MUSIC TO CAST LOVE SPELLS BY VOL.2

Music To Cast Love Spells By

A sensual and seductive playlist curated for The Hoodwitch by Alia Mohamed to get you in the mood for casting love spells, or to simply indulge yourself in a romantic evening of self-care rituals. Whatever your plans are this Valentine's Day, these tracks are sure to get you in the mood for some love and enchantment!  

TRACKLIST:

Nancy Holloway - Sand and Rain
Norman Connors - Butterfly Dreams
Patrice Rushen - Where There Is Love
Minnie Riperton - Every Time He Comes Around
Flowers - For Real
Intimate Strangers - Love Sounds
Dorothy Ashby - Alone Together
Gene Rains And His Group - Tangi Tahiti
Julie London with The Spencer-Hagen Orchestra - Dark
Sonny Lester - Jasmine
Dom Boga - Mattino de Fuoco
Googoosh - Gahi Khandeh Gahi Geryeh
Bhairvi - The Panthers
The Roger Webb Sound - Moon Bird
Bobby Bland - I'll Take Care of You
Vagif Mustafa Zadeh - Gelmedi
Sun Ra - Love Is For Always
Piero Umiliani - Approdo Lunare
Mica Levi - Love

WITCH TIPS & HOROSCOPES 2/14-20/2018

 

Witch Tips

You all know what time it is! Get ready to be overwhelmed by corporate-sponsored romance while we all feel pressure to get proof that we’re loved. If you’re trying to figure out what to do on February 14th, I’ve got some good news for you. From the 14th-16th, there will be a Sun sextile to Uranus and a Mercury square to Jupiter, making this a great time to meet new people and clarify what you want. The emphasis here is on friendship, so get deep with yourself, make sure you’re treating yourself right, give serious love to your fam, or focus on the foundation of friendship that you have with your paramour.

On the 15th is when things get weird. At 1.05pm PST there will be Solar Eclipse in revolutionary Aquarius. A Solar Eclipse happens during a New Moon, and this one provides an excellent time to get free. Expect some serious upheaval in your life, but don’t worry – it’s happening to help point you in the right direction, not to knock you off course. Pay close attention to the themes in your life this week, and also remember what was going on around January 31st because you’ll be integrating these themes until the next Solar Eclipse on July 12, 2018. 

Aquarius is a sign that is concerned with humanity, even if it finds actual humans low key annoying. Pay particular attention to the gap between what you theoretically believe and what you can emotionally handle at this time. New Moons are openings – they’re beginnings of a new cycle – and the Moon is always concerned with the flow of your heart. Aquarius can be really heady, which is great for so many things, but not so much for feels. Don’t run after false ideas that only work for you in theory. If you can’t back your ideas up with emotional presence and material action, they’re just ideas and nothing more. This Eclipse is a chance for you to start fresh, but this can’t be done from up in the clouds or without clear intention. Show up. Be here for the uncomfortable bits, especially for your own feels and the emotions of the people you care about.

From the 16th-18th, irritable Mars will square escapist Neptune, and the self-centered Sun will sit on top of analytic Mercury. These transits are a big part of the Eclipse and are likely to muddle things quite a bit, so here’s a Pro Tip to help you through: you don’t have to do anything except for take care of your side of the street. It’s not your job to call out the wrong in others; all you need to do is what’s right for you. If you’re seeing things in people that you don’t like, try to sit with it for 72hrs before making a call or taking action.

If you haven’t yet caught this week’s episode of the Self Service Podcast with The Hoodwitch’s own Bri Luna and me, you’ve got to check it out! Hear us set you up for having a magical week, and try out my eclipse-timed Forgiveness Ritual. The best way to open yourself up to love in the here and now is to first let go of the past. It’s time to let a new era begin, my love.

ARIES

March 21-April 19

Slow down and be here now. This week is likely to have you feeling jumpy and for good cause – it’s catch-up time. Feelings that you’ve allowed to remain unchecked are going to feel like they’re dragging you down, and issues that have been allowed to stay unresolved will start to bug you again. Make sure you’re not projecting your issues out as a coping mechanism. It’s hard to sit with your feels, but that’s exactly what you should try to do. Healing starts with you, Aries.

