The Realms of Truth and the Strawberry Full Moon in Sagittarius

By: Lisa Stardust

The Strawberry Full Moon, occurring June 17th, offers us a time to connect to our inner truths on a deep level. The past and upcoming week’s cosmic energy is intense. During this luminary, we will have a momentary reprieve from the confusion and power struggles that have been permeating our auric fields and allow ourselves to evolve our thoughts.

The Sagittarius Moon will align with the asteroid Ixion (who rules over futurity) and softly connects with passionate asteroid Eris. Fair minded Juno and lovelorn Sedna (two other asteroids) will both form a frustrating aspect with the Moon. All together,  this means that we will be cosmically tasked to assert our will and fight for our dreams—no matter what obstacles stand in our way. The only caveat, is that Neptune, who is extremely active in the sky, may create confusion around what our truest visions are. This also can mean self-deceit, which may create inner conflict, as we are not being honest with ourselves. However, there’s hope for us to reach our most idealized potential.

The degree of the Full Moon sits on the Galactic Center, which will help us understand and manifest our innermost desires. The Galactic Center falls in the middle of the entrance to the Milky Way. Sagittarius, who is the protector of our galaxy, stands on all fours at this celestial point with a bow and arrow ready to shoot at any given moment. As the defender of the galaxy, Sagittarius is touted as the high minded philosopher known to understand all worldly truths. This is because it’s important for the armed sign to know when and how to sling its arrows. The Galactic Center is a degree and place of insight. It’s the transmitter of “Divine Consciousness.” It’s a place of freedom. It’s where our hearts soar and where we can be the purest form of ourselves, with no restrictions and judgements.

Under the Strawberry Full Moon, in the sign of honorable Sagittarius, we will use smoke scrying to connect with the “other” world and find our inner truths. We will be able to decipher and clarify what we want as individuals. Only then, can we fight for our dreams.

*The Full Moon occurs June 17th at 1:30AM PST and 4:30AM EST.

Directions for Smoke Scrying

• Meditate on your goal or intention.

• Take a smudge stick and light it.

•  Place in a bowl or cauldron.

•  Let the smudge stick burn.

•  Follow the smoke with your eyes as it fills the air.

•  Watch the smoke dance in the air and its shadows on the wall.

•  Make note in a  journal about the messages are receiving messages from spirits.

•  Interpret the images once you receive them from the universe.

•  Use the images to help understand your truest intention and objectives to manifest under the Full Moon.

The Alchemy Of Love: Organic Aphrodisiacs For Valentine's Day

Written by Lisa Stardust

Aphrodite, the ancient Greek Goddess of Love, bestows gifts to us mortals through her wine cup, filled

with sweet nectar, known as a Love Potion. These potions both relax and stir the senses through taste.

Aphrodisiacs are edible remedies to awaken our sensual nature. While there are many aphrodisiacs around the world, we have gathered a few of the most delicious recipes for manifesting some

serious self-love vibes this Valentine’s Day, and they are all very simple to whip-up in your own kitchen!

Enhance a Romance Elixir

Looking to add some sizzle to a current romance? Damiana is an ancient plant used to relax, intensify

desires, and fire up your loins. Simply add a touch of damiana to chai tea (another aromatic aphrodisiac)

to jump-start your libido. The spicy elixir will turn up the heat and open up your sacral chakra by calming

your body. Your shakti will be heightened with a lovely cup of tea. You can also work with fire if you are

so inclined. Smoke damiana mixed with mullein and lavender or rose petals to arouse the senses.

Catch a New Love Potion

Make your own Love Potion No. 9! Forget smoky witchy potions seen on the silver screen. The best

aphrodisiac to bring in a new love are figs. Discovered in the Garden of Eden, figs are considered the first

forbidden fruit. Known as Cleopatra’s favorite food, ingesting figs can lure unsuspecting objects of desire

to you. After all, Cleopatra brought men to their knees, presumably from eating this sensual fruit.

