Thursday, December 31, 2009

Have Your Animal Totems Been Going Nuts?

Is it just me or have the animal spirits really been going out of their way to reach us with their messages? I've always had a lot of contact with animal totems, especially the ones close to me, like Raven and Eagle, but it seems to me that these days they are really going nuts!

For instance, the other day I was out gathering wood and a brilliantly-colored Red Fox strolled right by the woodpile. He stopped, turned and looked at me for a minute, before casually strolling off. A few days later I watched in fascination as a Bald Eagle played with a Raven. These are not typical playmates.

Finally, this morning, a tiny, tiny spider crawled repeatedly all over my computer as I tried to write. At first, I put up with her meanderings, then I tried to gently remove from my computer and put her elsewhere on my desk. She kept coming back until I stopped to ponder her message.

Spider carries many messages, but her message for me had to do with creativity, as Spider represents the energy of creative force. Her message was for me to be creative in finding alternatives to a current impasse in my life ... and to never forget that I can ALWAYS start a new phase in my life, much as Spider weaves a new web frequently.

It All Makes Sense
This went along with the daily quote I received in my inbox from Abraham, one of my favorite spiritual teachers:

"In your action, you lose sight of the vision, you lose sight of your trust in the process, and you just bang around in your sense of futility ... Hold the vision and trust the process."

Suddenly, everything fit together! I realized that instead of being resourceful and creative like the Spider, I was spending a lot of time "banging around," as it were. I was making a lot of noise but not getting very far. I needed to be cunning like the Fox, and use magic like the Raven. And Eagle? Eagle was reminding me to take heart and be courageous in the face of spiritual tests. Wow, what a message from all of these animal totems.

What Are Your Animal Totems Saying To You?
Have you been seeing a lot of animal totems turning up in strange places in your life? If you live in a city, you may seem some quite odd creatures showing up in the cityscape. If an animal totem who normally does not roam the city streets takes the trouble to travel all the way into the city to send you a message, it is best to take heed. If you don't know what the message may be, you can:

1. Meditate on the message yourself
2. Consult a book, like "Animal Speak"
3. Check out the meaning of various animal totems online
4. Ask the Universe for more clarification (with the Navajo Beauty Way perhaps)
5. Learn to communicate directly with animals and totems with our Animal Communication Ebook.

Hope these resources give you a "leg up" when the animal totems start showing up everywhere. Magic is speeding up all around the globe and we need to be more aware, more conscious than ever. To that end, animal totems, angels, guides, and other spiritual beings are upping the ante on their messages to us. So listen up ... or be prepared for that universal two-by-four to come swinging at you, repeatedly!

But most of all, enjoy and be appreciative of those spirit guides. They love us, support us, and help us as much as we allow them to. Feel lucky, even if you do get hit by a spiritual two-by-four because a lot of people are not able to make use of this kind of guidance, and suffer all the more because of it.

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Tuesday, December 22, 2009

How to Cast Stronger Magic Spells Voodoo Style

Voodoo magic often uses simulacra magic, or the magic of using objects with a "likeness" to something in the outer world, to create an effect in the outer world.

For instance, one magical practitioner took revenge on another by "keying" a figurine to that person, and then shipping the figurine around the world on a slow ship. Needless to say, the victim of the voodoo magic spell was nauseous and dizzy for about a month (the length of the voyage). This is an example of an effective voodoo style magic spell.

How to Cast Stronger Voodoo Spells
In the case of simulacra magic, as in the use of voodoo dolls, many magical practitioners fail achieve strong results. Then they think that voodoo magic doesn't work. Not so. However, there are reasons that simulacra magic does not work as well as it should. Normally, there are three reasons that simulacra magic doesn't produce as strong a result as it should.

1. The Voodoo Object Is Not Similar Enough to the Real Thing
As the name implies, simulacra magic means that the object used in the spell should be as "similar" as possible to the object of the spell. If, for instance, you are going to use a simulacrum in a map spell, to move a naughty neighbor out of your area, then your best bet is to choose a "voodoo doll" that is as similar to your neighbor in looks and personality as possible. If your neighbor is tall, gaunt, and hunched, then look for a figurine that is tall, gaunt, and hunched over. A short fat figurine won't work, nor will a ballerina figurine. It always amazes me how many people pick any old figurine to use for a voodoo spell. If you want to cast stronger voodoo spells, be very specific about the object used as the simulacrum.

2. The Material of the Voodoo Doll or Object Won't Hold a Key
"Keying" is the magical process by which you connect the object of a simulacra spell to the object it represents in the real world. For instance, in the case of the map spell, keying is the process by which you connect the figurine to your naughty neighbor. Assuming that you have chosen a figurine that closely matches your neighbor in looks and personality, you next must be sure that the figurine is made of a material that will hold the "key," or connection to the real world person.

Materials such as wood, metal, glass, and ceramic work well. Plastic, rubber, and modern composites tend not to hold a key. If you want to cast stronger voodoo spells, make sure your voodoo doll or object is made of the right materials. For most simple voodoo magic spells, you can key a figurine just by holding it in your dominant hand and flowing energy into the object as you think about the person. Once the object feels warm and tingly, it is keyed. Just be careful: once keyed, whatever you do to the object you do to the person and you are karmically responsible! Read about Rules of the Road on our website for more information about the universal laws that govern magical practice.

3. The Voodoo Doll or Object Was Not Cleansed
Cleansing a simulacrum is very important prior to use in spellwork, especially if the object is not new. Objects pick up vibrations and energy when they are handled, so you want to cleanse these from the object before using it in your spell. A basic four-element cleansing with a firebowl and chalice usually does the trick (learn how to do basic cleansing with out Firebowl and Chalice ebooks). Once an object is cleansed, it's ready for use in spellwork, and you avoid any "side bands" that might have been generated from previous handling of the object.

Simulacra or voodoo magic is a powerful form of magic. If you are not getting the intended results from your voodoo magic spells, check these three points to see if your spell is leaking energy. If so, as demonstrated in the three points above, remedying the situation isn't difficult. As Reverend George Dew of the Church of Seven Arrows always used to say:

"Take your time, think it through, and do it right!"

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Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Magical Flower Essences for Fear, Despair, and Uncertainty

Fear, despair, and uncertainty ... that certainly captures the nature of the times for many people. And into the breach comes ... flower essences! Flower essences are true magic, as well as wonderful gifts from the Earth.

Dating back to ancient Lemurian times, flower essences are vibrational wonders that can uplift the spirit, heal the body, and bring hope to a weary soul! If you feel fearful, uncertain, or depressed, here are some wonderful flower essences that can really help. They really are magical in the effects they can create.