­TAURUS

April 20-May 20

The very real differences between you and the people you care about aren’t meant to be an affront to you, Taurus. Getting along is wonderful, but part of true intimacy is how you weather storms together. Instead of rushing to answers and explanations, seek patience this week. There’s no need to know what’s going to happen next or even the contents of another person’s heart. Be kind to yourself and others as your relationships unveil themselves to you.

GEMINI

May 21-June 21

You have a tendency to get too in your head, and this week it may get you in trouble. The answers that you seek lie in the relationships that bring you happiness. If you keep taking yourself out of dynamics in efforts to understand them, you’ll feel like you’re treading water. Sometimes the best parts of life come from the messiness. This week is an excellent time to take chances, Twin Star. Put yourself in the mix of emo human interaction. If you don’t like what you learn, you can finally go about changing it.

CANCER

June 22-July 22

Life is complicated; your best friend in the world can also be a total bug; your greatest successes can keep you up at night. If you can stop expecting things to be black and white, you’ll have an easier time laying off of yourself. Give yourself some slack, Moonchild. You’re having feels, and that doesn’t mean that you’ve taken a wrong turn or made a serious error. Allow your emotions to ebb and flow without making serious changes this week.

LEO

July 23-Aug. 22

If you have people that you’re compatible with in your life, this week’s Solar Eclipse in your relationship house can bring really beautiful shifts in your close connections. If your relationships don’t reflect who you really are, this may be a time of reckoning. Confront the truth, even if it brings you to a place of hard choices; in the words of Nayyirah Waheed, “if someone does not want me it’s not the end of the world. But if I don’t want me the world is nothing but endings.”

 

VIRGO

Aug. 23-Sept. 22

Sometimes a feeling is just a feeling. You’re rewiring your relationship to anxiety, and this week will offer you solid opportunities to test it out. Instead of reacting to your emotions, practice responding to them, Virgo. Explore the contents of your heart, seeking only the truth. You are habituated to believe some compelling but untrue stories about yourself. Challenge them. Be brave enough to tolerate your unpleasant feels and figure out what they’re truly comprised of, my love.

LIBRA

Sept. 23-Oct. 22

The pain of becoming is not to be avoided, Libra. You’ve been working hard to overcome some old patterns that have you stuck in a loop. This week you can expect some breakthroughs, but they won’t come for free. Confront your fears boldly. You are ready for change, and you’re ready to outgrow your stuck parts. You may not be ready to do it all at once, but that doesn’t mean you’re not doing it. Be patient with your process, wherever you’re currently at with it.

SCORPIO

Oct. 23-Nov. 21

If you catch yourself overwhelmed by anxiety this week, it means that you’re fixating on things that you don’t get to control. There’s so much that you can impact in the world, in your personal life, and in your inner landscape; devote your care and attention to those instead of the crazy-making machinations of others. Strive to close the gap between your intention and your actions, and you’ll find it’s easier to have peace with the inevitable problems that others bring you.

SAGITTARIUS

Nov. 22-Dec. 21

If there’s a nagging voice in your head saying not to do it, maybe it’s smart to listen. Your heart and head are not always in agreement with each other; that’s just life. Now’s the time to heed your intuition, even if it contradicts your plans or your heart’s desires. This week’s Solar Eclipse is likely to yield sudden sparks of insight, and they may just be gold for you if you can be present enough to heed their wisdom.

CAPRICORN

Dec. 22-Jan. 19

When your actions reflect your values, you really can’t go wrong, Cappy mon Capitan. If you’re overwhelmed and shut down or phoning it in, it’s really hard to parse out your inner wisdom from your inner chatter. This week you need to practice self-care so that you create a solid foundation upon which everything else in your life can flourish. You’re on the right path, but you need to stay connected to yourself as you traverse it. Take time-outs when you need them, and remember to breathe this week.

