Call Mom: How to connect with Yemaya, goddess of the ocean and “Mother of All”

June 9, 2020 — 1 Comment

In honor of World Oceans Day amidst the tumultuous seas of 2020, let’s talk about how we can connect with Yemaya, goddess of the ocean, and channel her energy to aid in the healing of our planet.

Even if you are not anywhere near the ocean right now, you are living on a planet that is over 70% water. We all evolved from organisms that started off in the ocean, and water still makes up 60% of the human body. As the original source of all life on this planet, the transformative power of the ocean will always be a part of us. By reminding ourselves how to connect with Yemaya and the powerful force of creation she represents, we can embody her graceful strength as we continue to fight for the right for life to exist peacefully on Earth.

Lightning Strikes Washington Monument: The Tower Tarot Card IRL

June 8, 2020 — Leave a comment

Thursday, June 4th, 2020: People continue to rise up all over our country and the world to demand change against racial injustice and inequality. The president of the United States is ramping up his efforts to sic not just the police, but the MILITARY against its own citizens. People are dying in record numbers from a deadly pandemic and the government that is supposed to protect its people is executing and imprisoning them.

As what was once at least masquerading as a democracy veers ominously towards a dangerous and evil dictatorship, a colossal bolt of lightning strikes the Washington monument. This display eerily mirrors not just the iconic imagery of the Tower Tarot card, but everything it represents.

While all Tarot cards convey aspects of the human experience, it is rare to see such a literal depiction, especially one SO fitting in its context. As the lightning struck the Washington monument, it created an iconic Tower Tarot card moment IRL. What is most poignant about this dramatic recreation of the Tower card’s symbolism is what it represents: the downfall of an infrastructure that was not built to last.

In traditional illustrations of the Tower card, the foundation on which the structure was built is clearly unstable. The most literal meaning of this card is the collapse of something that was flawed from the start. Seems almost TOO fitting.

The white supremacist system the United States of America was founded upon was flawed from the start. We are not witnessing the sudden crumbling of something that was working up until now; it was NOT working. The foundation was not just cracked, it was twisted as fuck and certainly not built to support its people. We are witnessing a breaking point that has been centuries in the making.

As scary as this imagery and the world around us may feel right now, there is some measure of hope to be found here. In the Tower card’s illustration, the “divine intervention” of the lightning strike knocks the crown of power right off, ousting those who previously ruled over it.

Calling all activist witches: Join your local coven in the magical resistance! Come for the fancy spells, stay to hex the system.

June 6, 2020 — Leave a comment

Welcome back to California Witchcraft and holy shit welcome back to another day of 2020.

Watching the events of the past couple of weeks unfold here has, for very obvious reasons, made it very clear that there are some very pressing issues we need to address. And while these recent issues have truly emphasized this need, we have BEEN needing to talk about this for a long time.

The time has come (like seriously, the time has come and it came looong ago) to actively use our witchy powers for the magical resistance against racial injustice and inequality. We need activist witches conjuring up a better future in both the physical and ethereal realms. As this meme that has been circulating so eloquently put it, being a witch means stepping into a history of oppression…

And it means stepping up right now, when the world needs us most.

We are living in a time where systematic racism and racial injustices at the hands of the government are allowed to exist and persist. This can not continue. And we don’t need any more white tears or white people just saying they feel bad. We need actual change. So I hereby commit to really be that bitch that presses the issue, and I am NOT going to shut up about it.

The time has come for the magical resistance to collectively rise up in defense of compassion for the living beings of this earth. We have incarnated as magical beings on this earth to work our magic here. So the time has come to really put those spells into action.

Did you know that there are witches all over the world, and thanks to the power of the Internet we are able to network and connect with each other to coordinate our efforts? (That was not the case a few plagues ago. Lucky us.) The “magical resistance” of witches fighting for positive change to our political consciousness is very real, and very present in the physical, spiritual, and virtual realms.

How to use psychedelic meditation to free your mind

May 28, 2020 — Leave a comment

Well hello again! Yesterday’s discussion of psychedelics and meditation left me intrigued. While researching the topic, I discovered SO MUCH MORE than anticipated, especially on the topic of “psychedelic meditation” – meditation specifically intended to induce a particularly “psychedelic” state of consciousness (no substances required). I found out that a variety of psychedelic meditation practices exist, yet many techniques are trademarked and only practiced in special group settings behind closed doors (for some serious $$$). Today, my goal is to make the magic of psychedelic meditation feel a little more accessible to the world. All earthlings are welcome here!

