Last month I touched on some of the stones and crystals that can aid us in divination or ascension type workings. I consider the use of crystals a passive aid as they are there more or less simply lending their energy to us to either open us up or break down barriers. However, for those who want something a little more active herbs and plants used as either teas, tinctures, or ointments are just what you are looking for!
The biggest thing to remember in using entheogens is that usually, less is best and more could land you on the floor. With crystals we talk a lot about using stones in conjunction with other crystals for optimum effect, but when it comes to consuming substances the best advice I can give you is to use them on their own, don’t play the mix and match game because you never can tell how your personal chemistry will interact with them and you don’t want to have to explain to emergency personnel why you decided to try a concoction of Datura, Amanita, and Bourbon!
There are dozens of plants that have hallucinogenic and divinatory properties but we are going to keep things fairly simple. This list is in order of weakest to strongest, based on my own experiences and those of people that I know personally. As with anything, your experience may vary as you might interact with them in different ways.
Hibiscus
Catnip
Chamomile
Poppy Seeds
Nutmeg – if used sparingly it’s pretty safe but in high amounts it can be dangerous.
Cannabis
Mugwort
Wormwood
Salvia Divinorum
Peyote
Morning Glories and Daffodil Bulbs
Belladonna
Mandrake
Datura
Amanita Muscaria
Please remember that many of these can kill you with a high enough dose. And potency can vary depending on what part of the plant is used.
As with anything else, if you use common sense you can greatly enhance your divination sessions by using entheogens, just remember that they are not an easy path to getting answers and that they are no substitute for hard work and practice.
Have you ever wondered why Eastern spiritual practices often have some sort of physical practice combined with the spiritual? Think about it – Yoga, Tai Chi, Martial Arts. It’s because many Eastern traditions discovered early on that a healthy mind, a healthy spiritual connection to the divine source, and a healthy body go together.
Some of the Western Magickal Traditions have attempted to replicate this by drawing Yoga into the practice, as we see with certain new age/white light/ modern feminist Wicca movements, and, of course, Thelema. But by and large – the bulk of Western Magick completely ignores the health of the magician and thus – a good number of us are unhealthy and/or have bad habits.
First things first – unlike some magicians, I’m not going to sit here and berate or shame magicians who have unhealthy habits. That’s not productive and just because you have a bad habit – it doesn’t make you less than. The magicians who tout their own perfection because they think they’re a pillar of health often have other issues that they need to work on.
Instead, I’m hoping to inspire you.
You’re one to talk, Steph. You’re not so healthy yourself.
Actually, I’m probably one of the best people to talk about it because my happy ass is in the thick of it. I think that perhaps those of us who have battled unhealthy habits are better equipped to discuss that issue with others because we’ve been there, we know how difficult it is, and we have more compassion for those going through a similar thing.
You’re right. I have suffered the same issue so many Americans in the mid-West suffer from — poor eating habits, long work hours, and a sedentary lifestyle. It’s a deadly combo. But that doesn’t mean I’m not actively working, on both a spiritual and mundane level, to change my own bad habits. And just because you have some bad habits doesn’t mean you can’t start working to change those habits, too. Again, I repeat, having faults and shortcomings doesn’t make you a shitty magician, it just means you have work to do. Let’s just say I have yet to meet any grand ascended master magicians who have done all the work. Such people are the unicorns of the magickal world.
Great. So are you going to give me some kind of magician’s diet or something?
Not at all. We all know that processed food is full of fat, sugar, and salt, and that whole foods, and a diet rich in vegetables, fruits, and lean proteins is good for us. We also know what healthy portions are (take about 1/3 to 1/4 of what any US restaurant puts in front of you, and that’s all you should be eating per meal). You can make those healthy choices on a day to day, meal to meal, basis, one day at a time. I don’t believe in exclusion diets anyway, because it makes you less likely to stick with a diet over time. The key is moderation. Eat what you want, just don’t eat a lot of it and remember that not all calories are created equal. 150 calories of your favorite vegetable is going to be a lot more filling and satisfying in the long run than a small 250 calorie slice of pizza. (Really small.)
Yeah, yeah, so what the fuck is your point?
My point is that most of us don’t move enough, and not moving enough affects our energy, and that could be adversely affecting our health, our minds, our magick, AND our connection to the divine (whether we realize it or not). It’s a lot more noticeable the older you get. When you’re under 35, not so much.
