getting away from us. Now on to Jupiter! Jupiter in Vedic Astrology is referred to as Guru. I like to think of Jupiter as the teacher, the strength-maker, and the ruler of knowledge. These are just my views—you may have a different perspective, and that is valid too. Think of lessons you have learned or are learning during this time or lessons you want to teach, especially if you are a teacher. What keeps popping up for you? Moreover, Jupiter Rx may call on you to seek new knowledge or to expand your knowledge on something you already know.

Thank you for making it this far! Again, this post is my impression of the planetary retrogrades. I’ve spoken from a really personal standpoint. I am not an astrologer or psychologist. Please consult the appropriate parties for proper counsel if you need. However, what I offer here is just a perspective which you may find resonates with you or gives you a different way of looking at something. May the retrogrades bless you and may the tides turn in your favor, beloved reader. Namaste. With love, the Foxy Witch.

An Empath and a Vampire walk into a Bar…

Empath. It seems to be a loaded word in the spiritual community. Why is it such a loaded word, I wonder? “Put yourself in their shoes. How would you feel?” This is something we often hear growing up. It was how we would deal with bullies to try and get them to understand why what they were doing was wrong. The rule remains the same today for adults. But can we truly feel empathy for another person? Most of us understand sympathy. Most of us know how to say sorry—to feel bad for another person. But can we truly say that we feel the same things as another person? And how many of us can extend that towards most people and not just limit it to the ones we know and care for? Do we only feel empathy when it relates to our own situation? This is a hard subject to address. Someone is not automatically greater than others if that person is an empath. Unfortunately, I have encountered this type of ego—the ego where they are considered better people because they have more sensitivity or think that they do. So, how do we discern true empaths from some who may use it as an excuse to justify certain behavior that discriminates against others? Let us first examine the traits of empaths and then look at what is associated with empaths including a popular subject that pops up where empaths are concerned: energy vampirism.

So, what is an empath? The quick and easy definition is that an empath is someone who feels another person’s emotions. Going beyond that though, empaths tend not to just feel them. They sense emotions and then take them on. Growing up, I used to wonder why I felt so many confusing things all the time. What I didn’t realize then was that most of us have our own problems that sometimes it is challenging to distinguish it from other people’s. In our new normal, we may be feeling collective traumas of the world. We are inundated with constant waves of energy from all angles. What’s an empath to do in a state of unrest, uncertainty, and panic? Remember my earlier posts about down time and self-healing? Let’s add on! The most crucial is the filter. I cannot stress the importance of having a filter enough! The filter as I see it is where we empty out the daily clutter. Also make sure to take stock of what you are feeling. How I filter is by writing and drawing. I transfer collective feelings into writing and then draw my own emotions out in original works or fan art. I also do Reiki and meditation daily. Meditation can be harder so sometimes I will do an active workout like running, martial arts, dancing, and then yoga. I recommend one physical activity and one reflective and doing it routinely, same time of the day or night, every day. It made a huge difference for me. Again, this is not in place of medical treatments if you have conditions or are being treated. Please always consult your therapist or doctor first before doing anything physical or exploratory!

Some other traits or perceived traits of empaths include being sensitive to strong emotions, anxiety, panic attacks, and loneliness. Often, the typical expectation is for an empath to get overwhelmed or cry easily or fall apart. This does vary though. Some of the most empathic individuals I know are calm, compassionate people who remain firm under pressure. And there are others who are more sensitive and express it more readily. To be honest, expressing my true feelings or showing emotion is not something that I am comfortable doing—I tend to be stoic. But every empath is different. One is not better than the other. But what we have in common is the ability to understand the complexity of emotions we feel from others and the ability to extend compassion towards them. That is the one of the hallmarks of being an empath. This brings me to another point. What is an energy vampire? And why does pretty much everyone get accused of being one?

An energy vampire (I personally do not like the use of this term) is a person who drains another person’s energy. However, one of the big things I try to keep in mind is my etheric state around people. They may not be aware that they are seeking or taking your energy. Another thing to remember is that your energy cannot be easily taken away unless the person’s ill intent goes beyond your consent. For example, if you filter friends’ emotions out without taking it on and show compassion for yourself and use your self-care techniques, you will find that your energy is not being drained. Reiki healers, therapists, doctors, and naturopaths do this. Most of us know how to “tune” out what we do not like. If someone drains your energy even after all of this—or you know them to be malicious, it’s one thing, because an energy vampire is typically deliberate. They will leech from you, knowingly—break through your barriers of protection. These are master manipulators who sometimes masquerade as empaths. I have experience with this—and know many other empaths who have gone through this as well. I try to be careful when using the term energy vampire. I realize that some people need more affection and kindness than the average person. Remember to use the filter and be compassionate to yourself first and extend it to others. If you are however in contact with the individual who is actively taking your energy—there are ways you can protect yourself.

Warding and altered states are things I use for protection, but I’ll talk about those in another post. Here are some tips on protection from negative energy: I like to make elixirs with chamomile leaves. I sometimes use fresh sage from my garden, mint, lavender, and chamomile and boil them in water and drain the mixture. I add other ingredients in here based on personal preference and taste. I would drink this whenever needed. Another option is to drink chamomile peppermint tea—do this after you encounter that energy or after you do any type of healing. Mugwort is a great herb to burn for protection—use dragon’s blood incense in conjunction for more potency. Please be sure that herbs used are ethically sourced. Another tip, wash your hands with salt water after doing any work with negative energy or removal. My daily ritual is a saltwater wash. It’s simple, easy enough, and can be found in most households and at grocery stores. If I could recommend what herb I find most useful, it would be mugwort, because it has multiple uses (which I’ll also address in another post). If you don’t have access to herbs, salt water is excellent. Listening to soothing music also helps me. Remember to drink lots of water. Never skip on hydration and if you can, opt for hot water and lemon first thing in the morning for rejuvenation. Thank you for reading this lengthy post! With love, the Foxy Witch. Namaste.