Change-Your-Luck Rite

Perhaps you have been overwhelmed recently by a series of unfortunate events – problems with work, finances, etc.–seemingly beyond your control. Do away with these burdens as quickly as possible. This spell requires paper, a black candle, a flat rock with a hollow in the center to set the candle into, a black ink pen, and a “cancellation” stamp, readily available at any stationary store. Anoint your candle with a drop of peppermint oil. Dress your altar with a peony blossom, the luckiest of the flower family. The consummate time to release bad luck is immediately after the full moon. Write what you wish to be freed from on a piece of parchment or stationary; this is your “release request.” Write this same request onto the candle as well. Ideally, this is scratched into the candle with the thorn of a rose you have grown yourself. Light the candle near an open window so the negative energy will leave your home. While the candle burns, intone:

Waxing moon, moist wise Cybele, from me this burden please dispel. Upon this night so clear and bright I release __ to the moon tonight.

Burn the candle for thirteen minutes. Take your stamp and mark the paper “canceled.” Put the candle out, fold the paper away from you, and place it under the candle stone. Repeat this process for thirteen nights. On the last night, which should be the beginning of the new moon phase, burn the paper and bury the candle, paper ashes, and rock far from your home. Give thanks to the moon for assisting you, and let go of the bad luck. 

Awakened Breath Incantation

Unless you are already a practitioner of magical arts, you may well be casting spells unconsciously that throw obstacles in your path. Negative thoughts can imprint and start to manifest in an unfortunate way.

To clear the way to greater wealth and happiness, go for a walk during the next new moon. Pick up a white stone or white flower and place it on your altar. Light a white candle, and then close your eyes. Empty your mind and breathe deeply. Check to make sure your mind is not wandering; if any negative thoughts are lingering, send them out of your mind permanently.

After ten deep inhales and exhales, you should begin to feel a buzzing at the crown of your head. Now, open your eyes stare into the flame of the candle and repeat seven times:

    I am alive.

    I have power

    It is real

    And so it is.

Any time you find yourself engaged in negative self-talk or thinking, repeat this spell.

Pain Relief Prisms

When you feel pain somewhere in your body, it is a small voice that needs to be listened to. It could be old energy that needs to be released, a blockage, or an imbalance. Many years ago, I was hit by a drunk driver who plowed through a red light and totaled my car, and very nearly me. As I hit the brake, my foot and ankle were shattered, rather like a porcelain teacup thrown with great force. The doctors wanted to amputate my leg, but I managed to talk them out of it. I had to learn to walk again, but I can walk, dance, and even run after lots of physical therapy and healing. But, nowadays, whenever I hit the brake too hard, I feel pain because my body remembers. The tissue and bones hold the memory imprint of that awful day and the terrible trauma.

Crystals have very mild and serene ways of tranquilizing negative energy and releasing the pain. In my case, I ever so gently rub a crystal across my ankle. (Carnelian works well because it is said to be good for healing bones, but quartz can also serve the purpose.) The stone feels cool and calming as the pain dissipates. I can also visualize the pain going into the crystal and the crystal forming a prism that contains the pain. At first, this was very frightening for me, but I found that rose quartz helped me deal with my fear. I placed the rose quartz over the heart area, the solar plexus, and, as the crystal touched upon the heart chakra, I felt the fear dissolving while the pain gradually lessened. Turquoise and carnelian are also good for this.

I once had a copper bracelet set with onyx, coral, and turquoise from a Cherokee reservation that was so effective at treating wrist pain that it finally disintegrated from overuse. Copper is unmatched for dealing with edema, the swelling and inflammation that can be caused by arthritis, repetitive stress injuries, sports-related soreness, and many other issues.

Malachite has a lot of the mineral copper in it, so a pendant, ring, or bracelet with malachite can be a great agent for pain reduction. Iron-rich magnetite is another pain absorber.

Imbued with Love: Lavender Rosemary Infused Vodka

This clear alcoholic drink is also easily infused with the flavor of flowers, herbs, fruits and even vegetables. Try combinations such as the light and sweet floral taste of lavender and rosemary. Lavender brings calming and healing and rosemary dispels negative spirits. Both of these are love herbs. What could be better? You’ll need the following:

• A quart bottle of vodka
• 2 sprigs of rosemary
• 3 springs of lavender
• Larger canning jar with sealable lid

After you have rinsed your herbs in cool water and gently patted them dry, put them in the one-quart (32 ounce) Mason or Bell jar. Pour in vodka, making sure to cover the herbs to the top, then seal tightly. Give it a vigorous shake and place the jar in your pantry or dark closet for five days, making sure to shake at least once a day. After the second day, take a spoon and taste the vodka. If the taste suits you before the full five days are up, go ahead and strain the herbs out using cheesecloth or a paper coffee filter, Set the herbs aside and let them dry. After the vodka is thoroughly strained of any herbs or residue, pour it into a bottle; label the bottle with the date and what herbs you used. Tie the dry herbs into a bundle with string and use their aroma when you next make a fire in the hearth. Their scentful smoke will imbue your home with coziness, calm, healing and love.

