Deck Creation - 'Kiss of Death'

This is the first deck I have made in honour of Santa Muerte; a set of cards I am immensely proud of. I worked closely with both the recipient and Santa Muerte on this deck and I was surprised at how easily I was drawn to this deity and how amazing I felt working with Her.

It was a challenging deck as I had not worked with Santa Muerte before but She worked me very hard to get the images, words and meanings right.

See Lisa’s video about receiving the deck here… 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRjkDjw5Xg8&index=4&list=PL20rfU40lrKZhnBKeALiYJbEGIJItl-uH&t=1s

Cleansing Rituals - Bathing (Basic Ritual Bath)

The act of cleansing the body and spirit via ritual bathing is a tradition which has survived centuries and is still common place in the practice of many witches today. My personal ritual to dispel negativities varies dependant on the workings to be done after and so here I have explained my basic ritual cleanse and there will follow, in a separate post, three variations. Each will employ elements of aromatherapy and colour therapy which both compliment the energy benefits of the ritual purpose. For each one, your bathroom should feel sacred, whatever that means to you… 

All of these rituals incorporate making your space (in this case, your bathroom) sacred… personally, I will often light candles for my bath anyway, regardless of if I’m performing a ritual cleanse. Everyone has their own ways to create sacred space and I wouldn’t dream of attempting to belay your ways of doing this but I would like to share one of my methods before I get into the rituals…

These are some of the steps I take to make my bathroom a space of sacred energies and magick:

«  Add fine-grade sea salt to your water and any oils you wish to include. The aroma of essential oils will trigger memories of other sacred occasions and I can project those feelings into the space.

«  Candles can be any colour to suit your purposes but I personally like blue and white for cleansing and a black one to absorb negativities.

«  Good old-fashioned sage is great for incense but if you prefer something with more oomph, Dragon’s Blood is a very suitable alternative.

«  Consecration of space and water (by wand), I have found that holding my wand and visualising the energies and my words expanding around the room and around objects and myself like a circle are the most concise way bring about the atmosphere I want:

By candle, salt and scented smoke

I dedicate this place

To shift between the worlds with me

And be a sacred space

«  Once the area is suffused in divine energy, the individual aids to your ritual bath should be charged too… I like to charge things. I begin with the smoke of the burning sage:

I breathe you in, oh cleansing sage

To make me pure of mind

And bring in positivity

To banish, and unbind

«  Secondly, the water is charged with its cleansing purposes:

As I sink beneath your surface

In sacred waters I’m suffused

Cleansed of all impurities

With light I am infused

Basic Ritual Bath

This basic ritual bath incorporates crystal magick to bring about the cleansing I am looking to achieve. I call it a basic ritual not because it is simple but because it is done for itself; if you feel a little down-trodden, bogged-down in negative thoughts and energies or just feeling the need to refresh yourself for a non-descript meditation later… this is the bath for you!

You will need:

A handful of white rose petals

Three clear quartz crystals

One smoky quartz crystal

Method

Once your bath is run (not too hot, this ritual is for cleansing, not jumping out fast with scalded feet) and the bathroom is prepared, scatter the petals into the water… I chose white roses for this ritual because they represent a level of purity which I can’t seem to find anywhere else, and I’ve looked. As with most of my workings, I have prepared a rhyme for the occasion…

Oh blessed white of purest bloom

Dispel my air of doom and gloom

Waters that below you lay

Wash waning energies far away

The next step is to charge your crystals and this can include visualisations if you wish (I’ll include mine); hold the smoky quartz in your projective hand and recite:

I feel a burden closing in

It’s squeezing tight, without, within

Child of earth with smoky hue

Help me bid this plight adieu

(I visualise whatever my burden is as elastic bands wrapped too tight around my body and my spirit; they’re constricting so I can barely breathe under their pressure and this rhyme is calling out to smoky quartz to absorb the energy of them).

Take each of the clear quartz in turn to your receptive hand and recite one of these rhymes for each:

Sacred is this glowing air

Shining bright, blessed and rare

Child of earth and energy

Bless me with such reverie

(This is one of my favourite visualisation… the crystal takes on the energy of the surrounding air and stores it to bestow on me).

Stillest waters reflecting light

Emitting calm on sacred night

Child of earth and energy

Bless me with such serenity

(This part of the visualisation is a similar process to the last; the difference is that the crystal draws energy from the water in the bath).

Innocence in petals floating

Finding joy in my devoting

Child of earth and energy

Bless me with such purity

(Again, the crystals store energy but from the image of the floating petals).

