The Three Most Common Mistakes Made By Tarot Readers

Tarot is an incredible tool of magick, self-reflection, and divination. With a pack of 78 cards we can travel through time, learn to flow with the seasons, deepen our relationships with others, and be better prepared for what lies ahead.

It can be frustrating when your experience with tarot feels less than fruitful. If you’re feeling stuck in a rut with your cards or like they are being snarky with you (a sure sign that there is a block happening), then you might be making one of the following mistakes.

It’s often said, but it’s very true - the great thing about mistakes is that they are opportunities for learning and growth. And believe me, I have made all of the following mistakes! I’ve learned from each of them and my tarot practice has become that much more clear and strong.

Truthfully, I’ve yet to meet any tarot reader who has not done at least one of the following mistakes.

Why? Because these are all very humxn mistakes. As you’ll see they all stem from a deeper yearning for certainty, self-knowledge, and a connection with something magickal - which is why many of us pick up the Tarot to begin with. I’ve not only written about the three most common mistakes made when reading tarot but how to avoid them in the future in a way that will hopefully make you a better tarot reader.

So without further ado here are the three most common mistakes I see tarot readers make.

The World Spirit Tarot

1. Doing too many readings in too short of time.

I see this all the time. The first spread seemed unclear so you cast another right after it. Or you didn’t like what the cards said so you want to see if you can cast another option. Maybe you weren’t really grounded and centered when shuffling and casting the cards so the first three spreads didn’t count and the fourth one will be “right.”

Casting multiple readings on the same topic within a limited space of time (as in hours or days) is not going to lead to further clarity or a better outcome. It’ll just muddy the waters and tangle the energetic knot of whatever it is you’re trying to discover. Often when folks are casting too many readings on the same topic it is because they don’t really want to know the answer - because deep down inside they already know it (more on this later). In fact, casting multiple readings in short succession only reflects what is going on inside you. Check-in with yourself before casting again - Where is the tension in your body? What are you feeling? Anxious? Fearful? Stressed? What do you really want to know? What, in fact, do you already know but don't want to acknowledge?

Sometimes when we cast cards too many time on one subject we are seeking the one thing that what we think we’ll be reassured by. Casting too many readings at a time often comes from a place of uncertainty and through tarot we’re trying to find something certain to hold onto. BUT, we’re often looking for a certainty that we’ve already defined strict parameters for (whether or not we realize it).

If I just knew that my crush loved me back, I’ll be ok. 

If I knew that I’m definitely going to get (what I think) my most perfect job, I can relax.

If only I had the obvious “do this” step then I won’t feel so anxious anymore.

Uncertainty isn’t a fun place to be in - especially when the stakes feel high. However, uncertainty is the gateway to mystery. What is mystery if not the ultimate expander of possibility? Uncertainty puts us in a place of unknowing. Mystery is the great unknown and we're called in our magickal work to know ourselves. We are, in short, called to mystery. And so we must engage mystery to become known. Since we don’t know what mystery holds, we’re actually left with the wondrous gift of possibility. Yes, we might not know everything right in this moment, but there is possibility which means we might know more about ourselves and the situation at hand in a way that reveals options we've not even been able to imagine yet.

Getting stuck casting readings over and over again about the same topic closes the gate to possibility. So what can you do instead when you’re feeling uncertain and looking for peace and reassurance?

The Greenwood Tarot by Chesca Potter

Instead of casting another reading, step away from your deck and try any of the following:

Take some soft belly breaths. Just as it sounds, spend some time telling your nervous system that you are safe by breathing gently into the soft space of your belly. 

Write it down. Take some time to journal and write down what's bothering you. Journaling can be a powerful act of clearing the fog from your brain and creating more space for hope to reside within you.

Go for a walk. Or if walking isn’t an option choose to move your body in another way. Nothing complex (unless that’s what you desire) but creating physical movement in order to generate spiritual movement. Uncertainty is an emotion of stagnation, so inviting movement into your life can help to unstuck your crossed situation.

Drink some tea. Or water. Or fresh juice. Something that feels wholesome and healing to you. Make a simple ritual of its preparation. Here’s my absolute favorite tea for stress and anxiety.

When is it appropriate to do a second reading on a situation? There’s no definitive guideline, but I typically suggest waiting for either a few weeks to pass or to do a reading when there has been a significant change that has happened regarding the situation in question. Listen to your voice within - if you feel like you might be doing too many readings in too short a time, you are. It’s that simple.

The Spirit Speaks Tarot

2. Expecting the cards to tell you what to do.

Wouldn’t it be nice if that every time you performed a tarot reading you were given straight forward answers with clear instructions on what steps you should be taking next? That would be incredible and everyone would read tarot. Heck, it could even bring about world peace. 

