4 Selenite Uses You’ve Never Heard Of

You want your crystals to look nice, but also serve a purpose, right? Selenite has long been adored for its energetic cleansing benefits and this week I’ve got four uses for selenite that may be new to you.

Selenite is a soft, cloudy, white stone that is part of the Gypsum family and it can be found in many countries around the world. Just in case you don’t already love selenite here’s another reason to: it’s named after the Greek Goddess of the moon, Selene.

This stone is best known for its cleansing powers. Think energetic cleansing, not laundry and dusting. I’m talking personal aura cleansing, house cleansing, and icky-energy-be-gone cleansing. Selenite is also great for connecting with your third eye and crown chakra to boost your psychic connection.

Selenite Candle Bath

When was the last time you had one of those days where everyone you came into contact with was grumpy or in a bad mood? Even if you don’t let it bring you down, those bad vibes can wear on you after a while.

I’m sure you’ve seen Himalayan salt candle holders and lamps, but did you know you can also purchase these powerful little crystal amplifiers in selenite too?

Let selenite do the purification work with a selenite candle bath. The glow from these candles is soothing and will set the perfect mood for a bath. More importantly, the cleansing energy from the selenite will take away all the dirt you can’t see from any icky energy accumulated throughout your day. Be sure not to get too wild in the tub! Selenite is water soluble so you don’t want to get it wet.

You can grab selenite candle holders from several places. I was drawn to the round shape of this one and purchased it from Etsy.

Selenite Aura and Home Cleansing Spray

Selenite has the ability to purify your body, mind, and even your home! Your home is a sacred space and selenite wants to help you keep it that way.

Here’s a recipe for my new favorite thing, DIY selenite aura and home cleansing spray:

• 6-8 oz glass spray bottle

• Enough filtered water to fill your bottle ¾ of the way full

• 6-10 drops essential oil

• 2 TBSP witch hazel (I love Thayer’s rose witch hazel)

• 1 tsp selenite powder (I got mine on Etsy)

Add the ingredients into your glass bottle, shake for each use, spray, and enjoy! A funnel can come in handy to get the powder in your bottle, I crafted one out of paper for a quick fix.

Selenite for Feng Shui

This tip is short and sweet, but I know you’ll appreciate it, so I couldn't leave it out! Selenite has a high spiritual vibration that can act as a pathway for angelic energy. You can use selenite powder around the outside of your home to bring peace and tranquility. Also, you can create a yin yang balance by topping a piece of selenite with black tourmaline in the rooms in your home or office!

Selenite Wands

As I mentioned before, selenite is the crystal for connecting with the spirit world and enhancing your third eye. Take advantage of this meditation while using a selenite wand to enhance your consciousness and connect with your true spiritual self!

A quick little selenite clearing like this is the perfect way to begin a tarot or oracle card reading for yourself.

• Lay or sit comfortably while you scan your chakras with the selenite wand.

• As you breathe deeply and calmly, imagine the light as it moves freely up through your chakras.

• Allow the light energy from the selenite to clear each of your chakras of any bad vibrations.

• Spend extra time focusing on any chakra that you feel needs extra attention or clearing.

The awesomeness that our Earth Mama creates never ceases to amaze me! I hope you’ve enjoyed these tips and found something you can put into practice in your sacred space. Pick any of them to start your forever friendship with selenite!

Closing Year Rune Ritual

Are you energetically ready for the new year? Are the happenings of this year and what’s to come in the new year swirling around your energetic field? The moment December hits I can’t help but start evaluating what went well and what didn't for the year.

The closing out of one year and the beginning of a new year can cause quite the energetic upheaval for sensitive souls like you and me. Good news though, I’ve got some tools to help create meaning and ease the transition.

The first step to starting a new year off is energetically clearing out the current year.

I love to turn to rituals to help make this transition. Rituals are a powerful healing tool. I conduct rituals for almost any significant event or experience in my life. For me, rituals are a way to process emotions or feelings that are overwhelming and stressful.

Think of having a closing year ritual as a way to create an emotional container for all of your feelings around 2016 and the start of 2017.

For this closing year ritual, we’ll break out some of my favorite divination tools, Runes. If you're new to Runes, you can click here to read all about them and get a free printable.  Follow the steps below to join me in a closing year ceremony to clear the slate and prepare you for the energy of the new year.

What You’ll Need

• A candle in the color meaning of your choice

• A sharp tool to carve into the candle

• Runes(optional)

• Paper and pen

• Essential oil (EO) or incense (optional)

• Smoke wand

• Any crystals or other objects that you’re called to include in your ritual

At your altar or quiet area in your home, arrange your items in a way that feels right to you. If you have a favorite EO scent or incense that helps you get centered, then get that started.