Flower Essences for Relieving Fear
- Rock Rose-for dauntless courage. Gift: courage, strength of character.
- Chamomile-nervousness, anxiety. Gift: calming, relaxing.
- Mimulus-long time fears, extremes, dominated. Gift: fearless, confident.
- Cherry Plum-loss of control, vicious, to remain in control. Gift: calm, quiet, in control.
- Aspen-spooky, impending harm. Gift: connected, fearless.
- Red Chestnut-worry. Gift: positive, calm.

Flower Essences for Alleviating Despair or Depression
- Crab Apple-cleansing toxins, physical and emotional. Gift: cleansing toxins, emotional/ physical.
- Willow-resentment. Gift: optimistic, responsible, acceptance.
- Sweet Chestnut-despairing, burned out. Gift: faith, trust.
- Pine-rejection, abuse, guilt, never succeeding. Gift: responsible, humble.
- Oak-chronic exhaustion, overworked but keeps struggling. Gift: strong, dependable.
- Star of Bethlehem-any kind of trauma or loss of a loved one, gives comfort. Gift: comforts all traumas.

Flower Essences for Easing Uncertainty
- Scleranthus-neurological confusion. Gift: balanced.
- Cerato-mentally flighty, difficulty focusing. Gift: certain, strong.
- Gorse-hopelessness, giving up. Gift: faith, hope, positive.
- Wild Oat-bored, feeling un-useful. Gift: talents, feeling useful, definite character.
- Gentian-set backs, disappointment. Gift: restores hope, long illness rehabilitation.
- Hornbeam-weariness. Gift: certain, lots of energy.

How to Take Flower Essences
You can take single flower essences or you can mix them together. The effects are powerful either way. To make your own formula, mix spring water with alcohol (like brandy) in an ounce dropper bottle, then add 4 drops of each chosen flower essence, which you can purchase in most health food stores.

You can either take the mixture from the dropper bottle 3 to 4 times a day, or, for longer effects, add 4 drops of the mixture to a bottle of spring water and sip the water all day long. Adding flower essences to bathwater is also effective, not to mention pleasant.

The length of time you take flower essences is a very individual decision. You can take them for as long as they provide relief, or until you feel a shift inside yourself. At that point, you may wish to stop taking the essence, and take some time to integrate those changes. Alternatively, you can switch to a new flower essence formula if you feel that a change is called for.

To learn more about flower remedies, how to use them, and how to make them, check out the ebook "Energy Healing for Self and Others" in our online store. The ebook details not only flower essences, but a number of magical and natural healing techniques including the use of herbs, aromatherapy, meditations with sound, and the use of color. Enjoy!

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Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Why Bad Magic Happens to Good People

People who are new to the art and science of practicing magic are often surprised when they start doing magic rituals and discover that their lives get worse, not better, at least temporarily.

Tires go flat on their car, they get into fights with their spouse, or an unexpectedly large expense pops up. Then they wonder, "I'm a good person. Is this a warning from the universe that I shouldn't practice magic?"

Nope, it's not. I've seen it happen over and over again, and I have a name for it: the inconvenience factor.

Magic and the Inconvenience Factor
Anyone who starts practicing magic will undoubtedly run into the inconvenience factor ... it's a universal law. In fact, it's the universe's way of protecting esoteric material, and of testing whether someone's desire to learn this material is truly genuine or just a momentary wish in passing.

Whenever we start a new Basic Magic course or in-depth teleconference course, we warn students that the inconvenience factor is bound to occur. This factor tends to keep students from being able to attend class on a regular basis, at least at first. When the class is a teleconference course, the inconvenience factor turns up in a number of ways. One student may try to call into the teleconference only to get an "all circuits busy" signal. Another student may plan on using his cell phone only to find that the battery has suddenly died. A third student may have printed out his homework materials in readiness for class, and then discover that he can't find them anywhere.

Serious students, having been warned about the inconvenience factor, simply strive until they overcome the "all circuits busy signal" or dead cell phone battery. They may show up in class flustered and aggravated, but they do show up through sheer perseverance. This is the kind of effort the universe seeks to divide those who truly want to learn magic from those who just want to win the lottery tomorrow.

True desire is what separates a person capable of becoming a powerful magician from a dilettante. True desire is also what allows a person access to magical materials. The dilettantes always fall by the wayside, sidetracked by inconvenient life events, long before we get to the "really good stuff" in class.

Is the Inconvenience Factor a Form of Religious Warning or Vengenace?
This is a question that arises from time to time from students who have been raised with a strongly religious background that discourages the practice of magic. When these students are confronted by minor fender-benders or other inconvenient life events, they wonder whether these events are warnings from a jealous god to stay away from magical practice. That is, of course, one interpretation, and those who feel this interpretation to be true should stay away from magical practice.

However, we have worked with hundreds of students with this type of background who have successfully made it past the inconvenience factor with no further consequences. Life is as you believe it to be, and thus if you believe in a jealous god who discourages magical practice, the events of your life will bear out this belief. On the other hand, if you believe the universe is big enough to accommodate both magic and religion, then you will find that you can practice magic in harmony with the practice of your religion.

The Rules of the Road: Rules of Magical Practice
Magic, like all arts and sciences, has its own set of rules. We follow the Rules of the Road, as put forth by Reverend George Dew of the Church of Seven Arrows. We find, by our experience and observation, that these rules are true, immutable, and quite freeing. Check them out here and see if you agree:

Click here for Rules of the Road.

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Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Are the End Times Coming? I Have No Survival Gear!

As we approach 2012 people are getting increasingly nervous about the so-called "end times," with many people saying that the current economic downturn is simply a pre-cursor to "the end of it all" (whatever that means!).

Are the end times coming in the catastrophic ways predicted by Nostradamus and other predictors? Will California fall into the ocean? Will our population be decimated by a deadly virus? Will the poles change position, bringing on all kinds of natural disasters?

I hope not. I forgot to pack a survival kit!

What's Really Going to Happen in 2012?
First of all, whether 2012 is even the correct date for a major world-shifting event is up for question, depending on who does the prediction. The Mayan calendar, the calculations of the Hopi legends, and Nostradamus don't all agree on the date. But suffice to say that we are moving from the Piscean Age into the Aquarian Age ... and some things will definitely change in the world.

So then the question becomes, "What is going to happen during this change and how do we prepare?"

Based on my conversations with Grandmother, the spirit of Earth, who is also known by many other names, and my own observations, I'm pretty sure that I won't need a survival pack of the physical kind. Granola bars, meal packs, and water are not going to be my main concerns.

Grandmother has made it perfectly clear that during this world change, unlike any other, physical changes will be at a minimum, and mass extinctions will not take place. The poles will not trade places. In other words, the planet itself is not going to "take the hit."

Who is Going to "Take the Hit" During This World Change?
Good question. I wondered that myself, so I asked Grandmother. Her reply? "You." How comforting! She wasn't talking about me specifically, but the beings (spirits) that inhabit the earth. In other words, instead of transformation taking place in the physical world, the changes are going to take place within us. We are going to take the hit - personally, so to speak.

