6 Signs Your Shadow Work Practice Is Working

We’re often encouraged to ignore our darkness. To pretend that we don’t have inner demons, that we can be all love and light, that we can be “healed” without diving into our wounds.

The truth is that we can’t, and that’s where shadow work comes in.

Shadow work is the conscious practice of exploring your dark feelings, often ignored in your subconscious, that you feel ashamed and afraid of.

The aim of shadow work is to bring that darkness to the light and integrate it into your whole self. So that you can heal and become whole.

Click to learn more about what shadow work is and 4 simple steps to get started with it.

But once you start working with your shadow, how do you know that it’s really working?

This post will share 6 signs that your shadow work practice is working, moving you towards being a more healed, whole human being.

1. Other people’s behaviors don’t trigger you like they used to. They no longer create intense emotional responses or cause you to go into your head. You notice their behaviors, of course, but no longer feel a need to react or respond.

2. You drop blame and denial. When a shadow aspect of yourself shows up, you don’t deny it and you no longer blame yourself or the person who may have triggered you. You’re learning to acknowledge and accept your shadow, so you may even feel grateful to those who have helped shine a light on it so that it can be transformed and healed.

3. You judge other people (and yourself) less. When you’ve gone into the depths of your own darkness and learned to offer yourself complete acceptance and forgiveness, it’s so much easier to offer that to other people, as well.

You’re able to be much more accepting and compassionate towards others because you realize that your judgments of others stem from your own unhealed places. Once you heal those wounds, other people’s behaviors don’t phase you.

4. You recognize that you have become part of someone’s shadow. According to shadow work expert Jessi Huntenberg, the shadow work journey starts as what was done to you— all the conditioning and fear and wounds you have from your family, your childhood, from society— and slowly you get to a point where you realize that you are someone else’s shadow, too.

When you can realize this and offer yourself forgiveness for the people that you hurt when you were operating from a place of your own wounds, you know that your shadow work is working.

5. You’re no longer afraid to be seen. So many of us have wounds around visibility. We’re afraid to be seen. We feel like if people knew this or that about us, they wouldn’t love us. They would see how “unworthy” we really are.

When your shadow work is really working, that shame around the darkest parts of you begins to dissipate. It gets transformed into acceptance and love. And so you’re no longer afraid to be seen as you really are because you accept and love yourself fully and wholly.

6. Your life has become more peaceful. This is what we all want, right? Shadow work can get you there. Your life becomes more peaceful when you fully embrace and love ALL parts of yourself— the parts that are easy to love and the parts that are really difficult. Your interactions with others, your relationships with others, and your relationship with yourself all become a lot more positive.

What is your relationship with shadow work? Which of these signs are you experiencing?

6 Ways to Connect with Goddess Kali Ma

There are many different stories about the Hindu goddess Kali Ma, and she is often thought of as something to be afraid of: a goddess of death and violence.

Kali isn’t about death or evil. She is about transformation, and as the counterpart of Shiva the destroyer she brings death to ego and attachment, not physical death or war.

She brings death and transformation that creates enlightenment and freedom. She can also be seen as the fierce, divine feminine, warrior energy, a manifestation of Shakti.

She can be scary because she brings change. She’s asking you to up-level, to evolve. And your ego never wants to be released. It wants to stay in control and run the show.

She reminds us that everything in life is a cycle: the old must be cleared out for the new to come in. Change brings your evolution. Birth and death are natural cycles of life, and we must allow them to happen.

When to Connect with Kali

When you’re stuck in fear and attachment, call on Kali.

When you’re afraid to move out of your comfort zone, to step into the unknown and into the mystery, she’s your goddess.

When you’re afraid to stand in your power, call on Kali.

When you’re struggling to release that which you know you need to release, call on Kali.

How to Connect with Kali

Mantra

Om krim kalikayai namah is the Kali mantra, meaning I bow my head to the Goddess Kali. It’s even more powerful if you chant it each day for several days in a row.

Meditate with her image

Print her picture out from the internet, buy a small statue of her, or create your own image. If you don’t want to do any of those things, you can also hold her image in your mind.

Bring one palm to your heart center and one palm to your belly, and ask yourself what message Kali has for you today.

Sit in silence, breathing deeply and holding her image in your mind, and allow any messages to come through.

Create a Kali altar

Make an altar dedicated to Kali (a perfect place to chant your Kali mantra and meditate with her image!) to create a physical representation of what she means to you. Some things you might like to include are:

• Physical symbols of what you’re ready to release

• The Wheel of Fortune tarot card

• The Death tarot card

• An image of Kali

• The 4 Queen tarot cards

• Snowflake obsidian, smoky quartz, or petrified wood to release old belief systems and thought patterns

• Rutilated quartz to facilitate change

• Tree agate to help you stay calm and grounded

Tarot spread

Use this tarot spread to understand your relationship with Kali. Draw 1-3 cards for each of the questions below, and note down your interpretations.

• What holds me back from embracing change?

• What does my ego tell me about change?

• What can I do right now to create space for change in my life?

• What message does my highest self have for me about embracing Kali’s energy?

• What might I experience if I embrace Kali’s energy?

• What might I experience if I don’t embrace Kali’s energy?

Cards are from the Journey Tarot Deck 

Journaling

Break out your journal and free-write to these questions:

• How do you feel about change right now?

• Think about a time when you resisted change. What happened? How did you feel?

• Think of a time when you listened to your intuition and allowed change to flow. What happened? How did you feel?

• Where are you being invited to release and evolve?

• What makes you feel safe to evolve? What other things have to be happening in your life to make you feel okay to release?

Intuitive movement

I recommend putting on your favorite music, whatever it is, and letting loose. Try shaking every part of your body, flexing your spine, swaying your hips, and maybe flowing through some yoga poses.

Go into this without an agenda, and ask Kali to guide your movement. As you move, notice how each sensation feels in your body.

What other ways do you connect with Kali? Let us know on Instagram!

The Importance of Sacred Space & How to Create One

I think of sacred space as being very root chakra related. A sacred space feels like home. It feels safe to do your most vulnerable work and have your deepest breakthroughs there. It feels safe to put your worries, your fears, your joys, your disappointments, everything that you have and are on the altar there.

The best part is that you don’t need anyone to hold this sacred space for you. You can hold it for yourself.

What is it, exactly? It’s any space that you set aside as sacred or holy. It’s a place where you can meditate, do magic and ritual, and connect to your highest self. This might look like an altar, or it might not. If you are interested in creating your own sacred altar, check out this blog post.

Your space is personal and unique to you. This blog post is all about creating sacred space in your home, but remember that you are sacred, too, and any space you hold for yourself can be a sacred space. Divinity doesn’t have to be experienced just at your altar.

With that being said, here are a few ideas for things you might like to include in your sacred space:

A Window

Having your sacred space by a window can be a beautiful way to connect with nature even from the inside. See the sun, the stars, and feel the breeze right in your space.

A Moon Calendar

Connecting with the phases of the moon can help anchor you and connect you with nature. Having moon ritual cards in your sacred space where you do rituals and other healing practices that you might base around moon cycles is ideal.