Yet that’s not how the cards work. Yes, of course, we can get really clear insight about a situation or ourselves from the cards. But it’s important to remember that such insight and knowledge can be read in the cards because we already possess it within us. We won’t see answers we don’t already have within the cards. 

Now, that’s not to say we won’t gain insight that we weren’t previously aware of. As one of my favorite magicians Lon Milo DuQuette says, “It's all in your head... you just have no idea how big your head is.”

I think the tarot can be many things to us all at once. It’s a collection of 78 pieces of paper with pictures on them that folks find aesthetically pleasing. It’s 78 pathways of magick and self-knowing. It’s a divinatory tool which helps us gaze into the past, present, and future. It’s the home of the spirits and guides of tarot which have their own personalities and wisdom. But all of this is simply (and most complexly) a mirror. 

As above, so below. As within, so without. 

The cards aren’t going to tell you what to do. You’re going to realize what needs to be done. And sometimes that takes a while because are perception is too limited or we’re afraid. Sometimes we’re just stubbornly resistant to necessary change. 

If you find yourself relying on the cards to “tell” you what to do and what choices to make, believing that they possess knowledge that you don’t, you’re giving your power away. Your power is much to sacred to give it away to bits of paper. 

To move away from the mindset that it's the cards that possess the answers and you’re just a passive reader, I suggest the following meditative practice and spoken charm.

Before you perform a reading, be still and take a deep breath in. Let your gaze grow soft as you gently close your eyes and focus on the point between your brows. At the place of your third eye feel and see a light begin to grow. It grows brighter and stronger until it extends beyond and around you completely. 

Within the brightness of your wisdom, recite the following charm:

Blessed be the mirroring of the cards before me
Let what needs to be perceived be seen
Let what needs to be understood be experienced
Let what needs to be known be revealed
I already possess the answer
May I now re-member it
Blessed be.

You are now ready to cast your cards!

The Greenwood Tarot by Chesca Potter

3. Buying all the decks but not working consistently with only one.

I have to say that this is a relatively modern problem. We are experiencing an incredible renaissance in tarot right now. New independent decks are appearing every week and there has been an increase in the variety of mass market decks available. The fear-of-missing-out and the magpie-mind is all too often tempted into purchasing a new deck - whether or not you really need one. 

When your professional life involves tarot decks it’s very easy to always have an excuse to purchase a new one (especially when you’re supporting rad indie artists). Still, I'm so grateful that I when I started to learn tarot I began with one deck and it was my only deck for years. Working with one deck for an extended period of time (such as a year or more) shaped my tarot reading skills for the better. I am not saying that there's no place for using multiple decks at once (either in the same reading or switching up decks on your reading table with greater frequency), but the benefit of working with one deck intimately and extensively cannot be denied. 

Tarot is a magickal language. If you want to learn a new language the best approach is not to try and learn three new languages at once. Or to abandon one language before you’re conversational in it to try another one. I encourage you to connect with one deck for the long haul and work with it until you know it as a friend and familiar. Until you are fluent between each other. Because that is when we can engage more readily with the mysteries that may be revealed within us through tarot. 

Choosing not to buy all the decks and instead working with one is, in part, a practice in self-discipline - a great skill for magickal work in general. It’s also an act of rewiring our beliefs so that we're no longer attempting to find our spiritual intuition and power “out there” and “in that thing” (whether that thing is a new tarot deck, a beautiful crystal or the latest superfood elixir wonder pudding), but to recenter our search within ourselves.

The Elemental Tarot

“For if that which you seek you find not within yourself you shall never find it without…”

- The Charge of the Goddess -

I find the asking my students to work with one deck for at least a year to typically be the hardest task I suggest. It is less hard for those beginners who already feel wary of getting overwhelmed by the imagery of tarot, so sticking with one deck feels comfortable for them. It is often much more difficult for those folks who already have a sizable deck collection and/or are caught up in the non-stop social media driven #mysticore culture. Here’s what I have found though - once folks give themselves permission to working with one deck and one deck only there is not only relief (they no longer feel like they have to keep up with it all), but they find that their practice becomes more profound and enlightening. 

Reading with only one deck of cards for a while one of the quickest ways to get your magick back that I know of if you’re feeling uninspired by your tarot practice.

So what deck should you work with? That’s entirely up to you. It can be a deck that you’ve owned for years or one that you’ve recently acquired. If you’re an absolute beginner I recommend purchasing a deck that is based off of the imagery of Pamela Coleman Smith's deck (marketing as the Rider Waite or Rider Waite Smith Tarot). Smith's deck is the framework for most of our modern decks and learning to read a deck based off of her design will allow you to have a great foundation for understanding most other decks they come across. This was my first deck and it continues to be my most beloved. I particularly love the centennial edition of her deck which brings the art back to her original renderings.

