Recently, I was asked to put together a series of resources on crystals, and specifically within the energy work category, so this article is the beginning of many resources to come.
When we hear the word “crystals,” we usually think of pretty colored minerals. But those are not the only types of crystals. Graphite in pencils, table salt, and snow are crystals, too. What all crystals have in common, though, is an extremely well-organized molecular structure.
Believe it or not, we rely on crystals every single day of our lives. We use crystals to write, keep time, season our food, operate our phones and laptops, build our homes, and tons more. Throughout history, people have used crystals in ancient medicine and spiritual practices, believing they could balance the body’s energy centers or chakras, and they are also used in magickal ways to this day beyond their mundane uses.
Scientifically speaking, all matter, including crystals and the human body, is composed of atoms vibrating at specific frequencies. These vibrations, often referred to as Dominant Oscillatory Rates (DORs), determine the energetic signature of each entity. In the case of humans, our bodies consist of trillions of cells, each vibrating at its own unique frequency, collectively contributing to our overall vibrational state.
This intricate interplay of cellular vibrations represents the biological processes essential for life. In contrast, crystals exhibit a remarkable simplicity in their vibrational makeup, typically resonating at a single dominant frequency. This uniformity in DORs allows crystals to maintain a stable energetic signature, making them potent tools for harnessing and amplifying specific energies within their environment.
The molecules in a crystal are arranged in a fixed repeating pattern. Unlike humans, this structure makes crystal energy highly stable allowing them to easily maintain their DOR. When we bring crystals into our energy field the process of entrainment begins. Entrainment is when the rhythm of a more stable energy causes another to gradually synchronize with it. This is the Universe’s way of bringing energies into balance.
Crystals, with their stable molecular structures and precise vibrational frequencies, serve as incredible resonators and transducers of electromagnetic energies. But what exactly does that mean?
A resonator is like a tuning fork for energy. It vibrates at a specific frequency when energy is applied to it. This helps to amplify or enhance that energy. Imagine them as organized blocks vibrating in harmony, creating stability. When introduced to our energy field, they synchronize vibrations, a process called entrainment. This alignment mirrors the balance and harmony in nature.
A transducer is a device that converts one form of energy into another. In the case of electromagnetic energies, a transducer can take electromagnetic waves and convert them into another form of energy, such as sound or mechanical movement, or vice versa. Essentially, it’s like a translator between different types of energy.
Because of their stability, crystals are used in various everyday technologies, from timekeeping in watches to transmitting data via radio waves and powering solar panels. They’re essential as resonators and transducers of electromagnetic energies in numerous applications.
There are many ways to use crystals. Many people choose to carry them or wear them to keep the energetic frequency of the crystal near their energy field to embrace its metaphysical properties. Others may choose to meditate with them or use them in their home or sacred spaces to create a certain atmosphere that aligns with their intentions and craft. For example, someone who wants to embrace a greater degree of self-love or attract love into their life may choose to wear or work with rose quartz. Here are a few quick reference guides for crystals and some of their metaphysical benefits.
A lot of this comes down to personal preference. Like any spiritual or energetic practice, crystals are best used in a way that feels supportive and healing for you. Here are some ideas:
There are countless ways to cleanse your crystals (and none of them are “right” or “wrong” but the main piece of advice we have is checking if your crystals are water safe so they don’t deteriorate).
May you walk your path with wisdom and prudence. Blessed be on your journey of spiritual growth and healing.
Happy Litha (also known as the Summer Solstice) AND Strawberry Full Moon! What a beautiful junction of two powerful lunar events and at relatively the same time. What is Litha? What is the Strawberry Full Moon? And how can you celebrate or embrace the energy of the day?
Litha (Summer Solstice)
Litha, also known as the Summer Solstice, is one of the most significant celebrations in the Wheel of the Year for many witches, especially those who love working with solar energy in conjunction with lunar energy. The Summer Solstice marks the longest day and shortest night of the year in the Northern Hemisphere, and the peak of the sun’s power.
This sabbat is a time to honor Sun Deities, such as Ba’el, Apollo, or Ra in his full glory and celebrate the abundance of the Earth. It’s a time of fertility, growth, and renewal. Rituals and spellwork during Litha often focus on themes of prosperity, success, and personal empowerment.
Traditionally, many spiritual practitioners would gather herbs, flowers, and other plants at their peak potency for use in magic and medicine. Bonfires were lit to symbolize the sun’s power and provide a space for celebration and ritual. It’s also a time to give thanks for the bounty of the Earth and the coming harvest.
For modern witches, Litha is an opportunity to connect with the natural world, harness the sun’s energy, and set intentions for the coming months. It’s a powerful time for spellwork related to career, relationships, and personal growth.