This is not a new revelation for me (or for you, I’m sure), it’s just that every so often, I need a gentle reminder. We all need a reminder to stop, pause, and pay attention to our bodies. It’s easy to get side-tracked. About four months ago, I stopped listening to my body because I was pre-occupied and distracted by All. The. Things. Most of us have been there. You know exactly what I’m talking about. You’ve been doing your yoga class for months, but you start getting busy and it’s just more convenient and easier to not go. Especially in the colder months when many of us want to hole up indoors behind our computer screens.
Tell me more.
At the end of last year, I found myself grinding my teeth to the point of having headaches. I’m a bit of a workaholic, and I’d created a major publishing schedule for myself that seemed harrowing. It was stressing me out. I shared my issues with a fellow priest and he said, “Have you considered Tai Chi?” (He suggested this because Tai Chi is not only about movement and focus, but it’s ALL energy work, which makes it a fantastic practice for magicians.)
Now, I had planned to go back to yoga, but the prospect of finding a new studio after my favorite one closed just seemed daunting. So, I took my friend’s advice, and $25, and I dropped by a local Tai Chi and Yoga studio not 10 minutes from my house. I signed up and got my body moving again. For some reason, making a financial commitment helps me hold myself accountable (you may have to find your own accountability thing).
My chaotic life schedule has made it to where there are weeks here and there where I have to skip out. And you know what it’s reminded me of? How crappy I feel during the weeks where I don’t spend some quality time with myself, moving my body.
I decided to sit down and make some lists that I’m going to share with you. Feel free to make your own!
How I feel physically, mentally, spiritually when I don’t move:
Tired.
Stressed.
Irritable.
Blocked
Like communicating with the divine is more difficult.
Unable to focus.
More frequent headaches.
Ankle swelling.
Harder to build and send energy.
Don’t feel inspired or creative.
How I feel physically, mentally, spiritually when I do move regularly:
At peace, balanced, and feeling part of all that is.
Happy.
More sociable.
Expansive, open energy.
Communication with the divine is easy, natural.
Focused.
Fewer issues with headaches.
No ankle swelling.
Easier to build and send energy.
Feel more inspired and creative.
So basically, I need to get a gym membership or go hang out doing yoga or Tai Chi where some asshat is going to tell me to breathe? Don’t they know that breathing is something you do whether you want to or not? No thanks.
Not at all. You can incorporate whatever body movement/exercise program into your life that works for you. Perhaps it’s just taking a walk around the block after dinner. Maybe you do yoga at home once a week. Perhaps you get back to running, hiking, biking after a long hiatus. Just do something. Even if it’s just standing up once an hour and walking around your office, or stretching. You don’t have to kill yourself.
What if I can’t move because I have a physical disability or illness that keeps me sedentary?
If you have a disability or issue with movement, do what you can. Cardio and weight bearing exercises aren’t the only movement available. Why not do some resistance or strength training? You just need a 5 pound weight and 10-15 minutes every day. Talk with your doctor or physical therapist for exercises you can do.
So why this article?
I just want those with a sedentary life habit to see and experience the change in their energy level, magick, and spiritual connections once they give the habit up.
Kind of like quitting smoking will change how your energy moves/feels, so will quitting a sedentary lifestyle. Perhaps it’s time practitioners of all Western Magick should be more cognizant of their physical health and its impact on their magick. At worst, we’d all be a little healthier, happier, and more in tune with the divine within and without.
Which Daemons can I work with to help me out here?
As usual, this is not a complete list of all the Daemons who can help in this area. There are MANY Daemons you can work with that help with health, breaking bad habits, and self transformation. This is just a short list of my go-to’s.
Buer is great for transforming habits.
Leviathan to help you overcome emotional triggers holding you back, or causing you to engage in the bad habit to begin with.
Zagan can help if you need a complete life overhaul. Save this one for self destructive habits like drugs, alcohol abuse. etc…
Verrine or Marbas if you need general health or vitality. (If you have physical limitations or illnesses.)
Yes, I just stuck my spoon in a bubbling cauldron of divisive emotional cross hairs and stirred. Since some folks seem to think this is a spiritual issue and there is a growing divide among a new generation of Daemonolaters who feel the need to separate based on the pro-life vs. pro-choice debate — let’s go there, shall we?
But give me a minute to give some background and context.
