This spread uses all the major arcana to give you an overview of your whole year ahead. It is best performed on your birthday or on New Year’s Eve.
STEP 1: Lay out the major arcana in order.
Line 1: The Fool to The Lovers Line 2: The Chariot to The Hanged Man Line 3: Death to The Star Line 4: The Moon to The World
STEP 2: Shuffle the minor arcana.
As you do this, ask the Universe or your deities to show you a glimpse of your destiny for the upcoming year.
STEP 3: Draw a minor for each major.
One by one, take 21 cards from the top of the deck and place them over the major arcana, starting with The Fool. Then take the card at the bottom of the deck, and place it over The World.
This is a fairly simple spread that I came up with after buying some new crystals and not really knowing what to do with them. This is just one of the many ways you can get to know your crystals and find out how to put them to good use!
1. What are your energies? I consider this to explain the overall ‘personality’ of the crystal. If you aren’t great at sensing energy, or can’t get a fix on the energy, this could help you.
2. What can you heal/cleanse? So many people use crystals for healing and cleansing themselves, spaces, etc. Consider this the form of cleaning your crystal is best at.
3. In what ways can you fit into my practice? There are so many hundreds of ways to use crystals! If you like to have specific crystals for specific things, this will help a lot.
4. What lessons can be learned from you? Meditating and scrying with crystals can show you many things, and sometimes there are lessons to be learned. There might be a specific message this crystal wishes to get across.
As an added note, you can also use the first card to figure out what the crystal’s associations might be (that is if you’re like me and don’t always feel like common crystal associations fit 100% of the time).
Feel free to tag me or let me know how this spread works! It worked pretty well for me, and I’d love to see what other people think!!!
Seventy-Eight Degrees of Wisdom: A Book of Tarot by Rachel Pollack – deep and rich with information, no list is complete without this book. If I did have to pick a favorite, this may be it.
Learning the Tarot: A Tarot Book for Beginners by Joan Bunning – based on her online course, this book will get any tarot newbie reading the tarot proficiently in no time.
Mary K. Greer’s 21 Ways to Read a Tarot Card by Mary Greer – novel ideas to expand your tarot skills.
The Complete Book of Tarot Reversals (Special Topics in Tarot Series) by Mary Greer – I’m a fan of reversals (they are not mandatory by the way) and this is THE book for those of us who choose to read upside down. (Honorable mention: Joan Bunning also has a good book on reversals, Learning Tarot Reversals )
The Complete Tarot Reader: Everything You Need to Know from Start to Finish by Teresa Michaelson – this book has a massive amount of information – it’s like a little encyclopedia
Tarot Masterclass by Paul Fenton-Smith – this book is rarely mentioned but I think it is pure genius. Not just a tarot primer but also a great section on being a professional tarot reader. (Honorable mention: Fenton-Smith also has a great beginner’s book, The Tarot Revealed: A Beginner’s Guide )
The Tarot Handbook: Practical Applications of Ancient Visual Symbols by Angeles Arrien – featuring the Thoth deck, this book will help you to understand tarot clearly – even if you do not read with the Thoth deck
The Way of Tarot: The Spiritual Teacher in the Cards by Alejandro Jodorowsky and Marianne Costa – This profound book gets super deep with the Marseille deck. How I wish I would have had this book when I first started out!
Tarot Plain and Simple by Anthony Louis – loads of interpretations and a slant towards beginners, this is the book I recommend to all my students
Understanding the Tarot Court (Special Topics in Tarot Series) by Mary Greer – face it, the Court cards are one of the hardest suits for any tarotist to master. Greer spells it all out with clarity. LOVE this one.
Tarot: A New Handbook for the Apprentice, Classic Ed (Connolly Tarot) by Eileen Connolly – this is the first tarot book I ever got my hands on. It’s still a treasured favorite. Some might be put off by her Christian undertones but I find the interpretations to be pure gold. I love all of her works.
SuperTarot: New Techniques for Improving Your Tarot Reading by Sasha Fenton – although this is out of print, it is worth searching for a copy. The techniques contained within will help you expand your tarot skills.
The Secret Language of Tarot by Ruth Ann and Wald Amberstone – a fantastic book detailing the symbols in the tarot cards.