AQUARIUS

Jan. 20-Feb. 18

The Solar Eclipse in your sign on the 15th is a doorway for you to walk through, Aquarius. This is an excellent time to kick off a new project, start a new habit, or just try something new. You are in an incredibly fertile place, and the best way to take advantage of it is by being emotionally present. Fixate your energy on what you want, and let all that other stuff that you’ve been fighting or stressing over go. What you feed will grow, so make sure that you’re acting from your best self; start from the inside out.

PISCES

Feb. 19-March 20

When chaos comes (and who’re we kidding, it always does), it’s important to focus on how it effects your energy instead of how to be diplomatic. When you place diplomacy in front of self-care, you end up acting in ways that are disingenuous and creating false expectations with others. It doesn’t matter what your motivations are, it’s essential that you honor the truth, Pisces. If you don’t know what that is, spend downtime getting present in your body, and seek the wisdom that only comes from presence, my love.

THE HOODWITCH: WITCHTIPS & HOROSCOPES 1.24-30.2018

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 HOODWITCH: WITCHTIPS AND HOROSCOPES 01.17-23.2018

Written by Jessica Lanyadoo

 

Witch Tips

As we take a step into weird and wonderful Aquarius Season (both the Sun and Venus enter air sign Aquarius this week), the thing to remember is this very moment. Aquarius is a sign that concerns us with the future, which is an excellent thing as long as you’re not avoiding the present. These vibes can get really theoretical; prioritizing ideals of humanity without all the messiness of dealing with actual humans is the downside of Aquarius. Make sure you aren’t weaving ideas about the world that you aren’t willing to test out in the world. This is an excellent time for collaboration for common goals; where Leo wants to shine all on her own, the light of Aquarius burns brightest when it falls on everyone. Aquarius season is a great time to investigate your beliefs by actually living them out. Connect with people you don’t usually meet with, and be open to difference. You don’t have to be in agreement with others in order to be on the same team. Explore the potential of your ego by deemphasizing it. Look outside of your personal concerns to explore the needs of your community, whatever that looks like for you.

The 23rd is day one of Mercury meeting Pluto in rigid Capricorn. This transit will last until the 25th, and it’s one to watch out for; Mercury governs your mind, friendships, and communication in general, while Pluto is compulsive, intense, and has serious abandonment issues. You may find that you’re caught up in an obsessive line of thought, feeling paranoid, or that your abandonment issues are extra sensitive, or you may have to deal with someone else who's going through it. This is a great time to seek insight and healing, but there are some pitfalls to avoid. If you find yourself seeking to blame yourself or others, you’re on the wrong track. Negative thinking will only lead to more negativity, so if you’re feeling really down and you can’t get up, seek neutral ground. This isn’t the time to try to control situations, feelings, or people; all you need to do is find the truth of your feelings about them, not to make them something different. Seek to improve the relationship you have with yourself today (and every day), my love.

ARIES

March 21-April 19

It’s important that you communicate, Aries. You’re likely to be stuck on some pretty frustrating feelings, and if you neglect to share what’s happening for you with others, they’re bound to take it personally. You don’t need to get into details or get too involved, but what you omit is communicating more than you might intend it to this week. Share yourself, even when it’s difficult. You may be surprised at the amount of support you have available to you, my love.

TAURUS

April 20-May 20

Letting go is hard to do, but it’s absolutely worth it. We move into Aquarius season this week, and this can be an uncomfortable time for you, Taurus. Don’t try to hold on tight in the face of change, but try not to abandon yourself when your feels get complicated either. Strive to find a way to flow with your circumstances by being kind to yourself, wherever you’re at in your process. You can for sure get where you want to go; just make sure that when you get there, you feel good in your own skin.

GEMINI

May 21-June 21

There are always more than two options, but when you’re blocked, it’s hardest to see that. You may be tempted to give up and walk away this week, but that’s not your best move. You need to pace yourself, creating balance between your obligations and your passions, your personal life and your goals. Don’t worry so much about the future; all you can make sure of is that you are acting in ways that support you and your life in the present moment, Twin Star.