First you should know that I’m a Traditional Daemonolater going on 35 years now. I’m also a woman who had a uterus the first 44 years of her life. (I’m not just some guy who is regretful that his ex-girlfriend had an abortion because both of them made poor choices about family planning, and he didn’t make a spiritual choice about having sex with a woman who didn’t share his sacred beliefs to begin with.)
I had my share of sexual relationships before getting married. I’m also happily married for almost 20 years now. I’m telling you these things just so you know that A. I am actually someone who owned the equipment (which qualifies me to have an opinion) and B. I’ve actually had sexual relationships with men. I’m not some sexually frustrated guy who thinks maybe the only way he’ll be able to get a keep a woman is to get her pregnant and force her to have his spawn.
I made the choice to never use oral birth control despite how many doctors tried to shove it on me, because I didn’t want to pump my body full of artificial hormones. Even so, I was very responsible with other birth control methods to ensure I never accidentally got pregnant.
I thought about my sacred beliefs about life and pregnancy when deciding whether or not to have intimate sexual relationships with men. As a result, I never found myself in a position where abortion was ever a consideration. I like to think that I made such good spiritual choices in my relationships and that if I had ever gotten pregnant – abortion would not have been something I had to consider. For all intents and purposes — I am very much pro-life — for me.
But not all women are me. Maybe they were raped, or victims of incest. Or perhaps the birth control failed and for whatever reason, they don’t want kids, or it’s not the right time. Or worse – maybe they found out their wanted baby had a horrible disease that would make its poor, short life painful and miserable. Or maybe, the pregnancy threatens an already sentient, independent, living woman’s life. She’s already a living, breathing being who has friends and family who know and love her, and would be devastated with her loss. How could I be so hubris as to think my experience is every woman’s? Or that my choices are the best choices for everyone else? I can’t. My choices were right FOR ME and my situation. I could not, with good conscience or any spiritual maturity and intelligence, assume my choices are better than anyone else’s.
I enjoyed the privilege having the choice to do as I wanted with my body as someone who was very much pro-life for herself. I see no reason why that same right to choice shouldn’t be extended to EVERY WOMAN, EVERYWHERE. Even if her opinions don’t match mine. Imagine that.
Another woman’s choices have nothing to do with ME. A complete stranger having an abortion does not affect ME at all. So why would I try to force my personal choices on someone else?
I may be pro-life for myself, but as a whole I’M PRO CHOICE. Let me shout it from the rooftops in case those in the back didn’t hear me — S. Connolly is Pro-Choice!
Let me explain my position spiritually, as a Traditional Daemonolater.
So, as a Daemonolater, I do believe life can be sacred (this is a whole other discussion). However, I also believe life begins at the moment a thing doesn’t need a host body to survive. Because let’s face it, if it can’t breathe on its own… does it actually have a life of its own?
But MORE IMPORTANT THAN THAT — I DO NOT believe that a sentient, already self-aware and intelligent woman loses all her rights (to her own body) and becomes community or state property the second she gets pregnant. As a Daemonolater AND a Satanist – we should ALL believe that each sentient person’s body is inviolable, subject to his/her will alone. This issue goes to the very core of some of the basic tenants of any left hand path paradigm -> self responsibility – self godhood – self- worship — and minding your own damn business.
Not forcing everyone to conform to your personal beliefs is also a huge part of that. If you believe LHP or Daemonolatry is about forcing anyone to submit to your personal belief system (especially against their will), I think maybe you’re still secretly a Christian. Because Christians do that shit all the time. And they really like the idea of forcing women to become breeding stock. It’s like some kinky fap fantasy for men who feel small, powerless, and insignificant because they can’t give birth.
If abortion is against your personal beliefs — great — don’t have one.
But if someone else wants to have an abortion – STFU about it. It doesn’t affect you and it’s none of your business. And if your argument is, “But that gives my girlfriend/wife all the power to potentially make a decision about MY baby.” Then maybe you need to slow down on relationship sexual intimacy and quit jumping into bed with women who don’t share your beliefs if this is truly an important spiritual issue for you. It’s not just women who can make a choice to properly and carefully use birth control, or to abstain, gentlemen. You have options, too. Take some self-responsibility and quit whining.
The Traditional Daemonolatry I was raised with was very much a take self-responsibility and MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS religion. And it was drilled into us that you don’t try to recruit or force your beliefs or will on everyone else, even if you feel you’re right.
We don’t march, as a spiritual paradigm or religious movement, to tell other people what to do with their bodies because that very thing (trying to force other people to conform to our beliefs) goes against some verytraditional precepts of our spiritual paradigm.
