What's in my bag: Witchy Edition

Wednesday, August 14, 2019

I'm always curious about what sort of things witches and spiritual practitioners carry around with them on a daily basis. Do you carry a full blown portable altar or just a few little things here and there?

Here are my essentials:
My witchy everyday carry. Small mysteries Tarot cards, assorted crystal babies, traveler's notebook, annointing oil, and various spiritual jewelry.

TAROT DECK

I pretty much never leave the house without a deck. Usually it's my mini Small Mysteries deck because it's so adorably tiny it fits anywhere. I can even do a quick pull at work super discreetly when I need an extra boost of love from the Universe. (I'm a closet witch at work) Bonus: it reads beautifully for me.

ANOINTING OIL

This little vial is a life saver. I created this Goddess Anointing oil as an act of devotion to my matron. It's beautifully fragrant and it instantly puts me at ease. I pull this one out when overwhelm creeps in. It's kind of an all purpose sacred oil. I use on myself, clients, candles, spellwork, etc. I've even used it to ease nightmares when I  had a particularly bad few nights.

CRYSTALS

When someone asks me if my bag is so heavy because I'm carrying rocks in my bag I can honestly say yes. I will usually have a little bag of stones tucked away in my bag. These aren't always the same, I like to switch them out once in a while depending on the kind of energy I want to connect with or call in at any given time. Right now I'm carrying peach moonstone, blue kyanite, unakite, carnelian, citrine, rainbow obsidian, and mookaite.

TRAVELER'S NOTEBOOK

This isn't inherently witchy or spiritual but it's definitely an important tool for my personal practice. My TN carries my Tarot journal, magickal notes, sigil drafts, spell ideas, and sacred scripts. It's like an extension of my Grimoire/ Witchbook/ BoS.

JEWELRY

This doesn't exactly go in my bag, but it does go with me everywhere. Little bits of spiritually significant jewelry help me feel connected. My most worn is definitely the little gold Mother Mary pendant, I've had it since I was a child and I don't see it leaving my neck anytime soon. It's one of those things that feels strange when you take it off. I also love wearing my big chunky labradorite(by lagrimas de oro) or clear quartz necklaces.

So what's in your witchy/ spiritual everyday carry?
Let me know in the comments below or make your own post and tag me on instagram!

Much Love,

Lily x

tarot birth cards

Thursday, September 6, 2018

my own birth cards: the chariot and the tower

Hello, it’s been a while since I’ve hopped on here but I’m back!
I’ve been down, uninspired, unmotivated all the un’s. The fire has been missing and the burnout is real. Of course, my first instinct is to fight it. My Aries brain just cannot accept creative breaks. It goes and goes until inevitably it all falls apart, I’m forced to slow down and we begin the cycle all over again.
In the middle of this self-inflicted chaos I’ve had no other choice but to recognize the ups and downs as part of my internal cycle and surrender. This has been the biggest lesson for me over the past year.
But this is about Tarot birth cards, right? Let’s get on with that.

SO, WHAT ARE TAROT BIRTH CARDS ANYWAY?

Our birth cards are a set of two (sometimes three!) Major Arcana cards assigned to us based on the numerology of birth dates. Your tarot cards, like your astrological profile stay with you all your life. Every pairing speaks to different aspects of ourselves. They could point out personality traits, lessons for this life time, patterns we’re meant to embrace or break.
I don’t believe they tell us everything about ourselves, but they do highlight significant aspects of our journey and can become valuable allies as we walk our path.

HOW DO I FIND OUT MY TAROT BIRTH CARDS?

There are a few sites where you can find your birth cards and more information about each of the pairs. The one I used to find mine was the Tarot School.
It’s pretty simple to do it yourself, all you need to do is take your birth month, day, and year and add them together, then reduce to a single digit. Your pair will be the single digit and the other Major Arcana that reduces to the same number.
For example, if you were born on January 22, 1986 your process would look like this:
01 + 22 + 1986 = 2009 → 2 + 9 = 11 → 1+1= 2
Your tarot birth cards would be The High Priestess and Judgement!
*If your cards reduce to 1 your cards are The Magician, The Wheel, AND The Sun