Delight in the succulent sweetness of food this Valentine's Day and catch a new love--by eating some

sexy fruit, perhaps dipped in your rose vanilla honey or vanilla whipped cream!

Self-Love Tonic

Oscar Wilde said, “to love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance.” This couldn’t be more true,

especially on Valentine’s Day. Instead of focusing your intention on manifesting new love, try to

cultivate a romance with yourself. Treat yourself to a “honeymoon” this holiday, by creating a delicious

jam consisting of crushed rose petals, raw honey, and vanilla bean. Blend these these three delicious

ingredients together in a bowl and let your taste buds inspire self-love. While roses are not an

aphrodisiac per say, they help strengthen and heal the heart chakra, which is powerful and radiates

from our center outward to help us manifest love in all forms. Honey and vanilla are the key elements in

this love potion. Considered the “love drug” of all love drugs, honey arouses the mind and acts as a tonic

to remind us all of the sweetness in life. Good quality honey is recommended for the most luscious

effect. Vanilla is mood enhancer that stimulates the body through soft fragrant senses. This edible

aphrodisiac serves as a road opener to awaken and protect the heart while boosting self esteem.

Remember, the most important romance is the one you have with yourself--try to nurture YOUR heart

and fall back in love with YOURSELF!

Happy New Moon In Scorpio 2018

Blurred Lines: Manifesting with the Scorpio New Moon

Written by  Lisa Stardust

The Scorpio New Moon, occurring November 7th, serves as a time to heighten sensations, allowing us to swim in the deepest depths of our souls imaginable, through the magical power of the orgasm. Tantric Magic can help us manifest our dreams through the flow of energy.

Scorpio is a transformative sign, with  a restorative vibe, which can allow people to heal and transform under its influence. Use this luminary to open your mind through Tantric Magic. Alchemical power is transformational. There’s no better way to elevate our magic and mind than through sexual experience, which according to Tantra is a heightened state of sacred-spiritual awareness, by opening up our heart, sacral, and crown chakras.

Let’s talk about sex, bb!

Sexual energy is the source of life and Tantra is a vehicle that may be used for cultivating and transforming it for personal, spiritual, sexual and non-sexual healing and growth.

Tantra allows us to clear our minds and rid our bodies of emotional pain, fear, shyness, and feelings of inadequacy. Tantra can help us liberate, “rewire,” develop, and learn to control our chakric energies, allowing us to open to heart-centered love and be the recipient of sexual healing. 

Tantra has the potential to transform and expand our perception of and relationship with ourselves, our lovers, and the universe. It opens the doorway for more self acceptance, love, connection with universal energy, and a broader, fuller, deeper experience of life. Being at one with our bodies and minds will help guide our intuition and clear your chakras, which allows us to be more connected to the spiritual plane, thus, heightening our magical powers.

Before we begin with the two Tantra exercises, think about your intention. Mediate for a few minutes on what you wish to bring into your life under this luminary. Also, think about what no longer serves your higher good. Once you have envisioned your desires, you can begin the techniques below. With your intention in mind, start these exercises. Then, when you are done, with your intention still present, you may pleasure yourself. Your orgasms will be bountiful, and you will have a pleasurable correlation between your body and New Moon intention, allowing you to achieve your goals.

These exercises serve as a way to detox the body by engaging the powerful sacral chakra, through the tingling sensations of an orgasm,  which will allow personal healing and transformation. This newfound clarity will purify the body. By achieving a clear mind, your inner vibration will rise, allowing your highest self to radiate in your magic.

Spinal Cord Breathing vitalizes the spine, increases flexibility, improves natural flow of cerebrospinal fluid, stimulates the adrenal and thymus glands and relaxes the back so you can sit more comfortably in prolonged meditation. This technique may be practiced standing with a straight spine or sitting with a comfortably straight spine in a hard, straight backed chair without leaning against the back of the chair.

- Exhale and relax.