You do NOT speak for the Daemonic. They speak for themselves and believe it or not, they don’t cry every time a fetus dies. I have asked the Daemonic about abortion in the past (during readings for friends and out of curiosity), and the answer changes based on the situation. Sometimes the Daemonic agrees that abortion is the best choice, sometimes they don’t — but its very situational and that’s something each Daemonolater has to individually discuss or work out with his/her patron or matron. Me or anyone else’s opinion is not required or welcome in that choice – and as the Daemonic has told me before — Mind your own business and keep your nose out of everyone else’s.
You shall not exert your will over an independent, sentient person without their consent. (This pretty much covers rape, slavery, forced pregnancy, etc…. all bad things, folks)
A living, independent, sentient person’s body is inviolable, subject to his/her will alone.
Traditional Daemonolaters don’t proselytize. It’s actually against our beliefs to convert or attempt to convert (someone) from one religion, belief, or opinion to another. The Daemonic call their own. They don’t want or need you to do it for them.
By living, independent, sentient people, that means:
The person can live outside a host body (i.e. its mother’s womb).
The person is self-aware and can communicate that self-awareness.
So before you decide to bang your pro-life drum in the name of Daemonolatry, it’s probably good to note that a good number of Daemonolaters, while they may be pro-life, are NOT anti-choice. They can be simultaneously pro-life (for themselves) and pro-choice (for everyone else) because a random stranger’s family planning choices are none of their business.
Basically – Traditional Daemonolaters are often Pro-Choice as a political stance because of this (regardless their personal choices).
One of the joys of each person’s Great Work is the journey. Sure, reaching the final destination or goal is always great, but we grow the most, and learn the most, from the journey itself. No one’s journey is like anyone else’s, but each journey is also similar in that it gives the practitioner the opportunity to challenge themselves.
Why Challenges?
I know. Not everyone craves challenge. In fact, many people may avoid challenges at any cost. Truthfully though, life gets boring without some kind of challenge, doesn’t it? Think of people who are always causing drama. Why do you think they do that even if it’s a subconscious act? One thing histrionic people often have in common is they’re bored and don’t have enough challenge in their lives. So they self-create challenges where none existed. This, however, may not be the most productive use of one’s time.
Stop any think about the last time you stirred the pot (we’ve all done it). You were probably looking for a challenge, but not all challenges are created equal, and not all challenges we create for ourselves are useful. We need to learn to pick and choose our challenges.
Challenging yourself can be beneficial in many ways:
To prove to yourself that you have what it takes to persevere, overcome, etc.
To remind you that you compete with no one but yourself (in the grand scheme of things).
To exercise your will and train for bigger challenges, both self imposed and those changes that are thrust upon you.
To make you more adaptable and to hone your creative problem solving skills.
To learn about yourself. Man know thyself and thou shalt know the gods.
I have enough challenges, thanks. I don’t need anymore.
Then it’s probably time to make a list of your challenges and decide how many of them are self-created. It may be time to take on those challenges magickally as part of your Great Work to make room for challenges that might be more rewarding for you.
This means you need to identify the challenge, identify the Daemonic forces and magickal ingredients to help you handle the challenge (based on correspondences), do the magickal work, do any tangible follow-up you can do to overcome the challenge, and move on to the next thing.
Okay, I’m ready to take on some challenges. What kind of things are we talking about?
If you are lucky enough to not be in the midst of a current challenge and want to challenge yourself, the first thing you have to ask yourself is, “What do I want to change about my life, situation, relationship, etc…”
Make a list. I’m a list girl and am always making lists. They keep me grounded and give me actionable, step-by-step things I can do to make a change.
Break it down. Under each list item make another list breaking down all the things that need to happen to create the change.
Create a plan to enact those changes, including magickal work.
Some examples of challenges you might willfully undertake include:
Quitting a bad habit (i.e. smoking, poor eating or sleeping habits, etc)
Pushing yourself to do more (i.e. exercising, completing projects)
Forcing yourself to do less (i.e. taking off days, having spa days, spending more time with family.)
Finding balance (i.e. giving more time to your spiritual practice, or your emotional wellbeing, or to those you love.)
Creating beneficial change (i.e. starting a business, switching jobs/careers, letting go of toxic relationships, moving to a new city.)
So where are the Daemons and what does this have to do with Daemonolatry????