Pamela Colman Smith Centennial Edition Tarot

There they are - the three most common mistakes I see folks (myself included!) make when reading the tarot. May your practice benefit from tuning into what it is you're really seeking and overcome the distractions that pull us from the pleasure of our spiritual path.

What are the common mistakes you see when it comes to reading tarot cards? Let me know in the comments!

I have a whole other post in the works regarding untruths about reading the tarot - sign-up for Magick Mail to be notified when it gets published. If you're needing more tarot in your life asap, check out the rest of my posts on tarot. And to all of you tarot readers and oracle diviners, happy card castings!

Sweet The Sting : Nettles Plant Profile

Often when I think of Nettles I am drawn back to a beautiful memory from my time living in Maine.

I was visiting Avena Botanicals when the herbalist and owner Deb Soule stepped out from the garden with a jar full of fresh Nettle tea. Deb glows with an inner radiance and she smiled commenting on how much she enjoyed her Nettles in the morning. We all agreed that Nettles was an abundant medicine that more folks would benefit from using. And then we went back to washing roots and enjoying the warmth of the growing morning light with the scent of Nettle tea in the air.

Now, I didn't grow up with Nettles in my backyard and didn't have to worry about falling into its sting when out on walks as a kid. When I think of Nettles I find myself drawn into feelings of gentleness. And while the sting of Nettles has left many wary of the plant, the affect of Nettles as an internal remedy is so nourishing that the simple act of drinking fresh Nettle tea can be a clear invocation of gentleness. Combine it with other herbs like Milky Oat (Avena sativa) and you're brewing up a hug in a mug (recipe below). 

I explore both the sting and sweetness of Nettles in my plant profile. What are your favorite ways to use Nettles? Let me know in the comments below. If you're looking for all my plant profiles click here and you can learn how to connect with any plant with the Plant Ally Project. Enjoy!

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Common + Folk Names : Stinging nettle, wild spinach, bee sting nettle, devil’s leaf, hidgy-pidgy, hoky-poky

Planet : Mars

Element : Fire

Signs : Aries (Guardian), Scorpio (Guardian + Remedy), Capricorn (Remedy), Pisces (Remedy)

Moon Phase : Waxing Quarter Moon

Parts used : Leaves, seeds, roots, and young tops

Habitat : Just about everywhere.

Growing conditions : Grow in wet, rich soil – think compost heaps and old manure.

Collection : Cut three to four inches off the early spring plants. Seeds can be collected in the early fall when plants are brown. 

Flavor : Salty, slightly bitter

Temperature : Cool

Moisture : Dry

Tissue State : Cold/Depression, Damp/Stagnation

Constituents : Amines (acetylcholine, histamine, serotonin), ascorbic acid, flavonoids, minerals such as iron, potassium, calcium, silica, vitamin B, C, E, K, silicon, manganese, zinc, magnesium, chromium, protein, tannins. 

Actions : Alterative, antihaemorrhagic, antiallergenic, anti-rheumatic, anti-inflammatory, astringent, blood tonic, circulation stimulant, decongestant, diuretic, expectorant, haemostatic, hypoglycemic, hypotensive, immune-stimulant, nutritive, vasodilator, thyroid tonic, antiseptic

Main Uses : Herbalist David Hoffman has a wonderful quote about Nettles that I heartily agree with: “When in doubt, Nettles.” A wonderfully nutritive herb, Nettles has a nourishing effect on the entire body with a broad range of uses. 

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Nettles has an affinity for the blood. It moves stagnant blood, improves circulation, and is a rich source of iron. The herb is also useful in reducing blood sugar levels and balancing blood pressure. Use in cases of anemia and general weakness and debility. The herb helps alleviate heavy and prolonged periods, nosebleeds, and to stops excess bleeding both internally and externally. Nettle also has a strong relationship with the kidneys, stimulating sluggish kidneys, moving stagnant water, and generally cleansing the fluids of the body.

During pregnancy, Nettles, in combination with other herbs such as Raspberry Leaf (Rubus idaeus), is a wonderful daily multivitamin for parent and growing fetus. Use in postpartum, too, especially if there has been blood loss. Nettles has an amphoteric affect on the milk supply meaning that it increases milk if there is too little or reduces it if there is too much. 

For reproductive systems in general, Nettle root has been used to treat prostatitis, vaginitis, and vaginal discharges. If infertility is an issue, Nettles is almost always useful for nourishing and revitalizing the body attempting to conceive. If low libido, erectile dysfunction or general sexual anxiety is present, Nettles helps to resettle and center the nervous system (combine with Avena sativa for an especially nourishing brew). Use during menopause for nightsweats - take as a tea before bed combined with Sage (Salvia officinalis). The root reduces prostate enlargement.