Crystals

Crystals can raise the frequency of your space and bring in specific energies you want to work with. The options are endless, but some crystals you might like to have in your sacred space are:

• Amethyst to help you connect with your intuition and boost your mood

• Clear quartz (the ultimate crystal!), the ultimate healer, balancer, manifestor, and energy amplifier

• Rose quartz for heart opening

• Labradorite for self-discovery

• Citrine to bring in energizing and creative energy

• Fluorite to cleanse your aura and draw off negative energy

• Obsidian or black tourmaline for grounding

• Selenite to access higher guidance and open your crown chakra

Candles

Candles and their colors have all different types of uses. You can use them in spell work, rituals, burning ceremonies, or just to bring some soft light into your space. Here are some different candle color meanings (source):

• Blue for harmony, peace, and tranquility

• Red for passion and action

• White for purifying, cleansing, and clarity

• Purple for psychic abilities and spiritual awakening

• Yellow for inspiration and creativity

• Orange for energizing, joy, and success

• Pink for love, compassion, and forgiveness

• Green for nature, growth, and fertility

• Brown for grounding, Earthy energy

Learn more about candle magick here.

A Feather

You can use your feather to direct the flow of smoke when cleansing with a smoke wand or herb. For example, when cleansing yourself you might want to circle the smoke around the top of your head or other parts of your body. A feather will help you do that!

Plants & Herbs

Plants and herbs have so many practical and magickal uses. You can use herbs in your sacred space for burning or tea-drinking, and you might like to also have dried or fresh flowers, or other plants that you feel connected to.Learn more about herbal magick here.

Essential Oils

Like plants and herbs, essential oils also have many practical and magickal uses. Use them in your sacred space for ritual, to anoint your candles, to assist in meditation, or to massage your body. Some go-tos you might like to have are:

• Geranium oil for self-love

• Juniper for protection and purification

• Cilantro oil for releasing negative energy

• Lavender oil for peace and healing

• Frankincense and myrrh oil for meditation

• Yarrow oil to connect with your psychic abilities

Tarot or Oracle Decks

Your sacred space is the perfect place to keep any divination tools you use such as tarot cards, oracle cards, or runes. Display the card or rune you’re working with at the moment on your altar as a visual reminder of the energy you’re working to create, or the intentions you’re working to manifest.

Visual Representations of Goddesses You’re Working With

This could be a printed photo, a statue, an oracle card, a painting, or another creative representation that resonates with you. Everyone’s needs are different, so choose a goddess that you feel drawn to work with. That likely means that she has a message for you.

Salt Lamp

Salt has been touted for its magical properties for a long time. Practically, having a salt lamp in your space releases negative ions (which actually make you feel good, despite the name!) and detoxifies the air. But magically, salt also purifies and protects against psychic attacks. If you don’t want to go for a lamp, you can also opt for a small bowl of sea salt.

Additional Representations of the Four Elements

You don’t actually need additional representations of the four elements (fire, earth, water, and air), since you likely already have them on your altar. But feel free to add any other elements to your space that you’d like, such as a bowl of water.

Learn more about the four elements here.

Any Sacred Possessions

Anything that feels sacred and holds special meaning to you, even if it doesn’t make sense to anyone else, can also go in your sacred space. Maybe it’s photographs, special objects, or mementos. Whatever it is, feel free to add it.

You can customize your sacred space or altar depending on where you are in life and what you’re trying to manifest. For example, you might create an abundance altar centered around money, photos of abundance goddesses like Lakshmi, tarot cards like the 10 of pentacles, and herbs or spices that promote abundance when you want to manifest material wealth.

The most important thing to remember is that this space is for you. All of the above are just options and suggestions. Create a space that feels sacred to you, and you will have created a sacred space.

Ways to Connect to Your Divine Feminine Energy (And Why You Should)

Divine feminine energy has a lot of names: yin, lunar, shakti, and passive, to name a few.

But they’re all the same thing. Divine feminine energy is the goddess energy within. It’s the energy of flow, of being, of intuition, of the moon.

Every human, regardless of gender, has both divine feminine and divine masculine (solar, yang, shiva) energy within them. Much of our modern culture focuses on the divine masculine: doing, pushing, producing, going.

Just like yin and yang, you need both energies: they complement each other. But sometimes you can get so caught up in your divine masculine that you forget to nurture the divine feminine, too, and you suffer.

You miss out on your intuition, on compassion, self-love, presence, and just simply being in silence.

Imagine the radical revolution in the world if more people moved from that divine feminine space. Imagine if more people were connected to their intuition, loved themselves deeply, lived compassionately, and allowed themselves to be present.

That can happen, and it starts with you—as within, so without.

Connecting to your divine feminine is always important, but especially this month. Your divine feminine energy reminds you that you are whole, that everything you desire is within you, and that you are worthy of love from yourself and from others.

Read through the list below to get some ways to connect to your divine shakti.

Pranayama

It all starts with your breath. Chandra Bhedana (Moon-Piercing Breath) is a version of alternate nostril breathing that connects you to lunar energy by inhaling only through your left nostril and exhaling through your right.

For this breath, find a comfortable seat. Bring your thumb and middle fingers to third eye center. Close your right nostril with your thumb to inhale through your left nostril, then close your left nostril with your right and pinky fingers to exhale through your right nostril.

Continue to breathe this way for at least twenty rounds of breath. Inhaling in through only your left nostril activates your lunar energy (which runs on the left side of your body) and exhaling only through your right nostril releases your solar energy (which runs on the right side of your body).

Yoga Poses

Divine feminine yoga is all about connecting with your intuition, creating, and being present. Allow yourself to get on your mat with no expectations, listen to your body, and get creative with a flow.

The poses below are some ideas to help you connect with lunar energy. Use them as a starting point for your own creativity!

Fetal position on your right side. The first yoga pose. Not only does this pose help you feel safe and cozy, but it also activates your lunar energy by having your left side only facing up.

Child’s pose, Balasana. Use this gentle pose to offer yourself some nourishment. Get still, get quiet, and be present.

Half moon pose, Ardha Chandrasana. Cultivate balance, a deep sense of confidence, and creativity completely grounded in your divine feminine in this pose.

Pigeon pose, Eka Pada Rajakapotasana. Breathe and allow yourself to feel everything you need to feel in this more intense hip-opener. Let any emotions that you need to release here release, and surrender them to your breath.

Crescent lunge, Anjaneyasana. Crescent lunge is part of Chandra Namaskar, moon salutations. Incorporate a mudra like one of the ones below to make it extra powerful.

Tarot Card Pull

Each of the questions below will give you insight into your relationship with your divine feminine. Get quiet, open your mind, and pull a card for any or all of these questions.

• How can I create more flow in my life today?

• How can I open my heart chakra?

• How can I open my third eye chakra?

• How can I connect with my divine feminine energy?

• What is holding me back from connecting with my divine feminine?

• What is my relationship with my divine feminine?

• What is my relationship with my divine masculine?

The archetypes from the major arcana that most represent the divine feminine energy are the High Priestess (deep intuitive understanding) and the Empress (deep connection with feminine energy manifesting as creativity, fertility, abundance, and sensuality).

Mantra Meditation

The Kundalini "Adi Shakti" mantra is said to tune you into the frequency of the energy of the divine feminine, eliminate fears and fulfill desires, get you in touch with your own power, and become Shakti, the feminine energy of the Universe.