Strawberry Full Moon
The Strawberry Full Moon occurs annually in June, and it is incredibly rare for it to land so perfectly timed with Litha—but here we are in 2024 with everything beautifully aligned!
The name for this full moon comes from it occurring at the peak of the strawberry harvesting season, which symbolizes fertility, abundance, and the ripening of intentions planted during the spring. That makes this particular lunar window of time one of celebration of the fruits of one’s labor, both literally and metaphorically.
Spiritually, the Strawberry Full Moon also encourages practitioners to reflect on their personal growth, nurture their goals, and express gratitude for the blessings flowing toward them. It’s an opportune moment to perform rituals focused on manifestation, self-love, and embracing the natural cycles of life.
So how will you celebrate these two lunar and solar events?
Recently, I was asked to put together a series of resources for grounding, especially during extreme weather that may prevent a person from walking barefoot outdoors (such as during times when there are storms, snow, etc.), so this article is the beginning of many resources to come.
Grounding keeps your energy rooted and connected to the appropriate surrounding sphere. Grounding physically means we are maintaining a connection with our body and the earth around us. Grounding emotionally means we are maintaining a connection with our feelings and the realm of emotions around us. Grounding spiritually means we are staying connected with our spiritual self and the realm of energy.
Grounding keeps us anchored in a way that can minimize the risks of having our heads too far in the clouds, so to speak. While it is important to remain open-minded throughout this process, it is also necessary that we move forward in a manner that is also logical and rational, which requires a degree of grounding. Just because we have an idea or thought pop into our head doesn’t make it true or reliable information. Grounding helps us process incoming information and navigate how to appropriately sort the information so that we can best observe and analyze it. If at any point during your routine or studies, you feel disconnected from your physical body or the surrounding world, disengaged from your emotional self or the realm of feelings, or out of touch with your spiritual self and the energies around you, it’s a good idea to ground.
Often, people ground their energy by walking barefoot in nature, but what happens when it isn’t safe to be barefoot outdoors? In places with snow, ice, and low temperatures, being barefoot outdoors isn’t really option. Same with places that experience extremely hot temperatures, detrimental storms or natural disasters, and more. So, what alternatives are there?
Grounding with earth during extreme weather
This is most people’s default understanding of grounding and often looks like walking barefoot in nature or sitting on the floor. Since spending time outdoors isn’t an option in extreme weather, alternatively, you can sit on the floor inside your home, use a grounding or earthing mat, or even ground your bed by connecting a copper wire to your bed frame and running it out the nearest window and into the ground with a metal stake.
Grounding with water during extreme weather
This can be done by bathing or showering and feeling the water all around you similar to how feeling the earth under your bare feet can ground you but while connecting with the element of water. If a bath or shower is unavailable, you can even run your hands and arms under a sink faucet.
Grounding with fire during extreme weather
This can be done through heat or warmth, or creative or artistic exercises. Spending time in a sauna or with a heated or warm fuzzy blanket can help ground you. Painting, drawing, coloring, journaling, or writing can be creative outlets that can ground you as well.
Grounding with air during extreme weather
This can be done through breathing exercises, listening to grounding frequencies, or meditating to balance the root and sacral chakras. Spending time focusing on your breath, expressing gratitude for the air you inhale and exhale, and allowing the sounds you hear to keep you grounded can make a tremendous difference.
Grounding with spirit during extreme weather
This can be done through visualization and meditation, such as envisioning your spirit sprouting roots like a tree and growing deeply into the earth beneath you regardless of whether or not you’re outside.
May you walk your path with wisdom and prudence. Blessed be on your journey of spiritual growth and healing.
Recently, I was asked to put together a series of resources on rituals, including cord cuttings and this article is the beginning of many resources to come.
Cord cuttings, often referred to as a “Cutting the Cord” ritual, are intended to sever the energetic cord between you and another person. People who are inexperienced with energy work may opt to have a more experienced practitioner perform the work for them, but many people choose to perform this ritual on their own as the steps you walk through can be very therapeutic and releasing feelings. This is especially true if the person you are cutting off was someone who brought a lot of trauma, harm, abuse, or toxicity to your life.
Keep in mind that when you are performing any type of ritual or spellwork, your intentions are the most important thing, so take time to meditate on and determine what your goal for the working is. It might be to move on from an ex, heal from a toxic friendship, or move past the abuse of a family member. At the end of the day, what your end goal is has to be clearly defined by you.
Another important thing to keep in mind is that cord cuttings are intended to be permanent, so if the person you are “cutting the cord” from is someone you think you might return to being in a relationship with later on in life, this may not be the ideal ritual for that situation.