A serious Daemonolatry practice includes embarking on your individual journey to further your Great Work, and to learn about yourself. The Daemonic Divine provides wisdom, guidance, and opportunity to that end. We become stronger, more effective magicians the more challenges we navigate in life — and life is full of some really interesting challenges. Some of them are fun and some of them — not so much. Not every lesson life throws at us feels good. In many cases – the school of hard knocks sucks. However, the more you learn to navigate and control the narrative of your situation by having full control of your challenges, the easier it is to navigate challenges that broadside us from left field.
Let’s talk about some of my favorite Daemons who can help with some of the aforementioned changes/challenges we all encounter at some point. (Obviously these are not the only Daemons you can work with for the following issues, but it’s a start).
Balance/Slowing Down: Unsere to facilitate self understanding and compassion. Sitri for more spa or fishing days, or more time spent having fun with friends. Satan or Atem for balancing and centering.
Career/Job – Belial is a solid, all around good Daemon for this. Belphegore to get interviews and job opportunities. Clauneck to help you find your calling. Sorath success for entertainment or high profile careers.
Change – To change your situation or learn to weather change, nothing beats working with the Death Daemonic. They’re not just there to help with grief, dying, and necromancy. Anubis is particularly effective for teaching people how to weather change. Zagan can help create profound change if your whole life needs an overhaul. Murmur can help you get over hurdles standing in the way of you making a change.
Confidence: Lucifuge Rofocal is one of my favorite Daemons for dealing with self-confidence and eradicating low self esteem.
Emotional Happiness: Leviathan for emotional intelligence. Buer for depression and mild mood disorders. Paimon for deep emotional trauma.
Friendship: Ashtaroth or Astaroth (Astarte), Leviathan, Dagon, Tiamaat (believe it or not). All of these Daemons are my go to when dealing with matters of friendship. Tiamaat in particular seems to harmonize perfectly when trying to sort conflict, whereas Leviathan will bring emotional intelligence to the situation, Dagon for good communication, and Ashtaroth for empathy and understanding as well as bringing new friends to you.
Health (Dis-ease) – Marbas can create opportunities for cures and treatments of existing diseases and conditions, or poor health.
Love: Rosier and Ashtaroth is my favorite pairing here. Rosier for long lasting love and passion, and Ashtaroth for friendship — both of which are a good combination for those seeking to find the right person and end up in a long term relationship.
Money: If you have money owed to you or need a quick windfall, Belphegor is great for passive cash fast. Mammon is a bigger gun that can be called in for larger sums of money, or when you have no revenue to speak of and his help may manifest as opportunities.
Motivation/Productivity: While this can depend on what you need to be motivated toward, I’m particularly fond of Daemons like Gremory, Delepitoré, Seere, Seshat, and Thoth to help get my ass moving. They’ve never steered me wrong.
Revenge – Leviathan to judge those who have wronged you. Agaliarept to destroy your enemies. Focalor to break down barriers and haunt your enemy in his dreams. Svengali to control those who have wronged you. Satanchia to run your enemy into the ground.
Self Transformation (including how we see ourselves) – Buer. He’s definitely my go to here.
Strength: Lucifuge, Ba’al, and Dagon can help to shore up your energy reserves and give you strength to persevere. This is especially true if you’re looking for Daemons to help you build endurance physically and/or emotionally/mentally.
Weight Loss – Verrine. While Verrine is a general healing Daemon, paired with Buer, they’re a force to be reckoned with here.
When many people are asked to describe what a seer or diviner looks like a default description is usually a woman, dressed like a Hollywood gypsy gazing into a crystal ball. And although the imagery is a bit trope-y, the usage of stones and crystals is a valid one when it comes to divination practices.
Each of us will find ourselves drawn to some stones over others, and there really isn’t a right or wrong choice; but some stones have made a name for themselves as being stronger on the divination energy than others.
Here are a few that I have worked with over the years along with some insight as to what they can do, or what you can expect from them.
Blue Calcite: Enables the spirit to move freely without being affected by negative energies. Good stone for when you need to lift your consciousness and push it out, whether it’s for astral projection, channeling or scrying.
Iolite: Increases your awareness in the astral and helps with dream recall.
Amethyst: Helps with OOBE (Out of Body Experiences) and lucid dreaming. This is a stone that also enhances other stones’ energies, but in a gentler way than say Moldavite or Ametrine.