Disrobe (if you haven’t already) and slip into your bath between your petals. As you do, remember all the words you’ve said since you began, remember the visualisations that created this divine space for you to be cleansed by water, by salt, by rose petals and crystals.

Dip your head under the surface to immerse yourself and then lean back… place the smoky quartz at your navel and the clear quartz’ around it. Relax for a few minutes and just enjoy the energy as it settles and aligns to you.

Now for the fun bit, and these requires your process for centring but not your whole energy… just the clogged, burdened, imbued with negativities of the day energy; bring it to your naval and repeat the rhyme for the smoky quartz. See the crystal doing as you asked and absorbing those unpleasant energies. Do this as many times as necessary until you feel those energies have all been absorbed my crystal. Remove the crystal from your navel and place on the side of the bath.

Take another few moments to let your energies settle and realign before continuing.

Repeat each of the charges for the clear quartz’ and visualise them doing as you ask… the first allowing you to fully absorb the atmosphere and divinity; the second easing your emotional imbalances and woes; the third returning you to a place of pure spirit, free of all the things that bring you down and make you feel less than.

Take as much time as you need to absorb these energies, feelings, gifts… before putting your crystals somewhere safe and removing yourself from the bath. Scoop out your petals and drain the water.

Grounding & Disposal

I ground my sacred space both physically, astrally and with rhyme…

From candle, salt and scented smoke

I release this place

And shift it back from in-between

Returned to a physical space

Extinguish any candles still burning, wrap yourself up in a big fluffy robe, and collect the crystals up in the same hands they were charged in before heading towards the altar for whatever you decide to do next.

The smoky quartz can either be buried or left to the elements for a full moon cycle before using again. I will say though, that after this ritual. I would only use it for this ritual again.

Amazing Album - The Mist Rolls In (by Mandi See)

This is just a quick little post to recommend the new album by Mandi See which was recently mentioned in my post… ‘In conversation with… Mandi See’.

The album boasts 10 original tracks, comprising 8 with lyrics and 2 which are purely instrumental. Available via Amazon or iTunes, The Mist Rolls In is a magickal and haunting collection of melodies which reflect Pagan beliefs. I urge you to buy this album because it is beautiful

If you’d like to try before you buy, sample tracks are on Mandi’s YouTube channel:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9nY1Q1Eq2-8IsIu7twYYrA/videos

And, when you’re ready to buy, do what I did and head over to Amazon:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mist-Rolls-Mandi-See/dp/B072326P6H/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1497085007&sr=8-1&keywords=the+mist+rolls+in

or head to the iTunes store and search ‘The Mist Rolls In’.

Happy Listening x

In conversation with... Mandi See

In conversation with…

Mandi See 

Welcome back to my interview series where I delve into the path and magickal minds of my favourite witches for your reading pleasure. This time around I am having a chat with Mandi See – author, artist, singer, tarot reader and fount of witchy wisdom on YouTube. I am proud to call her a friend and this series of conversations/interviews was actually inspired by her Pagan Podcast, which I took part in several months ago… now as much as I completely love her, that will not stop me from quizzing her on her practices. So here we go…

I will be nice and start with your brand new album ‘The Mist Rolls In’; which is out now, available on iTunes and Amazon. Now until you started publicising this album, I did not know you could sing but I would like to say I have just purchased it and am listening to it as I write these questions out… it’s amazing! Now, my question is how your immersion into the world of music has influenced you as a witch and how much has that influence affected your practice?

I think that on the surface it probably looks like I am new in the world of music, and I am in terms of creating an album and selling music but I actually started singing when I was very young. I started doing ballet when I was two and I was on the stage, acting, singing and dancing from probably the age of five with different academies and companies all over the UK. So, really, for me, singing actually started before the discovery of spirituality. I suppose, the two things have only connected as I’ve got older because I feel now that I’m less limited in expressing myself through my vocabulary.

That makes sense and the shift from a singing, dancing child into a singing (dancing in the rain and under the moon) witch, is a natural transition. And, shifting isn’t a strange concept to you at all…as I’ve called you a chameleon before, you won’t be surprised that I bring it up again but that has always referred to your very frequent change in appearance and the fluidity of your spirit; there is, however, more to your chameleon nature than I first realised as not only have you become an album artist this year but also… a published author!!! ‘Eclectic Wicca’ has been out for several months now and I’m so proud of how much you’ve accomplished this year… so, I have to ask… what’s coming up next…?

Yeah… there is a lot of stuff, isn’t there? Well, last year – 2016 was the documentary and was the release of the book. This year is the release of the album and the new website and all of the different courses and workshops I’m doing.

I do have some things in the works that I haven’t told anyone about yet… that you’re just going to have to wait and see. I’m one of those people that doesn’t like to announce things before I’m doing them in case I jinx them.