Additionally, I like to always encourage people to practice safely when dabbling in energy work because our intentions hold a great deal of power, and sometimes things we set in motion through our will can have consequences that are outside the scope of what we thought might occur or happen as a result of our working. This makes it especially important to focus our intentions on separating the other person’s energy from ourselves, and not doing things on other people’s behalf without their explicit permission.
If there are multiple people that you desire to cut the cord from, I’ve found it most effective to perform the ritual for each individual scenario, rather than lumping them all together into one singular working.
The most powerful tool at your disposal is always your mind and your intentions. To physically perform the ritual with tangible ingredients, which can help you stay focused and aligned with the outcome of the ritual, here are some useful tools:
Grounding before rituals is important as it ensures that you are connected to your body, the material realm, and very much present for the working. You can ground your energy in several ways including, spending time in nature, walking barefoot on the grass or soil to feel the connection to the earth, sitting crisscross on the ground to connect your root energy source to the earth, imagining roots growing from your feet into the earth anchoring you firmly, practicing intentional breathing exercises, and more. Remember that grounding is a personal practice, so feel free to explore different techniques and find what works best for you.
To cleanse the energy of your space before a ritual, you can smoke cleanse with sacred dried herbs, sound cleanse with bells or singing bowls, or utilize energy-clearing sprays like Florida water or other cleansing blends. Each method has its unique way of clearing energy and creating a positive environment for your divination session, so use whatever method is easily doable and works best for you. Remember to be intentional through the process, so if you are going to cleanse with burning dried herbs, for example, do not simply wave the burning herbs and smoke around, but set your intentions and focus on cleansing the space you’ll be working in of any negative or stagnant energy so that you have a neutral starting point.
After cleansing the space to bring it to a neutral state energetically speaking, you’ll then want to protect yourself and the space from any additional unwanted energies from entering during the ritual. This is a critical step as it helps minimize the risk of any disturbances. Protection can be implemented by setting an energetic boundary, such as casting a circle, if this aligns with your spiritual path and beliefs, wearing protective crystals, such as black obsidian, black tourmaline, or hematite, or casting a protection spell.
You can protect your space and create a protective circle with the support of the elements using the steps below.
Facing East, speak: “Thank you to the East and the element of Air for protecting and assisting me with this cord cutting. Hail and welcome!”
Turning right and facing South, speak: “Thank you to the South and the element of Fire for protecting and assisting me with this cord cutting. Hail and welcome!”
Turning right and facing West, speak: “Thank you to the West and the element of Water for protecting and assisting me with this cord cutting. Hail and welcome!”
Turning right and facing North, speak: “Thank you to the North and the element of Earth for protecting and assisting me with this cord cutting. Hail and welcome!”
Recently, I was asked to put together a series of resources on creating wards, so this article is the beginning of many resources to come.
After effectively grounding yourself and cleansing and protecting the space you’ll be working in, here is a step-by-step method for performing a simple cord cutting. Remember, after the cord cutting is created, you will want to close out the ritual in reverse order by re-protecting yourself and your space, re-cleansing yourself and your space from any lingering negative or stagnant energy, and re-grounding yourself to diffuse built-up energy from the working itself. AND THEN taking plenty of time to rest and recharge your energy.
Take the candle that is going to represent you and gently carve your name into the side of it infusing your intentions that this is connected to your energy. Take the candle that is going to represent the person you are cutting the cord from and gently carve their name into the side of it infusing your intentions that it is connected to the energy you want severed from yourself.
Stand your candles on the fireproof tray a couple of inches apart. I find it helpful to slightly heat up the bottoms of the candle so the wax starts to slightly melt so that they’ll adhere to the dish without following over. Tie them together with the string (see photo example.)
Surround the entire set up of the working and/or the individual candles themselves with salt to symbolize the grounded intentions of this working and that you intend to protect yourself and the other person from harm, but while still severing the energetic cord that links the two of you.
Light both of the candles and state the following:
“As the cord is cut and the candles burned, I cut all ties with that for which I yearned.
I release what no longer serves me. As I will it, so mote it be”
Sit and meditate as the candles burn and the cord is cut, and visualize your energetic attachment to the person being severed. Feel yourself becoming detached, empowered, and able to move on without them in your life. Pay close attention to the moment when the cord catches fire and dissolves between the two candles. Allow the candles to burn all the way down or until you feel drawn to snuff the candles out, but make sure this is after the cord is burned through.
Safely dispose of all of the ritual components.
After the cord cutting is performed, take a moment to close out the protective circle that was created with the support of the elements. These steps will be done in reverse order from how they were first performed.
