HAPPY HALLOWEEN, Astronews

Week of October 25th-31st

by Arianna Nadine, @notyourbasicwitch

Happy Full Moon! It’s been a rough few weeks for so many people around me. I’ve watched so many couples going through it during this Venus Rx. Friendships and work relationships, too. The good news is that we’re half-way through this cycle as of the 26th (today). Venus is at the lowest point in her retrograde today, and she will begin her ascent soon. What we’ve been doing, is going through the worst of ourselves, our partnerships, and ourselves within those partnerships. As much as it is an external fight, it is an internal fight, too. Be wary of manipulation from “friends” who want to be more than friends, and are trying to make you feel guilty or feel entitled to a place in your life. Love isn’t always a feeling. Your intuition and self-value need to be called into question whether you should stay or go. Also, remember that someone pining over you, and waiting around for you is not cool and in no way makes you obligated to give them a chance. Venus Retrograde wants us to remember, “Yo, you’re not thatspecial. No one should throw their life away for you if you’re not consenting to that type of exchange in your relationship.” 

Knowing the astrological transits is an important way to stay connected with our selves, the people we work and live with, and the world at large. The feeling that things are happening to us, instead of for us stems from a victim mentality, and a disconnect from Mother Nature, Source, and our Higher Selves. Astrology is important for spiritual growth and change. When we go through break ups and make ups during transits like Venus Retrograde, we are given synchronistic energy that makes our choices not feel in vain. They are now lined up and have meaning and purpose. And with that sense of control in our lives, we can become more positive, confident, grounded, and begin to take more agency in our lives, and truly make the world a better place. 

So pay attention this week, inform your people, cause this week has a lot going on.

On Saturday the 27th, the Sun in Scorpio is sextile Saturn in Capricorn. Not the best party atmosphere, but we’re all gonna be out there, regardless, so do what you can. Maybe don’t spend your night with people who you aren’t super close to. You’ll probably have a better time with people you can get kinda deep and emotional with. You may be really serious about winning a costume contest, but so will everyone else. This is a day when hard work is coming forth through some dark creativity—especially if it’s related to your day job. My friend and I work at an animal clinic. She is dressing up as Cruella de Ville with bloody patches of Dalmatian skin, and her husband as a blood-splattered Jasper with a bludgeoning tool.  

Being able to satirize our society is what creates inspiration, awareness, and change. Scorpio is scared of the dark, but it is more scared of not knowing what’s in it. Scorpio will explore ever dark crevice of a haunted house, trembling but determined. It will find where the monsters are, befriend them, or leave them offerings at the threshold to their space. It will come to visit from time to time to make sure they aren’t feeling neglected or cared for. 

For Scorpio knows the real terror comes from a monster that is left to fester, to grow in rage, to spread out past its boundaries. Scorpios will sprinkle the line of salt, leave the silver coins, and a bite of fruit. “You may stay here, but only if you stay right here.”

 On the 29th, Sunday, Mercury in Scorpio is conjunct Jupiter in Scorpio. Take advantage of this energy today, for Mercury is entering Sagittarius tomorrow, the 30th. Mercury conjunct Jupiter is bringing us expansions in our conversations and communications, especially if they are around death, sex, taxes, and our Shadow sides. It feels easy to see our flaws and breathe into them. We can even share them and feel a lot of, “Oh, same here” responses from our friends and family members. Everyones feeling a little heavy and emotional, but not necessarily in a bad way. Just a lot of passion. A lot of daydreaming and longing for a future where everyone is free to be themselves without religious dogma from governmental agencies. A dear friend of mine told me that Christ never claimed to come to us as God incarnate—as a small piece of God in human form. Christ was meant to represent God. Radical. Inclusive. Loving. Progressive. Humble. Accepting all humans from all walks of life. 

We know the Republicans aren’t Christians. They are not like Christ, and, therefore, not like God. There is nothing holy or sanctimonious in our government, and the repeated oppressions and restrictions of individual explorations of our identity and sexuality and autonomy are clear examples of that frustrating fact. 

Cue October 31st, Halloween, the Witch’s New Year, and one of the most holy and misunderstood days of the year. Venus will retrograde back into Libra, and also oppose Uranus in Taurus. 

Values, values, values! So much focused on rethinking, reevaluating, and reframing what and who we value, why, and is it all worth it? Is this a foundation we’re okay with continuing to build off of, or are we just fucking  over it, and ready to deconstruct the whole thing and find better building materials? Make your last-ditch efforts now. They’ll set the tone for when Venus goes direct soon in early November. 

An important part of finding our values is not only defining them, but also sourcing them. Say what you will about the issues surrounding Disney movies and their problematic as fuck themes of feminine repression and sexisms, I’ve subconsciously absorbed a lot of my morals from Disney movies, and other fairy tales and pop culture. I’m totally an animal rights advocate due to 101 Dalmatians, Bambi, The Little Mermaid, and Pocahontas. Finding Nemo and Wall-E were also big influencers. Lion King II: Simba’s Pride taught me a lot about racism and healing racism through our connection to our ancestors. 

My coworker was playing “We Are One” from the movie the other day at work, and I said, “Wow, this song has so much more meaning to me as an adult.” The song Simba sings to his daughter Kiara says that they are one, because they are family, harkening back to his relationship to the dead Mufasa he has through their bloodline. Young Kiara wonders if she can still retain her individuality despite all the pressure she feels to live up to a family she didn’t chose to be a part of. “Can I trust in my own heart, or am I just one part of some big plan?” she questions, after her father says that she is more than just one person, but that her choices affect everyone in her family, and, in a spiral, the ecosystem around them. “When we die, we become the grass, and the antelope eat the grass. So we are all apart of the Great Circle of Life,” Mufasa said in the first movie. Simba didn’t understand the spiral then, but he does now, and tries to teach that to his daughter. The lesson deepens when Kiara meets Kovu, the boy love interest from a rival tribe—which also happens to be related to her royal family. It seems very Romeo and Juliet, but at the end when the two prides are facing one another in battle, Kiara and Kovu step in between them. Unlike the Verona star-crossed lovers of Shakespeare, both Kiara and Kovu have been tempted to run away together, but decided not to. They stayed to heal their families, their whole ancestral line. 

“Them? Us? Look at them!” Kiara says to her father. “They are us!” And yes. She means they’re all lions, (which always made me think of racial issues when I was younger, and think, “I hope my dad is paying attention!” There’s a lot of color schema that is suuuuuper relevant, but it’s pretty obvious). But, even deeper than that, they’re all lions that were once a part of the same pride—the same family. And Kiara has been taught that “we are one” and that your bloodline and the Circle of Life is the uniting force of the Pride Lands. Of the Universe. She knows that it is not enough for Kovu and her to elope and start their own family. She knows she will always be a part of that pride, and that creating yet another separate family solves nothing. She sets out to end the cycle of separation and hatred. 

Halloween is all about honoring your ancestors, the dead, and being in remembrance. It’s the start of the holiday season where you gather more and more in small groups indoors and cultivate traditions and share your stories with one another. Stories teach lessons that will travel through the bloodlines. What better way to honor your ancestors than to dive deeper into ancestor work, exploring and healing old family narratives? Use this night when the veil between our world and the world of spirit is most thin. Ask your tarot deck how you can best honor your family, past, present, and future. Meditate and allow them to speak to you tonight. Journal what they whisper to you, and begin to place your weapons down. You cannot run away from bad blood; but you can clean it, heal it, and reconstruct your DNA with epigenetic healing. 

Be brave, for your connection to the past is dark, sad, lonely, and triggering. The dead cannot live for you. They pave the way, and we must sometimes go back and use a better cement. 

See you next week,

Arianna 

We see, hear and believe you, an astro news report!

Week of September 27th-October 4th

Arianna Nadine, @notyourbasicwitch

(Trigger Warning: Grief)

Hello Witches!

As we move into the period of shedding and death, I want to talk about the sacredness vultures. 

I see a sliding scale trauma therapist. We’re doing some really intense work right now. Today, she started off our session with dealing with grief. She explained that my feelings around my childhood sounded like symptoms of grief, and mentioned that working through grief was like vultures coming to pick through the corpses left everywhere on earth so it could smell sweet again. Of course she noted how uncomfortable our society was with grief, or any such intense emotions. I laughed and told her that was beautiful, and explained that vultures were considered sacred creatures of the Goddess, and that it was totally a sign of our patriarchal society that grief would try to be rushed; that all cultures at one point had long designated periods of mourning and grief—along with rituals, traditions, and steps—before grieving could begin to end. 

This—the picking through the bones and maggot-coated carcasses that have been left in the Atlanta smog for years and years—is Shadow Work. To clear the rot, to cry and vomit on your shoes, and keep picking the rancid rubbery ribbons of dead bodies, and then clean the bones, lay them out in the sun to bleach them, and then create something beautiful with them. Or give them a proper burial and really release it. Let it die. Really die. Not rot in an old drawer you keep putting off opening. Let there no longer be a smell that triggers and repulses you. Let it just be clean bones that give you structure and context. 

