THE HOODWITCH: WITCHTIPS & HOROSCOPES 1.24-30.2018

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Written by Jessica Lanyadoo

Witch Tips

Strap yourselves in, Puppies, this week is gonna be quite a ride! It kicks off with an exact conjunction from Mercury to trans-formative Pluto on the 24th through the 25th. This transit intensifies (Pluto) the tempo of your thinking (Mercury). Mercury rules over your thoughts, communication in general, your friendships and work relationships. Your thoughts are likely to be deep, intense, and compulsive, which is great if you have to do a research project or some other task that requires serious concentration, but it’s pretty rough if you’re just trolling social media or dealing with the complexities of other people. What you say now is important because you run the risk of speaking out of pettiness, but once it’s out there, you can’t take it back. If you have a serious need to defend yourself, get to it, but chose your battles wisely. Your petty parts want blame, but your soul wants peace, and that never comes from acting out. This can be a transformational time, but you need to be willing to sit with the intensity of your mind. Watch your compulsions run themselves ragged without trying to convert them into wisdom by justifying their presence.

 

From the 24th-26th, Mercury will form a dynamic sextile to foot-in-the-mouth Jupiter. The upside of this is that it will help you to make connections and see the whole picture. These are the days for making sense of what happened during that Pluto/Mercury transit. The downside is that it can extend the impulse to cyber stalk, compare your progress to others, view things from an all or nothing lens, and jump to conclusions. The key here is to seek the truth but not just your truth. We all exist in our own reality, each with our own point of view. Make space for all of it so that you can objectively decide what you’re wiling to work with and what’s out of alignment for you. When all you do is focus on what others are or aren’t doing, you’re evading your responsibility to yourself. Everyone makes mistakes. If you make a habit of calling people out and don’t also spread love and appreciation around, you’re participating in the worst of call-out culture. It takes takes less spiritual energy to applaud than it does to boo; comes from the well of your soul, so chose your actions with care.

 

Finally, from the 26th-28th, Mercury will form a square to reactive Uranus. If you haven’t been doing your homework all week, you’re likely to fly off the handle or make rash judgment calls. This is a time for new information being revealed but not so much for making sense of it. Expect to feel dogmatic, restless and nervous, or to deal with someone else who's acting from that place. This energy is likely to make you accident prone because it’s reactive and distractible. This energy is inventive, dynamic, and progressive too – as long as you can stay present without attachments to what happens next. We are at the precipice of a Full Moon Lunar Eclipse on the 31st, so you can expect emotions to be running high, making the goal of patience and presence a hard one to achieve. Here’s a Pro Tip for this week as a whole: instead of seeking the cracks, seek the light pouring through them. Letting go of what doesn’t serve you is an act of self-healing. Forgiveness will set you free, and we all need to get free of our own b$llsh$t so we can do what we came here to do.

 

 

ARIES

March 21-April 19

Peace isn’t a single point of perfection; it’s a state of mind. If you can make subtle adjustments that allow you to flow with your situation without losing your center, you can maintain inner calm, even in stressful situations. It’s when you allow other people or situations to determine your wellness that you lose track of what’s real and what’s of value to you. Don’t figure out what to do before you figure out what your truth is this week, my love.

 

­TAURUS

April 20-May 20

There’s never enough to make you feel safe if you’re fixated on what you don’t have. What you chose to believe in will either bolster or negate your sense of self this week. Do your very best to see the potential in your limitations, the lessons in your failures, and the joy in the little things. This isn’t so that you’ll magically no longer have problems but so that you’ll have the inner resources you need to deal with them gracefully. You’ve got this, Taurus.

 

GEMINI

May 21-June 21

Stay here in the present, Twin Star. You run the risk of losing precious energy by obsessing on things past or trying to figure out what others are thinking or feeling. You don’t need a psychic – just ask people questions! You don’t need to time travel – just let go of what happened in the past. Take control of this moment by focusing your attention on what you can improve, my love.

 

CANCER

June 22-July 22

Be careful what you say, Moonchild, because once it’s out there, you can’t take it back. There’s a lot of tension in your relationships, and while it would be easy to assume the worst of others, it’s not wise. Give the same grace and compassion to others when they make mistakes as you wish to receive, but you shouldn’t lie down and take poor behavior, either. Take the time you need to decide which of your feels to respond from and which are better suited for your Dear Diary.

 

LEO

July 23-Aug. 22

You set the wheels in motion some time ago, and now it’s time to reap some of what you’ve sewn, Leo. This is an excellent time to get grounded by first getting present, and then from that place, review the past several months. You’re likely to now be feeling the consequences of what you initiated in the past four or so months, so look back to that time to see what was going on. You can’t change the past, but you can shift your attitudes towards it and let it inform your understanding of what’s happening now.