California probably won't fall into the ocean, but our hearts may sink into our stomachs quite a lot during the next few years. The economic changes occurring already have a lot of people feeling anxious ... and that's just the beginning. The way I understand it based on my conversation with Grandmother, in the coming days we will each be faced with situations that make us feel uncomfortable, angry, frustrated, sad, or otherwise negative.

In other words, events will occur, with nauseating regularity and increasing frequency, which will offer us the chance to feel negative about the way things are, or choose a different route toward a more positive outcome. The events will range in size and effect from small and annoying to "OMG, I can't handle this!"

An Example You Can Relate To
Here's a perfect recent example: my accountant rang me up on the eve of taxes being due and told me I owed the government more than was in my bank account. I got mad, frustrated, and upset, since this came on the heels of a number of similar events.

Then I got smart. I whipped out my tax notebook and compared it to the return my accountant had prepared. I found a series of major errors. Wow. The end result? I owed nothing in taxes ... and had in fact overpaid when I sent money with my extension. Things worked out great.

So what could have been a disastrous event ended up being quite positive, but only when I shifted my attention away from reaction and into actions that restored my personal power.

The Real Sacrifice of the End Times
The short conclusion to this long-winded tale is this:

In the coming world change we won't be sacrificing the planet. To survive, we will have to sacrifice the useless parts of our personality, like pride, envy, vengeance, anger, and fear.

It sounds easy in theory, but it is way harder when the Universe keeps throwing monkey wrenches in your plans. It will sometimes seem like you can't do the simplest task without running into a bunch of complications. Don't get mad. And no, you're not crazy. You are just a vital part of the world transformation as we move into the Aquarian Age.

Do the best you can with what you have, stay as positive as possible ...and the Universe really will reward you for being a positive force in the coming world transformation. One way I like to stay connected is to do the Navajo Beauty Way ritual. It keeps me smiling, sane, and sweet. Give it a try.

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Tuesday, October 27, 2009

The Magic of Idiots

Have you noticed that a lot of people are acting idiotic lately? Maybe your boss is more irritable than ever and snaps at you. Perhaps your friend is unintentionally rude and forgets to invite you to his party. Or how about the random stranger who insults you for no reason?

In other words, people are acting like idiots, which is perfectly in line with the times. In case you haven't noticed, the world is in transition. Whether you call it a transition from the Piscean Age to the Aquarian Age, or you call it the "end times," the world is undoubtedly changing--and fast!

During these times, according to planetary history, one of two things happens: total extinction or people acting like idiots.

Personally, I prefer people acting like idiots, don't you? The last few cycles of the Mayan calendar ended up with total extinction ... so on the whole, people acting like idiots is pretty mild.

What's even better, you can actually squeeze a little magic out of people acting like idiots. Really.

Where's the Magic in Idiocy?
Strange as it sounds, there is a great deal of magic to be had in someone else's idiotic acts. During times of world change, such as now, there's a certain amount of craziness that has to take place in order for the world to shift from one age into another. That craziness, or idiocy, has to be acted out by the beings on this planet.

So when someone else acts like an idiot, they are acting out a portion of that craziness that is so necessary to world change. The magic in this situation is that you don't have to act crazy because someone else is doing it for you. See what I mean?

So while it may be insulting or bewildering to be in the presence of someone who is acting rudely or crazily, the good news is that you don't have to trash your own life by acting crazy. Someone else is carrying that burden for you.

Is That Too Crazy an Idea?
If this whole concept sounds insane, consider this. While most people think that concepts such as "knowledge" or "consciousness" are ephemeral and have no weight or matter, in reality knowledge and consciousness are both made of matter.

In other words, they are physical substances. That means there is only so much knowledge on the planet at any given time, and when it is all possessed by people, there isn't any more to go around. The rest of the people then have to go around in ignorance because the store of knowledge has run out.

The same is true of idiocy, except in reverse. During world change, there is a lot of idiocy or undirected energy on the planet. It, like knowledge, has substance and weight. And, like knowledge, people possess this kind of energy. When people possess this energy, they act like idiots and do crazy things. And while they may insult you, the fact of the matter is that they are doing you a favor. They are possessing the crazy energy created by planetary change, which means that you don't have to.

So ... this may all be a little out in left field for most people to consider, but for those who want to sail through this Earth change with a minimum of dings, dents, and fender-benders, it's a concept worth considering. Daily rituals might also be worth considering ...

What if you were grateful to and appreciative of the idiots around you instead of insulted and angered? Hmmm ... might be worth a second or two of thought!

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Tuesday, October 13, 2009

The Magic of Dayenu: It Would Have Been Enough

I'm not active in my Jewish religious practice, but when I was growing up we celebrated Passover, and one aspect of that ritual that has stuck with me is the word Dayenu. Roughly translated, Dayenu means "it would have been enough" or "it would have sufficed."

Earlier in my life, I had no idea what it meant but the thought that something "would have been enough" intrigued me. Now I understand that the magic and meaning of Dayenu is really about the art of happiness, which is made especially clear in today's world.

The Magic of Dayenu
Does it strike you as odd, as you move through the world today, that people seem to be split into two different camps? There are the moaner/groaners who have been hit hard by current economic times (or Mercury Retrograde or their in-laws, whatever!) and are complaining about their situation. Then there are the oddly happy people, many of whom have also been hit hard by the economy, but are having a ball. So what's going on here?

What's going on here is that the people who are oddly happy are practicing the art of Dayenu. They look around at their world and say, "This is enough. This is good. We are happy." Or, to take Dayenu one step further, they say, "Not only is this enough, but the step before this would have been enough." Dayenu specifically says, "It would have been enough," not "it is enough."

So the truly happy people who practice Dayenu look at their lives and accomplishments and say, "It would have been enough, and we can be happy, even if we did not get as far as we are now ... even if we had stopped at the achievement or happy moment before this one." Make sense? If not, here's a great example to make it a little clearer.

An Example of the Magic of Dayenu in Action
I have two friends who continually amaze me-they are married, so maybe that has something to do with why they are so happy. Both were hit last year with acute and chronic physical problems, which not only caused them a lot of pain, but also prevented them from doing a lot of work and earning the same income they usually do. This year, they recovered somewhat from their physical problems, although they still had many doctor visits and healthcare bills. But they are incredibly, oddly, amazingly happy.

I ask them, "What makes you so happy? So much has happened to you."

They reply, "Yes, it has ... good, bad, ugly, and back to good. Look at where we live. It's a chunk of Heaven! That's enough. Just having this place to live is enough."

Explaining further, they tell me that their physical problems have forced them to have down time, which they would never normally take. They have spent this time with their horses, enjoying their land, and NOT working. They used to live in a big city and had to pay big bucks to relax with the help of massages and therapists, and so on. Now, living in the country, they can relax for free. If they had nothing else but this land, they said, it would have been enough.