Last week, a friend of mine triggered the fuck out of me. She was actually complimenting me, and being encouraging, but sometimes that’s how triggers work. Anyway, I got super in my head, was super depressed, and had entered into a stream of negative self-talk. My boyfriend came in the bedroom where I was very clearly moping—shut down, minimally responsive—and asked what was wrong. I tried to explain to him that I was in my feelings, feeling afraid and depressed, and defeated, and, being the Aquarius INTJ that he is, he immediately set to give me advice and lecture. I ended up telling him that that wasn’t what I wanted right now; I would be fine later, but for now, I wanted to just feel like shit. He snapped, “Well, I’m sorry you feel that way.” and left the room. 

Look, there’s a reason I have a therapist. Dating someone who has severe trauma and mental illness and a personality disorder means that his boundaries are different than mine and are subject to change. My boyfriend couldn’t hold space for me right then, and while I’m okay with that, at that moment, I really, really needed someone to hold space for me and let me freak out. But he couldn’t. And I felt that I couldn’t burden any of my girl friends with how intensely bad I felt, so I just laid on the bed and sobbed like crazy for about an hour. 

It was really tough. I was so fucking  triggered, and I could feel myself fighting back waves of mania. I wanted to binge eat a pint of ice cream in the freezer. I wanted to storm out of the bedroom and start cussing Ryan out for being a selfish jerk. I wanted to delete everything. Run away, turn off my phone. I wanted to physically hurt myself. But I did none of those things. I kept saying, “No. No. Don’t do X. It will make things worse.” And let myself keep crying, hunched over in bed, biting my pillow, just letting myself really fucking  lose it. And I kept fighting the waves to fuck something up. I kept telling myself, “You have to sit with this. This is the next step to facing your trauma.” My therapist told me that I had to practice sitting with my shitty memories of trauma, with sitting with really tough and scary emotions and feel safe doing that before we could do the really hard work. I kept thinking of her and our work, and I stayed for all of my feelings. I stayed for myself and didn’t try to escape. When I was done, I felt so fucking  powerful. I knew I had knocked down a wall between myself and my healing. (My therapist told me she was very proud of me, yay!)

So, here’s the thing about healing. You have to put in the work. It feels to me lately that there is a sort of echo chamber among us on social media with common terminology such as “self care,” “trauma story,” “healing is not linear,” “do the work,” “create boundaries,” “sit with your feelings,”  “limiting beliefs,” “Shadow work,” etc., etc. 

But are any of us actually doing that shit? Self care is more than just taking baths or allowing ourselves days off to do nothing, cancelling plans, or eating junk food. It’s about researching what methods we can make to heal. It is hard fucking  work. It’s putting yourself in safe spaces in order to sit with your trauma and feel all the horrible feelings and stay there. It’s knowing when to wallow, and when to sip sadness. It’s knowing when to ask for guidance and when to shoulder it alone. It’s journaling, collaging, keeping a food or exercise diary, therapy, pushing through, holding back, talking it out, creating a safe space, creating ritual. The best way to heal is to create a pattern that holds you accountable even if you falter. You have your routine and your anchors to hold you accountable. You can keep scrolling on IG and Facebook and like and repost and “YAS GIRL” all fucking  day, but until you put the social media down and start making the tea, reading the self-help book and doing the exercises or meditations, you will never actually heal. You’ve got to start this journey. You’ve got to show up for yourself.

It took me so long to get it. I didn’t understand showing up, until I was given assignments and started doing them. Until I started saying, “Okay, on Thursday, I will focus on my therapy/journaling for the Full/New Moon/Tarot Immersion/creating a budget.” Once you start paying for therapy, you will understand that you can invest in yourself, or you can stay home and complain or feel a temporary high from the feeling of connection you obtain on social media over some “smash the patriarchy” post. 

You know how you smash the patriarchy? You heal yourself. You are a part of the cosmic song of the universe, and you must get your vibration in tune. Start a chain reaction. I heard recently that trauma heals and hurts seven generations back and forward. The DNA that creates you came from your grandmother’s egg. You are your ancestors, and your ancestors are you. Trauma gets passed down through DNA (epigenetics) and healing that trauma is as much of a responsibility for future generations as practicing safe sex. You have so much power to heal yourself now. This is what Dr. Ford did today. She brought her corpses out for everyone to see. But she had to clear off the decayed flesh and find the bones within. She is cleaning them, setting them out to dry in the sun, and creating a new purpose for those bones. 

So Witches, will you aid in the collective healing of us all? Will you embrace the Wild Wolf inside of you, dive into the Moon card, and devour the fresh bodies? Will you call upon the Vultures to pick clean the scary, repulsive, shameful parts, and leave you alone with the bones? Will you take them in your hands, follow the path, carry them forward to lay them out in the Sun to bleach white and harden? 

Will you add your bones to mine? 

Astronews for September 20th-26th

Arianna Nadine, @notyourbasicwitch

Hello Witches!

While I really enjoyed the nose-to-the-grindstone, low-key vibes of Virgo season, Libra season is banging on the door this week, and it’s ready for some Autumnal shifts. 

On September 20th, Mercury in Virgo is conjunct the Sun, and tomorrow, the 21st, Mercury pops into Libra. The Autumnal Equinox (Mabon) brings in Libra season on the 22nd or 23rd—(it’s at like 1AM on the 22nd if you wanna get technical). I love that Libra season starts on the equinox—when the Earth is at a literal point of seasonal/astronomical equality. Physics and metaphysics really grease my gears. (*Finger guns*) On the 24th, we have the Full Moon in Aries which I talked about last week; I hope you’ve been prepping for some sweet ritual. ATL Craft is hosting a moon circle that night, and it would be a stellar time to be a little wild with your fellow Witches. (I’m already feeling the overwhelming energy of Mercury in Libra! I’ve been typing for hours, and I’m channeling random bits like crazy, so I thank you and honor you for staying with this super non-liberal download!)

The Full and New Moons get a lot written about them. Hell, astrology and daily horoscopes pretty much flood my feed and inboxes. It can all feel so subjective, vague, opposing, or a bunch of paraphrasing. It’s not a perfect system, but when you find the astrologer that serves you best, it can be worth it. As I channel this information for y’all, I am reminded by folks DMing me about their similar insights that we are all just vessels for Source, and are truly a Collective Consciousness and are all slowly tuning into the same radio station of Enlightenment and Evolution. I hope only that I express “my” insights in a way that sticks with readers, and helps us all to learn and grow. So, I’m not really going to write about the Full Moon in Aries anymore because you get the point. This has been spoken about some, and I’m sure will come up a lot as more is written about the Equinox and Libra season, as happens when everyone’s tuning into Source energy, but I’m gonna talk about the energy of Libra and Justice (as a Tarot card and a concept) this week. 

A quick download on the Zodiac. There are so many instances of groups of 12 in myths that follow the Monomyth cycle. Think of these as microcosmic metaphors of the microcosm of the Zodiac. ( Jesus and his 12 disciples, Joseph and his 11 brothers, 12 tribes of Israel, the concepts of coming of age and hitting puberty at age 12, 12 months in a year, 12 gods on Olympus,  and pretty ubiquitously around many ancient and modern cultures, cults, and spiritual practices. If the series of 12 as individualized extensions of Christ energy show us anything, it’s that the Universe/God(dess)/Source is expressed through the microcosm of the Zodiac. This is our continued reflection on Source, by understanding Her energy as a series of personified symbols in the sky, in stories, in cycles of nature, and in ourselves. As Above, So Below. Microcosms beget microcosms in an endless cycle and spiral into infinity, and vise versa, for Universe is infinite, with no beginning and no end. 

Alright, so Libra is represented by the Scales, the only inanimate symbol in the Zodiac. There’s a reason for that—Libra energy is impartial, ruled by Air, and therefore the mind and not the heart. This may also explain why some of my Libra friends have a harder time than most at feeling “human.”  The Tarot card associated with Libra is Justice, and the number 11 or II (2), which is a higher expression for the number 2 in Numerology. 11 is a Master Number of the Spiritual Teacher and leads to Spiritual Enlightenment via being a highly intuitive channeling-energy. If the biblical series of 12 as pieces of Christ energy show us anything, it’s that the Universe/God(dess)/Source is expressed in microcosms of the Zodiac; so Libra is the energy of Divine Justice. I love the story of Jesus trashing the Temple and throwing out all the Spiritual Capitalistic fucks posting up there. He chased them out with a fucking whip, y’all. I’m no Christian, but the Nazarene was a snarky badass who didn’t fucking  play, didn’t stay small, and fought for what he believed in. Jesus wasn’t just a martyr or a sacrificial lamb. He fucked shit up, called people out, stared down the face of his enemies, and remained firm. He didn’t care about the law of men*—he cared about true Justice.