Adi Shakti, Adi Shakti, Adi Shakti, Namo NamoSarab Shakti, Sarab Shakti, Sarab Shakti, Namo NamoPritham Bhagvati, Pritham Bhagvati, Pritham Bhagvati, Namo NamoKundalini Mata Shakti, Mata Shakti, Namo Namo

Chant this mantra as many times as you’d like, and then sit in silence for a few moments to allow yourself to feel the change in your vibration.

Crystals

Some of the best crystals for connecting with your divine feminine are:

• Labradorite, for intuition, self-discovery, and universal harmony

• Kunzite, to open your heart chakra and connect with the element of water to create more flow

• Rose quartz, to open your heart chakra and remind you of your capacity to both give and receive unconditional love

• Selenite, to access your inner goddess and connect with Shakti

• Peridot, to create abundance and flow by channeling Lakshmi’s manifesting power

• Moonstone, to connect with the energy of the moon and with your intuition

• Amazonite, to balance both the masculine and feminine energies within you

Mudra

Mudras, hand gestures or “seals,” can be a powerful way to shift your energy. Click here to learn more about how mudras work with the elements of the hands and the gunas to create different energies.

Yoni Mudra. Use yoni mudra to quiet your mind, connect to your divine feminine energy, and call on the energy of the goddesses.

Bring your palms together with your fingers pointing down. Open your palms up into an upside-down triangle with your thumbs as the base. Then turn your pinky, ring, and middle fingers in so that the backs of the fingers are touching and thumbs are pointing slightly upward.

Kali mudra. This mudra invokes the power of this fierce goddess of destruction and transformation. Kali mudra is a beautiful reminder that the divine feminine can be a fierce force for change.

Interlace your fingers in front of you, placing your left thumb over right. Lengthen your index fingers, press them together, and point them away from you.

Trimurti mudra. Use trimurti mudra to flow and connect with your inner healer.

Place both palms flat on your navel with fingers facing down, and bring them into a triangle pointing to your toes with tips of thumbs and index fingers touching.

Pay Attention to the Cycles of the Moon

Like the moon, you go through phases. Knowing the cycles of the moon and your own corresponding cycles helps deepen your connection to lunar energy and the divine feminine.

Scents & Herbs

Use the herbs and scents below in a variety of ways: to burn, drink, or soak in as herbs or to diffuse or roll on your skin as oils.

• Dried violet, to stimulate creativity

• Brahmi, to calm and cool your mind

• Hibiscus, to assist you in psychic growth and promote tranquility

• Lavender, to soothe, calm, and promote the energy of being

• Rose-hips, to promote healing, compassion, and self-love

• Juniper, to connect with your inner wisdom

Click here to get an herbal bath recipe to connect with your divine feminine.

I hope you find some tools within this blog that you can use regularly to connect to this energy. You certainly don’t have to do all of these to connect with the energy of the divine feminine. Do what feels good and calls out to you! I hope you feel more in tune with the divine feminine energy that’s already within you.

7 Self-Love Rituals for Valentine’s Day

It’s that time of year where everything is about love, but the most important thing you can remember about love is this: Love is not outside of you.

Love is within you. Love is your divine nature.

It’s easy to forget that, but it’s true. The rituals below will help you connect to the love already within you, and most importantly give it to yourself.

For all of these rituals, you might like to incorporate:

• Rose quartz, to open your heart chakra

• Clear quartz, to amplify the energy

• Myrrh incense, a healing scent associated with feminine energy, the moon, and the water element

Try just one of these rituals, or try them all throughout the month. Each of these rituals will be more powerful the more you do them, so find one you like and make it part of your routine this month.

Create Something

Nothing gets the energy of love flowing like creativity. Do a coloring meditation, make a vision board, cook a nourishing meal, write a poem, paint with watercolors, play an instrument, or create your own yoga flow.

Whatever you’d like to do, create a sacred space and tap into your creative energy.

Get this coloring page here

Here's also a fun idea for a self-love ritual where you can play with your creativity:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Cassie Uhl (@cassieuhl)

Tarot or Oracle Card Spread

Tarot and oracle cards are amazing magical tools for self-reflection and connecting with your intuition. Try this three-card spread with your favorite deck:

1. What is holding me back from loving myself right now?

2. What might I experience if I give myself the love I desire?

3. How can I deepen my love for myself?

Don't know how to get started? Check out this blog post for tarot, or this post for the ultimate tarot guide. If you feel called to try oracle cards check out this blog post.

Burning Ceremony

What holds you back from loving yourself more? What limiting beliefs do you hold onto that keep you small? What things about yourself do you struggle to love? What parts of yourself do you hide from yourself and from the world because deep down you believe in their unworthiness?

Get quiet, get your journal, and allow a stream-of-consciousness type of writing to flow until you feel like you’ve got it all out on the page.

Once you’ve poured your heart out, light a single white candle and hold your paper over the flame. Allow the negative energy, limiting beliefs, and your dislike for any part of yourself to burn up with the page.

Then, free-write to these questions: What do I love about myself? What is amazing about me? What am I grateful for? What parts of myself am I working on loving?

When you’re done, place this page on your altar and return to it anytime you feel those sticky, negative beliefs trying to creep back in.

Write a Self-Love Mantra

Writing your own self-love mantra is incredibly powerful because while there are many beautiful affirmations and mantras for self-love, you are unique and your journey with self-love is unique.

Write your own mantra that tells you exactly what you need to hear. Something kind, nonjudgmental, and compassionate that you might say to your sister or your best friend to let them know that you love them and they’re not alone.

Say it to yourself.

Write it on your mirror, on a piece of paper to tuck in your bag or place on your altar, or paint it in a picture (see ritual #1!), and return to it whenever you need it. Learn more about embracing the power of mantras here.

Heart Chakra Meditation

Inhale deeply into your heart chakra. Exhale out of your mouth, releasing all that doesn’t serve you. As you inhale, visualize a bud of green light glowing in your chest, blossoming bigger and brighter with each inhale as you strengthen this chakra. Allow the unconditional love to wash over you with your breath. If you'd like a guided meditation, you can click here for a meditation bundle done by me.

Herbal Bath for Self-Love

Turn bath into a ritual by using herbs, lighting candles, and playing whatever music or sounds help you relax and turn inward.

Try using rose-hips, lavender, elecampane, and balm of gilead to promote self-love. Rose-hips promote healing, compassion, and self-love. Lavender balances and calms while elecampane opens the heart chakra. Balm of gilead promotes love and helps you manifest your desires.

Simply fill a muslin bag with about a third of a cup of the herbs, loop the bundle onto the faucet, and let your tub fill with hot water as it runs through the bag. When it finishes filling, drop the bag into the water and let it infuse with the herbs for about 20 minutes.

For an extra dose of self-love, add a rose quartz crystal to your bath. For more herbal bath recipes, check out this blog post.