Select Your Rune

First, you’ll need to select a Rune symbol that represents 2016 for you. Start by taking three deep breaths, then allow thoughts of 2016 to come into your mind. From here you can intuitively select your Rune if you have a Rune set, or research them and select one that you feel represents 2016 for you. I love this website for learning more about each Rune symbol.

Select Your Candle Color

Once you’ve selected your Rune, you’ll need to select your candle color. The color of your candle should energetically match the meaning of your Rune symbol. Here are quick descriptions of the meanings of each color.  If you're new to candle magick, you can click here to see all our blog posts about candle magick.

• Red - Strength & Passion

• Yellow - Joy & Inspiration

• Blue - Harmony & Communication

• Green - Abundance & Acceptance

• Purple - Transformation & Intuition

• Orange - Creativity & Intellect

• Pink - Love & Friendship

• Black - Grounding & Protection

• White - Unity & Healing

Carve and Light

Using a stylus or sharp object carve your Rune into your candle. Feel free to add any other words or decorations that you feel called to add to your candle carving. Create a space for your Rune candle and light it.

Honor and Release 2016

In this safe space take the time to honor and release the happenings of 2016. Here are a few ideas for honoring and releasing 2016 as you sit in the presence of your Rune candle. You can do as many or as few as you’d like.

• Write a gratitude list about the events of 2016

• Write a list of all the ways the meaning of your Rune showed up for you in 2016.

• Meditate and be witness to what thoughts come up about 2016

• Have an especially difficult year? Cry, scream, let it out.

Closing

Light your smoke wand to clear the energy of the area, thank the Universe for your experience of 2016, and blow out your Rune candle.

Like all rituals that I suggest, take what you like and leave the rest. Rituals are personal, please include anything that would bring meaning to closing out your year.

Next up on the blog, you guessed it, let’s get set up for a 2017 full of love, light, and openness.

3 Ways to Bring Meaning to the Winter Solstice

December 21st will mark the shortest day and the longest night of the year. This sabbat is also known as Yule. I've been anticipating how to best use this time to reflect on my spiritual work and honor the coming of the sun for self-growth. What were some big shifts for you this past year? What do you aspire towards in the seasons to come? Maybe these are questions better left to the night’s sky. And on the longest night of the year, I have a few ways to help you find your answers.

Enjoy this excerpt from “A Celebration of Winter Solstice” from The Circle of Life by Joyce Rupp and Macrina Wiederkehr to get you in the right mindset for bringing meaning to the Winter Solstice.

But winter darkness has a positive side to it. As we gather to celebrate the first turn from winter to spring, we are invited to recognize and honor the beauty in the often unwanted season of winter. Let us invite our hearts to be glad for the courage winter proclaims. Let us be grateful for the wisdom winter brings in teaching us about the need for withdrawal as an essential part of renewal. Let us also encourage our spirits as Earth prepares to come forth from this time of withdrawal into a season filled with light.

As you embark on connecting with the Winter Solstice here’s a reflection to keep in mind.

Create Your Solstice Altar

Honor the Triple Goddess with the symbolism of the phases of the moon that represents the Maiden, Mother, and the Crone. As the cycle of the seasons comes full circle, you have experienced all of the faces of the goddess somewhere in your life. Do not forget what each has taught you.

Revisit these lessons by remembering where you have felt wild, abandon, or birthed a creation. Maybe you need to revisit a time of loss. Open your heart up to this life cycle and feel gratitude that you are still standing; that you have survived your darkest days.

Connect by decorating your altar with festive colors. Here’s a guide for bringing Winter Solstice colors into your sacred space.

Dig deep with red.

Red represents your root chakra. Stay grounded and humble with poinsettias, red ribbon, and cranberries.

Find faith with green.

Choose holly leaves or a miniature pine tree. It's said that once upon a time when the days grew short and cold, all of the trees withered in the sun’s absence. The Evergreen trees were the exception to this. They instead had faith in the sun’s return. Because of their faith, the sun rewarded them by allowing them to keep their green leaves all year round. Be like the evergreen, have faith that light will prevail.

Blessed is she who believes.

Stay gold.

“Oh, holy night. The stars are brightly shining.” Add some bling to your altar this solstice to represent growing daylight. Use gilded items to depict the growing sparkle in your heart and happiness in the face of adversity.