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Nettles are a strengthening herb to use when a person’s constituent is weak or weakened – when anemia is present or with a weak digestive system and especially during convalescence. Helps increase energy and overcome fatigue. Restores a worn-down emotional system. Nettles strengthens the kidneys and adrenal glands, activates the metabolism, nourishes the liver and blood, and improves elasticity of veins. The diuretic and anti-inflammatory actions of Nettles are useful in treating rheumatism and gout. The herb enlivens the immune system and has been used traditionally in the treatment of cancer. Overall, Nettles are great spring medicine - they help to brush off the heaviness of winter and enrich our bodies with an injection of Vitamin C amongst other nutrients. Include the tea in your morning routine and cook the young greens like spinach for your spring green meals. 

As an anti-allergen, Nettles strengthens the outer membranes of cells which makes them less vulnerable to inflammation and allergic reactions. Nettles are used to treat eczema, hayfever, asthma, acne, and food allergies. Warm Nettle tea helps the body to release excess mucus from the lungs and colon and stops the cycle of mucous membrane hyperactivity.

Use externally as an oil or wash for bedsores, diaper rash, burns and wounds, brittle nails, and to treat the sting of Nettles itself. Traditional use includes hitting arthritic joints with fresh Nettles to alleviate pain and stiffness. Matthew Wood uses Nettles topically for muscle weakness of the inner thighs (especially for the middle-aged and older) to great success. I have found Nettles to be good (both internally and externally) for growing pains of all sorts, emotional and physical.

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"No plant is more useful in domestic medicine."
- Hilda Leyel -

Magickal Uses : Protective powers employed to reverse curses and return negative energy to the sender. Use as a protective powder around the boundaries of the house and to keep away ghosts. Tossed into a fire it averts danger and combined with Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) it turns away fear. As a “carnivorous” plant it is used in purification baths to eat harmful energies. Used in wash to consecrate athames.  Lucky for fishing. Silver Ravenwolf suggests an association with the Greek Goddess Hekate and the Egyptian Scorpion Goddess Selkhet.

The Nettles Personality : The Nettles personality struggles to live in the moment. They are often dazed, brain-fogged, and worn down. Many are simply going through the motions of their day, the little pleasant details of life are simply a blur, and pass by unappreciated. There can be a lingering feeling of sadness, wariness, and uncertainty. The blur and sameness of it all can make a Nettles person feel like they are boundary-less but not in an expansive and blissful sort of way. They can get walked all over by others and begin to feel resentful for not being appreciated. Fortunately, Nettles helps to bring us rapidly back to the moment (think about how their sting does just that when you accidentally stumble upon them). For the muddled and unmoored a healthy re-centering can go a long way in helping them to feel better. In addition to re-centering, Nettles also helps us to set boundaries with our selves which, in turn, allows us to set healthy boundaries with others. With the heat and stimulation of Nettles, the fog can lift and the excitement of life come rushing back in.

Contraindications : Do not take root during pregnancy. Nettle Seed can be too stimulating for some. Avoid overstraining the kidneys by using Nettles for 3 weeks on and 1 week off. 

Drug interactions : Use with caution with blood thinners.

Dosage : Leaf: 1 teaspoon per of 1 cup of water. 3 -  40 drops (1:5, 60% alcohol extract).

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Remedies + Charms

A General Sense of Wellbeing Tea | Alexis J. Cunningfolk

Combine equal parts of the following:

• Oats (Avena sativa)

• Nettles (Urtica dioica)

• Chamomile (Matricaria recutita)

Let steep for 20 minutes and then add in a generous amount of your milk of choice for a nourishing and relaxing brew.

Menopause Nightsweats Tea | Deb Soule
from The Roots of Healing

Combine equal parts of :

• Sage (Salvia officinalis)

• Nettles (Urtica dioica)

Prepare as standard infusion and enjoy 1 hour before bed.

Electuary of Nettles | Elisabeth Brooke
from An Astrological Herbal for Women

Beat some dried nettle leaves into a fine powder and pass through a hair sieve to remove any large particles. To 25 g (1 oz) of powder, add 75 g (3 oz) clarified honey and mix well in a mortar. Store in an earthenware pot.

Dose: 15 g to 25 g (1/2 to 1 oz) to purge the body of phlegm.

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Envisioning Healing : The New Moon in Aries

Where I place my attention
sets the stage
for the action of my life.

- juliett jade chi -

With the magick of the Spring Equinox coursing through our veins, the first New Moon of the season is in Aries. As the first sign of the zodiac, Aries the Ram can be a force to be reckoned with. It is a sign of the individual, helping us to find the “me” after the period of Pisces “we” that we’ve been in. We can take action in order to manifest our dreams of the New Moon in Pisces.  The New Moon in Aries challenges us to create what we've been called to bring into the world. The lunar energies are focused on you and your unique powers and gifts! The Aries New Moon tells you to set your heart as a compass and go out to find your horizon.