And there I was hoping for an exclusive… I’m sure we will all stay tuned. Staying with your chameleon tendencies then, I am very curious about how your practice changes with the ever turning colours of your hair. Is it something based on your spirituality… do you ‘go red’ when you’re feeling particularly fiery, etc.? Or are the changes based on something else entirely? If so, what?

I am someone who has always loved to dress how I feel and express how I feel. For example, when I was working with the Red Goddess, I could not get enough red clothing, red hair; you know, everything I wanted red, everything had to be red. When I’m feeling a much darker energy, I suppose I look a little more Gothic and there are times when I have a much softer energy flowing around me. So, it’s not really a case of my practice changing when my outward appearance changes; it’s more so that my outward appearance changes, I would say, to reflect how I’m feeling at that particular time. Yes, that is connected to my spirituality but not necessarily just within witchcraft but with all other aspects of my life as well.

So, one doesn’t directly change the other but there is a symbiotic nature between your appearance and your spirituality… that’s so interesting. Now, one question which I am making a staple of these interviews is something I asked you a few weeks ago when you were live streaming with Maggie Elram but I did put you on the spot then so I’ll ask again, now you’ve had time to think about it. If you could have a conversation with yourself at the time when you were first discovering witchcraft, what would be your most important piece of advice to witchling Mandi?

I remember you asking the question and I think what I said then…; I’ve said it in an interview recently… was “expect nothing and expect everything” and I really like that because I feel it sums it up. I probably wouldn’t have liked it back then, if I did talk to previous self/Mandi but I guess, one of the things I’d like to tell myself also is not to take things too seriously, not to take other people’s opinions too seriously in terms of authors and creators and all this stuff; it is an opinion, there is no fact-based information that you ever have to take on to be your own truth and I think I’d like to go back and tell myself that.

I spent a long time getting to know your practice through your YouTube channel and more time since we became friends learning about the woman behind that practice and awing at the diversity of your talent. With art, music and writing in your arsenal, plus an astral realm of countless inspirations and possibilities to turn to, where do you go/what do you do to escape? How about release, with the amount of energy you must manifest through these various mediums, how do you release it?

I find it, actually, really, really hard to release it and relax and it is something I’ve struggled with over the years. And it is something that when I’m creating I feel in control; when I have a project and I’m very organised I feel good and that’s why I’m such an organised person. When things, not necessarily don’t go my way, but when products and projects are coming to an end, the time I should perhaps be celebrating, that is a time for me that can be anxiety-filled because I don’t really know what to do with that. So, the best thing I find is sitting in the garden, either with my boyfriend or with friends; sitting in the garden, having a glass of wine and actually…

It sounds funny, I was having this conversation the other day… how would my life be if, when I was at the traffic lights, I didn’t try to work out what shade of green ‘go’ was and in what way is it ‘go’ that can actually mean something to me.

I’m such a deep thinker and sometimes it’s nice to shut that off and not to move away from it because it’s part of who I am but it’s nice to shut it off and not necessarily have to understand everything in the moment.

I’ve never considered the shade of green of a traffic light… I think I’d call it a cross between lime and new grass. I’ll stop fawning now about all your wonderful accomplishments but I do want to talk to you about the relationship you have with your Goddess. Deity comes to each of us its own way and I know we share the belief of divine masculine and divine feminine as two halves of the whole universal energy and that those divine archetypes are seen through the facets of the many deities that populate the religions of the world. What I’d like to know is how you experienced your Goddess for the first time and what it felt like to be approached by deity on that occasion?

Well, I have worked with several Gods and Goddesses over the years but now, the Goddess I feel the closest to is Freyja and I feel a very strong connection to Freyja. The first Goddess I ever worked with was Diana and for me, that connection was, I suppose you could say, a motherly connection because I started on my spiritual path when I was very young.

I rarely work with specific deities… for some reason I feel more comfortable working with source energy and the abstract of divine masculine and feminine. What would you say are the benefits of being aligned to a specific deity, as you are with Freyja?

In terms of benefits of being aligned with specific deities, I don’t think you have to be; I don’t think it’s particularly crucial in terms of your path. I guess the benefits are that you are able to tap into certain aspects of yourself and you’re able to work with certain strengths that you have at certain times… and because you can give that a name and a face, even though it will always be a face that you create, it won’t be a universal face, it will be your idea of a God or Goddess, I feel that being able to actually picture that can really help you to identify different things on your journey; identify different parts of yourself. At the same time, I don’t think that’s necessarily any better than just working, as you said, with source energy and the abstract view of divinity/

Do you feel more empowered and enlightened by your relationship with your Goddess or is the connection a more familial connection as it was with Diana?