 

VIRGO

Aug. 23-Sept. 22

If you make decisions in a moment of panic, you’re going to be acting from a shaky foundation. You don’t have to take on anything new, my love, and if you do, you can have boundaries with how you do it. It’s important that you give yourself permission to focus on the things that bring you life instead of only things that make you feel like you’re proving yourself. It’s not enough to just get there, Virgo. Get there full and whole as well.

 

LIBRA

Sept. 23-Oct. 22

Placating people is fine in the short term, but if you want true intimacy, you’ve got to be honest, Libra. Show up as your full self this week, even if that makes things more complicated. It’s time to figure out the art of having hard conversations; this will require you to have kindness for yourself and others in equal parts and to treat people with the trust that they’ve earned. If you don’t know what to say, you’re always entitled to say just that. Try your best, my love.

 

SCORPIO

Oct. 23-Nov. 21

You can shake in your booties, or you can get to work. Once you determine what the problem is, it’s time to get practical, Scorpio. What actions can you take to best support yourself when you get stressed? What expectations are you holding that get in the way of allowing something greater to flow into your life? This is your life, your road to travel; don’t let your fears and projections compel you to miss out on all the beauty along the way.

 

SAGITTARIUS

Nov. 22-Dec. 21

Things are changing, and it’s unclear what you want from it all. Instead of jumping to conclusions as a way to take shortcuts, try slowing it down, Sagittarius. This week you’re likely to have things revealed to you in pieces; try not to make any heavy commitments or sweeping judgments quite yet. Tune into your heart, and make sure that what you’re doing is in alignment with what you find there.

 

CAPRICORN

Dec. 22-Jan. 19

Where you allow your attention to go is what you’re feeding, Capricorn. You can do your best and even be the best, and that doesn’t mean that you’ll get what you want. In truth, you may not even want the right things. If you choose to pour your heart into your disappointments, they will grow before your very eyes. The trick this week is to seek the opportunities in your troubles and to manage your pessimistic thinking with gentle but persistent TLC.

 

 

AQUARIUS

Jan. 20-Feb. 18

I’ll let you in on a little secret: gratitude is an anxiety buster. You can make your worst fears come true if you persist in looking for them. The trick is to commit to seeking at least as much good as you seek bad in the world, Aquarius. You don’t need to be a Pollyanna; just try to find a balanced approach to the truth. You stand to gain far more by allowing yourself to celebrate your successes and those of the people around you than by disparaging yourself or anyone else.

 

 

PISCES

Feb. 19-March 20

When people are weird to you or awkward around you, it’s tempting to take it personally – but it’s only personal some of the time. This week, it’s a bad idea to take things at face value because everyone is going through it. the good news is that it’s an excellent time to practice embodying the emotional boundaries that you’ve been working so hard to perfect! You don’t have to be perfect, but when you feel off, try naming it and watching it instead of shrinking or advancing in self-defense, my love.

 


The Power Of The Witch

 

I am my sisters keeper. 
The witch, bruja, healer, mother, sister, daughter, lover, artist, creative, bitch, wild woman,visionary, goddess. Transcendent of time and space. Reclaiming power, and ancestral blood lines of magick from the heavens and the Earth. I come from dirt and blood, jewels and bones. moon and sun. I am my grandmothers secrets, hopes, and dreams. I adorn myself in light and shadows. But do not mistake my flesh nor my worldly appearance for vanity, for everything I do is deliberate, I walk in gratitude for the ones who’ve come before me. My vessel is ancient, this skin remembers being birthed through the cosmos and rising out of the depths of the sea. Do not mistake her softness, vulnerability, sensitivity, compassion, love, resilience or silence for weakness. I am birthed of fire and lava of death and decay. A huntress a warrior, not worrier. I am my sisters keeper,

-B. Luna

 

Do you remember who you are? Have you lost your way? Do you remember your power? Should I remind you? Do you remember that you ARE the only magick you need? 
Don’t allow anyone else to define YOU or your magick and how YOU choose to present it in this world. YOUR magick it is what the f*ck you say it is. Not everyone is going to believe like you, practice like you, and that’s why it’s a personal JOURNEY. Personal. Meaning no one else is living it but you. 


We each embody unique skills with abilities to hurt or heal. Choose healing, lay down the heavy burdens, breathe. Love and be loved. Be the bruja, witch, healer, magician, Oracle, priest/priestess or mentor that you want to see in this world. Less hate, more understanding. 
Everybody got some magick in ‘em use your energy, time, and power wisely. 

 


The Witch Wave Podcast Features Bri Luna of The Hoodwitch

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 Are you ready to ride the wave of the witch? of course you are!

Our lovely friend Pam Grossman just launched her AMAZING new podcast today, The Witch Wave! and while in New York, I had the pleasure  to visit Pam in Brooklyn to  discuss modern witchery, art, beauty, and everything else in between.  We've shared the very first episode (above) give it a listen +  add some magic to your day! 