Celebrate with a Solstice Eve Ritual

Wear a Crown

On the night of the Winter Solstice, you can wear a holly crown. Holly is said to help soothe feelings of loss while ushering in new life. The red berries on the crown will awaken the root chakra as you dig your roots into the earth to meditate on the seasons of your soul.

Draw a Card

With an Oracle deck in hand meditate beneath the vast night’s sky. Let go of the past, and now see the sky as a blank canvas for your year to come. Next, draw an oracle card that will represent the theme that will inspire the next cycle of seasons in your life.

Light a Flame

Ignite the light within by lighting candles, burning a log, or stringing up lights on your altar. If you burn a log you can save a little to add to next year’s fire for continuity of the solar cycle (save the ashes to use in charm bags for protection).

I stopped looking for the light. I decided to become it instead.

Gather with Family

Spend this solstice with your family and friends. On the longest night of the year, you’ll have plenty of time for feasting, playing games, telling stories, and hopefully lots of good belly laughs! Stay warm and cheery in the wee hours of the night (and maybe until dawn) with this festive brew!

Wassail Recipe

• 1-gallon apple cider

• 1 tsp cinnamon

• 1 tsp ground cloves

• 1 tsp allspice

• 1 chopped apple

• 3 oz brown sugar

Bring cider to a boil over high heat, reduce heat and add spices. Stir until spices dissolve. Add chopped apple and brown sugar. Cook for another 10 minutes over low heat. Optionally, you can add sherry, brandy, or ale to this beverage for some extra warmth!

The light is coming, but until then, enjoy and reflect in the dark spaces. Soak up the love and gratitude from your family and friends and enjoy a warm cup of Wassail! Find more rituals for the Winter Solstice here.

Astrology Basics

Have you ever wondered which of your personality traits might be holding you back? Maybe you are curious to know more about the qualities in yourself that make you a good friend...or maybe you want to understand more about the type of person who would make a good life partner for you. These are all questions that astrology can help answer!

Looking up into the infinite night’s sky may leave you with the realization that you’re part of something much, much bigger. That’s how the night sky makes me feel. The night sky, constellations, and astrology will forever be a part of me and I’m sure you have your own reasons for being attracted to astrology.

Modern astrology is more than your daily horoscope and zodiac sign. It’s a deep and rich spiritual practice that I want to share with you in a long, serious post. Today, I’m going to go over some basic terms, next week I’ll walk you through creating your own birth chart (there may be a free printable involved too)!

Astrology & Its Beginnings

First a little history! Astrology is the practice of using the study of the sky to associate meaning with life and events on Earth. Evidence of stargazing can be found as early as 25,000 years ago with lunar markings on cave walls and bones! Our attraction to the heavens really is ingrained in the fiber of our beings.

Civilizations during the 3rd millennium BC used astrology to determine how to align their temples and sacred spaces. Studies can be found in the 2nd millennium BC from Babylon when astrology was used to format our calendar and understand the seasonal shifts. Now a pseudoscience, the study of the heavens was long respected as a science that we can trace through cultures and their use of it in literature, medicine, and art.

Modern Astrology

Did you know that your zodiac sign is simply your sun sign? Your sun sign is one of many aspects that make up your personality, life experiences, and challenges.

Many things can be taken into account when you take a close look at your sign. One of the most basic things is understanding your birth chart. A birth chart takes into account several different astrological factors to give a complete look at you, your personality, and who you’re most compatible with.

Let’s jump into some basic terms so creating your birth chart will make more sense.

Astrology Terms

This chart to help make sense of where these terms will show up on a birth chart. Keep in mind on a real birth chart the locations of the planets and zodiac signs will vary, but the houses and Ascendant will always be in the same place.

Birth Chart

This is an astrological chart that is specific to your birth date, time and location. It is very specific! A birth chart will give you a detailed look at your personality and astrological traits. The following terms are in relation to how they’re used on a birth chart.

Planets

This term refers to not only the planets but also the sun and the moon. The planets represent different experiences we may encounter in this lifetime. The experiences your personality may come across are indicated by the position of the planets at your time of birth.

Zodiac

The zodiac is divided into 12 sections and are the signs that everyone is most familiar with, like Sagittarius and Cancer, for example. Your zodiac signs help determine your characteristics. Your sun sign is the most common of the zodiac signs and is determined by the placement of the sun at the time of your birth.

Houses

There are 12 houses situated on the wheel of a birth chart. Houses show the areas of the sky at the time you were born and represent areas of life that you will embark on in this lifetime.