Y’all, life isn’t fair. We know it, and must acknowledge that as a FACT, so we can deal with it appropriately. Subjectivity holds no power here. This is the dividing line between Leo and Libra.** The facts outweigh the feelings. Your feelings don’t matter. Truth matters. Today, there are attempts to keep the scales imbalanced. We know this. We hear everyday about another black kid murdered by cops; we know about the fucked up system of modern slavery under the guise of prison and jail; we know about Indian girls getting gang raped en mass just because no one is doing anything about it; we know about sex trafficking, sex slavery, and powerful government leaders hosting parties where stolen children are sexually used and abused; we see families separated; class war disguised as race wars, and the lies of separation of humans and nature; we see whale mothers mourning their children; we see mother cows screaming out for their babies; we hear Mother Earth shaking, spouting lava, storms, destruction, fires, floods; and we wonder why there is an influx of dis-ease within our bodies when our Mother’s body is raped, assaulted, and poisoned second by second. Why we suffer so deeply from anxiety and depression and other chemical and spiritual imbalances when our Mother’s own auric field and energetic system is full of blocks and holes and cracks. AS ABOVE, SO BELOW, AS THE BODY, SO THE SOUL, AS WITHIN, SO WITHOUT. 

You are a reflection of your world, and your world is a reflection of you. Heal yourself, heal your sisters and brothers. Heal your neighborhood. Heal your planet. It will spiral outward. It will affect more than just you. We are all ONE. It is more than sharing a planet—we are sharing our energetic SELVES. THERE IS NO I. We are each creating a vibration, and when it emanates from our bodies, we affect every energetic body around us—the plants, animals, humans, etc. A smile spreads like a yawn. Good vibes are transferable. They are fast frequencies. Love is powerful. Love is truth. Love is God. When you surround yourself with good energy, good vibes, good frequencies, as with singing bowls, incenses and plants and flowers, and essences and tinctures and vitamins, and nature, and animals, and crystals and salt lamps and music at healing hz, your energy shifts and shift and shifts. When you mediate, you shift and shift and shift, and your frequency rises. Rise up meet me. Rise to meet those you admire. This is not a competition; this is a call to action to RISE UP and create some fucking  change. When I rise, you rise; when you rise, I rise. There is no competition; competition is not real. It is based in fear and false stories of lack and scarcity and that shit is NOT TRUE. ONLY LOVE IS REAL. I believe that Goddess is Love and Her absence is what we call “sin”—sin is fear, the absence of Love. The Devil is an energy of lack, and it is not real. I believe in no Devil but the ones I’ve created in my head. 

THIS IS JUSTICE. THIS IS LIBRA. Hold me accountable. Hold your partners and friends and teachers and mentors accountable. A teacher or mentor is NOTHING without the faith of her students—and faith is built on trust that comes from actual results and achievement of goals. Outgrow your teachers. Become the new leader in your circle. Bring your teachers up with you. Keep expanding, and push yourself and pull up others with you. Everyone has their own pace, but frequencies match frequencies, and when you’re changing the station everyone in your car is listening to, people will TUNE IN and start aligning with those jams, or they’ll catch another ride. KEEP FUCKING  DRIVING. 

Since the Temple was for worshiping YHWH, and Jesus was a Earthly microcosmic energy of that Source energy, he was literally clearing his own Temple, and making space for himself and his connection/re-connection to his Divinity. (When he says, “No man cometh unto the Father except by Me” he means that until you recognize your own earthly Divinity, and harness your own ability to make space for your own worship, you’ll never reach Enlightenment.)

*(I use MEN not humans on purpose here, because women weren’t making these laws up—many of them were specifically used to disempower and degrade women.)

**Strength vs Justice in the Tarot; 8 vs 11. Strength is the card of Leo, and Libra is Justice. While the symbol of balance is often the sideways figure eight symbol, that is closer to the energy of INFINITE, of cycles, and a different type of balance. That symbol is above the woman in the Strength card, but not Libra. (Reflect also on the Two of Pentacles vs the Two of Swords.) More of a yin and yang instead of things having a “weight.” 11 brings enlightenment, and 8 is the pure energy of Source. Pure Love. Feeling-based. 11 is about channeling and cultivating the messages of Divine Love in 8 to the material world of humans—the metaphysical made physical; the one who explains and guides—this is why 11 and Justice are the teachers and guides. They show the path to Source we discover at 8. 8 is direct, 11 is distant. 11 is the Bridge. 

Astronews for September 6th through 12th

Hi Witches! 
Can you feel the pressure lessening as we are released from the birth canal of the Universe, and are prepping to start some new shit? Or does it feel more like being pushed forward out into the cold, smacked on the butt to assure someone that your faculties have come with you now that you’re Earth-side? Either way, we’re here. We’re moving forward in a perfect astrological chorus. The exhale of Mercury direct, followed by an inhale and then an exhale with Mars going direct, and today, finally, another huge push and an exhale as Saturn stations direct in Capricorn. Perhaps it feels like a crescendo in the song as Saturn stations direct during Virgo season, right before the New Moon in Virgo—the first New Moon after eclipse season. Talk about harmony.
Sunday the 9th is a busy day, astrologically speaking. Of course we’ve got the New Moon in Virgo, but more subtle shifts occur with Neptune in Pisces opposing the Sun and Moon; Mars in Capricorn conjunct Lilith in Aquarius; Lilith and Mars squaring Venus in Libra; Chiron conjunct the Moon; and Saturn squaring the Sun and Moon. You’ll be feeling these happening over the course of the 7th-9th, and onward. 

Neptune in Pisces opposing the Sun and Moon might show up in intense daydreams, or over-romanticizing things that are bad for us, or that feed our Egos. Be wary of using escapism tactics to avoid facing your fears and self-doubt, or otherwise contribute to spiritual bypassing. Your fears say something about your needs. Your anger shows you where a boundary lies. Your depression shows you where you need to expand. Listen to your feelings more than ever this week. Do not dull them with drugs, TV, junk food, or avoidant “self-care” techniques. Be cautious of focusing on the problems of the world around you, yet avoiding cleaning your side of the street. Chiron conjunct the Moon will help you with this task. Chiron is the great healer. The Moon helps you see through the Shadow parts of yourself. Virgo serves the collective. Understand that sitting in the dirty bathwater is necessary before you can stand up, scrub off, and rinse off before putting on your white robes. One of the hardest lessons I learned from one of my teachers is that before you can learn to lead, you must learn to serve.  

Saturn does not coddle our Ego. Saturn gives a fuck about our social standing, and that does not mean how many followers you have on social media. It’s about your reputation. But how can others know you if you don’t know yourself? If you’re not stopping to question why you’re feeling like shit or what is it about this person that makes you feel good, but that person makes you feel uncomfortable—you’ll never be able to see the wounds to heal them. This is not to say you must be healed, or achieve some sort of level of “perfection” in order to lead or be an example. Far from it. Saturn just wants us to own our shit. To show up to the task of clearing out that which does not serve us. What can you do to create the reputation you wish to achieve? Who or what are you associating with, attaching your name to, supporting with your words or finances? What message is that sending to the world, and are you okay with that? 

One of the spiritual “catch phrases” that we often throw around is “letting go of that which no longer serves us.” Okay, but do we really get that? How much are you willing to allow the energy of Saturn to work in your spiritual garden? You can look at a rose bush and say, “Hey, you’re doing pretty well with those blooms,” and leave it a that. Or, you can do the harder and more painful job of cutting and pruning the bush in order to allow bigger and better blossoms to burst through next season. It’s not always about cutting out toxic people or situations. It’s not all about the weeds. Sometimes it’s about pruning a really nice rose so you can have three beautiful ones later. Sometimes the space created by the cut is the only thing that will allow anything better to come through. (Three of Swords, anyone?)

For example, many of you know that I have been working with my friend Aurorah on the podcast Blood Moon Milk. At our last workshop at ATL Craft, I spoke about trying to bring in a new job. With all the beautiful energy and sincere vibrations of the group willing me to get that job, that opportunity has manifested in my life. (Amazing things can manifest when people come together in groups and open their hearts!) It’s been a whirlwind of energy and transition since then. My boyfriend and I are looking for apartments as he leaves the corporate world, and I am working 10 hour days and most weekends. With the discussions and fighting during this expansion and contraction—adjusting to new schedules, fear of where we’re going to live, anxiety over bills and feeding our animal companions, and the dramatic shift in household chores—I’ve realized that I was holding onto things that no longer served me. 