Moldavite: Helps you leave your body easier. Adds intensity to all the other stones you’re working with. Can open up your third eye and make you see and hear things that might be a bit overwhelming. This is a stone where a little bit goes a long way and I don’t recommend wearing or carrying it for long periods of time, unless you are really used to it.
Ametrine: Stregthens your will and determination. Use this one in conjunction with other stones to boost the signal and your intent.
Angelite: A gentle stone that brings sense of serenity and calmness, helps you move to an upper level.
Labradorite: Helps your astral body move effortlessly. Pair with Iolite to ensure you won’t be blocked in the astral. Honestly, if you can only buy one stone to aid you in your psychic development, divination skills, or astral work this should be the stone that you buy. It is just an amazing all around psychic stone that everyone should have on hand.
Prehnite: Great for premonition work, helps with focus and the third eye.
Apophyllite: Enables your astral/light body to maintain a higher resonance. Creates a connection between the astral and the physical world. Good for scrying and out-of-body journeying.
Celestite: Stone of heaven. Will jumpstart your spiritual growth and open lines of communication. Puts you on speed dial with Divine Intelligences. Very fragile, will fade under sunlight.
Charoite: Encourages your spirit to time travel into a very deep astral state. Aids in spiritual rescue work, clairvoyance and divination. And has the added plus of cleansing the aura.
Seraphinite: Helps you open up to communication and guides your astral body. This stone also protects the physical body during astral work.
Merlinite: Not as smack smack as Moldavite but still has a lot more presence than most other stones. This stone can aid astral travel into past or future lives to gain insight.
Selenite: A very powerful psychic connector. This stone boosts communication with ancestors, angels, loved ones and spirit guides. In addition to be psychic amplifier Selenite is amazing at cleansing and recharging stones and crystals placed near it. This is especially helpful with stones that can’t tolerate salt water washes.
Larimar: Formed through fire but is a water stone. Very gentle stone that’s good for water aligned people to open up their third eye. This is also a great stone for working with the Divine Feminine.
If you are doing any kind of energy or astral work or divination, especially for others; it can be easy to attract and pick up sludge or feeders. Or if you are a natural medium, sometimes you just need some bubble wrap between you and everyone elses’ energies and that’s where the following stones come in.
Nuummite: Good for protection and buffering. Use if you want to muffle your psychic sensitivity.
Black Tourmaline, Hematite, Black Onyx, Jet: Protective stones if you tend to pick up sludge in the astral.
I could probably add a couple dozen more stones to this list, but these are the ones that I have used extensively and recommended to students for many years. I hope that you have learned about a few more stones to add to your collection.
I recently had a friend come by my flat and she was very curious as to the state of my coffee table… it was covered in multiple Tarot decks and divination tools, which is actually pretty normal for me as I read cards for a living. She just couldn’t understand why I would need to have so many cards out at a time, nor could she understand why I would need as many divination tools at all. If she only knew how many more decks and various divination tools I actually have she really would think I was nuts!
Its not that you need to have several decks,but there may come a time when you might grab your deck for a reading and it gives you the distinct feeling that it either doesn’t want to answer you or that it isn’t the right tool for the topic or challenge. This is when having back up decks or other tools comes in handy.
Some topics or questions call for different approaches, this is why I have everything from a couple of tarot decks, a Lenormand, scrying balls, Ogham staves, and a bowl of assorted crystals, and sigils within reach when I am doing readings.
Other times a tool can decide that it just doesn’t want to work with you or with a particular client. I had one deck that after several years of being my go-to deck suddenly decide that it didn’t want to work with me and instead wanted to go to my then husband. Funnily enough after a few years it decided he was a jerk and stopped working for him so it came back to me.
If you are doing face to face readings you may also find that the imagery of some decks can make clients uncomfortable. I love my Deviant Moon deck but some people found the artwork too intense for them and they would ask if I had some other deck that wasn’t as dark. Knowing that not everyone will be open to some images is one reason why professional readers tend to have multiple decks. If you only plan on doing readings for clients who share your interests then you may not need to have ‘happy’ decks, but it is always good to have at least one deck that is more general audience friendly.
Having multiple decks can also help you to find deeper meanings within the cards. With each deck I have purchased and used I have deepened my understanding of the many facets that each card has. You learn more about how the cards all connect across the board and through that become a stronger reader.
A really common question came up on the blog today, and I’m sure I’ve covered it briefly somewhere in one of my books before, though I’ll be damned if I remember which one. So I thought I would address the question, because it’s a good one, and hopefully help to clear up confusion.