Garden Your Way to Gladness

For dispelling negative energy, plant heather, hawthorn, holly, hyacinth, hyssop, ivy, juniper, periwinkle, and nasturtiums.

For healing, plant sage, wood sorrel, carnation, onion, garlic, peppermint, and rosemary.

Both farming and working with plants are guided by the moon and should take place during the waxing moon in the signs of Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces, Capricorn, and Taurus, while weeding is ideally done during the waning moon.

Virgo: Pine Helps Perfectionists

Sticklers by nature, Virgoans work hard to be organized, on time, and have things just so. None of us are perfect, so that can be a set up for failure when you fail to meet your own extremely high standards, as it can lead to a swirl of negative self-talk. To get out of this cycle of negativity, Virgos can reconnect to self-compassion with pine essence.

Tips ’n’ Tricks: Lepidolite Luck

One quick way to deal with negative and hard emotions is to place some lepidolite stones in a circle and light a pink candle in the center of the circle. Hold one lepidolite stone in your left hand and concentrate on what is holding you back, both spiritually and psychologically. With each issue, feeling, or concern, say, “I let go of ___.” Picture the problem going into the stone in your left hand. When you are feeling full of calm energy, place the pink stone outside your house (where no one will pick it up) and know that you have rid your home, personal space, and psyche of these woes! Whenever you feel the need, let go with lepidolite!

Obsidian

This black volcanic glass is found the world over. Obsidian was an important tool for prehistoric peoples, who used it for knives, mirrors, bowls, and jewelry. Obsidian is most often thought of as a pure, glassy black, but it can also have milky white stripes or flecks. Rainbow obsidian, a spiritual love crystal, is especially beautiful, with peacock-colored gradations. And dark red mahogany obsidian is a true gift, as it puts you in touch with your life’s very purpose. Native Americans valued obsidian immensely for its eagle-eye vision power, which they believed was good for the eyes as well as for seeing within. Shamans still hold obsidian in the highest regard, and it has come to be an invaluable aid in prophesying.

Obsidian is a protector and absorbs and keeps away negativity. It is also a rock with very direct energies and will help with great immediacy. Very sensitive people should keep obsidian around their homes and offices. This is a letting-go stone and will get rid of old patterns, old thoughts, a lingering torch for an old flame, or whatever you need to be over and done with. It gives you the get-up- and-go to get on with your life—to travel and explore and grow. Don’t wear or keep obsidian around all the time, though, as you will wear yourself and the stone out!

Jewelry That Protects You and Your Loved Ones: Amulets

The term “amulet” comes from the Latin word meaning “defense.” Indeed, amulets are a way to protect yourself that dates back from the earliest human beliefs. Pliny himself subscribed to the use of amulets and wrote about three common kinds used by the Romans of the classical age. A typical amulet of that era was a bit of parchment inscribed with protective words, rolled up in a metal cylinder, and worn around the neck. Evil eyes might be the most global of all amulets, the belief being that they could ward off a hex by simply reflecting it back to its origins. Phallic symbols have always been popular, too, coming in the shapes of horns, hands, and the phallus, of course. Some amulets were devoted to a specific god or goddess, and the wearer of such a piece would be protected by that divine entity.

The peoples of the Mesopotamian plain wore amulets. The Assyrians and Babylonians favored cylindrical seals encrusted with precious stones. They also loved animal talismans for the qualities associated with different animals: lions for courage, bulls for virility, and so on. The ancient Egyptians absolutely depended on their amulets for use in burial displays, and we can see many preserved in the cases of today’s museums. To make their amulets, the Egyptians employed a material called faience, a glazed composition of ground quartz that was typically blue green in color. Wealthier denizens of the Nile, royalty, and the priestly class wore precious and semiprecious gems and crystals as amulets. Lapis lazuli was perhaps the most revered of these and was worn in many shapes, the eye of Horus being the most significant religious icon, followed by the scarab symbolizing rebirth; the frog, symbolizing fertility; and the ankh, representing eternal life.