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Any Moon in Aries is a great opportunity to recognize places of stagnation in your life. Where are you feeling knotted and blocked? What relationships have you tangled? How do you need to move in order to no longer feel restricted? As the guardian of the eyes, Aries helps us to see what is really going on in our lives. If you’re someone who struggles to put your needs first, the New Moon in Aries can be challenging. But that’s a good thing because we have needs that require our attention. I believe strongly that to recognize your needs and learning how to answer them is one of the best ways to see and have compassion for the needs of others. When our needs are met, we’re no longer operating from a deficit and can be more generous as healers towards our families, lovers, and community. 

So take up the horns of the Ram and use some of this mighty Aries energy to bust through the walls and barriers holding you back from experiencing all that is you!

Nettles (Urtica dioica)
New Moon in Aries Plant Ally

As herbalist David Hoffman says, “When in doubt, Nettles.”

The herbs of Aries move stagnation and Nettles is a fantastically energizing herb. Nettles has a strong affinity for the blood, helping to move stagnant blood through improving circulation and enriching the iron content of our blood cells. The herb also works intelligently with reducing blood sugar levels and balancing blood pressure. Nettles are a nutritive herb, too, rich in vitamins and minerals which helps with general weakness and debility.

Nettle also has a strong relationship with the kidneys, stimulating sluggish kidneys, moving stagnant water, and generally cleansing the fluids of the body. As an anti-allergen (perfect for this time of year!), Nettles strengthens the outer membranes of cells which makes them less vulnerable to inflammation and allergic reactions. Nettles can be used in cases of eczema, hayfever, asthma, acne, and food allergies.

Traditional use of the herb includes hitting arthritic joints with fresh Nettles to alleviate pain and stiffness. I have found Nettles to be good (both internally and externally) for growing pains of all sorts, emotional and physical, which further aligns with Aries guardianship of youth and the young. Nettles helps to recenter the excited and “ready-to-go” mind that the energy of Aries brings into a focused power.

Flower + Gem Essences for the New Moon in Aries: Milky Oat (Avena sativa), Beech (Fagus sylvatica), Holly (Ilex aquifolium), Impatiens (Impatiens glandulifera), Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata), Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis), Jasper, Bloodstone, Rose Quartz.

Essential Oils for Aries: Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis), Black Pepper (Piper nigrum), Ginger (Zingiber officinale), Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis), Chamomile (Anthemis nobilis).

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Healing Vision

Begin in a sacred way (read the New Moon in Aquarius post for further inspiration). You will need a handheld mirror for this rite, but you can improvise with any reflective surface that you can see yourself in.

Place the mirror before you, with the reflective part turned away from you and facing out into the world. Cover your face with your hands and contemplate the healing you desire. Observe what arises, but do not attempt to hold on to any of it. Let it pass through your mind unhindered.

With your healing desire firmly fixed in your mind’s eye, recite three times the following charm: 

Unmask the hidden
Remove the blindfold
I seek healing freedom
My path to behold

With the reflective part still turned out from you, hold the mirror to each of the four directions, then below and above you. Finally rest it at your heart. The mirror is seeing what you need to see in order to heal, for the outer world reflects our inner needs.

Take another deep breath and then turn the mirror towards you so that you see yourself in it. Soften your gaze and look at your reflection as you continue to breathe slow and deep. Observe whatever thoughts, feelings, and visions arise within you. If you so desire, perform the oracle for further insight.

When ready, look again at your reflection and say:

I love you, {your name},
I deserve all of my healing and more
I see my path
and hold the desire to explore.
Blessed be.

Keep the mirror on your altar on carry it with you to look at and recite the closing charm as needed until the next New Moon.

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Oracle

With a divinatory tool of your choosing ask the following question. You can also ponder it during meditation or through journalling.

What barrier blocks the view of my healing path?

Additional queries to consider:

• What relationships tangle me unnecessarily and hold me back from healing?

• What needs of mine do I ignore?

Tarot Cards of Aries

Every card within the tarot deck has an astrological association. The following correspondences follow the system laid out by the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. You can add these cards to your altar as part of your New Moon in Aries magick or use them in readings to help with determining celestial influence or timing (i.e. this will come to pass at when the Moon is in Pisces).

• The Sign of Aries: The Emperor

• Mars in Aries: Two of Wands

• Sun in Aries: Three of Wands

• Venus in Aries: Four of Wands

• The Fire Signs of Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius: Ace of Wands

Find all of the New Moon Healers Project posts right over here. Be sure to share your insights and experiences in the comments below or via instagram with the tag #NewMoonHealersProject.

Need more astroherbology in your life? You can learn more about the astroherbology of Aries by reading my in-depth profile on the sign. For those of you ready to learn how to work your magick and create your herbal remedies by the cycle of Moon and star, you're invited to join The Lunar Apothecary.

