everywitchwaytarotblog

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Seeking a Pagan Path

So if you are new to Wicca/Witchcraft/Paganism it can be daunting at first trying to discern appropriate definitions for the types of paths that are walked in Paganism.  A big source of confusion can be “What is the difference between Wicca, Witchcraft and Paganism?”  There are a few key differences between these three paths. Paganism is an umbrella term for Nature and Earth based religions. Wicca and Witchcraft fall under this umbrella. Its important to note that though all Wiccans/Witches are Pagan, not all Pagans are Wiccan.  Wicca is a type of witchcraft that was introduced in the 1950′s. Wicca is typically referred to as a New Age Religious movement. Yes, it is based in the old ways, however, the practices and initiations themselves are very new. In my years practicing witchcraft and taking a researchers lens to Wicca, it is easy to see in books found in stores and websites nowadays that Wicca has a very eclectic foundation to it. Wicca frequently brings Eastern Chakra practices into play in common spellwork, and very often when I am reading books such as “The Wiccan Year” you can see the Celtic Wheel of the Year is used but the Gods/Goddesses mentioned most are of the Greek Pantheon.  I suggest that if this is your desired path you research Wiccan Covens and their schools of thought, like Gardnerian, Alexandrian, and Dianic Wicca as some examples.   The Law of Three and the Wiccan Rede are especially important in these paths since they are directly correlated with those practices for the most part. Clearly you don’t need to be Wiccan to relate and use these philosophies, but more on that momentarily.  Witchcraft is any type of nature based craft. You are a Witch if you practice a craft that is earth based or rooted in Pagan belief systems. All Wiccans are Witches but not all Witches are Wiccan.  The reason being not all Witches are Wiccan is summarized as follows: Initiation.  I was told by a friend who is a practicing Wiccan who went to Harvard for Religious studies and his focus on Pagansim that traditionally Wicca was a reserved term for those initiated in a Wiccan Coven.  The other reason is of course not every witch relies on the Law of Three or the Rede in their philosophies.  Its very common place NOW for people to use Witch and Wiccan interchangeably, but since learning that there is initiation involved with Wicca, I reserve using that term for myself when I am being introduced to new people who have *zero* clue what the differences are and I can say “Like the Hex Girls from Scooby Doo” and they get it without making me exert undue emotional labor.  TLDR is All Witches/Wiccans are Pagans but not all Pagans are Wiccan and not all Witches are Wiccan, but all Wiccans are witches.  Below is a link that goes into way more detail (which can become very muddy if I tried to further explain it) https://www.thoughtco.com/wicca-witchcraft-or-paganism-2562823  this is a great start in understanding what I just kinda word vomited in this post. 

[everywitchwaytarotblog]

This right here ❤ still learning

https://iglovequotes.net/

[everywitchwaytarotblog]

https://iglovequotes.net/

[everywitchwaytarotblog]

I wanted to start a daily Tarot prompt for the Month of November. Thinking of calling it Thankful tarot. I feel like it's going to be a good prompt for me to express gratitude for things in my life, and I would love to see others pulls either in comments too!

Today's Thankful Tarot prompt is the Empress upright ❤ 👑

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Empress upright is a feminine caretaker. She can represent matron authority, and home life. She encourages creative pursuits and honors the feminine energies in life.

I'm grateful for my own mothers and the amazing relationship we have. I'm grateful for the other women in my life who treated me like their own. I'm grateful for all of them encouraging me to pursue the crafts that have made me happy, and teaching me lessons about life. I would be lost without their prescence and teachings in my life.

Other aspects of the Empress are fertility, child-rearing and her ties to the mother goddesses/creation goddesses in various pantheons.

I myself don't associate strongly with these aspects (for lots of reasons) but they are still present and I do find myself often empathizing with mothers and the mental load they carry in a household. I've often found myself in partnerships managing a household and in friendships as "the mom friend". So, I'll be telling all the moms in my life that they are valid and deserve every ounce of gratitude and recognition that can be given.