The first was that my guilt over not being the primary income generator. Because of that guilt—due to a lot of Root chakra imbalances that manifest as financial difficulties, issues with mental and physical stability, and even the very right to be alive—I took on all the household chores as a means to make myself feel “useful” and not like a burden. “If I take care of everything, then they won’t want to stop sharing their home with me,” my Shadow self tells me. But that ended up with me having a meltdown and ranting in my therapist’s office about how I felt like I just wanted to be single and live alone because I’d never be able to handle a full-time job, social life, and household responsibilities, along with caring for a partner with BPD, and working through my own trauma journey and mental illness. Like, I wanted to marry this human during the last session, Y'all. She pulled a Saturn on me, and told me that we would no longer move forward with my trauma work if I couldn’t become comfortable with confronting my emotions, and discussing them with my boyfriend. Basically, if you can’t handle your day-to-day issues with the dishes and sweeping the floor, how are you going to handle the deep work we have to do that’s damaged you on such a fundamental and psychological level? Good point, lady. 

It was awful and messy. We both cried a lot, but because of that, we both finally got years worth of resentment and frustration off of our chests. We restructured our lives, created new boundaries and rules and agreements for our relationship. It was so, so worth it. I felt that first Sword pull out of my heart. (My Tarot teacher, Lindsay Mack, says that the first Sword in the Three of Swords is the trigger; the second two are your reactions to being triggered.) Like the old saying, “Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me.” If you are hurting, acknowledge that something isn’t right, and then adjust. Don’t keep allowing people to stab you after the first time. Or second. 

The second round of pruning came this past Sunday. After pulling the Tower and Three of Swords, and after the restructuring of my relationship, I knew there was one more lovely rose to chop off of my bush. There was one more Sword to pull in order to make space for new growth. As much beauty and value that I have gotten from Blood Moon Milk—from getting out of my shell, to working with everyone at ATL Craft, Modern Mystic, and awesome interviews with people I would have never had the courage to speak to before April—the podcast was no longer serving me. It didn’t stop being fun. My relationship with Aurorah didn’t become toxic. Nothing “happened.” It just stopped fitting into my new life. And in order to bring something in that will fit into my life, I knew I had to let it go. My Ego told me horrible things. “No one will listen to you anymore. No one will notice you. No one will respect you. You’ll start isolating yourself again. You’ll lose all the friendships you’ve made. You’ll miss out on opportunities to meet new and cool and more knowledgeable people. People will think bad things about you. About the podcast. About Aurorah. You’ll fade into the background of uselessness and nothing you do with NotYourBasicWitch will ever matter and you’ll never be an independent Witch, saving the world and smashing the patriarchy! Muhahaha, you FOOL!” (My Ego is a fucking  anime villain, as you can see.) 

So I recorded my last episode with Aurorah on Monday. It was sad but necessary. I had to prune. I had to make space. And space is already being filled with even more amazing opportunities that I can’t wait to share and dive into. When something no longer serves you, there does not have to be anything toxic about it. It can be perfectly fine, and you could even keep it in your life, and you’ll stay comfortable. But if you want to expand, grow, and cultivate an Aquarius in Lilith patriarchy-smashing movement or something, you must be willing to see past the petals, and focus on clearing the way for stronger, fuller, and more gorgeous blooms. Venus in Libra will help us weigh what gives us value, even to the point of obsessively getting down to the nitty-gritty of the details of our choices. Be deliberate in your choices this week. They are foundational for expansion and cultivating a healthy Ego. This is a week of healing, and sometimes that means creating a clean cut. 
I wish you well, and I look forward to checking in with everyone next week!

Astronews for August 30th-September 5th

August 30th-September 5th

Arianna Nadine, notyourbasicwitch

Hi Witches! How has your week been? Have you felt the energy of Mars going direct on Tuesday? It was sort of like everything going from 0-100 mph, but during rush hour, in a small town with one road to the Interstate on Labor Day weekend, and also at least seven people are in labor. But now that the gate’s been lifted, and we’re free to press forward with our ambitions and stop feeling so stagnant. You might have stopped or started a new job/career path/launched a business during this time. There is a distinct energy of building a reputation at this time, and how your actions are cultivating that for better or worse. 

This is further solidified with Mercury moving from Leo into Virgo on the 5th of September until the 21st. How is what you say being used in service? How are you speaking and communicating with others and yourself? You know those people who have negative self-talk, and are constantly “jokingly” self-depreciating? Yeah, don’t do that shit. Your words have power, and they’re super-charged with Virgo (one of Mercury’s homes). Would you ever tell your friend, your animal companion, or even a plant, “You’re so fucking  stupid” or “You’d be better off dead” or “You’re a burden” or “You’re ugly—everyone’s making fun of you”?! HELL NO. Whenever I hear someone talk down on themselves like this, I immediately say, “Hey! Don’t talk about my friend Alicia that way!” And they laugh and get awkward, but it works, and it’s true.

 I challenge you to continually correct your negative self-talk, for that inner dialogue is 1. not true 2. unhealthy as fuck. You are creating cognitive pathways and habitual ways of speaking, thinking about, and feeling about yourself. You are creating holes in your aura and damaging your DNA. You are creating an inner dialogue of trauma, and that shit will fuck you up more than just spiritually. I also challenge you to reach out with love whenever you hear anyone saying something mean about themselves. Remind them that they are someone’s friend, that someone loves them, and help them break the habit of negative self talk, and to be aware of the way we speak to others as well as ourselves. If you want a better, more loving world to live in, you’ve gotta do the work and clean up your side of the street. Show up for your community, and show up for yourself. Be radically kind. Accept the funny looks and awkward laughs. Allow people to become uncomfortable with being uncomfortable. Give people the space to pause. Start over. Try again. We all have the power to do that for one another, and it doesn’t have to be more than just a quick reminder to “not talk about my friend that way.” 

This is also a good time to think about how you connect with other people with how you express yourself and communicate. Mercury is in Leo and makes a trine to Venus on the 3rd before moving into Virgo. So, for some more “fall cleaning,” are you expressing yourself with complaining? Is that how you’re choosing to connect with others? Like, “Ugh, the weather sure is crappy today.” Or “I can’t wait til I’m off!”

The comments in and of themselves are not “bad” per say. It’s the intention as a point of conversation with your coworkers or strangers that I find so disturbing. Why do we build a culture of “small talk” around complaining?! As if that weren’t gross enough, it can also be a huge sign of your privilege, and you might need to check it with your language. When someone at work complains about a manager asking them to do something that’s a part of their workflow, I am baffled and kind of irritated with their shitty attitude. Isn’t this the job you signed up for? Aren’t you getting paid to do this? Why are you coming in first thing in the morning, already moaning about how you don’t want to be here and can’t wait to go home? After fighting for a job that gave me any stability or benefits, I am disheartened by people who do not appreciate the benefits of their job—because, despite having a BFA,  I’ve not had insurance, a 401k, vacation, paid time off ever. I thought I would never have the chance to have a career unless I went back to school and went into further debt to hope that maybe this degree or skill would be enough for someone to hire me. Now, I get to be paid to train to have a profitable career, and I consider myself so fucking  blessed to have gotten this job. I know there are people out there who do not have cars, have to choose between gas and food, barely see their families, go from part time job to part time job, hoping to make ends meet. I know people who never get the chance to learn skills that will further their hire ability in the future. I know people who suffer from mental illness so badly they cannot hold a full time job, even if they were able to get it. 

Leo is the sign of your self and ego. Mercury rules communication. Venus rules partnerships and values. Together, they tell a story of how you express your self, your needs, your fears, and your interests and your values. Your words are creating your environment, and reflect your current state of mind, and your future one as well. Use this time to express yourself in a way that adds value to the Collective this week. Be mindful of how your complaining, your attitude, your expressing yourself can either shine a light on someone, can light them up—or it can burn the fuck out of them, and cause them pain. Check your privilege. Acknowledge the you’re connecting to people or expressing yourself in a way that isn’t a truth or could showcase your privilege. Recognize that you are lucky to be where you are and have what you have, and someone always has a harder time or more challenges than you. Leo is also known for being generous sign—be generous with your words, sure— but make them good ones. Connect with people for the right reasons. Lift someone up. Watch how fast your life gets better, how many more friendships—real ones!—are cultivated, and how quickly your manifest your desires with a new way of speaking about yourself, to others, and about your shared experiences. Cast spells of good shit, and save the drama for your mama. Or therapist—because not one of your coworkers is being paid enough to hear anyone bitch for 8-10 hours.

Take care, and speak truthfully, kindly, and with intention this week. You’ll be amazed at the shift you can create in your magical and mundane life with this work. 