CANCER

June 22-July 22

Don’t rush into the future so much that you abandon the present. Likewise, don't resist the truth of how things are because you wish they were different. Struggle against adversity, repression, and dead-end pathways, but don’t struggle against the truth, Moonchild. Acceptance is not consent; it’s awareness. Be present for how things are in the here and now so that you can act in the most constructive ways possible this week.

LEO

July 23-Aug. 22

Let’s talk about courage, Leo. According to Brene Brown, “Courage is a heart word. The root of the word courage is cor - the Latin word for heart. In one of its earliest forms, the word courage meant ‘To speak one's mind by telling all one's heart.’” Now is the time for you to act on the contents of your heart, even if your fears are telling you otherwise. Make choices that allow you to feel right in your own skin so that you can gracefully grow into the person you intend to be, my love.

VIRGO

Aug. 23-Sept. 22

There is no perfection, no immaculate idea, and no infallible plan. There’s just life, messy, complicated, unpredictable life. Instead of seeking someone or thing that can tell you all the answers, try to find willingness to just be where you’re at, Virgo. Being in the middle of things doesn’t mean that there’s no end in sight – only that you can’t see it yet. This is a bad time to drop connection to your vision to focus on obstacles. Stay aligned with your plans, and you’ll do great, this week.

LIBRA

Sept. 23-Oct. 22

When it all feels like too much, you don’t need to force yourself to put on a brave face, Libra. How you care for yourself is foundational to the options you see, the choices you make, and the attitudes you hold towards life in general. This is not a time to crumble in the face of adversity, but you don’t have to power through, either. Make adjustments that reflect the needs of your heart as well as your commitments. You don’t have to be anywhere but where you’re at, my love.

SCORPIO

Oct. 23-Nov. 21

Don’t be a bully, Scorpio. If you can’t be a good friend to yourself, you’re missing out on one of the greatest relationships of your life. Spend some time in a little place called me this week. Honor your gifts and hard work, show up with gratitude, and do it all without checking over your shoulder to see if something bad is coming for you. Handle fear and stress with the love and patience that you deserve; be the very friend you need this week, my love.

SAGITTARIUS

Nov. 22-Dec. 21

This week is an excellent time for confronting problems, but if you’re not careful, you’ll create more by evading them. FOMO will get you if you let it, ‘Tarius. Beware of the impulse to add a bunch more stuff to your plate when what you really need to do is manage what you already have going on. If you get a chance to take on something new, make sure that it won’t come at the expense of what you’ve already initiated, even if that thing is a pain to deal with.

CAPRICORN

Dec. 22-Jan. 19

You’re so capable that you could easily create your fears and worst-case scenarios without breaking a sweat, Capricorn. Obsession and repetitive thought or action is pretty much like prayer; make sure that you’re not praying at the altar of your fears and investing your precious energy into what you don’t want. Avoid looking for how things are likely to go wrong. Commit to seeking the creative potential in your life, and you’re much more likely to find it.

AQUARIUS

Jan. 20-Feb. 18

Think of this week as your chance to work on integration, Aquarius. Your feelings can’t be ignored, but they shouldn’t overshadow your plans. If you’re struggling with indecision or acceptance, it’s time to clarify what you’re doing and why. If you slip into your scattered and reactive behavior, you’ll find yourself seeking validation in the eyes of others instead of yourself. The whole truth can’t hurt you – it’ll only help you to move on, my love.

PISCES

Feb. 19-March 20

You don’t need to convince anyone that what you’re doing is valid. You don’t need permission, and you don’t need an audience. All you need is you, Pisces. When you’re going through deep healing or meaningful change, loneliness and fear are a part of the process. It’s healthy and normal to feel bad, you just don’t want to make decisions from that place. Stay aligned with the truth of what you’re doing, no matter how compelling your distractions are this week.

The Power Of The Witch

Photo by @lovejonesphoto_ + @thespiritdoll

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.