I think enlightenment and being empowered comes from all sorts of places. I do feel enlightened and empowered by working with different aspects of the Goddess and the God but mainly through the different aspects of myself that I discover as I do so. So, it’s not really about whether that is better than my connection with Diana, if that makes sense. It’s more so that it allows me the freedom to discover different aspects of myself.

So, to come full circle then, back to your album and book; you seem to be having a very fruitful year… to what would you attribute your success? I suppose in that, I am asking, what’s your secret?

‘My secret to my success…’; well, it’s actually been over two years now so I haven’t done it all in one year. The documentary and the book were in 2016 and the album and some other stuff this year too.

‘To what would I attribute my success?’ Really, I’ll be honest, it is opportunities; I’ve been given some fantastic opportunities but at the same time I think when people are looking to give someone an opportunity they tend to look for something in particular and so I suppose that one thing that I’m good at that makes me kind of different to other people would probably be organisation. I’m a very hard worker and I’m very organised so I think that does allow me to accept opportunities when they do come in because I’m so organised I’m able to do things ‘now’ as they happen.

Time for my quick fire (and sometimes silly) questions… on your marks, get set, fly:

·       What three qualities do you naturally project? Integrity, Rawness & Nosiness

·       Name a magickal tool you couldn’t live without? My Journal

·       What affirmation/quote do you live by? If you always do you’ve always done, you will always be where you’ve always been. Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

·       Name what is at the top of your summer (bucket to everyone else) list? Visiting Denmark and Finland are top of my list so I want to get that checked off.

·       Give yourself a super power… what is it? The Gift of giving knowledge; not necessarily my own knowledge but the ability to give education to people who need it.

·       What crystal do you most resonate with? Citrine is a favourite, also Tigers Eye, Lapis Lazuli in small doses, Selenite is a new love and Celestite but ultimately Black Obsidian.

·       What is your Hogwarts house? Slytherin, through and through.

·       Name three things in your handbag right now? Blue lipstick (because that’s how I roll), 3 torches (for some reason) and eyeliner.

·       Would you prefer to be fae, vampire or an animal? Not vampire because I’d miss chewing too much; not fae because you don’t really know what you’re becoming; so, animal. I think I’d quite like to be a cat if I was going to be any type of animal. I like that, at least with domesticated cats that they’re on that borderline of still having a certain freedom and still being quite wild but also having that warm home to return to at the end of the day. I guess, for me, that’s the closest thing I can compare to my own life. I still have a wild streak and the element of freedom but at the same time, I do have a home to come to and I do have a place to call my own.

·       Nominate someone I should interview next…? Oooo, Laura Daligan, Maggie Elram, Pagyptian, Sami Valens… all the good people!

Please list any links you would like me to include and any upcoming appearances or events in your schedule you would like advertised.

Website: http://holistichearts.org/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9nY1Q1Eq2-8IsIu7twYYrA

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/witchymandi/

Mandi is visiting Scandinavia this year and is planning meetups in Denmark and Finland so check her website regularly for dates.

Thank you so much to the lovely Mandi for taking time from your crazy schedule to give me a little insight into your world…; look forward to more interviews soon. x

In conversation with… Jennifer Hodgson

 In conversation with…

Jennifer Hodgson

This is my first instalment of ‘An interview with…’ and I have chosen to be in conversation with a witch who, though relatively new to my circle of friends, has cast a spell of warmth, generosity and wisdom on my understanding of friendship. Jenn is a profession paranormal investigator, a wife, a mother, a gym-freak and a very, very special person. It is with delight that I delve into her path explore her mind and magick…

Firstly, I would like to ask about what led you both into witchcraft and into your paranormal investigations: how did the path of Jennifer Hodgson begin?

I think without even realizing it witchcraft has always been a part of my life from an early age. I would do things like a séance, give the fairies acorns, or even read a crystal ball or pretend to read cards for someone without even being shown how to do this. I know I was never taught any of this. I love Halloween/Samhain and always have. I do remember dressing up as a witch; I was very drawn to that costume and dressing like a gypsy. Growing up I went to many churches and the whole thing just wasn't right for me. I had no connection to what was being taught; it just didn't make my soul come alive like it did when I was outside and just connecting with what was around me. I am still like that today. It's hard to pinpoint just one thing that led me to my path. I believe we all eventually end up where we are meant to be.

Looking back at that young witch, nose in books, gifting acorns and tentatively fingering her first wand (no puns please – lol); what advice would you give her if you could have a face-to-face with your younger self?

LOL!! Ok, I will be good, no puns!