MY OWN TAROT BIRTH CARDS

My pair is The Chariot and The Tower, a chaotic pair for sure. But there couldn’t be a more appropriate pair. I do have to admit though that when I first found out what they were years ago I was so disappointed. Seriously, the freaking tower? Who wants that? I was a little mad about it.
Once I got over myself and really took the time to work with them and consider what they were trying to teach me I realized I judged them too soon.
Over the past year they’ve really grown on me and I’ve learned to listen both to their positive and “negative” qualities. I began to notice patterns, everything I am is about constant self-regeneration, and doesn’t that speak to the tower? After it all falls apart I pick up the pieces and start over. My internal chariot comes to the rescue.
And when the chariot takes over and I’m moving way too fast and losing focus, I crash into the tower, chaos for creation.
I had my biggest tower moment last summer, I think that’s what really put my cycles into perspective. And front and center.
I literally had a fall, tumbled down the stairs and fractured my ankle. Surgery and no walking for 4 months. The Tower says it’s time to slow down and refocus, sometimes it takes chaos to wake up.
And once I was able to listen, this whole thing came along. THIS thing that I’d been putting off for so long. The Chariot took over again and I began to move forward more focused and driven than ever. And here we are!
Working with my birth cards really gave me insight into my own patterns and helped me navigate difficult times by allowing me to remain aware and present. I can now recognize what is happening internally and try to let things flow.
The Chariot and Tower definitely still play a role in my life on a smaller scale, especially in my creative process, but it was so interesting to experience them in such a significant way.

JOURNALING WITH YOUR BIRTH CARDS

I’ve created a few questions for you to work with if you’re interested in exploring your birth cards through journaling and reflection.
  • What is the relationship between these two cards? What story do they tell? Do I see this story reflected in my life?
  • I dislike my cards. Why? What is it about this card that puts me off and where does it appear within my life/self?
  • How can I work towards integrating the lessons presented in my birth cards?
I hope you find something beautiful in you cards~
Much Love,
Liliana x

Witch Crafting: Sigil Magic

Wednesday, May 16, 2018


A little while ago we talked about sigil magic, what it is and how to create magical symbols. Today, let’s get into some of the fun stuff we can do with sigil magic! Sigils are one of the most versatile forms of magic, you can incorporate them into a myriad of magical projects. Read on to see how you can have fun with your sigil magic.
And if you haven’t downloaded your guide to sigil magic you can get your 10-page PDF guide here.

SPELL BOTTLES

Spell bottles are pretty straightforward you have an intention, you gather ingredients, stick them in the jar. Shake it, charge it, and you’re ready to go. Adding a sigil to your spell bottles can make them more powerful magnifying and cementing the intention.

ART & SIGIL MAGIC

Subtle or prominently displayed, art and sigil magic go together like…things that go together? They can be discreetly painted into the base layer of a painting and no one would be the wiser. Sigil art in the home can be used to promote joy, bring blessings (think housewarming!), and provide protection from psychic attack or any unwanted energy sticking around where it’s not welcome. Maybe you want to promote harmonious interactions, or encourage extra warm fuzzy feelings, or create a super calm space. Creating a magical piece of art is an amazing way to bring sigil magic into practice.

WEARING SIGILS

Just like sigil art this method can be discreet or absolutely loud. This is perfect for casting glamours and protection spells on your clothes. I feel the process of stitching the sigil on your item gives it an incredibly focused energy. Imagine a favorite denim jacket decked out in magic like psychic armor or performing a glamour by drawing the sigil on your face with your moisturizer or favorite foundation and blending it out for radiating beauty from the inside out.
You may even wish to paint sigils on your shoes to encourage you to walk boldly or enchant your glasses for clear vision. The possibilities are endless!

sigil spell bottle

A MAGICAL BEVERAGE

Do you have a favorite mug to have your tea or coffee in? Make it a magical vessel! Create a sigil for a good day, self-love, good health, grounding. Anything you might want to take in while you have your beverage. You can paint the sigil on your mug with ceramic paint markers, or if you have a favorite glass you can even use etching cream to create a beautiful frosted glass look.
One of my favorite ways, and probably the most frequent way I use sigils is to stir them into my drink. Sound weird? Let me explain. I usually take tea with honey so, when I stir my tea I’ll stir three times clockwise while reciting my intention, then trace the sigil into the liquid with the spoon and seal it by placing my hands over it with a goo old “So mote it be.” It only takes a minute and makes mornings all the more magical and helps me set good intentions for the day.

CANDLE MAGIC

These are super easy to make and perfect for ritual. You may simply with to carve it directly on the candle wax, or you may choose to paint it on a glass pillar candle. Jesse Huntenburg has a beautiful way of making these with tissue paper, watch the video here. Either way it works! This is a good way to activate the sigil as it disappears as the wax melts. And your altar will look spectacularly witchy.

SPELL BAGS

You may wish to embroider your sigil on your pouch as I have with this dream pillow (Dream magic coming soon!).
Or tuck it away inside the spell pouch after it’s been charged and activated. If you’re feeling wild you can even throw the ashes of your sigil into the bag as well to mix in with the rest of the ingredients.
I hope you enjoyed these fun little ideas! What’s your favorite way to use Sigil Magic?
If you try any of these and feel like sharing tag me on Instagram @lunaxflor!
Much Love,
Liliana x
P.S. Grab your Sigil Guide by clicking on the image below if you don’t already have it!