Create a Goddess Altar

Creating a goddess altar is a beautiful way to honor the divine feminine energy of the universe and the divine feminine energy within. Make this altar your own! Buy a statue of a Goddess who resonates with you, or just print out a photo online. If you’re not sure which Goddess you’d like to use, do some research! What Goddess energy would help you love yourself more? Some suggestions are:

• Greek Goddess Aphrodite for love, gratitude, and beauty

• Hindu Goddess Lakshmi for abundance and wealth

• East Asian Goddess Kuan Yin for mercy and compassion

• Hindu Goddess Kali for destruction, creation, and transformation

• Greek Goddess Artemis for independence, strength, and fearlessness

• Egyptian Goddess Isis for magic, healing, and protection

• Greek Goddess Athena for wisdom and courage

• Sumerian, Babylonian, and Phoenician goddess Inanna for sensuality and divine femininity in all its forms

Once you choose your goddess, add a white candle, incense, and maybe a cloth to your altar. Choose some objects that represent love to you and ask for help loving yourself. You can also put fresh flowers or a piece of fruit on your altar as an offering to the Goddess.

Goddesses are beautiful archetypes and energies to work with because they remind you that you, too, have this energy within you. You possess the abundance of Lakshmi, the compassion of Kuan Yin, the magic of Isis, and the transformative energy of Kali.

Living Your Truth // 7 Ways to Connect with Your Spirit Guides

Ever wish you had a team of all-knowing and enlightened beings to help you make hard decisions and put you at ease about being on the right path? This connection is available to you right now, and I’m going to help you tap into this wealth of wisdom.

Spirit guides are referenced in cultures and spiritual practices around the world. In my practice, rooted in British shamanism, my guides are an integral part of my practice. I encourage anyone interested in learning more about their guides to explore their cultural heritage (if that information is available, otherwise trust your intuition) in addition to this post. The tips I offer here are a great starting point, but doing further research in a practice that aligns with your roots will open communication channels for you and your guides even more.

Why Your Guides Want to Help You Live Your Truth?

The singular purpose of your spirit guides is to help you live to your fullest potential while you’re visiting the “Earth school.”

Some of your guides have been with you from birth and will be with you until you transition off this plane. They’re always here for you, ready to help, and they want nothing more than for you to succeed at living your truth.

Just because you’re not aware of them doesn’t mean they’re not there, and I’m going to share some tips and tools for you to get in contact with them, but first, let’s cover what a spirit guide is.

What are Spirit Guides?

Spirit guides are spiritual beings assigned to you at different times in your life to offer guidance, protect you, and remind you why you're here. Guides are assigned to you based on your current needs. Most people usually have one or a few guides with them throughout their lives, and others come and go based on need.

Spirit guides come in ALL shapes and sizes! Your guides can present as humans, animals, energy fields, elements, aliens, or any other combination! It's helpful to keep an open mind when it comes to working with your guides. One of my favorite stories about spirit guides is from Rachel Dratch’s memoir Girl Walks into a Bar (yeah yeah, I know, it doesn’t sound woo woo, but it is and is a great read too!). In her book, Rachel shares a story about going to a retreat to find her spirit guides, and she’s shocked to find out that her spirit guide is a glowing blue dot. This is later confirmed by a psychic who was unaware of her previous experience at the retreat.

Blue dots, animals, angels, fairies, and ancestors, you name it, can be a spirit guide. So, if you get a sense that your spirit guide is something unfamiliar to this earthly plane, it doesn’t mean that you’re losing touch with reality.

How to Connect with Your Spirit Guides

Connecting with your guides can take very little work on your part because they want to help you! They might be giving you loads of signs already, but because you’re not looking for them, you’re not seeing them. Before jumping into any of the below steps, I suggest taking 5-10 minutes to quiet your mind and ground yourself. You could do this by focusing on your breath, meditating, dancing, or chanting. Here are 7 easy ways to start connecting with your spirit guides regularly (I also created an infographic with some of them which you can find below for those who love visuals).

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Cassie Uhl (@cassieuhl)

1. Use Oracle or Tarot Cards

Oracle and tarot cards are a simple tool for connecting with your spirit guides! If you have a favorite oracle or tarot card deck, any will do. However, if you have multiple decks, you'll likely find that your guides have specific decks that they prefer to communicate with you through. Before you begin, tap into your intuition to see if you receive any nudges about which deck to use.

First, sit quietly, focus on your breath, and ask your spirit guides to come to you. As I share above, begin by asking your guides which deck they’d like you to pull from (if you have multiple decks). Next, focus on the question you want to ask your guides as you shuffle your cards.

Ask your spirit guides your questions aloud or in your mind, ask them for their guidance and help. Be clear about what you want. Spread out your cards and choose the card(s) that you feel called to. Always thank your guides for helping you once you’re finished.

2. Ask for Their Names

A simple but powerful tool to connect with your guides is to ask for their names.  Answers can be shared with you in various ways, depending on how you sense extra-sensory (psychic) information. You may have an inner knowing, see a name in your mind, hear a name in your mind, or begin seeing or hearing the same name throughout your day. All are valid. Trust the information you receive.

I was shocked by how quickly one of the names of my guides came to me simply by asking. Knowing the name of your guide(s) will help strengthen your bond with them, and when you need help, you can call out them by name. Keep in mind, that the names you receive may be unfamiliar to you because your guides are not always earthly beings.

3. Ask for Signs

Usually, your guides are already doing this! By asking for signs, you make a declaration that you will try to be more present and aware of receiving them.

If you’re looking for proof of your guides being nearby you, ask them for signs. Be as specific as you’d like. You might be surprised by how spot-on your guides can be! One of the signs I use to know my ancestral guides are nearby is feathers, and I always see more of them when I ask for this sign.

You can also ask for signs about decisions or struggles you’re having. If you’re making some difficult decisions, ask for signs about how you should proceed. Be on the lookout for answers that might pop into your head or opportunities that seem to arise from out of nowhere. Be open to these signs being different or unexpected than what you imagined. Your guides have your highest good in mind, even if the signs they’re sending to you seem out of place.

4. Write a Letter

If you’re struggling to connect with your guides, writing them a letter can be a powerful tool. Allow yourself 20-30 minutes of uninterrupted quiet time to write to them. Write out all of the questions you have for your guides, any struggles you’re having, and what kind of support you feel you need from them.

Once you’ve finished writing, allow yourself 5-10 minutes of quiet reflection. Check in and ask yourself how you feel, if you have any clarity around the things you need help with, or if you feel the presence of your spirit guides. You may find it helpful to place your letter next to your bed as you sleep to inspire messages from your guides while you dream, which brings me to my next suggestion.

5. Ask for a Dream or Meditation Visitation

If you’re a particularly visual person, you might want to see your spirit guides. Asking for a dream or meditation visitation can help with this and make them seem more real.

To request a dream visitation, before you go to bed, ask your guides to come to you in your dreams. To request a meditation visitation as your guides to come to you while in meditation. Journey meditations can be very beneficial for working with your guides in this way. You can find several free journey meditations online with a simple search or even find someone with a shamanic background to guide you through a journey to find your guides. Journey meditations are powerful and can be extremely transformative. Get a free Spirit Guides Meditation here.

Remember, the way that your guide asserts themselves could come through to you as an inner knowing, feeling, or visualization. Learn more about the different ways you can experience extrasensory information here.

6. Recruit the Use of a Pendulum

Pendulums are another powerful and simple tool for connecting with your guides. If you’re not familiar with pendulums, check out this post here to learn more about them and the basics of using one.