Take your time, it's not a race, everyone gets to where they need to be at the time that is right. It's ok to mess up, it's part of learning

Now, from conversations with you when I was creating your oracle deck, I know you feel a special connection to cemeteries; how has that affected your practice? Do you feel more connected to death magicks because of that influence?

My love of graveyards/cemeteries began at an early age. I was always fascinated with the older headstones and just how quiet places were. Even at a young age as I walked around and saw the headstones I would place my hand on them as if to pay my respect to those who had passed even before I understood what any of this would mean later on.

How has it affected my practice? It has helped me to be comfortable connecting to those who have passed and helped me while doing paranormal investigations.

I guess you can say it has helped me be more connected because the fear isn't there when working with ancestral energies.

I personally feel a very natural connection to witchcraft here in the UK; as the home of much Celtic mythology and the land of Arthurian legends we have a rich history to draw from. I know you subscribe to Celtic mythology being a daughter of Morrigan but what cultures do you draw from of your homelands and how does that fit into your spiritual practice?

It would be Native American culture, I have guides who are Native American and I was taught a little by a Native American when I was 5 or 6. I see them as not only warriors but also healers and shape shifters if you like.

I have a theory that the type of witch you become is dependent on the people around you just as much as how much you study and how you process the information. I would love to know, who are the people around you that have shaped you as a witch?

Since I never had people around me growing up with the same beliefs that I have, it's mostly been reading and deciding my thoughts on the topic I was reading about. Although one person I can think of that had a huge influence in my life was a Native American lady who taught me a little about plants at an early age. Sadly I don't remember her name, she was a neighbour.  Now that I am an adult there have been many people whom I have learned from and so many who have touched my life in some way, to name just a few, Joey Morris, Natalie Sedgwick, Ember Honey Raven, Phoenix Paton, Timothy Roderick, Joanna DeVoe, and you, dear Fran. I could keep going to be quite honest. I have learned many things from many people. Each one has said something in a post on facebook or in a video or even something I may have read in a book that has made me look at things differently.

I love that you attribute who you are to so many; it is a beautiful salute to the online community of practitioners. It would be impossible to continue now though without talking about your relationship with Morrigan because I am sure She has shaped your path more than any other… I am fascinated by this connection and would love to know more about how she first came to you and what forged the bond you share with her?

There were many clues that she was around from seeing her name, hearing her name and just connecting to others who are also daughters and sons of the Morrigan. I talked to Joey Morris from Starry Eyed Supplies about her and how would I know for sure it was her; she suggested lighting a red candle and meditating and seeing what happened. I did this but was still a little hesitant and so I had a dream and out of the entire dream all I remember was hearing the name Morgan Le Fey. So once I again I asked Joey about this and I did research but the final thing that happened was I asked a question, I don't honestly remember the question now, but I did get my answer and I have never looked back since.

I believe she has always been with me but what made her presence known to me and for me to forge a bond with her was when I was going through a difficult time in my life. She showed me that I am a strong person and that I would be ok.

You’re a very genuine and generous person… I’m very curious about what riles you and what, if anything would send you to the altar itching to cast curses?

Thank you Fran, I appreciate that. I am very protective of my children, my friends, the elderly and those who can't defend themselves; so attacking them will send me to the altar. I don't like it when people are bullied. My children have said when my face turns red from my neck up, run. I do have a temper, I am not always nice and sweet, I have a side that many never see. When I am in this state, words will come out of my mouth that I won't remember saying and I feel my eyes being different.

There’s a side of me like that and I think it’s only my altar that has seen it…; from my altar I go medieval on those who deserve it. Speaking of medieval (yes, I know it’s a strained segway), another thing I remember you being particularly fond of from our chats is the castles and I’d love to know where that comes from. Is it the history, the romanticism, the sovereignty? Is it the thought of a moat as protection? Turrets, a draw bridge, a tower with ravens at its windows?

I have loved castles since I was a kid; they are just so magickal. I love the thought of having a secret room where you can do all sorts of things… read your books, make potions, create spells; the list of possibilities is endless. I do love the history of castles and learning about the people who lived there; what they did, how they lived, especially since I live in the United States where we don't have the same type of castles or buildings that you find in Scotland, Ireland and I am sure other places in the UK.

Finally, before my quick-fire questions… is there anything about your path so far that you would change if you were given the chance to go back and do it again?

I can't say I would change anything, every experience I have had has made me who I am, the lessons have helped me learn not only more about who I am but also about others. I am able to help others in situations because of my experiences.

Time for my quick fire (and sometimes silly) questions… on your marks, get set, fly:

·       Describe yourself in 3 words?