Do they have physical pain? Yes. Have they had to cut back on expenses? Yes. Do they still have bad days? Of course.

But overall, they are living in the magic of Dayenu. On balance, they look for the happiness that comes from acceptance of current conditions, and appreciation of all that has come before that. They understand that even if nothing more good occurs in their life, all that has been in their life thus far "would have been enough."

But of course, we students of the Law of Attraction, know that this will never happen. The beauty of Dayenu is that by living in appreciation of all that was good that has come before now, we always attract more good in our future. Bumps in the road notwithstanding, appreciation of the past and acceptance of the present always (always!) leads to future good. It can be no other way.

Magic is a precision science and it follows the laws of the Universe without fail. Live in the magic of Dayenu today ... and see the magic of tomorrow unfold before you.

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Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Why is My Magic All Wonky? Pluto at Work

"Why is my magic all wonky?"

I love when I get questions like this via email, and believe me, a lot of magical practitioners are finding that their magic is indeed a little wonky these days. Magic spells are going off track, astrological effects are hitting harder than ever, and divinations are often "hinky" at best.

So what the heck is going on with the magic?

Wonky Magic and the Pluto Return
The short answer to the question is this: astrology. Astrological factors are at work here. In particular Plutonian effects are at work. My sense of things is that globally we are experiencing a Plutonian return. Pluto, called by many astrologers the Lord of Karma, completes its orbit every 248 years.

Basically, we are receiving the results of whatever was occurring around 1761. During this period, the French-Indian War occurred, the Seven Years War ended, the Western Territories changed hands and the colonies experienced an economic slump. Then, of course, the difficulties with Great Britain began during this period, ending with the war for independence in 1775. So, here we are again.

Pluto has returned to the same position it was 248 years ago, and we are reaping the karma that has accumulated during that time.

What's Happening on the Individual Level
On the individual level, adaptation, acceptance, and change are being called forth. To the majority this appears to be a threat to survival, whereas to some it presents an opportunity for innovation. There will be possibilities galore for exasperation and anger, but also a lot of impetus for change that we have been, until now, too stuck, lazy, tired, or unimpressed to make.

What seems to be working for us, and for many magical practitioners, is to avoid confrontation on the worldly level and to create change on the magical level. In other words, if a physical event occurs that angers you, don't go immediately to action. Instead, focus on using daily magic rituals of maintenance to create an inner sacred space. From that sacred space, do whatever magic you choose to effect change, whether this be a spell, some simulacra magic, or a ritual offering.

For those of you who aren't sure what magic to use to create inner sacred space, check out the "Magic in Your Mailbox" series. It's an email serious that helps people formulate and use basic magic rituals as a part of daily life.

Sign up for "Magic in Your Mailbox" here.

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Tuesday, August 25, 2009

The Science Behind "The Secret"

Some people love the book, "The Secret." Other people hate it. Some people watch the video every single morning. Other people won't touch it with a 10 foot pole. Some people started out watching the video every day, and now won't touch it at all.

I understand all of these reactions. Having read and watched "The Secret," I see how the information contained therein is both insightful and also far too vague to be of use to many people, especially the skeptics. The material presented is familiar ground to people who already believe, and is still "pie in the sky" to people who have never believed. So "The Secret" is very much preaching to the choir.

For those who find this material unbearably vague or totally unbelievable, I suggest a different book: "The Holographic Universe" by Michael Talbot. Talbot ties science with mysticism in this wonderful work, and proposes that the Universe is entirely a hologram. His model encompasses both the new findings of physics and many questions that relate to magic and mind-body connections.

Can You Chop a Salamander's Brain and Still Make it Work?
To back up some of his amazing theories, Talbot cites numerous scientific studies and experiments. The one that so fascinates me is the one where scientists literally removed, sliced-and-diced, and then replaced the brain of a salamander. Amazingly enough, the salamander functioned just fine with his new sliced-and-diced brain, indicating what we have often postulated-that the brain is the analog of the mind, but is not the mind itself. The mind exists somewhere outside the body, yet uses the brain to convey many of its signals and messages.

In any case, the book is a totally worthy read and an excellent source for those who are doubting Thomases. It is chock-full of science and other objective goodies, so read on ... or buy it for your favorite skeptic this holiday season!

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Thursday, August 20, 2009

Free Magic Spells -- Good, Bad, or Ugly?

As a magician and shaman, the most frequent request I receive is for free magic spells. People ask me to email them a free magic spell for money, health, love, career, success ... you name it, someone has asked for it. Pick something coveted by society, be it winning the lottery or getting a promotion, and people want a free magic spell to manifest it. There are free magic spells out there, a lot of them, but the question is whether free magic spells actually perform as intended.

Are Free Magic Spells Good, Bad, or Ugly?
The answer is that most free magic spells are none of these things: good, bad, or ugly. Most free magic spells are relatively harmless, good for short-term issues (like temporary pain relief), and not that powerful.

Will a free magic spell help you win the lottery? Nope. What about win the love of the person of your dreams? Nope. How about fix your chronic health problems? Not that either.

So what are these kinds of spells useful for? Well, a spell of this kind might lift your energy so you can beat a traffic ticket in court. This kind of spell might also help you clear junky energies out of your house so you can feel more peaceful and content. If you can't sleep at night, a small candle spell can keep nightmares or insomnia at bay. This is the scale at which these kinds of magic spells operate.

When Not to Use a Free Magic Spell
If you want to create a magical effect on a larger scale, such as healing a chronic health condition or making a truly permanent change in your life, consider using something other than a free magic spell. For this kind of change, you'll either need to hire someone to design a spell for you, or you'll need to design and launch your own spell. For a spell to really work, you need to pay something into the process. What do you pay? Sometimes it is money, and more often than not you pay in effort and attention.

Except in very unusual cases, I don't do spells for other people. As with the adage about giving someone a fish or teaching them how to fish, I find most people benefit more in the long run by learning how to design and cast their own spells. Does it take more time? Yes. Does it take more effort? Yes. Is it worth it? Absolutely.

Designing Your Own Magic Spells
When you create your own spell that is customized to your personal situation, the spell will be far more powerful and effective than using a spell created by another person. Also, every time you put effort into spell work or magical work of any kind, you increase your personal power and magical abilities. That kind of effort accumulates over time until eventually you are a powerful magician ... perhaps without even realizing it.

Learning the Magical Craft of Spells
If learning to be a powerful magician in your own right interests you, beyond just solving a temporary life problem, I suggest you investigate the Basic Magic course. You can sign up for the full 30-week comprehensive course designed to take novices from learning about the basics of the four elements all the way through the Tarot and spell work or break it up into short courses or Levels 1, 2 or 3 of Basic Magic. Learn more about these online classes here:

Magic Courses

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Thursday, August 13, 2009

Magical Remote Healing: A Fascinating Case Study

I have been practicing magical remote healing for a number of years, and am frequently astounded by the results that are produced. I recently worked on a case that was remarkable in that healing occurred despite the subject's long-standing disbelief in magic, prayer, and healing not assisted by a physician.