- As you inhale, gently arch your lower back, tuck in your chin and bring your fists to your shoulders. Let your chest and ribcage spread open and as you push air out of your abdomen, retract your shoulders and fists, bring your shoulder blades together, press your neck back and gently clench your teeth.

- Exhale as you push and curl your lower back and head forward and arch your back like a cat as you bring your elbows forward, your forearms together, fists to your chest (fingers facing your chest) and try to touch your chin to your chest.

- Repeat 36 times.

Tongue Extenstion engages the respiratory, pelvic floor, and diaphragm. It oxygenates and strengthens the tongue.

- Exhale and compress your abdomen bringing your navel toward your spine.

- Exhale again, forcing out the residual air and thrust your tongue forward out of your mouth.

- Continue to hold your breath out and extend your tongue as much as possible to the left, up, right and down 6 times while rotating your eyes in tandem. Reverse direction. Be advised, you may feel your perineum located between the genitals and anus moving in tandem with your tongue.

- When your out of breath, inhale strongly. As air rushes in your body, it will also oxygenate and strengthen your tongue and tendons and promote strong energy flow up through the central channel.

*The Scorpio New Moon occurs November 7th at 8:02AM PST and 11:02AM EST.

Beltane Rituals for Every Element

Written by  Lisa Stardust

Beltane is here! It’s May 1st, May Day, halfway between the spring equinox and summer solstice. It’s time to invite some friends over eat, drink, and be merry, embracing the beauty within and outside of ourselves as we celebrate the awakened, blooming flora and fauna of Earth. Originally celebrated as a Gaelic festival to protect cattle and encourage growth, Beltane is the light and beauty where we celebrate the sun and blossoms which perfume the air. In this May Day ritual, we are celebrating and giving back to the Earth, using all the elements (fire, earth, air, water) to ignite the hearth of Beltane. 

 
FIRE
Ideally, a bale fire is traditional merriment for the last night of April going into Beltane, May 1st. However, in this modern world, it may be impossible to have access to space which permits a bonfire. Consider using a small cauldron or candles. The colors of the earth, including red for passion, green for prosperity, purple for spirituality, yellow for happiness, white for harmony (or as a stand-in for any other colors. Red, green, and white are traditional Beltane colors. If you don’t have access to colored candles, you can use tea light candles. It’s ok to use the materials you have, remembering that the most important thing about magic is your intentions. 

Facing North, light the candles, evoking the goddesses you cherish and ancestors you admire as you go. Take a deep breath. As you inhale, close your eyes while the warm glow surrounds you. Amidst the warmth of the flames, envision a protective light surrounding, purifying, and stoking your own inner hearth. Open your eyes to the beauty of the flames burning. Let the heat serve as a shield against negativity, as you welcome in positive vibrations. 

EARTH 
Any urbanite can grab a fist full of fresh greenery and place it in a cauldron. Smelling fresh grass and flowers will bring life and abundance to any room. Honor their magical power and embrace the evergreen aroma. If possible, add some dandelions for positivity, hawthorn for fertility, and violets for protection. Try crossing twigs together with a red string to create a talisman that will also serve as a protective force against evil. When done using, recycle back to the universe by placing all remains outside to give back to Mother Earth. 

AIR
Make a wish for Beltane and release it to the air. Write down your desires on flying wish paper and let your desires travel on the wind. Through setting the intention and releasing your dream into the universe, you have the opportunity to plant valuable seeds of hope and creative renewal during these festivities. Giving prayers to the earth goddesses, pleases and inspires their support of your deepest desires to be manifested in the months to come. 

WATER 
Milk and honey is an offering made to Flora, Goddess of Flowers, to ensure vegetation blossoms in abundance during the Spring season. Added to baths, this mixture was notably used by the Egyptian Queen Cleopatra freshen up her soft, vibrant look and add beauty to her appearance. The mixture of milk and honey adds an element of fertility and sensuality to daily life. Rose petals infuse bathwater with feelings of self love and emotional healing. Use this combination for some bath magic to connect to the Earth Goddesses (such as Flora) and meditate. In this bath, be sure to take a moment of pause to connect to Flora’s lustful springtime earthy desires and evoke her spirit, as well as other water spirits like the river Goddess Oshun, who is also giver of love and fertility, and abundance, meditating on what you hope to grow. 