Fun

Impatient

Trustworthy

·       Name a magickal tool you couldn’t live without?

Book of Shadows/Journal

·       What affirmation/quote do you live by?

Speak your truth.

·       Name what is at the top of your summer (bucket to everyone else) list?

Master Tarot.

·       Give yourself a super power… what is it?

Invisibility

·       What crystal do you most resonate with?

Crystal quartz

·       What is your Hogwarts house?

Gryffindor (I love Harry Potter)

·       Name three things in your handbag right now?

Lotion

Keys

Wallet

·       Would you prefer to be fae, vampire or an animal?

Fae

·       Nominate someone I should interview next…?

Annika (Sea Priestess)

Please list any links you would like me to include and any upcoming appearances or events in your schedule you would like advertised.

·       www.professionalparanormalinvestigations.com

·       www.hodgsonbooks.com

Thank you so much to Jennifer for taking the time to share a little of your life…; look forward to more interviews soon. x

Deck Creation - Mother's Wisdom (for Jennifer Hodgson)

Mother’s Wisdom

Here we are with my fourth personalised oracle deck as I present to you ‘Mother’s Wisdom’; these cards have been created for the wonderful, unique and incandescent Jennifer Hodgson. I am still fascinated by how my consciousness forms the words to use and why I choose certain images for these cards, I get perplexed by how themes emerge and how concepts for combining all that reach fruition and become a deck of cards by which someone can use them as a mirror to reflect something can’t see.

Seasonal Wisdom

This deck starts with a love of cemeteries; I tied that love into seasons because it was so easy to imagine walking through a cemetery at any time of year. I imagined blossom floating in the breeze and landing on the headstone of a woman called Annabelle Foster who died 1896; I thought about sitting at my grandparents graves in the heat of summer and planting roses around the crosses with tiny gold plaques that mark who they were; now, autumn… autumn is a graveyard… isn’t that the most delicious expression of devotion to something ethereal? I appreciate this card so much and it’s wording, despite being one of my favourite lyrics from an Adele song, felt so natural; the winter card played into a few themes and the decision to centre it on illusion came from the other side of walking through a cemetery… the feeling when you imagine bones beneath your feet and see the leafless trees and it appears so consumed by death… but the thing is, it’s not. The beauty of a spiritual belief system like witchcraft is having the knowledge that bones under foot are remnants of lives lived and bare trees are resting before that big power surge for next spring. These cards, as much as they are designed and created for Jen, they reminded me that everything has seasons and that no matter what gets lost or what gets found, no matter where we find light or shadow through life, the seasons will always change, the people we love are always with us and that death truly is an illusion.

Elemental Wisdom

Elements seemed like a natural choice as I moved away from seasons and with Jen’s love of castles being possibly equal to her love of cemeteries, that is what I focused on for these cards. The elements are the foundation of magick, they are what we trust in to empower and carry our spells, to protect our circles and to give a spiritual structure to the divide that exists between the physical and astral plains. Fire probably isn’t where I would usually start but for some reason, it’s what came first; I thought about what fire represents… passion is what stood out and it certainly applies to Jen; I can imagine spontaneous flames erupting when she expresses emotions… anger, lust, fear, excitement; even without knowing Jen amazingly well, I can sense that about her. It’s a strange knowledge to have, sensing the passion of another person which it what led me to the earth card and the realisation that earth carries all mortal burden. I thought about hardships and burdens, I thought about how many people were living their lives in between where I sat, so excited about creating these cards for Jen and where she sat, excited about seeing them; I thought about all of those lives, how many tears were being shed, how many arguments were happening, how many people were disliking themselves or blaming themselves for something that wasn’t their fault and then I thought about how all of those people are being supported by the earth; maybe just physically for most people but for witches… it grounds us and it facilitates spells, it’s strength and fortification gives us stability. This writing is getting longer than I planned but here we go with my thoughts on the Air card… I took some time with this and considered all the things that make this element magickal because this is my element and every thought, feeling and emotion that we all have is air based, every scent and every sound, everything that triggers memory and imagination… those things are found in this element and are represented by it. The infinity of imagination is definitely what I thought when I saw the image of castles in the sky but it’s everything else that completes the thought that freedom of the mind. And, as for water, it was all about reflection and depth for me… I knew that right away: self-reflection, depth of emotion and how finding time to be still and find your centre is a catalyst to amazing insight. I’ve been a practicing witch for twenty years and nothing has ever made me reflect more deeply than this element and so the naming of this card was an easy process.