Would love to see others pulls today on what they might be grateful/thankful for!

[everywitchwaytarotblog]

How is this so relatable 🤣

(Pst here's my IG @Thestonedragoncrafts)

[everywitchwaytarotblog]

Had a request for the Samhain spread through my shop tonight and I'm really happy with how the reading and the subsequent review turned out 🖤 She even featured me on a Facebook post on her own page: https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=2539122733042117&id=2434177470203311

Feelings super validated right now ❤🖤

[everywitchwaytarotblog]

One of my close friends got me the Sasuraibito tarot and it is MAGNIFICENT

gorgeous and beautiful artwork, super inclusive and it's just MY AESTHETIC.

Have a death moth tattoo, red and black are my go to colors, and gold gild is my weakness. ❤🖤❤🖤❤🖤 so amazing

[everywitchwaytarotblog]

[everywitchwaytarotblog]

Physics: More pencil tricks

Source

[everywitchwaytarotblog]

Today was rough. My daily reading had me starting off with the Three of Swords AND the Tower as precautionary prompts 😭

[everywitchwaytarotblog]

My wonderful little familiar Fidget ❤ always interrupting my readings lol

[everywitchwaytarotblog]

I guess of you're a Water monkey that makes us Sea-monkeys 😎

i dont hear much abt asian zodiacs??? anyways im year of the dragon how bout yall

[everywitchwaytarotblog]

Important Crystals for Witchcraft

From my Grimoire, here is a list of important crystals I use in my witchcraft. 

✨AMAZONITE ✨Communication, overcome loneliness, protects against electromagnetic pollution, prosperity, dispels negative energy and aggravation, good luck stone.

✨AMETHYST✨Artist’s stone, all healer, protects against psychic attack, paranormal harm or ill wishing, calms and soothes, balances, protection, clarity, cleansing

✨AVENTURINE✨Strong connection to earth, guards against environmental pollution, stone of opportunity, release of old, enhanced creativity, calm and sooth spirit

✨BLACK TOURMALINE✨Protection, purification, grounding, soothes panic attacks, shields against pollutants, cleansing, confidence inspiring, setting boundaries

✨BLOOD STONE✨Vitality, cleansing, courage, transformation, strength, manifestation, healing, good fortune, mood stabilizer, grounding

✨BLUE LACE AGATE✨Support crystal for care givers, loyalty and trustworthiness, calming, overcome common difficulties, tranquility, stress relief, relaxing

✨CARNELIAN✨Vitality, confidence, courage, passion, strength, motivation, excellent aid for training, boosts listless attitude, and stimulates appetite, balances sexual energy

✨CITRINE✨Love, confidence, creativity, passion, intuition, manifestation, happiness, joy, light, increase sexual and creative fertility, clarity, inspiration

✨FLOURITE✨Clarity, insight, focus, peace, calming, healing, cleansing, purifying, order to chaos, gentle healing powers, clear focus, balancing, grounding

✨GARNET✨Creativity, manifestation, passion, grounded and connected to present, love, strength, earthy, shields from the negative

✨HEMATITE✨Grounding, focus, centering, absorb toxic emotions, manifestation, grounding, protection, release self imposed limitations, balance, equilibrium, focus, energy, detoxifying, shields against pollutants

✨KYANITE, BLUE✨Brings chakras into alignment, enhance psychic abilities, releases blocks, encourages higher levels of learning and understanding, insight, communication, intuition

✨LABRADORITE✨Creativity, joy, vitality, enhances mental and intuitive abilities, transformation, strength, enhances psychic abilities, communication with higher self

✨LAPIS LAZULI✨Transformation, calm, insight, encourages self awareness, reveals inner truth, stimulates opportunity, clarity and encourages creativity, wisdom, cures insomnia, emotional healing, confidence, love and joy, expand intellect

✨MALACHITE✨Confidence, creativity, strength, energy, healing and positive transformation, cure emotional negativity and mental disturbances, inner imagery, releases negative experiences and emotional trauma