Ingredients:

• 2 Cups Milk
• 1/2 Cup Honey 
• 1 Cup Salt 
• Rose Petals 
•  

Directions: 

• Run warm bath water. 
• Add milk, honey, and salt in a jar. 
• Seal the jar and shake to mix ingredients together. 
• Pour the mixture into bath.
• Add rose petals to bath.
• Lie back, relax, allowing your skin to absorb the 
• Gently rub skin and soak in bath. 

Divining Through Disaster

 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

Witchcraft as Devotion: A Closer Look at the Practices and Principles of Witchcraft in the Modern Age

Photography by Mo www.phobymo.com

Written By Jaliessa Sipress

With Vogue magazine hailing our time as a “witchy renaissance,” it is safe to say that witchcraft is on the rise.* But, what is witchcraft? What is it really for? Is it all just spells to get rich and make people fall in love with you? Is it about worshiping he who not be named and learning how to pronounce wingardium leviosa? For some, it is all of these things and for others, none. A witch can mean many things and can come in many forms, and much of it's popularity seems to stem from that. While witchcraft and wizardry has gained wild popularity for it's reclamation of power and perceived formlessness, what should not be forgotten is that being a witch is less about the fact that one has “power” and more about acknowledging where that power comes from.

Witchcraft is a work of gratitude. It comes from the practice of honoring the people, land and animals that came before you, that coexist with you now and that have yet to arrive. Witchcraft is the work of the wise because it is the everyday practice of those who are humbled by the world around them. Witches find meaning in the mundane and see the magic in weeds growing through cracks in the sidewalk or a shed feather of a dirty bird. Witches are rememberers, mourners and healers because they have reconciled with the cycles of life and realized what is and is not in human hands. Witchcraft is about gratitude and alignment, treading lightly and respectfully and only taking what you need. We must remember that witchcraft is less about control and more about connection. A connection to our own divinity, but also an understanding of the limitations of it.

A witch’s power is in their ability to adapt, working with the natural cycles of the earth to bring about abundance, clarity and direction. It is not about manipulation or having complete control. Witchcraft is about surrendering. It is the knowledge that most things are out of our hands but continuing to work with our surroundings to help swing things in our favor. It is the act of bowing to the elements and submitting to their power that makes a spell stick. Witchcraft is a labor of love and intention. Spells work because they are an act of communion with the powers beyond us, acknowledging our need for help, and partaking in a mutual relationship with things we cannot measure. It is about giving without the expectation of receiving.

Photography by Gregory Halpern

To practice magick is to be in attunement with a sensitive and dying world and being interested in working with, fighting for and healing with it. Yes, witches cast spells and ask the universe for guidance. This is because they are interested in being led, in asking for help when in need and respecting that whatever shall come, will come. Sometimes spellwork is feeding late Aunt Mable’s altar or lighting a “road opener” candle for weeks until anything finally sets into motion. Sometimes it is the humbling act of continually asking and never receiving because it is not what the universe wants for you. It can sometimes mean waiting, worrying, re-configuring and waiting again. But all of the waiting and worrying is worth it because the craft is about finding understanding in failed spells and magical mishaps. It is about finding true love for yourself and the world around you and being in communion with the gifts that come from that. It is about faith.

Witchcraft is a fun, freeing, beautiful and impassioned practice, and we must acknowledge that our ability to experience it as such is rooted in the magnetic force of offering. Offering our power, offering our light, offering our darkness, offering our strength, offering our material and immaterial gifts, our dedication and our relationship to the deities and beings that guide us. Staying in a state of gratitude and giving helps to attract the exact blessings you are grateful for. Your love and power are precious tools. Use them to uplift, remember and protect and they shall never go to waste.