Wisdom of the Moon

Our Lady Luna has appeared and her phases are reflected in these cards as beacons of inspiration, devotion and energy. Many of us consider the moon a compass for our magick and so I went with that thought in creating these cards… I considered the moon’s journey in naming the cards and how it is imagined when choosing the images; I thought of how it illuminates our skies and lifts our hearts to create the Divine Emerge of Light as we see it reappear from its rest in the dark, when it’s new and it waxes for the renewal of cycles or starting new ones. I thought of how much energy goes into the full moon; how it’s beauty resonates within the minds of everyone, not just the witches and the power it inspires within us to be brave and to trust our hears; for we are the Sovereign of our own destiny when we experience the awe and splendour of seeing the ripe energy of her majesty. No sight is more humbling than the waning crescent and as the moon reaches her cronehood, we embrace her as a symbol of endings or fruition. I chose the more positive imagery of immortality because no ending is truly an ending… it is the beginning of something else and so as the crescent arcs to the left, we see the road to eternity open to us, in one form or another. I think the dark moon is my favourite time of the lunar cycle, the darkness is only obscuring her light and yet she appears completely absent; Imitation of Absence is such a powerful card because it is a reminder that not everything is as it seems and just because something is not seen, that does not mean it does not exist; something that we, as witches, are all too well aware of.

Aspected Wisdom

It seems immortality is a common theme within this deck and though that was unintentional, I think it is apt to bring it up with this set. As a Triple Goddess, Morrigan embodies the cycle of life, death and rebirth and so it felt more than natural to incorporate those aspects of her power into the deck and butterflies seemed like the ideal choice to depict these powerhouse archetypes; though not associated with Morrigan, they are the face of transitional phasing in the animal/insect kingdom and I chose them also because Jen has mentioned them to me in notes on her life when we were discussing the deck. Individually the cards are: Impressions of Immortality (for Maiden) – that feeling in your youth that you will live forever and in Morrigan’s case, she does; Ever Watchful, Ever Mindful (for Mother) – I personally struggle to pick out Mother-type traits for Morrigan but in conversations I have had with her daughters I consider this card to be encompassing of her Mother aspect; Unsurpassed Understanding (for Crone) – there is something to be said for the wisdom age, for humans and for deities, it felt necessary with this card to highlight that and show that when the colour and ‘zing’ of youth fades, you are left with understanding of more than you could have imagined in your youth. Finally, to the Triple Goddess card itself and the empowering words: No Power Greater than a Woman; I struggled with the name of this card and wondered if it seemed sexist but those who follow Morrigan and witchcraft in general, though accepting and understanding the importance, influence and power of men and masculinity for balance and fertility, have a predisposition to preferring a female at the highest power. I do not wish this as a sexist comment on witchcraft or the community and I am not against men or masculinity in anyway but for me, witchcraft takes the lead in matriarchal religions.

Wisdom of the Wheel

Oh, sweet wheel of the year… always turning, always changing, ever the source of comfort, wisdom and balance. These cards were a challenge to harmonise and yet I felt each one vibrate with contentment when they were finished, a reaction which I partook of too. They do tell somewhat of a story but the individuality of each card makes each sabbat stand proud without its neighbours. Believing was the perfect accent to Imbolc because at Imbolc we are starting to see the light and it feels like the start of seeing what has been missing. The initial choice for Ostara was ‘mirth’ but ‘happiness’ seemed much more synonymous with Spring. Power made sense for Beltane because the power of the earth and the sun and the Goddess is rising. Balance for Litha was the personal choice of Jen and I could synchronise with that thought as Litha is the midway point between Ostara and Mabon and the image for it is one my favourites… makes me think of drinking iced mint tea on midsummer night’s eve with candles all around.

Strength was a natural choice for Lammas because though days are getting shorter, August is one of the hottest months and we feel the strength of the sun’ the harvest is also strengthening and ripening. Mabon, oh Mabon… my favourite of all the Sabbats; I personally refer to it as ‘the dying of the light’ but light at Mabon is fighting a losing battle to the shadows and that is why I considered it a courageous element. At Samhain we change feeling completely, the darkness thickens and the veil thins; is it any wonder this is where the deepest connections to self, to spirit, to the earth are at their most potent. And Yule, time to sit by the fire or walk through the frosty woods and enjoy the quiet and the calm of hibernation, seemingly barren branches and hardened ground.