Case History Prior to Remote Healing
The man I worked on had suffered from colon cancer. Having undergone chemotherapy and radiation, the man also went in for surgery and had all but one foot of his large intestine removed to excise the cancerous tissue. This left him with very little function in his large intestine (since a healthy large intestine is normally five feet in length).

With the help of my Spirit guides and totems, I began working on this man. He told me that he was a confirmed atheist, and asked whether belief in remote healing or magic was necessary. I told him that while belief in magic was always useful, simply being receptive to the remote healing was all that was necessary. He replied that he would try, but that he was a firm disbeliever.

Magic and Remote Healing Techniques
I used remote healing and magical healing techniques on this man for 26 weeks. Each morning I would invite this man's Spirit to my healing meditation. I examined his large intestine (colon) remotely and confirmed that they had removed all but a short portion of it. I then used a combination of magical and dowsing techniques to "regrow" much of his large intestine. As I worked on him through the weeks, I could see his large intestine gaining in length. Although the techniques are too complex to cover in this short article, you can get a great overview of some of the techniques I used at the Ozark Research Institute website.

The Results of the Remote Healing

While I have seen amazing results in many remote healing cases, what makes this case so remarkable is the documentation of the results by physicians in the western medical tradition. This man went in for additional surgery on his colon. After the surgery, the doctor reported that the man's small intestine had increased its length by three times, and appeared to be performing the functions of the missing portion of his large intestine.

When the man reported these results to me, I asked him whether he felt it was possible that the magic and remote healing work had contributed to this result. His answer? "It's possible."

And indeed it is possible. Self-healing and remote healing are very possible in the world of magic. One thing I've learned in my years of practicing these techniques is that a main factor of success is persistence. If you engage in remote or self-healing, don't be discouraged if results don't show up right away. I worked on the man described in this case for 26 weeks. What gave me the perseverance to do so was my experience that consistently performing the remote healing techniques over a long period of time produces result. I didn't work on this man for long each day -- perhaps 20 minutes -- but I did work on him every day. I am pleased to have been a participant in this man's healing, and I hope this case will inspire you to consider how remote and self-healing might be possible in your life.

Discover More About Self-Healing
If you are strongly interested in remote healing, I suggest you investigate workshops offered by the Ozark Research Institute. I am in no way affiliated with this institute, but I have been a participant in their workshops and have gained hugely by doing so. The work is led by Harold McCoy, a thoroughly practical and engaging man who has much to teach.

In addition, if you are interested in learning a far deeper level of magical and remote healing, check out the comprehensive Basic Magic class, a 32-week telecourse for students ready to dig deep and journey far. The next class starts September 2.

Basic Magic Course

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Photo credit:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ajawin/ / CC BY 2.0

Thursday, August 6, 2009

A Magical Message from the Raven and an Offer from Me

Do you ever sit outside in the middle of a thunderstorm and feel the absolute magic of the world crackling through the air? I just did. We had a cloudburst here in Colorado and I absolutely reveled in the thunder, lightning, rain, and wind. And then, at the very end of the storm, the Magic happened ...

... a Raven, my animal totem, swooped in and squawked a magical message for me to share with you!

The Magical Messenger
The Raven is one of the keepers of magic in this world, and it had a message for me and you today. It told me that I must share as much magic as I can with as many people as want it.

Get Magic in Your Mailbox Here

As you may know, at the Esoteric School we put out a twice monthly ezine and a twice weekly blog, all filled with magical tips and techniques on how you can use magic to change, improve, transform, and enlighten your life.

Now the Raven demands that I share even more with you ...

Magic in Your Mailbox: A Sneak Peek at Basic Magic
We have a comprehensive 32-week Basic Magic course coming up in September. Prior to the start of this class, we give all the students pre-class magical exercises to prepare them for this rigorous course. These exercises are given exclusively to students who have already signed up and paid for class.

Now, as the Raven has asked, I am giving them to you. I will email these 21 exercises (one per day) to all those who ask. Not only will these exercises give you a sneak peek at what goes on in the Basic Magic course, but they will lay the foundation for you to experience life in a new magical and mystical way.

Get Magic in Your Mailbox Here

Your Questions About Magic Answered
What's more, during these 21 days I will personally answer any serious questions you have about these exercises and the magic contained in them (only fully formulated questions, please!). That's not something I do very often, but for 21 days I am happy to do so. The only caveat is that I will publish your questions and my answers to the entire group of people who want to take part in this magical experience. That way I everyone gets to learn, and we all advance as a group.

Got It? Good! Here's How to Sign Up
If you're ready to take part in this magical mystical experience, to play with some fun magic, and to get your sneak peek at Basic Magic, sign up for this 21 day "Magic in Your Mailbox" course by clicking the link below. But sign up soon because the first exercise goes out on Tuesday, August 11, and the signup offer expires on Friday, August 14!

Magic in Your Mailbox

In Magic,
RavenWindStar (a.k.a. Alan Joel)

Friday, July 24, 2009

Enchantment in Zion

Greetings from Enchanting Zion National Park!

I'm taking a short break from blogging to be with family and re-inspire myself in Zion. The nature spirits are strong here, as is the Earth energy. Rest assured, the blog will resume in early August. In the meantime, I'll be enjoying communing with nature, sky beings, earth beings, and the rest of the hierarchy. I'll also be catching up with much of the email that has come in the last few weeks that I have not had time to answer or blog about. See you in August!

Thursday, July 23, 2009

Why Storm Spirits Dislike People

I'm sitting here enjoying an absolutely lovely flash-bang thunderstorm, and remembering a long-ago conversation I had with a storm spirit. Back in the early days of my studies in magic and shamanism, I was given the assignment to go out and communicate with a nature spirit, be it a spirit of tree, rock, or sky.

Being naturally of an excitable temperament myself (being a triple Fire sign, astrologically), I chose to communicate with a storm spirit. I waited until a particularly heavy storm hit our area, then went out to have my first person-to-storm chat. The results were startling.

The long and short of the conversation was that storm spirits don't much like people, and with good reason. During my chat with the storm spirit, I raised the issue that the spirit seemed quite angry and aggressive. The storm spirit replied that it was a bit angry, especially with people, because most people didn't like storms and didn't want them around.

I replied that this wasn't entirely illogical, since storms could be inconvenient, causing a lot of destruction and wet. The storm spirit huffed about that, I can tell you! He said that storms were a necessary part of the ecosystem, and that people didn't properly appreciate their role. Storms cleanse the air and the land, and distribute water where it is needed. He added that it took a lot of force to do all of this cleansing and moving of water. He, like most storm spirits, was fast-moving and very direct. He didn't have a lot of time to chat.