Astronews for August 16-23

August 16th-23rd, 2018

by Arianna Nadine

This week has a lot of awesome feminine energy flowing through. First, on Saturday, Mercury goes direct in Leo, and makes a sextile to Venus who’s sitting comfortably in Libra. Trines are formed when planets are aspected 120º to one another, and it’s considered a favorable planetary arrangement. If you’ve felt like a lot of clearing out has been done over the past month or so, or if you’ve felt super defeated, or slowed down in anyway, those things should be lifted over the weekend, and we’ll all move forward again. When it comes to self-centeredness, Leo is the master. And don’t take that for the negative connotations that society has placed on that word. For to be self-centered is to be centered in oneself. Mercury in Leo brings us to our center, and only allows in what serves us; when it makes this trine to Venus in Libra, any doubt we had about the value of this will be removed, and we will begin to attract relationships, partnerships, and teams of all kinds that see us and want to be with us for exactly who we are and value the equality and balance we will bring the partnership. Any friendships or relationships that have dissolved during these retrograde-eclipse periods will be replaced with partnerships that are way freaking better. Negotiating for a lower price on that vintage teapot will probably also go really well, too. 

On the 19th, Jupiter in Scorpio is trine Neptune in Pisces. The outer planets have slower and more subtle effects on us than the inner, personal planets, so this aspect will be felt on a more subconscious level. Pay attention to your dreams, and even your day dreams. Idealism and expansion of your fantasy worlds may go buck-wild during this time. Remember to keep grounded and centered, so you can harness those idealistic visions and make them a reality. 

On the 22nd, the Sun enters into Virgo, heralding Virgo season, and themes of harvest, motherhood, protection, and service come into the spotlight. Before the Indo-Aryan Europeans invaded the southern lands, the Goddess ruled, and masculine energy was Her consort, or non-existent. To the Greeks, Virgo is associated with the goddess Astraea, who was a companion or epithets of the goddess Dike. Both were associated with Justice, and eventually left Earth as humans began to decline into greed, fear, and immorality. Astraea is the daughter of Dusk and Dawn, and she ruled the stars. She is also associated with two or three other female deities of justice and law: Dike, Themis, and sometimes Prudencia. Here we can see another type of Triple Goddess—this group ruling law and order, morals and justice, and wise decision-making. How many people today—or in the last few hundred years for that matter—associate logical thinking, morality, and sound council with women? Not too fucking many. While we move into the Age of Aquarius, this mode of thinking is being released, we can look to these goddesses to remind us that feminine energy need not be associated with only submission, weakness, nurturing, and motherhood.

Because Virgo falls during the harvest season, many cultures associated her with wheat, which is why she is also often associated with Demeter, a major mother goddess, as well as a goddess of grain. Demeter is associated with many, many other goddesses and Great Goddesses throughout time and place. She was one of the poppy goddesses, which is used to make opium. Before she was reduced in Greek mythology, Demeter and her daughter Persephone were worshiped prior to the Olympic pantheon. They ruled civilization (the ability to farm allowed humans to settle, organize, and plan—core tenants of Virgos!), as well as sacred order and law, and time and death—realms now associated with Saturn/Chronos. 

Goddesses like Hecate, Inanna, Astarte, Kali-ma, Isis, Demeter, and Persephone are associated with life-death-rebirth cycles. This is pertinent, for in a legend of Astraea, Virgil writes “lam redit et virgo, redeunt Saturnia Regna" (Astraea returns, returns old Saturn's reign). There were frequent prophesies about Astraea’s return. Astraea-Inanna-Demeter-Persephone-Isis-Kali-Hecate are all names for the Great Alchemical Goddess of Motherhood, Life/Death/Rebirth, Time, Harvest, Righteous Anger, the Heavens, the Earth, Childbirth, Night, the Moon, Wilderness, Domestic Pursuits, Civilization, Chaos, Sex, Love, Purity, and Virginity. All of these embody Divine Feminine energy. Where Virgil saw “Old Saturn” returning to rule, we can see the return of the Righteous Anger of the Mother. The setting of boundaries, and the resetting of civilization and order in favor of the feminine archetypes. Of Justice. Of the balance of the Holy Virgin and the Sacred Whore. The return of Saturn is no more than the return of Demeter, of Astraea, of the Divine Feminine—and with that, we can begin to heal, and bring back into balance the energy of the Sacred Masculine.

*By the way, if you’re wondering if this has any astrological alignment, the theory is that this started in about 2011, when the “king star” Regulus moved out of masculine Leo into feminine Virgo. 

Astrological Alignment for beginning of August!

First things first, let's address the current astrological climate. There’s a lot going on this month—this whole summer has been an emotional and psychological trial by fire, but we’re in the home stretch, folks. For the week of August 2nd through August 9th, we have a relatively chill period—no major transits end or begin. August 4th, we have the last quarter moon, and then the dark moon from the 8th-10th. We’re still under the influence of Mercury Retrograde in Leo, along with Mars retrograde in Aquarius, so don’t expect things to move forward for a while. 

To avoid falling into stagnation, use this time to reflect on how you fit into your group, your community, and what role you play. Are you comfortable in that role?

Are you communicating to the right audience? Are you receiving validation? Is this for the collective or is it for your ego? Where do you draw the line between your individuality and your assimilation to the needs of the whole? It can be tricky, and these two transits are really bringing those issues to the forefront.

Disclaimer: The planets and stars do not actually cause shit to happen. 

That’s ridiculous. They are chunks of rock and ice and gas in space. That said, as someone who believes in the adage “As Above, So Below,” I believe in the interconnectedness of all existence. I believe that the movement of the astrological bodies reflects what is happening in the Collective human experience. Life is going to happen the way it happens whether the skies move in unison with those events or not—but happily, it does. Because Universal Consciousness purveys all things, we can use the cycles of the planets and movement of the stars to guide us through our lives here in the microcosm. Mercury does not cause miscommunication—it shows us that miscommunication is happening, and everyone is being called to slow down, revisit some old patterns of behavior, or spend some time digging up some unresolved issues your ex has with you. 

So when Mercury goes retrograde, Venus moves into Libra, or Saturn squares off with Uranus, just think that the heavens are giving us all a heads up and making it easier for us to tune into the Collective’s radio station. 

August 1st marks the beginning of the harvest season—the “first fruits.” 

Lammas  (Anglo-Saxon) or Lughnasadh (Gaelic) is celebrated on this day, and is the first of three traditional European harvest celebrations. Lughnasadh is frequently associated with corn and grain. Gaelic mythology told the story of the god Lugh defeating the god Crom Dubh in order to bring food back to humans; alternatively, the struggle was over a woman, who probably represented fruitfulness. Lugh was a god of rulers and kings, and was sometimes a solar deity. We can compare this to stories of Hades who kidnaps Persephone, casting the earth into eternal winter, until Persephone’s mother Demeter, a grain goddess, arranges for her daughter’s release. 

We can see these archetypes in the astrology of August as we move from symbols of the sun at its most powerful in Leo into Virgo, a grain-carrying goddess of service and fruitfulness.

This week, while the moon is waning, the energy available to attune with is that of banishing, releasing, hexing, discharging, deprogramming, and cleansing. 

Harvest and weed your literal and spiritual gardens. Show gratitude for what has come, and reflect. Our ancestors celebrated life and all its glory and all its terror. Every day was a blessing, because storms, disease, infestations, and fires could take everything from a village without warning, with no mercy. Personifying seasons and earthly energies was how our ancestors felt connected to and a part of Mother Nature. In our current life, in this first world country, it is so easy to take for granted our abundance year round. We do not slave to seasons, and we are barely aware of what is seasonal, sustainable, or sacred. 

We are living in a time where the gods no longer battle to ensure we have grain and that spring returns. 

Honoring the Wheel of the Year, remembering the gods and goddesses and spirits of our past is not just for mere entertainment. They serve as beacons of light shining a light on our privilege, as gentle reminders of our connection to Nature. The gods do not resent us for taking our eternal harvest at Kroger for granted. They seek us still to humble us to the work that was put in to make this season-less lifestyle exist and to remind us that this privilege comes with a price of a disconnect from the Earth. It is now our responsibility to chose to come back and attune to Her.

written by Arianna Page

art by David A. Hardy

Imbolc

As an apprentice witch, this is my first year going through and celebrating all the sabbats or holidays on the wheel of the year. I was familiar with some of them already. For example, Yule, which happens around Christmas was a pretty easy one to recognize. The word Yule is literally found in modern Christmas songs. Samhain, which is around Halloween, I was aware of as well because of Halloween and all the spooky associations with that holiday. However, Imbolc stumped me. I hadn't even heard of the holidays around it. The only thing that came to mind was Groundhog's Day, so I did my research and found out about this holiday. If you're a newbie witch like me, let me give you the low down on Imbolc.

Like the other sabbats, it has many names, because it is recognized in different parts of the world in some form or another. It's been called Brigantia, Oimelc, Feast of Torches, Feast of Pan, Brigid's Day, and many more, but for our sanity's sake, let's just stick with Imbolc. Imbolc means, "In the belly". This is the quickening of the year. The Mother has recovered from giving birth to the God at Yule and The Crone, who has been minding the newborn God, gives him back to The Mother. Basically it means the sun is coming back, the days are getting longer, and the Earth is becoming warm and habitable again. It's the light at the end of the tunnel after a long winter. Who wouldn't want to throw a little party?