Chakra Wisdom

It’s interesting to contemplate all the chakras at once and I won’t lie, it was an issue because I knew exactly what to do for the root chakra, it was an instead concept that hit me like a ton of brick (or a ton of drums in this case). Though outside of the notes Jen gave me, I decided the whole chakra set should be instrument based and I almost pulled it off… Sacral went slightly awry on that concept but the colour blended so well and chakras are a part of Buddhist traditions and with the Buddhist views on all life being sacred and mortality being something to be revered and pleasurable, to me that speaks highly to the pleasure of mortality being a focus of the sacral chakra. The Solar Plexus card was another that came to me almost instantly and the harp seemed like an amazingly fitting choice; the harp resonates with my solar plexus with such synchronicity that nothing else would have fit into this card. When it looked how it does now, I showed Jen to see if she agreed with me and thankfully she did. I began with this image for the heart card but decided it wasn’t right and so went through several versions before returning back to the beginning and something about the idea of heart strings was what pulled it back into the centre spot of the chakras.

This beautiful flute was one of the incarnations of the heart card but it fell into place as the throat chakra and emerged to look rather magickal and delicate although with a wonderful message of being heard. For the third eye, I moved away from the instruments because it is the silence of the astral gateway that caught my imagination and the bridge is that journey to find it. I did return to those instruments, sort of, in the form of wind chimes…divinely tinkling and vibrating in the unseen element of air,  how else could I have so beautifully depicted the portal to the gods. So, there we have the seven main chakras but I included the aura here too because it is also of energy and in the same vein of perception as chakras and I returned to the instruments to express it with cymbals – bright with energy and resonant with the vibration of its surroundings, I feel my aura crackle with the sound of the cymbals.

Mother’s Wisdom

There is no part of this deck that is more expressive or inspired than these eight cards which I have named ‘Gifts of Morrigan’. I felt called to these cards and have even added them to my Book of Shadows. I questioned, astrally and during a personal reading, what gifts were imparted by Morrigan to her daughters and these are the answers that blessed my consciousness. Eye of the Corvid is in high contention for my favourite card of the deck, indicating the gift of Prophecy and shimmering with insight and wisdom. The Magick Within is the galloping force of Enchantment, Sorcery and Magick which emanate from the Celtic powerhouse with gusto. Change is Inevitable beautifully addresses the subtle song of transformation as Morrigan bestows her ability to shape shift. Won Before it’s Fought is a contraction of what the card is actually called… ‘The Battle is Won Before it’s Fought’; as a war Goddess, Morrigan is most definitely blessed with the gift of strategy. The Veil Descendeth; I don’t even think ‘descendeth’ is a word but as a Goddess of Death, Morrigan is entitled to a new word and the descending veil is the gift of death. I knew Sovereignty would make an appearance somewhere within the deck but I didn’t realise it would be this powerful – wolf for the Alpha-mentality and majesty for a royal vibration but with a Latin-style twist. Staple of my Morrigan decks has become a card named ‘Of Blood and Bone’; this particular card is the other in high contention for my favourite card of the deck; raven skull fading into or emerging from a bloody background seemed incredibly poignant and desperately fitting. Finally, to Gilding the Soul… this card required an act of meditation and a little thinking outside the box to reach fruition but I was gifted with this dark and shining flower during meditation as I was given the spirituality of this Queen.

Reiki Wisdom

Almost before I started this deck, the idea for these cards was apparent; I am not a Reiki practitioner but I have studied its philosophies and energies and I knew they would give a very calming and sturdy presence to the oracle as a whole. The Cho-Ku-Rei is the Power symbol; it emits power like the atom bomb of the astral plane and so to concentrate that power is a blessing worthy of my dear friend Jen and that is why it is in this deck. The Sei-He-Ki symbol is the union of divinity and mortality; the connection, the common ground, the mirroring between the two and so to have this card here in the deck charges it with divinity. I do hope I spell this next symbol correctly – Hon-Sha-Ze-Sho-Nen; damn, I’m good – lol! This symbol is an incredible tool for those who send healing, though I am not attuned, I add it to my healing spells for a major energy charge because this is the distance healing symbol and it doesn’t just heal over the distance of space but also time. The Dai-Ko-Myo is the symbol of understanding; it translates to ‘Great Enlightenment’ or ‘Bright Shining Light’ and so what better card to use for the lovely Jen… a lady whose soul is Pure Transcendence.

Wisdom of Goodbye

It was a strange feeling to conclude this deck; I had enjoyed creating so much that I almost felt lost when I reached this last card. That’s why it felt necessary to mark that this was the last card in some way. Jen had mentioned she loved owls and I had failed to capture them in another part of the deck so this was my chance… ‘Time to Fly’ felt appropriate as a last card with a second meaning of spreading the wings to take off toward something rather than away from something. A very special card which I hope has touched Jen’s heart like it has mine.  

Jen has made a video for her youTube channel when she opened the cards and had a look for the first time at the finished product. See her video at the following link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3e0tZaiqy8