Posted in: Magic

Ten Tarot Decks for Beginners

Tuesday, April 17, 2018

my first deck: tarot of the sweet twilight

The other day I got to thinking about how hard it was for me to choose my first tarot deck. There were just too many options! And there are so many more now than eight years ago when I got started. I can only imagine how overwhelmed someone would be now with all those amazing decks to pick from. So, I decided to compile a little list of tarot decks for beginners. These are decks I've read with, loved, and feel would be great decks for anyone going the Rider-Waite-Smith route. I tried to pick a variety, in artwork and accessibility. They range from the super traditional to the beautifully artsy and from indie to something you could pick up at your local book store.
Read on for my picks!
Tarot decks for beginners
 L to R: Smith-Waite Centennial Tarot, Sasuraibito Tarot, Morgan Greer Tarot[/caption]

Smith Waite Centennial Tarot

A classic and my favorite incarnation of the RWS. It has a vintage-y quality to it; the back is so pretty, and it just works! If you want to keep it super traditional this is the perfect study deck. See more on Aeclectic.net.

Sasuraibito Tarot

Aka Sassy Burrito Aka my current favorite deck. I love the illustration style in this deck! While some cards may veer off a bit from the traditional meanings most of it works well with the classic model and since all the cards are fully illustrated it's perfect for tarot learning. Read my interview with the Sasuraibito here or grab your own deck in Stasia Burrington's shop.

Morgan Greer Tarot

This is one of two 70's style decks on this list, and it’s one of my favorites. The colors are bold and vibrant, and the people are amazingly stylish. Morgan Greer is pretty traditional and mostly keeps to the standard card depictions. See more Morgan Greer Tarot images here.
L to R: Dreaming Way Tarot, Dark Days Tarot, Wild Unknown Tarot

Dreaming Way Tarot

This was my second deck ever and remains one of my most used. The characters all have a sort of androgynous look which I love, and I want all their outfits. Dreaming way is a very spring-like airy sort of deck. The watercolor art definitely gives it a dreamy quality. See more of the Dreaming Way Tarot here. Side note: mine looks a bit different because I trimmed the edges!

Dark Days Tarot

This amazing black and white deck came into my life last year and from the moment I laid eyes on it I knew I had to have it. It’s black and white, it’s square, and it’s all moon! While Dark Days is far from the traditional RWS it’s fully pictorial and easy to read. The images are super evocative, and you can find meaning in them with just one look. Explore the Dark Days Tarot or grab your own copy here.

Wild Unknown Tarot

Do I even have to say anything about this deck? Everyone knows it, everyone loves it. There’s nothing I can say about the Wild unknown that hasn’t already been said. It is absolutely beautiful, mostly black and white with little pops of color. I almost didn’t include this one because it’s more of a pip deck but I do think it’s still an amazing starter deck. Even though there aren’t any people or full scenes in the cards you can still take a lot from the images and symbolism throughout. The Wild Unknown is one of my most reached for decks. I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of it.
Learn more about the Wild Unknown Tarot here.

Tarot of the Magical Forest

If you want to keep it classic but also love cute and slightly creepy animals Tarot of the Magical Forest is the deck for you! This one is a RWS clone. It follows the traditional imagery almost exactly, so it’ll be super easy to match up with all the tarot books out there. So, if these creepy critters don’t scare you this one might work for you. See more from the Tarot of the Magical Forest here.

Book of Shadows Vol 2: So Below

This is part of a series of two decks, as you can assume from the “Vol 2” I’ve never owned the “As Above” deck so I can’t speak for that one but this one was good. The So Below deck is a modern take on tarot, a modern Pagan take on tarot. You’ll find all the characters in modern clothes, living a modern Pagan life. The Hermit chills out in the tub while The Chariot drives her kids to school. It is different that’s for sure. It’s that modern element though that makes it so easy to work with though. It makes tarot concepts totally relatable. So, if you’re done with old fashioned tarot and want a Pagan deck that’s all about real life Vol 2 is perfect for you. See more of the deck here.

Aquarian Tarot

The second 70's deck on the list. The Aquarian Tarot is a 70's deck with an Art Nouveau feel. It's based on the classic RWS format but with a zoomed in twist. most cards seem to be a close-up view of the characters. I no longer own this deck for personal nit-picky sort of reasons [those faces freaked me out]. But I do think this is a lovely deck if you're looking for something with a vintage feel. See more here.

Linestrider Tarot

I don't currently own this one (yet) but I really wanted to mention it. I’ve gone through the images and I’m in love with it. While they don’t have a traditional look and might even seem slightly intimidating at first all the cards hold true to their traditional meaning. The Linestrider is clean, minimalist with a hint of color and all the significance. See images from the Linestrider here.
That makes ten! I hope my list helped some of you thinking about getting into tarot or even just your next deck! Do you have any recommended tarot decks for beginners? What deck did you start your studies with? Let me know in the comments below!
Much Love,
Liliana x



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