✨MOONSTONE✨Intuition, dreamwork, insight, more acceptable to change, balances emotions, promotes calm mood, encourages peace, harmony and balance, helps passion, calming, soothing

✨MOSS AGATE✨Prosperity, success, abundance, congeniality, healing, restoration, plant fertility, protection of earth, creativity, confidence, strength, development of new friendship, finding a compatible lover

✨PERIDOT✨Vitality, manifestation, transformation, healing, renewal, purification, rebirth, renewal, purification, healing, growth, relaxation, comfort, intuition, avoid negativity, clarity, deter anxiety, relationship matters, release to receive

✨PYRITE✨Creativity, passion, focus, manifestation, confidence, strength, prosperity, good luck, harness earth, energy, encourages gratitude, intelligence, mental stability, memory, practicality, learning and perception

✨QUARTZ✨Programmable with intent, can be used in place of any crystal, amplification, amplifies emotions, focus, clarity, resonates with all chakras, energy healing

✨ROSE QUARTZ✨Self love, romance, encourages self esteem, clears anger, jealousy and resentment, healing of heart issues, attract love, heart chakra

✨RED JASPER✨Energy, strength, stamina, spiritual grounding, strong connection to earth, manifest creative ideas, vitality, focus, release shame and guilt associated with sexuality, balancing, protection, stability, positive attitude

✨SELENITE✨Cleaning, protection, light bringing, activation, reaching higher planes, purity, honesty, clears energy blocks, amplification, clarity, motivation

✨SERPENTINE✨Healing, corrects mental and emotional imbalances, vitality, manifestation, transformation, clear blocked energies, brings peace and joy

✨SMOKEY QUARTZ✨Clarity, calm, protection, accept sexuality, increases virility, surrender, amplifies truth, cleansing, creates harmony and balance in home, healing

✨SNOWFLAKE OBSIDIAN✨Purity, balance for mind body and spirit, release wrong thinking, centering, calms and soothes, grounding, protection, cleanses, brings truths to surface, transformation, fulfillment, manifestation

✨SODALITE✨Insight, intuition, dreamwork, confidence, self esteem, inspiration, peace, tranquility, expanded spiritual awareness, clear electromagnetic pollution, logic, intelligence, clarity, truth, perception

✨SUNSTONE✨Freedom, originality, sensuality, romance, sexuality, independence, luck, leadership, freedom, personal power, expanded consciousness, benevolence, warmth, openness, strength

✨TIGERS EYE✨Protection, clear thinking, personal empowerment, integrity, willpower, practicality, grounding, power, courage, grace, balance, confidence, strength, release fear and anxiety, aids harmony and balance, passion, motivation

✨TURQUOISE✨Balance, communication, strength, purification, serenity, protection, wisdom, friendship, love, positive thinking, sensitivity, dispels negative energy, aligns the chakras, stabilizes mood swings and instills inner calm, self realization, creative problem solving

✨Unakite✨Balances physical emotions, grounding, stone of vision, balances emotions with spirituality, healing, strong harmonious relationships, balance aspects of the heart, lifts spirits, release deep seated emotions, encourages harmonious partnerships

[everywitchwaytarotblog]

I like this idea. Gonna try revisiting this myself

Free write. Set a timer or a page limit and journal whatever comes into your mind without editing. I recommend 20 minutes if using a timer or three pages in your journal of choice. Delete or destroy the pages afterwards or commit to not revisiting them for at least 6 weeks. Washi taping the pages together is a good way to avoid flipping to them if you decide to keep them.

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Three days of Temperance

So, for three days in a row I have gotten Temperance, and Five of swords or wands reversed. My first reading with nothing but Major Arcana was pretty enlightening, especially ‘cause it was the same day I had an important doctors visit, but it had certainly set the tone for me the last few days.

It started Monday 09/30 and I had gone to the doctors for a very long-awaited visit. This was an appointment I made back in mid-July. I worked around a vacation previously planned earlier this year in August and an incredibly full September schedule. I had my consultation with a fertility and reproductive specialist about potential Endometriosis and symptoms that had culminated over time and finally came to painful head this past March.