 

For more information check out The Witch Wave

 

 


WITCH TIPS + HOROSCOPES 10/18-24/2017

photography by Scarlett Hoof Graafland

Written By Jessica Lanyadoo

WITCH TIPS

This week, the big news is the New Moon in Libra on the 19th. This is an excellent time to reset, refresh, and realign yourself.

New Moons mark the start of a new cycle for your potential and personal development, while Libra is the sign of partnership, diplomacy, and the drive for fairness. To be honest, the world isn’t fair, and that’s nothing new. We are seeing more world events as they happen in real time than ever before, and we’re inundated with more messages from advertisements than ever before. We live in a “like” culture, and this is Libra’s Kryptonite. Don’t lose track of yourself, dear heart. Whether someone likes you or hates you is their cross to bear, not yours, unless you take it on. You don’t need to get validation or permission to be yourself. There’s a shifting of the tides happening within each and every one of us, and the more authentic and present you are for it, the more graceful this shift will be.

From the 18th-20th, the bright-light Sun will sit opposite revolutionary Uranus. This transit will be exact with the New Moon, radicalizing your whole emo experience. This is an excellent time to throw off limitations, access more options, and try new approaches. You don’t need to be perfect or even feel confident; you only need to try. Don’t lose energy obsessing on an unknowable future or on picking apart your allies and enemies – it won’t heal your pain or generate more justice, it will only dilute your energy.

Get right with yourself this week. Cultivate ownership of all your parts, and leave space for growth, no matter how deep your learning curve is. Allow for the diversity of the human experience. A person doesn’t need to agree with you on all things in order to be ‘on your side.’ This is a time that you can achieve greater freedom, so use your energy wisely, my love.

 

 

 

ARIES

March 21-April 19

The Libra New Moon in your relationship house comes with a punch. The tension between your desire to be intimate and your drive to do things your way is real. You can do whatever you want, but that doesn’t mean that you’ll like what happens if you do. Sit with your impulses long enough to understand what you really need. Relationships without compromise are kind of a fantasy; be willing to bend so that things don’t break this week, Aries.

 

­TAURUS

April 20-May 20

When people tell you to ‘just be yourself’ or ‘trust your instincts,’ it’s hard to know which self you’re supposed to trust and which instincts you’re meant to honor? It’s time to slow down and get grounded, Taurus. If you’ve lost track of what’s motivating you, this week may bring you some drama to unravel. Handle what you’ve got instead of taking on something new. Pace yourself so that you can act on self-knowledge instead of pressure. You’ve got this, Taurus.

 

GEMINI

May 21-June 21

Relationships aren’t meant to be easy all the time any more than they’re meant to always be hard. You’re on call to show up for the complications of compromise, Twin Star. In order to make healthy concessions, you need to first know yourself though. Whether you’re negotiating your needs and responsibilities with your boss, your bae, or your relationship to social media, know your values and make sure your actions reflect them this week.

 

CANCER

June 22-July 22

Not knowing what comes next can be exhilarating or exhausting. Decide today that you’re willing to make the most of what you have in the here and now, Moonchild. There’s so much intense uncertainty in the world and so much that’s out of your control. Don’t lose your energy obsessing on what you can’t know. Focus on what’s currently happening, and make the best choices you can. You don’t have to be perfect, you only need be whole.

 

LEO

July 23-Aug. 22

You would have so many fewer problems if you would just be a bit more direct, Leo. You can worry over the right way to package what you think and feel, or you can just be honest. You don’t get to both control or manage how other people feel about you and also be authentic at the same time. If you choose to be true, the people and situations that remain in your life will be good for you. If you speak out of both sides of your mouth, you’ll get a false sense of peace, this week.

 

VIRGO

Aug. 23-Sept. 22

Other people’s opinions are important, but when you don’t know what you think, too many ideas can serve to make you feel confused and unsure of how to make sense of it all. Take time to sit with your ambiguities and disappointments this week. I’m not encouraging you to wallow but to instead stay present with your feels and show yourself the kindness of honoring them. Doing this will help clarify what you truly need so that you don’t go putting band aids on bullet wounds, Virgo.

 

LIBRA

Sept. 23-Oct. 22

There’s only one New Moon in your sign per year, and it’s happening on the 19th of this week. This marks a powerful turning point for you, Libra, and it’s on you how it’ll go. If you’ve been dragging your feet on making changes, this is the time to spring to action. You can expect your relationships to challenge you to step up. Don’t hide from your life, my love; as the saying goes, they call it the present because it’s a gift. Make the most of yours.