Stand up and facing North, speak: “Thank you to the North and the element of Earth for protecting and assisting me with this cord cutting and allowing my energy to return to me cleansed and recharged. Thank you and farewell.”
Turning left and facing West, speak: “Thank you to the West and the element of Water for protecting and assisting me with this cord cutting and allowing my energy to return to me cleansed and recharged. Thank you and farewell.”
Turning left and facing South, speak: “Thank you to the South and the element of Fire for protecting and assisting me with this cord cutting and allowing my energy to return to me cleansed and recharged. Thank you and farewell.”
Turning left and facing East, speak: “Thank you to the East and the element of Air for protecting and assisting me with this cord cutting and allowing my energy to return to me cleansed and recharged. Thank you and farewell.”
To cleanse your energy (and space if you feel it’s necessary) after the cord cutting, you can utilize the same method you did at the beginning of the ritual, such as smoke cleansing with sacred dried herbs, using sound cleansing with bells or singing bowls, or utilizing energy clearing sprays like Florida water or other cleansing blends.
Alternatively, you also might opt for something that’s more personal to cleanse yourself, such as a ritual cleansing shower or bath. Remember to be intentional through the process, so if you are going to cleanse with burning dried herbs again, for example, do not simply wave the burning herbs and smoke around yourself or your space, but set your intentions and focus on cleansing your energy so that you feel clean, refreshed, and energized.
Grounding after cord cutting is incredibly important as it ensures that any excess energy is redirected back to the ground/earth. You can ground your energy utilizing the same method you did at the beginning of the ritual, such as spending time in nature, walking barefoot on the grass or soil to feel the connection to the earth, sitting crisscross on the ground to connect your root energy source to the earth, imagine roots growing from your feet into the earth anchoring you firmly, practicing intentional breathing exercises, etc.
May you walk your path with wisdom and prudence. Blessed be on your journey of spiritual growth and healing.
Wisdom is not just the mere accumulation of knowledge but the understanding and application of it. Wisdom comes in many forms — from spiritual wisdom to practical wisdom. It is a deep understanding of life that allows one to make balanced decisions and act with insight and discernment. Wisdom helps us navigate our lives through difficult times with grace and resilience. By developing wise perspectives, we can gain clarity on our goals, values, and beliefs, and use this knowledge to lead a more meaningful life.
Wisdom can be found everywhere — from ancient scriptures to contemporary literature; by listening to our elders or observing nature; from personal introspection or collective dialogue. It encourages us to be open-minded and compassionate as we strive to understand more deeply the world around us. Wisdom is a journey of learning, growth, and transformation that teaches us to appreciate life’s complexity and appreciate each other’s differences.
Wisdom can enable us to have better relationships with ourselves and others, understanding that our actions affect not just one but many. Through wisdom, we can start to recognize the patterns of our lives, identify our true purpose, and make choices that will bring about positive change in the world. Ultimately, wisdom is an invaluable gift that helps us lead meaningful lives filled with insight and joy.
As Lao Tzu said: “He who knows others is wise; He who knows himself is enlightened.” True wisdom lies within the depths of our own hearts and souls, waiting to be discovered. All we need to do is listen.
Esoteric wisdom has been around since ancient times, with evidence of its presence in cultures around the world. It was initially passed down from teacher to student in an intentional and guarded manner to prevent sacred knowledge from falling into the hands of those who would misuse it. Its principles were deeply embedded in the spiritual practices of many civilizations and often carried out as part of rituals or ceremonies that had both symbolic and practical purposes.
It’s believed that this type of knowledge was intentionally kept hidden from those who weren’t deemed spiritually mature enough to understand it, so as to protect them from any potential harm. Those chosen few who did possess this knowledge were thought to have special insight into the divine and sacred mysteries, which could potentially transform lives for the better. As such, esoteric wisdom has long been revered as a powerful tool for spiritual growth and the cultivation of inner understanding.
The aim of esoteric wisdom is to connect one to universal truths, allowing them to gain insight into the deeper meaning of life and find their true path in life. This knowledge encompasses many different aspects and topics, including philosophy, metaphysics, astrology, mysticism, alchemy, numerology, and more. It’s often described as a journey towards enlightenment that involves learning how to access the hidden depths of our soul while also unlocking the power of our higher self. By engaging with this type of wisdom we can begin to uncover the secrets within ourselves that allow us to connect with something much greater than ourselves.
Esoteric wisdom has been around for centuries, and is still relevant today. It can help us to unlock our inner potential, heal spiritual wounds from the past, and gain insight into ourselves that can lead to a more meaningful life. By engaging with this type of wisdom we can come to understand the mysteries of life and find our true spiritual path.