Blessed New Moon, wise healers.
May your healing be healing to us all.
May our healing be healing to you.
Blessed be! Blessed be! Blessed be!

Witchcraft + Weeds: Healing + Magickal Practices for Spring

Later this month is the spring equinox which marks the turn of the year from the dark half to the bright half in the northern hemisphere.

Days will grow longer from here until Midsummer and the sight and scent of new growing things abounds. Every turn of the season invites us to shed the old and take up the new so that we may be better able to be present in the moment as well as prepare for what lies ahead. As an herbalist and witch, my seasonal celebrations revolve around weeds and witchcraft, and I’m going to share some of those traditions now with you!

The Spring Equinox marks the transition of the Sun from the last sign of the zodiac (Pisces) to the first (Aries). We leave the dreamy waters of the fish to the fiery-headed realm of the ram. The energy of the earth is stirring after winter's slumber. From the diffusive way of Pisces, energies within and around us begin to move inward and up. Take pleasure in the delirious scents of flowers in the air. Laugh loudly to clear out stagnation in your lungs. Swing your arms up to catch the wind. Light sacred fires and revel in the new promise of spring. 

Weeds

Body System Focus : Lungs, Lymphs, + Blood
or Breath Deep + Move

Within the four elements system of traditional western herbalism (I write more about TWH energetics over here), the season of spring is the transformation of water into air or cold into heat. Within our bodies the settled cold of water gives way to the energizing energy of air. It is time to move from a place of winter stillness to the awakening dance of spring. We seek out plants and ways of being that clear out the excess of phlegmatic energy of late winter so that we can strengthen the blood-building sanguine season of spring. Our weedy plant allies of early spring are typically mineral and vitamin rich, clearing to the blood and respiratory system, and toning to the lymph nodes. If you find your energy is still cold and damp from the winter, consider Aries herbs and healing ways to help you find your spring fire.

Spring weeds are abundant sources of healing nutrients that our waking winter bodies crave. Walk through a wild place or a city park and you’ll come across at least one healing weed (such as Dandelion Taraxacum officinale) that would do well to be in your spring rotation of plant allies. Enjoying foraged weeds as food and medicine is an amazing way to connect with the season and practice self-care. If you want to learn more about the healing properties of weeds, I highly recommend checking out The Wise Wisdom of Weeds: 13 Essential Plants for Human Survival by Katrina Blair.

Cleavers (Galium aparine) : My backyard fills up with Cleavers come spring and I couldn’t be happier for it! The naturally sticky herb is a great mover of stuck energy and fluids. From constipation to fibroids, to kidney and gall stones, and old blood, Cleavers moves out congestion. They are mild tasting and an easy addition to tea, but work best when juiced. 

Plantain (Plantago major) : A well-known topical remedy for insect stings and rashes, Plantain can also be used internally for digestive complaints such as IBS, excess gas, and stomach ulcers. Like many spring weeds, it is clearing to the respiratory system, helping to clear out old coughs and sinus congestion. 

White Clover (Trifolium repens) : White Clover is a nutritious and sweet tasting herb that can be easily incorporated in teas. It has a clearing energy and while Red Clover is especially attuned to the lower half of the body, especially the womb, White Clover has a greater affinity for the upper half of the body. It is great for clearing out old coughs and head colds still lingering from winter. Add it to facial steams and herbal baths to help connect your body to the revitalizingenergy of spring.

Yellow Wood Sorrel (Oxalis stricta) : Also known as Sour Leaf, the leaf is pleasantly flavored and helps to soothe upset stomachs. The flowers are a beautiful edition to salads. The sour taste of the plant lets us know that it is most likely nutritive, cleansing to the liver, and a digestive tonic. Now, a whole salad of only sorrel leaves is not recommended as the high oxalic acid in its leaves can cause nutrient deficiency by preventing calcium absorption, but a few leaves in a tea or salad is perfectly fine.

Wild Mustard Flower Essence : I love walking through the forest of Wild Mustard that pops up on hillsides and empty urban plots throughout my city. It is a resolutely cheerful flower and in addition to adding the spicy leaves to a stir-fry (yum!), you can create a flower essence with its blossoms to help you shake off persistent gloom. It’s a great essence for folks who especially struggle with believing that the sun will ever return during these lingering grey days of early spring. 

Witchcraft

Spring promises new beginnings, fresh starts, and new dreams to manifest. Spring is a good time for revolutions on personal and cultural levels, and as Witch folk and magick-makers, we can tap into this flow. I think of the spring-related protest slogans I’ve seen over the years from “They tried to bury us but they forgot that we were seeds” or the classic “Sisterhood is Blooming - springtime will never be the same” by the Chicago Women's Graphics Collective. If you were to create an inspiring slogan for your personal spring season what would it be? Below I’ve written about the three paths of spring magick that I practice to connect with the energy of the season and live my magick.