Imbolc is a sabbat of purification and renewal after being shut in all winter and there are lots of ways to celebrate this time. You can do some spring cleaning. You can throw a big party while you burn your Christmas tree in your backyard. You can do a ritual of self-dedication or reaffirmation. You can even burn some white and pale blue candles on your altar. It's all up to you. I would highly suggest reading more about Imbolc or the various holidays associated with it to see what resonates with you. The two reference books I used for this blog post can be found in the shop: "Grimoire For The Green Witch" by Ann Moura and "Wicca: A Guide For The Solitary Practitioner" by Scott Cunningham. In the Grimoire, she has listed the various herbs, ritual items, altar decorations and food you can use for a ceremony. She also details a ceremony you can do, along with little activities associated with it. In Cunnigham's book, he describes more about what the holiday is about and he includes references to the type of rituals you can do at that time. Both books definitely give a lot of insight into the Wheel of the Year and its importance to the craft.

For those of you who don't wish to celebrate the holiday alone, please come and see us at ATL Craft on February 2nd. It is a donation based event and it is a potluck, so please feel free to bring something to share with the community. We'll have a ceremonial feet washing, and a small demonstration on making Brigid's Cross. Doors will be closed and locked by 7:30pm. Hope to see you there!

Just Moonin' Over You

We started off this new year with a bang. The first day of the year not only had a full moon, but a Super Moon in Cancer. For those of you not into astrology, Cancer is ruled by, you may have guessed it, the moon. The Moon rules the unconscious and emotions. It is the mother and the wife. It is our sensual side and rules our primary instincts. This is the part of self we keep close, we keep hidden or we keep secret. When it comes to spell work, we need to know where the moon is at and what she is feeling, so we know what we should do. 

The full moon is a very magical time and it is good for any type of spell. It's a time of ending and beginnings. To think of it in regards of a garden, this is when the crops are bearing fruit and it is time to harvest. It is an abundant and happy time. But at the same time, it is the death and fulfillment for those plants. It's side by side, life and death. Very powerful. And since the moon is in charge of the unconscious and the primal, psychic abilities are increased at this time. This is a wonderful time to do abundance and fertility spells, as well as look back on what you have accomplished and rejoice for rejoicing's sake.

After the moon is at its fullest it starts to wane. The party of the full moon is over. The crops have been harvested and the moon is getting closer and closer to her death and rebirth, her dark womb space. This is a time to do spells that involve decreasing, releasing and letting go. If you have a bad habit or an addiction you are trying to shake, this is the time to do it. It's a time to get rid of the bad and negative energy in your life. I believe that's why it is suggested to do spells involving legal matters at this time.

The dark moon, or the new moon is a time of new beginnings. The slate has been wiped clean. The new moon reminds me of a freshly tilled field that is just waiting for seeds to be planted in it. It's the time for positive changes, such as looking for fresh career opportunities or new relationships or new endeavors. Maybe you have an idea that you need to take root. This is the time to do a spell to plant that seed and then watch it take root.

Last, but not least is the waxing moon. It is growing and increasing on its journey to becoming full. Those little seeds at the new moon have taken route and now it is time to do some watering for the little sprouts. This is the opportune time to do spells that involve increasing. Increasing knowledge, money, or maybe increasing love in a relationship.

If you feel drawn to work with the moon, I suggest going outside at night and looking right at her. Sit and meditate and think of her and her message. I also have found a really good resource called "Moon Spells" by Diane Ahlquist available here at ATL CRAFT. It's great for beginners and more advanced alike. In the first part of the book, she teaches you how to cast circle, cast different formations, and she tells you which days of the week are best to do which spell. Then, in the second part, she has a whole lot of spells and tells you down to the last detail everything you need.

See what lies ahead

There are many moments in life where we seek guidance from something outside of ourselves. Some people rely on a good friend, a good therapist, or they rely on a higher power. There are many times where the path ahead isn't clear, maybe due to lack of choices or an overabundance of choices. And you just want to know what to do. That's where tarot comes in. A deck of 78 cards, depicting common human experiences that help you unlock your subconscious, engage your intuition and help you make heads or tails of what is going on around you. You just have to be willing to listen to what it is saying.

Reader: Lizzie

Deck: Hermetic Tarot

The first card of the major arcana, number zero himself, is the Fool. The Fool is the beginning of everything. He is the hero of every story. And like the hero of most stories, he doesn't know what's coming. He just walked out his door one day and there he was, smack dab at the beginning of an adventure. He is optimistic, carefree, and a really beautiful energy. When I see him pop up in my deck, he makes me want to go outside and see what trouble I can get myself into.

Across different tarot decks, the Fool is represented differently, but the message is generally the same. For instance, I read from the Hermetic Tarot. It's a black and white deck created by Godfrey Dowson in the '80's and it is based upon the esoteric workings of the secret order of the Golden Dawn. It's dark and twisty and complex and cuts like a knife. I love it because sometimes you need that friend in your life that slaps you across the face and tells you to get a hold of yourself. It also is beautiful and complex and has amazing imagery that alludes to astrology and Qabbalah. I've been reading from it for months and I can honestly say I still don't know all of its secrets. The other readers of ATL Craft read from vastly different decks and I asked them to write a little about their decks, in order to showcase the differences and similarities.

Reader: Elyse

Decker: Robin Wood Deck

"I bought the Robin Wood Tarot earlier this year. When I walked into Phoenix and Dragon it was the first deck that my eyes fell on, but I of course had to look at every other deck in the store just to make sure that it was the right one. It was a done deal when I pulled out the sample cards and saw the back of the deck. I love the colors, the black white and green bring such a bright earthy feeling to the deck. It seems to also literally attract dirt like nobody’s business.  I definitely feel that there are some serious berries and Woodland creatures guarding, playing, and participating with my deck.  When I first started reading Atl Craft I was an  apprentice, so my intention for getting this deck was to have a deck that I could read more easily and intuitively from. The Robin Wood Tarot is perfect for just that. The colors are bright and evocative, and the paintings themselves are incredibly vivid. They bring life to each card, helping to tell a story.  The fool in particular is a true delight.  Dancing merrily, playing his piccolo on some lush grass, mountains in the background, a happy little dog by his side. I love the use of the rainbow in the Fool, signifying the start of the new journey that he is about to begin. Each of the four elements are represented here in their own way. They hint at the great journey and mystery at that lies ahead. The fool, unaware,  is still filled with joy. It is this attitude that I believe needs to be brought to new situations and journeys. Too much worrying about the future or trying to control the situation brings us to depression, ingratitude, and lack of presence. The fool reminds us to be carefree, that we are not necessarily always in control of the situation, but that we should enjoy it and our lives."

Reader: Karen

Deck: The Mythic Tarot

"My favorite deck is The Mythic Tarot by Juliet Sharman-Burke and Liz Greene.  It was the first deck I’ve ever owned, and I have kept coming back to it for the last 35 years. It’s based on the mythology of ancient Greece, and all gods of the Greek pantheon are in it. I find it makes it much easier to explain some of the more complex meanings of the cards, like having The Fool represented by Dionysus who is the god of wine, revels and madness, and is a great stand-in for the elemental, instinctual nature of The Fool. The Fool isn’t weighed down by rules or knowledge or habits or culture. He is a blank slate, relying on instinct and intuition to get him where he is going.

They recently re-did the artwork on the cards, and they are now marketing it as The New Mythic Tarot. I really recommend it for anyone who loves mythology, anyone who wants a more psychology-based reading, or anyone who want to dive into a deeper understanding of themselves and how they influence all the things that are present in their lives."

Reader: VVITCH MAMA

Deck: Pamela Coleman Smith-Waite Tarot

"I love that my shop deck is soft and merciful when a lot of the time Tarot is not. Tarot has a way of bubbling up truths we may or may not be ready for. I use the Pamela Coleman Smith-Waite deck to read in the shop to ease new clients into the space of truth that tarot brings. This deck uses the traditional imagery of Rider-Waite but with kind sepia tones. I love the Fool card in this deck. It is traditional imagery of a dude possibly about to walk off a cliff with his familiar at his heels. I see the fool as a person who literally gives no fucks and is ready to take risks without thinking too much about it. The Fool can remind you to lighten up and make that leap of faith. And if you love this deck it is available at ATL CRAFT."

The Fool is just the beginning of the journey and there are many other cards to think about and explore. If you want to take your first step on your tarot journey, come by ATL Craft this evening and learn about The Fool's Journey with Karen. We'd love to see you.