The biggest reason he disliked people, he said, was because most people talked about him but not to him. He said many people were quite negative about storms, in general, and cursed them. Unlike the people of ancient tribes, who properly appreciated the role storm spirits played in the ecosystem, modern people only see the inconvenience of storms.

The storm spirit and I ended the conversation on good terms (he was in a hurry to move on). I discovered a new appreciation for storms and the spirits who create them. I've since had several more conversations with storm spirits, some of which were even in the process of forming tornados. In my experience, storm spirits start out angry. They like to clobber the landscape and be aggressive, but once you get them talking they tend to lighten up. And you have to talk fast, because storm spirits don't have a lot of patience for idle chatter. They are all about action.

If you want to deepen your connection with the world of spirits, storm spirits can be interesting conversational partners, when you can make yourself heard. If you do decide to try communicating with storm spirits, be sure to hail them out loud and welcome them. Since these spirits are used to be cursed rather than welcomed, don't be surprised if your first greeting is met with a salvo of wind and rain. Just hang in there and keep shouting out your greeting until the spirit hears you. The conversation is sure to be a revelation!

Learn More About Spirits, Magic, and Shamanism
We invite you to browse our articles and our online store filled with books, ebooks, home study courses, and other magical goodies!

Ebooks
Books
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Basic Magic Comprehensive Course

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Photo credit: Alta tensione - High voltage

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

How to Cast Stronger Magic Spells -- Part III

In my previous two articles in this series, I highlighted the importance of writing clear Directors and Limiters for your spell and choosing the right symbols for your spell. Paying attention to both of these will help you cast stronger magic spells. In this article, the third in the series, I cover the basics of cleansing yourself, your tools, and your space when it comes down to casting your spell.

The Importance of Magical Cleansing
Casting a well-written spell in an area filled with junky energy is like dining on a fine meal in the middle of a dog pound. It's totally incongruous and starts the spell off on the wrong foot. Don't do this!

Magical cleansing is important for every aspect of your spell, including yourself, your tools, and your space. Most magical practitioners develop, over time, some kind of cleansing ritual that helps them prepare to launch a spell. The bigger the spell (or the more you want the spell to accomplish) the more important it is to do a cleansing ritual.

Cleansing Yourself Magically
As a being, you are a Spirit with a body and a mind. Before launching a spell it is important that you cleanse all of these three parts of yourself. Personal cleansing is, well, a very personal matter, and you should give some thought to how you want to do this.

Your personal cleansing might include a meditation to settle the mind, an invocation to your personal guides and totems to support your Spirit, and a lovely scented bath to cleanse your body. Some people also like to cleanse themselves with the smoke of burning sage and pine resin, plus consecrated water. Other people like to use essential oils and candles. Once you have cleansed yourself, consider clothing yourself in special ritual garb for launching your spell. Choosing clothing in colors relevant to the purpose of your spell always helps. For instance, if you want a lot of power, choose a Fire color, like sun yellow or bright red.

Cleansing Your Tools Magically
To cast a strong magic spells, your magic tools need to be clean of junky energies. Consider what tools you will need to launch your spell. Will you need a scrying bowl, an Athame, a Wand, a firebowl, or a crystal? Then consider how you will cleanse your tools. For instance, some magicians store their crystals in pewter boxes to keep them clean. Others dunk their crystals in consecrated water or bury them in a garden for a moon cycle to cleanse them. If you are going to use a Wand, decide whether you need to cleanse it by pulling it through the smoke of burning pine resin and sage. However you cleanse your magical tools, make sure they are clean and laid out before casting your spell.

Cleansing Your Space Magically
Creating sacred space is one of the most important factors in casting a strong spell. If you are going to be using one room in your house to launch your spell, such as your altar-room, be sure to four-element cleanse it before launching your spell. This includes smoking it with burning pine resin and sage, as well as flicking consecrated water on the walls. In addition, some practitioners like to cleanse the space energetically with their athame, sweeping the area clean of any junky psychic residue.

As with all magical acts, take your time and be sure to cleanse yourself, your tools, and your space thoroughly and carefully before launching your spell. A spell cast in a clean environment will encounter far less resistance and produce better results.

Want to Know More About Magical Cleansings and Tools?
Learning how to use, cleanse, and maintain magical tools like the Wand, Athame, Chalice, Place, and Firebowl are important to proper spell work. If you want to learn more about these tools and how to use them, check out our ebooks on the subject.

Magical Tool Ebooks from the Esoteric School

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Thursday, July 16, 2009

How to Cast Stronger Magic Spells - Part II

This is the second in an article series on how to cast stronger magic spells. In Part I of this article series I outlined three principles to help magical practitioners clarify what they want their spells to do and not do, resulting in a stronger spell. In this article, I focus on the importance of gathering the appropriate symbols for the spell.

Choosing the Right Symbols for Your Magic Spell
One of the keys to casting stronger magic spells is choosing and using appropriate symbols. In spell work, symbols are not just for decorative purposes. Symbols are actually like doorways, and they access the power of the thing they represent.

For instance, we often use the symbols for the four elements of Air, Fire, Water, and Earth in our spell work. Take the Air symbols. Air can be symbolized as clouds, gusts of wind, or a Wand, which is the magical tool for the element Air. The clouds or gusts of wind symbolize Air on the mundane or ordinary level, while the Wand symbolizes Air on the spiritual level. On the ordinary level, the element Air is associated with thinking and communication. On the spiritual level, Air is linked with enlightenment and spiritual understanding. If I want my spell to increase communication between distant family members, I would use the cloud symbol, since the spell is for ordinary world-level communication. If my spell is for increasing opening up my spiritual horizons, I would use the Wand symbol.

And how would I use these magic symbols? That depends on what kind of spell I am casting. For instance, if I am casting a single candle spell, I would carve the symbol on the candle I will use to launch the spell.

Gathering the Symbols for Your Spell
Since symbols access the things they represent, they are really doorways to great power. Knowing this, it becomes obvious that choosing the right symbols for your magic spell has a lot to do with the power of your spell.

A magician preparing a spell is a lot like a mother preparing for the arrival of her baby. Your spell is your baby. When you start gathering the symbols, litanies, and other tools for your spell, it's similar to a mother preparing the nursery for her baby. If you take the same amount of care preparing your spell as a mother does preparing for the arrival of her baby, you will cast a much stronger magic spell. Plus, you'll enjoy the process more!

If you have a long-term spell, consider using a talisman or touchstone as a symbol for your spell. Check out the wide variety of animal, fairy, angel, and tribal symbols in the online store to use as talismans and amulets.

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Photo credit: Fairy Child ~ Amy Brown Inspiration ~ Explore

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

How to Cast Stronger Magic Spells - Part I

I get asked all the time by magical practitioners how they can cast stronger magic spells. Is there a secret ingredient that makes one spell stronger than another? Is there some secret to choosing the right spell for the right occasion? Or is it something else altogether?