To cut out a lot of the agonizing details, this has been a process of self-advocacy come true. I am being moved on to surgery as a next step, but of course things are up in the air, because of finances and life in general. There’s lots of things going on at work, I have an Etsy I manage on the side, and the holidays are on the horizon. Surgery is also super expensive. It’s very likely I will not have this surgery until next year. The biggest (still on-going) struggle is pain. I haven’t been given anything more than a cocktail of NSAIDS and acetometaphin. Hopelessness barely describes my feelings on the pain management front, but this post is more about my relationship to the cards I’m pulling surrounding these feelings, so I’ll cut to that.

Temperance is a card that cautions patience. It is a message to slow down, take a moment, deeply breathe and relax in the face of adversities. It urges caution and thoughtfulness in the wake of calamity, and most importantly, looks for clarity in the chaos. This certainly isn’t the first life-altering event of my life. I have accomplished and experienced the most mixed bag of emotional growth over my life and I welcome change. Without delving into a small and time-consuming autobiography, I can assure that everything that has happened until now has built me up for enduring this. After all, I have the Tower as a significator for a reason. The difficulty that I am facing with this is that I am and have been impatient in getting to this point, regardless of my understanding that our healthcare system doesn’t move very quickly. I fundamentally know that this is going to be a several year journey of me adjusting to living with constant and frequently increased pain from now until we explore possibilities of resolution. My eagerness for it to be done with couldn’t be more apparent and I am not shocked that Temperance has decided to grace me daily since my visit.

The Fives on the other hand do not have me looking forward to accepting my very “It is what it is” circumstances.

Five of Swords in reverse indicates a loss taken hard. I have in this transition from able-bodied not mentally adjusted to the fact I must really listen to my body. I must reinforce my boundaries with activity, I have to consider my potential pain levels, I have to actively take medication to prevent more pain, I abhor asking for help and now I am forced into a position where I must ask for help. It’s overwhelming the frustration I have felt since March regarding restrictions I’ve learned to respect from my own body. I am mourning the loss of my independent life, free from restrictive pain.  

Five of Wands in reverse indicates failure to adopt to new circumstances or the need to adopt or else there will be inevitable failure. The Five of wands is a power struggle. Competing forces at ends with one another, only more difficult in the reversal position.

[Both cards also talk a degree of mistrust is afoot and that one needs to be vigilant, for their own sake.

I want to clarify that I do like my doctor I saw Monday. She was empathetic and understanding and has a successful history treating persons with Endometriosis and counseled me extensively. But I don’t trust our healthcare system, my insurance or my financial stability by any means. I have to be my own advocate in these positions and that has been truly exhausting as well.]

 Temperance is the 14th card in the Major Arcana. When I looked further into the card for extra clarity beyond patience, I read that day 14 is the midpoint of the lunar cycle. And so, I will conclude this is my midpoint in this journey and may it draw to a close soon.

  All three of the cards have alternated positions in my daily readings (that can be seen here on my IG https://www.instagram.com/every_witch_way_blog/) but they ultimately still resonate the same energy. So this is me unpacking the messages.

Hope this was at least enlightening, or perhaps inspiring for someone else to read. I like including Tarot in my daily life and I hope that someone else can recognize the healing power a deck of cards can possess when we are faced with adversity. 

[everywitchwaytarotblog]

Musings

I have been playing around with ideas of tarot spreads for specific decks I own, but my digital artistic capabilities cease at microsoft paint (ugh) One day though I’m gonna have them, and I’m gonna share them!

[everywitchwaytarotblog]

This is one of my most used decks. This is the Mystic Faerie Tarot (by Barbara Moore and Linda Ravenscroft). I love this deck and my friend took these amazing pictures of it and I needed to share them.  I now have three other Fae themed decks that I have used in conjunction with this deck and have had some of the most in-depth readings I’ve ever done with it. 

I can’t wait to show off the readings from this deck in some future posts.