Yer a wizard, Harry

About a month ago, Witch Mama announced a "Witchcraft 101" class she would be teaching November 19th and it got me thinking. It got me thinking about my own journey within the Craft and how much I've learned in the short time I've been practicing. I've only been practicing since mid-June, so I'm by no means an expert, but I would say I'm well-versed on getting into the swing of things. And it can be confusing. There are so many books and so many different practices, it's hard to figure out what to do and when, especially if you're a solitary practitioner. So I tried to think about the best advice I got starting out and I've boiled it down to these three things:

1. Build yourself an altar

You don't have to physically build yourself an altar (unless that's what you want to do, then by all means go ahead). You just need to create a sacred safe place where you can meditate, pray, practice spells, or whatever. And it can be really simple. An altar should at least consist of the four elements: Earth, Air, Fire and Water. If you don't have money to buy anything, don't worry about it. I personally think there is no shame in winging it. Maybe all you have is a nice scented candle, a cup of water, a drawing of a bird or feather, and some loose dirt or a rock from outside. Or even some loose change. So much of witchcraft is intention, so if you have minimal supplies, you can make up for it with maximum intention. Having this small space gets you out of your head and connects you with elements. It's also said to be representative of your self-compassion. So taking care of this little sacred space and adding special objects to it is some always needed self-care. It also feeds into my next bit of advice.

1. Meditate

Meditate at your altar. Go outside and simply get out of your head and connect with the elements. One of the first and most powerful things I did when I first got started was to take a quick little solo hike. Nothing huge or hard (I was by myself, so safety first), but I was alone in the woods, with no sounds from other humans anywhere near. I focused on putting one foot in front of the other and I paid attention to my surroundings. I focused in on the sounds of the forest. I was able to get my mind quiet and appreciate the natural wonders around me. It helped me tap into something greater than myself and it lead to my first experience with a deity. Meditating and getting out of your head is essential to the craft. Witchcraft is a spiritual practice and even though you can read a lot about it in books, you will learn as much from getting quiet and tapping in with universal consciousness. And the only way to tap into that spiritual side is to practice different ways of doing so, until something really resonates with you. 

1. Read!

There are so many different types of practices and deities and ways to do things, you could literally spend days reading this stuff and not be any the wiser. For beginners looking for direction, I suggest one or both of these books:

"Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practioner" by Scott Cunningham

And/or

"To Ride A Silver Broomstick" by Silver RavenWolf

Both these books go over the basics of witchcraft and they have really good recommended reading lists. A word of caution: these books are not infallible nor do they claim to be. Witchcraft is not an organized religion, so everyone has their own way of practicing. That means as you are reading, if you read something you don't agree with, that's absolutely fine. This is your spiritual practice and you have to do what feels right to you. These books are simply notes and guidelines to aid you in your own journey.

From there, I leave you to figure things out on your own. Doing these three things will lead you to the people or things meant to guide you further down your path. And if you ever have any questions, you are more than welcome to seek us out at the shop, because that's why we're here.

I Put A Spell On You

A grimoire is a book of spells. Plain and simple. However, this community grimoire offers a lot more than that. It gives you the chance to tap in to the communal energy of the people who have come before you, whether it was someone adding their own spell or copying down a spell to take home with them. And in a very physical and real sense, you literally have a witch at your fingertips who can help answer any questions. You aren't just reading from a book at home or googling it on your phone. You are in a witchcraft store studying a spell. You literally have everything you need right in front of you.

Our grimoire sits on a podium in the middle of the shop, with a fountain pen and ink well right next to it, waiting for me to add my contribution to it…. And it's a little intimidating. So permanent and so powerful. Spells from seasoned witches (more seasoned than I am, for sure) and something that others would see. I definitely didn't want to be the one to mess it up. However, Witch Mama insisted that I needed to add a spell, so I began the process of finding my spell. I browsed quickly through a couple of the books in the shop, but nothing was hitting it for me. I kept feeling my eyes glaze over, or my attention would start to pull and I take that as a sign from my intuition to move on. Then I found it. It was in a book we sell in the shop called, "Moon Phases" by Diane Ahlquist. 

Writing that spell down was fun…at first. Then I found myself looking for ways to shorten each sentence, somehow, just to make it a little shorter, so I wouldn't have to write so Goddamn much. Then I even tried to concentrate and write a little faster. I thought about switching to cursive instead of print. I thought about suggesting to Witch Mama that we allow printed computer pages to be in here. You know, like, type it up, print it out and then glue it on a page in the book. It would be cute! Kind of all mismatched!

But I knew that wouldn't fly. I had to resign myself to the fact that this would take time, because sometimes….that's what is needed. I mean, isn't that a huge lesson I have learned in the past year? Now matter how quickly you get all the ingredients together, you can't shorten the process of time. If the cake has to bake for 45 minutes, it has to bake for 45 minutes. Just leave it be! Only thing you can do in the mean time is try to learn from the experience and make the waiting productive. So instead of focusing on all the different ways I could make writing quicker, I focused on the task at hand. I copied the spell neatly and efficiently. I focused on each letter and each word and let my mind go blank. Then I started to see myself doing the spell and reciting the words I was writing over and over again. Then I had another small realization; This, right here, was the power of a community grimoire. In this very moment, I was pouring my concentration and power into this book and into the spell I was writing in it. So I wasn't just helping myself memorize and learn a spell. I was also giving back to the grimoire by putting my energy and effort into it. And that’s what every other witch writing in this grimoire would do too.  Along with every witch that would come by and copy a spell out of this grimoire and into their own.

Where The Magically Minded Meet and Shop

I don't think there could be a more fitting tagline for our little witch shop on Edgewood. We are still relatively new to the area, but we have definitely made an impression, because this isn't just a shop. It's a meeting space, a classroom, and a safe place in an increasingly unsafe world. Unabashedly feminist and incredibly supportive of local artisans and women in business, you know any dollars spent here are going to support women and artists in the community. In our first year, we have already been included in Creative Loafing's "Best of Atlanta 2017".

ATL Craft is the manifestation of Haley Murphy (better known as WITCH MAMA) and Grant Henry of Sister Louisa's Church Murch. This is where the magically minded cannot only find supplies, but they can come in and ask questions and share their troubles without risk of being judged.  One of the first times I visited here, I literally came in, exchanged hellos and said, "I don't know why I'm here, but I felt like I needed to come." And Witch Mama accepted that without batting an eye. She even told me that I was not the first person to tell her that. Whether you're a seasoned witch, an energy worker, or just someone who thinks they're a little different and don't know why, this shop has a positive healing energy that is felt by all. It is a non-judgmental space and it lets people open up in ways they might not normally otherwise.

In the shop you can find your basic altar and ritual supplies, such as sage, palo santo, incense, cauldrons, feathers, and even locally made wands. There are also locally sourced crystals that can be worked with for their healing energy, or if you just want some really pretty rocks. Of course we also have your not-so-basic supplies. There are tinctures to help with menstruation pains, stress, and more, and there are also conjure powders that help attract money and banish negative spirits. For those looking for information, there is a selection of books to help get you started on your path. If you need some guidance from the universe, you can set up an appointment with one of our tarot readers.

In addition, our most important resource is Witch Mama herself. She tirelessly works to set up classes for the community in different areas of expertise, so the community can be constantly learning. As her apprentice, I have seen her personally advise people on anything from reigning in one's psychic abilities, to banishing a negative entity, to simply setting up a first altar. She greets you with a smile, a listening ear, and a genuine desire to help you learn and find what you're seeking.

If you have been thinking about stopping by and visiting (even though you have no idea what you would even buy here) please do. We're all about the "woo-woo" in this shop and if your intuition is telling you to do something, we say go for it.

New Jack Witch Interviews Haley Murphy of ATL CRAFT

This story was originally written and published by Russ Marshalek. Click here for the original post.

INTERVIEW WITH HALEY MURPHY OF ATL CRAFT

My own personal experiences with witchcraft began, as with most things in my life, during my childhood growing up in a small suburb of Atlanta, Georgia. My southern upbringing shaped me in innumerable ways, and since leaving Atlanta in 2009 I've enjoyed watching from afar as the city has grown and shifted in ways I'd never have imagined when I lived there. As such, I was excited when I read the Creative Loafing profile of Haley Murphy, proprietor of ATL Craft, the first (to my knowledge) ITP (ask a local) witchcraft store in the area.  Every city needs a good occult shop. It's part community center, part learning nexus, part support system. I reached out to Haley Murphy, aka Witch Mama, via email to discuss ATL Craft and southern witchcraft. 

 What first drew you to working with magic/the occult? 

I was raised Southern Baptist and homeschooled most my life. I recognized I had the gift of “discernment of spirit” (what Christians call it) when I was very young. Through research, I later found that I was a medium with clairvoyant, clairaudient, and clairsentient gifts.
Because I had no family support and couldn’t openly talk about my gifts, I had to sneak around to learn what I could. Without guidance, it was difficult to follow what came naturally to me: to de-stigmatize it, control it, and not fear it. 