Tarot for Life: Reading the Cards for Everyday Guidance and Growth by Paul Quinn – A modern book with real life examples of tarot readings, this one will help you bring your readings to life.
Best Tarot Practices: Everything You Need to Know to Learn the Tarot by Marcia Masino – another great book that tends to be overlooked, this one has novel exercises and good advice on reading tarot professionally.
Tarot: Your Everyday Guide by Janina Renee – this book focuses on using tarot for dispensing advice.
Beyond the Celtic Cross: Secret Techniques for Taking Tarot to an Exciting New Level by Paul Hughes Barlow and Catherine Chapman – a very different approach to tarot – card counting and elemental dignities explained in a conversational format.
Rachel Pollack’s Tarot Wisdom: Spiritual Teachings and Deeper Meanings by Rachel Pollack – once again, Pollack delivers an impeccable and thought provoking book with new insights for the modern tarot reader.
Classic Tarot Spreads by Sandor Konraad – I’ve had this book for years and learned many a good spread from it. (Honorable mentions: Learning Tarot Spreads by Joan Bunning and Tarot Spreads and Layouts A User’s Manual For Beginning and Intermediate Readers by Jeanne Fiorini)
The Spoken Cabala: Tarot Explorations of the One Self by Jason Lotterhand – based on the Thursday night talks from Lotterhand, this book will give you some insight into the Kabbalah and how it relates to tarot. (Honorable mentions: Tarot and the Tree of Life: Finding Everyday Wisdom in the Minor Arcana by Isabel Radow Kliegman for a glimpse on how Kabbalah weaves through the Minor Arcana plus The Tarot Workbook: Understanding and Using Tarot Symbolism by Emily Peach which is a great Kabbalah/tarot primer for beginners)
Tarot Decoded: Understanding and Using Dignities and Correspondences by Elizabeth Hazel – every single dignity and correspondence you can imagine is featured here.
Who Are You in the Tarot?: Discover Your Birth and Year Cards and Uncover Your Destiny by Mary Greer – this is a fantastic book that gives deep insights on your personality, life and journey based on your “birth card”.
Tarot for Beginners: A Practical Guide to Reading the Cards by Barbara Moore – the easiest beginner book out there, this one will appeal to absolute newbies and those who are really sure they can’t “get it”. Moore shows you that you CAN.
Tarot 101: Mastering the Art of Reading the Cards by Kim Huggens – excellent exercises, good reading list suggestions and a unique format make this book one you cannot miss. Good for all levels.
Tarosophy: Tarot to Engage Life, Not Escape it by Marcus Katz – Hip and modern, full of useful information and exercises – plus it has stuff for all levels (beginner, intermediate and advanced). It’s a very intellectual book – this is no “tarot for dummies”.
Candles are seen as the most powerful object for witches. If one lights a candle while reciting a chant or prayer for enlightenment, empowerment, and good health is one way to use a candle. One can also ward off negative energy and impart positive energy into one’s life using a candle also.
Historical Uses
Birthdays were the first ritual with candles used. Many believe the practice of wishing and blowing out the candle brought this wish to the gods who would grant it via the smoke.
Candles represent earth (wax), air (smoke), water (melted wax), and fire (flaming wick).
Magical Uses
Always be in the right frame of mind, or the spell will create an opposite effect intended
Allow candle to burn down on its own for most rituals
When the candle has extinguished itself, the spell will be complete
Some rituals and spells may ask for the candle to be extinguished and then re-lit the next day
Never leave a candle unattended
Give decent amounts of time for the candle to burn
Choosing a Candle
Magickally disinfecting your candles before using them is very important, since the energy from those who shipped it may linger on the wax. It is good to make your own candles from scratch for this reason also.
Avoid dipped candles such as white candles dipped into colored wax. Try to find ones solid color throughout
Cleansing Your Candle
Depending upon your preference, you can do a few things to cleanse your candle, such as leaving it outside for a week in the garden to soak up the moon’s rays at night.
For a less time-consuming cleansing, you may anoint your candle, using water and oils prior to the spell or ritual:
Wipe clean with a paper towel, removing all dirt
Prepare a solution of spring water, one teaspoon of sea salt, and warm until the salt dissolves. Allow to cool, and then pour back into the bottle. Keep this in the refrigerator for about a month for use over time.