To use a pendulum to connect with your guides, start by quieting your mind, focus intently on requesting the presence of your guide(s), and then ask your question. Pendulums work best with “yes” or “no” answers, so be sure that you’re asking a question that can be answered with “yes” or “no.” Write “yes” and “no” on a paper, focus on your question, and hold your pendulum over each answer and note when your pendulum starts moving. This is just one method for using a pendulum. Check out my previous post about pendulums noted above or the Pendulums in Practice Workshop here.

7. Ask Them Questions Often

Talk to your guides and ask them questions often. Always be specific in your questions. It will be easier for them to answer you. Talk to them aloud or in your mind, as if they’re a dear friend. The more comfortable you become at relying on them for their assistance, the easier it will be for you to connect with them.

Your guides are always there waiting and wanting to help you! I hope you use these tools so you can take full advantage of the help of your spirit guides.

The Ultimate Guide to Caring for Your Tarot & Oracle Cards

Now that you have your magical Moon Phase Ritual Cards from last week's post, I thought it would be a perfect time to give you an ultimate guide for taking care of your tarot and oracle cards!

Have a growing collection of oracle and tarot cards that you’re always adding to? If you’ve got a growing collection, you probably don’t use all of those cards every day. You most likely have your favorite decks that you gravitate towards, decks you use rarely, and decks that you let other people use.

Your oracle and tarot cards can pick up vibes from other people, yourself, and accumulate stagnant energy. Fortunately, there are several things you can do to keep your decks energetically fresh so you receive and give the best readings.

These tips will work for tarot and oracle alike, they will also work for our free printable decks like our Zenned Out Mini Oracle Cards and our Moon Phase Ritual Cards. Here’s my ultimate list for taking care of your favorite decks!

Listen to Your Cards

Use your intuition. Ask your tarot and oracle cards what they need, and go with your gut. Have a deck that feels like it wants to be kept separate from your other decks, give it a special space of its own. Have a deck that you feel is pining for some grounding energy, put a little smoky quartz near it.

If you decide to try something new with one of your decks, be extra aware of any energetic signals you may get from them on the new change. The best part is, if you’re using your oracle or tarot cards regularly you’re already honing your intuition, and this is another opportunity to refine your intuitive skills.

Spread Cloth

Create a sacred space for reading your cards with a spread cloth. Traditionally these have been used for tarot but will work just as well for oracle cards.

Energetically speaking, using a spread cloth gives you and your cards a sacred space for reading wherever you are. It adds another layer to the ritual of reading your cards. Bonus, if you read in other places, it will help keep your cards clean.

Deciding on a spread cloth can be simple and inexpensive. There are many are beautiful handmade options on Etsy but you might already have something perfect at home like a silk scarf. Color carries a lot of energetic weight, so I suggest doing some research on color meanings before deciding on your spread cloth.

Cleanse Often

If you’ve had some off readings that didn’t feel quite right it might be time to give your cards a good energetic cleanse. Another reason to cleanse your cards is if they’ve been sitting for a while and haven’t been used. Stagnant decks will pick up all sorts of vibes, so it’s a great time to cleanse them.

Here are three quick and easy ways to lift any bad vibes or stagnant energy from your oracle or tarot cards.

1. Salt Bath: No water needed for this bath, simply set your cards in a tray of sea salt or Himalayan pink salt and let the salt soak up any unwanted vibes.

2. Smoke cleanse: Light your favorite herb and let your cards be bathed in the smoke of it to cleanse them. I recommend exploring some plants that are related to your ancestral lineage, some options of herbs are lavender, mugwort, cedar, rosemary. If you want to add some extra fun you can use tools like cauldrons or smoke wands.

3. Full Moon: Lay your cards in the light of the moon for an energetic refresh. Of course, each moon phase will have its own effect. You can use our Moon Phase Ritual Cards to get an idea of what kind of energy each phase will imbue them with.

Protect Your Cards

You may not want to keep your cards in the box they came in. If you don’t, it’s important that they have a special place to live and have some protection.

Here are some options for protecting your oracle and tarot decks:

• Cloth bag: Similar to the spread cloth, the color of the bag you choose matters. Use your intuition and do some research on color meanings to determine the best color bag for your deck.

• Wooden box: This is perfect for a deck you feel is calling out for an earthy vessel. A box will also offer additional protection if you travel with them.

• Wrap them in your spread cloth: Your spread cloth can serve dual purposes and will work well as a protective cover for your cards

• Crystals: Place a crystal on top of your deck, in the bag, or in the box with your cards to offer a layer of energetic protection. You can never go wrong with clear quartz!

Connect with Your Cards

One of the most important things you can do to care for your cards is to connect with them. The more you connect with them the more you’ll know how to take care of them intuitively. Here are two of my favorite techniques for connecting with your tarot and oracle cards.Sleep with them under your pillow or on your nightstand. This tip comes from guest blog post writer Brittney Carmichael. She mentioned in a previous post,

“Sleep with one card under your pillow each night to allow your subconscious mind to create symbols and meanings for the cards. Your tarot cards are like personal love notes from your soul and will help to guide you along your spiritual path of awakening.”

Take time to look at each card. If you’re feeling disconnected from your deck, take a few quiet moments to sit down and look at each card. Similar to sleeping with a card under your pillow, this will give you an opportunity to connect with the symbolism of your cards and become attuned to their energy.

I recently cleansed all my decks and gave some of my favorite decks a special home or crystal. I was surprised by the change when I did this! I immediately felt more in tune with my cards and my readings have felt more on point. I hope you find the same is true for you and your cards!

All Your Tarot Questions Answered // Guest Post by Brit Charmichael

Is something holding you back from giving tarot card readings? Do you have some unanswered questions that you’re just not sure about and don’t know who to go to get real answers from?

There’s something about tarot that seems a little more intimidating than oracle cards. It feels like you really need to “know” the cards in order to move forward, and you might be afraid that you’ll do something wrong in a reading. I know, because I had the same feelings about jumping into tarot!

This week, I’m rolling out our first guest blog post with tarot goddess Brit Charmichael. She’s going to be answering all of your tarot questions so you feel confident about doing readings for yourself and others. Enjoy!

Psychics. Tarot. Crystals. Intuition. Spirit Guides.

Four years ago, it was all new to me, but my curiosity kept pulling me in the woo woo direction.

Fast forward, I haven’t skipped a personal daily tarot reading yet and now I’m communicating with past loved ones (including my biological father). We can dive into that another time.

Because tarot is such a taboo topic, I thought diving deep into the questions I get asked ALLLL the time would help to debunk some of the funk we hold around the tool of tarot.

I always like to point out tarot is just another tool of divination helping us connect to the unseen world of energy and vibration. The cards reflect back to us the matching vibration of what we’re feeling so we can see more objectively and clearly into our inner world. The cards help us to look deeper within and uncover our Truth. No matter what religious background you come from, this tool will help you to make that deeper, Divine connection you crave with yourself.

Let’s dive into the most frequent questions I get asked about the tool of tarot…

How can a person be objective to the reading if they are not “trained” to be objective?

Just like learning any skill, you must practice. Sleeping with the cards under your pillow to receive intuitive guidance will help you to receive clear messages from the cards. This allows your subconscious to show you symbols that represent the energy behind each card. Journaling the meanings of each card and sticking to the traditional meaning will also help you to stay objective until you build confidence in trusting your intuition of what each card represents for you.