3 Paths of Spring Magick

Waking Up : We wake up to the new season of spring from the restorative slumber of winter. Rituals include waking up the house and garden with pots and pans clanging, spring yipping, and joyful song; greeting the Sacred Youth of Spring who finally reemerges from their winter retreat; banishing unwanted energy; washing your body with spring herbs to awaken your soul shrine to the promise of spring; blessing your apothecary and/or sacred space for the beginning of the new season of growing; dream rituals of Pisces and new beginning rituals of Aries; creating your own herb harvest ritual for the beginning of the spring harvest season.

Waking Up Meditation : Visualize pulling off layers of colorful blankets, emerging from your winter cocoon into your spring state of being.

Making Space : We make space for the new energy of spring to enter our lives and homes by clearing out physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual clutter. Rituals include washing floors and windows; spring cleaning and rearrangement of sacred altars; donating unwanted items (especially those that you keep out of a sense of guilt or obligation); divination to help guide you to what you should be making more space for in your life; self-blessings to make space for all of you to show up in your life; blessing new bottles, jars, and other apothecary equipment for the new season.

Making Space Meditation : Lay flat on your back (or in an alternatively open position that is comfortable for you) and breathe deeply while visualizing a bright light glowing around you, protecting you from that which does not serve you and attracting that which benefits you. Resist visualizing specifics - just allow for the idea good things coming your way to be your focus.

Inviting In : We invite in those things which we hope to grow in the coming season. Rituals include magnet spells to draw towards you your goals and desires; soul-return rituals; choosing to work with a specific deity, ancestor, spirit or guide for the coming season; working with a plant ally; making an enchanted honey pot to attract abundance and love to you; hanging wind chimes and ribbons in windows and from trees to call in helpful spirits and energies; leaving offerings to land spirits.

Inviting In Meditation : Visualizing a goal or energy that you want to call to you, open your arms wide and then pull them towards you, embracing that which you seek. Let your hands and arms brush over your whole body so that which you are calling to you becomes grounded in your being. Repeat nine times to seal the spell. 

White Clover Window Wash

After the dark of winter, I love the early light of spring. While every sabbat is an opportunity for a big house clean, I make sure to clean the windows at the spring equinox to let in the happy, healing light of the season. Making an herbal wash to help accomplish this task imbues the act with greater magick. White Clover flowers and leaves are protective and lucky which are two energies that I happily welcome into my home.

To prepare your wash pick nine Clover blossoms and three three-leafed clover leaf clusters. Add to a heatproof container (preferably glass or ceramic) and cover with hot water. Let steep overnight (preferably on the spring equinox itself or the nearest new moon) and strain. Add this water to your window cleaning solution. Whatever of the White Clover water you don’t use, be sure to offer it back to the earth.

I clean my windows first in a widdershins (or counterclockwise) direction and then in a deosil (or clockwise) direction to banish the old and welcome in the new. Often I accompany this with song welcoming in the elements and abundance of love, peace, and joy in the coming season. It's a simple ritual, but my home always feels more magickal and ready for spring when it has been completed. 

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What are your favorite healing and magickal practices for spring? Let me know in the comments. You can also check out the rest of my seasonal apothecary series:

• Summer Wellness Apothecary

• Autumn Wellness Apothecary

• Winter Wellness Apothecary

Becoming Dreams : The New Moon in Pisces

Who can read the dampened leaves
in the tea bowl of the world
when the wind has sipped
the rain away?

- Karen Ethelsdattar -

The New Moon in Pisces is a time of rooting dreams from the realm of the in-between to our shared reality. Dreams are potent agents of change - but in order to make full use of their power we must be able to ground and root them so that they may grow. I love the energy of the New Moon in Pisces - the veils between waking and dreaming part just enough so that we're able to interact with our dreams in a new way. If you have a dream of practicing full time as a healer, now is an excellent time to pull that dream closer towards you and ground it in sacred earth so it may manifest. But you can pull any dream closer to you. Dreams which support your work as a healer such as the dream of financial stability or the perfect office space are great to focus on. Maybe the dream is the ability to connect with the pleasure of your bliss with ease every day. Or you have a dream of speaking with your plant allies in clear and understandable ways.

No dreams are too dreamy for a Pisces New Moon. And that is one of the biggest gifts of this New Moon - we are encouraged to dream big and wild and with abandon. Better yet, we are encouraged to become our dreams. It is good then, in the work of becoming waking dreams, that we have plant allies, ways to create change through ritual, and the power of divinatory introspection. Because though we are the only ones who can become our individual dreams, all of us are dreamers dreaming together.