Intent. Stand in front of your sink, hold the candle in your left hand (nearer to your heart). Be very careful not to wet the wick, and pour a small amount of the sea salt spring water solution over the candle. If using a tea-light candle for quick burn time, remove the candle from its casing before cleansing with the water. Take a fresh paper towel and dry the candle very well and say the following: “This magickal water cleanses thee, with good intent and purity” (Robbins and Bedell, 2017).
Inscribe the candle with a small, sharp knife or thick needle, and scratch your full name and your wish into the wax. It is not important that it be legible, nor the location where inscribed. The words will clout the spell more as the candle burns down.
To anoint your candle, pour some pure vegetable oil into a bowl. This oil is used for most anointing, but if using a spell for health and well-being, you may mix in a few drops of other oils if you wish. Lavender is common for health and well-being spells and will make the magick more intense. Hold the candle in your left hand again and dip the first finger of your right hand into the oil and run it down the candle from top to bottom in a line. If anointing a tea-light, place it back in its casing, dip your finger into the oil, and smear it in a clockwork motion around the top of the candle wax. Say this invocation: “This magickal oil anoints thee, with all things good, magickally” (Robbins and Bedell, 2017). The candle is now cleansed, charged, and ready to be placed in a suitable holder in preparation for the spell you choose.
Rhyming and repetition can help add punch to a spell. A lot of ancient and prewritten spells will rhyme with a poetic fluidity. Repeating the spell will give power to the message each time. The most magickal numbers that represent completion are 7, 9, and 12.
To end the spell, you will need to close the ritual. Choose one of the phrases such as “and so it is” or “the spell is cast” or “so mote it be” before looking upward and saying “thank you.”
Colorful Uses
The correct color is the most important thing with candle use
Some spells are exact to the color needed, and others more flexible
When in doubt, always use a white candle for it is neutral
Color Correspondances
White
Cleansing homes
Purifying spaces
Creating harmony
Invoking spirits
Improving communication with others
Summoning guides and angels
For use in every situation
Blue
Promoting restful sleep
Finding the truth
Gaining wisdom and knowledge
Invoking psychic visions
Calming emotions
Suppressing anger
Aiding meditation
Moving your house
Becoming more patient with others
Curing a fever
Having a better understanding
Protection
Red
Promoting strength and vigor
Rejuvenating energy and stamina
Conjuring willpower
Summoning courage
Inciting passion and sexual love
Sparking enthusiasm
Prompting quick results
Warding off enemies
Becoming more attractive to others
Pink
Healing emotions
Attracting romance
Becoming more caring
Inviting peace and tranquility
Healing rifts
Banishing selfish emotions
Protecting family and friendships
Invoking spiritual healing
Being more compassionate
Green
Accumulating money and wealth
Promoting prosperity and abundance
Accomplishing goals
Growing plants
Attracting luck
Negotiating employment matters and finding new jobs
Hastening conception and solving fertility issues
Casting out greed and resentment
Yellow
Increasing activity
Resolving health matters
Nurturing creativity and imagination
Passing exams and learning
Aiding concentration
Controlling mood swings
Protecting yourself when traveling
Persuading others
Healing problems associated with the head
Orange
Increasing energy and stamina
Improving the mind and memory
Promoting success and luck
Developing business and career
Helping those with new jobs
Clarifying legal matters and justice
Selling goods or houses
Capturing a thief or recovering lost property
Removing fear
Purple
Summoning spirit help
Bringing peace, tranquility, and harmony
Improving psychic ability
Aiding astral projection
Healing
Easing sadness
Improving male energy
Summoning spiritual protection
Brown
Attuning with the trees and earth
Promoting concentration
Helping with decisiveness
Protecting animals
Amplifying assertiveness
Aiding friendships
Bringing material gain
Gaining mental stability
Connecting with Mother Nature
Studying and learning
Silver
Summoning the Mother Goddess
Drawing down the moon
Connecting with lunar animals
Purifying female energy
Improving all psychic abilities
Aiding clairvoyance and the unconscious mind
Ridding negativity
Developing intuition
Interpreting messages in dreams
Banishing bad habits
Gold
healing and enhancing well-being
Rejuvenating yourself
Improving intelligence
Bringing financial gain and wealth
Winning competitions
Attracting love and happiness
Maintaining peace in families
Cosmic ordering
Black
Protection
Strength
Banishing
Reversal
Hex-breaking
Source
Robbins, Shawn, and Bedell, Charity. The Good Witch’s Guide. New York: Sterling Ethos, 2017. Print.