Hello little question about directions and elements, I would like to invoke Astaroth and Belial, both are terrestrial, Is the next question about the North or the West? In the book of J Thorp, says that the north is the water element, and the west is the earth element, while the opening rite says the opposite. Can you enlighten me on this question thank you.
This can be super confusing to those who may just be starting out. So the first thing is that Water and Earth trade places in different traditions. Some systems, like the Khemetic system, put water North. If you’re working alchemically or within certain ceremonial traditions, it makes more sense to put water North. If you practice traditional craft or certain forms of Western ceremonial magick, however, Water is often put toward the west.
IMHO though — it really depends on the operation. IF you’re looking to stabilize emotions, strengthen wisdom, or manifest greater clarity through divination, or to heighten your intuition — Water North because it’s closer to Air, thus affecting mental acuity. If you’re looking to spark creativity, explore your passions, or destroy someone else – Water west to heighten emotion and infuse it with fire.
So in this sense, you can look at the elements as Air and Fire being “fixed elements” and Earth and Water as being “mutable elements” within a magickal circle with an elemental construct.
Ultimately – if you haven’t tried Earth toward the West and Water to the North — try it. Decide which one you like better. I’ve noticed everyone has their preference. I can go either way.
Just as an aside here, when you’re working with the Fire Aspect of Belial, it makes sense to put Earth West. IF you’re working with the Cold/Dry Earth aspect of Belial, it makes sense to put Earth North.
So many people start the new year with resolutions and goals, and by February 1st, it’s all out the window. So what can we do to better prepare ourselves for the changes we’d like to make?
Why not try a new year ritual?
Divination
A new year divination for yourself can be a solid regular ritual to perform to give you a heads-up on what the year ahead might bring. Forewarned is forearmed and you can plan accordingly. If you don’t feel you can be objective enough, hire another reader to take a look for you. I generally hire someone to do my astrology and year ahead readings for me. Not because I can’t do it for myself, but because I’ve learned I need the perspective.
Cursing Bad Habits/Situations
Buy a small houseplant. Through the first week of January, on small slips of paper, write down all the habits you’d like to break, or bad situations you’d like to be rid of. At the end of the week, collect all those pieces of paper and burn them (or rip them up), and then bury the ashes or bits of paper in with the small houseplant. Let the houseplant die, and along with it, the habits and situations you wish to be rid of. Once the plant is dead, offer it back to the earth by leaving it in an outdoor sacred space, or a compost pile. For those who live in an apartment, you might go to a park or empty lot and leave the plant there (keep the pot so you’re not littering).
Creating Affirmations and Goals
Write down your immediate, short-term, and long-term goals on a sheet of paper. Then rephrase them. Example:
I will get that managerial position becomes I am a strong leader/manager.
Add to it, I have the strength and diplomacy of Lucifuge [or your Daemonic force of choice] within me – I am a strong leader!
Do that with each goal. For two weeks, read these affirmations to yourself once a day. You should start seeing changes manifesting.
Working Ritual with Daemons to Help Hold You Accountable
This is a good time of year to petition the Daemonic to help hold you accountable to your goals simply by doing a standard request ritual to the Daemonic powers of your choice.
Here’s to a prosperous, healthy, and happy 2020 to all of you!
Just a quick note to let everyone know that we are working on which classes will be offered in 2020 and should have an idea of what’s coming (and a general timeline) by the time February rolls around. The upcoming class schedule will be announced here, with links to sign-ups no later than March 31 (if all goes well).
In the meantime – have yourselves a spectacular New Year’s eve celebration, be safe, and we’ll be seeing you in the new year!
May the Daemonic Divine bring blessings and enlightenment upon you.
Astaroth, Astarte, Astoreth — all of them just some of the spellings for the Grand Duke of Hell, Priestess of Friendship and Divination, and Goddess of War and Love.
Ashtaroth is one of the gentler Daemons to work with, and is both patient and kind to those new to the practice (YMMV). Because she is also a rather versatile Daemonic force, she can be worked with in many situations and applications, one of them being divination.
You may be wondering why I’m bringing up Divination and Ashtaroth as a topic… because this is the month most people start making plans and doing divinations for the coming year!
Blessing certain Divination tools in the name of Ashtaroth and consecrating them to her will imbue the devices with more energy to help you see further and more clearly.
Making your own divination devices always makes them more potent.