Angelica (Angelica archangelica)
New Moon in Pisces Plant Ally

Angelica is a Guardian herb of Pisces, meaning that it promotes the healing qualities of the sign. I like Angelica when a energetically watery remedy is needed, but it needs to be warming instead of cooling. As a warming and oily herb, Angelica helps to move oils and fats through the body more effectively, including their metabolism and break-up of excess fluids. With its affinity to Pisces, the herb also works on the lymphatic system, clearing out congestion through its antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory actions. The herb is also a diaphoretic, opening the skin and improving peripheral circulation. 

Angelica calms both the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems, finding balance between the two. I have found that folks who get stuck in the world of dreams or have a hard time accessing dreams need some extra support with their nervous system. Angelica calms anxiety (including the anxious worry of whether one will be able to manifest their dreams) and helps to rebuild the protective sheaths of the nervous system as part of its ability to move oils effectively through the body. As a brain tonic, Angelica improves mental clarity, uplifts the mood, and stimulates the imagination.

Continue reading the full Angelica Plant Profile.

Flower + Gem Essences for the New Moon in Pisces: Rabbitbrush (Chrysothamnus nauseosus), Rock Rose (Helianthemum nummularium), Purple Monkeyflower (Mimulus lewisii), Clematis (Clematis vitalba), Southern Cross (Xanthosia rotundifolia), Amethyst.

Essential Oils for Pisces: Lamon Balm (Melissa officinalis), Geranium (Pelargonium graveolens), Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis), Birch (Betula lenta), Jasmine (Jasminum officinale) , Pine (Pinus sylvestris).

image via 贝莉儿 ng

Becoming A Dream

Begin in a sacred way (read the New Moon in Aquarius post for further inspiration). If you are able to, perform this ritual outside on the bare earth with a bowl of water. If performed indoors you may choose to have a bowl of earth in addition to a bowl of water - but these can easily be visualized if not available. If using a bowl of water and earth, make sure that there is less water than earth so that the bowl of earth does not become oversaturated.

Choose a dream or desire to focus on. It should be something which feels just out of reach.  

Hold the bowl of water in your hands (or visualize a bowl full of water in between your hands). Say:

 I call to me the dream of {speak your dream clearly and concisely}.

Take a moment to settle into the feeling of your dream. What would it feel like to make it real? By feeling this dream you are pulling it towards you. Breathe in deep and embody these feelings. Visualize the dream taking up space within the water. Put the bowl of water down and place your hands upon the earth (or hold or visualize a bowl of earth). Say:

I call to me the earth's power to root and grow my dream of {speak your dream clearly and concisely}.

Take a few centering breaths here. Let your energy sink into the earth. Feel the solidity and structure. Feel the possibility and power. Visualize the first step you need to take to manifest your dream. It is not necessary that you know how a dream will be accomplished, but only necessary that you know the next step to take. If you are having difficulty determining this, perform the oracle before this rite.

When you feel that you and the earth have opened up to receive the dream seed, pour the water onto the earth, reserving a small amount to use to anoint yourself. The dream passes through water and into earth to be made manifest. Seal the spell by anointing your belly button (your original root) with the water left in the bowl. Say:

The dream awakens and becomes me. So mote it be!

It is important to do the first step that you visualized by the Full Moon in order to help manifest your dream. If you have used a bowl of earth in this rite, be sure to give it to the earth outside within the next 24 hours. 

The World Spirit Tarot

Oracle

With a divinatory tool of your choosing ask the following question. You can also ponder it during meditation or through journalling.

What is my most desired dream of healing?

Additional queries to consider:

• What dreams do I ignore because they seem to big or unattainable?

• What dreams have I already made manifest?

Tarot Cards of Pisces

Every card within the tarot deck has an astrological association. The following correspondences follow the system laid out by the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. You can add these cards to your altar as part of your New Moon in Pisces magick or use them in readings to help with determining celestial influence or timing (i.e. this will come to pass at when the Moon is in Pisces).

• The Sign of Pisces: The Moon

• Saturn in Pisces: Eight of Cups

• Jupiter in Pisces: Nine of Cups

• Mars in Pisces: Ten of Cups

• The Water Signs of Pisces, Cancer, and Scorpio: Ace of Cups

Find all of the New Moon Healers Project posts right over here. Be sure to share your insights and experiences in the comments below or via instagram with the tag #NewMoonHealersProject.

Need more astroherbology in your life? You can learn more about the astroherbology of Pisces by reading my in-depth profile on the sign. For those of you ready to learn how to work your magick and create your herbal remedies by the cycle of Moon and star, you're invited to join The L unar Apothecary.

Blessed New Moon, wise healers.
May your healing be healing to us all.
May our healing be healing to you.
Blessed be! Blessed be! Blessed be!