1. The most important clues may be in the background!
In the Rider Waite Smith deck, many cards show a figure with a number of significant items behind his or her back. What happens behind one’s back is, for oneself, something unseen, shadowy, something to which one has no conscious access. This could point to the idea that the figure in the foreground is unaware of the nature or scope of their issues. You can’t grasp what you cannot see, and that can reveal a lot about the nature of the card’s meaning.
2. The color of the sky reveals a lot!
Again referencing the Rider Waite Smith deck, the color of the sky on a given card often leads to a simple but important clue for its interpretation.
3. Pay close attention to proportions!
In the image of the Four of Wands, the figures are depicted much smaller than is the case in other images; they fall short. Or perhaps they are of normal height and are painted so small in order to emphasize the comparatively huge size of the wands. This sort of thing can be found in many other cards.
4. Court cards represent developed personalities or facets of oneself!
TheQueen: impulsive, an initiator, an investigator (watertype)
TheKnight: magnifying, expanding, a drawer of consequences (airtype)
ThePage: makes something tangible out of or with the element in question (earthtype)
4. Pay attention to numbers!
Numerology can play a big role in your interpretations of the cards, especially in the Minor Arcana:
Ones (Aces): Something new with vast potential is indicated when you have many aces in your readings. They are pure energy without form - and it depends on you to shape it and bring the opportunities that they represent into fruition. Because they are raw, they are also unstable, and can very quickly overwhelm if not taking care.
Twos: Coming together in pairs is the theme of the twos, and all the complexities that this union represents. We leave the individuality of the ones, and the twos are a taste of union.
Threes: Group dynamics rule the threes in the tarot, and they depict different outcomes that can occur when a group comes together - whether they are groups of individuals, or groups of ideas. Because it is also symbolically thought of as completion (the first polygon, the holy trinity, etc) it also indicates an initial completion of a first phase of some sort.
Fours: The fours usually indicate that some foundation has been created and is ready to grow and evolve. To grow and evolve is the key here, because though the foundation is created, there is some disappointment indicated sometimes because things may not have progressed entirely as hoped for - thus, the fours are also the universe’s way of pushing us to grow and move forward.
Fives: Change, fluctuations and conflict are represented by the fives. After the fours, the fives are amplifications of that same energy. When that energy explodes, the fives ask us to look within ourselves for a deeper reason of why to progress. To move forward and beyond these instabilities, we have to push forward.
Sixes: While the fives represent conflict, the sixes represent the movement away from that conflict into a solution, whether they are internal or external, whether that means reconciliation or letting go. They are the cards of overcoming suffering, light after the dark.
Sevens: When seeing many sevens in a reading it usually indicates that it is a time to step back and introspect. The sevens ask us to assess, and reevaluate whether the path that you are taking is what is best for you. Sometimes this is a lonely pursuit, but this period is needed to go forward with your authentic desires.
Eights: A completion of a second phase is indicated with the eights, and usually corresponds to some sort of achievement, whether in the worldly sense, or in an emotional sense. Growth either way is indicated here, and sometimes it can take place in a form where we least expected it.
Nines: Nearing completion is indicated by the nines, and this can take the form of entering a plateau of some sort. What looks like the finish line, may actually be just a transitory stage. While the feeling of completion is here, it is usually just a pause before the final part of the cycle comes.
Tens: In the tens, we see the actual completion of the cycle, that something has come to a full circle - it indicates that from this point forward, we can move towards a new beginning.
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Sources: Biddytarot, The Ultimate Guide to the Rider Waite Tarot by Johannes Fiebig and Evelin Burger, Understanding Tarot by Liz Dean
(Unfortunately I am unable to verify how these objects are obtained by the seller. Though most claim to be ethically sourced I have no way to prove that fact either way)
Herbs you see commonly in spells which can actually kill you:
Mistletoe
Hemlock
Mandrake
Wolfsbane
Yew
Wormwood
Monkshood
PLEASE always research before using anything you see on spells, especially traditional spells. Some non poisonous herbs can also be specifically bad for some of you who have health conditions because of their side effects!