The question of casting stronger spells can be a tough one to answer because, like other disciplines in life, casting spells is a cross between science and art. There isn't one single answer that is going to make the difference for every magician or every spell. But if you want to cast stronger spells, what you can do is walk through every step of the process and see how you can improve each step. This article covers the first step in casting a spell: defining what you want. We also call this step Directors and Limiters.

What Do You Want Your Spell to Do?
I know that there are a lot of magical practitioners out there who use pre-written spells authored by someone else. This is perfectly acceptable, especially if the spell doesn't have a huge scope. For instance, we frequently teach people how to use the Sun Candle for basic mood-lifting spells or how to use the Bathtub Litany for reducing stress. Using pre-written spells for this purpose is convenient and effective.

But if you want a spell to do something more than relieve stress or fluff your aura, you might want to create one from scratch. Launching a spell that you've created yourself, for your own purposes, is kind of like the difference between eating homemade biscuits and store-bought biscuits. There's a world of difference in the quality.

If you choose to create your own spell, then the first step is to define what you want your spell to do (and not do). These are the Directors and Limiters for your spell. If you want to cast stronger magic spells, then it's important to be very clear when you write your Directors and Limiters.

Be Clear About Your Directors and Limiters
How can you be clear in writing your Directors and Limiters for your spell? I've come to rely on a few principles when I write mine:

1. Take Your Time
Don't get in a hurry when you write your Directors and Limiters. According to the magic principles I was taught by Reverend George Dew, when it comes to doing magic, "Take your time, think it through, and do it right." Your Directors and Limiters form the foundation of your spell. Get those wrong and the whole spell will go awry. A lot of people launch spells because they "need" something to happen right away, which causes them to hurry when creating their spell. Don't do that. Resist the temptation.

2. Create Freely
If you're going to go to the trouble to write a spell and launch it, make sure your spell has a wide scope. It can take a lot of work to launch a homemade spell, so make sure your spell is really going to do something for you. When I consider what I want my spell to do, I sometimes take flights of fancy. I ask myself, "If time and money were no object, what would I really want?" This question unfetters my mind and allows me to think big. I may later have to downsize some of these flights of fancy so as not to overburden my spell, but starting with a strong vision is crucial. After all, if your spell isn't big enough to excite you, why bother?

3. Consider Worst-Case Scenarios
As always, when writing spells you need Directors (what you want your spell to do) as well as Limiters (what you don't want your spell to do). When it comes to writing Limiters, consider the worst-case scenarios and limit them with your Limiters. For instance, you don't want your spell to cause anyone to die. You probably don't want the spell to result in loss of property or income for yourself or your family or your dog, etc. You don't want your spell to cause you do to anything illegal. Be sure to write your Limiters to include these scenarios. One magical practitioner wrote a "get a job" spell and forgot to exclude jobs that required illegal activity. The spell brought her the most fantastic job with great pay and fabulous working hours. The only catch was that she ended up working for the mob. Bummer!

Clarity Leads to Stronger Spells
I hope these principles help you reach clarity as you write your Directors and Limiters for your spell. Taking your time in this step can mean the difference between a splendid outcome and a total flop. Casting stronger spells is all about being more methodical, consistent, and careful in your approach to creating spells. Being clear in defining the do's and don'ts for your spell is a great place to start.

Did You Know?

Did you know that magic spells actually begin to work the moment you begin creating Directors and Limiters? Spells are nothing more than formalized intentions, and writing Directors and Limiters is nothing more than setting your intentions on paper. Want to know more? Learn all about spells -- designing them, writing them, casting them -- and much more in our comprehensive Basic Magic Course.

Learn More About the Basic Magic Course

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Photo credit: Kites in a Storm

Thursday, June 25, 2009

Why Magic Protection Symbols are More Important Than Ever

Have we reached the "End Times"? Are we approaching them? Are we in danger of a pole shift or some other form of catastrophe?

No, no, and no. I get asked these questions all the time by people who are concerned with the approaching "deadline" of 2012, when the Mayan calendar supposedly "ends." In truth, according Tony Shearer, who dedicated his life to studying the Mayan calendar, the calendar doesn't end in 2012, but instead simply starts over.

There are plenty of books and articles on the Mayan calendar, so I won't go into a detailed explanation of this predictive tool, but I will say that each time the calendar prepares to shift into a new cycle, our world does experience major energetic shifts.

What Energetic Changes Are Happening Now?
One major energetic shift I notice occurring with this change of cycle, which will happen around 2012, is that energy moves much more quickly than it has in the past. Specifically, the energy of our thoughts and feelings are manifesting much more quickly into physical events and occurrences. For instance, a negative thought like "I hope I don't lose my job!" is translating much more quickly into a lost job than it did about a decade ago. At the same time, a positive thought such as "I really feel soul mate is on her way to me" now manifests as a meeting between soul mates very quickly. It's a fast-changing world that is much more reactive to our thoughts and feelings than ever before. This is both good and bad--the usual double-edged sword.

Another major energetic change has to do with the Law of Contagion. The Law of Contagion deals with how easily we are affected by other people's thoughts and feelings. In the past, when energy moved much slower, it was easier to maintain our own sacred space, and not be affected by other people's energy. These days, not only does energy move faster, but the whole stream of energy pulsing around the globe is much larger. This means that not only are we more affected by the energy of another person, but we are also much more affected by global energy.

Every nation in the world is currently being affected by the economic downturn, and this is creating a large stream of energy filled with doubt, fear, and paralysis. You may have noticed that it is more difficult for you to be positive and proactive in your life. You may feel it is more difficult to take action or make choices. This feeling of oppression doesn't mean you are becoming a lazy slob or that you are losing your motivation. You may simply be affected the current global energy.

You may have also discovered that you are easily affected by the energy of another person. For instance, suppose you talk on the phone who is feeling down in the dumps. Do you notice that you also feel down in the dumps, or anxious about your own situation, after getting off the phone with that person? That's the Law of Contagion at work. You are simply more easily affected by any energy you come in contact with.

What to Do About the Law of Contagion
So what can you do about the Law of Contagion? How to preserve your sacred space? From a magic point of view, I would suggest cleansing your space (your home, office, car) with sage and pine resin, or other cleansing herbs. That's a good start.

Next, look around your environment and decide whether protection symbols would be useful, both to wear on your person or to put up around your environment. For instance, I recently re-shielded our property and added some protection symbols, like the Eye of Horus and pantacles. Other people have reported useful shielding results by wearing the psychic shield amulet, which is in the design of the seven-pointed faery star. Finally, others like introducing the energy of animal totems to gain the protection of Wolf, Buffalo, and so on.

Finally, on a mundane level, you may want to become far choosier about the people you contact. In a wonderful mixing of technology and magic, the prudent use of caller-ID to help you decide whether to pick up the phone can mean the difference between feeling down in the dumps and accessing a more positive flow of energy. In this day and age, you have the very real possibility of manifesting what you want in life faster than ever, but only if you take the time to create true sacred space around yourself. Cleanse your space, protect it, and choose your contact with other people in the world carefully!