How do you learn to interpret the cards besides the booklet that it comes with?

I always get cracked up when I say “Sleep with your cards” because it sounds like you’re in an intimate relationship, but it’s SOO true! Sleep with one card under your pillow each night to allow your subconscious mind to create symbols and meanings for the cards. Your tarot cards are like personal love notes from your soul and will help to guide you along your spiritual path of awakening. You MUST begin to trust your soul’s intuitive guidance that comes through when reading the card. Let’s say you pulled the Magician card - instead of reaching for the booklet to find the answers, look over the card. Visualize it in your imagination. Allow the words, feelings, and visions you have about this card to arise from within. Trust your first feeling. Over time you will develop confidence in being able to trust your inner knowing.

When doing a tarot reading - do you do it alone or with someone?

You can read for yourself or another person. You can also read for an entire group of people. The most important thing when reading is to set the intention of who is receiving the message before beginning.

How do you do a reading for yourself?

When doing a reading for yourself, you want to make sure you’re in a safe, sacred place where you feel comfortable opening up your heart space to receive guidance. There are MANY different spreads you can choose from depending on what guidance you’re seeking. My favorite personal reading is simply pulling one card while asking your guides/Higher Self “What is my Divine daily message today?”

How do you do a reading for someone else?

When doing a reading for someone else, you want to make sure you two are both in agreement on what question is being asked from the reader. The reader will then set an intention to receive guidance through the cards and their own intuition to be delivered on behalf of the reader.

What tarot deck do you recommend for beginners?

I get asked this almost every day. I recommend something you will USE! Find a deck that makes your heart flutter. Let your soul/intuition guide you to the deck that suits your spirit. Anything from Doreen Virtue is highly recommended. Her decks are filled with positive and uplifting messages and she has something for everyone.

Where do I start?

You can buy your deck at a local crystal shop, bookstore, or even order on Amazon. When you receive your deck, unwrap the deck and light some herbal smoke or incense to clear away the energy. This helps you to claim the deck as your own. After cleansing the deck, you can begin to sleep with one card a night under your pillow to begin creating a connection with your intuition.

What is your favorite deck?

My current favorite decks are the Archangel Power Tarot and the Butterflies for Life Changes from Doreen Virtue.

How do I shuffle?

Some cards are much larger than other decks, so you can shuffle in whatever way feels right for you. You can slice the deck, spread the cards faced down across the floor and choose, or the traditional Vegas-style shuffle. Any will work. Just mix ‘em up!

How do you care for your decks?

Just like crystals, you want to cleanse and protect their energy. Cleansing the cards as soon as you receive them is important to clear away any other energy that has been left with the cards. Occasional cleansing is good if you feel like your connection to the cards is weak. I also recommend NOT letting others touch your cards as they will leave their energy behind. Check out this blog post to learn more about how to look after your tarot cards.

Temperance card from The Journey Tarot

Should you use the reverse meanings of cards?

If you’re feeling completely blocked and the card comes out upside down, my advice is to trust your gut if you feel the reverse meaning has a message for you. Sometimes I pull a card that’s upside down and the reverse meaning doesn’t apply, then I just go with the actual meaning of the card. I’m not a big fan of looking up the reverse meanings and I always have my cards oriented in the upright position so I typically don’t draw cards that are reversed.

What to do if you get a scary or "bad" reading for yourself or someone else?

Accept it. The cards are reflecting your energy so if something “bad” comes up - see how it applies to your life. Don’t hide from the truth and don’t over analyze the card. I find that sometimes we project our own illusions and fears onto the meaning of the cards which can create confusion when reading for yourself or someone else. I honestly don’t believe there are any “bad” cards in tarot. The “death” card gets such a bad wrap, but the meanings aren’t always literal. It could represent a metaphorical death such as the end of a cycle, job, relationship, or chapter in your life’s story, but not an actual death.

Where did tarot originate from?

Sometime around the 14th century, the tarot likely originated with Mamluk game cards brought to Western Europe from Turkey. By the 1500s, the Italian aristocracy was enjoying a game known as “tarocchi appropriati,” in which players were dealt random cards and used thematic associations with these cards to write poetic verses about one another—somewhat like the popular childhood game “MASH.”

Even the earliest known tarot decks weren’t designed with mysticism in mind; they were actually meant for playing a game similar to modern-day bridge. Wealthy families in Italy commissioned expensive, artist-made decks known as “carte da trionfi” or “cards of triumph.” These cards were marked with suits of cups, swords, coins, and polo sticks (eventually changed to staves or wands), and courts consisting of a king and two male underlings. Tarot cards later incorporated queens, trumps (the wild cards unique to tarot), and the Fool to this system, for a complete deck that usually totaled 78 cards. Today, the suit cards are commonly called the Minor Arcana, while trump cards are known as the Major Arcana.

Is there evidence to support the spiritual practice?

After spending time with your cards, your analytical brain won’t need PROOF that these cards can be used in your spiritual practice, because you will intuitively KNOW the messages coming through are always aligned with your best in mind. The cards are traced by some occult writers to ancient Egypt or the Kabbalah but there is no documented evidence of such origins or of the usage of tarot for divination before the 18th century.

What is the main purpose/intention behind using tarot?

Tarot acts as a tool that helps reflect your current energy and provides intuitive guidance for the clarity you’re seeking. You can use the tool to connect to your Higher Self/spirit guides.

How do you know what kind of energy you bring if you are doing the reading? Does negative energy affect your reading?

I wouldn't recommend a reading when your emotions are running wild. You want to come from a place of peacefulness when conducting your reading. Wait until the initial emotional surge passes before doing a reading on that particular subject.

How do you keep positive energy around your cards?

Do not let others handle your tarot/oracle cards because they can leave traces of their energy on the cards. Try burning herbs and letting the smoke clear away the energy of the cards if you feel they’ve picked up some funk.

Do you start by asking your guides to show you the cards?

I always say a little prayer before I begin asking my Higher Self to come forward to share the divine guidance I most need in that moment.

What happens if I draw the same card multiple times in a row?

Pay attention! The Universe is sending a CLEAR message by showing you again.

I hope by uncovering some of the untold truths about tarot that you’re able to let go of any hangups you have and make a deep and lasting connection with your spirit and guides.

Join my Facebook page here for a free weekly reading. If you’re looking to dive in deeper and would like a private 1:1 reading where we can uncover limiting blocks, discover your soul purpose, connect with past loved ones and spirit guides or even dig into past lives - you can book with me by heading over to brittneycarmichael.com/tarot.

5 Tips to open your heart chakra and how to know when it's blocked

How are you feeling about giving and accepting love right now? Are you feeling open, receptive and giving--or maybe a little blocked? Whether you’ve got a lot or a little blocking you from giving and accepting love in your life, I’ve got tips to help you enliven your heart chakra, from herbal tinctures to heart chakra inspired altars!

The heart chakra, or in sanskrit anahata, is the chakra (energy center) located at the center of your sternum. The heart chakra is responsible for your ability to give and receive love. If you’ve had any heartache in your past (and let’s be honest, who hasn’t?) you may have some lingering blocks that could be making it hard for you to give and receive the love you deserve.