Let’s talk about how you can use psychedelic meditation in your personal practice at home. Better yet, let’s talk about how to use psychedelic meditation to free your mind and make positive changes in your life!

Why do psychedelics and meditation feel similar?

May 27, 2020 — Leave a comment

Years before I tried any psychedelics or even cannabis, I had a pretty trippy experience through meditation alone. At the end of an intense breath work class I lay down to close my eyes, and was met with bright exploding fractals and mandalas cavorting across my closed eyelids. These visuals were accompanied by a feeling that I was melting into the floor and the world around me. I felt a sense of oneness with the world that felt both strange and familiar, and made me start to giggle. Years later when I had an opportunity to experience psychedelics, I couldn’t help but notice that they often took me to the same post-meditation mindset. The more I asked around, the more I realized I was not alone in this. So what gives?

Why do psychedelics and meditation feel similar? The simple answer is that they influence the brain in similar ways. Both meditation and psychedelics affect, among other things, a regulatory system in our brains called the Default Mode Network (DMN). This network of neuronal connections is thought to be responsible for the “autobiographical self,” our mental framework that maintains an individual’s story and sense of self over time. Both meditation and psychedelics quiet the DMN’s activity, allowing a wider variety of neuronal connections and mental processes to take place.

Your guide to creating an altar / sacred space for witchcraft (or just to chill at).

May 26, 2020 — 3 Comments

Welcome back to another sunny day in isolation! (That’s how it is here in California, anyway.) Let’s face it, the world is in chaos, and we are in solitude. It is more important than ever to learn the skill of creating a peaceful oasis for yourself. YOU NEED A SANCTUARY! So why not start by creating an altar / sacred space for witchcraft, inner peace, or even just for sanity’s sake!?

Why do this, you ask? By creating an altar or sacred space, you are designating a magical oasis just for you and your spiritual practice. This will serve as a sanctuary for you to retreat and relax as well. Never underestimate the power of creating a physical manifestation of your magic! When you set aside a location for meditation and magical workings, you infuse it with the powerful energy of your intentions, which will allow you to go about your magical workings with enhanced focus and calm. No matter how much or how little room you have to work with, you can create the perfect altar or sacred space for you!

A pink sunset aesthetic moment to escape into? Yes please!

May 25, 2020 — 1 Comment

It’s rewarding to keep your eyes out for little everyday moments of magic.

Sometimes if you’re lucky, you’ll catch a BIG moment of magic. This perfectly pink sunset aesthetic moment was just that!

I want to share this ethereal pink sunset with you to remind you that we live in a world where AMAZING things can happen.

It is important to remind the world it is beautiful. (Sadly, sometimes we forget.) Please allow these photos to temporarily whisk you away for a blissful bask in beauty!

Witchy garden ideas and tips + MAGICAL GARDEN TOUR!

May 24, 2020 — Leave a comment

Happy weekend, my illuminated beings of love and light! The extra brilliance of the sun and the heat wave sweeping through Northern California seem to be inspiring a stronger yearning for outdoor activity. (I can feel it in the air, okay? It’s too nice out!)

With the ability to adventure outdoors still being limited, I find myself spending more and more time in my witchy little backyard garden! If you have even a little outdoor space at home, why not turn it into a magical witch garden of your own? It is still spring, after all!

Still working on your green thumb? Worry not! You do not need to be a gardening expert or a seasoned green witch to make your dreams of the perfect witch’s garden come true! I started with one plant I received as a gift that I was terrified I would accidentally kill! But I kept dreaming of a magical sacred garden flourishing around me, and I decided to take baby steps towards this goal. Now it is time to pass all the witchy garden ideas and tips I have uncovered to you!

The Pleiades Portal is open!

May 23, 2020 — 1 Comment

No, it’s not an episode of Rick and Morty! We are currently under the influence of a dazzling celestial event, known as the Pleiades Portal. Wondering what the heck the Pleiades Portal is and what it means? Allow me to shine some light on your cosmic curiosities!

The Pleiades and the Seven Sisters are both names for this dazzling star cluster that is among the closest to Earth. This cluster of stars has long been thought to have mystical properties, and are even believed to be home to advanced multidimensional spirit beings. When the sun moves in their direction each year around May 16th through 24th, the light they shine towards the sun beams through to Earth. This event is known as the opening of the Pleiades Portal.