Unlike the monotheistic, god-fearing religions I was used to, pagans and wiccans embraced my gifts.  After leaving home at 18, I went on a journey of self-discovery. I immersed myself in ancient literature, met all walks of faith, but nothing touched me like the ancient polytheistic pagan ways. 
A few years later I was sucked into the vortex that was, and still is, known as The Back Pockets, a musical/performance art group of witches.  We were known as a wild bunch of misfits who played music and held deep performance art twisted with ritual and holy fuckery (can I say that?). I found others who were also interested in exploring the magic, the healing arts, and sacred clowning. Years into my own practice, I started teaching. So many people wanted to learn that I became overwhelmed and started the online learning and discussion forum “The Hum." HEY HUM MEMBERS! In The Hum, we talk about herbalism, science, ancient literature, spell work, astrology, magic, yoga, mysticism, and just about anything anyone wants to discuss.  With the success of the online forum, I decided to also teach out of my home. Just like the online classes, I soon became overwhelmed with the response, and so…ATL CRAFT was born. It was born out of the desperate need to bring a person to person community back into our culture without dogmatic structure. It was born out of anger and love for human rights, women’s rights, and the acknowledgement of our own power. It was made in the fire of the belly of the beast and plopped right down into the Old Fourth Ward where Grant Henry scooped it up and twirled it around. We decided to make a baby out of Sister Louisa’s Church Murch and ATL CRAFT.
 
How long was ATL Craft in the works?

I would say, my whole life, and a month and a half. Manifest.

Do you find Atlanta supportive of the occult community?

Hmmmm, Georgia is a very slow to evolve in the progressive mindset. It is a part of the south held together by the bible belt. But, I would also say Atlanta, isn’t the south. Or, that is something we say, here. We are incredibly diverse and very inclusive. Yes, I believe Atlanta is supportive and needs resources like ATL CRAFT, as a safer space for Atliens to find the resources they need to practice, and to learn and network with others also interested in all forms of magic. ATL CRAFT is not just a store but a community center where we have classes and gatherings. 
 
There's a deep spiritual bloodline unique to the southeastern United States--do you find that resonant or impactful in your magic work?

Yes, this is a very deep question. I want to be thoughtful while answering. Essentially the magic that runs in the south’s veins is ancient and HEAVILY influenced from Africa and the Indigenous tribes from this area. It has been stigmatized, eroticized, and colonized. It is the desire of my heart to bring as much awareness and understanding about all the ways to practice magic. That is why we have, for example, a voodoo priest give classes on voodoo, the history, and the realms. We also have a Tao master who teaches eastern philosophy. Everyday that I am open I meet someone new, with a practice that I may not even know about. This is one of the reasons I love the south and Atlanta’s diverse culture. I believe it is Charles Darwin (same birthday btw) who says animal species evolve with their environment. So, absolutely yes. The roots of the south do impact my personal work. Though I believe the foundation of all magic is basically the same. It is ancient symbols we all recognize. 
 
What are some of your favorite items that you stock at ATL Craft?

I designed meditation masks that have a pocket for the third eye. Each mask comes with an insert for the pocket, lavender and amethyst, mugwort and crystal quartz, and chamomile and black tourmaline. I think we have a lot of innovative things made by local artists and healers you cannot find anywhere else. Many metaphysical shops are very commercial and are stocked full of things made in China. It is our deep desire to support local artists and healers and much as possible. Our tinctures, essential oil roll-ons and body products are all made in Atlanta. We also have hand-made ceramic altar bowls, incense burners, tarot bags, altar candle holders, wands and so much more made by amazing Atlanteans. 
 
Any cool plans for the store that you can share?

We have so many distinct classes and get-togethers to bring our unique community together. So many people come in looking for a “coven” they can practice with. I encourage people to come to our classes so they can meet their people instead of getting lumped into something that may not align with their practice. For example, this week we have a meditation and yoga class on Thursday and a “Eat for your Vagina” nutrition class on Saturday. 
 
What is magic to you?

Magic to me, is manifesting through the use of your inner gods, outer spirits, ancestors, and elements. I definitely identify as a green witch. But, I also believe the wisest thing a human can believe is that, we just don’t know. We will never arrive. Every day I meet new people who practice something I have never heard of. I certainly don’t know everything and I desire to constantly learn more. 

NPR Interviews Store Owner Haley Murphy

Atlanta Store Brings Witchcraft Out Of The Shadows

This post was originally published by Olivia Reingold on GBP News.

The paranormal is often in the shadows, but a new store in Atlanta brings witchcraft to the public. ATL Craft opened last month. It sells mini-cauldrons for the urban witch, handmade wands, plus "everything you need for your spell work." GPB Intern Olivia Reingold stopped by the shop to meet owner Haley Murphy.

Murphy, 29, opened the Atlanta-based store on Edgewood this March after 10 years of practicing witchcraft, but her interest in the supernatural first began when she was 11 and living in Macon, Georgia. 

CREDIT STEPHANIE PHARR

Murphy described her childhood home as “haunted” and “teeming with all sorts of activity.” When she told her parents that she was seeing spirits, her mother reacted with fear and her father with anger. Her Southern Baptist parents raised her and her three brothers in a “very strict household” that forbid TV and alternative radio. This didn’t stop her at a very young age from tuning into Radio Disney and entering a talent contest, which she won. The prize - a Sabrina the Teenage Witch Psychic Phone - enticed her to call in and enter. When she found out she won, she couldn’t help but tell her church friends at a service that evening. Her parents knew by the end of the night. 

“Not only was I not allowed to have the Sabrina Psychic Phone, but I was, you know, kind of in trouble,” she said.

Today, Murphy has created what she hopes will be the kind of safe space she never had as a kid, which is what ATL Craft means to Asheville, North Carolina native Jenni O’Shea. 

O'Shea said she grew up going to stores that took advantage of witchcraft’s trendiness and gave her unreliable information. 

“Sometimes you would go into a store and somebody would really know what they were doing, and then you could also find people who were very much so misguiding you and just making stuff up," O’Shea said. 

She was therefore relieved when she moved to Atlanta and learned about ATL Craft. 

“I was really excited to have this open up and have it be this very reliable source,” she said while shuffling a deck of tarot cards. “Having a space like this makes me feel very comfortable; it makes me feel safe.”  

Haley Murphy’s altar, where she begins her morning rituals. She starts each day starts by burning sage and sometimes ringing the purple bell on her mantel.

CREDIT OLLIVIA REINGOLD

Creative Loafing Interviews ATL Craft Owner Haley Murphy

ATL Craft Brings Witchcraft to Edgewood

This article was originally published by Caroline Cox in Creative Loafing Atlanta. 

From a young age, Haley Murphy recognized that she had what she refers to as “spiritual gifts.” Murphy’s the driving force behind ATL Craft, touted as Atlanta’s witchcraft store and community space. The new shop recently opened its doors on Edgewood Avenue in a shared retail space with artist/entrepreneur Grant Henry, owner of the elaborately named bar Sister Louisa’s Church of the Living Room & Ping Pong Emporium.

Growing up Southern Baptist and being home-schooled the majority of her life, Murphy left home at 18 and embarked on her own mission of self-discovery, immersing herself in ancient literature and numerous walks of faith. “Nothing touched me like the ancient polytheistic pagan ways,” she explains. 

After a stint performing and touring in the local (and now disbanded) music/performance art group the Back Pockets, she returned to honing and expanding her love of healing arts and magic. This led to her hosting teaching workshops and online discussions on subjects such as herbalism, science, ancient literature, spell work, astrology, magic, yoga and mysticism. Once she decided to start teaching out of her home, the response was so overwhelming that she knew she needed her own brick-and-mortar space. “[ATL Craft] was born out of anger and love for human rights, women’s rights, and the acknowledgment of our own power,” says Murphy. “It was made in the fire of the belly of the beast and plopped right down into the Old Fourth Ward.”

The shop will stock what Murphy calls “everything you need for spell work” — candles, oils, crystals, ritual bath supplies, meditation masks, jewelry and more, along with Henry’s signature Sister Louisa hats, mugs, stickers, shirts and paintings. “We are also supporting our local artists and healers by providing a space to share and sell their work,” Murphy says. “The space is not only used for retail but as a center for magical activism and learning within our community.” They’ll also sell wares from local artists and healers, including Julie Goedekke with Goodness Gracious, Kat Shaw from Herbalista, Orion Crook, Maddy Baretto, Trevor Howell, and Fossil and Hide.

“My dream is that the shop brings hope, laughter and education and unifies our community with our diverse classes and resources,” she adds. “It is so important, especially in these tumultuous times, that we come together and encourage each other in our strengths and support each other through our weaknesses. There are so many hopes and dreams for the future, and I suppose my greatest one is to educate and inspire those to make this world a better place.”

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