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Photo credit: Mayan Sun Calendar

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Which Magic Rituals Should You Do Now?

It's amazing how, during this economic downturn, people are suddenly confused about what kind of magic spells and rituals they should do now. Sure, more people are unemployed, the economy is pretty rocky, and times seem uncertain, but in actuality nothing has changed.

Here's the deal: we are all students in the Earth school and there are a limited number of problems we need to learn to solve while we're in school. The basic lessons are health; wealth and career; and relationships and sex. Sound familiar? Just about everything else can be put under these basic categories. And, here's the real kicker: we get happy and graduate when we solve these problems.

Your Big Life Lesson
Each person usually has one main lesson to learn in Earth school. If you look back on your life, you can probably easily figure out which lesson you signed up for. You can look at your friends, and do the same. For instance, you probably have one friend who has never had relationship issues but can't seem to get healthy. Then there is your friend who has money problems like crazy, but is as healthy as a horse, which is good because he can't afford to go to the doctor.

No matter which life lesson you have, chances are that the world economic situation hasn't really changed it, right? Maybe the lesson or "problem" has intensified, but it's still the same old problem. In the worst-case scenario, you might still have your major life lesson, but now you have a minor in some other life lesson, too. If health has been your main lesson, maybe the economic crunch has now made it more difficult for you to get the healing you need. But the bottom line is that health is still the main issue.

In short, nothing has really changed.

Magic and Your Big Life Lesson
So what kind of magic rituals or spells should you do now to help you learn about your life lesson? Your first magical act should be to meditate on the fact that, magically, size doesn't really matter when it comes to problems, or their solutions. As our teacher Abraham-Hicks is fond of saying, "It's just as easy to manifest a button as a castle." By the token, it is just as easy (or difficult) to magically solve the problem of unemployment today as it was when the economy was going strong. Your big life lesson is the same as it always has been. So, if you are feeling depressed, fearful, or pitiful, stop it. Get off the pity pot. Nothing, regardless of the gloom-and-doom of predictions of economists, is any worse than before.

The Sun Candle: A Magic Ritual for Today
Now that you've discovered that you are no worse than before, it's time to start using a magic ritual that will help you stay positive, and make forward progress toward learning your big life lesson.

One of the simplest magic rituals you can do to help you stay positive is to use the Sun Candle. Burning the Sun Candle with the appropriate litany on a daily basis will not only nourish your spirit, but give you tangible magical act to do, so you feel like you "doing something" about your situation.

Here's how you use the Sun Candle.

You will need a pure yellow candle (a bright yellow that is not too orange) and wooden or paper matches. You can find pure yellow candles at most grocery stores in the section with the religious candles (in glass containers).

You will also need to know which direction is South. To create sacred space with the Sun Candle, you will need to "charge" it, or program it to do so. Here's how:
  • Stand or sit in the South facing North with the Sun Candle in front of you
  • Light the candle using wooden or paper matches (do NOT use a lighter)
  • Wait until the candle flame is steady and tall
  • Hold your hands up to and around the flame, focusing your attention on the candle and flame.
  • Say the charge verse below in a voice of command (a strong, powerful voice)
Child of Wonder,
Child of Flame,
Nourish My Spirit,
And Protect My Aim!

If there are other people in the room with you, you can change the "My" to "Our" and the word "Spirit" to "Spirits." Leave the candle burning in the room for at least 30 minutes (be sure the candle is on a protected surface such as a plate and is not a fire hazard).

At the end of 30 minutes or when you feel ready, blow out the flame (don't snuff it). Spend a moment or two in the area to see if you can detect a difference in the level and quality of energy. The area should feel lighter, more harmonious and/or more peaceful to you.

Have fun using this daily magic ritual to regain balance!

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Photo credit: Scent of a Candle Sunflower

Monday, June 1, 2009

The Tower Card in Tarot Readings - What It Means

Recently I did a Tarot reading for a client who has been having a lot of trouble with accidents, like fender benders and such. This client was so banged-up and bruised from all of his recent misfortunes that he asked for a reading to find out what was going on.

Not surprisingly, in both the present-time and progressed Tarot readings for this client, the Tower card showed up, both times upright. A lot of practitioners of magic shudder when they see the Tower card because they think it automatically means chaos. It does, sort of, but it means something more specific than that.

The Tower card talks about complete material disorganization or chaos, caused by spiritual forces beyond one's control. The world is obviously experiencing a lot of chaos and change right now, as we approach the end of a cycle on the Mayan calendar and prepare to enter the next. The Tower card talks about chaos coming into people's life from the outer world. As you can see on the card itself, the lightning comes into the picture from the outside world.

The Tower Card Upright in a Tarot Reading
These days, when the Tower card appears upright in a reading, it means that a big change is coming that you should be prepared for. Sometimes this means a natural disaster, and sometimes death, but in most cases it is just a warning to be prepared for a major change in your environment.

In the case of my client for whom I was doing the Tarot reading, the Tower card indicated that he wasn't being aware of his surroundings. He needs to be more conscious of the Law of Accident at work around him. The Law of Accident says that if we don't have a strong intention and focus, then we fall prey to "accidental and coincidental" occurrences, like fender-benders. The Law of Accident is more at work during these times of extreme change than at other times. Luckily, nothing serious had happened to him, and he is going use some daily rituals to focus his intent and be more aware of his surroundings.

The Tower Card Reversed in a Tarot Reading
If the Tower appears as a reversed card in a Tarot reading, then the implications are different. If it's reversed, then you need to start looking at whether you have broken any Rules of the Road (the laws that govern magical practice) or whether there is something karmic going on. Maybe you've gotten crosswise with a deity.

If you see a reversed Tower card, do some exploration, through divination or possibly a blow-up Tarot reading, to find out what the situation is about. During this time of world upheaval, it's important to correct situations like this as quickly as possible. Luckily, the world is also much more plastic or flexible right now, so correcting situations may be easier than you think.

A Few Additional Notes About the Tower Card
The severity of the change or chaos indicated by the Tower isn't necessarily related to whether the Tower card is upright or reversed. Whether the card is upright or reversed merely tells you what kind of change you are dealing with. Remember that that Tower card represents changes appearing in the outer world, and often reflects deity-level changes. This card has shown up a lot in recent years, tying in with world and galactic changes. Changes indicated by the Tower card can be violent or drastic, and are simply a warning for us to be prepared. The Tower card isn't bad, it's just a warning to be aware.

Want to Learn More About the Tarot?
The Tarot is an infinitely deep study of magic. The Tarot can be used for divination, spells, spell take-downs, and many other forms of magic. If you would like to learn more about how to use the Tarot, consider joining our upcoming Basic Magic class or learning with our home-study Tarot Course.

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