Is your heart chakra blocked?

Here’s a quick checklist to see if you’ve got any areas in your heart chakra that could use some extra love:

• Is your self-talk critical and negative?

• Do you have trouble making friends?

• Are you lonely?

• Do you have a lack of trust in your relationships?

• Do you have social anxiety?

• Do you have a hard time accepting and/or giving?

Whether you resonate with all of these or just 1 or 2 of these, I’ve got something for you. Read on to learn 5 versatile tips to clear up blocks in your heart chakra.

You can also read this blog post where I explain 3 ways to understanding the health of chakras.

1. Heart Chakra Altar

Make your sacred space a haven for your heart chakra by adorning your altar with colors, crystals, and symbols that will help balance and restore you to love.

Color: Green and pink. Feast your eyes on the color of your heart chakra by adorning your altar with candles, cloths, or statues with green and pink.

Crystals: Rose quartz, aventurine, emerald, green and pink tourmaline, chrysoprase, moss agate, and malachite. Aside from their green and pink hues all of these stones have energy that lends themselves to healing your heart chakra. Choose any combination of them to place on your altar.

Symbols: Anahata symbol, hearts, and the Wunjo Rune symbol all represent love. These symbols on your altar will act as a visual reminder of your intention to be open to giving and accepting love.

2. Ask the Cards

Grab your favorite tarot or oracle card deck and ask them how you can open and balance your heart chakra. Oracle and tarot cards, like any divination tool, are a direct link to your spirit guides and higher self. Try this heart chakra three-card spread or create your own. If you don't have a card deck handy you can opt to journal about each of the questions below instead.

1. What areas of my life are causing blocks in my heart chakra?

2. How can I improve my ability to accept love?

3. How can I nourish my heart chakra?

3. Heart Chakra Meditation

Set aside 5 minutes (or more!) of your day for some deep breaths, connect with your heart chakra on an even deeper level with a simple meditation. Energy reset meditations are a personal favorite of mine, probably because I find them so effective. You can check out my energy reset meditation bundle here.

Try working some of the following tips into your next meditation session balance and open your heart chakra:

Scents: If you have any rose or bergamot essential oils around, these are perfect for balancing the heart chakra. Add them to your diffuser or just take a few deep breaths before you start your meditation.

Visualize: Imagine a glowing green light around your heart chakra as you meditate. Visualize that with each inhale it grows bigger and with each exhale it comes back to center. Eventually, let this growing green light consume your whole body with each inhale.

Mantras: YAM (pronounced yawm, like CD-rom) is the mantra of the heart chakra. Layer this mantra into your meditation with long yaaaaaaaaammmmm added into your exhale. If you’d like a mantra with a clearer intention feel free to repeat one of these mantras during your meditation, “I am love” or “I accept love freely.”

4. Herbal Love for your Heart Chakra

Did you know that heartache, grief, and loss can lead to physical symptoms around your heart chakra? There’s even a name for it, it’s called “broken heart syndrome.” Yeah sure, we’ve all dealt with bad break ups, but if you’ve been dealt more than your fair share of heartache and loss it could be affecting your physical health too. Our physical bodies and energetic bodies are closely connected and intertwined. Keeping your heart in its best physical shape can help keep your heart chakra bright and shining!

Need a tune-up in the heartache department? Hawthorne is your go-to herb! For a quick fix, you can grab some hawthorne and hibiscus (also great for your heart) tea. But, if you want some serious healing herbs here’s a recipe for a hawthorn tincture.

If making tinctures aren't your thing, or you don't have supplies handy to make one, bergamot, rose, and ylang-ylang are all great options for activating the heart chakra. Diffuse or wear any of these oils to help soothe and open the heart chakra.

Hawthorne Heart Tincture

• Dried organic hawthorn berries

• 80 proof or greater vodka or brandy

• Optional: dried organic hawthorn leaves and flowers

• Glass jar

1. Fill your jar full with your herbs, then add the alcohol until all of your herbs are covered.

2. Don’t forget to label your concoction! Be sure to add the date you made it and what herbs are included.

3. Let your brew sit for 4-6 weeks, preferably in the window where it can soak up good vibes from the sun and moon.

4. Give your mixture a little shake up every couple of days. This is also the perfect time to infuse your tincture with some good vibes and intentions from you, so be sure to send it some happy thoughts when you shake it up!

5. Once the 4-6 weeks have passed, drain your mixture through a cheesecloth or fine mesh strainer.

6. Pour your tincture into a glass dropper bottle and you’re all set. Let the heart healing commence!

7. Enjoy 2-4 droppers full of your tincture 1-2 times a day in tea, water, or juice.

5. A Wearable Reminder of Love

Wearing symbols or crystals that associate with the heart chakra can serve as a potent reminder to give yourself and others love throughout the day.

If you're not into wearing jewelry, wearing colors associated with the heart chakra or carrying some heart chakra crystals in your pocket will have a similar effect.

These are just a few of many ways to open and balance your heart chakra. Read more about balancing the energy of this chakra on any of these blog posts. Click here for crystal grids for love, here for candle magick for love, or here for yoga and breathwork to open the heart chakra.

8 Simple Gratitude Rituals

What does gratitude do for you? It brings a sense of peace within you where there might otherwise be turmoil. Gratitude calms your nerves and makes you right-sized. All of that doesn't happen on its own. Gratitude is a state of being that can be accomplished more readily if you are vigilant about revisiting the gratitude rituals that work for you...and maybe even throwing in some new ones!

Practicing gratitude allows you to realign your roots with the universe. It can aid in manifesting your desires and help to pull you out of catastrophic thinking.  Keep scrolling for eight simple gratitude rituals to add to your practice.

1. Make a Gratitude Box

When we aren't getting what we think we should have, it's easy to lose sight of what we are grateful for. To help with this amnesia, create a Gratitude Box. Every day, put a piece of paper in it and scribble something on it that you are grateful for. In times of need, open your gratitude box and read the slips of paper. When you think you are having a tough day you might pull out a slip from a time when you were grateful for the roof over your head. For me, I know that most of my problems today are “luxury problems.” If I find myself upset that I didn't get a day off from work, I might pull out a slip of paper reminding me that I should be lucky I have such an awesome career in the first place!

2. Play the Appreciation Game

This gratitude ritual comes from Gabby Bernstein who is a goddess of gratitude and manifesting. She recommends playing the appreciation game, based on the idea that it’s good to feel good.

To play this game, “follow the fun” by focusing on what’s thriving in your life. Start to speak out loud a list of all the things you appreciate. This can range from simple physical things like your favorite ring or yoga pants to your amazing career or best friend. Start small and allow the vibration of gratitude to take you deeper and deeper into what’s thriving in your life.

If you get stuck for a moment, return to something you already said! Try to do this for at least 3 to 5 minutes, and afterward notice how you feel.

It can also be really fun to do this with another person or even a whole circle of people. Hold space for another to speak their blessings out loud, and then allow them to hold space for you.

3. Meditate with Mantras to Inspire Gratitude

Incorporate a version of this mantra that resonates with you into your meditation practice: I know the abundance of the Universe flows to and through me, and I receive freely without hesitation. I am so grateful for the abundance in my life, and I know it all comes from you. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Gratitude is a muscle, and these rituals will help you flex that muscle so that gratitude becomes part of each day.