Organized religions appropriated the idea of amulets from pagan peoples, and it was very popular in medieval times to wear a tiny verse from the Torah, the Bible, or the Koran. Today, many a Catholic wears a medal honoring a given saint, such as Saint Christopher, the patron saint for travelers. Wiccans and modern pagans are great proponents of protective amulets, causing a resurgence in Celtic symbols and imagery.

Amulets are very easy to create and make nice gifts, as long as you believe your friends will truly benefit from them and are aware of the special qualities and powers they hold. To make one, select a crystal that is endowed with the desired energy. Hold it in the palm of your hand until it is warm from your touch. Then, visualize the specific power the stone is offering. If you’re giving your amulet to yourself, wear it as a pendant or tuck it into your pocket or purse for a “guardian to go.” Here is a list of stones from which to choose for the specific kind of safeguard you are in need of:

• Amethyst helps with sobriety by preventing inebriation.

• Aquamarine is good for attracting wisdom and overcoming a fear of water and drowning. It is also a guard against malevolent spirits.

• Bloodstone brings luck and is good to wear during travels.

• Carnelian is to the devil as garlic is to a vampire— keeps him away!

• Chrysolite drives away evil spirits and promotes peaceful sleep, especially if set in gold.

• Diamond in a necklace brings good fortune and lends force and valor. This dazzling stone should always touch the skin and works best when it is received as a gift.

• Emerald can cancel out the power of any magician!

• Jade offers protection, especially for children, and guards their health. It also creates prosperity.

• Jasper is reputed to be a defense against the venom of poisonous insects and snakes.

• Jet set in silver will help expel negativity.

• Moonstone is another boon to travelers and brings fortune and fame.

• Turquoise is believed to be great for a horse’s gait if affixed to the animal’s bridle.

Pain Relief Prisms

 

When you feel pain somewhere in your body, it is a small voice that needs to be listened to. It could be old energy that needs to be released, a blockage, or an imbalance. Many years ago, I was hit by a drunk driver who plowed through a red light and totaled my car, and very nearly me. As I hit the brake, my foot and ankle were shattered, rather like a porcelain teacup thrown with great force. The doctors wanted to amputate my leg, but I managed to talk them out of it. I had to learn to walk again, but I can walk, dance, and even run after lots of physical therapy and healing. But, nowadays, whenever I hit the brake too hard, I feel pain because my body remembers. The tissue and bones hold the memory imprint of that awful day and the terrible trauma.

Crystals have very mild and serene ways of tranquilizing negative energy and releasing the pain. In my case, I ever so gently rub a crystal across my ankle. (Carnelian works well because it is said to be good for healing bones, but quartz can also serve the purpose.) The stone feels cool and calming as the pain dissipates. I can also visualize the pain going into the crystal and the crystal forming a prism that contains the pain. At first, this was very frightening for me, but I found that rose quartz helped me deal with my fear. I placed the rose quartz over the heart area, the solar plexus, and, as the crystal touched upon the heart chakra, I felt the fear dissolving while the pain gradually lessened. Turquoise and carnelian are also good for this.

I once had a copper bracelet set with onyx, coral, and turquoise from a Cherokee reservation that was so effective at treating wrist pain that it finally disintegrated from overuse. Copper is unmatched for dealing with edema, the swelling and inflammation that can be caused by arthritis, repetitive stress injuries, sports-related soreness, and many other issues.

Malachite has a lot of the mineral copper in it, so a pendant, ring, or bracelet with malachite can be a great agent for pain reduction. Iron-rich magnetite is another pain absorber.

Cranium-Calming Crystals

Lapis lazuli has been used to treat headaches for millennia. My dear friend Abby suffers from migraines and cluster headaches. I gave her some earrings with lovely blue lapis settings to help her with this chronic condition, and she has reported great success. These headaches can have many causes and triggers; my beloved amber essence oil was one until we figured that out! The main causes are stress, anxiety, and various food triggers. Oddly enough, amber in crystal form alleviated Abby’s heinous headaches, seemingly absorbing the negative energy. Amethyst and turquoise are also good for this. Several stones are good for stomach illnesses, including citrine and moonstone which create calm that, in this case, stops the stomach unrest from signaling the brain to have a headache.

Botanical Bliss: Garden Your Way to Happiness

For healing, plant sage word sorrel, carnation, onion, garlic, peppermint and rosemary.

For dispelling negative energy, plant heather, hawthorn, holly, hyacinth, hyssop, ivy, juniper, periwinkle and nasturtiums.

Farming and working with plants is guided by the moon, and should take place during the waxing moon in the signs of Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces, Capricorn and Taurus.