Aspects

Aspects are the degrees of separation between planets. These can either be major aspects (planets separated by a degree of 0, 60, 90, 120, or 180), or minor aspects (all other degrees of separation) the aspect of a planet will determine whether it's energy is being presented in your life in a positive or negative way.

Rising Sign

Your rising sign, or ascendant sign, marks the zodiac sign that was rising on the Eastern horizon at the time of your birth. You’ll need an accurate time and place of birth in order to determine your rising sign. It’s often the traits of your ascendant sign that will show up first in your personality!

The Four Elements

The four elements are earth, water, fire, and air. Each zodiac sign falls into a category of one of these four elements. You can see which signs are which element by the chart above. You’ll be able to identify which elements are stronger for you by where your planets fall on your birth chart.

Understanding all of these terms can be a little tricky at first glance, if you want to reinforce these terms I found this thorough and helpful video on YouTube.

Did you know that in ancient times, birth charts were reserved for royalty? Lucky for you, you ARE royalty here in the ZO family! Check back next week and I'll help you to construct your very own birth chart!

Animal Guides // Are you missing out on an animal connection?

Have you ever had an experience with an animal that immediately brought you into the present moment? Maybe you’ve experienced the buzz of a hummingbird whizzing right by your head, or have made unexpected eye contact with a wild animal in nature, or maybe you’re visited in your dreams by a specific animal.

You might be thinking animal guides are a little too woo woo for you. I was definitely in the, “not for me” category, but then I had a couple experiences that changed my mind and it has been totally worth it.

So, what’s in it for you? Why do the work to connect with an animal and cultivate a relationship with it?

Here are a few reasons why connecting with an animal guide is a tool you don’t want to miss out on! An animal guide can:

• Provide you with a much-needed message or warning during a time of need

• Usher you along your path as you change your life’s course

• Remind you of your inner power and strength during difficult times

• Teach you lessons in areas of your life that need improvement to help you achieve positive changes

Why I’m not calling this a Spirit Animal

Mini PSA here. I got sucked into an internet black hole while researching this topic. Thank goodness I did, because the truth is, I’ve been using the term Spirit Animal, casually and seriously, for a long time.

Sadly, the term spirit Animal has been culturally appropriated and misused in hurtful ways, for example: so-and-so celebrity is my Spirit Animal. For people practicing the very sacred practice of Spirit Animals, this can be offensive, and perpetuate the oppression of Native American people.

I know that’s a lot to take in, but I felt obligated to share a different perspective. Take it or leave it, and share your thoughts in the comments if you’d like.

Why I started paying more attention to animals

Just like you, I’ve had some experiences with animals that have made me stop and wonder if something more than coincidence was at play. The day my grandmother left this plain, who spent more money feeding her birds than feeding herself, there was a small bird that spent the entire day on our back porch. Our feathered visitor had no friends with it and we had no bird food on the back porch. My husband even noticed and made reference to it. I knew that was the day I’d get the call that Grandma moved on.

After the passing of my Grandma and my Father last year I worked with a spiritual healer that specialized in finding animal guides for her clients. During her vision journey, she not only found my father represented as a bear but found an animal that wanted to help me through the grieving process, a playful monkey. The experience was a powerful one and the symbol of the bear and the monkey have been an integral part of my healing process.

Animals made by Emily Rose Thomson

Many believe that animal guides are provided to you for a reason, so you cannot choose which one you receive. Here are some ways that you can connect with an animal guide:

• Let your subconscious mind do the work. Intentional meditation and dreams allow you to keep your heart and mind open for your animal to reveal itself to you. Take note of the animal or animals that show up while your mind is at rest.

• Stay observant of your interactions with nature and animals. If you find you have multiple similar interactions with the same animal or felt connected to a certain animal as a child, chances are this is your guide.

• Be assigned one by a Shaman or spiritual guide.

• Connect your animal guide through a divination tool like oracle cards. I like this Secret Language of Animals oracle card deck.

4 ways to continually connect with your animal guide:

1. Learn more about the animal and the species. List all the characteristics you can think of that are associated with the animal. Be aware of which characteristics you identify with.

2. Wear a symbol of the animal on you as a wearable reminder, whether it be through a piece of clothing or a sacred piece of jewelry.

3. Decorate your space with symbols of the animal. I love the shop Periwinkle Nuthatch on Etsy. Emily can custom-make animals for you and they’re perfect for altars!

4. Be an advocate for protection of the environment your animal exists in. If your animal totem lives in the ocean, support organizations that are working to protect ocean life.

I hope you found some takeaway in this lengthy post! If you’ve got something you’d like to share in relation to animal guides I’d love to hear about it, please feel free to contact us.