4. Ask Your Tarot or Oracle Cards

Try asking one of these questions, and then pulling a tarot card or an oracle card:

• What blessings are available to me now?

• What new blessings are coming my way?

• What am I grateful for in my career, relationships, or personal development?

• How can I express my gratitude towards myself?

• How can I express my gratitude towards others?

• What are the silver linings of challenges I have faced this year?

• How can I continue to create abundance in my life?

Tarot and oracle cards are incredible tools available to you as a mirror for your own inner wisdom. The cards you pull might give you a new perspective on certain situations or people in your life. To learn more about how to get started using tarot, click here. To learn more about using oracle cards, and get a free printable oracle card deck click here.

5. Create a Gratitude Crystal Grid

Invoke gratitude by opening your heart chakra! Gain a heart-based perspective by creating a gratitude crystal grid. Green and pink stones will speak to your heart chakra. They will vibrate love, truth, and compassion. You might choose rose quartz and green kyanite, and harmonize all of the stones with some clear quartz. If you are looking for something special choose a moss agate Merkaba for the center of your grid! You can find out more about crystal grids here.

6. Journal with Crystals for Gratitude

I encourage you to commit to doing this practice for at least ten days, and maybe even every single day. Before you go to bed each night, make a list of 10 things that you were grateful for today. You can use rose quartz to open the heart chakra, petrified wood to ease fear and connect to your deep roots, and tiger eye for balance and harmony as you journal.

What amazing things happened? What is the opportunity that something not-so-amazing may be creating for you? Create a journal specifically for this gratitude practice and flip through it when you feel discouraged to remember how blessed you are.

7. Work with Essential Oils for Gratitude

Part of being grateful is staying grounded. It's planting your roots in what matters, and letting go of everything else. For scents that inspire gratitude, choose earthy oils such as patchouli and cedar. To keep yourself firmly planted in the present try this rollerball blend with your favorite carrier oil (mine is sweet almond oil!!)

• 5 drops patchouli

• 5 drops sandalwood

• 5 drops frankincense

• 5 drops ylang ylang

8. Get Outside

It may be chilly and gray where you live, or maybe it’s beautiful and sunny. Either way, take a walk outside sans cell phone and challenge yourself to be really present. Notice the beautiful things you see. They could be really simple— the shapes of the clouds in the sky, the color of the grass, a crisp leaf on the ground.

Beyond feeling amazing after practicing these rituals, carrying a heart full of gratitude is a great way to usher in a new year! Above all, be kind. Ultimately, gratitude is an action. It's a display of thankfulness.

Getting Started with Tarot

Ok, I’ll just say it: Tarot cards get a bad rap. If Oracle is a piece of creative writing, Tarot is MLS formatting. Far too often though, people miss out on the depth that Tarot has to offer. Don’t be intimidated! You’ll soon learn that Tarot has tons of charm and character and it all starts with its rich history!

History

Tarot’s past is pretty well documented. It originated in the early 1400s in Italy and the cards were first used to play a game similar to the modern-day bridge! It wasn’t until the 18th century rolled around that they became more widely known for divination. The tarot deck is full of lavish imagery. There have even been claims that these images come from the Book of Thoth, belonging to the Egyptian God of wisdom!

Myths

There are a few myths about tarot that lend to its rigid reputation. Throw them out the window! For instance, that the deck needs to be gifted to you, or that you can only cut the deck with your left hand you might never start tarot if you waited around for a gift! So, get rid of whatever myths aren’t working for you.

The Spreads

I’ve picked two awesome spreads to share with you! Here are a few things to know before you get started!

• Visit your deck with an open mind and an open heart.

• Be honest with yourself. Are you truly ready to know what the tarot spread will reveal?

• Familiarize yourself with your deck. Draw a card every day while you begin to learn the meaning behind each image.

• Focus on the question or issue at hand before and during the reading. Try to meditate on this so as not to confuse to tarot with other issues.

The Ellipse Spread

This five-card variation of the traditional seven-card Ellipse spread is a great way to get started. Have a direct question in mind? Turn to this tarot card spread!

Explanation of Cards

• Card 1: Present and its influence

• Card 2: Future and what influence is coming into your life

• Card 3: What to do

• Card 4: Outside influence

• Card 5: Final outcome

The Mandala Spread

Delve into your spiritual self with this spread! Learn about your strengths and pitfalls. Discover your best possible path for spiritual growth!

Explanation of Cards

• Card 1: Self

• Card 2: Goals and ambitions

• Card 3: Ideals, dreams

• Card 4: Current achievements

• Card 5: Dependencies, false beliefs

• Card 6: Strengths

• Card 7: Weaknesses

• Card 8: Self-perception

• Card 9: Desires

The deck featured is The Starchild Tarot Akashic deck. Her decks sell out fast! Check out her amazing Instagram here to stay in the loop and know when her decks are available. You can also check out The Journey Tarot Deck here. We just touched on a few elements of tarot, to find out more about each of the 78 cards contained in the tarot deck click here! I’m sure you’ll become just as enchanted with the tarot as I have. I wish you peace, comfort, and solace as you divulge in this long-trusted form of divination.

Tarot vs. Oracle // What’s the Difference and How to Choose

Aside from being beautiful works of art in and of themselves, Oracle and Tarot cards can be powerful divination tools. But, if you’re not familiar with these tools, deciding which deck to choose may have you stumped before you even start.

I want to give you the confidence to choose what works best for you. So many big questions present themselves in life and, you need to know how to prepare yourself! Today I’ve got the skinny on the difference between Tarot and Oracle cards, and info on how to choose a deck that will work best for you.

The Basics

Let’s talk about the basics of Tarot and Oracle cards to help you find the best way to connect with the greater knowledge of the universe when life’s big moments pop up!

Tarot Cards

• 78 cards

• Prim & proper

• Organized into different suits

• Each tarot deck has a unique energy depending on where they came from, such as their design and printing process

• Measure outcomes and influence

• Can be lengthy and detailed

• Offers insight on situations

• Only images on the card, takes some studying

Cards featured from The Jouney Tarot

Oracle Cards

• Any number of card per deck

• Rebel deck

• Designed around a theme or deity

• Use your intuition to guide you rather than the structure of the deck

• Meant to give advice

• Quick and more open to individual interpretation

• Easy for beginners. Includes thoughtful phrases

How to Choose

• Trust your intuition. You might lean towards either method on a given day, or you might use one method over another for a certain question you have.

• Try them out. Which deck feels right? Is Tarot too grave, or are Oracle cards not enough for you? If you are seriously in the sticks with some relationship drama, the Tarot deck might offer the ins and outs you are searching for. If you’re less phased by this relationship woe, then a simple “You’re free to do what you choose,” might be all you need from an Oracle deck.

• Structure. Do you need it or do you run from it? When I’m in a place where my internal compass is all out of whack, I know I need to use my Tarot deck as my guide. If my gut has been pretty spot on, I’ll use my Oracle cards as my quick spot-checking guide.

Don’t rule out one deck over the other just yet. Check out The Tarot and Oracle blog posts where I dig into the details on these divination tools! We’ll go over how to use each deck so that you can fine-tune your fortune-telling skills.