 

SCORPIO

Oct. 23-Nov. 21

Jupiter in your sign can be an exciting time in which you feel your luck shift, and a sense of optimism may overtake you. More likely, though, it will simply expand whatever you’re feeling. If you’ve been struggling mentally, it’s time for something to bend or break, my love. Invest in your wellness by taking creative actions, spending time with people who want the best for you, and letting yourself have your feels. Healing comes from getting real, so try to show all the way up, Scorpio.

 

SAGITTARIUS

Nov. 22-Dec. 21

Explore what you’ve got without adding anything new to your plate this week, ‘Tarius. You have so many resources and so much potential; don’t squander it all by allowing yourself to get caught up in distractions. Check your dreams for inspiration and direction. If what you think is important isn’t informed by your deepest feels, life tends to be hollow. Take a chance on what you most deeply desire instead of settling for what it seems easiest to get this week.

 

CAPRICORN

Dec. 22-Jan. 19

Not getting results right away is frustrating, but it’s not a sign, Cappy. This week you’re likely to be dealing with a mixed bag. You’ve grown and changed and in some ways are doing better than ever. In other ways, you may find yourself regressing into anxiety and impatience. Make space for your feelings without overindulging them to a point of self-sabotage. Sometimes, you’ve just got to gently pick yourself up and do the work, my love.

 

 

AQUARIUS

Jan. 20-Feb. 18

How is it that you’re both ready to take the bull by the horns and totally confused about what to do next? This week, what you decided not long ago is likely to be challenged by either new information or old insecurities. If there’s no rush on decisions, grant yourself the space to figure out what you really feel before you strike forward. If you have something pressing to deal with, try not to do it from a place of fear. You don’t need change as much as you need improvements, my love.

 

 

PISCES

Feb. 19-March 20

Your mind may be racing, and distractions may come at you from left field; don’t let that deter you! All you have to do is follow through, Pisces. You’ve done so much hard work to get to this point, and now it’s on you to carry on in spite of the chaos of the moment. Even if your feels flare or relationships throw curve balls at you, you’ve got a plan to carry out. Stay centered in your ambitions and take them on little by little every day, until you get where you intend to be.

 


Divining Through Disaster

 Photography by: Maimouna Guerresi

 Photography by: Maimouna Guerresi

Written by Jaliessa Sipress

Recently, a lot of people’s realities have been turned upside-down; whether through “natural” or man-made disaster or through events that blur the line in-between. Disaster is something most of us live under the threat of everyday. It bubbles underneath our feet and seethes under our skin. It is what keeps us up at night and often impacts our day-to-day decisions. Its intensity and presence ebb and flow but the threat will always remain. Turmoil in this world is consistent but when the building pressure peaks, people start to panic, and they begin to forget.

As witches, misfortune is a part of our lineage. The fear, pain and suffering of those around us prescribed as side effects of us being privy to our own power. Our aptitude to tap into our natural abilities and form deep connections with our bodies, the bodies around us and the body of the earth are all things that make us dangerous because these acts can never fall under anyone else’s dominion. We listen and flow with the earth and her shifts and changes. We practice remembrance and manifestation in accordance with her seasons. We understand that we are of her and can harness her power and this is why we are feared. But the earth is a witch, too. She casts spells of beauty, love and abundance and she, too, is targeted for being angry and vengeful when she tries to heal herself. And this is why we must carry on. This is why we must acknowledge the power of the witch, the strength in our audacity to be our own temples and our own healers. Our abilities to make altars out of debris and never be without our magic because it lies within us.

To divine through disaster is to not ignore it. A lot of the craft is centered in the simple act of noticing. We watch and wait and participate in the art of divine timing. We are here to nurture the collapse of all that ails us, to live in harmony with our fear and loss. We must remember that our ancestors birthed our path to freedom and it is our duty to lead the way for others. Witches work is the work of the people. It is the work we do to stabilize and satiate and educate and support those who have forgotten the power within them.

During times of turmoil, it is our duty to remember and share our knowledge of how to work and heal with water, soil and ash. We must pass on ways to regenerate with what remains when human inventions fail. We are the ones who have to figure out why the world is still turning and we must take note of where our magic fits into the maddeness. We have to keep fighting, casting and believing the way we have been but with steadier consistency and ferocious fervor. Witches have to hold it down. It is our job to lead the way, to teach others how light comes from darkness and to hold onto our beliefs and our beloveds until the walls fall down around us.

Photography By  Photo credit: Maimouna Guerresi

Photography By  Photo credit: Maimouna Guerresi


SCORPIO RISING: AN INTERVIEW WITH MERCURY HOUR

Meet Scarlett C. Dancer the empowering jewelry designer behind indie jewelry brand Mercury Hour,  a magical line of talismans designed to  invoke the power of the scorpion. In our interview, Scarlett discuses her journey from domestic abuse survivor to becoming a  courageous business owner giving back one piece of jewelry at a time.